Greedy FA give Spurs unfair edge
IMAGINE if Saturday’s FA Cup semifinal between Manchester United and Tottenham was being held at Old Trafford?
Would Spurs have a right to cry foul? Of course. Because tradition has always dictated these games are held on neutral grounds.
It wouldn’t have happened before Wembley was redeveloped but, since it has been, the FA insist all semis are played there to rake in much-needed cash, which means renting it to Spurs throws up a potential conflict of interest.
They can take the cockerels off the concourses and split the seats with United, but it is still currently their home, to the point where they run ‘Spurs At Wembley’ tours.
They’ve played there 25 times this season and, before last weekend’s defeat by Manchester City, hadn’t lost in the league at Wembley since August. If Jose Mourinho asks why he should be made to pretend it’s a neutral ground, he’d be spot-on.
How easy would it have been for the FA to rule that, if Spurs reached the semi-final of this year’s Cup, it would be played at one of the six English grounds with 52,000-plus capacities?
Maybe not too easy. Because it would have taken foresight and cost them money, and this is the FA we’re talking about.
EVERTON are asking their fans to rate Sam Allardyce’s managerial performance out of 10. Having listened to many Evertonians in the past few months, the board must be either deaf or cowards.
They must know, due to the toxic mood at Goodison, Allardyce (right) will not rate far above one out of 10. So here’s a question for the board.
How much better than one out of 10 do you rate your own efforts?