DITCH THE RASH REPLAYS
WHAT will it take for the FA to kick their Cup replay habit? Maybe if Gareth Southgate were to lose Harry Kane and Marcus rashford for Euro 2020. Kane is already a doubt and now rashford is a long-term casualty, courtesy of a superfluous third-round replay between Manchester United and Wolves. He has a double stress fracture of the back, with estimates predicting an April return. In a television studio here in South Africa, robin van persie said a similar injury kept him out for four months and left him with permanent weakness in the area. And rashford did this in a match that did not need to take place. Yet still the lunacy continues. If fourth-round replays are needed this season, some will interrupt the mid-winter break. And even if fourth-round replays are abolished next season, those in round three will remain. These are seen as a vital revenue stream for smaller clubs. Yet how can funding that arrives randomly be integral? replays are a windfall, they can be factored into future finances as reliably as the purchase of a lottery ticket. Anyway, a number of compensatory arrangements can be made to cover, including greater shares of television and matchday revenue in the event of the underdog forcing extra time. What the FA are scared of is reneging on a television contract, and having to give back some of the money. So stagger existing matches and release more of those to the broadcasters instead. There are many ways around the problem. Alternatively, limp towards another tournament while pretending failure is a mystery.