Time For Joined Up Thinking?

Franco is not alone in thinking the demands upon our top professionals are unreasonable in England and, in a World Cup year, you have to wonder if we are shooting ourselves in the foot by sticking to an outdated schedule that defies logic. Quite apart from the World Cup, there is the little issue of the the Africa Nations Trophy, or Cup, or whatever they call it now, and the way this can subvert the Premiership. Anybody playing Chelsea over the next three weeks is going to have a distinct advantage over any team playing them at any other point in the season - Drogba and Essien are not just members of the squad, they are giants in that squad. A team picking up a point against them in January, may survive in the Premiership at the cost of a team playing them and losing in February; how is that fair?

Meanwhile, the FA Cup limps into life today, a tournament that has now been devalued to the point where Premiership teams play their kids against other Premiership teams until we reach the quarter finals. Wouldn't a simple change in the calender make sense? Why not give over the first three Saturdays in January to the FA Cup? Like that, the effect of the African Nations on the Prem would be minimised and the top players could, if a club chose, be given a proper break. Imagine the benefits to the likes of Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney and co of having a three week break in January in a World Cup year! Meanwhile, players with niggling injuries could be given time to recuperate or even have operations if necessary.

Meanwhile, the FA Cup could be marketed more agressively as all other top level domestic football is stood down in its favour for three weeks. "Quarters Qualification January" might be a typical marketing line! Deprived of other top club football, the likes of Sky would probably bid much higher sums to cover the games and suddenly the kudos of the lame old tournament might be enhanced. (By the way, replays would be scrapped to keep to the schedule. Penalty shoot outs would all add to the TV drama as Sky billed games as "Shoot Out Saturday and Sunday".)

It makes perfect sense to me. But if it is logical, there is no way in a million years that the FA would go for it! "Tradition my boy, tradition."