Alex Lamper on how European qualification, regardless of the competition is a privilege not a hindrance.
Read article
Read article
-
The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...
Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports
100% agree with the author, and I cringe when I see fans suggesting that we avoid the EL because of this supposed Thursday/Sunday curse. When I started supporting the club in the duldrum years the very thought of playing in Europe was exciting beyond belief. Fans who now take it for granted sicken me, especially now that the rewards in the competition are even greater.
I love Spurs being in any European competition and have had some great trips following the club abroad in the Europa.
I just hate the format of the competition itself - it would be much more interesting if it were knockout all the way through and they didn't let Champions League teams drop down midway into it.
In it's current format I think it's near on impossible for us to win and at the same time maintain any kind of form in the league, league cup and fa cup.
I just hate the format of the competition itself - it would be much more interesting if it were knockout all the way through and they didn't let Champions League teams drop down midway into it.
In it's current format I think it's near on impossible for us to win and at the same time maintain any kind of form in the league, league cup and fa cup.
SS, everyone has their own view on the EL. I have said many times on the board that I (me personally) would like next season to be without EL. Just see what difference it makes in our league placing and search for cups. I can guarantee if we are in the EL next season, we will be sitting here on the 15th April 2016 saying the same things like "we are burnt out" "we have lost at home to Villa WBA etc" and "the scum have finished above us again".
I dont mind if Poch says to Levy "let me try to win the EL, put a strong squad out and finish 8th or so in the league". Fine. But its the resting of some players and still playing crap after a EL game that gets on my nerves. For some reason we cannot commit to the EL and have it not affect our league and cup schedule.
EL is all fine and well if we didn't have such a large amount of average players in the squad, we have played more games this season than any other Prem team and we only have a core of about 14-15 players that are in any way reliable, that's too much for 3 cup competitions and the league unless you significantly prioritise certain compeitions, i.e play the kids in the EL and League Cup.
It doesn't help that the format of the EL like
Blanchflower
said is awful with more games than the CL plus CL teams dropping into it as well to cheapen the whole thing. Should we significant improve in the summer getting rid of average players and getting better ones then we should be in a better position to rotate and have a go next season but I can see why the EL has casued us issues.
Agree with the article's comments about expectations, but still feel we could have done better.
If the EL had a shorter competition life with no rewarding another pay day for failed CL teams (cHAVS) then it would be something to go for, but 16 games to get to the final, no thanks.
Funny we still seem to be playing most of our games on a Sunday ?
Funny we still seem to be playing most of our games on a Sunday ?
I don't mind the EL, as long as it bottom priority out of the four competitions we're in. We should just play youth/fringe players in the early stages, especially away from home, where none of the first team should travel. Despite the increased prize money, it's not enough to wreck our domestic season over. I'm still livid over Poch and the Florentine fiasco.
Are the people saying that they don't want to be in the EL the people who don't travel away to the games?
I try and do a couple of away games a season and I fucking love it! Why would you not want to go away for a few days in the sun and get pissed watching Spurs? Yes, some of the games have been a bit rubbish but surely that isn't the point
I try and do a couple of away games a season and I fucking love it! Why would you not want to go away for a few days in the sun and get pissed watching Spurs? Yes, some of the games have been a bit rubbish but surely that isn't the point
I still think they missed a trick with the reformatting of the old European Cup... that should've stayed as it was (ie: Champions of each Country only) for no other reason than calling it the 'Champions League'TM (c) is absolute nonsense!! At least the best of the best can compete against the best of each country... even if it did mean the same few teams qualifying each year... they kinda do already! (with the exception of 4th placed team, which could be any one of about 4-5 different clubs)
It's the UEFA Cup/EUROPA League that should have the 'Champions League'TM (c) format... the teams finishing 2nd-6th are all put into Leagues, playing off against each other until a knockout quarter final onwards... No drop outs from other competitions allowed, if they must have a one-off/neutral venue final instead of the Home & Away 2 legged final (though I liked that!) then so be it... but KEEP IT MIDWEEK FFS... none of this Saturday night showpiece guff!!!!
I can't see how they didn;t think of it before!!
I agree I said the same thing earlier in another thread when someone said 'a club of our size should be winning things"
I also love us playing in Europe, and that's one place we have been more successful than Woowich: winning European trophies.
However, I do think Thursday& Sunday does hinder performance. There is no doubt about it.
The format should be changed. especially when teams like Chavs are laying on Tuesday night and then Sat or Sun.
