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After the match today Twitchy Junior said at least twice that Liverpool and Tottenham "don't want to finish 5th". He seemed to be saying that they would rather finish 6th than 5th so as to avoid the Waffa cup. It's been said before that the early rounds of the competition actually cost the clubs more than they earn.

For there to be a European competition that clubs would actually rather miss out on because it is not lucrative is disgusting. If results go right for City then the match between Liverpool and Spuds could only be for 5th/6th. It'll be interesting to watch if both teams actually want to lose the game so they don't qualify for the Waffa League.

I've got a mate who's a Liverpool fan. I text him before to say I didn't realise they had Spurs coming up at home and what a huge game it was for them. He said "I would rather finish 6th, we will do better in the Prem next season if we're not in the Europa".

It's a shame, the only cup competitions anyone seems to want any more are the FA Cup and Champs League, the rest have all become pretty farcical until the later rounds.

It's the Europa League now.

I don't believe teams would deliberately lose to avoid it, but can see the claims in Redknapp Snr & Jnrs' points.

For teams like City, Liverpool, Tottenham it's an unwelcome distraction from the key goal of getting to the Champions League. Whilst it's sad that qualifying for one competition is seen as a higher accolade than winning another the standard of football as well as the money involves justifies this. Plus the Thursday Sunday Thursday routine is a pain in the arse. It's the problem with having two tiers of what is essentially the same competition for teams trying to get into the better one.

Unless a complete rethink of the European cups and qualification is made then the only way I can see resolving the issue is by handing the Europa winners a Champions League place the following season.

We may look back and say that getting out of the Waffa when we did was actually a good thing.

I expect that staying in the CL was financially very rewarding this year for Spurs but I wonder if it was too many games and too much of a distraction. Their form since Christmas has been appalling.

blues-clues wrote:After the match today Twitchy Junior said at least twice that Liverpool and Tottenham "don't want to finish 5th". He seemed to be saying that they would rather finish 6th than 5th so as to avoid the Waffa cup. It's been said before that the early rounds of the competition actually cost the clubs more than they earn.

For there to be a European competition that clubs would actually rather miss out on because it is not lucrative is disgusting. If results go right for City then the match between Liverpool and Spuds could only be for 5th/6th. It'll be interesting to watch if both teams actually want to lose the game so they don't qualify for the Waffa League.

Rather than dread a 5th-place finish, why don't they just meekly crash out of the Europa at whatever stage they see fit. Villa have mastered the art of this in recent years.

Group stages of Chumps league. 36 million pound. 6 games.

Winning the Europa league. 5 million pound. 1000 games.

Do the math*


*the 1000 games may be inaccurate. It's more like 2000 games.

LookMumImOnMCF.net wrote:It's the Europa League now.

I don't believe teams would deliberately lose to avoid it, but can see the claims in Redknapp Snr & Jnrs' points.

For teams like City, Liverpool, Tottenham it's an unwelcome distraction from the key goal of getting to the Champions League. Whilst it's sad that qualifying for one competition is seen as a higher accolade than winning another the standard of football as well as the money involves justifies this. Plus the Thursday Sunday Thursday routine is a pain in the arse. It's the problem with having two tiers of what is essentially the same competition for teams trying to get into the better one.

Unless a complete rethink of the European cups and qualification is made then the only way I can see resolving the issue is by handing the Europa winners a Champions League place the following season.

spot on. There is no incentive to be in, or even win the europa league for clubs like liverpool or spurs.

dazby wrote:Group stages of Chumps league. 36 million pound. 6 games.

Winning the Europa league. 5 million pound. 1000 games.

Do the math*


*the 1000 games may be inaccurate. It's more like 2000 games.

Spuds got 30 million for getting to the quarters.

Blue Toy wrote:I've got a mate who's a Liverpool fan. I text him before to say I didn't realise they had Spurs coming up at home and what a huge game it was for them. He said "I would rather finish 6th, we will do better in the Prem next season if we're not in the Europa".

It's a shame, the only cup competitions anyone seems to want any more are the FA Cup and Champs League, the rest have all become pretty farcical until the later rounds.

