Can we still go Intertoto - Can someone clarify

[Ashley17]

Hopefully they've shot themselves in the foot and have to play in the Asia cup, although they say it's in late July, our Intertoto fixtures were 15th and 22nd July, not particularly late.

[stozo]

................. and Gary O'Neil seems to think they have applied as well.

 

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/22042007/1/pompey-primed-door-entry.html

 

Portsmouth are ready to take the back-door route into the UEFA if they cannot earn direct entry - but they may have to go to Asia instead.If Pompey finish seventh in the Premiership, aided by a good result at Aston Villa on Sunday, they will gain direct UEFA Cup entry next season now Manchester United and Chelsea have booked FA Cup final places.

 

But eighth or ninth could still leave them with a chance via the Intertoto Cup in which Newcastle had to play only a two-leg qualifier last year against Norway's Lillestrom to reach the preliminary stages of the UEFA Cup - and went on to the quarter-finals.

 

Gary O'Neil still believes his side can finish high enough to leave no doubts despite a daunting final run-in away to Everton and at home to Liverpool and Arsenal.

 

But he is convinced the Intertoto option would hold no fears - even though the need for ankle surgery at the end of the season could ruin his own chances.

 

There is another problem, though. Portsmouth are waiting for a Football Association announcement that they have been invited to take part in the prestigious pre-season Asian Cup in Hong Kong in late July along with Liverpool and Fulham.

 

And that looks certain to clash with the date for any Intertoto qualifiers.

 

But O'Neil insisted: "Even if there were five Intertoto games or something we had to play I'm sure they would all take it on if there is Europe on the end of it.

 

"If the club said to me come in early this summer and forego a holiday to play in the Intertoto Cup I would definitely be up for it.

Not dismissing this but all he really says he would be willing to play Intertoto if he had too. Says nothing really about Pompey applying.

[NUFC06]

If Portsmouth are going to apply our chances are going to be minimal

[jackyboy]

Harry would apply just to piss Roedent off

[ujpest doza]

People saying we should give Europe a miss. Why the f*ck are you moaning at our league position for then?! Let's be realistic, we're a million years from the Champions League. We might as well settle for 12th-15th every year, not qualifying for Europe. It's only 4 extra games man.

 

Give Europe a miss to consolidate at home and rebuild.

 

Pointless playing a load of shit games in the uefa cup and then get beat off the first decent team we face every time.

 

[Guest]

But no UEFA Cup means around about £5m gone from the club's coffers. That's a good centre-half.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

But no UEFA Cup means around about £5m gone from the club's coffers. That's a good centre-half.

 

And if we ever manage to get top 4 again our co-efficient will still be high.

 

'Planning'!

[ujpest doza]

But no UEFA Cup means around about £5m gone from the club's coffers. That's a good centre-half.

 

If we took the League Cup and FA Cup a bit more seriously that would put money in the coffers just the same.

 

[Colos Short and Curlies]

But no UEFA Cup means around about £5m gone from the club's coffers. That's a good centre-half.

 

If we took the League Cup and FA Cup a bit more seriously that would put money in the coffers just the same.

 

 

LC and FA cup are a bot of a lottery though, UEFA is pretty much a guaranteed £5m cos its so pish easy to get through the groups

[ujpest doza]

But no UEFA Cup means around about £5m gone from the club's coffers. That's a good centre-half.

 

If we took the League Cup and FA Cup a bit more seriously that would put money in the coffers just the same.

 

 

LC and FA cup are a bot of a lottery though, UEFA is pretty much a guaranteed £5m cos its so pish easy to get through the groups

 

But the games in the UEFA have all the excitement of a pre season friendly and they also mean major disruption to our league games as many of them are moved to sundays due to playing a pub team on a thursday night.

 

Give it a miss for one year and have a proper crack at winning the League Cup or FA Cup and have a proper undisrupted pre season.

 

[Guest]

We had a proper crack at winning those cups over the last 2-3 seasons...but when you get drawn out against Chelsea about 15 times in 3 years, Man U in a cup Semi Final, etc. then it doesn't matter how hard we try, we aint gonna win!

[Keefaz]

Parker in the Journal today seems to think it's still up for grabs.

[Martin Lol]

Parker in the Journal today seems to think it's still up for grabs.

 

He could hardly say there's nothing to play for for the rest of the season.  Personally, I think it's possible for Newcastle still to qualify, but unlikely.

[Fugazi]

From .com

 

Speaking in The Journal on Thursday, club Captain Scott Parker commented:

 

"There is still a chance of getting into the Intertoto Cup because we've got to play the two teams that are above us.

