Do they really want a Europa spot?

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

I keep hearing it suggested that neither Spirs, Scouse or Soton will actually want to qualify for the 'poisoned chalice' of Europa League qualification. It's a nuisance, a long long slog, affects league form and is generally unhelpful.
I can imagine Saints wanting it, as they rarely have had the pleasure of Euro togger in recent years.
Scouse can improve their Euro coefficient still. Useful for the future surely?
So will these three teams be trying to throw away this golden chance, or will they be straining every sinew for 5th and 6th?
It's especially interesting as we are due to play two of them on the last four.
Are we gonna get an easy ride?

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Can't see us getting an easy ride Piccs whether they want Europa or not. Most teams raise their game against us and having beaten both earlier in the season they'll want to put one over on us.

[Wonderwall]

Crazy the mentality of English clubs about Europa, I reckon if we embraced it like we did with the UEFA cup when the champions league was the European cup, it would be a big thing. Its UEFA's fault for diluting the competition.

The issue is for CL football, you play Tuesday - sat/sun and Wednesday - sat/sun, with the EL you play Thursday Sunday and there is no let up and never a longer time to recover. Play away in Europe on Thursday evening, then get home in the early hours of Friday morning. Players in for a debrief on Friday afternoon, then, Saturday is tactics and preparation with a light session and game Sunday. very little training ground prep time with the team if you need to prepare for a certain premier league team.

Also the fans are shafted with the 5pm kick off times!!! WTF is that all about, I hated it when it happened to us. You never get to see a Saturday afternoon at 3pm, so I don't blame fans of clubs not wanting the stupid competition. TV advertising greed has ruined the spectacle of the EUFA Cup/Europa league.

[BlueinBosnia]

I'm sure I read a few years ago that, due to club operating costs, low TV revenue, and a number of other factors, Spurs will actually lose money every time they enter the competition unless they get into the last 8, where they could potentially turn a minuscule profit. So it's basically only worth them entering if they change their pricing plan for fans to something akin to the Rags', or if they go hell-for-leather to win the thing.

[PrezIke]

I believe Pochettino was recently quoted saying something like avoiding the Europa League could be good for them...

here it is:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/201 ... opa-league

[Ted Hughes]

Crazy the mentality of English clubs about Europa, I reckon if we embraced it like we did with the UEFA cup when the champions league was the European cup, it would be a big thing. Its UEFA's fault for diluting the competition.

The issue is for CL football, you play Tuesday - sat/sun and Wednesday - sat/sun, with the EL you play Thursday Sunday and there is no let up and never a longer time to recover. Play away in Europe on Thursday evening, then get home in the early hours of Friday morning. Players in for a debrief on Friday afternoon, then, Saturday is tactics and preparation with a light session and game Sunday. very little training ground prep time with the team if you need to prepare for a certain premier league team.

Also the fans are shafted with the 5pm kick off times!!! WTF is that all about, I hated it when it happened to us. You never get to see a Saturday afternoon at 3pm, so I don't blame fans of clubs not wanting the stupid competition. TV advertising greed has ruined the spectacle of the EUFA Cup/Europa league.

It's because the Premier League is miles tougher than any other league. Some people say it isn't but it really is. It's much tougher & and the Europa makes the Premier League tougher still; even moreso than the Champions League.

Any team playing in it is likely to have a worse season than they would have without it. If that wasn't the case, everyone would love to play in it.

[CTID Hants]

The Lass who sits opposite me in the office & ST holder at White Hart lane is happy for the Europa league and says pretty much all who sit around her are too.

Scousers on the other hand that i know, are totally against it (arrogant tossers)

I only know two Soton fans (again ST holders) they are ex static at thought of European football of any level (i guess like we were not that along ago?)

[DoomMerchant]

Europa league is Spurs only shot at CL imho.

Spurs or Scouse filth should embrace it, win it and finish 9th and tell everyone to suck their balls. That's what I'd want City to do in their sitch. Finishing 6 or 7 every year is a fucking bore.

