 Hammam wants a path for Cardiff into Europe |
Owner Sam Hammam has promised that Cardiff City will play in next season's FAW Premier Cup, although they will field a weakened team. "I had a meeting with (FAW secretary general) David Collins and we agreed that Cardiff will be participating in the FAW Premier Cup," Hammam said.
"But I must stress we're not playing our first team, we're not even playing our reserve team.
"Our best 18 players on that week will be earmarked for the League."
The Football Association of Wales had feared that if Cardiff withdrew, interest in the Cup from fans and sponsors would collapse.
Five-time winners Wrexham and Swansea City had also voiced their support for a competition which provides them with valuable income.
 |  The FAW and Cardiff are 80 to 90% certain that we will be allowed to represent Wales in Europe |
Hammam had indicated that he did not want Cardiff to play in a competition that was unable to provide a place in European competition as a prize.
But the Bluebirds chairman revealed there could be a way to allow the six Welsh clubs playing in the English system to represent Wales in European competition.
The three Welsh clubs playing in the English Football League - Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham - plus Colwyn Bay, Merthyr and Newport, are currently in a European limbo.
Uefa, European football's governing body, ruled that only clubs playing in the Welsh system could represent Wales in Europe.
But the Football Association will only nominate English clubs for European competition even if, for instance, Cardiff won the FA Cup.
But Hammam hinted that the FAW may have found a compromise that will be acceptable to Uefa.
"The FAW and us are 80 to 90% certain that we will be allowed to represent Wales in Europe - not just in the Uefa Cup but also in the Champions' League," Hammam added.
"I think we need one or two manoeuvres to do that and I think this time next year all of us will be participating in competitions in Wales that will allow us to go - potentially, if we succeed - into the Champions' League and the Uefa Cup.
"The ranking of Wales is not just down to how they do at international level but also club level.
"Frankly, it's only fair that Wales is represented (in European club competition) by its best clubs on a year-to-year basis whoever they may be.
"Wrexham, Swansea and ourselves, Merthyr and others should be allowed in Welsh competitions."
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
