Am I now the only one here that is content with us to end up where we end up?
As emotions become amplified and the 'sky sports capital letters banner scrolls' across a million screen through out the world, I sit here and honestly could not give a stuff about being in the champions league just for it's own sake.
OK, I get that you get more money, which is nice, but to what end? To pay off debts? To buy shiny new players at the expense of the players who got us there? to keep hold of mercenaries who are deemed 'too good for us'?
What price integrity? What about the 'love the shirt' ethos? are we to caveat everything with 'as long as we have progression' or 'as long as it improves the squad' to satisfy this wonder lust for playing in a competition with Europe's elite?
Especially given that Europe's elite in the group stages can at times resemble something of a European procession across the continent.
Does it really get interesting until the knock out stages?
As I watched the advert for the quarter finals for a millionth time did I start to think, 'wow I must watch that, because it will throw up some amazing ties, or even the semis (which were arguably better) to an extent.
So really, what people are hoping for is to enter a competition and hope for a good draw when you get to the knock out stages so you can progress further for......
....well for revenue it would seem. That is becoming the be all and end all to many. But always because of 'Who it means we can / could purchase', or what commercial revenue we could then seek from sponsors. Not because we could then lower ticket prices, or any other vaguely altruistic notion.
Even here, on a site born out of 'support the team no matter what' there are people stating that 'we all want to be in the Champions League' like it is some sort of mantra.
I must be losing the plot, because I've enjoyed our Europa League run, I see a team and a manager that are heading on a journey. Where that journey takes us I can never (nor would i ever be so arrogant to) predict.
But whatever 11 players step out onto the pitch. Whenever I emerge from the concrete tunnel into the glorious home to see the hallowed turf, it still sends shivers and evokes memories.
Is that not enough for some people, to accept that whilst the team will, most probably, try to do their best each game that 'what will be will be'?
Champions league? meh, not that bothered.
As emotions become amplified and the 'sky sports capital letters banner scrolls' across a million screen through out the world, I sit here and honestly could not give a stuff about being in the champions league just for it's own sake.
OK, I get that you get more money, which is nice, but to what end? To pay off debts? To buy shiny new players at the expense of the players who got us there? to keep hold of mercenaries who are deemed 'too good for us'?
What price integrity? What about the 'love the shirt' ethos? are we to caveat everything with 'as long as we have progression' or 'as long as it improves the squad' to satisfy this wonder lust for playing in a competition with Europe's elite?
Especially given that Europe's elite in the group stages can at times resemble something of a European procession across the continent.
Does it really get interesting until the knock out stages?
As I watched the advert for the quarter finals for a millionth time did I start to think, 'wow I must watch that, because it will throw up some amazing ties, or even the semis (which were arguably better) to an extent.
So really, what people are hoping for is to enter a competition and hope for a good draw when you get to the knock out stages so you can progress further for......
....well for revenue it would seem. That is becoming the be all and end all to many. But always because of 'Who it means we can / could purchase', or what commercial revenue we could then seek from sponsors. Not because we could then lower ticket prices, or any other vaguely altruistic notion.
Even here, on a site born out of 'support the team no matter what' there are people stating that 'we all want to be in the Champions League' like it is some sort of mantra.
I must be losing the plot, because I've enjoyed our Europa League run, I see a team and a manager that are heading on a journey. Where that journey takes us I can never (nor would i ever be so arrogant to) predict.
But whatever 11 players step out onto the pitch. Whenever I emerge from the concrete tunnel into the glorious home to see the hallowed turf, it still sends shivers and evokes memories.
Is that not enough for some people, to accept that whilst the team will, most probably, try to do their best each game that 'what will be will be'?
Champions league? meh, not that bothered.
