vikingTON Posted February 18, 2016 Share Posted February 18, 2016 With the League Cup group stages being set for July and the tournament running through to a November final, it seems hard to believe that the Challenge Cup can or will be scheduled for its usual slots of the season. Is it going to be quietly ditched? Personally I don't mind the Challenge Cup as a tournament and don't share the general disdain for it. It was a good warm up and potential start of season piss-up opportunity, with a similar opportunity for the final. Perhaps it could take place as a short, sharp spring tournament, bringIng interest to midtable clubs whose season is regularly finished by January: with a final in May. Or has it been rightfully thrown into the dustbin of Scottish football history? Discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reid Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Diddy cup for diddy teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jambo-rocker Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I'd say bringing all the lowland and highland league teams into the competition wouldn't be the worst idea either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Diddy cup for diddy teams. Still greetin 'cause his diddy team got skelped in their big shot at glory! On a more serious note I think it's a good competition for small to mid range clubs especially in the latter stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CM. Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 With us more often than not getting fucked out in the first or second round then I wouldn't miss it too much if it was scrapped. Did enjoy our run to the final though and will happily admit I was gutted when we lost out on penalties unlike Reid claiming it's a diddy tournament when his team done the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bring Back Paddy Flannery Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 We must have the worst record in the competition, if not we can't be far off it. Realisticly it's a good opportunity for smaller clubs like ourselves to reach a cup final. It's just a shame we make an utter arse of it season after season. Regardless of our attrocious record I'd be very disappointed to see it go. Wouldn't be against lowland or highland league teams being involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Moonster Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I've always hated the way we treat the competition. You pay for a cup match and see a training match. For me you should be looking to win or do as well as you can in each competition, if we're going to use them as glorified friendlies I'd rather we didn't bother at all. I quite like the idea of the spring tournament but I can see how clubs going for promotion/fighting relegation might see that as a distraction and it might lead to the same scenario we see now, albeit at a different point in the season. In conclusion, I'm not really arsed if they bin it or change it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightmare Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 With us more often than not getting fucked out in the first or second round then I wouldn't miss it too much if it was scrapped. Did enjoy our run to the final though and will happily admit I was gutted when we lost out on penalties unlike Reid claiming it's a diddy tournament when his team done the same. A tournament that only Queen of the South and Falkirk really care about is a diddy tournament, tbf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doonhamer doon south Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Would like to see it kept and bring in Highland and lowland clubs. I don't mind that managers try younger squads it's the best competition to give returning injured and those not getting a game a run out. I hope it stays but will concede that something needs to change Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunning1874 Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have some sympathy with the moving the Challenge Cup to spring idea on the basis of excitement for teams having a mid-table season who are out of the Scottish Cup, but if you're starting it in February or March the fixture congestion is going to be worse than it would be pre-Christmas - that's when midweeks are already being filled up with rearranged games that have been called off over the winter. For example, Morton are playing four midweeks out of five just now, Clyde are about to start a run of four midweeks out of five. Chuck Challenge Cup fixtures into March too and you'll have teams never getting a midweek off. That has a considerably higher impact on League One & League Two teams, who we really shouldn't be handicapping in the Challenge Cup as it's the only one they have any realistic chance of winning. With the League Cup group stage coming in most League 1 & 2 teams, and some Championship teams too, will be out of the League Cup at the start of August. With fewer midweek League Cup rounds to play from August onwards than we currently have, there'll be plenty of midweeks free for an expanded Challenge Cup involving everyone in the Highland & Lowland Leagues. Keep it pre-Christmas and have that final in November too, meaning the smaller cups are out the way for the main attraction starting in December. I take the excitement point on board if you're one of the very few clubs whose season is meaningless by March, but the massive fixture congestion you'd cause having the Challenge Cup starting then is more important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Tennis Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 A tournament that only Queen of the South and Falkirk really care about is a diddy tournament, tbf. I remember seeing a couple of dozen fans caring so much that they invaded the pitch once, to greet a mere equaliser. Can't remember who they supported