Europa Conference League 22/23

Camy89

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Nah, it’s a trophy that was thought for smaller markets… which makes an Italian mid table and an English mid table (aka both pretty rich) team contending it, all much a farce.
This trophy was just another way UEFA could make more money regardless of who’s playing in it, much like how they are implementing the new CL format soon so more games are played, and thus, more profit they make. The idea this contest was devised for the good of smaller clubs is pure rose tinted glasses.

As much as I dislike West Ham, I’m happy to see Moyes get a trophy though, always had a bit of a soft spot for him.
 

2 man midfield

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I'm sure he would do but I would hope he puts in better performances at his next club than tonight. That was a pretty bad display, i was actually quite shocked at how poor he was.
I don’t want him here anyway. 50m or something and he’d be a good option, but the fee is bonkers. Bit of a clogger as well, which I want to see us move away from.
 

Irwin99

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Yeah he had a very bad game, but that's far below his level this season.
Agreed. Thought he was very good against us a month or so back too. I just was shocked because i thought this was a game that was made for him tonight but these things happen. He won't be fussed either way.
 

Damien

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Conference League is the best thing UEFA have done in years. Fantastic for clubs like West Ham.
Yep. Also good for stadiums to get the opportunity to host European finals which aren't quite big/good enough for the CL/EL, although I do have sympathy that only 5k fans could get tickets for what is likely a rare once in a lifetime opportunity to see their team win a trophy.
 

edgecutter

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We all know it's a shit competition, but to clubs like West Ham it is massive, and they should enjoy nights like this. They don't/won't get many days like this
 

Abraxas

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You are right!

Both the players and the fans enjoy winning a trophy, whatever trophy it might be.

And I never understood the dilemma "win a cup and finish 7th, or win nothing and finish 4th?". Usually, when you have a good team you can win a cup and finish 4th, or even better, finish 1st. It is not like winning a cup disqualifies you from finishing top-4!
Especially in this day and age. The chances a club of West Ham's dimensions can win a major trophy such as a PL or a CL are close to zero. No matter how much genius they have behind the scenes, what manager they have, it's still close to zero.

The chances they can win a domestic cup competing against the top 6 are miniscule at the competition outset.

In the Europa competitions they have an opportunity, and it's great for the fans to be in European competition. That's what clubs like West Ham, Villa, Brighton, Brentford can go for. Even a newly promoted team, they know if they do really fecking well they could be there in a few seasons. It's a journey for them. How can everything boil down to simply surviving for the sake of survival on the PL, week in week out competing with very little on the line beyond a league place, only to start all over again and compete for a league position. That's crap. But these "lesser" European trophies add something to hope for and that's why I'm a fan of them. Even the Conference. The line probably should be drawn there though...3 European competitons is a lot.
 

Bertie Wooster

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Interested by all the 'Hope they win for Moyes' / 'Happy for Moyes' posts before and after the game.

Personally, I've no liking or disliking of him as a person. But I don't like the style of play of his teams, and didn't enjoy his one season with us, so certainly don't cheer him on as a former Red. But don't wish him any ill will either.

I wasn't on here - as a reader or member - during his reign at United. But knowing how toxic and divisive it can become on here, I'm guessing that was no different.

Are people really that pleased for a manager who had one poor season managing us, or is it just a bit of a dig at those they feel go too far in their hatred for him so more of a continuation of old arguments?
 

united_99

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I’ve got a vase in my back garden that looks like it.

But, it’s not the trophy itself and despite not liking West Ham, I can’t be anything but happy for them. Our cup winners cup win against Barca felt special, this is the same tier trophy. It’s a good feeling.
:lol: It really is not. Cup winners cup was only behind European Cup (CL).
 

Abraxas

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Interested by all the 'Hope they win for Moyes' / 'Happy for Moyes' posts before and after the game.

Personally, I've no liking or disliking of him as a person. But I don't like the style of play of his teams, and didn't enjoy his one season with us, so certainly don't cheer him on as a former Red. But don't wish him any ill will either.

I wasn't on here - as a reader or member - during his reign at United. But knowing how toxic and divisive it can become on here, I'm guessing that was no different.

