• last year
Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Erik ten Hag have their say on the decision to scrap FA Cup replays
Transcript
00:00 It's very sad for the British football culture, but I think also it's inevitable.
00:08 What that sends is a problem, it's a big blow.
00:12 I think you know better than me the reason why it was built,
00:20 or was created, replaced in this country.
00:22 It's for the lower divisions, I guess.
00:25 For having the chance, for giving an opportunity with these clubs in lower divisions,
00:32 to have an opportunity to have a big club,
00:34 a good money for them,
00:39 but what that sends is a problem, it's a big blow.
00:43 I can understand the frustration of the different clubs,
00:47 that maybe you know, you used to have a replay,
00:50 to live the experience, to have the capacity to have more income,
00:58 and I understand completely.
01:00 Like I need to be on the side of the big teams that are involved in Europe,
01:06 that maybe avoid to play more games during the season.
01:11 Look, it's not fair for both.
01:15 We cannot only look at that in an isolated way,
01:19 but with the calendar year that we have in the next few seasons,
01:23 obviously we have to take the game out from the players,
01:27 so I think it's a very good possibility.
01:30 I understand every point of view.
01:33 At the end of the hour, mine is to protect our players,
01:36 and when I look at the amount of minutes and games that they played in the last two seasons,
01:40 with no breaks, how they're going to have to play in the next two days,
01:44 two years, sorry, that's not healthy, for sure.
01:47 So somewhere, and I'm not saying it has to be that,
01:50 but somewhere, somehow, we have to reduce that calendar.
01:53 There is so much overload on the players, we talk about this issue so often,
01:57 and anywhere it has to stop.
02:01 As I said, I feel really sorry, really sad for the clubs in England football,
02:08 but for top players, this is a measure that can make some space in the shadow.
02:15 [Music]

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