FA Cup

STEVE BRUCE said it is “morally wrong” to keep playing football while the country is gripped by coronavirus. 
And the Newcastle boss insists the decision to play tonight’s clash between Aston Villa and Liverpool “devalues the FA Cup”. 

Steve Bruce claims the FA Cup is being devaluedCredit: Reuters

The Magpies were the first Premier League club to be hit by a Covid outbreak, leading to their training ground being shut down for 10 days. 
Villa will play their kids against Liverpool tonight with their entire first-team squad self-isolating.
And Bruce said: “Financially it is right to play, but morally it is wrong. 
“I’m no doctor but there are so many symptoms. Even after it’s left you it can cause big problems. 

“I see other clubs are struggling with it as well. The whole country is, and we are no different to anyone else. There are wonderful protocols put in place but when we leave the training ground you have to go to the big outside world. 
“We are the lucky ones, providing entertainment that people can tune into and watch. But there will come a stage though when we have to make a decision. 
“Let’s be fair, when you are going into football you are socialising. 
“Two or three weeks ago we didn’t think we would be like we are today having record numbers and record deaths – and we are carrying on.

“There will come a time when I’m sure the big question will be asked.
“Even though all the protocols have been fantastic, we are not immune to this disease because we are footballers.” 
Jamaal Lascelles and Allan Saint-Maximin were the two Toon players worst-affected. 
While skipper Lascelles is closing in on a return, Saint-Maximin is still a couple of weeks away having been recovering from the long-term effects of Covid.
And Bruce pointed to the Manchester City players celebrating together after knocking out Manchester United in the Carabao Cup semi-final on Wednesday. 
He added: “How do you stop the City players celebrating the way they did? How great it was to see them, but if you stop that you’re stopping the whole enjoyment of sport. 
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“They were all together in a huddle, seating, exhaling badly. That’s the difficult side of it and I don’t think that’s going to stop.
“There might need to be new protocols where players can only fist bump.”
And asked if tonight’s FA Cup game should be postponed, Bruce said: “Yes. I think it devalues the FA Cup.”

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SHREWSBURY could be handed an FA Cup reprieve despite being unable to play their third round tie with Southampton.
But it will need them to avoid a path through the Big Six or Leicester in Monday’s unprecedented double draw.

Shrewsbury could avoid forfeiting their FA Cup third-round clash with Southampton thanks to the ‘double-draw’Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Wembley’s Professional Game Board will make a final decision on the League One Shrews’ fate ‘early next week’.
Initially, it seemed likely the Shropshire club would be booted out of the competition with the fourth round scheduled for a fortnight away and fifth stage two-and-a-half weeks later.
But FA chiefs are desperate to avoid such a hardline response to a situation effectively out of Shrewsbury’s control as the mutant wave of the virus rages up and down the country.
And it means there is still a chance Shrewsbury will be given a second chance to put on the game – although that will be determined on Monday evening.

The FA announced earlier this week the next two rounds would be both drawn, one after the other, on Monday, during the BT Sport broadcast of Stockport’s clash with West Ham.
That ensures the FA will know the path the winners of the postponed tie face to get to the last eight of the cup.
And should the winners be drawn against none of the seven Premier League sides still in European competition in the next round, and also avoid a potential clash in the last 16, there could to be enough ‘wriggle room’ for rescheduling.   
If Shrewsbury and Saints do come out of the hat with one of Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool, the two Manchester giants or Tottenham, then Southampton seem certain to be handed a walkover.

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If Shrewsbury-Southampton avoid any of the PL sides still in Europe in the fourth-round draw there could be enough time to squeeze in their gameCredit: Getty – Contributor

That scenario will allow future rounds to be played as planned.
However, if the draw does keep them apart from those sides, the third round tie could be rescheduled for fourth round weekend.
The winners would then meet their fourth round opponents next month.
The subsequent game would then be pushed back until the end of February, also played midweek.

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MANCHESTER CITY have got their hands on another trophy – after owner Sheikh Mansour paid almost £760,000 to buy the oldest surviving FA Cup.
The silverware that was used for the world-famous competition between 1896 and 1910 was sold for the huge sum to a ‘mystery buyer’ back in September.

Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour has bought the oldest surviving FA Cup trophy

Sheikh Mansour spent almost £760,000 to keep the trophy – used between 1896 and 1910 – on English soilCredit: Getty Images – Getty

It was put up for auction by West Ham supremo David Gold, who had owned it since 2005 and viewed it as a ‘unique piece of football history’.
He had talked of ‘safeguarding it for the nation’ – but the fear was it had been bought privately and would be taken away from these shores.
However, it has now emerged that City’s Abu Dhabi owner swooped to land the cup – and he will send it straight out on loan back to National Football Museum, based in Manchester.
The lot – which was described by the auctioneer as a ‘national treasure’ – went under the hammer at Bonhams in London on September 29.

