Community Shield set to reignite age-old debate after Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s comments

The first silverware of the season may not be the most prestigious, but it always stirs up plenty of debate. Widely seen as the fixture that kicks off the new campaign, the Community Shield gives fans a taste of what’s to come over the next nine months, as two teams battle it out at Wembley. Manchester City will not be able to defend the Community Shield this year after missing out on Premier League and FA Cup glory But even with a trophy up for grabs at the end of it, the same old question gets floated around. Does it count as a major honour? As Liverpool and Crystal Palace lock horns on Sunday, live on talkSPORT, we are sure to hear this age-old debate being reignited. The season curtain-raiser sees the Premier League champions face off against the FA Cup holders, and it’s fair to say the prestige of it depends on who you ask. It has long been an opinion divider in England, as it isn’t held in the same regard as Super Cups elsewhere in Europe and across the globe. A major domestic trophy on these shores is considered to be the Premier League, FA Cup and the League Cup. But any club that gets their hands on the shield is unlikely to turn their nose up at another piece of silverware in their trophy cabinet. With the next winner of the Community Shield waiting in the wings, talkSPORT.com has taken a look at what the footballing world makes of the prize that splits opinion. What does the FA say about the Community Shield? While the Football Association recognises the Community Shield as a domestic ‘Super Cup’, it doesn’t appear that they consider it a major piece of silverware. Quoted by the BBC, the FA are claimed to have called the one-off competitive fixture ‘incomparable’ to any other trophy. GettyCrystal Palace are playing in their first Community Shield after winning the FA Cup[/caption] Liverpool will be looking to follow up their stunning Premier League triumphGetty An FA spokesperson said: “It has been highly regarded and supported by the participating clubs and football fans for many years.” But a closer look at the rules and regulation raises the question if the Community Shield is even a competitive game altogether. That is because, in to the FA Handbook, the Wembley showdown is actually classified as a friendly. It states: “Friendly Match means any Match sanctioned or regarded by The Association or an Affiliated Association as a friendly Match. (Including FA Community Shield and Women’s FA Community Shield Matches).” What have managers said about it? Despite the FA’s guidelines, some of the biggest names in the game certainly see the Community Shield as a major achievement. Back in December, Mikel Arteta immediately corrected a reporter when he said Carabao Cup glory would be his second trophy with Arsenal, after his FA Cup win. Mikel Arteta has two Community Shield wins to his name as Arsenal manager – won in 2020 and 2023Getty “The Charity Shield as well twice, no? So it’s three,” he said. “We need more, we want more, and we want the big ones that’s for sure.” Meanwhile, both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have taken the contest seriously, with the two decorated coaches placing greater emphasis on success than many onlookers in England. In 2019, after winning the League Cup, Manchester City boss Guardiola said: “The Community Shield? Nobody counts it, that’s the question, I would like an answer. “In Spain and Germany it’s important. We have won two titles this season and have three to play (for), but everyone says one. “Why play if it doesn’t count? We could have longer holidays.” A year later, before his Liverpool side took on Arsenal, Reds boss Klopp was also stunned to discover the lack of weight the fixture carries in England. No team has won more Community Shields than Manchester United, who boast 21 in total, most recently tasting glory in 2016 Klopp lifted eight trophies with Liverpool, excluding his 2022 Community Shield winGetty The German coach said: “It’s a final. “This is the first time that I realised nobody sees it like that to be honest. A ‘curtain-raiser’ is unbelievable.” As for Jose Mourinho, he counted the Community Shield as part of a treble in the 2016/17 season, where he also guided Manchester United to Europa League and League Cup glory. Discussing the campaign, he stated: “I won three trophies at Manchester United and that was seen as a disaster.” The Special One even instructed his players to hold up three fingers after they won the Europa League to reference their treble which included victory in the annual curtain-raiser. What do Liverpool and Crystal Palace think? Both managers will be making their Community Shield debuts on Sunday, with Arne Slot and Oliver Glasner taking on their respective roles in 2024. GettyArne Slot is keen to start the season by lifting a trophy[/caption] And Liverpool boss Slot welcomed the chance to pick up some early silv

Musventurenal

0 12

Community Shield set to reignite age-old debate after Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp’s comments

The first silverware of the season may not be the most prestigious, but it always stirs up plenty of debate.

Widely seen as the fixture that kicks off the new campaign, the Community Shield gives fans a taste of what’s to come over the next nine months, as two teams battle it out at Wembley.

