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Europa League or not?


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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.

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Still don't understand why UEFA persist with Champs League drop outs  :angry:

 

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.
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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 :D.

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Yup :thup:

 

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.

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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.

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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.

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