Joint Tranmere Rovers owner Nicola Palios condemns the Newcastle v Tottenham friendly, played abroad 3 days after the end of the season.
Tottenham and Newcastle head to Australia for a friendly match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Newcastle is scheduled to play another match against an A-League All Star team on Friday.
The squads for both clubs include the likes of Kieran Trippier, Bruno Guimaraes, Alexander Isak for Newcastle, and James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Heung-Min Son for Tottenham.
@NicolaPalios tweeted: “Next time someone tries to pretend scrapping FA Cup replays is about player welfare rather than the big clubs wanting even more money, show them this ๐๐ #FACup Give us our game back!”
Firstly, if itโs that rare, why did the PL teams want to scrap it? And a replay can be worth a huge amount to a lower league club – almost inevitable it will be on TV which is ยฃ130k+, share of the gate money potentially at an Anfield or Old Trafford – can amount to ยฃ1m+
โ Nicola Palios (@NicolaPalios) May 20, 2024
Next stop: Melbourne ๐ฆ๐บ pic.twitter.com/Fzky4rM49z
โ Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 19, 2024
In April, a statement from Tranmere on FA Cup replays being scrapped read: Tranmere Rovers condemn the disgraceful decision taken by The FA and the Premier League to change the format of the FA Cup, including the scrapping of replays.
“There was no consultation with Football League clubs, National League clubs or grassroots clubs to whom the competition represents not only their best opportunity to create life-long memories for supporters but also a hugely important source of income. We also understand that FA Council members were not consulted about the changes.
“The decision, and the way it was taken, demonstrate a total lack of respect for the football pyramid and its fans. Football belongs to all of us and decisions should not be taken in back room deals in which only the very wealthiest clubs are allowed to participate. It is yet another eloquent example of the 19th-century governance that means that football simply cannot regulate itself and needs the Independent Football Regulator to have real teeth.
“We condemn the changes wholeheartedly and urge The FA to suspend them immediately until all stakeholders in the game are properly consulted.”
The FA and the @premierleague have reached an agreement to suit themselves further at the expense of the rest of the football pyramid.
Fixed it for you.
Bring on the regulator and make sure it has some teeth before the @premierleague strangle the pyramid. #FACup https://t.co/MyonLU90hC
โ Nicola Palios (@NicolaPalios) April 18, 2024
As far as I am aware there was no discussion at all with @efl clubs, much less a vote โฆ.
โ Nicola Palios (@NicolaPalios) April 18, 2024
729 teams compete in the @TheFACup. Why is its format being dictated by the @premierleague who represent c.3% of them? Why were @EFL clubs not given a say? Why is the EPL even dictating whether replays are allowed in rounds they donโt participate in? Protest is needed! #FACup
โ Nicola Palios (@NicolaPalios) April 18, 2024
Alan Shearer said on Match of the Day that he was left baffled by the timing of the matches: “Can you imagine if you’re a player who is playing in either the Copa America or Euro 2024 having to do that? Madness. Crazy.
“I wouldn’t be happy at all. It’s crazy for Newcastle to go and play Spurs there on Wednesday night and then another game.”
The Euros in Germany begins on the 14th of June with the Copa America in the United States getting under way six days later.
Despite concerns from within the game regarding the growing workload faced by players, the decision to proceed with the matches has been made.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters expressed last month that the football calendar is approaching a critical point, as teams are being asked to play an excessive number of matches.
In the upcoming season, the Champions League will expand to include 36 teams, and the group stage will be replaced by a league format.
This change will result in teams playing two additional matches.
Additionally, the Club World Cup, currently held annually with seven teams from six confederations, will now become a 32-team tournament held every four years.
To accommodate the increase in matches, the Football Association has recently eliminated FA Cup replays from the first round onwards.
This decision was made in response to the mounting number of matches being played.
A report last year by the players’ union Fifpro said the game needs to do more to protect players against “dangerous levels of fixture congestion”.
“The reforms of the two major tournaments will ultimately increase the number of games played by top players who could conceivably feature in both,” the Fifpro said.
“This poses a threat to the wellbeing of players who are already pushed to their limit with the current international match calendar.”
“Crazy!”
“Money talks, man.”
Newcastle and Tottenham’s players now en route to Australia for a post-season friendly โ๏ธ ๐ฆ๐บ #BBCFootball #MOTD pic.twitter.com/wYA5hPL6X3
โ Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) May 20, 2024
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said that the tour to Australia as a “brilliant opportunity” to connect with the club’s fanbase.
“I think it’s important we grow the name of Newcastle at every opportunity we get,” Howe explained.
“You are sort of cocooned in England. You understand there is a wider support base, but if you are not exposed it then it’s difficult to understand it.”
Howe added that he will have to “rotate” his players and “give everyone some minutes” after such a long flight to Australia.
“That is difficult if you are just going on holiday, let alone playing so soon after landing. That will be the trickiest thing for us,” he added.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou said the “exposure and revenue” is a key element behind the trip but does state that had they been in Europe this season he would have blocked it.
“If we had a bigger game schedule I probably would have said ‘no’ to it and I don’t think the club would have expected us to go,” he said.
“I don’t think it’s ideal but I think each situation is unique. I had a discussion with the playing group pretty early on about it and they understood why we are doing it.”
Meanwhile, Tottenham are also planning to head to South Korea as part of their pre-season tour of Asia this summer including a game against Bayern Munich, and potentially former player Harry Kane, in Seoul on the 3rd August.
This is what fans are saying as Tranmere owner condemns the Newcastle v Tottenham friendly being played abroad 3 days after end of season…
@stewelsh: The EFL clubs need to grow a pair and boycott the FA Cup.
@TRFCJoeS: Well in Nicola. What a pleasure it is to have you and @markpalios1 as owner
@bullens288: Itโs pure greed and keeping the rich clubs rich
@toffeehater: Says it all. Sooner the 6 of them bugger off to their Euro League, the better
@lurkinhead: Spot on! It’s just all so shameless isn’t it, the big clubs spinning us this line about player welfare and recovery, and then this……. They’re laughing in the football pyramid’s faces!
@dderby2: Absolutely
@BluesVCancer: Spot on ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
@BarnesNolan2017: Exactly this. Pure greed.
@MancBlue3: Well said Nicola.
@JonDav1es: ๐ Yep, never was and never will be about “player welfare”
@richthemaster: Greed, pure and simple. And with greed comes corruption.
@zachary_garber: These clubs bullshit all the time & this is the latest in a very long line. They should be custodians of a historical game but the just gold diggersโฆ simple.
@AndyPow58062254: This is 100% spot on.
@KeithJ1892: Got a fair point tbh
@3Fishontheshirt: Well said @NicolaPalios ๐๐ป๐๐ป๐๐ป
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