Yorkie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 7 hours ago, HaydnNUFC said: Rightly or wrongly I'm with Froggy on the ECL. I don't see it as a major trophy either, for me it's on Intertoto levels. I don't even really know why it exists tbph. The Intertoto Cup didn't even have a winner, it was an application-led pre-season qualifier for an actual tournament. The Conference League (?) is something you earn the right to participate in and compete against your peers to become Champion. The prestige is entirely different imo. I really think we ought to embrace the prospect of the Conference League cos it's the only European competition we're getting near to within the next couple of years. I think this season's was brilliant as well tbh; loads of class famous clubs up against each other, only without the backdrop of a sneering commentary crowing about how so-called elite clubs are being inconvenienced by having to face the minnows like Marseille and PSV. Then there's the variety; the final the other day wasn't a classic by any means but I really enjoyed it because I have genuinely never seen Feyenoord play Roma before. Meanwhile you had the likes of Bodo, PAOK, Leicester, Vitesse - great clubs in their own right but with no discernible European record - getting a run in a bona fide competition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggs Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 It's the same as the EL in this regard but I think it's a bit shit when a really big club like Roma get to do shite in a competition they should do well in like the Europa and get rewarded for it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I’d prevent drop outs from each competition entering the next one down. It’s rewarding failure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggy Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 8 minutes ago, HTT II said: I’d prevent drop outs from each competition entering the next one down. It’s rewarding failure. Another reason why I see the Conference League as minor. You can get knocked out in the third round playoff of the Europa League, which is a secondary European competition itself, yet still win the Conference League. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 The Conference League us C-tier European football. It's probably on par with the League Cup in terms of prestige, but I'd happily take either at this stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Bigger teams entering the competition through those means speaks for it's prestige rather than against it, imo. The more formidable sides in the competition, the harder it is to win and the greater the achievement if you are champions at the end of it. Imagine us being in a European final against Mourinho's Roma (who I presume entered through those means?) It would easily be our most prestigious occasion since the 90s cup finals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggs Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 18 minutes ago, triggs said: It's the same as the EL in this regard but I think it's a bit shit when a really big club like Roma get to do shite in a competition they should do well in like the Europa and get rewarded for it Actually this is wrong For some reason I thought Roma got knocked out of the Europa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Froggy Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 16 minutes ago, triggs said: Actually this is wrong For some reason I thought Roma got knocked out of the Europa But this does happen. Not specifically Roma in this case, but Leicester, PSV and Marseille (two of which were semi finalists in the Conference League) were all knocked out of the Europa and got to enter the Conference League straight at the knockout stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Yorkie said: The Intertoto Cup didn't even have a winner, it was an application-led pre-season qualifier for an actual tournament. The Conference League (?) is something you earn the right to participate in and compete against your peers to become Champion. The prestige is entirely different imo. I really think we ought to embrace the prospect of the Conference League cos it's the only European competition we're getting near to within the next couple of years. I think this season's was brilliant as well tbh; loads of class famous clubs up against each other, only without the backdrop of a sneering commentary crowing about how so-called elite clubs are being inconvenienced by having to face the minnows like Marseille and PSV. Then there's the variety; the final the other day wasn't a classic by any means but I really enjoyed it because I have genuinely never seen Feyenoord play Roma before. Meanwhile you had the likes of Bodo, PAOK, Leicester, Vitesse - great clubs in their own right but with no discernible European record - getting a run in a bona fide competition. Given we were only 9 points off of a Europa League place after giving the rest of a league a 14 game head start, I completely disagree with that. I genuinely don't know why it exists. If they wanted more teams or games then I don't know why they didn't just expand the Europa League. Edited May 27, 2022 by HaydnNUFC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bintang Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 15 hours ago, toon25 said: It was a shame that cup was ditched. Gave an added incentive to the cup competitions for those clubs aiming for upper mid table spots. Loved the CWC. Really enjoyed watching Arsenal's two runs to the final. Champions League used to be class in the group stages also when it was just one team per country. I only bother watching it from the quarter finals now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 1 hour ago, HaydnNUFC said: I genuinely don't know why it exists. If they wanted more teams or games then I don't know why they didn't just expand the Europa League. In what way would further saturating that competition (group stage already nearly has 50 teams) be better than opening the door to potential silverware (or at least a proper campaign) to a whole raft of clubs that would otherwise barely stand a chance of winning something/having even a European campaign beyond winter/playing in Europe at all? Really don't get the opposition to the competition at all, I think it was a great decision by UEFA to bring it in, and you only have to look at Roma's celebrations last night to consider whether or not it has any real meaning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
