Welsh EFL Clubs to Play in Welsh League Cup

Let's not get too carried away with the carrot of getting into a European competition via this route. To do so there would be maybe five rounds to go through when eventually Cardiff/Swansea would field a team to win the tournament. I'm quite happy with a round (or two) in the current League Cup which, who knows, could give those who want a big match with Cardiff (not me for sure) what they have been missing all these years. What should be negotiated is a decent financial reward for any club getting through the early rounds of the Cup we currently compete in. Don't save it all up for the bigger clubs to get their noses in the trough at the tail end of the competition.

It is not just a grudge, although certainly it is that. It is a warning. Every time this comes up someone in England asks what are Welsh clubs doing in the English league. Just leave it alone and don't try to gain an advantage not available to other clubs by riding two horses at the same time.

I will never forget that when every man's hand in Wales was turned against us it was friends in England that saved us, They could easily have turned us away.

There's a new article by Michael Pearlman:-



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cqxrzen1w05o

I tend to agree with Wattsville boy.
Never forget our history but 30 years is a long time ago and much has happened since.

I believe the omission of Merthyr from this proposition further points to this being a trade of Welsh League Trophy for English League Trophy as they will not be able to compete in this unless they one day become a FL club.

Owain Glyndwr wrote:I tend to agree with Wattsville boy.
Never forget our history but 30 years is a long time ago and much has happened since.

I believe the omission of Merthyr from this proposition further points to this being a trade of Welsh League Trophy for English League Trophy as they will not be able to compete in this unless they one day become a FL club.

My position for clarity is until the proposals are 'fleshed out' and can therefore be studied for pro's v cons I'm not willing to state an opinion. It's all speculation at the moment and I prefer to have some evidence to hand before deciding which side to come down on...

Interpreting what we know plus a little bit of guesswork, I think :-

Swansea City are behind this proposal not the FAW although the FAW may support it. Jardim has said that the FAW haven't approached County.

The proposal is limited to EFL clubs because those are the English tier clubs who compete in the Welsh League Cup. Merthyr doesn't compete in this cup but they may be upset at being left out if anything does develop.

Swansea have obtained a report from Deloittes supporting the proposal and designed to convince the FAW and the Welsh clubs that it is in their interest.

In recent times UEFA have blocked English tier clubs from entering the Welsh FA Cup on pain of withdrawing approval of that competition as a route to qualifying for UEFA tournaments. In my opinion they are likely to do the same in the case of the Welsh League Cup.

George Guest wrote:Interpreting what we know plus a little bit of guesswork, I think :-

Swansea City are behind this proposal not the FAW although the FAW may support it. Jardim has said that the FAW haven't approached County.

The proposal is limited to EFL clubs because those are the English tier clubs who compete in the Welsh League Cup. Merthyr doesn't compete in this cup but they may be upset at being left out if anything does develop.

Swansea have obtained a report from Deloittes supporting the proposal and designed to convince the FAW and the Welsh clubs that it is in their interest.

In recent times UEFA have blocked English tier clubs from entering the Welsh FA Cup on pain of withdrawing approval of that competition as a route to qualifying for UEFA tournaments. In my opinion they are likely to do the same in the case of the Welsh League Cup.

Don't get me wrong, the winning of the Welsh Cup was one of the greatest days I've had as a County supporter, And to play a season in what was then the European Cup Winners Cup was terrific, but those days are gone.

Would I like to play Welsh League sides in a Welsh Cup? Yes. But if Merthyr are not involved then it isn't a Cup competition involving all Welsh clubs, so in my mind it's devalued from the start. A compromise could be to involve them with all EFL sides but, a bit like when English teams close to the border with Wales were involved previously in the Welsh Cup, any Welsh side competing in the England system can't take up any European spot that may be offered. It then becomes a competition to help develop players in. In my mind it makes it a more attractive watch than the BSM Trophy...