Big Clubs Decide Relegation Issue

The decision of the top clubs to play weakened teams in matches critical to the relegation issue condemns Charlton and Sheffield United to the drop from the Premiership.

When I started to watch football every team set out to win every game. The best players were always selected and the strongest team appeared for every game.

That’s not the case now. Clubs decide their own priorities and what’s best for themselves and select their teams accordingly. It has been the case for a number of years that clubs involved in the Champions League have shown little interest in the domestic cups and have sent out reserve teams especially in the League (Carling) Cup. Even some of the lesser teams with an eye to remaining in the Premiership have decided to forego Cup football and concentrate on the League, keeping their star players fresh for the important League games.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal have all managed to send out young reserve and squad players in their Carling Cup sides and with some success. Bolton Wanderers in their early days in the Premiership preferred to concentrate on their League programme, showing little interest in Cup success.

The decision of those clubs to send out weakened teams for the Cup games only affected themselves – they had decided to focus on other priorities.

However, in the past fortnight the Premiership has witnessed a further move in the playing of under strength teams but this time other clubs are affected in a way that has had very serious consequences.

Liverpool have safely qualified for next season’s Champions League competition so points in the Premiership have not been a serious issue for them in recent weeks. They preferred to concentrate on this season’s Champions League and the coming Final against AC Milan. Before and after their semi-final games against Chelsea they rested top players and Portsmouth and Fulham gained an unexpected three points. In Fulham’s case, the points they needed to avoid relegation.

With one eye on the FA Cup Final against Chelsea, Manchester United for the final league game against West Ham United left four star players on the bench and lost 1-0 at Old Trafford. West Ham had gained the three points they needed to avoid relegation, condemning Sheffield United to the drop.

In a previous era clubs who fielded weakened teams were fined but the authorities are turning a blind eye to this present situation.

No longer are the ‘big’ clubs just able to control events at the top of the Premiership table but by sending out weakened teams they are determining who is relegated as well. Is there no end to their power and influence?

Fans of Fulham and West Ham United are not complaining while supporters of Liverpool and Manchester United will vociferously defend their clubs for doing what was best for them. That is right but did they do what is best for soccer?

No longer can a club be certain that their destiny, for good or for bad, will be in their own hands. Relegation is hard enough to take but to know that another club greatly influenced the final outcome must be even more sickening.

If this trend continues, spectators will seriously question football’s credibility and if that is lost what is the future of the game?