You should point out that we were in the Europa this season and are still doing better than them.

Once you have played CL footy, the Europa league must feel like relegation.

I think - if the above is the case - it's disgusting, I remember us a few years ago...we'd of killed for that place...and the likes of Bolton, Fulham and Stoke who aren't far off (ish!) at the moment would feel the same...that's the spot lower level clubs strive to archive...if it comes out proper I think they should both be banned from the tournament and it be given to 7th spot instead!!

Who's our FA spokesman again? ;)

firs_road_junior wrote:I think - if the above is the case - it's disgusting, I remember us a few years ago...we'd of killed for that place...and the likes of Bolton, Fulham and Stoke who aren't far off (ish!) at the moment would feel the same...that's the spot lower level clubs strive to archive...if it comes out proper I think they should both be banned from the tournament and it be given to 7th spot instead!!

Who's our FA spokesman again? ;)

what's wrong with a club saying, or implying, that they think a second tier cup is shit? i mean, it...is. And we still lost. ;)
Look if yr Boro or Bolton or Portsmouth you'd love to be in that and win the fucking cunt of a thing...City would have felt the same way pre-Frank. We'd have creamed our jeans to be in Europe at any cost. And i'd have been proud as fucl if we'd have won it this season, who am i kidding. i would have. Anything. FFS. Anything.

cheers

LOL...like I said, it's the opportunity that counts for lower clubs - which was us a few years ago/year ago...fucking hell...earlier this year at one point! And as you said, soiling-of-pants would have been 'hot' in Manchester...now lets stop comparing ourselves to 'Boro, it's giving me the creeps... ;)

Patrick wrote:Once you have played CL footy, the Europa league must feel like relegation.

Depends on the stature of the club I guess, but I reckon you're right regarding clubs like Spurs, Pool, Arsenal, etc. I would include us too but we haven't played in it yet, however if we got Europa League again this season instead of CL qualification many here would be disappointed, and rightly so. A squad like ours should be playing in the CL, not in the EL.

Now if a club like Everton, say, got fourth and then to the group stages, that would be a welcome exception for them, and they would enjoy it but they would hardly feel it like relegation if the following season they were in the Europa.

Totally daft question but does the club that finishes fifth HAVE to participate in the Europa League i.e. are they compelled, in some way, to enter ??

If Spurs or Liverpool were so minded (if either of these two showers finished fifth), could they just say thanks, but no thanks and hand their place over to the next team down in the League ??

dazby wrote:Group stages of Chumps league. 36 million pound. 6 games.

Winning the Europa league. 5 million pound. 1000 games.

Do the math*


*the 1000 games may be inaccurate. It's more like 2000 games.

That's what's wrong with the whole thing.
And they've got the nerve to accuse us of ruining football.

If we get in the CL, I expect that there is a good chance we will be playing in the Europa League after xmas or even September depending on the draw.

Liverpool btw dragged 12m from their Europa League programme this year including match day revenue. Not a figure to be sniffed at for a club looking to spend money in view of the FFP rules.

The only positives about the UEFA are,

1) You win it and get into Champions League

2) You use it as practice for the Champions League.

We have practiced it 3 times in the last (6?!) few years, and in the last 3 years we practiced it well. This is good for when we eventually play Champions League football.

We are becoming a team who can blitz the opposition for 15/20 mins, get the game into a situation where we are in control, then hold that control until the final whistle, playing on the break if we want.

Id love to know what other clubs think when they play us now, they certainly dont think that its only a matter of time before we blow it, or dont hold a lead. Over the coming years, other clubs will dread going behind to us, because we will be able to hold a lead.

Id just like to see us come from behind a little more (wey hey!) and prove we have depth of character, determination when the chips are down, the thing that Scum call the spirit of 99, never give up, always believe your going to win.

Crossie wrote:The only positives about the UEFA are,

1) You win it and get into Champions League

The winner of the Europa League is automatically qualified into next year's Eurpopa League. They don't get CL qualification.

Doh!