What do you think? Is it right that the FA Cup semi-finals are to be played at Wembley? Cardiff City's boss Dave Jones seems to think so. Or should they be played elsewhere at another neutral club's venue? - like Sir Alex Ferguson says. Personally, I think that the honor of playing at Wembley Stadium should be reserved to the two finalists only. Playing semis there devalues the honor of the final playing at Wembley. Maybe the semis could be played @ Cardiff Millenium Stadium (its just a coincidence that Cardiff City happened to reach this stage this time) or elsewhere ... but I personally believe that only the final should be played at Wembley.
It used to be that the two semis were played at neutral stadiums based on the location of the teams that made it. Villa Park was used for the '99 Semi between Man Utd and Arsenal, Old Trafford was used for the two semi finals that Newcastle got to in 98 and 99 (I think this has been the standard until last year). However, the money spent on building the new Wembley means every possible match that can be played there will be played there so they can claim as much back on the cost (£750m/$1.5bn).. its basically down to economics.
Please. By all means. Play MLS games at Wembley. Go on. I dare you. We dont use it that much. If you promise to play nice, we'll let you borrow it. As for the FA cup, you could have one option which is to play the semis on Saturday, and the Final on the Sunday. Works great as a weekend away for the fans. In an ideal world it would be fun. But there are way too many issues getting in the way. But I have to agree that neutral venues should be sought for the semis, not Wembley. Still, the FA must be desparate for cash if they have gone for it!
A) Same situation for both teams. B) I DID say too many factors... IF the many factors could be overcome, it would be very cool. However, short of hyping up the players on massive cocktails of drugs, or rebuilding them as unfeeling robots (literally), then tiredness will keep this faint dream from ever happoening. I DID say it was a pipe dream...
Wembley is special and therefore the semi finals should NOT be played there. I know the FA want as many games to be played there as possible because of the huge amount, £750M +, the stadium cost to build. It will take years before it pays for itself, hence, the FA's insistence that the SF's are played there. They'll undoubtedly be a sell-out at both games with 90K+ attendances but I'm afraid it takes away the specialness, the gloss of playing at Wembley in a Final only. Can you imagine telling your grandchildren in years to come that you played at Wembley, oh but it was only a semi final. Playing there is no longer special. It personifies yet again that football is a business and money driven. David Hankey
I don't see why two teams from up North should be forced to travel all the way to london to play a semi-final when stadiums like Old Trafford, Anfield and so on exist already ... its absurd. I went to one of the first Wembley Semi-finals - where my beloved Arsenal lost to Tottenham (booo) and it was a great day out but the ONLY reason it happened was it was the only suitable neutral venue for an all London semi.
I do not reckon they should be for the same reason David H said. A making it to Wembley is supposed to be really special. And if you make the semis at Wembley it takes most of that magic away. Thus making it to Wembley is no where near as special as it used to be.
They want to play them at Wembley for one reason only; they need the cash. The stadium cost millions more than planned, and they need to recoup the losses. Its a shame, cos Wembley should be special in my view - finals only. But money talks.
^ what he said. When we first got to Wembley in 1994, although I'm too young to remember it properly, it was a massive occasion for the club. It might have only been the Associate Members Cup final, but there was just something very special about seeing your side play at Wembley. Our second visit is probably best forgotten, soley for the way it ended. Now with playoff finals all the way down to the Conference being played there, FA Cup semi-finals, the previously mentioned AM cup as well as countless other trophies, most FL clubs and loads more in the Conference have played at Wembley and, more recently, the MillStad. It just doesn't mean that much any more.
The semis should really be at neutral venues. You can't help but think the final is devalued as it's at the same stadium which the semis are. Old Trafford and Villa Park are usually used, they would be much better stadiums for semi-final matches.
Another reason not to play at Wembley is that the pitch is crap, which makes for rubbish football every single match. RAGE!
