Why the League Cup SHOULD Continue to Exist

A chance for young players to make a name for themselves, an opportunity for small clubs to go to grounds like Old Trafford and Anfield for a good old fashioned cup tie and a great day out for fans. Of course it matters. The cups are targeted by most Premier League clubs as a chance for silverware and fans see a trophy as a success wherever you go up and down the country.

Jose Mourinho prioritises this competition more than most managers. Some disrespect it and play all the fringe players and academy youths because they don't care about it, and that damages the reputation of the League Cup, and has seen attendances drop through all four divisions.

However some football people believe it is a "waste of energy" to quote Pep Guardiola, who thinks Premier League clubs would be better off without it. That's pretty demeaning to the competition, and the fans who travel to watch the games. Saying things like this is only going to decrease the number of City fans who go to watch their team play in cup competitions.

Neil Warnock managed to squeeze past Portsmouth in a 2-1 first round win as the Bluebirds continued their winning start to the season, although it was with a second string side, and as a member of the small crowd that greeted the players, I was surprisingly underwhelmed. War used almost the same XI in the second round tie at home to Burton, and was made to pay as they crashed out 2 goals to 1.

As it turned out, City would've had the chance to play Manchester United at Old Trafford, and test themselves against a top Premier League side to see how they would fare in the top division of English football. What a day out it would've been for the fans, and the players.

Having your credentials tested against the best is a great way to improve as a player and a team, but Warnock saved the important players for the weekend league match, which was inevitably won 2-1 against QPR to extend the 100% start.

Premier League sides are under a lot of pressure to be successful in the league, a higher finish in the table brings in more money from the Premier League and the FA, and sides such as West Ham, Stoke City and West Brom usually aim to stay in the league and achieve as high a finish as they can with the money they've got, so the managers, as always, are under huge pressure to have good from in the league so often play weaker sides in the early rounds which is why we often see shock exits at the hands of teams from divisions below. But I think these sides should play stronger XI's and have a real good go at the cup because as fans a cup run is always exciting.

My team Cardiff City got all the way to the final in 2012 and we lost on penalties by what an experience the journey was. I was at the final at Wembley, a ground I've seen us play at 4 times, losing 3 of those, and every time you go to Wembley it is a special day. The game itself was pretty much crazy. City went 1-0 up against Dalglish's Liverpool side filled with talent such as Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez and a player that would later join Cardiff, Craig Bellamy. Joe Mason sent 40,000 Bluebirds supporters to cloud nine by sliding the ball through Pepe Reina's legs in the tenth minute. Liverpool levelled to take it to extra time, they took the lead but Ben Turner, a centre back signed from league 1 Coventry in the summer.

As if the game couldn't get any more intense, each side missed several penalties in the shootout to win the trophy before Gerrard's cousin Anthony missed his spot kick to hand the trophy to Liverpool.

That game was one for the archives. and it was all because the competition was taken seriously by McKay, who started the season with just 10 senior players and was able to bring in experience to guide us to a top six finish and a cup final.

In my opinion all the sides, at least those who do not have European commitments, should use both a mix of first team players, young, promising players and fringe players who often can't break into the side. It boosts morale for those who are usually sitting on the sidelines and can also Gove young players the experience they need playing in front of a capacity crowd.

This is not the case however because often Premier League sides have home ties against lower league teams and play no first team players. In the second round Southampton crashed out of the cup to Championship Wolves, who, despite having ambitions of promotion this season, did not rest on their laurels and their first team got the better of the Southampton second string side 2 goals to 0. Home fans would see this as a waste of money and wonder why they could not mount the same push for the cup as they did last season, when they got to the final and lost narrowly 3-2 to Manchester United.

So yes I do believe it should continue and I think it will, but it sure does divide opinion among football followers, supporters, players, managers.