The Conti Cup: a slightly farcical few days for a slightly farcical competition

Like regionalised draws? Enjoy weirdly uneven group stages and flawed tiebreakers? Got a thing for points deductions with unexpected ramifications? Then you’ll love the Conti Cup (or Women’s League Cup if you prefer). And it has been a slightly farcical few days for a slightly farcical competition. First, the background. Last week Aston Villa hammered Sunderland 7-0 in their final group game, securing top spot in Group A and a place in the quarter-finals. Second-placed Sunderland were out, their points-per-game record (more of which later) not quite good enough, so Manchester United and Tottenham reached the last eight as the two best runners-up in the five groups. Fine, all good, nothing to see here.

Then on Monday Villa were docked three points for fielding an ineligible player – Swiss defender Noelle Maritz, who had already appeared in the competition for Arsenal – in that Sunderland tie. An independent tribunal ordered the points be awarded to the Black Cats and the 7-0 scoreline deleted from the record. So far, so straightforward. But the Conti Cup’s peculiar format meant the decision sent Sunderland through to the quarter-finals as group winners but kept Villa, who dropped to second, in the competition … at the expense of United, who had just been wandering by, minding their own business. United’s record as runners-up, having been better than Sunderland’s, was inferior to Villa’s on goal difference.

Still with us? “We are very disappointed with this outcome, and do not understand its rationale,” grumbled United in a statement, not unreasonably. “We feel that it undermines the integrity of the competition, and of the women’s game.” Though, to be fair, the integrity of the competition was already on pretty thin ice. Points-per-game makes some sense as a tiebreaker between roughly even pools, but with groups selected on a regional basis the competition is ludicrously lopsided – United’s four groupmates are all in the WSL’s current top nine, for example, while Villa took on solely teams from the Championship, and were therefore able to amass a +16 goal difference, despite having that 7-0 win wiped from the record. United, without playing, find themselves kicked out of the competition at the same stage as Chelsea, who parachute into the competition thanks to their Women’s Big Cup involvement.

Even Villa’s infraction has a weird, head-scratching quality to it. The words “ineligible player” generally suggest some sort of minor administrative oversight. But Maritz, who joined from Arsenal in early January, hadn’t just picked up a couple of forgotten substitute minutes for the Gunners in the competition: she had been on the pitch for every available minute. And Villa brought her on at half-time in the final game of a group they had already obliterated. When they were 3-0 up. All of which you could read two ways: that Maritz’s appearance had no material impact, so Villa are into the last eight on merit; or that their oversight was so boneheaded that they really deserve to be kicked out of the competition. What’s clear is that the whole episode has exposed the fundamental flaws in what should be, if not quite a blue riband tournament, then at least something rather better than the bizarro concept it is now. Either way, it does seem desperately unfair on, um, poor old Manchester United. The final kicker? If Villa had been kicked out and their record expunged, it still might not have saved Marc Skinner’s side – Durham would’ve been second in Group A … and their points-per-game record would be superior.

A big evening of piping-hot MBM action. Join John Ashdown for Mali 3-1 Burkina Faso in an Afcon last-16 clash from 5pm GMT, while Sarah Rendell helms Paris FC 1-2 Chelsea in Women’s Big Cup at 5.45pm GMT. Oh, and there are five Premier League games on offer: Scott Murray is on Nottingham Forest 1-1 Arsenal, while Rob Smyth will hoover up the rest in our clockwatch.

“These events have no connection to the authentic Iraqi media that is known for its honourable positions. We denounce the blatant and abhorrent behaviour that occurred against the coach, and we confirm that we have decided not to deal with these media personnel who seek to cause chaos in the future. We will follow legal methods to restore the coach’s reputation and approach the relevant authorities to explain what happened” – the Iraqi FA rails at hacks who disrupted coach Jesús Casas’s post-match press conference following their dramatic Asian Cup last-16 defeat to Jordan. At the post-match press conference, said furious hacks were seen shouting at Casas and more than a dozen stormed out while pointing fingers at the Spanish coach. The AFC has also handed them lifetime bans for their conduct.

Maidstone and Ipswich are ‘separated by 98 places in the pyramid’ (yesterday’s Football Daily). Really not a pyramid is it, not having a polygonal base and flat triangular faces that have a pointy bit at the top? It much more closely resembles a ladder, or perhaps a greasy pole” – Steve Allen.