though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightmare Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I remember seeing a couple of dozen fans caring so much that they invaded the pitch once, to greet a mere equaliser. Can't remember who they supported though. They were Chelsea fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radford Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have some sympathy with the moving the Challenge Cup to spring idea on the basis of excitement for teams having a mid-table season who are out of the Scottish Cup, but if you're starting it in February or March the fixture congestion is going to be worse than it would be pre-Christmas - that's when midweeks are already being filled up with rearranged games that have been called off over the winter. Obviously it won't solve the problem of winter postponements and I'm not sure how the new League Cup is working in terms of dates but would there not be scope to play more league games on mild autumn evenings in the opening weeks of the season? That could maybe help create space for a spring Challenge Cup, which I think sounds a good idea and could rejuvenate a lot of clubs' seasons. If the teams pushing for promotion put out weaker sides then it just gives those with less to play for in the league something else to focus on, as you said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paco Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Rovers apparently reported a small profit from their winning campaign in 13/14, which included an away derby with Dunfermline, a home game with Falkirk, a televised semi-final and a televised final at a sold out Easter Road. And then the actual winnings from Petrofac. I've no idea how the finances work in the tournament but if a club like Raith can do the above and describe it only as a 'small profit' then is there actually any point? For what it's worth I don't mind it as a chance to see new players in action, and chances are we usually get a lower league team too. But with the League Cup being expanded is there any need for it? Probably not. John Baird's winner against Rangers is without doubt my favourite moment in following the Rovers but I'd be lying if I said beating Stenhousemuir in the final at a half full Almondvale (Stenny lost the other semi to Rangers) would have given me any joy at all. Wouldn't be too disappointed if it got binned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 Apart from R1, what Challenge Cup dates are affected by the League Cup changes? Just now R2 is on a European midweek in August; QFs & SFs are on international weekends; and final is in the spring anyway. It's uncommon for lower-level clubs to reach LC SFs or Final, either. I don't see it stopping. If anything the need for it is increased by LC changes, as it'll be unlikely that part-time clubs will reach the knockouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
effeffsee_the2nd Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 wel.. if you had a 16 team league you could use it to pad out the season in the spring since most teams will be out of the big cups by then... just sayin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poet of the Macabre Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have no love for the competition but it's pretty harmless. I just don't really see the point in the tournament. I guess it's a chance to see your team play "competitive" matches against teams you don't normally face but there's little to no money to be made from it and most fans don't give two fucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WILLIEA Posted February 19, 2016 Share Posted February 19, 2016 wel.. if you had a 16 team league you could use it to pad out the season in the spring with utterly meaningless games since most teams will be out of the big cups by then... just sayin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingTON Posted February 19, 2016 Author Share Posted February 19, 2016 I have some sympathy with the moving the Challenge Cup to spring idea on the basis of excitement for teams having a mid-table season who are out of the Scottish Cup, but if you're starting it in February or March the fixture congestion is going to be worse than it would be pre-Christmas - that's when midweeks are already being filled up with rearranged games that have been called off over the winter. For example, Morton are playing four midweeks out of five just now, Clyde are about to start a run of four midweeks out of five. Chuck Challenge Cup fixtures into March too and you'll have teams never getting a midweek off. That has a considerably higher impact on League One & League Two teams, who we really shouldn't be handicapping in the Challenge Cup as it's the only one they have any realistic chance of winning. Rearranged games are taking place in February this season (the convention seemed to be holding off until March in the past), which means that there should be enough room for a short, sharp competition kicking off in late March or so in any reasonable season. Getting rid of the midweek league round in March and holding that in August or September instead would also ease congestion. We can also make better use of the festive period and Easter to hold matches but don't bother at the moment. I'd very much like to see the regional tiers participating in the competition, but that would probably need a weekend first round date to work. Once most of them likely crash out at that stage, having a few left to compete in midweek ties wouldn't be a major drawback IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLichtie86 Posted February 21, 2016 Share Posted February 21, 2016 I wouldnt get rid of the Challenge Cup. Keep the cup for lower division teams, League 1 and 2, also include more highland and lowland teams. Possibly 6 from each to give a 32 cup. Start the cup sometime after the League cup group stages are over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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