Pundit issues ‘massive’ Man City verdict as radical change on the cards
Noel Whelan has backed plans from the Premier League to reform the League Cup and allow Man City and other teams competing in Europe to field younger players.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Leeds United striker suggested clubs further down the table will be “quite happy” to allow the changes to take place.
As reported by The Times (19 September), the Premier League are considering scrapping FA Cup replays and making “big changes” to the League Cup as part of a “New Deal for Football”.
As part of the proposed changes that would take place from 2024, clubs involved in European competitions would be able to withdraw from the League Cup or field teams of under-21s players.
City have won the League Cup six times since 2013.
When asked by Football Insider if City would likely welcome the reform, Whelan said: “I don’t think they’ll jump out of it.
“I think they’ll play a weakened side and probably more of the under-21s and under-23s. They’ll still be in it and this will probably be something where they have to question where their priorities are, Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League.
“You think about the games these players are playing and the amount of games they play. At the same time we keep asking when are these young players going to get their experience, maybe this is it.
“Maybe this is where they get their experience, when you’re in massive competitions, the games are coming thick and fast. Especially when you’ve got a World Cup in between as well, you’re trying to protect the safety of your players as well, make sure they’re not doing too much. And at the same time this is not a bad way of looking at players against Premier League opposition in a proper football match in a club competition.
“Yes, you would like to see the stronger sides out there and really push and test but at the same time there are probably a lot of clubs out there who would be quite happy to give someone else the opportunity to win something. It might work in their favour as well.“
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