Europa League 2014-15

paulie8290

Involving British Team
Group C: Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG), Beşiktaş JK (TUR), FK Partizan (SRB), Asteras Tripolis FC (GRE)
Group FC Salzburg (AUT), Celtic FC (SCO), GNK Dinamo Zagreb (CRO), FC Astra Giurgiu (ROU)
Group H: LOSC Lille (FRA), VfL Wolfsburg (GER), Everton FC (ENG), FC Krasnodar (RUS)

Standard's group
Group G: Sevilla FC (ESP, holders), R. Standard de Liège (BEL), Feyenoord (NED), HNK Rijeka (CRO)

Uboat

I think I'd struggle to find this interesting even if we were in it.

SheffieldRed

Would love to be in this competition. Some traditionally big clubs & some good away days.

MrLargo

SheffieldRed said:

Would love to be in this competition. Some traditionally big clubs & some good away days.

Don't. Still can't get over us never getting at crack at Europe during our successful years. Wigan, Bolton, Hull, Ipswich, Scumwall, Fulham, Stoke, Pompey, Southampton, Swansea, Middlesbrough, Birmingham - all had a go. It's not fair.

Algarveaddick

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

MrLargo

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

I think the slating of the League Cup is just a (misguided) result of our piss poor record in it. We're always knocked out too early to have a chance of playing anyone exciting, and we're usually eliminated either away to some dreary northern side or beaten at home by a team from the division below that we should be comfortably beating. I used to go to all the 1st and 2nd round home games and the odd away trip, takes it's toll watching us get beaten at home by Yeovil and Orient or taken to extra-time by some other bunch of nobodies.

As for the Europa League, I'd cut off my testicles off to see us in the group stages, and I would imagine that Hull supporters are absolutely devastated to have been knocked out straight away. However, as a viewing spectacle for neutrals it's been absolutely ruined by UEFA in pursuit of more tv money from more games (just as the Champions League has.

Uboat

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

Nope. It's a meaningless contest. More meaningless that the League Cup, because at least the best teams are in that. It's a European cup where everyone puts forward their equivalent of Swansea.
I understand that competitions need competitors in them. I'm just saying I think it's a crap competition.

Kap10

I am sad enough to have enjoyed us in the Simod Cup, Anglo Italian Cup (When we played Crystallo Palacio) and the Johnstone Paint Trophy. I would love to see a Championship v Scots Prem competition (excluding the Scots in Europe), although I do realize there would probably be more people on the pitch than watching.

Sonicstud85

The winner this year goes into the champions league group stages next season. It is a competition well worth winning and i think this is a great move to make it more interesting.

MrLargo

Uboat said:

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

Nope. It's a meaningless contest. More meaningless that the League Cup, because at least the best teams are in that. It's a European cup where everyone puts forward their equivalent of Swansea.
I understand that competitions need competitors in them. I'm just saying I think it's a crap competition.

But Swansea warranted being in it - it was their reward for winning a cup. The problem is that its full of teams that haven't won anything who finished 6th last season, or won the Fair Play award. That completely devalues it as a tournament, just as the Champions League is devalued by incorporating teams who finished 30 odd points behind the Champions of their country.

iaitch

Kap10 said:

I am sad enough to have enjoyed us in the Simod Cup, Anglo Italian Cup (When we played Crystallo Palacio) and the Johnstone Paint Trophy. I would love to see a Championship v Scots Prem competition (excluding the Scots in Europe), although I do realize there would probably be more people on the pitch than watching.

English teams vs the Scottish teams was the Watney Cup many many many years ago, not too sure who won it or how long it went on for?

iaitch

Forget that is was the appropriately named Anglo-Scottish Cup.

ForeverAddickted

I think it just looks far too big a competition... It always reminds me of the film "Basket-ball" when the corporate owners manage to start making money out of the game and they create such endless Play-Offs that the commentators live in the studios.

If anything the teams that finish around 5th in their Leagues should go into the UEFA Cup (Sorry Europa League)
the winners of the Domestic cups (countries like England where there are two Domestics have a Play-Off between the two winners i.e. FA Cup v League Cup) and those winners go into the Cup-Winners-Cup

Algarveaddick

Uboat said:

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

Nope. It's a meaningless contest. More meaningless that the League Cup, because at least the best teams are in that. It's a European cup where everyone puts forward their equivalent of Swansea.
I understand that competitions need competitors in them. I'm just saying I think it's a crap competition.

That makes no sense mate. You play against other clubs who fit the criteria for entry, you beat them, you win the trophy. No one "puts forward" their teams, they earn the right by league position or winning a cup. Exception being the fair play entries, I agree that's a bit daft.

I guess by your criteria the FA cup is of less value than the League Cup because West Allotment Celtic and Walsham le Willows play in it then?

Uboat

Algarveaddick said:

Uboat said:

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

Nope. It's a meaningless contest. More meaningless that the League Cup, because at least the best teams are in that. It's a European cup where everyone puts forward their equivalent of Swansea.
I understand that competitions need competitors in them. I'm just saying I think it's a crap competition.

That makes no sense mate. You play against other clubs who fit the criteria for entry, you beat them, you win the trophy. No one "puts forward" their teams, they earn the right by league position or winning a cup. Exception being the fair play entries, I agree that's a bit daft.

I guess by your criteria the FA cup is of less value than the League Cup because West Allotment Celtic and Walsham le Willows play in it then?

