The Draw I'm really hoping for ...

Pompey v. Barnsley
West Brom v. Cardiff

and then: Barnsley v. Cardiff in the final.

3 reasons behind that:

a) I'm scared of complacency setting in if we don't play the 'big name' after beating Liverpool & Chelsea;
b) If we draw West Brom we lose Steele;
c) If we were to play Cardiff in the final we'd automatically qualify for the UEFA cup win or lose as Cardiff being based in Wales are ineligible to qualify through an English competion.

As you can see, I've thought too much about it!

 

I'm in for that.</p>

Bet we fcking draw West Brom.</p>

 

I don't mind who we get

So long as we're at home.

 

RE: I need an explanation

if cardiff can´t play in uefa, because they are based in wales, why do they play in the english league, and not the welsh?

 

RE: I don't mind who we get

That's a fair point.</p>

Could you believe it Saturday ? I just couldn't take it in, that was far and away a bigger achievement than winning at Anfield.</p>

 

Welcome to British bureaucracy

Great innit.

 

I just went mental

Properly mental. Just ******* unbelievable. And we deserved it. I know Chelsea put us under a lot of pressure, but we were the most incisive team in both defence and attack. We outplayed the *******. Unreal.

 

RE: I just went mental

Exactly. We weren't battered for 90 minutes then poxed a goal, we matched them.</p>

I just stood transfixed at the end, I went bonkers at Anfield cos it was last minute etc, but on Saturday I just needed to take in the fact that we had deservedly beaten Chelsea and restricted them to one attempt that forced Steele into a save. I know Joe Cole gave us the run-around at times, but he's going to isn't he ?</p>

 

I'm guessing it goes back to when they set up the League of Wales

Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham were told that from that year on, if they declined to join the League of Wales, they would no longer be allowed to represent Wales in Europe if they won the Welsh Cup, so maybe it's linked in with that? Out of interest, I wonder what the score would be if Gretna (or Berwick) qualified in Scotland, would they also not be allowed to play? Gretna have even played in our FA Cup in the recent past.

 

RE: I just went mental

Joe Cole was fantastic. He's as good as I've ever seen. But the bloke marking him, Mr Rob Kozluk, was just awesome. After the way he performed against Wednesday I wanted him put down, but that performance against Chelsea was something special. And what about Bobby Hassell in midfield? Never seen a player make as many blocks, tackles and clearances in one game. But they were all superb.

The one thing that did impress me about Chelsea was the speed in which they broke. We'd have a corner and within a couple of seconds they'd have 5 players baring down on us. For the entire match half of me was jumping about like a loon and the other half was scared out of my wits.

 

RE: I don't mind who we get

So you are staying in Barnsley then while the rest of us go to Wembley

 

RE: I just went mental

All the credit in the world to Hassell, he read the game superbly and was always there picking up a Chelsea runner into our box and mopping up. I'm still not having that he's a midfielder mind...</p>

The back 4 as well, 90 minutes of concentration and commitment, there is no praise worthy enough.</p>

 

RE: I'm guessing it goes back to when they set up the League of Wales

and Queens Park and Glasgow Rangers played in the FA cup in the distant past.

 

Partly right

The FAW decided not to allow us into the Welsh Cup (the oldest cup competition in the world btw) - despite having played in it for over 100 years.

Their reasoning behind it was that they want, and moreover UEFA, to see themselves as being an important governing body (they are one of the original members incidentally). They were, and still are, worried by the African Nations proposal that the FA, FAW and SFA should become one and we play under the Great Britain badge and not Wales, England, Scotland & NI.

They therefore contest that the League of Wales is a competetive league and that their representatives should come from that league. Basically they're protecting their own gravy train as well.

By the same token, it would be a bit embarrasing for the FA to propose a team to represent them if they don't come under their jurisdiction.

I still maintain that it's unfair that we are the only three clubs in Europe that are denied a route into European competition. There are other clubs who play in leagues outside thier country and are not denied access to the competitions.

 

RE: Partly right

Thanks for clearing that up, very interesting. So as far as you know, Gretna and Berwick would be allowed to represent Scotland if they qualified? Also, I thought that you still play in the Welsh Cup, but don't take it that seriously as there's no European place at stake any more? And would that mean that if you were preomoted to the Prem and qualified through the league you still wouldn't be allowed to play?

 

Are you sure that's right about Cardiff?

I think that they were told by UEFA in the 80s that if they wanted to continue to enjoy European football as Welsh representatives that they would have to play their domestic games in the League of Wales?

 

Wouldn't put it past the FA

If Cardiff won, to give the UEFA cup place to 6th in Premier - they can do it.

 

Its a stupid situation thats been allowed to continue for way too long

The welsh teams play in the english leagues and cups but also play in the welsh cups so get more cup revenue than anyone else, they get sent off in an english game but the welsh FA is in charge of the disciplinary so presumably it is them that listen to players appeals etc.

Its about time that they were told to decide which one they want to come under and if they choose english then they have nothing to do with welsh cups etc but are allowed into europe via england

 

RE: Partly right

We don't play in the Welsh Cup. We have played in a competition called the FAW Premier Cup, a competition that's been going for 10 years and just finished - due to lack of interest.

It was set up by the FAW and BBC Wales with a £100k prize kitty, but no access to Europe. It's laughable and has that much interest that even the BBC, who put up the prize money, don't bother to show games these days!

Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham and either Merthyr or Newport are given invites and the top 4 teams from the League of Wales. We play our youth side in it and the occaisional bench warmer or someone returning from injury. Rarely do we get crowds in excess of 1000.

There is still European qualification from the Welsh Cup - that's why you still see 10-goal thrashings in it. The FAW shoot themselves in the foot really because that reflects on their status with regards to the UEFA points system.

We hear differing stories from the FA with regards to qualification. One week they say yes, they'll propose us and the next no, they won't. Who knows?

As far as I'm aware, Gretna and Berwick are members of the SFA, and therefore the SFA would have no problem proposing them.

 

RE: Its a stupid situation thats been allowed to continue for way too long

That's what I would like to see tbh. The Welsh FA is an absolute joke. You have to be 80+ and have done sterling work for a local boys club for 40 years before you're considered eligeble to get on the committee.

There used to be a time when the chairman of one of the three pro clubs would take it in turns on a rota basis to be on the committee for a 1 year tenure. Not any more, the FAW bigwigs didn't like that and stopped it.

There is not one person on the FAW panel (and, incredibly theres about 80 members of that!) that has been connected with professional football in any shape or form.

When we play an unattractive fixture, you get 6 or 7 of them there. We travel to San Marino and theres the full 80-odd + wives etc - all on expenses! They've even made the players leave airplanes to accommodate themselves. Unbelievable.

And, believe me, when we go up in front of them we don't get preferencial treatment. Far from it. In fact, the opposite is true and they try to make examples of us to show UEFA that they have teeth and are an independant governing body in their own right.

As far as I'm concerned, we play in FA competitions and should come under their jurisdiction.