26-09-2025, 12:30
I did realise you had a cup eleven out - a ridiculous con for the fans in my opinion, which my club Chesterfield and many other teams also palm off on their supporters.
Manchester City play a cup team but are aiming to win, teams lower down the pyramid are almost aiming to lose because they think they have no chance of winning the trophy.
IMO it is disrespectful to fringe players to throw them into a situation (and with a plan) that offers them little chance of victory and a limited chance to shine and thus to progress. Dion Charles now has a very good idea of where he figures in the club's future plans ....... and it also disappoints honest players, journeymen and up-and-comers that when you play someone really good they are either in a team doomed to permanent defence, or sitting on the bench. This may be one of their few chances in a career in shine against a Manchester City.
Manchester City gave you a chance against a strong but potentially beatable eleven. As far as I'm concerned your manager's reply was no thanks mate.
I have only seen snatches and highlights of most of your games this season, but I've seen sufficient material to think you could do well in not the strongest of sections. There's a huge difference between fielding a cup eleven against Chesterfield, who you would beat, and a Manchester City. I'm not for throwing away the excitement of cup football. Imagine a side doing well in the Northern Prem' reaches the FA Cup 1st Round, and to their fans' excitement they draw Huddersfield ..... and their manager decides to field his cup eleven which ironically ends up against your cup eleven in a game anticipated by an entire small town which then turns into the dampest of squids. If that is the future of cup games, scrap them now, why play the game at all, lets go with the anticipated result and move on to the next round.
Professional Football is a spectator sport.
Manchester City play a cup team but are aiming to win, teams lower down the pyramid are almost aiming to lose because they think they have no chance of winning the trophy.
IMO it is disrespectful to fringe players to throw them into a situation (and with a plan) that offers them little chance of victory and a limited chance to shine and thus to progress. Dion Charles now has a very good idea of where he figures in the club's future plans ....... and it also disappoints honest players, journeymen and up-and-comers that when you play someone really good they are either in a team doomed to permanent defence, or sitting on the bench. This may be one of their few chances in a career in shine against a Manchester City.
Manchester City gave you a chance against a strong but potentially beatable eleven. As far as I'm concerned your manager's reply was no thanks mate.
I have only seen snatches and highlights of most of your games this season, but I've seen sufficient material to think you could do well in not the strongest of sections. There's a huge difference between fielding a cup eleven against Chesterfield, who you would beat, and a Manchester City. I'm not for throwing away the excitement of cup football. Imagine a side doing well in the Northern Prem' reaches the FA Cup 1st Round, and to their fans' excitement they draw Huddersfield ..... and their manager decides to field his cup eleven which ironically ends up against your cup eleven in a game anticipated by an entire small town which then turns into the dampest of squids. If that is the future of cup games, scrap them now, why play the game at all, lets go with the anticipated result and move on to the next round.
Professional Football is a spectator sport.