[spireitematt]

I think the problem is the FA Cup is treated with contempt by Premier League clubs. There more interested in making Top 4 or staying in the Premier League than winning the FA Cup. I think the other problem is moving the kick off time from 3pm to 5:15pm as it doesn't have the same appeal as it once did when it was played at 3pm.

To make the FA Cup interesting again they need to increase the prize money for the winners and give the winners a Champions League spot instead of giving it to Fourth place and put the kick off time back to 3pm.

[0762]

Yep. Some kinda incentive(s) really should be conjured up to give back some credibility to the FA cup tourney. Today's final really was 'a total yawn' that was devoid of any real passion and 'busting a gut' to receive a winner's medal. Today's Dfb cup final from Berlin, Bayern v Eintracht Frankfurt, put that FA Cup final to shame in terms of real commitment and 'hurt' at losing a final or natural joy re winning it!

[St Charles Owl]

I think from a players perspective there was hurt in not winning it and joy in winning, its the management team and clubs themselves that don’t see it as being important now.

There is no way the money for winning it will ever make a difference unless you are talking about raising the prize money to 30m+, or equal to the CL money. Adding a Champions League spot would definitely work but there is no way the PL will agree to giving up a spot, so that could only come if UEFA gave England a 5th place, along with doing the same in the other major leagues.

[turkeydinner]

What a dull day

Uninspiring cup final
Marriage of Reptiles
Return of Mrs Brown on TV

[0762]

I think from a players perspective there was hurt in not winning it and joy in winning, its the management team and clubs themselves that don’t see it as being important now.

There is no way the money for winning it will ever make a difference unless you are talking about raising the prize money to 30m+, or equal to the CL money.  Adding a Champions League spot would definitely work but there is no way the PL will agree to giving up a spot, so that could only come if UEFA gave England a 5th place, along with doing the same in the other major leagues.

Re the players' perspective in this sterile cup final of course there is the hurt and joy associated with a cup final result but if one could 'weight' these emotions and compare with a real 'nail biter' of a dynamic 'end to end' cup final, the DFB one comes out of that comparison with far deeper emotions in a game that really did 'go to the wire' with all kindsa incidents that made it such an entertaining spectacle.

[St Charles Owl]

I accept that, a last minute goal to win a game 5-4 for instance will always generate more joy and despair, but lets be right these two managers are two of the more negative ones, certainly in comparison to the other top 6 teams so we were never going to see end to end football!! I think players inherently want to win every match they play in, especially one that is a final for a trophy.

[spireitematt]

I accept that, a last minute goal to win a game 5-4 for instance will always generate more joy and despair, but lets be right these two managers are two of the more negative ones, certainly in comparison to the other top 6 teams so we were never going to see end to end football!!  I think players inherently want to win every match they play in, especially one that is a final for a trophy.

I can understand a team parking the bus if its a lower league side in a cup match against a top team. But two Premier League teams parking the bus is embarrassing. The Premier League is meant to be the best league in the World, I don't think it is it's probably the best brand but not the best league.

At best in the Premier League there is only 4-5 teams who challenge for the title and who can win it, I know someone will say What about Leicester? But that was a freak season and doubt it will ever be repeated again unless a rich oil baron pumps money into the likes of Huddersfield or Crystal Palace.

I think if certain Premier League teams treat the FA Cup with contempt or see it as a nuisance then they should be asked whenever they want to be apart of it or not. Didn't the Spurs manager say in the semi-final against United that it's not the type of trophy they want to win as they want to win the Premier League and Champions League well the thing is winning the FA Cup or League Cup is building the foundations to winning the Champions League or Premier League.

Also another thing people say the team which wins the Premier League is the "Champions of England". Hang on a minute, If you win the Premier League you are the Champions of the Premier League, if you win the FA Cup you are "Champions of England" because every club in England enters the FA Cup.