And after some spirited bidding by various parties, it went to the Sheikh for a whopping £759,052.
Etihad chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak said: “This Cup is a visible reminder of the rich and long history of English football to which Manchester City is inextricably entwined.
“Winning this actual trophy in 1904 was a turning point for the club and for the city of Manchester in that it firmly cemented football in the heart of its community.
“Sheikh Mansour’s view is that a trophy of such cultural significance must be shared with the people of Manchester, the English football family, and all of those who love the English game.

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“The National Football Museum is in a unique position to do that.”
The museum’s chief executive Tim Desmond said: “When it left us in September 2019 to be auctioned by its then-owner, we feared we may never see it again and that Britain would be losing the FA Cup for good.
“We are blessed to have many wonderful items on display but, as the oldest surviving FA Cup, this particular trophy was amongst the ‘crown jewels’ of our artefacts.
“The fact that it has been bought by His Highness Sheikh Mansour and offered back to us is simply wonderful news both for the museum – but also for the preservation of our sporting heritage in this country.”
The trophy is particularly significant to City as it was the first trophy they won – 116 years ago – when they beat Bolton 1-0.
It replaced the original FA Cup which went missing from a shop window in Birmingham – where holders Aston Villa had put it on display in 1896.
Since taking over the club back in 2008, Sheikh Mansour’s backing has helped City win 11 major trophies, including the current FA Cup in 2011 and 2019.

David Gold bought the historic trophy in 2005 before putting it up for auction in 2020Credit: Doug Seeburg – The Sun

Manchester City have won the FA Cup six times, most recently in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

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ASTON VILLA are in a fight to save their FA Cup tie with Liverpool after a “significant” coronavirus outbreak at the club.
Villa and the FA held emergency talks on Thursday, with the club set to field a team of kids unless another round of testing KO’s the third-round clash.

Credit: Reuters

Their Bodymoor Heath training ground was closed after a large number of first-team players and staff tested positive.
It prompted Fulham’s Kevin McDonald to hit out at football carrying on as Covid-19 cases soar, calling the situation “shambolic” and claiming players are being “treated like guinea pigs”.
Shrewsbury’s match with Southampton on Saturday has already been postponed following an outbreak at the League One club.
Doubts also hang over Middlesbrough’s game at Brentford, while Derby will field a shadow side against non-league Chorley.

Clubs face forfeiting their place in the competition if ties cannot go ahead.
Villa’s entire first-team squad are now isolating, putting Wednesday’s home Premier League game against Tottenham, and next Saturday’s home clash with Everton, in doubt and sparking another fixture crisis.
In a joint statement, Villa and the FA revealed they are “working closely together to try to ensure” the Liverpool game can go ahead at Villa Park.
But final confirmation will only be made “pending results of additional Covid-19 testing”.

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If the game does survive, Under-23 coach Mark Delaney will be in charge of a youth team, with boss Dean Smith and assistants John Terry, Richard O’Kelly and Craig Shakespeare all in isolation.
A Villa statement read: “We have closed Bodymoor Heath training ground after a significant coronavirus outbreak.
“A large number of first-team players and staff returned positive tests after being routinely tested on Monday and went into isolation.
“A second round of testing was carried out immediately and produced more positive results.
“First-team training ahead of the FA Cup match with Liverpool was cancelled.
“Discussions are on- going between medical representatives of the club, the FA and the Premier League.”

It is ironic that Liverpool crashed to a 5-0 defeat at Villa Park 13 months ago in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup.
That was when boss Jurgen Klopp fielded the Anfield club’s youngest-ever starting line-up while he was in Qatar with the first team in the Club World Cup.
Fulham’s Scottish midfielder McDonald, 32, fumed on Instagram at the crisis.
McDonald, who could play in the third-round tie at QPR, wrote: “How many more outbreaks and training ground closures until football needs to stop?
“Shambolic! Literally treated like guinea pigs!”
Fulham had their own outbreak last month which saw their Motspur Park training ground deep cleaned and games against Spurs and Burnley postponed.
Further FA Cup postponements threaten to make a mockery of the competition.
The Shrews’ game with Southampton was KO’d by a “significant number” of positive cases.
The FA said the League One side “did not have a sufficient amount of fit, non-isolating players who would be able to play”.

A final decision on whether to award the Saints a walkover will be taken by the Professional Game Board next week.
Oldham’s home tie with Bournemouth has been switched to the Cherries because of a frozen pitch at Boundary Park.
In the women’s game, Reading’s Emma Mitchell slammed the postponement of Manchester City and Arsenal’s weekend games.
Four unnamed City players tested positive for Covid-19 after reportedly jetting off to Dubai.
One Gunners player has since tested positive after allegedly also going to Dubai, along with two other senior players.
Royals ace Mitchell tweeted “Different rules for different teams.”

