More harsh realities than magic moments
WATCHING THE FA Cup is a bit like being in the audience for a magic show, where the conjurer wows you with some mind-blowing trick, but then immediately reveals the secrets behind the illusion.
A little bit of magic is temporarily sprinkled over the eager viewers, only to be quickly hoovered up as a reminder of the harsh realities of life. At risk of going all philosophical and Cantona-esque, that is what the once proud English cup competition has become.
Of course, the allure of the cup is still evident from time to time, when one of the minnows of the game gets a favourable result against the big boys.
The only Dynamo on show may be midfield ones, but there is something awe-inspiring in the air when David faces Goliath and manages to hit him squarely between the eyes with a slingshot.
The problem now though is giant-killings can often be tainted by Premier League teams putting out seriously weakened teams to face lower league, or any, opposition for that matter.
Liverpool against Shrewsbury Town is a case in point. Not the original fixture on Sunday, when they were far from their strongest, but the likes of Salah and Firmino got game time and the team that took to the field should have been good enough to get the job done and tame the Shrews.
The League One side battling back from a two-goal deficit to earn a replay was no mean feat, even against an understrength Liverpool, and the celebrations from the home contingent at the end gave us a brief glimpse of how glorious the competition can be.
However, that sense of euphoria is fleeting, and the big issue now is that the Merseysiders’ first team, or their manager Jurgen Klopp, won’t be involved in the replay, with the match scheduled to take place during the new mid-season break.
Even Harry Houdini couldn’t escape criticism for pulling this rabbit out of the hat but, despite their privileged position, it’s easy enough to understand the club’s stance on this and the seven-times winners are prepared to bow out with little more than a whimper to make their point.
If anybody booked a fortnight off work they would be none too pleased if they were asked to come in for a day in the middle of it, so choosing to snub the competition when they have bigger fish to fry is hardly all that surprising.
The fact is that the Premier League asked clubs to respect the winter break and avoid scheduling matches so the players would have time for recuperation, so it’s hard to criticise Liverpool for doing just that, although it’s been blindingly obvious since Klopp’s arrival in the UK that winning the FA Cup is simply not on his radar.
Having not lifted the domestic cup since 2006, and with the title practically in the bag, I’m sure there are some die-hard Liverpool supporters who would love to see their team go gung-ho to try to win the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble, and they would take some stopping if they took the lesser of the three seriously.
Liverpool’s decision is also a shame for the Shrewsbury players though because, although it obviously increases their chances of getting through, they would surely love to be pitting their wits against at least a few world-class players at a packed Anfield.
Youngsters and journeymen plying their trade in the depths of the EFL would have dreamt about writing the headlines as they caused a seismic shock at the home of one of the mighty clubs, but now if Shrewsbury do manage to win it will generate little more than a ripple.
That said, chopping and changing isn’t just reserved for teams in the top flight, as sides from the Championship and lower, who are concentrating on promotion or avoiding relegation, rather than a cup run, also shuffle their pack more than a fleet-handed card trickster.
Liverpool aren’t the only Premier League side in this predicament as Newcastle United have to travel to Oxford after a 0-0 stalemate at St. James’ Park, while Spurs and Southampton must meet again after a 1-1 draw.
Not all teams are in the same boat though, with the competition offering a chance of a redemption for some, contrary to the unwelcome distraction that it is for others.
Despite the headache that fixture congestion brings, for teams like Manchester United and Tottenham the FA Cup could potentially save their seasons.
United’s relatively strong lineup in their thrashing of Tranmere Rovers showed the Red Devils are taking the competition seriously.
However, despite the likes of the BBC trying manfully to big it up every season, the oldest cup competition in the world has become as stale as last week’s loaf and there’s not a whole lot that can be done to freshen it up. With calls for replays to be scrapped growing louder each year, it’s only a matter of time before the powers-that-be cave in, and small clubs will no longer be able to dream of earning a big pay day at Old Trafford, Anfield or Stamford Bridge if they manage to secure a draw on their home patch.
When Manchester United were allowed to withdraw in 1999 it sent a strong signal about the dwindling standing of the once mighty competition, and the prestige has been chipped away at with a chisel ever since, but from growing up in a time when cup final day was something really important it will always hold a special place in my heart.
For my own views on the present state of the FA Cup I’ll paraphrase the late, great Paul Daniels. I like it...not a lot, but I like it.