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- Apr 27, 2014
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It's bollocks and completely unfair to teams who finish in the top four. You qualify if you deserve to, simple as that.
Cluj was founded 100+ years ago, hardly no history.Pretty good idea if you ask me, depending on the criteria.
Felt we really deserved a wild card after the Moyes season, after a record of 17 consecutive seasons playing Champions League and making 3 finals in the last 6 years at that time and having a huge budget to buy top players it was very weird not to see us in the biggest tournament.
I believe small clubs make around around 20 million for playing in the group stages of the Champions League. Surely we could've reimbursed a club with no history like say Cluj or Maribor by paying them 30 million, after which they got to take a place in the Europa League so they'd still have European football at a level where there's a bigger chance they could've been competitive.
Not sure how I would feel about a club like Spurs getting a wildcard though, of course they would be good for the tournament but at the same time they can't make any historical claim. But massive clubs like Real, United or Milan who have a great history in the tournament should always be in it as far as I'm concerned, preferably taking the place of smallest clubs with the lowest budgets and the fewest chance of getting results in the group stage.
I also definitely believe the draws of the knock-out rounds have been fixed over the years, that hasn't harmed the tournament. So why should giving wildcards to some of the biggest clubs in the history of the tournament be harmful or unfair?
To be honest I meant no impressive history in the tournament or in Europe, but I'm sorry if I offended you somehow.Cluj was founded 100+ years ago, hardly no history.
Maribor is most successful Slovenian club ever, also no history I presume?
Oh and United is so massive at the moment that fecking Norwich and Sunderland are taking points off us with ease, while Milan can't get in top 4 for years now but let's give them wild card since they have history. Why not give it to Nottingham Forrest then or HSV, nevermind they're even more shitier than we or Milan are.
This is one of most ignorant posts I've read here.
well said.It's very easy to qualify to the Champions League, any team who doesn't qualify really doesn't deserve to be in it. There are already way too many advantages for big clubs.
These non-rich clubs should just be closed. Make a rule that in football only clubs with €100m+ budget can compete. Close all Eastern European leagues. Actually scrap that, close all East Europe countries while you're at it, there's no point to them.To be honest I meant no impressive history in the tournament or in Europe, but I'm sorry if I offended you somehow.
What's wrong with the Europa League? Djepr did quite well there, surely that was exciting.These non-rich clubs should just be closed. Make a rule that in football only clubs with €100m+ budget can compete. Close all Eastern European leagues. Actually scrap that, close all East Europe countries while you're at it, there's no point to them.
Cause Us and Chelsea not being in it could mean less tv money.Why does Barca's president even want this.. They already qualify twice over in most years as it is!
Champions League is a higher competition where you get to play the best teams. Europa League is secondary. You don't send teams to secondary competitions just because they're not rich. Are you going to ask Leicester to return the title if they win it if they fail to show €100m in their bank account? Will you actually recognize their title win or will you consider the highest placed rich team as champions?What's wrong with the Europa League? Djepr did quite well there, surely that was exciting.
Well like I said, where I'm from (Holland) loads of fans have complained about being bored with the obligatory Champions League group matches against half arsed top teams who have five times the budget. PSV is a nice exception this year (first time in 10 years though) but they're never going to win it and I'm genuinely under the impression many people wouldn't mind only playing in the Europa League if that meant getting more money like I suggested.Champions League is a higher competition where you get to play the best teams. Europa League is secondary. You don't send teams to secondary competitions just because they're not rich. Are you going to ask Leicester to return the title if they win it if they fail to show €100m in their bank account? Will you actually recognize their title win or will you consider the highest placed rich team as champions?
I'm sure the players would just LOVE it when the clubs sells out their CL campaign.Well like I said, where I'm from (Holland) loads of fans have complained about being bored with the obligatory Champions League group matches against half arsed top teams who have five times the budget. PSV is a nice exception this year (first time in 10 years though) but they're never going to win it and I'm genuinely under the impression many people wouldn't mind only playing in the Europa League if that meant getting more money like I suggested.
Perhaps clubs could use that cash to finally keep one of their best players for a season longer, making the league a tiny bit more interesting. Or use the cash to invest in the team to compete in the Europa league for a change, because even that has been nearly impossible for the last ten years.
Yeah what's wrong with Europa League if it's the competition where some "big clubs" belong?What's wrong with the Europa League? Djepr did quite well there, surely that was exciting.
Are you offended too because I called PSG a fake plastic club? I can't really say I'm sorry for that.Yeah what's wrong with Europa League if it's the competition where some "big clubs" belong?
I agree, though maybe Donezk and Zenit could be allowed to stay around, they seem pretty wealthy.These non-rich clubs should just be closed. Make a rule that in football only clubs with €100m+ budget can compete. Close all Eastern European leagues. Actually scrap that, close all East Europe countries while you're at it, there's no point to them.
No I didn't notice, but I'm completely baffled by your condescending attitude towards the smaller clubs. Incredible really.Are you offended too because I called PSG a fake plastic club? I can't really say I'm sorry for that.
Or like the fair play league, except to an extreme version. Roberto Martinez would take Lukaku and Barkley out to (some parts of) Africa to dig wells and handing out Malaria nets. So Guus Hiddink flies out to personally take control of the response to the Ebola crisis which leads to Van Gaal heading to South America, his Philosophy in tow, to try and eradicate the Zika Virus.I'd like it if the wildcard was actually wild. Put every top division club in Europe into a hat and pull out one name.
