Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert believes the majority of top-flight clubs would rather not have the distraction of the FA Cup.
Lambert was asked whether the FA Cup was something Premier League clubs could do without. ‘I think if you asked the majority of them, if they were being honest, they probably would do,’ he told BBC WM. ‘Not just because of the money but survival in the league is vital.’
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert believes the majority of top-flight clubs would rather not have the distraction of the FA Cup.
Lambert was asked whether the FA Cup was something Premier League clubs could do without. ‘I think if you asked the majority of them, if they were being honest, they probably would do,’ he told BBC WM. ‘Not just because of the money but survival in the league is vital.’
He added: ‘It is realistic. That is the nature of it. If anyone says any differently then I am not so sure they will be telling the truth because the Premier League is the most vital thing that anyone wants to get into and we are no different.’
The FA Cup is perhaps most attractive for a mid-table Premiership side who are confident of not being relegated, but actually there are relatively few clubs like that this season. Last season Wigan won the cup and got relegated.
With the enhanced television deal, staying in the top flight is even more important in financial terms. Winning a Europa League place is scant consolation as it involves a gruelling schedule of fixtures that can undermine performance (that probably happened to Wigan in the earlier part of this season) and produces very little profit.
Cup competitions are regarded as being of secondary importance in continental Europe which led to the eventual abolition of the Cup Winners’ Cup.