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F.A. Cup: how England can improve

By John Harbeck

Jul 29, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney (10) kicks the ball against the Paris Saint-Germain during the second half at Soldier Field. Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester United 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 29, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney (10) kicks the ball against the Paris Saint-Germain during the second half at Soldier Field. Paris Saint-Germain defeats Manchester United 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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With the famous third round of the F.A. Cup done and dusted, I got my retrospective pants on and decided it was time to freshen up the competition.

Every third round I am regaled of stories of times gone by when the F.A. Cup was the bigger competition.  If it wasn’t more important than the league, then it was certainly held in a similar regard.  Teams were loath to trot out anything but their best sides (looking at you Liverpool) and viewed the yearly competition as a valuable method of gaining prestige.

For the top clubs around England, the F.A. Cup just isn’t that important anymore.  That fact I’m fine with and realize that the competition will never regain what it once was.  The prize money alone from finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League means any club within shouting distance will drop everything and focus their attention away from the F.A. Cup.  That doesn’t even mean that club has a shot at the Premier League title.  The same can largely be said for a Championship level club that finds itself aiming for promotion.  The money is simply too rich to pass it up.  F.A. Cup run or no.

That is why I believe the England F.A. needs to further gear the competition toward generating as many upsets as possible.  That is why many people find themselves watching it anyway.  I mean why else would I take the time this past afternoon to watch Cambridge United take on Leeds United?  There is no other circumstance other than a possible upset that I would have tuned into a match with a club in the fourth division.

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My suggestion to improving the likelihood of upsets and well increasing fun is to allow the lower tiered team to select the venue.

Obviously having the match at home would increase the likelihood of that club winning the match. On top of that factor, even hosting, not to mention beating a big club can be a once in a lifetime opportunity for a fan.  That once in a lifetime feeling always produces really cool atmospheres to watch on television as well, rather than half filled Championship stadiums.

I would give the club the option of hosting for the club to decide on as they might just not be able to pass up the massive payday of going to Old Trafford.

Another key I would tinker with is the replay system that is currently in place.  The current rules state that if the match is drawn then it will go to a second match at the opposite venue.  The reason this will likely never leave is because lower division clubs use the replay as a massive cash cow.  Each club earns a percentage of the gate, meaning earning a replay at a bigger club is huge for the bottom line.

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Under my new tinkering, I would have the match go to penalties, but the losing team would still receive a bonus for drawing the match.  This would to some degree compensate the club for the lost revenue, while still ensuring that teams remain aggressive late in the cup matches.

Currently as we saw in the Liverpool vs Plymouth Argyle match, one team had no incentive to attempt to score.

While the F.A. Cup continues to lose ground in the soccer fan’s consciousness, I believe these very small changes will enhance the watchablility and excitement of the cup run.  There are two basic things that neutral fans of soccer want to see, other than skill (which can’t always be helped with lower tier competition) and that is upsets and two team laying it all on the line at the end.  The current system doesn’t produce near enough upsets and also incentivize clubs to park the bus and play for a draw.

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