Now this I could probably get on board with for the entertainment value. Imagine a team like Leicester last year getting it and then winning the entire thing.I'd like it if the wildcard was actually wild. Put every top division club in Europe into a hat and pull out one name.
Wow. That is horrible. Being a supporter of a team "without history" who qualified for the CL two years in a row (widely seen as one of the most impressive feats of Swedish club football) I would be utterly disappointed if we qualified and then sold our spot to a bigger team.Pretty good idea if you ask me, depending on the criteria.
Felt we really deserved a wild card after the Moyes season, after a record of 17 consecutive seasons playing Champions League and making 3 finals in the last 6 years at that time and having a huge budget to buy top players it was very weird not to see us in the biggest tournament.
I believe small clubs make around around 20 million for playing in the group stages of the Champions League. Surely we could've reimbursed a club with no history like say Cluj or Maribor by paying them 30 million, after which they got to take a place in the Europa League so they'd still have European football at a level where there's a bigger chance they could've been competitive.
Not sure how I would feel about a club like Spurs getting a wildcard though, of course they would be good for the tournament but at the same time they can't make any historical claim. But massive clubs like Real, United or Milan who have a great history in the tournament should always be in it as far as I'm concerned, preferably taking the place of smallest clubs with the lowest budgets and the fewest chance of getting results in the group stage.
I also definitely believe the draws of the knock-out rounds have been fixed over the years, that hasn't harmed the tournament. So why should giving wildcards to some of the biggest clubs in the history of the tournament be harmful or unfair?
So UEFA alone will be able to decide what extra club gets entry to a competition worth millions? Yeah they won't abuse that.That is the decision of Uefa.
So in the name of increasing competitiveness, we'll be able to include an established top club who had "a bad season" at the expense of a club that earned it though merit. Yeah that seems like the best way to get more people interested and improve competiveness."Sometimes, clubs have a bad season and it is a big punishment to not play in the Champions League. We need a stronger Champions League and more and more interest for the football fans and to make it more competitive.
Well I just feel it's a bit of a farce to act like it's so great to have the smaller clubs in it. Sure it might seem nice to be in the Champions League if your club or perhaps your country has never been in it. But in reality the results of the last 20 years show the small teams hardly have any chance to compete, let alone win it. Not much you can do about that as long as clubs from bigger league have much bigger budgets.No I didn't notice, but I'm completely baffled by your condescending attitude towards the smaller clubs. Incredible really.
Bad management decisions can happen at any club in any situation. I'm sure there are plenty of clubs in Europe who managed to screw up their finances without even qualifying for the CL.Well I just feel it's a bit of a farce to act like it's so great to have the smaller clubs in it. Sure it might seem nice to be in the Champions League if your club or perhaps your country has never been in it. But in reality the results of the last 20 years show the small teams hardly have any chance to compete, let alone win it. Not much you can do about that as long as clubs from bigger league have much bigger budgets.
And then there's a risk it can end up costing a lot of money too. Take Steve McClaren's old team FC Twente, they fluked their way to the title, qualifying for the Champions League. After that their board got so caught up by the idea of competing with the top clubs and the allure of the big stage that they were convinced they could be a top 20 club in Europe and made all kinds of irresponsible investments and shady deals. They're now on the verge of bankruptcy, and they're hardly the first time to undergo such a scenario.
Team gets weaker ---> Does not qualify for CL because they are weak ---> Let them in the CL to make it stronger.Sometimes, clubs have a bad season and it is a big punishment to not play in the Champions League. We need a stronger Champions League and more and more interest for the football fans and to make it more competitive.
Actually I was just thinking Fc Twente are maybe another example of buying themselves into the Champions league, with money that was't even really theirs, and I'm assuming this happens at loads of clubs.Team gets weaker ---> Does not qualify for CL because they are weak ---> Let them in the CL to make it stronger.
Logic?
We all know they are not going to win but different teams have different aspirations and see success being different things. Shrewsbury were never going to win the FA Cup but have experienced a magical journey that fans and players alike will cherish for the rest of their lives. PSV managed to get through a group they had no right to (in theory) and it will be a great learning environment for their players however much further they get. Small teams take great esteem from seemingly insignificant achievements and to remove such opportunities for them further detracts from the beauty of sporting competition.But in reality the results of the last 20 years show the small teams hardly have any chance to compete, let alone win it.
That's no reason to go the opposite extreme.To be honest I meant no impressive history in the tournament or in Europe, but I'm sorry if I offended you somehow.
In an ideal world I would like to go back to the system where only league winners would qualify, all clubs having roughly the same budget would be nice and stuff like 3 foreigners max would help, so smaller clubs have a fair chance and it would be a pretty even playing field. But that's never ever going to happen again for obvious reasons.
"Elite" clubs should form their version of CL with entry being based on who's having more money not actual in-time performances and problem solved.To be honest I meant no impressive history in the tournament or in Europe, but I'm sorry if I offended you somehow.
In an ideal world I would like to go back to the system where only league winners would qualify, all clubs having roughly the same budget would be nice and stuff like 3 foreigners max would help, so smaller clubs have a fair chance and it would be a pretty even playing field. But that's never ever going to happen again for obvious reasons.
The Champions League is the biggest European league and for me it's about competition and entertainment, so I would love to see the biggest and best clubs competing year in year out like in a sort off European super league. I've already said however, that I share the sentiments about United being so poor that I'm not sure we would deserve a wild card this year. But at the same time if something similar would happen to a huge club with a genuine existing fanbase and legitimate sponsors, I would't mind if they got some kind of wild card either.