FA Cup: Does the Tournament Actually Matter?

In preparation for this weekend's FA Cup fixtures, I found myself considering the true importance of domestic cup competitions.  While managers, players and fans seem to tout the Football Association Cup as a prestigious tournament worthy of their most vigorous efforts, I initially couldn't help but to think that the FA Cup (along with the Carling Cup) is a secondary prize not nearly as meaningful as winning the EPL Title, qualifying for a European competition or securing promotion to a higher division.

As an American, I am accustomed to a more linear competitive structure where season play and playoff rounds are directly linked.  In virtually all American professional sports (including Major League Soccer), clubs compete against each other throughout the course of a regular season.  Based on their performance in regular season play, the most successful teams qualify for a postseason which concludes with a championship.

Teams obviously aim to perform well during the regular season in order to qualify for postseason play, but no trophies are awarded for regular season performance.  Instead, a team's success is based entirely on its ability to win in the playoffs

While I have historically preferred this singular approach, I have since learned that the multiple-tournament structure in English football has provided clubs with multiple avenues to success.

Take, for instance, lowly Birmingham City.  In a miserable 2010-11 season where the club was relegated, their owner was arrested, and their manager skipped town for city rival Aston Villa, the Blues and their supporters were at least able to celebrate a Carling Cup victory and resulting Europa League berth.

Conversely, top clubs have an opportunity to vindicate their quality with an additional meaningful championship. 

For example, the 1998-99 Manchester United squad proved their quality by winning both the EPL and the UEFA Champions League.  Yet, by additionally winning the FA Cup, they are now remembered as arguably the most successful side in English football history.

While I'm quite puzzled as to how Manchester City and Manchester United, the top two sides in the EPL, are playing each other in the third round of the FA Cup, I'm nevertheless quite excited for the tournament fixtures this week.

In case you were wondering, Dagenham & Redbridge is my surprise prediction to hoist the cup this year.