Is it time to make the Carling Cup a battle of Britain?

[Crouchinho]

League cup isn't a problem as a lot of teams can try out reserves and squad players. It doesn't really affect international progress at all.

Swansea and Bradford enjoyed their day and a pretty bonus too. I think the league cup is looking up again. Top clubs are charging a tenner these days for domestic competitions which is great for a family day out

 

[law74]

League cup should be completely dropped. Pointless competition that makes too busy schedule even worse.

It has been a lot better since they changed the format

Yeah, but it's just too much. With Premier League without winter pause, FA Cup and it's replays, European competitions and international weekends it's something just not needed.

Winter pause? When should we have this "pause"? Why should we have it? What would we do when this "pause" occurs?

With undersoil heating at all established top flight clubs, there are a lot fewer games called off now due to the weather, add to that the better drainage etc, and the variable nature of the weather in this country means that the only reason why a winter break or pause would be introduced would be to allow the money men to organise lucrative mid season friendlies in hotter climes while we struggle through a football less weekend.
At least in the British "summer" we can enjoy taking the wife to B&Q, going to the seaside, taking the kids to the park, or for those like myself lucky enough to have the freedom, to enjoy a days cricket (either playing, or spectating with a cold cider in hand).

Oh, and keep the international sides as they are, and the status quo.

 

[THFC6061]

There have been a few attempts in the past to have a British Cup competition but they died a death.

I think having a British Football League Cup is a good idea but I very much doubt it will ever happen.

A more radical idea might be to finally have a unified British team competing in the European Championships & FIFA World Cup (as we have done in the Olympics).

It might be the only way we can seriously compete with the European and South American footballing giants, especially with players like Gareth Bale available.

So because once every ten to 15 years 1 player from the other home nations is good enough to get in the England squad we should give up our individual identities?

The Home Nations individually hardly have a glittering record in international competitions, with just the one trophy to show for all those decades of participation.

And despite England being currently ranked by FIFA as the 4th best team in the world, we all know that the very best they can expect is perhaps a Semi-Final slot.

The United Kingdom having four different countries competing in international competitions is an historic abnormality - can you imagine the 50 different states of the USA all competing in the World Cup?

 

[citysince88]

No, if you want the domestic cups to mean something to all teams then you have to make it worth winning from a financial point of view. If alongside the trophy you had a prize fund of £5 million pound I think clubs/managers would think twice before resting players as that could be a new player next season.

 

[Cellarite]

Why not? I reckon people would be well up for a midweek British League Cup trip to Livingston or Aberdeen. The Etihad would be packed to the rafters for the visit of Motherwell as well.

 

[Tbilisi]

Personally I don't want Rangers or Celtic in our league competition, but I'd fancy a British Cup in place of the current Carling Cup format(which is basically a devalued FA Cup).

Would it work and more importantly would you want it?

Its just what it needs,variety is the spice of life

 

[Bluemoon115]

Celtic and Rangers sounds "glamerous", or at least exciting.

But fuck travelling up to Elgin on a cold Tuesday night.

 

[117 M34]

They should make it north/south until the last 4 - that would at least help to boost attendances and create a few more derby games.

 

[dazdon]

Fuck the clubs over the border i don't want anything to do with them.

 

[west didsblue]

League cup should be completely dropped. Pointless competition that makes too busy schedule even worse.

Don't think Swansea or Birmingham City would agree.