Do you want us to qualify for the Europa League next season?

[78Spur]

I see a lot of people citing Liverpool as a reason for us to not be in Europe. They have less games and therefore haven't needed to rotate their squad, therefore they have had a season which no one expected they would.

If we want to be a team who plays in Europe regularly, realistically the Champions League, we have to be prepared to play all the games which that entails. If we are going to ever achieve that CL aim we have to have a squad that can cope with the hard miles that we're going to have to cover.

I have seen some fairly terrible Europa Games and fantastic ones too, it goes down to pragmatism, it's not about money, it's about building a squad that can cope with all the games and building a squad that is genuinely competitive on all fronts and sustainable.

20 years back everything was really different, domestic cups mattered more, the EUFA Cup mattered more, we have changed perspectives now and the Premier League and Champioms League really seems to be all that matters. You can blame Sky, Modern Football, Lack of Standing but the fact is these are the cards we're dealt with.

We need to be in the Europa next year, I say this only for the fact I remember not so long ago going to catch the last game of the season away at Middlesborough, where they opened the North Stand for fans to sit and watch the game on the Jumbotron where Spurs might get that EUFA Cup place for the first time in years, we didn't make it then and it mattered, whatever happens after game 38 I still think it does.

 

[cahspur]

I see a lot of people citing Liverpool as a reason for us to not be in Europe. They have less games and therefore haven't needed to rotate their squad, therefore they have had a season which no one expected they would.

If we want to be a team who plays in Europe regularly, realistically the Champions League, we have to be prepared to play all the games which that entails. If we are going to ever achieve that CL aim we have to have a squad that can cope with the hard miles that we're going to have to cover.

I have seen some fairly terrible Europa Games and fantastic ones too, it goes down to pragmatism, it's not about money, it's about building a squad that can cope with all the games and building a squad that is genuinely competitive on all fronts and sustainable.

20 years back everything was really different, domestic cups mattered more, the EUFA Cup mattered more, we have changed perspectives now and the Premier League and Champioms League really seems to be all that matters. You can blame Sky, Modern Football, Lack of Standing but the fact is these are the cards we're dealt with.

We need to be in the Europa next year, I say this only for the fact I remember not so long ago going to catch the last game of the season away at Middlesborough, where they opened the North Stand for fans to sit and watch the game on the Jumbotron where Spurs might get that EUFA Cup place for the first time in years, we didn't make it then and it mattered, whatever happens after game 38 I still think it does.

I like where your thinking is on this, and I agree with you on a lot of it, but it has to be pointed out (given that I do want to play in the competition next year) that the Europa midweek games hold are quite different and hold quite different ramifications from the Champions League games. Worse timing and in worse locations. Is absolute bullshit IMO that the CL failure teams get to drop down after not having to travel to the far corners of Europe and having it consequently impact their domestic campaign as much.

I'll very much be pulling for Sevilla with their ridiculous neck-tie shirts in the final, as they've waded through this competition from the very beginning.

 

[zin]

Grass cunt

Oh look Sammy resorts to insults, shocker.

 

[78Spur]

I'll very much be pulling for Sevilla with their ridiculous neck-tie shirts in the final, as they've waded through this competition from the very beginning.

Are they letting in teams from the CL next season then, I thought that was ending next season?

I do see your point about the distances covered and the schedule which is outright tough, it will stretch us and I'd rather we weren't going to the Ukraine or the middle of nowhere, I guess we have to cross our fingers for a kind draw.

I am pretty certain Man Utd fans would love to take our place though, they have not been out of Europe for a very long time and I think that 6th place will mean a lot to them.

 

[cahspur]

Are they letting in teams from the CL next season then, I thought that was ending next season?

I do see your point about the distances covered and the schedule which is outright tough, it will stretch us and I'd rather we weren't going to the Ukraine or the middle of nowhere, I guess we have to cross our fingers for a kind draw.

I am pretty certain Man Utd fans would love to take our place though, they have not been out of Europe for a very long time and I think that 6th place will mean a lot to them.

Oh I agree, I'd very much like for us to to be in the competition next year and deny them in the process. And the only thing we can do is hope and pray for a good draw. This season was a bit ridiculous, as we drew the furthest north club in all of UEFA, and one of the furthest East.

Is that correct that the CL teams won't drop down after this season? That would be immense. It is harsh on the motivational factor for the teams that start from the beginning, as more often than not the dropdown teams have won the competition (I believe Atletico in 2012 is the only team since the inception of the modern format to have won it since playing from the beginning).

 

[sammyspurs]

Oh look I resort to taking the thread off topic to talk about Sammy shocker.

 

[Mick Cooper]

Oh look Sammy resorts to insults, shocker.

shockorama, surely?

 

[brighty]

Are they letting in teams from the CL next season then, I thought that was ending next season?

Is that correct that the CL teams won't drop down after this season? That would be immense.

It was confirmed earlier in the thread that 8 teams will still drop 'down' from the CL in order to make the numbers up for the knockouts as 12 groups don't produce enough teams for a 'clean' draw through to the final.

 

[cahspur]

It was confirmed earlier in the thread that 8 teams will still drop 'down' from the CL in order to make the numbers up for the knockouts as 12 groups don't produce enough teams for a 'clean' draw through to the final.

Thanks for the info.

Still would like to play in the competition next season, but that is unfortunate news indeed.

 

[brighty]

The only way they could change it is either with (another) massive restructure, or do what is happening with the EURO qualifiers and have the highest points scoring teams that finished in third going through.

