FFA Cup thrown into further chaos

Football Australia refuses to give up on the FFA Cup despite yet another setback to completing this year’s competition.

Having forced the cancellation of last year’s Cup, Covid-19 is also throwing the 2021 edition of the Cup into chaos.

The latest blow is Football NSW’s decision to cancel the remainder of the state season.

Five NPL NSW clubs – Blacktown City, Sydney Olympic, APIA Leichhardt, Wollongong Wolves and Mount Druitt Town Rangers – have reached the Cup’s round of 32 stage

But that’s where the Cup has stalled. Dates for the matches this month have been scrapped, with the tournament in limbo.

Adelaide United celebrate winning the FFA Cup in 2019. Picture: AAP Image/Kelly BarnesSource:AAP

And with training not having been an option for NPL NSW teams since late June, a lack of conditioning, fitness and teamwork would make it extremely difficulty for the competition’s Cup representatives to suddenly return to action if the Cup was to resume later this year.

However, FA was adamant it was “not giving up” on the Cup returning this year.

Blacktown City coach Mark Crittenden was also positive about his team’s Cup round-of-32 clash against A-League club Central Coast Mariners being played eventually, even if the wait extended to November or December.

“My boys are dying to pay this game,” Crittenden said.

“All we’d need was a week’s notice. Three training sessions would be enough.

“We’d play it at any time. The boys are desperate to get back out on the park.”

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