Mikel Arteta insisted scrapping FA Cup replays was necessary to “protect our players”, while Accrington Stanley's chairman said he would support a boycott of the tournament if there was widespread support.
As the backlash against the abandonment of replays continued, the EFL said clubs lower down the pyramid were being sidelined. Accrington's Andy Holt tweeted that it was important to fight the change “with all our might” and said: “I would support a boycott if enough clubs felt the same.”
the football association has been heavily criticized after confirming that replays after qualifying rounds will be scrapped as part of an agreement with the Premier League over the format and funding of the competition. The decision is understood to have been made following pressure from the Premier League's top six clubs, who are concerned about the workload of their players ahead of the introduction of an expanded Champions League format next season.
Last week the Manchester City midfielder Rodri said he “needed to rest” after an exhausting schedule that saw him play more than 45 games for his club and country this season. Arteta, whose Arsenal were knocked out of this season's FA Cup by Liverpool in the third round, believes the current situation is “not healthy” for top players.
“We cannot see it in isolation, but with the calendar we have for the coming seasons, we have to get the most out of the players,” he said. “I think it's a very good possibility.”
When asked if he could understand the complaints about canceling replays, the Arsenal The manager said: “I understand all points of view. Ours and mine is to protect our players. When I looked at how many minutes and games they've played in the last two years without breaks, how many they're going to have to play in the next two years, that's not healthy for sure. Somehow, somewhere, we have to reduce the schedule.”
The FA issued a statement on Friday saying it understood the concerns of clubs at the bottom of the pyramid and would share details with them on how any shortfall in revenue lost from replays can be made up. But the EFL responded by saying it was the latest example of how the league and its clubs were being sidelined after first division The clubs also decided to stop discussions on a new financial agreement.
“This latest deal between the Premier League and the FA, in the absence of financial reform, is just one more example of how the EFL and its clubs are being marginalized in favor of others higher up the pyramid and that only serves to to threaten the future. of the English game,” he said. “The EFL today calls on both the Premier League and the FA, as the governing body, to re-evaluate their approach to their football partnership with the EFL and engage more collaboratively on issues that directly affect our clubs.”
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Arsenal and City exited the Champions League this week, meaning there are no English clubs in the bottom four for the first time since 2020. Arteta suggested the Premier League could do more to help its clubs in Europe.
“When you look at the schedule that Bayern (Munich) and we had, the number of games they had and that they rested 10 players nine days ago and again three days ago, it is different,” he said, although that is related to the fight of the Bayern. of the fight for the Bundesliga title. “In these leagues they cancel the games or bring them forward to have more rest for the Champions League. We (the Premier League) are not doing that and we are putting even more pressure on ourselves. “It is not an excuse, it is reality.”