[St Charles Owl]

I accept that, a last minute goal to win a game 5-4 for instance will always generate more joy and despair, but lets be right these two managers are two of the more negative ones, certainly in comparison to the other top 6 teams so we were never going to see end to end football!!  I think players inherently want to win every match they play in, especially one that is a final for a trophy.

I can understand a team parking the bus if its a lower league side in a cup match against a top team. But two Premier League teams parking the bus is embarrassing. The Premier League is meant to be the best league in the World, I don't think it is it's probably the best brand but not the best league.

At best in the Premier League there is only 4-5 teams who challenge for the title and who can win it, I know someone will say What about Leicester? But that was a freak season and doubt it will ever be repeated again unless a rich oil baron pumps money into the likes of Huddersfield or Crystal Palace.  

I think if certain Premier League teams treat the FA Cup with contempt or see it as a nuisance then they should be asked whenever they want to be apart of it or not. Didn't the Spurs manager say in the semi-final against United that it's not the type of trophy they want to win as they want to win the Premier League and Champions League well the thing is winning the FA Cup or League Cup is building the foundations to winning the Champions League or Premier League.

Also another thing people say the team which wins the Premier League is the "Champions of England". Hang on a minute, If you win the Premier League you are the Champions of the Premier League, if you win the FA Cup you are "Champions of England" because every club in England enters the FA Cup.

The PL is hyped as the best league in the world and I would agree with that in terms of its competitiveness and excitement but that doesn't mean it has the best teams. The PL is probably the hardest to win compared to all the other top European leagues, there is no let up whatever team you are playing because the quality of the teams throughout the division is imo better than the quality from top to bottom of other leagues. Plus the simple fact that 4-5 teams can legitimately claim to be in with a good shot of winning the title makes it far more competitive than all other European leagues, most of whom have 1, maybe 2 teams that could win the title.

To be fair with regard to Champions of England, every team who enters the FA Cup is also in a division within the pyramid of English football, so all teams also enter the league competition. The winners of the top division title in England are the Champions of England, the team that wins the FA Cup are the Cup Winners.

[Maddix]

What a dull day

Uninspiring cup final
Marriage of Reptiles
Return of Mrs Brown on TV

Oh I don't know Turkey Personally I spent all afternoon and evening in the garden having a BBQ and drinks with the family round and was in a pleasant stupor before I even bothered to switch the box on

[spireitematt]

I accept that, a last minute goal to win a game 5-4 for instance will always generate more joy and despair, but lets be right these two managers are two of the more negative ones, certainly in comparison to the other top 6 teams so we were never going to see end to end football!!  I think players inherently want to win every match they play in, especially one that is a final for a trophy.

I can understand a team parking the bus if its a lower league side in a cup match against a top team. But two Premier League teams parking the bus is embarrassing. The Premier League is meant to be the best league in the World, I don't think it is it's probably the best brand but not the best league.

At best in the Premier League there is only 4-5 teams who challenge for the title and who can win it, I know someone will say What about Leicester? But that was a freak season and doubt it will ever be repeated again unless a rich oil baron pumps money into the likes of Huddersfield or Crystal Palace.  

I think if certain Premier League teams treat the FA Cup with contempt or see it as a nuisance then they should be asked whenever they want to be apart of it or not. Didn't the Spurs manager say in the semi-final against United that it's not the type of trophy they want to win as they want to win the Premier League and Champions League well the thing is winning the FA Cup or League Cup is building the foundations to winning the Champions League or Premier League.

Also another thing people say the team which wins the Premier League is the "Champions of England". Hang on a minute, If you win the Premier League you are the Champions of the Premier League, if you win the FA Cup you are "Champions of England" because every club in England enters the FA Cup.

To be fair with regard to Champions of England, every team who enters the FA Cup is also in a division within the pyramid of English football, so all teams also enter the league competition.  The winners of the top division title in England are the Champions of England, the team that wins the FA Cup are the Cup Winners.

If you win the Premier League it means you are the top team in England. Makes more sense to call the team which wins the FA Cup Champions of England because all clubs from the top down to the part-timers all have a go in the cup. I suppose its all semantics.