Europa (early but realistic)

[brite blu sky]

This thread shows up quite a lot of the differences in expectations. Why would the club treat the Europa any different from the CL ?

The only argument coming in is that it is not worth it.. due to it being less prestigious. Well let's accept that and take another angle.

How many of us really thought that City would get to the CL final.. I'd guess not many benny. So that then leaves what people thought the intention was... perhaps just doing ourselves credit and doing well. fair enough if so.

When asked to choose it seems fans were slightly more for concentrating on the Prem, rightly so imo.

So that again leaves the question what was the intention for the CL ? My own conclusion is what i thought going into it, purely experience of the challenges on offer and ramping things up in the squad to cope with 2 must win games a week.

Now prestige aside the same is still apparent in the Europa. Ok not top teams, but still difficult teams with different styles. The loss of experience against the very best is balanced out by the idea that City are good enough without the experience to reach the final and win it.

It is a fuckup that City didn't perform in the CL and got beat by teams that they should be giving a much harder game to. But the conclusion has to be that they were not ready.. therefore the Europa gives them a chance to sort the shit out and learn how to perform against continental teams.

The club needs to take it seriously and imo there is no doubt it will. Aside from the smack to pride I don't see why fans should not man up and realise this and also take it seriously.

[john@staustell]

I think the club just want to rack up trophies. They stated they were going for all four (Marwood at the CL draw), so it may just be that one of the four changes. So what?

[Ted Hughes]

This thread shows up quite a lot of the differences in expectations. Why would the club treat the Europa any different from the CL ?

The only argument coming in is that it is not worth it.. due to it being less prestigious. Well let's accept that and take another angle.

How many of us really thought that City would get to the CL final.. I'd guess not many benny. So that then leaves what people thought the intention was... perhaps just doing ourselves credit and doing well. fair enough if so.

When asked to choose it seems fans were slightly more for concentrating on the Prem, rightly so imo.

So that again leaves the question what was the intention for the CL ? My own conclusion is what i thought going into it, purely experience of the challenges on offer and ramping things up in the squad to cope with 2 must win games a week.

Now prestige aside the same is still apparent in the Europa. Ok not top teams, but still difficult teams with different styles. The loss of experience against the very best is balanced out by the idea that City are good enough without the experience to reach the final and win it.

It is a fuckup that City didn't perform in the CL and got beat by teams that they should be giving a much harder game to. But the conclusion has to be that they were not ready.. therefore the Europa gives them a chance to sort the shit out and learn how to perform against continental teams.

The club needs to take it seriously and imo there is no doubt it will. Aside from the smack to pride I don't see why fans should not man up and realise this and also take it seriously.

I'm sure we'd be happy to win it but Mancini made an off the cuff comment just the other day about how important it was to win in Napoli & avoid the Europa league & Thursday nights, so whatever we feel about it; they will treat it strictly as a low priority. As I said in the other thread, I can't see Kolo & Savic getting us past a decent set of strikers anyway, so unless the draw is kind it may all be over quickly. You never know, it could get them up to speed but I'm not convinced & I can't see Bob risking VK & JL in that competition so I imagine we'll have Zabba, Savic, Kolo & Kolarov in that.

Apparently Razak has been recalled to play v Arsenal, so he may get in the Europa team too.

[brite blu sky]

hmm i rekon the club and even Mancini will be more sanguine about the diff between CL and Europa in terms of where the club is... and still take it as seriously. Wouldn't read too much into Bob saying it was important.. of course it was.

anyway we will differ on that i'm sure.

off topic

Apparently Razak has been recalled to play v Arsenal, so he may get in the Europa team too.

If that is the sole reason then this will do Razak a power of good.. I likes this.

[Ted Hughes]

hmm i rekon the club and even Mancini will be more sanguine about the diff between CL and Europa in terms of where the club is... and still take it as seriously. Wouldn't read too much into Bob saying it was important.. of course it was.

anyway we will differ on that i'm sure.

off topic

Apparently Razak has been recalled to play v Arsenal, so he may get in the Europa team too.

If that is the sole reason then this will do Razak a power of good.. I likes this.

Not seen it in the national press yet, just from a Pompey thing I stumbled opon completely by accident.

[Crossie]

We would be instant favourites. I dont like that.

[brite blu sky]

Well they have to get used to being favourites sooner or later, different kind of pressure maybe but one that the players have to live up to.

[john@staustell]

We would be instant favourites. I dont like that.

Well we're odds on favourite for the Premier League, and equal favourites ofr the FA cup. Problem?

[Ted Hughes]

I shouild imagine the rags will be favourites.

[Blue Since 76]

I shouild imagine the rags will be favourites.

I'd actually prefer them to stay in the CL with a hard draw eg Bayern then Barca if they get through that. That would keep them focused on Europe which might give us an advantage for the PL

However if they do drop into the Europa at least they can't take the piss

[Pretty Boy Lee]

A few years back I had a dream that we won the Europa league before entering the CL.

Not quite the same, but for me it would stil be cool to win the little one, go to the super cup then win the big one.

