Cup Competitions: Should Clubs Take Them Seriously?

[Robbie]

In recent years we've seen the vast majority of Clubs, especially in the top two leagues field weakened sides in the early rounds of these Cup Competitions.

Some supporters understand why they do it, some supporters think that their club don't take Cup competitions seriously.

As we all know, the top clubs in the PL concentrate on winning the league & going far into European competitions to make money. That's their prime focus. Only in later rounds of cup competitions, they tend to field their strongest side.

This mindset has spread to the lower leagues and even down to the National League where the modern focus is to save players for the League.

It is understandable that clubs want to concentrate on getting promotion because that increases support, which in turn increases revenue.

But for lower league clubs getting through the early rounds then getting to meet a big club can be very financially lucrative, for clubs.

That's why I would like to see many more lower league clubs like Notts field a stronger side in the Cup competitions, because it would reap dividends if they could get through & meet a Man U or a Man C.

As a Notts supporter it would be great to see Notts match up to a PL side at Meadow Lane. 

Thoughts?

[Chris]

The EFL trophy, no, it costs the clubs a lot of money in stewarding and sometimes the addition of policing costs means Notts has to recoup lost money in future games. It's something a lot of lower teams have to balance until they make the later stages where the prize money is much better.

As for the League and FA Cup, of course we should.

I was disappointed when we dropped out of the FA Cup whilst in the National League. Those games can source a lot of money, if you can go on a good run it gets better. It was worse when we took the EFL Trophy more serious. The league and FA Cup are historic competitions that teams should consider to be important. We have played some great teams, like Sunderland, Manchester City and Liverpool.

There are times I understand when times might not want focus on them, but it should never be at a cost of winning.

[Robbie]

Stuart didn't treat the Shrewsbury match as a serious competitive match in my opinion, he treated it as a game purely to give his second string game time. Slocombe, for example

Slocombe has served the club well but he's simply not good enough at this level but Stuart continues to play him.

It's just another example of another cup match getting away. 

In the sixties, seventies and eighties a manager could have easily been sacked for not treating a cup match seriously.

In fact, a club in those days would have been drawn over the coals for fielding an understrength side.

Many fans today just accept this state of affairs, but every defeat hurts and I believe a defeat such as this shouldn't be taken so lightly.

[Blake]

I don't think Notts didn't take it seriously; I think Stuart Maynard just wanted to give players some minutes. Notts as a club must take cups seriously because they bring in extra money and can help us improve if we go on a good run.

[Robbie]

@Blake I can understand the manager wanting to give players more minutes,.

One of the things that is so different to years ago is that there is no reserve league as such anymore. 

The only thing that is anywhere near a reserve league is the B team league but that is filled with junior players.

The modern squad system and finance got rid of the reserve teams.

That's probably why managers have to change their senior side to give game time to squad players.

Another way round it is to be a Man City where all their squad players are the same level as the first team.

I suppose that's why those teams are so successful. That's why the Notts squad has to include 22 players of equal skill. 

The Notts squad is better in depth than last year but in the Goalkeeping & striker departments, we are lacking.

[JIMBO]

Some teams don’t take it seriously, which is a shame, but I don’t think Notts are one of these. I think we played a good Shrewsbury side that adjusted to our play and became more attacking-minded after the first half had concluded. I wished we could have made the second round, but we lost on penalties. The starting lineup may have seemed weak on paper, but give them credit for the impressive first-half performance. We narrowly lost on penalties. Roll on the FA Cup.