Jurgen Klopp’s FA Cup comments represent a sad day for English football

The legendary Bill Shankly once famously said, “Football’s not a matter of life and death, it’s more important than that”
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will play the under-23s against Shrewsbury in an FA Cup replayLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will play the under-23s against Shrewsbury in an FA Cup replay
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will play the under-23s against Shrewsbury in an FA Cup replay

As a fresh faced nine-year-old I can still remember watching the 1974 FA Cup final, Shankly’s last game as Liverpool manager, when the Reds demolished Newcastle 3-0.

Back in the day, although teams played 42 league games, and the top teams played in Europe, the FA Cup was a competition that teams put out strong sides from the outset, and with the final being one of only three live games shown on the telly in the season (believe it or not younger readers!)

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But those days are long gone, and now Premier League champions elect, have all but totally consigned the reputation of the greatest knockout competition in the world to the dustbin.

A 2-2 draw at League One Shrewsbury on Sunday has resulted in a replay at Anfield next week, yet Jurgen Klopp has already stated Liverpool will be on their winter break by then, so the Reds under-23s will take on the Shrews instead whilst the first team squad have some ‘R and R’ in the sun somewhere.

Maybe, like others, I am stuck in the past when it comes to football, but for me Klopp’s post match interview to BBC represented a sad day for English football.

He and the Liverpool board, who clearly have sanctioned his stance, and totally respected this great competition, wherever he is, I’m sure Shankly would be totally disgusted by what’s gone on.

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Ticket price wise, I will be interested to what degree Liverpool slash admission prices next week, frankly I’d let the Shrewsbury fans in for charity donation, and everyone else in the stadium do the same, so at least someone would benefit from the whole sorry episode.

That said I hope Shrewsbury grasp the nettle and dispatch the Reds youngsters and earn a trip to Old Trafford in the next round.

Meanwhile, Harty Junior arrived in the office to tell me the Albion were making a transfer announcement at 10am.

Mitrovic, Bowen or perhaps another inept foreign striker bought on the back of a Betamax video, (Frederico Turienzo your memory will live on for decades)

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No the big announcement was that Aaron Mooy, currently on loan from Huddersfield, had made the transfer permanent.

Don’t get me wrong, Mooy is a quality player, but really the Albion faithful needed a little bit more.

At time of going to press, no more signings are in the offing, so the Albion travel to West Ham, having had a week off, looking for a change in fortunes.

They say, you never see a bookie on a bike, and the Albion are favourites to stay up out of the bottom six.

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Thee bookmakers faith will certainly be reiterated with a positive result at the Olympic Stadium. And in the Albion’s favour, it appears the Hammers are currently in an even worse state than the Albion.

A jittery 90 minutes beckons...2-1 to the Albion!