From BTID

thecorner · 26/07/2004, 9:47 PM

MESSAGE FROM SCOUT:

Heard WLR sport this evening saying that Cork might pull out of FAI Cup if they are forced to play UCD.

wouldnt it be great

could u imagine the uproar we would cause

we are too big for the fai cup

**Gary** · 26/07/2004, 9:52 PM

That is NOT a line we want to go down.

I would rather we field our youth team that forfeit a place. It could have serious repurcussions later on.

Remember, we havent won anything of note since 98, and the cup might be our best hope this season.

That said, the FAI arent exactly being accomadating. If both City and UCD have agreed, where is the problem?

edit: I would want to hear it from a better source that BTID before i would give the rumour any weight.

thecorner · 26/07/2004, 9:54 PM

nah

let us take this to the scummy fai and stand up to the b@stards once and for all

**tiktok** · 26/07/2004, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Gary

That said, the FAI arent exactly being accomadating. If both City and UCD have agreed, where is the problem?

The FAI have been accomodating to us Gary, we've not played a league game going on five weeks ffs.

There has been critiscism of the FAI flying around in the papers all last week about the FAI's handling of fixtures scheduling (a knock on from the end of season fiasco last year) and with the fuss that Shels kicked up over the Drogs game going ahead they've been under pressure.

In no way, shape or form should we pull out of the cup. Absolutely not. The last thing the club needs after the recent positive exposure is for us to behave like spoiled (dare I say, Shels like) kids.

I honestly believe it's in our best interest to go ahead with the UCD game. We'll have to use the bulk of our squad to minimise the effect of all the games in hand, why not just start it now.
Play a reserve team ffs,

McNulty
Mucka Byrne K.Murray Hoggy
Woods Sweeney Greggie Nwankwo
Behan Nolan

if we lose, then we lose, but pulling out would be a disgrace.

**cobhrambler 16** · 26/07/2004, 11:11 PM

a 'big club' should have no problem fielding a reserve team that would be more than able to beat a bunch of students,or so i should think???

thecorner · 27/07/2004, 12:19 AM

could we not play waterford on saturday afternoon at 3pm

**sullanefc** · 27/07/2004, 1:23 AM

This is ridiculous. These fixtures have been known for weeks. Why are we only trying to sort it out now. If it is such a big deal why not have postponed one of the games when we knew we were playing Nantes last Saturday. A team can't call off the game just a few days prior. Its not professional. If Shels had managed to call off the game V Drogs, then all City fans would have been claiming Dublin bias. Shels should also have postponed this game when they knew they were playing in Europe the same week. Its just not good foresight.

We have been accomodated quite well so far (by the Eircom League) and not played a league game in weeks. If its a difference in policy between the League and the FAI then thats a different matter. They should be reading from the same page.

As for the UCD game, if players are too tired to play then play the back ups. God knows we have enough of them. Gamble, Woods, Nwankwo, Hoggie etc weren't that involved in Europe and should be expected to feature against UCD and do well if not win. Play the games FFS.

**NorthoftheLee** · 27/07/2004, 9:01 AM

Originally Posted by tiktok

In no way, shape or form should we pull out of the cup. Absolutely not. The last thing the club needs after the recent positive exposure is for us to behave like spoiled (dare I say, Shels like) kids.

completely agree tiktok.....there's no way in hell city should even consider withdrawing from the cup..it would be a disgrace......play our squad members..thats why we have a big squad....or so I thought..

**Macy** · 27/07/2004, 9:17 AM

tik tok, say it, because if you go down this route then it is totally shels like. If youse were that concerned about a fixture pile up, you could have scheduled games for the Tuesday/Wednesday night between toto fixtures, given that you're a professional team...

**Peadar** · 27/07/2004, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by tiktok

The FAI have been accomodating to us Gary, we've not played a league game going on five weeks ffs.

The FAI aren't responsible for league schedules, the eircom League are.
That said, I do agree with you entirely.
We should play this fixture. We have U21 players who haven't been tested for months and a few of them could join our senior squad players to form a suitable team. I knew it wouldn't be long before Pat Dolan got stuck into someone

**Gary** · 27/07/2004, 9:58 AM

This is all only idle speculation anyways. What are the sources? A tabloid news station and a Waaherfurh station. Its probably just a plant to try and undermine City, and blacken our name.

**Peadar** · 27/07/2004, 11:37 AM

Sure it just dawned on me, Georgie, Dan Murray and the Cockney Rebel are suspended for the Waaahafurr game.
They can play against UCD and still have a rest before the Drogs game.

**wiseman** · 27/07/2004, 12:33 PM

Its obvious why City what to change the fixture date against UCD, but if they had won on sat. then they would be playing tomorrow anyway in the semi-final, and I dont think anyone would have complained. As said by others above, events like these are the reason we have a large squad and Behan and Gamble are on full professional contracts. Time to earn your keep lads!!

thecorner · 27/07/2004, 1:31 PM

statement:
Regarding the backlog of games that has arisen due to our unprecedented success in Europe, we have been engaged in discussions with the football authorities as well as those clubs which we are due to play between now and Monday next.

For the record, we are very disappointed at the lack of understanding and fairness that we have encountered during these discussions. Despite a view to the contrary being expressed within the FAI, at no stage ever did we agree to the fixture list that has now been forced upon us. In addition, we believe that private correspondence between the club and the FAI found its way to certain parts of the media, a situation which we believe to be highly unsatisfactory.

In the interests of the game of football in Ireland, we shall of course fulfil all of our fixtures and as always we shall give 100% for our fans. That should not detract from the fact that we firmly believe that we have been unfairly dealt with.

**sullanefc** · 27/07/2004, 2:13 PM

From what I can gather, the Eircom League has been very fair with CCFC regarding fixture postponements but its the FAI who are being pr!cks over the cup game. Dissapointing seen as the next round doesn't have to be played until the 20th of Aug. Surely there is an alternative date between now and then when the game can be played.
I still think we have a big enough squad to cope, but we should be playing our best players in the league games. We should treat the FAI cup with the same respect that the organisers have shown us....very little.

**niamh** · 27/07/2004, 4:01 PM

The other match to cause a stir was Shels V Harps Cup game. As pointed out the Cup is the FAI's business...the league the Eircom League's business.
We have got few favours from the FAI, so why should the clubs expect anything.
All this confusion is ridiculous and proves that Irish soccer needs one voice to answer. Whether that is a league authority or the FAI is another matter.
It goes back to the registration rows...players have to be registered twice with two bodies.