KLOPP WANTS CUP SHAKE-UP

Ditch replays for shootouts, says Reds boss

JUrGen KLOPP wants all FA Cup replays scrapped and replaced with a format where lower- placed clubs automatically get to play ties at home.

Along with other Premier League managers like Pep Guardiola, the Liverpool boss is concerned that the domestic football calendar in england is placing too much strain on the nation’s top stars.

now the German has called on the Football Association to take a drastic step. Klopp (right) said: ‘replays in the FA Cup? no, have a penalty shoot-out.

‘the usual explanation against that is that the smaller teams have a chance to win the replay if it’s at home. then give them the home game in the first place.

‘Go there, play there. if they beat us: “Congratulations. Go for it.” But these kinds of things, replays. it’s just another game on television. But who watches these games? that’s the place where we have to start.’

Klopp was vocal at the weekend in his criticism of a decision to move the Africa Cup of nations to January. He said it will influence his thinking on whether to buy African players in the future.

Klopp is also concerned about plans by FiFA to introduce a 24-team World Club Cup in China in 2021 but knows Liverpool will be attracted to that by the money on offer.

‘But the Carabao Cup semi-final two legs is nothing to do with money,’ he added. ‘nothing. it’s not OK, these games are not OK. And that’s not about money. ‘Ask one of the teams involved in the semi-final what they think about the second leg being another game in that period. ‘And after that you may win a competition. if you win it’s great, if you lose no one remembers you were in the final. ‘Yes, it’s silverware and that’s great. But you pushed the boys and we never think about that. the Football League and the FA have to talk and find a solution, just internally. ‘ every year we do the same. We talk about it at this stage of the year and then the rest of the year we don’t talk about it. ‘We have seven games in a week now and so we start talking about it. so we just talk now because it’s that time.’

Klopp said at the weekend that he feels sympathy for Harry Kane after the tottenham and england striker suffered a bad hamstring injury.

since then Manchester United’s Marcus rashford has been diagnosed with a double stress fracture of the back — which has been attributed to too much football. Klopp even suggested that he would be happy to take a salary cut if it meant fewer games.

‘it’s a strange situation as we ask for less games and we’d get paid less money,’ he said.

‘But i’m ready to do so, i can say it here.’