Either play the CL games on Tues and the EL games on Wednesday or vice versa.
TV has got to stop being greedy and wanting to show as many CL games as possible and configuring the CL ties on a Tues and Wednesday to do so, and to the detriment of the teams that play in the EL.
You don't know, maybe Man City may fill their stadium in a CL tie as they may not be shown.
I think CL should be played on Wednesday and then those teams play on Sundays ( due to the demand for those teams aired EPL games)
Then play the EL on Tuesday night and EPL games Saturday.
That way they all get 3 days R&R between fixtures bar domestic cup games.
If the EL is not to be seen as a squad killer and a lesser competition then it has to demand even footing.
Why should the EL teams play on Thursday night in Eastern Europe and then play again on a Sunday at 12 when teams like Chavs are invariably having 3 days between their CL and EPL games?
Also, no CL drop outs swanning in after they get fucked off out their competition. What a fucking crock that is.
Just look at how may EL finals have had CL drop out teams compete since this was introduced. Look at how many EL finals have been contested by two teams both dropped out from the CL.
IMO that's what will make it more appealing.
I also love us playing in Europe, and that's one place we have been more successful than Woowich: winning European trophies.
However, I do think Thursday& Sunday does hinder performance. There is no doubt about it.
The format should be changed. especially when teams like Chavs are laying on Tuesday night and then Sat or Sun.
Either play the CL games on Tues and the EL games on Wednesday or vice versa.
TV has got to stop being greedy and wanting to show as many CL games as possible and configuring the CL ties on a Tues and Wednesday to do so, and to the detriment of the teams that play in the EL.
You don't know, maybe Man City may fill their stadium in a CL tie as they may not be shown.
I think CL should be played on Wednesday and then those teams play on Sundays ( due to the demand for those teams aired EPL games)
Then play the EL on Tuesday night and EPL games Saturday.
That way they all get 3 days R&R between fixtures bar domestic cup games.
If the EL is not to be seen as a squad killer and a lesser competition then it has to demand even footing.
Why should the EL teams play on Thursday night in Eastern Europe and then play again on a Sunday at 12 when teams like Chavs are invariably having 3 days between their CL and EPL games?
Also, no CL drop outs swanning in after they get fucked off out their competition. What a fucking crock that is.
Just look at how may EL finals have had CL drop out teams compete since this was introduced. Look at how many EL finals have been contested by two teams both dropped out from the CL.
IMO that's what will make it more appealing.
There are many ways to improve EL, but until it is improved considerably it should be at the bottom of the pile for us. My favoured improvement would be another 50+% rise in the prize and TV pool money, so EL money got to the level of 50% of CL payouts. If that meant reducing CL money somewhat, that would be all well and good.
I would also like to see both EL finalists given automatic CL qualification, if they were not already qualified.
I would also like to see both EL finalists given automatic CL qualification, if they were not already qualified.
Last edited:
And playing shit.
I remember being in the Paxton last game of 05/06 season when we first got back into Europe with Jol with beach balls flying around and half the ground had barca shirts on after arse lost the CL final, was a really happy time, expectations eh!
That year in CL has turned out to be quite poisonous, I wonder if Everton fans still believe they should be in it after they were in for one season?
Looking at these comments it not us that's the problem it's UEFA's bullshit format. How about call it the UEFA cup again, no mini-league before the knockout just pure win you go through, lose you go out, 7-8 games and you pick up the cup, no CL teams drop into it either, then we are talking.
For what it's worth I always go to at least one EL away per season, and I think we need to decide whether to prioritise the cups (and simply staying up in the league) or the league at the expense of all the cups, except maybe the FA Cup. I genuinely don't care which way around it is but I strongly believe that the amount of games played makes a big difference and we normally end up with a foot in either camp but not really committing to either. We know how it ends up what with all the advantages the elite clubs have over us. It would be interesting to see what happens if we "went for it" either way. I would actually (marginally) favour us prioritising all the cup competitions. I think it could make for a fascinating season. The top four battles of past have been exciting but for me at least that was almost as much about the prospect of displacing Woolwich and seeing their Wenger out brigade fuming at the prospect of playing in the EL than us finishing in the CL spots.
As for the EL trips, I normally go either somewhere interesting (as a location) or somewhere with an interesting fan culture, rather than choosing the important or popular games. This year I did Partizan Belgrade and our support was shocking. I think next time I will pick the popular game (e.g. Fiorentina) just to be in a better away support.
and if City beat Palace and Man Utd, they'd have been even further clear. Swings and roundabouts.