Rodgers calls for FA Cup replays to be scrapped as Leicester cancel warm-weather training plans

[urban.spaceman]

Brendan Rodgers calls for FA Cup replays to be scrapped as Leicester cancel warm-weather training plans

• John Percy

Credit: Getty Images

Brendan Rodgers has scrapped plans for a warm-weather training camp due to fears over more fixture congestion.

Rodgers is the latest Premier League manager to recommend abolishing FA Cup replays, as a draw with Brentford on Saturday will wreck Leicester’s mid-winter-break.

Leicester will have no option but to play their replay on either February 4 or 5, days after a league clash with rivals Chelsea, before then returning to action against Wolves on Friday February 14.

The Premier League introduced the ‘winter break’ for this season, but Rodgers is unhappy with the schedulers as his players will have little time off to recharge following a hectic festive period.

When asked if he was considering a warm-weather camp for February, he said: “We couldn’t plan one because of the possibility of the replay.

• Inside Brentford: The hotbed of talent development with a valid claim for best-run club in the country. 

"I think, ideally, there wouldn't be a replay, you would finish it there and then with a penalty shoot-out.

“If we’re playing a replay, we’re playing a replay. It will just diminish the time they can recover. We have our own internal plan so the players will get some recovery. 

“We obviously have a big game on Tuesday at Villa [in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg] so the reward is there that if you do your job, then you get an extra few days free.

"If you somehow don't, of course you're in after the Chelsea game and getting ready for the replay."

Rodgers is set to make changes to his squad for the fourth-round tie against the Championship promotion chasers, with Christian Fuchs, Wes Morgan, Hamza Choudhury and Filip Benkovic in contention to start.

And the Leicester manager has confirmed that striker Jamie Vardy is targeting a return for Tuesday’s second leg at Villa Park, after suffering a glute muscle injury.

Vardy, 33, suffered the injury in the 4-1 win over West Ham on Wednesday and will be given the weekend off to give himself the best chance of recovery.

Rodgers said: “We’re hopeful he will be ok for Tuesday, there's a little bit of work to do. He'll get some work in with the medical team. He'll stay with them for the weekend."

[urban.spaceman]

Couldn’t be more against it personally. It’s great that they scrapped it in the League  Cup all them years as it’s very much an inferior competition, but there’s something special about the FA Cup and replays are an integral part of that, especially for lower league clubs. The FA/PL need to spread fixtures out better over the season rather than allowing them to jam up the fixture list. 
 

The Qatar World Cup is going throw a massive spanner in the works too, very soon. 

[Tuna]

Sorry Brendan but you're talking bollocks mate.

 

Replays will and should remain.

 

Here's an idea, If you don't want replays, always play your best team.

[fuchsntf]

Lets get this right, there is at the Moment NO WINTER BREAK..!!   

THAT BREAK will only come to be, when there is a chosen period where no games Take Place & no team plays Friendlies home or abroad..!!!

Training in warmer climes,OK but no games..!!

 

Oh ..another thing there is nothing wrong with replays....!! It is the traditional Part of the English  season,and long shall it remain....

 

Edited 25 January 2020 by fuchsntf

[Stadt]

 

12 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

"I think, ideally, there wouldn't be a replay, you would finish it there and then with a penalty shoot-out.

“If we’re playing a replay, we’re playing a replay. It will just diminish the time they can recover. We have our own internal plan so the players will get some recovery. 

“We obviously have a big game on Tuesday at Villa [in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg] so the reward is there that if you do your job, then you get an extra few days free.

"If you somehow don't, of course you're in after the Chelsea game and getting ready for the replay."

Hardly fighting tooth and nail to get them scrapped. I’m fundamentally against getting rid of replays but it’s not as if he’s whingeing like Klopp here. 

[shailen]

I don't agree. Replays help lower league teams potentially getting a chance to go away to a big team and earn money that will help them massively to stay afloat.

 

And it's your own teams fault if it goes to a replay especially if you play a weakened side. 

[HybridFox]

Agree with a Brendan on a lot of things but he's got this totally wrong. Hope they are never scrapped

[Langston]

Rodgers SLAMS replays and calls for them to be SCRAPPED in SHOCKING rant

[ozleicester]

If we believe replays should exist just so small teams can cash in, then we should just force big clubs to share better.

[Aus Fox]

If bigger team really want less games, then why keep increasing the number of European games?

This is not only ridiculous, but leads to other dates being unavailable for cup games.

Anyone ever heard a top manager or club say, “maybe we could scrap the Champions League group stages, just have a straight knockout competition?”

or maybe the Champions League should just be for the league champions?