 

"Obviously it's not as big a chance as we would like, but it's possible. We'd want to go into the next three games looking to win them. We want to do that for ourselves anyway after the season we've had, but there is that extra little incentive of the Intertoto Cup to think about."

 

What Parker says is technically correct, but a suggestion in the accompanying piece that we're almost home and dry isn't the full tale:

The highest placed side finishing in the four places below the last UEFA Cup spot who has applied to take part is offered a place in the Intertoto Cup. 

 

That means we have to finish in 8th,9th,10th or 11th spot - with any teams above us in 8th spot or lower not wanting to take part in the Intertoto Cup.

 

To date, Everton, Bolton, Spurs, Blackburn, Villa, ourselves and Man City have all indicated that they would accept an Intertoto Cup place.

 

Reading so far are sticking to a stance of not entering either the UEFA or Intertoto, while Pompey are going for a UEFA spot and seeking to play down talk of taking an Intertoto place.

 

However there's a complication for Pompey, who are rumoured to be taking part in a pre -season tournament in Hong Kong that apparently clashes with one leg of the Intertoto Cup Third Round in late July.

 

As of now though, they have not ruled out Intertoto participation.

 

The final date for UEFA to be informed of which side represents their country in the Intertoto Cup was June 5th in 2006 - we're presuming a similar time frame applies this year.

 

Plenty ifs and buts then, but unless we can win three games and see other results fall for us, then it's all academic....

 

Current Premiership table:

Team Pyld GD Pts

5 Everton 35 +15 54

6 Bolton 35 -3 54

7 Reading 35 +6 51

8 Pompey 35 _5 50

9 Spurs 34 -1 50

10 Blackburn 34 -7 44

11 Villa 35 -3 43

12 Newcastle 35 -6 42

13 Man City 35 -11 42

14 Smoggies 35 -7 40

 

Selected remaining Premiership fixtures:

 

Sat 28th April (3pm):

Blackburn v Charlton

Man City v Villa

Boro v  Spurs

Pompey v Liverpool 

 

Mon 30th April (8pm)

Reading v Newcastle

 

Sat 5th May (3pm unless stated) 

Man City v Man United ( 12.15)

Everton v Pompey

Newcastle v Blackburn

Reading v Watford

Wigan v Boro

Villa v Sheffield United ( 5.15)

 

Mon 7th May (8pm) 

Charlton v Spurs

 

Thu 10th May (8pm)

Spurs v Blackburn

 

Sun 13th May (all 3pm)

Blackburn v Reading

Bolton v Villa

Boro v Fulham

Pompey v Arsenal

Spurs v Man City

Watford v Newcastle

 

England's Intertoto representative will enter at the Intertoto Third Round stage and play a two legged tie on the weekends of July 22/23 and July 29/30.

 

Their opposition will be decided by a tie the previous two weekends between the Polish entrant and the winners of the first round tie between the Welsh and Lithuanian selections.

 

So fuck knows, basically.

[Martin Lol]

It's being reported in the Korean media that Reading have accepted an invitation to take place in the Peace Cup.  Held every two years, Spurs are the current holders but are holding back on a decision whether to particpate until they know where they finish in the league.  The Peace Cup clashes with the Intertoto.

 

http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/readingfc/2009/2009954/seol_to_get_peace_of_the_action

 

 

Seol to get Peace of the action

Reading look set to compete in the Peace Cup in South Korea this summer.

 

The Evening Post can reveal that Royals are close to agreeing to play in the tournament which takes part every two years.

 

River Plate, Argentina’s most successful club side, are certain to play, while runaway Serie A leaders Inter Milan are thought to be in discussions.

 

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There will also be another Premiership club involved as well as Royals, who will be a major attraction with South Korea international Seol Ki-Hyeon in their squad.

 

Seol is acknowledged as one of the country’s most popular footballers along with Manchester United’s Park Ji-Sung and Tottenham Hotspur’s Lee Young-Pyo.

 

Holders Spurs have been in discussions about defending their trophy, but are unable to commit at the present time.

 

The tournament is made up of two groups of four with the winners of each group meeting in the final.

 

The Peace Cup champions can earn in excess of $2,000,000, while the runners-up net around $500,000.

 

Dates and venues have yet to be finalised, but I understand the tournament could run from July 12 to 20 in stadia that were used to host the 2002 World Cup.

 

The competition is organised by Sunmoon Soccer Foundation for Peace, which was set up by Reverend Sun Myung Moon and his Unification Church. Its followers are known as Moonies and were banned from entering the UK in 1995 after accusations of brainwashing.