Manchester City will not be able to defend the Community Shield this year after missing out on Premier League and FA Cup glory

But even with a trophy up for grabs at the end of it, the same old question gets floated around.

Does it count as a major honour?

As Liverpool and Crystal Palace lock horns on Sunday, live on talkSPORT, we are sure to hear this age-old debate being reignited.

The season curtain-raiser sees the Premier League champions face off against the FA Cup holders, and it’s fair to say the prestige of it depends on who you ask.

It has long been an opinion divider in England, as it isn’t held in the same regard as Super Cups elsewhere in Europe and across the globe.

A major domestic trophy on these shores is considered to be the Premier League, FA Cup and the League Cup.

But any club that gets their hands on the shield is unlikely to turn their nose up at another piece of silverware in their trophy cabinet.

With the next winner of the Community Shield waiting in the wings, talkSPORT.com has taken a look at what the footballing world makes of the prize that splits opinion.

What does the FA say about the Community Shield?

While the Football Association recognises the Community Shield as a domestic ‘Super Cup’, it doesn’t appear that they consider it a major piece of silverware.

Quoted by the BBC, the FA are claimed to have called the one-off competitive fixture ‘incomparable’ to any other trophy.

Crystal Palace are playing in their first Community Shield after winning the FA Cup[/caption]

Liverpool will be looking to follow up their stunning Premier League triumph

An FA spokesperson said: “It has been highly regarded and supported by the participating clubs and football fans for many years.”

But a closer look at the rules and regulation raises the question if the Community Shield is even a competitive game altogether.

That is because, in to the FA Handbook, the Wembley showdown is actually classified as a friendly.

It states: “Friendly Match means any Match sanctioned or regarded by The Association or an Affiliated Association as a friendly Match. (Including FA Community Shield and Women’s FA Community Shield Matches).”

What have managers said about it?

Despite the FA’s guidelines, some of the biggest names in the game certainly see the Community Shield as a major achievement.

Back in December, Mikel Arteta immediately corrected a reporter when he said Carabao Cup glory would be his second trophy with Arsenal, after his FA Cup win.

Mikel Arteta has two Community Shield wins to his name as Arsenal manager – won in 2020 and 2023

“The Charity Shield as well twice, no? So it’s three,” he said. “We need more, we want more, and we want the big ones that’s for sure.”

Meanwhile, both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have taken the contest seriously, with the two decorated coaches placing greater emphasis on success than many onlookers in England.

In 2019, after winning the League Cup, Manchester City boss Guardiola said: “The Community Shield? Nobody counts it, that’s the question, I would like an answer.

“In Spain and Germany it’s important. We have won two titles this season and have three to play (for), but everyone says one.

“Why play if it doesn’t count? We could have longer holidays.”

A year later, before his Liverpool side took on Arsenal, Reds boss Klopp was also stunned to discover the lack of weight the fixture carries in England.

No team has won more Community Shields than Manchester United, who boast 21 in total, most recently tasting glory in 2016

Klopp lifted eight trophies with Liverpool, excluding his 2022 Community Shield win

The German coach said: “It’s a final.

“This is the first time that I realised nobody sees it like that to be honest. A ‘curtain-raiser’ is unbelievable.”

As for Jose Mourinho, he counted the Community Shield as part of a treble in the 2016/17 season, where he also guided Manchester United to Europa League and League Cup glory.

Discussing the campaign, he stated: “I won three trophies at Manchester United and that was seen as a disaster.”

The Special One even instructed his players to hold up three fingers after they won the Europa League to reference their treble which included victory in the annual curtain-raiser.

What do Liverpool and Crystal Palace think?

Both managers will be making their Community Shield debuts on Sunday, with Arne Slot and Oliver Glasner taking on their respective roles in 2024.

Arne Slot is keen to start the season by lifting a trophy[/caption]

And Liverpool boss Slot welcomed the chance to pick up some early silverware, following his side’s Premier League glory last term.

He said: “Normally you win something at the end of the season. Now we have a chance to win something at the beginning of the season.”

This was a view shared by Glasner, who will take charge of Crystal Palace‘s inaugural Community Shield appearance, after guiding them to a first-ever major trophy in the FA Cup.

The German added: “It’s much better than playing friendlies. It’s a chance to win a trophy and the chance to compete with the champions.

“We want to show our personality again. We want to show we are able to compete with every single team.

“When you have the chance to win silverware, then go for it, and we will go for it.”