Reading boss Steve Clarke accuses FA of 'devaluing' FA Cup over replay date with Bradford
Saturday 7 March 2015 21:26, UK
Reading boss Steve Clarke has accused the Football Association of "devaluing the competition" by adhering to UEFA rules in deciding the date for his side's FA Cup quarter-final replay with Bradford.
The two lowest-ranked sides left in the competition must meet again on March 16 with a Wembley semi-final at stake after cancelling each other out in a gutsy goalless draw at Valley Parade on Saturday.
A UEFA rule prohibits FA Cup games being played at the same time as continental fixtures and means both clubs face a replay less than 48 hours after difficult away league games at Watford and Notts County respectively.
Clarke said: "I think the FA are devaluing the competition a little bit by making both teams play on Saturday then Monday. Why don't they just play it (on Tuesday or Wednesday) - what are UEFA going to do?
"I love the FA Cup and everything it stands for.
"Bradford's run to this point has been amazing and all that romance is there but the FA choose to make both teams play on a Monday. That is the one disappointment."
Clarke hailed his side's spirit after a clattering encounter in which the visitors hit the woodwork twice through Pavel Pogrebnyak and Oliver Norwood, and which captain Alex Pearce finished with a broken nose.
But he denied they would be considered hot favourites to progress to the semi-finals for the first time since 1927 when the Royals face the Bantams for the second time on their controversial replay date.
Clarke said: "When the draw was made I said it was a 50-50 tie and I believe it is still a 50-50 tie as both teams showed today that they are quite evenly matched.
"It was a good old-fashioned Cup tie between two fully committed teams. It was a physical game with no quarter asked and no quarter given and both teams just looking for that lucky bounce of the ball."
Clarke confirmed Pearce finished the game with a broken nose after an accidental clash with Bradford substitute Francois Zoko in the 87th minute.
Clarke added: "It would have been easy for him to go off the pitch but (his attitude was) wipe the blood away, straighten the nose and get on with it - a proper centre-half."
