2006 FA Cup

[Kerry Blue]

I see a piece in the papers today about next season's FA Cup and Sven Goran Eriksson. Not content with making a mess of the England team Eriksson has now made a mess of next years FA Cup. He has demanded that the England squad have at least 4 weeks off before the World Cup starts on June 9th. (Apparently England have already qualified for the World Cup! ) The FA have agreed. So the Cup final will take place on May 13th at the new Wembley Stadium, as planned. However the 5th and 6th rounds will cause confusion. For the 5th Round any ties which finish level involving teams playing in the UEFA Cup will not go to a replay but be decided on the day. Level ties involving Champions League teams will go to a replay however. In the 6th Round any ties involving any teams playing in Europe which finish level will not go to a replay. This is a total mess. How can anyone run a competition with one set of rules for some teams and a different set for others. Eriksson and the FA deserve each other.

[stojkovic]

Apparently it was FIFA who instructed the associations to have a four week break. The FA originally wanted it on the Wednesday but tradionalists complained that it should be on a Saturday so it was brought forward
a week.

[eirebhoy]

It would be just as much a benefit to us if we qualify so I can't complain.

[Stuttgart88]

If Arsenal are playing it'll hardly impact Sven anyway.

No matter who's in the final there's hardly likely to be any more than 3 or 4 English on the pitch.