More tampering with English Football

News has just reached us that the FA have decided to tamper yet again with English Football.

In another vain attempt at trying to get anything like success for the
England national team, they’ve now decided to end the 2006 season a
week earlier than planned, and to mess around with the need for replays
in the FA Cup 5th and 6th rounds.

Of course this season the question would never have arisen for
Liverpool FC  – Liverpool aren’t in the FA Cup 5th or 6th rounds.
Next season it’s not yet possible to say whether it will apply to
Liverpool FC – as they may yet still not qualify for Europe next season.

The 2006 FA Cup final was due to be played at the new Wembley stadium
on May 20th. Now, due to the high demands put on players in the modern
game, the final will be played a week earlier, on May 13th. This will
allow the England players to fit in some extra promotional work filming
adverts before the finals. The premiership will finish a week earlier
in turn.

For the fith and sixth rounds of the FA Cup, the FA felt it necessary
to confuse everyone. For the FIFTH round, If the tie features a team
that is playing in the Uefa Cup, then that tie will not have a replay
should it be level after 90 minutes. For the SIXTH round, if one of the
teams in a tie is playing in the Uefa Cup OR the Champions League, then
that tie also will not have a replay if it is level at the end of 90
minutes.

It’s going to cause trouble.

And it’s completely unneccessary.

Coming soon: Ebay sponsor the FA Cup and auction off a place in the semi-final for the highest bidder…