PLAY wherever you like, fellas. Can’t get White Hart Lane built for the big kick-off? Play at Wembley. White Hart Lane is still not ready for Spurs – leading to all sorts of complicationsCan’t play at Wembley for a cup game? Stadium MK will host you. MK a bit busy for the next round? Choose somewhere else. Tottenham, given permission by the Football League to play their Carabao Cup third-round tie with Watford at Stadium MK, will not even be in their own parish on September 26. To be allowed out of the boundaries of London is a dangerous precedent for a competition fighting to stay relevant. This is not Brazil, where clubs routinely mix and match by playing in different stadiums depending on the quality of the opposition and the level of interest in the competition. The next ridiculous twist could see Spurs playing at MK Dons in the Carabao Cup News Group Newspapers Ltd Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino could have more than two “home” venuesTottenham are messing with the heritage and the culture of the sport in this country, desperately trying to find solutions because they misjudged progress on their new stadium. This is not what Premier League chief exec Richard Scudamore envisaged when he announced, in July 2015, “that you can’t have ten at Milton Keynes and nine at Wembley”. Now you can. Decisions like this mean there is nothing stopping Manchester United, for example, announcing “essential midweek maintenance work” at Old Trafford and taking their brand on the road for a Carabao Cup tie in future. Dele Alli’s long list of superstitions from bracelet’s to eight-minute ice baths A third-round clash at home to Frank Lampard’s Derby, as they are this year, would be a convenient moment for United to play in front of their fanbase in another part of the country. ‘United on the Road — Coming to a Ground Near You’, just as they did when they were once forced to play a Cup Winners’ Cup tie against St Etienne at Plymouth’s Home Park in 1977 because of crowd disturbances. The south west would love to see them back there for a one-off game. And the money men would love it, showcasing some of their stars to a paying public and reinforcing those red shirts to people who would ordinarily never get to watch United’s first team. With Old Trafford unlikely to be anywhere near full for the visit of a Championship club, selling-out someone else’s stadium for a night under the floodlights would be a decent marketing tool. Even so, it is not in the spirit of the competition. The fans, as usual, have been overlooked in the Football League’s desperation to keep one of their high-profile Premier League clubs sweet. They are powerless, terrified of the top Premier League clubs easing their congested fixture lists by pulling out of this competition. Alamy Live News The long-awaited move for Tottenham to the White Hart Lane stadium is on holdThere is no real money in it for them — only the prestige of lifting the season’s first trophy. Winning £100,000 for the Carabao Cup does not compare with £2million for the FA Cup, £150m for the Premier League or the £100m jackpot for Champions League success. By caving in, by giving Spurs special dispensation to play this third-round tie 51 miles up the road at a “neutral venue”, Spurs fans have come off worst again. They are being shunted here, there and everywhere as these players — assuming White Hart Lane opens its doors before the end of the season — prepare to play at a third venue. The Football League board — comprising departing chairman Ian Lenegan, Shaun Harvey, Debbie Jevans CBE, Ian Watmore, Cliff Crown, Mark Ashton, Nigel Howe, Stefan Gamble, Jim Rodwell, John Nixon — folded at their monthly meeting yesterday. Even though history will claim this third-round tie was played on neutral turf, Spurs will be in control of everything in the build-up. AFP or licensors Tottenham superstars Harry Kane and Dele Alli are away on England duty while the saga over their club’s ground drifts onThey will sell tickets, kickstart marketing campaigns in an attempt to fill the 30,500-capacity stadium and pay all the other costs of putting on a game — just like they would at home. They have been kicked out of Wembley, told to find another venue for the night because the grass at the stadium needs a rest after some NFL action and an Anthony Joshua fight on September 22. Three days later, it would be good for the sport if Watford dealt another knockout blow. Awkward moment Spurs keeper Michel Vorm hits goal kick out for a CORNER against WatfordFORST PRIZE FRASER FORSTER was an England keeper when Southampton gave him a new five-year contract last summer. Saints’ £95,000-a-week keeper is one of the best-paid No 1s in the world, in a tier below the obvious examples of Gianluigi Buffon, Manuel Neuer and David De Gea. Even so, he cannot even make the substitutes’ bench at St Mary’s after losing his place to Alex McCarthy and falling to third choice behind Angus Gunn. PA:Press Association Fraser Forster has dropped down to third choice at Southampton despite big wagesForster, 30, was dropped by Mauricio Pellegrino last season after conceding five against Tottenham and has not played first-team football since Boxing Day. He has picked up £3million in wages since, rejecting a loan move to Turkey and vowing to fight for his place. Even if he doesn’t win it back, Forster’s future has already been taken care of. Ex-Southampton star Dani Osvaldo performs with band Barrio Viejo in Barcelona ULTRAS’ BOYCOTT GROUNDS EAGLES THE ultras at Crystal Palace generated a vibrant, raucous and intimidating atmosphere — before they went through with their threat to boycott games at Selhurst Park. They were part of fan culture, admired worldwide for their passionate and boisterous support. But they fell out with the Eagles after being told they could not move into a central area behind one of the goals. Crystal Palace 0-2 Southampton: Saints pick up first win of the season as Palace miss injured Wilfried ZahaPalace are reluctant to move long-standing season-ticket holders — some have been occupying those seats for 30 years — from their favourite spot. Unless a resolution is found, that famous Palace atmosphere will fade away. FIGHTLESS IT is a dangerous era for England when players are able to pick and choose their availability. Although Jamie Vardy and Gary Cahill have not officially turned their back on England, they do not fancy being a spare part in Gareth Southgate’s squad. PA:Empics Sport Elite aces like Jamie Vardy must fight harder to win a regular place with EnglandThey gave decent service but you cannot look back on their Three Lions careers and think the pair were particularly distinguished servants. Vardy, 31, earned 26 caps while Cahill, 32, made 62 appearances for his country under five head coaches. The challenge for elite footballers, especially when the competitive juices are flowing, is to push so hard for a place and to perform so well that the manager has no choice but to pick you. Sadly for the English game, they did not have the fight for it. Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy reveals he learned about his England call-up during an interview with a journalist Source link The post Tottenham playing ‘home’ Carabao Cup tie with Watford at MK Dons is a dangerous precedent for a much-maligned competition appeared first on 10z Soccer. #CarabaoCupTie #DangerousPrecedent #CarabaoCup
