Stoke boss Tony Pulis fears the Football Association is in danger of killing the world's greatest cup competition if they continue to tinker with it too much.
At present there is talk of scrapping replays and the introduction of seedings, potentially for the 2012/13 season onwards, both ideas Stoke chairman Peter Coates this week voiced his opposition to.
Coates is firmly supported by Pulis, who has also expressed his own displeasure at the way the fixtures have been spread this season as witnessed this weekend with fourth-round replays among fifth-round ties.
Throw in the fact the final itself this year is on the penultimate Saturday of the season, kicking off at 5.30pm following a host of Premier League games, and Pulis is far from happy.
The latter is likely a one-off given the Champions League final is at Wembley this year, with UEFA rules stating no match can be played at a final venue over the two preceding weeks.
Pulis, whose side take on npower League One leaders Brighton at the Britannia Stadium in a fifth-round clash, believes the way the FA Cup has gone this season, and could go in the future, is all part of further pandering to the needs of the big clubs.
"Everything is going towards what the big clubs want. They are dictating the way football is run in England, and we have to accept that," said Pulis.
"The national teams are taking up more room to play games, and then you've the Premier League, and the Premier League will look after the Premier League. All part of the food chain.
"But we should keep the luck of the draw otherwise you might not get fixtures like we have this weekend, with Brighton coming to us, and in particular Crawley at Manchester United.
"Crawley supporters could wait a lifetime for something like this to happen again, so I don't think it's something we should take away from those football clubs.
"But I understand what's going on. There are a lot of European games, we've international fixtures in March, so the FA have to find room for it somewhere.
"But it's dropped down in priorities, and they'll kill it if they mess around with it too much.
"The chairman is more traditional than me, so he will be devastated if they do mess about with it."
Thomas Sorensen takes over in goal from Asmir Begovic after playing in Stoke's three previous FA Cup ties this season, whilst the only doubt is Matthew Etherington with a hamstring problem.
Chris Wood and Matt Sparrow should be in the Brighton squad.
On-loan West Brom striker Wood was substituted early on during last Saturday's 4-1 win over Hartlepool with a foot injury and midfielder Sparrow has missed two games with a knee problem, but both players returned to training on Thursday.
Bulgarian midfielder Radostin Kishishev is out for personal reasons, winger Craig Noone is cup-tied and Jim McNulty (ankle), Jamie Smith (foot) and Alan Navarro (cruciate) are long-term absentees.
Goalkeeper Peter Brezovan has played in all the previous rounds and is set to come in for regular number one Casper Ankergren again.
Albion are bidding to reach the last eight for only the third time in the club's history.
Source: DSG
Source: DSG