Never one to mince his words, Chris Wilder has come out swinging after news of the changes to the FA Cup were announced today.
The FA have announced that there will no longer be replays from the 1st round onwards.
It is a bitter blow to some of the smaller clubs in the competition and takes away one of the ‘magic’ elements of the cup, which has always been the underdog being able to battle through a game and land either a lucrative away fixture or a packed house at home.
However, as has been proposed for years by the bigger clubs and managers of those clubs, the FA have bowed to pressure and the replay system has now been scrapped.
It is, of course, beneficial to the major players in the game. There is, too, an argument to be made that it benefits Championship clubs as well, with an extra game being got rid of probably to the liking of some managers.
But Wilder, speaking to the media today before facing Burnley, admitted that the big clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and more, had got their way again.
Chris Wilder reacts to news of FA Cup replays being scrapped
Speaking to the press when asked about his thoughts on the decision, Wilder referenced the bigger clubs in a subtle way and stuck up for some of the smaller clubs impacted.
“As always, the game is dictated and dominated by the big boys and the big boys don’t want FA Cup replays do they? There’ll be an argument that they’re bringing all the money in to the game. Being a traditionalist, what does that do to non-league clubs that get in to the fairy tale of round three and get a draw at home and the financial implications of that?,” Wilder quipped.
“There’s been clubs that have had FA Cup runs and had replays that have financially benefitted themselves for the next 3/4/5 years. As you well know, my pathway and my history, I’ve been at both ends of the scale but for me it’s a great reward for the lower league clubs in earning that replay to allow them to go to the bigger clubs. I would’ve liked to have seen it kept the same but obviously the game is moving on.”
Premier League big boys dominate proceedings but Championship clubs also guilty
Wilder makes a good point about the likes of Arsenal, City and Liverpool dominating decisions.
However, it has to be said that the FA Cup has not been the same for some time now and even Championship clubs often put out weaker sides in the earlier rounds.
For that, everyone needs to take responsibility really but this decision has been coming for some time.
Indeed, if you ask most Blades fans if they’d rather, for example, play a Stoke City at home in round three and have it done in one game, the majority would probably say yes.
The impact on those clubs down the pyramid is important. But there is more to it than just the very biggest clubs getting their own way here.
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