The Carling Cup’s Big Comeback?
By: Daryl | September 2nd, 2007
The draw for the third round of the Carling Cup was made yesterday, to little rejoicing. For those unfamiliar, it’s a knockout tournament featuring all 92 English League clubs. It should be exciting and actually used to be. Unfortunately, because the Champions League, the Premiership and the FA Cup take precedence, the Carling Cup has now been reduced to a sad afterthought. The big boys put out reserve teams, so little is their interest. You get a UEFA Cup spot for winning the damn thing, but the big four look at a UEFA Cup spot like it’s leprosy, so intent are they on Champions League qualification. But maybe 2007/8 will be the season the Carling Cup regains some of it’s shine.
Several wacky ideas have been proposed in the past to give the tournament a jumpstart. My least favourite was Graeme Souness’ suggestion that the Carling Cup winners should be immune to relegation, a suggestion that just happened to co-incide with his Blackburn team winning the trophy while facing a relegation battle. Others have suggested scrapping it altogether, which is a bit harsh. There’s basically nothing can be done to improve the tournament format wise, especially as they’ve already abandoned the two-legged system (except for the semi-final) and abolished replays. But I think the Carling Cup could be more interesting this year because of the recent drastic changes in the the Premiership.
My reasoning is simple. Many Premiership teams have invested heavily recently and want something in return. Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea may not be interested, but certainly Manchester City, West Ham, Portsmouth, Villa, Newcastle, Everton, Spurs and may others would bite your arm off to get some silverware. The trophy itself would be reward enough for most of these clubs, but European qualification would be like mana from heaven at say Manchester City.
So screw the big boys if they’re not interested. There are plenty of other Premiership sides who’ve spent plenty of money on plenty of very talented players, so let’s sit back and watch them duke it out for the trophy. And if that doesn’t work out we can just watch Arsenal’s youth team again.
The draw in full:
Blackburn v Birmingham
Reading v Liverpool
Man Utd v Coventry
Tottenham v Middlesbrough
Hull v Chelsea
Blackpool v Southend
West Ham v Plymouth
Arsenal v Newcastle
Luton v Charlton
Man City v Norwich
Sheff United v Morecambe
Sheff Wednesday v Everton
Fulham v Bolton
Burnley v Portsmouth
Aston Villa v Nott’m Forest or Leicester
West Brom v Cardiff
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Comments
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I’m not sure I’d agree that the big boys don’t care about the Carling Cup. After all, last year’s final was Arsenal and Chelsea, and they brawled for half of the match. John Terry thought it was important enough of a match to dive into a boot, again. The Carling Cup is safe - all the big leagues have two domestic cups, and England won’t get rid of it. It’s a good competition, and already has a great story this season in Morecambe’s defeat of two Championship sides in their first two league cup matches ever.
Posted from
United Kingdom
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Chelsea draws Hull, Man U draws Coventry, and we draw Reading? Donkey Balls. At least Arsenal gets to play Newcastle at home, we’ve got to go to the Mad Stad. Once again domestic cups do us no favors. If we beat Reading, I’m sure it will only mean going to Old Trafford, so what’s the point? We might as well play our reserves and hope we lose.
Posted from
United States -
Well Chelsea care about the CC!! After all they won it last season … and Brian drop the fcuking world against me and Liverpool. Thats why its called a Cup DRAW!!!! Balls are balls and I doubt anyway if you have got any !!!!
KTBFFH!!
Posted from
United States -
oh my bad…… the world DOES hate Liverpool!!!
Posted from
United States -
the cc is equally an important trophy, if we’re able to defeat chelsea last season, the equation would have been balanced;man u with premier, chelsea fa, arsenal cc & at least livapool in the champions league final, my worry has been why arsenal always draws the bigger clubs ?
Posted from
Nigeria
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