Robbie Keane used to get excited about it before he moved to Liverpool.
The Milk Cup, Littlewoods Challenge Cup, Rumbelows Cup, Coca Cola Cup and even the Worthington Cup had some kudos but these days the Carling Cup seems to be more of a hindrance to the top teams than ever before. Indeed last night not a single Liverpool or Manchester United player who started their respective Premier League games over the weekend played from the outset in their Carling Cup victories.
Given the lack of respect the big teams now seem to show, the question is should entry into the Carling Cup be optional?
After all, it’s bad enough having to lose to the Big Four in the Premier League, is it really fair to be humiliated by their children as well?
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7 responses so far
1 Southend Al // Sep 24, 2008 at 10:51 am
I totally agree, it is absurd how much the big four take the mickey out of the rest of the teams by playing their kids.
If the top managers can’t be bothered to play their best teams they shouldn’t bother entering.
Maybe let’s just remove the Premier League teams - make it a real tournament.
2 Scottish Ben // Sep 24, 2008 at 11:04 am
Yes I agree, the Carling Cup has become a total waste of time, if people like Benitez and Ferguson just want to play their kids then why should they expect thousands to turn up - fans can go watch these same players play for free every week in reserve and youth games - why should they pay £20 or so. Players earn enough money these days and should be able to play three games a week… if the big teams don’t want to play their big players then they should not even bother entering.
3 Upminster Iron // Sep 24, 2008 at 11:30 am
Southend Al, are you a Shrimper? If so I thought you’d love it after your run two years ago - beating Leeds and Man United and taking Spurs to extra time.
The Carling Cup matters to me - we had a good run last year and I’m gutted we went out to Watford yesterday. Fair play league aside, it’s the best way for a mid-table club to qualify for Europe - as Spurs showed last season.
4 Gareth // Sep 24, 2008 at 12:35 pm
The Carling Cup is great. I went to see the Arsenal game last night, and it was one of the best performances I have seen. Amazing.
The people who complain that the ‘big four’ don’t play their “star” players are the same people who complain about the state of the England team, and the big four not giving young English players a chance. well, there were 10 young British players in the Arsenal squad last night, and they were all excellent. Players such as Jack Wilshere (16), Keiron Gibbs, Mark Randall and Aaron Ramsey. And 56,000 people turned out to watch them!!
Jack Wilshere will be playing for England in a few years. Ramsey already plays for Wales.
How are young players supposed to get big game experience if teams don’t play them? How are they supposed to break through and develop?
People need to stop being ridiculous hypocrites. You can’t have it both ways.
The Carling Cup is excellent for this, and it should remain as it is.
5 Arsene Wenger // Sep 24, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Balls to you - my kids are better than most premier league first 11s!
Remind me, which other team won 6-0 last night? If you can find a copy of the game, I suggest you watch it, then tell me the football was anything less than top top quality.
6 Fergus // Sep 25, 2008 at 3:57 am
If Premiership big four teams have deep squads, quality youngsters and a packed schedule, there’s no reason why they “disrespect” the Carling Cup by using the full depth of their squad. What needs to change is not the way these teams field players but our perceptions over the Cup in the first place.
In fact, I believe that the FA should take this a step further and require Premiership teams to submit a fixed squad (say of 23 players) that can be used for the Carling Cup. Most top teams will inevitably fill this squad up with youngsters. This will prevents the farcical situation where youngsters take the big teams to the final only to be benched for the superstars - who barely contributed to the cup run - to have their day in the sun.
We need to change the way we see the Carling Cup, at least in relation to the richer clubs. It will always be third priority in England - fourth if you’re competing in Europe - and rightly so. Let this cup be the ground on which big clubs breed young talent and give them the competitive football that reserve games don’t give. Surely, it’s more constructive than just whining about how the cup has lost its gloss.
7 Esteban // Sep 25, 2008 at 4:07 am
if a championship side gets humiliated by some children, the fault lies with the championship club, not with the kids.
if a div 2 team fielded a bunch of 17 year olds, and they hammered sheffield united 6-0, we’ll all be calling them heroes. but if arsenal does it, we call them disrespectful to the cup. what hypocrisy!