Once upon a time Football League clubs scheduled plenty of matches around Christmas, Easter and the Bank Holidays. Peak times for peak attendances.
Now it seems as if the league wants the cash-strapped clubs to play more matches on Tuesday nights in November and December in freezing temperatures.
Many clubs will have just two festive fixtures this season - Boxing Day and Monday, December 28. The FA & Football League have decided to schedule FA Cup 3rd round day for Saturday, Janaury 2 meaning there will be no New Year's fixture for many League 1 & 2 clubs (there is a League 1 & 2 programme scheduled for that day but with a few clubs still in the FA Cup some of these will be cancelled).
The league recently removed the August Bank Holiday as a fixture date while Easter Monday will be without Premier League fixtures.
You have to be a real football obsessive (or a masochist, one of the two) to watch the game on cold wintery evenings when full snowman outfit is required. Southampton had to play a league match at Hartlepool only two weeks ago.
Yet another example of the FA, Football and Premier Leagues shooting themselves in the foot.
Friday 4 December 2009
Seeds of doubt
I can't decide whether I'm looking forward to tonight's World Cup draw or not.
On the one hand, we can discover who everyone is playing, where England fans will scramble for accommodation and look forward to the greatest sporting event there is.
On the other, the draw is over-hyped (especially by Sky Sports who don't even have the rights to show the event) and there should be no great surprises. Once again FIFA's seeding system leaves a lot to be desired. Favouring the big teams (or the ones that give them the most money), all top eight seeds should qualify for the next stage even given the worst case scenario. Two of the eight seeds will have to face the not so mighty France and Portugal. Bless.
After the ridiculous seeding system for the play-offs, surely FIFA need to have a re-think. Everyone has qualified for the World Cup on merit. Surely they should have equal chance in the competition proper?
On the one hand, we can discover who everyone is playing, where England fans will scramble for accommodation and look forward to the greatest sporting event there is.
On the other, the draw is over-hyped (especially by Sky Sports who don't even have the rights to show the event) and there should be no great surprises. Once again FIFA's seeding system leaves a lot to be desired. Favouring the big teams (or the ones that give them the most money), all top eight seeds should qualify for the next stage even given the worst case scenario. Two of the eight seeds will have to face the not so mighty France and Portugal. Bless.
After the ridiculous seeding system for the play-offs, surely FIFA need to have a re-think. Everyone has qualified for the World Cup on merit. Surely they should have equal chance in the competition proper?
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