That said I'd take the prem over anbything so don't mind if Bobby rotates as he sees fit.

[brite blu sky]

That for me is one of the worst aspects going back to Sunday games it WILL affect our league form as were always playing catch up.

Not if we keep our necks out front it wont.

[Ted Hughes]

The rags & Co will also be playing on Sundays either in the Chump's or the UEFA. The difference is that the UEFA has a day less to travel back etc of course but on the plus side, we will have been away to every top 6 ground bar Newcastle whilst the rags will have to go to all of them bar Anfield.

[failsworthblue]

This thread shows up quite a lot of the differences in expectations. Why would the club treat the Europa any different from the CL ?

The only argument coming in is that it is not worth it.. due to it being less prestigious. Well let's accept that and take another angle.

How many of us really thought that City would get to the CL final.. I'd guess not many benny. So that then leaves what people thought the intention was... perhaps just doing ourselves credit and doing well. fair enough if so.

When asked to choose it seems fans were slightly more for concentrating on the Prem, rightly so imo.

So that again leaves the question what was the intention for the CL ? My own conclusion is what i thought going into it, purely experience of the challenges on offer and ramping things up in the squad to cope with 2 must win games a week.

Now prestige aside the same is still apparent in the Europa. Ok not top teams, but still difficult teams with different styles. The loss of experience against the very best is balanced out by the idea that City are good enough without the experience to reach the final and win it.

It is a fuckup that City didn't perform in the CL and got beat by teams that they should be giving a much harder game to. But the conclusion has to be that they were not ready.. therefore the Europa gives them a chance to sort the shit out and learn how to perform against continental teams.

The club needs to take it seriously and imo there is no doubt it will. Aside from the smack to pride I don't see why fans should not man up and realise this and also take it seriously.

The intention is to make as much money as possible and we will fail.

There is no way Napoli are going to slip up.

Need to give it the best shot because we need to get the co-efficient up , we could win the prem and not improve the co-efficent if we go no further and be in the same position next season.

A very big learning curve!!!

[brite blu sky]

It is true there is a hit on the financial side.. I don't know what the difference would be between last 16 of the CL and getting to the final of the Europa.. even winning it ? Supercup?

As for the future and co-efficients, ideally we would have wanted to improve to avoid groups like we got this time, but I also have something ringing in my head about If you are going to try and win something then you have to beat the best teams.

Perhaps a question to ask ourselves is how many attempts would we see as being acceptable before really getting somewhere in the CL ?

[Blue Since 76]

It is true there is a hit on the financial side.. I don't know what the difference would be between last 16 of the CL and getting to the final of the Europa.. even winning it ? Supercup?

As for the future and co-efficients, ideally we would have wanted to improve to avoid groups like we got this time, but I also have something ringing in my head about If you are going to try and win something then you have to beat the best teams.

Perhaps a question to ask ourselves is how many attempts would we see as being acceptable before really getting somewhere in the CL ?

Winning Europa is £3m. You get £250k a point in the group stage of the CL and about £30m in total for winning it

[Dameerto]

Clubs get a cut of the TV money too, which is increased if you get to the further stages.

[brite blu sky]

I have a sneaky there is a bit more to it than that. Read somewhere City will 'gain' 20-23mil just from being in the CL group stage. I presume that is a grand total of TV, prize, match day revenue and sponsor extras and whatever else.. merchandise?

If there is fucl all for winning the Europa, there is still all the matchday and TV etc etc, although that too will be less obviously but would start to add up if you get as far as the final.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I have a sneaky there is a bit more to it than that. Read somewhere City will 'gain' 20-23mil just from being in the CL group stage. I presume that is a grand total of TV, prize, match day revenue and sponsor extras and whatever else.. merchandise?

If there is fucl all for winning the Europa, there is still all the matchday and TV etc etc, although that too will be less obviously but would start to add up if you get as far as the final.

Blatter and his pet monkey fucked up the Europa league.....the Premiership is far more important to focus on than that Cup.We should only field our number 1 side if we get to the semi final..games before that we should send our B team a sno way do I want Aguero et al to get injured playing against a team from Lithuania.

[brite blu sky]

I have a sneaky there is a bit more to it than that. Read somewhere City will 'gain' 20-23mil just from being in the CL group stage. I presume that is a grand total of TV, prize, match day revenue and sponsor extras and whatever else.. merchandise?

If there is fucl all for winning the Europa, there is still all the matchday and TV etc etc, although that too will be less obviously but would start to add up if you get as far as the final.

Blatter and his pet monkey fucked up the Europa league.....the Premiership is far more important to focus on than that Cup.We should only field our number 1 side if we get to the semi final..games before that we should send our B team a sno way do I want Aguero et al to get injured playing against a team from Lithuania.

Yeah well I was saying similar stuff about us in CL. Prem Prem and Prem again.

Are there any Lithuanian teams in the Europa?

Also having now got sucked into discussing the Europa I will fuclin laugh my tits right off if Bob's hope of staying in the CL happens!