Prioritising the Champions' League - is it right?

[Colin the King]

As a follow up to some of the discussions going on, especially in Ross' brilliant thread on the future of football, I'd be interested to see how many people subscribe to the idea that the Champions League takes/has taken priority over the domestic title.

Personally, I feel the PL will always be number one. Any trophies outside of it are bonuses but the league should always be a priority. I understand though the emerging argument that the CL has a higher global profile and from a business point of view, it's probably fair to say clubs themselves would choose it, if forced between the two.

I'd choose every day of the week to finish 1st in the league and reach the QF in Europe, over winning the CL and finishing 3rd/4th. Perhaps an old-fashioned view, but I see more merit in consistently picking up points over 9 months.

Thoughts?

[Alioune DVToure]

I agree with you, but would also add this: Football is about rivalry, and by winning the PL you get one over on your main rivals. I don't get the same buzz when we beat European teams, however high calibre they may be.

[Alioune DVToure]

Oops. See above.

[Moonchesteri]

As a follow up to some of the discussions going on, especially in Ross' brilliant thread on the future of football, I'd be interested to see how many people subscribe to the idea that the Champions League takes/has taken priority over the domestic title.

Personally, I feel the PL will always be number one. Any trophies outside of it are bonuses but the league should always be a priority. I understand though the emerging argument that the CL has a higher global profile and from a business point of view, it's probably fair to say clubs themselves would choose it, if forced between the two.

I'd choose every day of the week to finish 1st in the league and reach the QF in Europe, over winning the CL and finishing 3rd/4th. Perhaps an old-fashioned view, but I see more merit in consistently picking up points over 9 months. Thoughts?

I'm with you on this one all the way mate.

[Breks]

The late great Brian Clough always put the league title 1st. I don't see why we can't go for both equally with the current squad we got.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

League title. Without a shadow of a doubt. Champion's League is great for global exposure and all that but doesn't mean half as much to me as it does to football following majority. I'd put FA Cup above it as well.

[Sister of fu]

Prem all day long. I would much rather watch us play a premier league game then an European one. Can't be arsed with the shit refs and cheating players, rolling around and acting like c@*#s.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

Prem for me too. I don't even think CL is a good tournament until the knock-out stages, being too drawn-out and of variable quality.

I'm pretty sure those who run the club think differently though.

[Socrates]

Yes it's the league every time and the Champions League isn't a bigger market globally, just Europe wide. The midweek evening kickoffs ensure the Champions League remains relatively minor to markets in the east or west.

[Nigels Tackle]

Yes it's the league every time and the Champions League isn't a bigger market globally, just Europe wide. The midweek evening kickoffs ensure the Champions League remains relatively minor to markets in the east or west.

this^^^

[mcfc1632]

Domestic league for me as well - think that this will always be the case for CITY fans unless/until the whole structure changes - as discussed elsewhere

[Dameerto]

Premier League - just getting out of the group stage would be seen as progress in the Champions League whereas anything other than first in the Premier League would be an underachievement.

[aaron bond]

Premier League should always be the priority. The Champions League is a bonus.

[Breks]

in terms of audience the champions league final must be the most watched game on earth. To really push ourselves onto the world stage and for us to be seen as an elite club we have to win the Champions league. We shouldn't however jepordise the league in pursuit of this.

[Herb]

Win the chumps league and come top 4 in the PL? I'd prefer that to win the PL go out of chumps in the group stages as has happened previously.
My thoughts are that winning the CL will maximise our global exposure, increase our fan base, improve our merchandising and advertising revenue for years to come so that we can continue to invest to improve our squad so that we can win the PL in future years.

Winning the PL would certainly bring a cash bonus but not on the world stage scale that the CL would - though it would cheer up those who don't see the importance of overtaking the established elite (rags amongst them) in terms of audience and revenues.

I know that I hold a minority view on this subject but I don't think it really matters what 'we' think because our owners can see the big picture and will push hardest for success where they know we really need it. Ergo, Mancini, for all his controversy, had proven that he could win the PL but he was dismissed and replaced by Pellegrini who has a track record for getting the best from sides in the CL but who has no record whatsoever in the PL. Need I say more?

[Nutzer]

It seems that we, the fans, are all singing from the same hymn sheet. We want to lord it over the Premier League every year. Sadly Manolo seems to have been told that doing well in the Champions League is a must so he's made that his top priority.

What scares me is that we might do fairly well but not win the CL this season but lose too many points in our away matches in the PL that we don't qualify for the CL at all. After all we've played 3 away games and drawn 1 and lost 2. That's not title winning form.

[Hutch's Shoulder]

Of course we all talk like we have a choice :-) At the end if the day any trophy for me!

[sheblue]

To me they have equal importance. To the top brass at the club the cl is way more important, it's where the revenue is.

[Lee_R]

I think from the clubs business and commerical aspect we have to raise our profile in europe. However I dont see the long term plan is to compete mainly for the CL every year. We will sometimes and probably mostly make the league the priority but at the moment it would be small minded for us to not make the CL a priority. Once weve put our flag out there we will concentrate on filling the trophy cabinate with everything.

Personally I would have liked domestic football to have always stayed at the top so that winning the league was always the most important thing but it just isnt like that anymore.

[bobby brows]

I think telling supporters that premier league games don't matter hurts the business of selling tickets to those games and ultimately the bottom line.

Champions League just doesn't do it for me. I dreamt of the day that Maine Road would be packed out and a last minute winner was scored to secure the title. I know dream about returning to the top. I don't dream about sitting in the pub on a Saturday night as City lift a European trophy 1000s of miles away that they arguably shouldn't have been in without winning the league first.