Cardiff City’s first fixture was announced early today for the EFL Cup now rebranded the Carsbao Cup a Thai energy drink company with a tiny toe in football. They are main sponsors of EFL Championship side Reading plus Chelsea and Reading ladies and training kit for Chelsea.
The draw took place in Bangkok, Thailand and was streamed to the UK must have been part of the reported £18million, three-year deal with the EFL to become the competition's title sponsor. Has for the stream it must have been an embarrassment to the new sponsors. No sound at my end and it seemed the same for everyone else watching via Facebook and then the feed went dead, very disappointing.
The opening round of the competition, which was split into a Northern section and Southern, will be played in the week commencing 7th August. The draw is regionalised to minimise travelling time for supporters in the first round.
There were seventy EFL clubs in the draw including relegated Sunderland. Cardiff City my team were seeded in the Southern round and have a home game, which is good and against newly promoted Division 1 club Portsmouth.
The League/Carsbao Cup is not that popular with managers or the fans with neither taking the competition seriously but an early cup victory can often go a long way to settling the nerves within the squad.
It is also one of the easiest ways to reach a Wembley final with the apathy shown by Premiership club playing reserve teams. This is why, in my view its essential not to take the opposition lightly by fielding a string of reserve team players. Winners also qualify for European football with a place in the UEFA Europa League.
That would be nice some European football back in Cardiff.
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