Blatter Calls For League Reduction
Changes?
By Chris O'Brien
March 1 2004
Sepp Blatter has called for the Premiership to slash it's number of teams from 20 to 16 to help reduce physical strains on professional footballers. However, the FIFA president believes the league could survive with 18 clubs if F.A Cup replays were abolished.
| Blatter Calls For League Reduction and Cup Replays Scraped |
| FIFA president Sepp Blatter, a man
already very unpopular with United fans following his part in Rio
Ferdinand's lengthy suspension, wants to see the number of clubs in the
Premiership slashed and also wants cup replays to be abolished. Blatter believes that top-flight leagues in Europe should be reduced to 16 sides to help relieve strain on professional players, which would mean major alterations to the Football League pyramid. However, Blatter believes the Premiership could cope with holding 18 clubs if cup replays were scraped. "You have an FA Cup and League Cup and still the old tradition of replays in the FA Cup," said Blatter. "This was mentioned in a meeting with the Football
Association and Premier League. If there were no cup replays you can have 18
teams. Personally, I am dead against the Blatter's proposal. The Premiership is arguably the best league in the world, and is coping well with 20 clubs. Reducing the number of teams would mean major alterations to the number of clubs in lower leagues and there would be a danger of things becoming too complicated. I also feel the idea of scraping F.A Cup replays is wrong. The competition has fantastic tradition across the country, and I feel some of this would be sucked away if every tie was decided 'on the night', possibly losing some of the magic that comes with the great cup. What are your opinions Sepp Blatter's ideas? Leave your thoughts on the ManUtdWeb messageboard. |