WATFORD captain Helen Ward reckons the Women’s FA Cup should be CANCELLED this term if coin flips are used to settle ties.
And the Wales striker believes drawing lots to determine second and third round outcomes could ‘make a mockery of women’s football’.
Helen Ward thinks coin tossing to settle Women’s FA Cup ties is a mockery of the competitionCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ward, 34, believes third division Watford and other teams below the women’s game second tier, who have had their seasons put on ice, could be disadvantaged by the surprise suggestions.
She told talkSPORT 2’s Women’s Football Weekly: “My issue with the tossing of a coin or drawing of lots is my Watford team could get through, having been really good at choosing heads or tails.
“Should we then face a Chelsea or a Man City, or a WSL club who are flying, we are unlikely to have played any football for the best part of three or four months.
There are plenty of competitions in the world that have had to be scrapped over the last year which is not ideal by any means
Helen Ward
“It would be great for us to get to round four. However, if we have not been training or playing for a consistent period of time, is it really fair for us to go and face a side who have been training and playing throughout?
“That in itself could make a mockery of women’s football and the FA Cup.
“It wouldn’t be a level playing field. It’s difficult enough to face them at the best of times as we saw yesterday with Reading.”
“So for me, I think personally – and I can only speak for myself it would be really unfortunate to either scrap the competition altogether
“There are plenty of competitions in the world that have had to be scrapped over the last year which is not ideal by any means.
“But I think the damage that could be done reputationally by some of the other suggestions could be too much to overcome.”
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Helen Ward thinks this season’s Women’s FA Cup should be scrapped if coin tossing or drawing lots determines outcomesCredit: PA:Press Association
The ideas have been met by a growing clamour of opposition from players in divisions below the WSL and Women’s Championship who make up the top 23 women’s teams in the country.
They are reportedly being mulled over by the FA with the Covid pandemic wreaking havoc on football.
The Telegraph revealed clubs competing in the second and third stages of the competition could end up being dropped from this term’s contest altogether, with both rounds grouped in the Government’s ‘non-elite’ sports category.
It would mean sides like Watford who are top of the Third Division South – and currently the 24th best women’s team in the country – would not be able to compete.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