No?

Maybe all knockout European games could be one off games? Why do we need 2 legs? $£¥€£¥£ 

Let’s not have a serious conversation about how these are affecting the game, and May I ass the additional air travel and its effect on the the planet. 

I know let’s bring in more games like having an extra group stage at the QF or extra full blown internationals like the Nations Cup.

Its bull crap, clubs don’t care about their players welfare, they care about Their back pocket! And usually at the expense of the smaller clubs!

 

[womp]

Mountain out of a mole hill there.saying 

Ideally,means scrap it apparently.

I dont understand why packing games in  at times just to get a 3 week break.

Wouldnt just spreading it out be better?

Maybe I misunderstand.

[Guest SO1]

Want the best out of our players then they need rest. Playing matches every three days and less for 2 months is going to take its toll on our squad.

Especially at the intensity we want to play. Our squad is between a rock and a hard place. Supporters will have to be realistic given its size.

 

Rodgers may have to choose/gamble..... Cups? or Champions league? You choose but you can't have both with the size of our squad.

The Premier League is headed for a crash if greed doesn't take its foot off the gas pedal. Not adding additional games to cups is a good start.

[Lambert09]

How did we ever survive in the championship. 46 games is inhumane. Bob geldof should do a whip round to let them know we care. 

[NaijaFox]

Mountain out if a molehill. 

[Matt]

How about scrapping the pointless International Friendlies coming up in March freeing a week up in the schedule somewhere?

[Danny Clender]

Totally agree with him.

For me, the only way the FA Cup survives any type of respect is for the country to get over its faux "love of the tradition" of this competition.

Football is evolving and the FA Cup lingers in the past.

 

I'd make it an exhibition game; 60 minutes, not 90, unlimited subs, local team pooled draws to reduce on travel, no replays.

Needs a revolution this comp does. 

[Sly]

39 minutes ago, Matt said:

How about scrapping the pointless International Friendlies coming up in March freeing a week up in the schedule somewhere?

I’d be more for this if im

honest. 

[StanSP]

1 hour ago, NaijaFox said:

Mountain out if a molehill. 

And if it's not a molehill? 

[NaijaFox]

DP 

Edited 25 January 2020 by NaijaFox

[NaijaFox]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

How about scrapping the pointless International Friendlies coming up in March freeing a week up in the schedule somewhere?

 

1 hour ago, Sly said:

I’d be more for this if im

honest. 

The March FIFA Window may be for “pointless International Friendlies” in Europe, but they are dates for South American, Asian and CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games, as well as AFCON qualifiers.

>

Edited 25 January 2020 by NaijaFox

[weller54]

2 hours ago, NaijaFox said:

Mountain out if a molehill. 

Definitely!

If a mountain is only a molehill then it should go...

Mountain out!!

[Matt]

17 minutes ago, NaijaFox said:

The March FIFA Window may be for “pointless International Friendlies” in Europe, but they are dates for South American, Asian and CONCACAF World Cup qualifying games as well as AFCON qualifiers.

Fair enough and this means the European countries still have to play pointless International Friendies because???

 

It's not even as if you can make the argument the friendlies are beneficial to trying new things out or experimenting because they don't.

 

Alot of players pull out with phantom injuries, players who come in for the 'injured' players know they have no chances of playing when it counts anyway.

 

International Friendlies are simply just an inconvience to everyone.

 

Edited 25 January 2020 by Matt

[Ian Nacho]

Agree. Replays are garbage. 

[NaijaFox]

8 minutes ago, Matt said:

Fair enough and this means the European countries still have to play pointless International Friendies because???

 

It's not even as if you can make the argument the friendlies are beneficial to trying new things out or experimenting because they don't.

 

Alot of players pull out with phantom injuries, players who come in for the injured players know they have no chances of playing when it counts anyway.

 

International Friendlies are simply just an inconvience to everyone.

 

It makes no substantive difference since many of the top EPL players will be playing anyway.
 

If the English don’t want to play international friendlies, that’s fine and dandy, but other European countries substantially use international friendlies generally to cap young players and new debutants without full competitive match pressures, try out or horn new tactics and formation, and generally build on-field chemistry and off-field camaraderie. Little wonder we’ve not won a major trophy since 1966 before some of us were born.

>

Edited 25 January 2020 by NaijaFox

[purpleronnie]

6 hours ago, ozleicester said:

If we believe replays should exist just so small teams can cash in, then we should just force big clubs to share better.

Plus it gives smaller clubs better chances to progress and make more money that way.

 

We do play too many games, scrap the league cup and keep fa cup replays.