REPLAYS ARE LIKE POLICE ACADEMY FILMS
(THERE’S FAR TOO MANY, SAYS CARVALHAL)
Confirmation of a third successive Cup replay for Swansea was enough for Carlos Carvalhal to share his theory about a better resolution. ‘maybe in the future if the managers and referee agree after the first game we can go to penalties,’ said the Swansea manager. ‘i believe if you had asked us and the Sheffield Wednesday manager we would have gone to penalties. it’s a bit like the
Police Academy films. first there is one and then there is too many.’ Swansea have never appeared in an fa Cup final and it is 53 years since they were in the quarter-finals. they will make the last eight this year if they beat Wednesday, an unremarkable side languishing deep in the Championship and winless in 18 fa Cup ties against top-flight opposition. But they would have been prepared to risk the comfort of a replay at home in exchange for a penalty shootout on Saturday. no one likes replays, that’s the clear message. no one is too fussed about the fa Cup, that’s the subtext, unfortunately. Certainly, it seems to be getting in the way for Premier League clubs such as Swansea. at least there are no replays from the quarter-finals onwards, a rule introduced last season but not yet
required. There have been none in semi-finals since 1999; FA Cup final replays were scrapped in 1998. Logistics dictate at the sharp end of the season, regardless of the fact replays have enriched the competition. Endless replays were stitched into the fabric but they ended in 1991 when penalties were introduced. Replays survive as far as the fifth round to satisfy smaller clubs who can earn a fortune from a return tie and a live broadcasting fee. But replays are a relic of the past and it is time to end their misery. It is illogical to start a competition with one format and end it with another. Beyond that, supporters are voting with their feet and the FA Cup is losing its energy. Three home ties for Sheffield Wednesday this season have all attracted crowds much lower than the smallest home attendance for the Championship. For Saturday’s tie, with an upset in the air, there were fewer than 20,000 in attendance. Perhaps the fans take their lead from managers for whom this tie was clearly an inconvenience. Owls boss Jos Luhukay made six changes and Carvalhal, back at Hillsborough eight weeks after his sacking, did the same. Sure enough, a second-string contest proved short of quality with the exception of one outstanding save by Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson to deny Mike van der Hoorn. This, unfortunately, is where the FA Cup is at. Managers grumbling, players resting and more fans giving it a swerve. Financial bonuses and incentives are pegged primarily to league success because this correlates most closely to revenue. Fewer British owners, coaches and players means fewer mistyeyed memories to offset the hard facts that staying up, or going up or reaching the Champions League is the lucrative priority. It is no coincidence that Wigan, winners in 2013 to infiltrate the dominance of the big clubs, were inspired by owner Dave Whelan and his own emotional connection to the FA Cup. This does not render the competition incapable of serving up wonderful storylines, classic upsets or dramatic ties. This was not one of them. But you never know about the replay. SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (3-5-2): Dawson 7; VENANCIO 7.5, Pudil 7, Fox 6.5; Hunt 6.5, Jones 6.5, Reach 6.5, Butterfield 6 (Pelupessy 69min, 5), Boyd 5; Wallace 5.5 (Joao 80), Nuhiu 6. Subs not used: Wildsmith, Loovens, Baker, Kirby, Nielsen. Booked: Wallace, Reach. Manager: Jos Luhukay 6. SWANSEA CITY (3-4-3): Nordfeldt 6.5; Naughton 6.5, Bartley 7, Van der Hoorn 6; Roberts 6, Carroll 6.5, Ki 6, Olsson 6 (Clucas 79); Narsingh 5 (Dyer 64, 6), Abraham 6 (J Ayew 67, 6), Routledge 5. Subs not used: Mulder, Fernandez, James, Maric. Booked: Van der Hoorn. Manager: Carlos Carvalhal 6. Referee: Paul Tierney 6. Attendance: 19,427.