While my sympathy lies with Jaidon Anthony (yesterday’s Road to Wembley, full email edition), I do think he put the referee in an impossible position as regards the mandatory yellow card for the tribute to his late mother. Beyond the specifics of the wording on the T-shirt, Anthony was four years old when this law changed in 2004; without picking on him specifically, it’s baffling that football or footballers haven’t yet come up with a method of paying tribute to someone that doesn’t incur an automatic caution. Then again, I’ve always been completely puzzled by the logical process that leads players to connect scoring a goal with taking their shirt off at all, never mind to the point where the authorities feel compelled to punish it” – Ed Taylor.

We appointed Darren [Moore] on the strength of his credentials as a manager,’ said Huddersfield suits when pushing him through the door marked Do One (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). I’m intrigued to know on what other basis a football club would appoint a manager. Surely not simply because they were once a brilliant player? Oh … Image of Wayne Rooney here please” – John Myles.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Steve Allen.

It’s David Squires on … the beginning of the end for Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool.

Megan Swanick on Gotham FC’s “big vision” as they build a super team – and a brand – for the ages. You can sign up to our now-twice-weekly sister email here.

Just three days after they sent shockwaves through the FA Cup by sending Ipswich tumbling out at Portman Road, Maidstone find themselves in the curious position of being the giant in a footballing minnow’s crosshairs themselves. Punjab United of the Southern Counties East League Premier Division will roll up at the Gallagher Stadium with their rocks and sling in the hope of taking down (ironic nickname alert) the Stones in a Kent Senior Cup quarter-final that Maidstone are a bit worried about. “We’ve got a target on our backs now,” warned assistant boss Craig Fagan. “We’ve already noticed that other teams are increasing their play against us. Punjab have a point to prove and that’ll make it an interesting game, but there will be changes from Saturday.” There might need to be after a few of the squad had a good time on the Tin over the weekend. “It would have been foolish to keep them indoors,” added Fagan. “I’m hearing they didn’t just drink water.”

Senegal boss Aliou Cissé reckons his players can skedaddle out of Afcon with their heads high despite a heartbreaking shootout defeat to Ivory Coast. “It was a bizarre match,” he sighed. “When you lose, you have to maintain your dignity. I think we deserved to go to the quarter-final. But that’s how football is.”

Crystal Palace have scooped up Genk right-back Daniel Muñoz for an undisclosed fee. “It’s a pleasure for me to be here at such a historic club, such a big club,” honked the Colombian. “I’m very excited, very happy, and I can’t wait to be on the pitch.”

Miguel Almirón looks set to stay at Newcastle after Al-Shabab failed to stump up the required £30m for the Paraguayan Duracell Bunny.

But Ivan Rakitic, 78, has left Sevilla for Al-Shabab, baby! “Thanks for everything – see you soon,” the midfielder said on TwiXer, not sounding overly optimistic about sticking it out in the Saudi Pro League.

Plymouth Argyle have turned down a bid – and you’ll like this – from Lazio for Morgan Whittaker. “Having discussed this internally and with the player’s representatives, the offer was immediately rejected,” tooted director of football Neil Dewsnip. “Morgan is very happy at Argyle and we maintain our position that he is not for sale.”

After a 10-1 battering by Bury on his return from a three-match touchline ban, Skelmersdale United boss Pascal Chimbonda, 44, will make his debut as a player for the club on Tuesday against Charnock Richard.

And even though nobody asked for it, here comes another rebrand of a club nearly 130 years old! Yeovil Town, the mavericks, have thrown their traditional badge in the bin, paid a graphic designer some cash and come up with a new one that includes – wait for it – a football, some gloves (Glovers, get it), and a new font, which has inevitably gone down a treat with supporters …

Ivory Coast’s progress to the quarter-finals has added to the chaos at Afcon, reports Osasu Obayiuwana.

Marcus Rashford is failing this season: where is the cold-eyed focus, muses Jamie Jackson.

And meet Lily Yohannes: the 16-year-old breaking Women’s Big Cup records.

2004: An aerial shot of Sunday league football at Hackney Marshes in east London, which shows the difficulty faced by groundstaff when trying to paint an accurate centre circle.