Turnbull2000 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php/site/article/12429/ It’s time to knock out the Europa League English managers tend to regard the Europa League as an unnecessary diversion from the Premiership. Harry Redknapp typifies this English scepticism. ‘Teams who get into the Europa League want to get out of it’, he said last year. ‘Half of them put reserve teams out in the early stages and it’s difficult to play every Thursday and Sunday. It disrupts things.’ Sir Alex Ferguson described United’s relegation to the Europa League as a ‘punishment’. UEFA have attempted to breathe new life into the Cup by introducing a group stage in 2004 and rebranding it the Europa League in 2009. However, UEFA’s tinkering has done little to revive the tournament’s prestige. This week, Spurs full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto said he didn’t want to take part in the Europa League because, in his words, ‘it is useless’. It’s UEFA who have made a mockery of a once-prestigious competition. The rot started when the runners-up from European domestic leagues were first allowed to enter the Champions League. Creaming off many of Europe’s strongest teams has left the lesser tournament seriously uncompetitive. The group stage serves no apparent purpose except to keep Jim Rosenthal gainfully employed. And as for parachuting in the third-placed teams from the Champions League group phase – well that’s the ultimate mockery. Would have been genuinely exited to compete in the old knock-out UEFA Cup. Shame. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 It should be totally separate from the Champions League, and they should give out less CL places and direct those teams into the EL instead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maybe_next_year Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 i think that was true a couple of years ago, but the last two years has seen some great teams really pushing for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turnbull2000 Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Still don't understand why UEFA persist with Champs League drop outs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 No, I don't want us to play the Europa League qualifier Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stifler Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Still don't understand why UEFA persist with Champs League drop outs On that subject: What's the latest stage of CL that the loser drops into the EL? </anotherasked10xquestion> 3rd placed team in the group stages half way through the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Interpolic Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Hope we have the title tied up by February next season, if only to avoid talking about this fucking nonsense for months. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MW Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 its only english teams that dont give a shit. we always gave a decent account of ourselves. some very good teams in it this and next season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zach Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 I hope we go for it if that's what we get. I'd love a cup run in either of them and it would be brilliant to be back in Europe either way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Would love to win the Europa League. If that's the European competition we're in next season we should make it a priority. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Would love to win a corner in the Europa League tbh. Don't take anything for granted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeletor Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Would love to win a corner in the Europa League tbh. Don't take anything for granted. It's just something to do with the Marseille semi final/Sporting Lisbon quarter final. Feels like unfinished business . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Yup Just don't get snobbery of competitions at all tbh. Carling Cup, Champions League, we should be aiming to win whatever competition we're in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Loved the comment that we want to attack the Europa if we get in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenham Mag Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Loved the comment that we want to attack the Europa if we get in. Yeh, could go very far. I think this team is a lot more suited to knock-out games over 2 legs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 If Pardew's domestic cup line-ups (lets forget the 'performances') are anything to go by, i can see us giving the Europa League a real go. And why the hell not? It's a very winnable competition, as we, and other English clubs, have demonstrated in the past by reaching the latter stages. Boro played some absolute muck on the way to the final (in comparison to what the likes of us and Fulham faced), but they still got there. Still got a bitter taste in my mouth about that... if they can do it then we certainly can. I really like this tournament, delighted that we're going to be a part of it again. Hope we get a decent draw in the play-off round, because there's some tough sides in there, including a few familiar clubs - Sporting, AZ, PSV, Stuttgart. That's all assuming a miracle doesn't happen on Sunday, like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Aye some tough teams in like. Marseille, Hannover if they get through 3rd qualifying plus the likes of Lyon and potentially Inter/Napoli/Lazio... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlito Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Aye some tough teams in like. Marseille, Hannover if they get through 3rd qualifying plus the likes of Lyon and potentially Inter/Napoli/Lazio... Can only serve to give the EL a bit more prestige tbh. Will be a tough road for us if that's the competition we're in next season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Malaga too are a potential qualifier from La Liga. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Bricking it now. Not that I don't think we can beat these sides but imagine crashing out after 2 games? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 We'll probably be seeded fella, Stoke were this season and they had equivilant UEFA coefficient. http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/seedel2011.html Depends on who gets through I guess. Probably be 3rd seeds for the groups so should get a competitive group. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Shite, aye, I've just completely ignored all the teams from the previous qualifying rounds. Brum were seeded for their play-off. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_UEFA_Europa_League_qualifying_phase_and_play-off_round#Play-off_round Play-off round seedings from last year for comparison. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Ah yeah of course, seeding. We should be sound then really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Fucks with the groups? They just to stop it being a mega draw or do they mean something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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