Mad World Of Football

[Beeks]

Been checking out spuds forums recently and they seems to be moaning that their good run in the Champions League has contributed to them not qualifying for the Champions League..you couldn't make it up

Is that all fans want these days?

Qualification?!

I can understand the Chairman wanting it for monatary reasons but have they brainwashed everyone else too?

What happened to wanting to win something? Or is that just too old fashioned these days?

[Whassat]

Winning is attainable by so few, so you pick up whatever bone comes your way I guess. That said, whats wrong with qualification?? Gonna be nice to see City in the CL next year, if we dont screw up in the last few games of the season.

[Beeks]

Winning is attainable by so few, so you pick up whatever bone comes your way I guess. That said, whats wrong with qualification?? Gonna be nice to see City in the CL next year, if we dont screw up in the last few games of the season.

It will be great to play in the CL don't get me wrong but if it was a straight choice between the FA Cup and qualification to a league that at the moment we don't have a chance of winning then I'd take the silverware all day

Too young to remember 76..still barely old enough to remember losing in 81

We need this Cup..I need this Cup

I understand that qualifying for CL gives you bigger revenue streams and attracts 'better players' (personally I think wages attracts better players)

But I don't understand spuds fans moaning that their run in the CL was detrimental to them qualifying for the same competition?!?

Surely you have to be in it to win it..not just in it for the sake of it

[Ted Hughes]

Winning is attainable by so few, so you pick up whatever bone comes your way I guess. That said, whats wrong with qualification?? Gonna be nice to see City in the CL next year, if we dont screw up in the last few games of the season.

It will be great to play in the CL don't get me wrong but if it was a straight choice between the FA Cup and qualification to a league that at the moment we don't have a chance of winning then I'd take the silverware all day

Too young to remember 76..still barely old enough to remember losing in 81

We need this Cup..I need this Cup

I understand that qualifying for CL gives you bigger revenue streams and attracts 'better players' (personally I think wages attracts better players)

But I don't understand spuds fans moaning that their run in the CL was detrimental to them qualifying for the same competition?!?

Surely you have to be in it to win it..not just in it for the sake of it

Spurs fans are fucking twerps. Seperate this from rational discussion.

I would love to see City win the cup but it's true to say that it's probably more important to the club to be in the Chums Lg. I think the whole thing stinks but that's what UEFA have given us.

[aaron bond]

Winning is attainable by so few, so you pick up whatever bone comes your way I guess. That said, whats wrong with qualification?? Gonna be nice to see City in the CL next year, if we dont screw up in the last few games of the season.

It will be great to play in the CL don't get me wrong but if it was a straight choice between the FA Cup and qualification to a league that at the moment we don't have a chance of winning then I'd take the silverware all day

Too young to remember 76..still barely old enough to remember losing in 81

We need this Cup..I need this Cup

I understand that qualifying for CL gives you bigger revenue streams and attracts 'better players' (personally I think wages attracts better players)

But I don't understand spuds fans moaning that their run in the CL was detrimental to them qualifying for the same competition?!?

Surely you have to be in it to win it..not just in it for the sake of it

Spurs fans are fucking twerps. Seperate this from rational discussion.

I would love to see City win the cup but it's true to say that it's probably more important to the club to be in the Chums Lg. I think the whole thing stinks but that's what UEFA have given us.

Unfortunately that's a consequence of UEFA expanding the tournament to allow up to 4 teams from a country enter the Champions League. It's why Arsene Wenger gets away with achieving nothing each year as they have 'finished in the top 4'. Getting into the Champions League is a necessity for the top clubs these days for the financial reasons, but no one is going to look back in 30 years and say, 'Do you remember that year we finished 3rd? What a year!'

Even a League Cup win would be far more memorable!

[ant london]

What is a very interesting prospect is what happens to the "Big 4" over the coming seasons.

We clearly have sufficient resources to keep pushing and pushing til we get into the top 4.....once we do, every season someone is at risk of dropping out.

Liverpool clearly also have increased resources at the end of the season so can push for it.

Do Spurs have the finances to keep spending enough to keep them knocking on the door? In theory they have access to funds, but whether or not ENIC would sanction continued funding if they fall short more than once or twice, well I doubt it.

So we have a situation where 5 or potentially 6 has to go into 4. The downside of not making it (especially when you are budgeting for it a la Arsenal) is potentially huge. In the light of FFP will be very interesting to see how the clubs who don't make it choose to/have to "recalibrate" their operations for the following season in the future.