I'm obviously not explaining myself very well. Yes, they 'earn' the right by finishing 5th-7th in the league. Why is there a competition for that?
Your comment on the FA cup makes no sense. It's a meaningful competition because the best teams are in it, so if you win it it really means something. If you win the Europa Cup you get to say, 'We are the best team in Europe who aren't one of the really good teams'. Wow.

If there was a competition for teams who finished 16th in their league, what would you think. Meaningless? If so, where would you draw the line?

GretnaGreenAddick

I would do anything to see Charlton playing European competitive football, i don't care if it is away to the team who came 3rd in some league most of us have never heard of, id still go.

Im jealous of all the mid table premiership teams who have had European adventures in the last so many years.

The_Organiser

Some of the best away trips you could hope for there.

Uboat

Obviously I'm the odd one out then. Oh well, at least if it ever happens I won't be taking anyone's seat on the coach to FC Astra Giurgiu.

Algarveaddick

Uboat said:

Algarveaddick said:

Uboat said:

Algarveaddick said:

I really don't understand why some people are football fans. We had people talking about the League cup being a meaningless waste of time on a thread the other day, and now UBoat wouldn't be interested in the Europa league if we were taking part in it? Do you not get that football is a game involving competition with other football teams, in both league and cup formats, and that in order for that competition to work, you need to play in it?

Nope. It's a meaningless contest. More meaningless that the League Cup, because at least the best teams are in that. It's a European cup where everyone puts forward their equivalent of Swansea.
I understand that competitions need competitors in them. I'm just saying I think it's a crap competition.

That makes no sense mate. You play against other clubs who fit the criteria for entry, you beat them, you win the trophy. No one "puts forward" their teams, they earn the right by league position or winning a cup. Exception being the fair play entries, I agree that's a bit daft.

I guess by your criteria the FA cup is of less value than the League Cup because West Allotment Celtic and Walsham le Willows play in it then?

I'm obviously not explaining myself very well. Yes, they 'earn' the right by finishing 5th-7th in the league. Why is there a competition for that?
Your comment on the FA cup makes no sense. It's a meaningful competition because the best teams are in it, so if you win it it really means something. If you win the Europa Cup you get to say, 'We are the best team in Europe who aren't one of the really good teams'. Wow.

If there was a competition for teams who finished 16th in their league, what would you think. Meaningless? If so, where would you draw the line?

Now I get you. As it replaced the UEFA cup I guess you were against that too, and you do have a point. Likewise the Johnsons Paint. But I think teams outside the elite should have the opportunity to play each other, and I believe for once I am in a big majority in saying I would have loved to see Charlton play against some legendary names in Europe, even if you wouldn't.

Uboat

Yes, you do seem to be a big majority. I used to quite like the UEFA cup in the days of the Old European cup, because it was full of famous names, but it was still like winning the plate.

NomadicAddick

I honestly cannot think of a better prospect than being able to watch Charlton play in Europe. I'd love it if we were in the Europa league. However, I can think of a lot of things better than watching Charlton play away from home in the Capital One cup away at Derby on a Tuesday night.

Although I'd happily win it to secure us a place in Europe! We would have to win it next time as UEFA have taken away the runner up qualifying if the winner is already in the Champions League.

Uboat

Just to be clear, I would not be complaining if we finished 5th in the Premier League.

NomadicAddick

I really think the Europa League now means something because of the winner going into the CL, especially for clubs like Spurs, it seems Daniel Levy would chop both his legs off and eat them to get Spurs into the CL.

It's fantastic to win it and is European silverware. Also a lot of the teams that are in it are not teams that have finished 5-7th, a lot of them are domestic champions, it's only the bigger European countries in which this is the case.

Algarveaddick

Uboat said:

Obviously I'm the odd one out then. Oh well, at least if it ever happens I won't be taking anyone's seat on the coach to FC Astra Giurgiu.

I see what you did there - very clever... you could have said Benfica, or Seville last years finalists, or Juventus, Porto, Ajax or Napoli, all of whom graced last year's competition, but you picked an obscure team to make a point... :-)

Algarveaddick

Uboat said:

Just to be clear, I would not be complaining if we finished 5th in the Premier League.

Just about the fact that we might then have to play Anzhi Makhachkala on a Thursday instead of going to bingo... :-D

Uboat

Algarveaddick said:

Uboat said:

Just to be clear, I would not be complaining if we finished 5th in the Premier League.

Just about the fact that we might then have to play Anzhi Makhachkala on a Thursday instead of going to bingo... :-D

Actually all those Sunday kick-offs would probably annoy me.

Super_horns

Might be Spurs best chance of getting Champions league football - the winners get a place I believe.

paulie8290

I was thinking that if an English team win it this year, does that mean Champions league is only 1st 2nd and 3rd in the prem

Uboat

paulie8290 said:

I was thinking that if an English team win it this year, does that mean Champions league is only 1st 2nd and 3rd in the prem

If that's right you can guarantee that Everton will win it and Spurs will finish 4th in the prem.

oohaahmortimer

Anyone know the answer , if an English team wins it will that mean 4th in Prem knocked?

NomadicAddick said:

We would have to win it next time as UEFA have taken away the runner up qualifying if the winner is already in the Champions League.

Is that the same with the FA Cup ?

Algarveaddick

NomadicAddick said:

.

Although I'd happily win it to secure us a place in Europe! We would have to win it next time as UEFA have taken away the runner up qualifying if the winner is already in the Champions League.

There you go UBoat, you are not alone, those splendid chaps at UEFA don't want unknown teams like Hull clogging up their second rate competition either...