3 Things That Hold The League Cup Back
It has been sponsored by a variety of companies over the years but, no matter how big the name, the League Cup struggles to be taken seriously as a competition. Here are three main reasons why:
Increased emphasis on Premier League
With millions being poured into the Premier League every season, England’s top flight has continued to grow in importance. A side effect of this, however, is the depreciation of the country’s two domestic cup competitions. Whilst the League Cup has often been referred to as a ‘Mickey Mouse Cup’, the FA Cup is considered one of the most prestigious competitions in all of football. The fact that the two are now often treated in a similarly disrespectful manner is a sticking point for many traditionalists within the game.
Lack of excitement once you are knocked out
Another sad but slightly understandable but point is that the League Cup is only interesting if your team is still in it. With all fixtures bar the final occurring midweek, it is the sort of thing that could easily be forgotten about without some form of personal involvement. Whilst Sky Sports buy the rights to show the games and try to hype the competition up as much as possible, most fans still are still aware that it is the least significant major trophy a Premier League team can win.
It is rarely prioritised by anyone
The FA Cup, as mentioned earlier, has sometimes been treated with less respect than it deserves recently, but at least most teams make it evident that they are desperate to remain in the competition and maintain a chance of winning it. Weakened teams full of reserve players and youngsters mean this is simply not the case for the League Cup. And, whilst there may be some understanding for the very top teams who have to compete at the top end of the league as well as in Europe, the sad fact is that clubs from lower divisions also seem to feel they have more important things to worry about.
Are your team still in this season’s League Cup? Whether they are or not, are you looking forward to the fourth round?
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