 

However, the tournament is sanctioned by FIFA and the South Korea Football Association.

 

The first Peace Cup in 2003 was won by PSV Eindhoven.

 

Lyon, who were beaten 1-0 in the final, were runners-up again in 2005 when they lost 2-1 to Spurs.

 

Meanwhile, Reading’s next match is at home to Premiership rivals Newcastle United on Monday night.

 

Ruled out by injuries are skipper Graeme Murty (calf), Glen Little (Achilles) and Ibrahima Sonko and Bobby Convey (both knee).

 

Convey is set to return to England this weekend, having had surgery on his knee in the United States.

 

Manager Steve Coppell will make a couple of changes to the side that won 3-1 at Bolton Wanderers last Saturday.

 

Shane Long could be handed a start, while contract-rebel Steve Sidwell will feature again. Sidwell looks set to leave when he becomes a free agent this summer, but insists he hasn’t agreed to join Newcastle.

 

Aston Villa, Everton and Chelsea are all in the hunt for him.

 

Sidwell said: “The manager seems resigned to the fact that I am leaving this summer, but I am keeping my options open.

 

“I know the season is beginning to wind down now, but I am not going to make any rash decisions.

 

“It is an important time in my career, and I will speak to the people closest to me about what is the right decision. But I will wait until the very end of the season before I make my final choice.”

 

Newcastle could be boosted by the return of England international Michael Owen after 10 months out with a serious knee injury.

 

—Royals will play Brentford in a pre-season friendly at Griffin Park on Wednesday July 25 (7.45pm).

[Offshore]

wouldn't cry myself to sleep if we missed out.

[womblemaster]

looking at the table i thinkits now mathematically impossible........highest we can get is 10th.

[Ashley17]

Only way in now is if Pompey and Reading finish 8th and 9th, us 10th, and Pompey and Reading don't apply.

[Yorkie]

Clarification:

 

Not a hope in hellers now like.

[Martin Lol]

Only way in now is if Pompey and Reading finish 8th and 9th, us 10th, and Pompey and Reading don't apply.

 

Seems like neither have applied.  Or at least that's according to the local Blackburn paper. 

 

BLACKBURN ROVERS could be left with a tricky dilemma going into their game with Tottenham in the final week of the season.

 

If, by that stage, Rovers' only remaining route into Europe is via the Intertoto Cup, then a win over Spurs might actually harm their chances of qualifying for the competition.

 

That's because Spurs have also applied for the Intertoto, unlike Reading, who currently occupy the last automatic Uefa Cup place, and Portsmouth.

 

So if Spurs were to finish eighth rather than seventh, they would claim the Intertoto spot ahead of Blackburn.

 

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.1364900.0.spurs_win_may_harm_rovers_intertoto_chances.php

 

So the suggestion is that if Blackburn donate 3 pts to Spurs, Spurs could push Reading and Pompey down the league table and hopefully bring in 10th place to be the qualifying spot for the Intertoto for Blackburn.  :lol:

[Ashley17]

So my theory still stands that we need to win all 3 of our games, one of which is against Blackburn. I have no problem with Blackburn giving you 3 points

[Gallowgate End]

Have to finish above Blackburn to end up playing Uefa Cup football next season which is not impossible.

 

Thats 3 wins.

 

Blackburn have Tottenham and Newcastle away.

 

Its possible we can be playing Uefa Cup Football next season, Watford we should get 3 points as they are relegated, Key is tonight's game against Reading we need to pull out a big away performance and get the 3 points and beat Blackburn at home.

 

Impossible? no...

 

Buts its going to be very hard now.

[Raconteur]

 

Buts its going to be very hard now.

 

Going to be even harder now

[Guest LucaAltieri]

From the BBC.

 

Reading boss Steve Coppell:

"I thought the game was difficult to get hold of initially. But in the second half we attacked better had more purpose in our play.

 

"Even before the game I had thought the first goal would be decisive and it proved to be that way.

 

"As for Europe, our job is to get as many points as we can and if that means we qualify, we'll take it."

 

That may mean the Inter-toto too. I read somewhere that it's possible for teams to accept an invitation to the Inter-toto anytime before the end of June/start of July... may have been on .com.

 

Either way;

 

1) We don't deserve it. Qualifying may only serve to gloss over a terrible season.

2) We won't win owt. We all know how it will go, we've seen it all before.

3) The players need a rest, the squad needs rebuilding for next season. I'd rather have a top half finish next season than a 14th place finish and a run in the inter-toto/UEFA against the best teams in Latvia, Estonia, and Outter Mongolia.

[Guest graemeh72]

NO