Although this would result is more 'minnow' teams making the knockouts which people would complain about and could 'devalue' the competition as a whole.

 

[Benjamin]

Is absolute bullshit IMO that the CL failure teams get to drop down after not having to travel to the far corners of Europe and having it consequently impact their domestic campaign as much. .

Cannot agree more. You don't get a consolation prize for losing. Especially when you think about the fact that the teams competing in Europa have very little chance of beating these "drop down" teams. I don't know why they don't just come along and have some sort of side bracket specifically for the drop down teams. That way there will be one drop down team, instead of 8 scattered throughout.

 

[Eskimo]

What happens if the team that wins the Europa League has already qualified through their domestic league for the following seasons CL, does the place go to the losing finalists?

Also anyone know what stage the winners of the EL go into the CL? Is it group stage or the prelim?

 

[WookieD]

"Under Harry things were different, we were playing good football" Not prior to his arrival we werent, and he took over part way through the season (where we had Europa league football).

Surely the more competitive matches the better? And as I said no need to take the entire first team. Our squad is plenty big enough to cope and it means everyone gets a decent amount of game time.

But that's the point, he joined not even half way through the season and then had a whole summer. So going into his first proper season he had something like 9/10 months to get the team sorted out and two transfer windows.

Competitive matches are only any good if the team has a clue what is being asked of them, and with absolute minimal training sessions after the World Cup, they won't have a Scooby Doo. Positivity might get us through the first few games but they will need time to train and get instruction.

You're also forgetting that many of these players will have come back from the World Cup, managed a few weeks of R&R, then gone into a full pre-season fitness schedule and then asked to go straight into two games a week... injuries much?

I don't believe for a second that a manager like De Boer or Pocchetino would take a stripped squad to a qualifier so it's a recipe for disaster.

Any other year, fine, but this year, it'll completely fuck our preparations imo.

 

[Biff]

We need to be in the Europa next year, I say this only for the fact I remember not so long ago going to catch the last game of the season away at Middlesborough, where they opened the North Stand for fans to sit and watch the game on the Jumbotron where Spurs might get that EUFA Cup place for the first time in years, we didn't make it then and it mattered, whatever happens after game 38 I still think it does.

Another great example.
I went to that game on my own because I was so desperate to see us. The Riverside was a sell-out (WTF?!) - I was gutted when we lost and so were the other 3,500.
It mattered - and it should still matter.
Has ONE season in the Champions League really turned everyone so against this competition?

For the Sunday games "arguement" yes I get that... Sunday games are crap. But do you know what - even if we weren't in it we would still be playing on Sunday more often than not due to TV or playing someone else who was in the Europa League! I get a train, tube and a bus/another train to every game so the Sunday service mugs me off as much as anyone else... but on the flip side - Thursday nights are a decent football night IMO, dress down Fridays are made for hangovers.

 

[BN1]

Unfortunately we're brainwashed to believe that top 4 is our everything and that coming top 4 with no cup is better than a cup without top 4. Bollocks.

This season we've had a decent run in Europe and came 6th, last season we had an even better run in Europeand came 5th - losing out on 4th place on the final day of the season. It's all well and good blaming the Europe for not coming 4th - but i'd be careful what you wish for saying no to the Europa, from 1994 - 2006 we played 2 games away in Europe. Travelling abroad to watch your team is what supporting a team is all about - if we can continue those trips abroad aswell as coming top 6 minimum and fighting for top 4 - then you'd have to be an absolute cretin to say no to Europe.

 

[KeaneBean]

Unfortunately we're brainwashed to believe that top 4 is our everything and that coming top 4 with no cup is better than a cup without top 4. Bollocks.

This season we've had a decent run in Europe and came 6th, last season we had an even better run in Europeand came 5th - losing out on 4th place on the final day of the season. It's all well and good blaming the Europe for not coming 4th - but i'd be careful what you wish for saying no to the Europa, from 1994 - 2006 we played 2 games away in Europe. Travelling abroad to watch your team is what supporting a team is all about - if we can continue those trips abroad aswell as coming top 6 minimum and fighting for top 4 - then you'd have to be an absolute cretin to say no to Europe.

You never know, Everton might lose 10-0 and we might win 12-0 on the last day of the season then 5th here we come! :kaboullol:

 

[I8AVB]

You never know, Everton might lose 10-0 and we might win 12-0 on the last day of the season then 5th here we come! :kaboullol:

I on the other hand will be supporting two teams on Sunday, Man Utd and Villa. Considering I have a season ticket and will be at the Lane, I must be a bit careful if Villa score !!

 

[KeaneBean]

I on the other hand will be supporting two teams on Sunday, Man Utd and Villa. Considering I have a season ticket and will be at the Lane, I must be a bit careful if Villa score !!

Nice to see why we have such a great atmosphere at the Lane :kaboullol:

 

[Éperons]

What happens if the team that wins the Europa League has already qualified through their domestic league for the following seasons CL, does the place go to the losing finalists?

Also anyone know what stage the winners of the EL go into the CL? Is it group stage or the prelim?

1. No. In that case, the next lower club in that country's league gets the extra CL spot and that country has an "extra" participant in that year's CL.

Edit: zin was right. I don't know how I made this mistake, but if City were to win the PL and CL and Chelsea be PL runners-up and EL champs, then the FA would still only send four teams to the CL.

2. Group stage, iirc.

 

[Eskimo]

1. No. In that case, the next lower club in that country's league gets the extra CL spot and that country has an "extra" participant in that year's CL.

2. Group stage, iirc.

So we finish 4th win the EL and Woolwich finish 5th................