Andy Holt, the owner of the club Accrington Stanley, called Liverpool’s manager Jurgen Klopp a disgrace and accused the Reds of killing the FA Cup, the oldest football club competition in the world. He posted a series of insulting tweets after Klopp revealed that neither he nor first-team players would take part in a rematch against Shrewsbury Town. Holt accused the German manager and his side of selfishness and tarnishing the team's reputation, saying they are "killing" small clubs.
The rematch coincides with the winter break in the Premier League, when Liverpool along with other teams take a rest. Klopp signalled that the club would respect the rules.
"I said to the boys already two weeks ago that we will have a winter break, which means we will not be there. You cannot deal with us like nobody cares about it. I know that it's not very popular but that's the way I see it. We have to respect the players' welfare. They need a rest. They need a mental rest, a physical rest, and that's what the winter break is all about. We had to make these decisions beforehand because these boys have families", Klopp said during a post-match conference.
The FA cup features teams from different leagues competing for the trophy. During the tournament, teams from lower divisions, like Holt’s Accrington Stanley or Shrewsbury Town that drew on Liverpool, can face acclaimed clubs from the Premier League. This is a way to earn money for the small clubs, while the teams’ supporters get a unique chance to see their favourite team compete against the grands of the Premier League. Thus, Klopp’s decision to not bring first-team players for a rematch undermines the FA cup and ruins the game for Shrewsbury Town, said Andy Holt. He also accused the Premier League clubs of selfishness and greed.
Despite the fact that the FA cup agreed to a winter break, Holt called on football authorities to fine and censure Liverpool.