A tiresome merry-go-round of vested interests

Vested interest is a powerful thing. Often the people with the biggest platform, shouting the loudest, are not always the ones we should be listening to. Just look at Mayor Joe Quimby. Yet journalists and broadcasters continue to stick microphones in front of elected officials and Proper Football People, who make arguments and push narratives that seem to directly serve their own position, and nobody else. It’s a tiresome merry-go-round. So excuse the eyes rolling into the back of Football Daily’s head when Ange Postecoglou starts defending the abolition of FA Cup replays in the name of fixture congestion after his Tottenham side [gah, we failed abysmally, Nigel – Football Daily Ed] laboured to a nervy extra-time win over non-league Tamworth in Sunday’s third-round match at the Lamb Ground, capacity 4,000.

“I’ve been banging on about less [fewer] games so it is a balancing act,” parped Postecoglou, who also happened to lead his team on a post-season tour of Australia just three days after last season ended. “The way the calendar is at the moment, it would be almost impossible for us to fit another game in. We are already struggling to fit it all in,” added the Spurs manager, his voice almost drowned out by the sound of a local orchestra of tiny violins. Luckily, Tottenham were able to bring on more than £100m of substitutes in Dominic Solanke, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min to close out the game against the part-timers.

If there is a genuine argument to be made about there being too many games – and there probably is – perhaps Postecoglou and Tottenham, a side who helped to usher in the new European football calendar with their vote towards a €uropean $uper £eague a few years ago, should not be the ones making it. So while Postecoglou might prefer that his side don’t have to add an extra game to their fixture list, maybe that’s exactly what they should get after failing to put away fifth-tier opposition inside 90 minutes with a second XI that still included eight senior internationals (plus Archie Gray, Antonin Kinsky and 17-year-old prodigy Mikey Moore). And perhaps before he sagely muses into the nearest microphone, Postecoglou might consider there are bigger things at stake when it comes to FA Cup replays – such as 154 years of tradition or a sustainable pyramid that includes and respects teams like Tamworth – than just managing the minutes of James Maddison.

Harry Maguire was also vocal in his assertions that video assistant referees are essential to the modern game after he conceded a harsh penalty during a rip-roaring game between Arsenal and Manchester United that was fluent and exciting partly because there was zero intervention from Stockley Park’s robots. “That’s why we have VAR because in the big moments, we need them correct and it’s a tough gig if we don’t have help for them [referees],” lamented Maguire, conveniently ignoring that any VAR would have almost certainly have reduced United to nine men after ref Andrew Madley failed to notice what looked like a butt from Manuel Ugarte on Kai Havertz following the penalty decision. So, while Maguire might have a point with the spot-kick United conceded – with Kai Havertz doing his best impression of a crisp packet inside the visitors’ penalty area – it’s probably not useful for Maguire to make musings of how we run our game based upon one decision of which he was part. VAR is not a good thing just because it would have bailed you out on this occasion, Harry. The point is, people with vested interests … are not always to be taken too seriously. Neither is Football Daily, come to think of it. Ah.

“This will be a gamechanger for the development of the game as we work to unlock the full potential of Welsh football. It will unite Welsh football, improve the game at all levels, and deliver meaningful societal benefits across Wales making our clubs and communities more sustainable” – yes, FAW chief suit Noel Mooney is on board with plans for Cardiff, Swansea, Newport and Wrexham to enter a domestic cup tournament that would potentially allow them access to European competition under the Welsh flag for the first time in three decades. More of this ahoy!

Poor Nigel Watersfield (Friday’s Football Daily letters). Not only is he a very Spursy Spurs fan, but he also seemingly lives under the misapprehension that Football Daily can deliver anything vaguely amusing about any football club. Or anything else for that matter” – Martyn Shapter (and 1,056 others).

Nice to see Villa celebrating their 150th anniversary in original colours, devoid of corporate branding and other nonsense, no players’ names on the back, etc on Friday night. Shame they missed the opportunity to go the whole hog and number the shirts 1-11. Or even 2-11 since the keeper never got a number. If the sponsors can agree to leave their branding off, surely the players would acquiesce to playing with a different number on their back? Though I suspect they were never asked” – Steve Hall.

It’s just a shame David Moyes wasn’t offered, and accepted, another return to the West Ham job before jumping ship on news of Sean Dyche’s sacking. Then the strapline could have been ‘two jobs in a week, I bet you think that’s pretty clever, don’t you Moyes?’ as he left the Hammers high and dry” – James Maltby.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … James Maltby. Terms and conditions for our competitions – when we have them – can be viewed here.

