... the emphasis is on the Football Association and the Premier League to restore the “glory” of the FA Cup.
Alan Pardew: “The game on the 28th needn’t be in the programme, and I think the FA Cup game then fits all right.
“I’ve got some opinions on this and most Premier League managers will share with me.
“The devaluing of the competition is the rescheduling of it.
“And they really need to look at that.
“This will be our fifth game in 15 days. The FA Cup falls right on the back of the Christmas programme. I think that is wrong.
“The league or the FA need to look at that – or whoever is in charge of the scheduling – and move it. I don’t think it’s right.”
The FA Cup has ALWAYS been the first weekend of January, for the last century.
If it didn't work it would have changed before now.
What has suddenly changed to make Pardew think the competition is down the list of priorities of any manager?
He came out this morning with a list of "injuries" that he always produces before an FA Cup tie.
THIS IS THE FA CUP FOR GOD'S SAKE ... TRY AND WIN IT!
The man has NO AMBITION!