triggs Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I like the competition as well but think it should be just for teams outside the top 5 leagues Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 It's obviously minor in comparison to the CL and to a lesser extent the Europa League but so what. Ultimately a trophy is only as small or big as what it means to the club and its fans. And it meant a lot to Roma. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 1 minute ago, triggs said: I like the competition as well but think it should be just for teams outside the top 5 leagues I thought that at the beginning but have changed tact now tbh. I think it's got a good balance of opening opportunity to small clubs (EG Bodo in this one) but also less successful big clubs from major leagues. Makes it feel a bit more prestigious. Probably a good chance you'll get some outsider runs to semis and finals from clubs from smaller leagues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I can understand a disdain for a competition like the ECL if you're a Man United fan or something but I don't get it from supporters of a club like Newcastle who a) have won nowt and b) haven't experienced European football for ages. It always absolutely delighted me that we made every effort to play European football, we'd always enter the Intertoto when other clubs were turning it down and that was bloody great. Even when we were absolutely shite in the league, you'd have every Thursday to look forward to against Celta Vigo or Bnei Sakhnin or 1860 Munich when we'd up our game and inevitably get quite far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Totally agree. NUFC in Europe is the pinnacle for me tbh. Every time we were in it since 2003 I genuinely (and naively) believed we could win it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I agree. But that was the UEFA Cup/Europa League what you're saying you have great memories of. If we were to qualify for the EL we'd have a decent chance of winning that as well. When the Intertoto Cup existed it was the tier below the UEFA Cup which is what the ECL is now. Players like Shearer are on the record saying that he wasn't a fan of/believer in the competition. The ECL should be a competition for clubs outside of the top 5 leagues, and winning it gets them EL group stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paully Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 I've done about 25 euro aways and they're magnificent trips! I'd snap your hands off to be in any European competition! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HTT II Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 2 minutes ago, Paully said: I've done about 25 euro aways and they're magnificent trips! I'd snap your hands off to be in any European competition! What’s not to love, new away grounds, traveling abroad, games that mean something a bit extra and the potential to win something. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wullie Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 14 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said: I agree. But that was the UEFA Cup/Europa League what you're saying you have great memories of. If we were to qualify for the EL we'd have a decent chance of winning that as well. When the Intertoto Cup existed it was the tier below the UEFA Cup which is what the ECL is now. Players like Shearer are on the record saying that he wasn't a fan of/believer in the competition. The ECL should be a competition for clubs outside of the top 5 leagues, and winning it gets them EL group stage. It was nothing like the Conference League, it wasn't a tier below the UEFA Cup, it was a qualification tournament for it. It was nothing more than a few games in the summer that you had to apply to play in. When we "won it" in 2006, we only played one tie, vs Lillestrom. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted May 27, 2022 Share Posted May 27, 2022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964 Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 I'm in Madrid, coming back tomorrow so looking for somewhere to watch the game, should be fun if they win Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 The nauseating narrative has already begun. If you'd believe common consensus Real Madrid are lucky to be here yet at the same time Liverpool are plucky underdogs.... but are also definitely going to win. Go figure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 First priority is a high quality match, second priority is something memorable happening like a Karius moment, third priority is Liverpool getting battered Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted May 28, 2022 Share Posted May 28, 2022 Planning the open top bus parade on the anniversary of Heysel, yikes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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