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BETWEEN them, Aston Villa and Liverpool have lifted the FA Cup 14 times — towering achievements in the histories of two of England’s grandest clubs.
So tonight’s tie was to be a highlight of third-round weekend, especially after Dean Smith’s men had trounced the champions 7-2 on their previous visit to Villa Park in October.

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These moments like Ronnie Radford scoring for non-league Hereford to beat Newcastle in 1972 might never be repeatedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Yet after a significant Covid outbreak ruled out several Villa players and caused the closure of their training ground, the club are likely to field a team of youth players, led by Under-23s boss Mark Delaney, with Smith and assistant John Terry self-isolating.
And should many of those younger players receive positive Covid tests today, Villa may well have to forfeit the tie.
The devaluation of the Cup has been clear and obvious for two decades now — and the Covid era is only hastening its demise.

No club is being asked to forfeit three Premier League points because of infections.
Those league matches which have already been postponed and those under threat — such as Villa’s clash with Tottenham on Wednesday — will be staged at later dates, even though fixture lists are full to bursting point.
But, as usual, the dear old FA Cup can go hang.
There is barely any room for the world’s oldest knockout competition.

And this is not merely a product of Covid.

Bradford completed a stunning come-from-behind 4-2 win at Chelsea in 2015Credit: Phil Shephard-Lewis – The Sun

Manchester City’s Bert Trautmann broke his neck but was still desperate to carry on in 1956Credit: Hulton Archive – Getty

Last season, Jurgen Klopp sent out a youth team, managed by Liverpool Under-23s boss Neil Critchley, to defeat Shrewsbury 1-0 in a fourth-round replay, while the first team had a winter break.
After a Covid flare-up at Shrewsbury this week, the League One side’s third-round visit to Southampton has been called off — with the Shrews waiting to discover if they will be booted out of the competition.
Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney and his Derby County first- team will not make the trip to National League North side Chorley, due to another Covid outbreak, with a Rams youth side playing in their place.
Before the debacle over last season’s FA Cup tie with Shrewsbury, Liverpool had been forced to field their kids for a 5-0 Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Villa Park, while Klopp’s men contested the Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar.

Stanley Matthews led Blackpool to a famous win against Bolton in 1953Credit: Popperfoto
So Klopp can argue that what was good enough for Liverpool in the League Cup, should be good enough for Villa now, after their Covid cases.
If that means another reduction to the FA Cup’s status, it will only be part of a long-term trend — dating back to holders Manchester United being excused the task of defending the trophy in 1999-2000, so that they could compete in Fifa’s Club World Championship.
At this time of year, older fans start getting misty-eyed about the Cup’s glory days — especially third-round giant-killings like Hereford’s 1972 defeat of Newcastle.
Yet that greatest FA Cup upset had suffered FIVE postponements — two for the original match, three for the replay — before Ronnie Radford’s immortal equaliser and Ricky George’s winner.

Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang stunned Liverpool in 1988Credit: PA:Empics Sport
Now, there does not seem enough room in the calendar for even one postponement.
And while an unusually open Premier League title race is gripping the nation, even during this grim behind-closed-doors era, the FA Cup without fans is a different matter.
We recall Radford’s equaliser so fondly, not just for the howitzer velocity of his shot, but also the unfettered glee of those mudlark kids, many in parka jackets, rushing on to Edgar Street’s swampy pitch, to mob their hero.
In an age of empty stadia and social distancing, footage of Ronnie’s rocket feels particularly poignant this year.

In 1923, 200,000 people turned up to watch the FA Cup finalCredit: Hulton Archive – Getty
When Merseyside club Marine, from the eighth tier of English football, face Tottenham on Sunday, it will bring the largest gulf in league positions between third-round opponents in the competition’s history.
This is a tie which could have been hand-picked to restore the romance of the tarnished Cup.
It will pit football’s most famous boss, Jose Mourinho, and England’s captain, Harry Kane, against a team from the Northern Premier League Division One North West, who include binmen, NHS workers and teachers — the front-line heroes of the pandemic.
When the draw was made last month, a smattering of supporters was still allowed inside grounds on Merseyside.

Ricky Villa was magic for Tottenham against Manchester City in 1981Credit: Hulton Archive – Getty
Yet the tie must now be played without the anticipatory buzz of a crowd daring to dream impossible dreams — an enormous factor in the anatomy of any Cup shock.
So, too, that sense of smalltown community which can grip the lowly hosts of a major footballing power in third-round week.
“The bunting’s out, isn’t it?” as Paul Whitehouse’s Ron Manager would say on The Fast Show, gently mocking the FA Cup nostalgics.
Well there’s no bunting, no fans, no true sense of occasion, this year.
And the further the Cup is devalued by youth teams, walkovers and byes, the graver the doubts over its long-term future.

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