Neither has a legit shot at top 4 on a continual basis I don't think. Neither investor is prepared to stump up the cash it takes to do it. Its not easy. We've proven it and made it look easier than it is. We should really take stock of what Mancini and team did. And yes that includes Cookie and Marwood. Etc.

Cheers

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

The Lass who sits opposite me in the office & ST holder at White Hart lane is happy for the Europa league and says pretty much all who sit around her are too.

Scousers on the other hand that i know, are totally against it (arrogant tossers)

I only know two Soton fans (again ST holders) they are ex static at thought of European football of any level (i guess like we were not that along ago?)

It's one thing the fans fancying it, but as pointed out earlier, if it costs money, will the club's actually want it?
Soton will need a bigger and presumably costlier squad with very little coming back in. And it certainly seems to fuck teams up.

[South Stand Balti]

Clubs get more money the higher up the Prem they finish. That goes against the argument for saving money by missing out on Europa. Whether they want it or not I can't see Spurs fielding a weakened team on Sunday or telling their players to take it easy. I dont like Europa as a fan though. No Saturday football is awful. They should make that comp as straight knockout too.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

It's a fair point. But how much do you think Everton have lost by finishing so much lower this season, than they might reasonably expect?

[South Stand Balti]

Everton are currently 10th. I think they may be as high as 5th without the Europa games. its a bit of a conundrum really as this would suggest they would have been better avoiding Europa. Finishing 5th though would put them in Europa next season.

[twosips]

On the Liverpool subject...

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/spo ... 5043097885

Ha.

[Moonchesteri]

Clubs get more money the higher up the Prem they finish. That goes against the argument for saving money by missing out on Europa. Whether they want it or not I can't see Spurs fielding a weakened team on Sunday or telling their players to take it easy. I dont like Europa as a fan though. No Saturday football is awful. They should make that comp as straight knockout too.

Yes, but isn't that only like 0,5mil per place?

[DoomMerchant]

On the Liverpool subject...

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/spo ... 5043097885

Ha.

tiny bit funny, but the lack of any mention of wreaths and memorials or "stealing" made for a few missed opportunities.

cheers

[PeterParker]

Do they realise that Bundesliga just passed Premier League in the coefficents pots, right?

And Italy are coming heavy from behind to snatch back the fourth place for the Champions League, no? With Napoli, Fiorentina and Juventus, all of them in the semifinals.

[DoomMerchant]

Do they realise that Bundesliga just passed Premier League in the coefficents pots, right?

And Italy are coming heavy from behind to snatch back the fourth place for the Champions League, no? With Napoli, Fiorentina and Juventus, all of them in the semifinals.

Are you saying that the Prem could only have 3 spots in CL year after next?

[PeterParker]

Do they realise that Bundesliga just passed Premier League in the coefficents pots, right?

And Italy are coming heavy from behind to snatch back the fourth place for the Champions League, no? With Napoli, Fiorentina and Juventus, all of them in the semifinals.

Are you saying that the Prem could only have 3 spots in CL year after next?

There was a study, made by the british press, if i will find it tomorrow, it will post it, but at the current state, if the next season will be the same, with the italians teams having the same performances, England will lose a CL spot in front of Italy. I think from the 2018-2019 season.

[Tokyo Blue]

Europa league is Spurs only shot at CL imho.

Spurs or Scouse filth should embrace it, win it and finish 9th and tell everyone to suck their balls. That's what I'd want City to do in their sitch. Finishing 6 or 7 every year is a fucking bore.

Neither has a legit shot at top 4 on a continual basis I don't think. Neither investor is allowed by FFP regulations to stump up the cash it takes to do it. Its not easy. We've proven it and made it look easier than it is. We should really take stock of what Mancini and team did. And yes that includes Cookie and Marwood. Etc.

Cheers

Corrected for you there, chief.

Europa League is a sop to keep the challengers from making too much noise about how unbalanced the system has just become.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

It's a fair point. But how much do you think Everton have lost by finishing so much lower this season, than they might reasonably expect?

£1.2m in prize money per PL place.