[DoomMerchant]

What is a very interesting prospect is what happens to the "Big 4" over the coming seasons.

We clearly have sufficient resources to keep pushing and pushing til we get into the top 4.....once we do, every season someone is at risk of dropping out.

Liverpool clearly also have increased resources at the end of the season so can push for it.

Do Spurs have the finances to keep spending enough to keep them knocking on the door? In theory they have access to funds, but whether or not ENIC would sanction continued funding if they fall short more than once or twice, well I doubt it.

So we have a situation where 5 or potentially 6 has to go into 4. The downside of not making it (especially when you are budgeting for it a la Arsenal) is potentially huge. In the light of FFP will be very interesting to see how the clubs who don't make it choose to/have to "recalibrate" their operations for the following season in the future.

Not making CL is the new relegation. Just sayin.

cheers

[Im_Spartacus]

Interesting to also hear some scousers saying they would rather finish 6th than 5th. I just dont get the mentality, surely qualification for the waffa, with a 25 man named squad plus unlimited under 21s, you enter the competition and let the kids & fringe players have a go if you really dont want it to be a distraction to qualifying for the CL.

[Chinners]

I think they are right, it has affected their Chumps league qualification this season. I reckon the same will happen to us if we do as well in it as they have next season.

[blues-clues]

It is sad that my club will opt to field weaker teams in the FA Cup or even the League Cup because they feel those competitions reduce the possibility of us getting into,or progressing in, the Champions League. A monster has been created. A European Super League in all but name that sustains the Elite at the cost of the soul of the sport.

It is not the Mad World of Football but the Mad World of Business applied to sport.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Spot on Mr Clues

[Ted Hughes]

Interesting to also hear some scousers saying they would rather finish 6th than 5th. I just dont get the mentality, surely qualification for the waffa, with a 25 man named squad plus unlimited under 21s, you enter the competition and let the kids & fringe players have a go if you really dont want it to be a distraction to qualifying for the CL.

Be hilarious if they get their wish, then finish 8th next season.

Gobby fucking twats are the exact mirror image of what rags were like in the days Liverpool were winning everything; two or three victories & its " we're goona win the league next year". All their mates in the media are the same.

[Avalon]

What is a very interesting prospect is what happens to the "Big 4" over the coming seasons.

We clearly have sufficient resources to keep pushing and pushing til we get into the top 4.....once we do, every season someone is at risk of dropping out.

Liverpool clearly also have increased resources at the end of the season so can push for it.

Do Spurs have the finances to keep spending enough to keep them knocking on the door? In theory they have access to funds, but whether or not ENIC would sanction continued funding if they fall short more than once or twice, well I doubt it.

So we have a situation where 5 or potentially 6 has to go into 4. The downside of not making it (especially when you are budgeting for it a la Arsenal) is potentially huge. In the light of FFP will be very interesting to see how the clubs who don't make it choose to/have to "recalibrate" their operations for the following season in the future.

I think Spurs might be the "not just yet" team and will just miss the final hurdle. As for teams, Liverpool has been rockin their way up this season after a dire start and if this is anything to go by, they'll be up top next season, or at least aiming for it and they'll want to win, considering their current legacy most likely going to be taken away by the Rags, plus Liverpool never having won the EPL since its foundation.

Arsenal will be questionable. They can be a good team, but they're known for messing this up. Chelsea will be up there no matter. Rags will be another question. Not with baconface on behind them, but when he calls it quits, which I don't think won't be too far away.

[CityFanFromRome]

Been checking out spuds forums recently and they seems to be moaning that their good run in the Champions League has contributed to them not qualifying for the Champions League..you couldn't make it up

Is that all fans want these days?

Qualification?!

I can understand the Chairman wanting it for monatary reasons but have they brainwashed everyone else too?

What happened to wanting to win something? Or is that just too old fashioned these days?

Fact is that they were never going to win it, but being in it year after year could put the basis for building a team which can in some years time realistically challenge for it.

[Lev Bronstein]

I really don't understand their attitude - they got to the quarters and had some great wins on the way. You can understand a bit of a hangover after getting stuffed by Real, but, do they think that they only drew on saturday because of the CL? They've had a big dollop of glory and should be basking in it instead of moaning.
As for the CL, it's distorted competition in practically every country in Europe. It seems to be the same teams playing each other year after year. Quite frankly, without the odd new team coming in the public are going to get bored and switch off - isn't that already happening in the early rounds?