After Harrogate Town lost Saturday’s battle of Betty’s Tea Room v Harvey Nicks (Northern HQ), Football Daily’s new FA Cup men’s sweethearts are none other than plucky little … Leeds. With Daniel Farke’s team more focused on the Championship promotion race and with four league matches to play until the fourth round, they may well be knackered by that time. So who did Martin Keown and Mark Schwarzer pull out of the hat after them? None other than Millwall. Though anyone girding their loins for some pwopah nawty Stone Island action ought to know that ‘wall still have to negotiate Monday night’s third-round game against Dagenham & Redbridge, the club on London’s very eastern edges that also happens to be a catchment area for fans of West Ham. Daggers drawn, then, for a night of the friendliest discourse. Meanwhile, our journey with Wolves in the women’s competition continues onwards to round five after they broke down a stubborn Cheltenham side 2-0 with goals from Amber Hughes and Beth Merrick.

Still in need of new year reading? Get over to the Big Website bookshop, where you’ll find a host of great tomes waiting to be added to your online basket, including David Squires’ latest collection of cartoons: Chaos in the Box.

The FA’s investigation into the circumstances around the death of former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack has concluded and will be shared with a coroner by the end of the week.

Arsenal are investigating social media posts sent to Kai Havertz’s pregnant wife during the FA Cup third-round defeat to Manchester United.

Kyle Walker wants to head abroad but Pep Guardiola is unsure whether to keep playing his “wantaway club captain”, to use the proper parlance, for Manchester City, who play Brentford on Wednesday. “He’s massive for us over the years,” wailed Nathan Aké, Walker’s defensive colleague. Guardiola also pinpointed where he wants to add players to his struggling squad: “From where we were in the beginning of the season it is the back and the middle. There is a position up front we are more or less OK, but at the back we have struggled all season.”

Barcelona are celebrating after giving Real Madrid a 5-2 shoeing in a Jeddah clásico that few in the UK were able to see. Lamine Yamal began the scoring for a rampant Barça, who even had Wojciech Szczesny sent off in the 56th minute.

Transfer corner: Aston Villa have agreed a £20m deal to sign Dortmund amusement arcade Donyell Malen, while the Germans want Chelsea midfield powerhouse Renato Veiga on loan. Celta Vigo’s full-back Óscar Mingueza is another target for Villa.

Arne Slot sees Nottingham Forest as potential title rivals for Liverpool. “I’ve always said you can judge the table best halfway through the season,” he tooted. “That moment is there now, so if Forest is then up there with us, with Arsenal, Chelsea and [Manchester] City and all the others, then they definitely are a team that is in competition with us and with the other teams.”

And David Moyes has been unveiled as the new manager of Everton, 23 years after the first time. “Absolutely brilliant,” he roared after Sean Dyche was told to do one. “I love the thought of it. In many ways I’ve always dreamed of it but always thought that maybe I’d be lucky enough to get the opportunity to come back. I had an unbelievable time here before, 11 years, which was exceptional. I’ve got to say I’m honestly disappointed that Sean’s left because I’m a big supporter of managers, but now that he’s gone I’m happy to step in.”

FA Cup: 10 talking points from the men’s third round.

FA Cup: nine talking points from the women’s third round.

When will Big Sir Jim and the Ineos massive learn from their mistakes at Manchester United? Sean Ingle has a ponder.

“Win the league? It feels possible.” Nottingham Forest fans are believing in miracles again, as Alexandra Topping reports.

Jonathan Wilson’s latest newsletter is about … Arsenal.

We’re big fans of the pictures Bundesliga snappers bring to the table, so check them out in Andy Brassell’s piece on Dortmund v Leverkusen.

Napoli remain top of Serie A but will the wantaway Khvicha Kvaratskhelia cast a shadow over their title tilt, muses Nicky Bandini.

Will Still is thriving in Ligue 1 with Lens even though they keep selling their best players, writes Luke Entwistle.

And Ewan Murray heads north to Inverness for a catch-up with the latest rescue plan for Super Caley.

Plymouth Argyle were the big winners of this FA Cup weekend, both in terms of shock (at Brentford) and plum fourth-round draw (home to Liverpool). So here’s a look back to January 1922 and a few of their fans rocking up at Home Park for the first-round tie against Fulham. It finished 1-1, the Cottagers winning a replay 1-0.