Are people really that pleased for a manager who had one poor season managing us, or is it just a bit of a dig at those they feel go too far in their hatred for him so more of a continuation of old arguments?
For me it is nothing to do with Man Utd. It's just seeing the old trooper get a little bit of success in terms of silverware. It'd be the same if Roy Hodgson got his hands on the trophy.
 

Bepi

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This trophy was just another way UEFA could make more money regardless of who’s playing in it, much like how they are implementing the new CL format soon so more games are played, and thus, more profit they make. The idea this contest was devised for the good of smaller clubs is pure rose tinted glasses.

As much as I dislike West Ham, I’m happy to see Moyes get a trophy though, always had a bit of a soft spot for him.
The actual numbers of the prize pools for CL, EL and Conference support the fact Conference is a bit like Mitropa Cup from 40 years ago… not like the same period Cup Winners’ Cup. I mean, Juventus fans are trying to understand how much the club will earn actually going for it and the result is net-negative. :D Mind, I am pretty confident Allegri would have got beaten tonight by each team in this final, so it is all a pipedream for next season. If Ceferin is not a complete idiot, he would let us play this competition next year instead of banning us, just for tne laugh, the humiliation and the walk of shame to have a top top club travelling brothel hostels and amateurs’ pitches… and the minnows dreaming to beat fecking Juventus!.
 

Nick7

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The actual numbers of the prize pools for CL, EL and Conference support the fact Conference is a bit like Mitropa Cup from 40 years ago… not like the same period Cup Winners’ Cup. I mean, Juventus fans are trying to understand how much the club will earn actually going for it and the result is net-negative. :D Mind, I am pretty confident Allegri would have got beaten tonight by each team in this final, so it is all a pipedream for next season. If Ceferin is not a complete idiot, he would let us play this competition next year instead of banning us, just for tne laugh, the humiliation and the walk of shame to have a top top club travelling brothel hostels and amateurs’ pitches… and the minnows dreaming to beat fecking Juventus!.
God, they really need to bring the cup winners cup back.
 

KiD MoYeS

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Interested by all the 'Hope they win for Moyes' / 'Happy for Moyes' posts before and after the game.

Personally, I've no liking or disliking of him as a person. But I don't like the style of play of his teams, and didn't enjoy his one season with us, so certainly don't cheer him on as a former Red. But don't wish him any ill will either.

I wasn't on here - as a reader or member - during his reign at United. But knowing how toxic and divisive it can become on here, I'm guessing that was no different.

Are people really that pleased for a manager who had one poor season managing us, or is it just a bit of a dig at those they feel go too far in their hatred for him so more of a continuation of old arguments?
This place was toxic during Moyes tenure, as it was the first time for a lot of us that we experienced our club being crap. I was desperate for Moyes to be sacked at the time.

Having said that, the club have continued to fail since Moyes left. A handful of managers have come and gone since, and the majority of them have enjoyed some level of success since leaving. Moyes should never have got the Man Utd job - that was never his fault. Moyes season was also the season Woodward stepped up to replace Gill, and the former proved to be a complete and utter failure - also not Moyes fault. Moyes had an incredibly difficult time at Man Utd and now, reflecting on the past ten years, I can safely say I am really happy for him to have won a trophy tonight. He is hard working and deserves this.
 

horse_pills

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Are people really that pleased for a manager who had one poor season managing us, or is it just a bit of a dig at those they feel go too far in their hatred for him so more of a continuation of old arguments?
I think most of us felt that whilst the Utd job wasn't right for him, he left us with his reputation in tatters and accusations of being a one trick pony at Everton.
Lots of us will be pleased for him going on to prove that he is actually a decent manager, so games like this give him a bit of redemption
 

Koldbeer2021

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As a West Ham fan what makes me most proud is that when there was a chance to play a weaker team in the ECL because of a poor prem season to make sure we stay in the prem, but Moyes didn't. He took a gamble and this is the end result.

For West Ham it is a huge moment, to finally end a long cup drought and its the first time in my lifetime I've seen us win something, it is quite plausible it might be the last as well so I'm going to make the most of this.

Finally, I'm not sure there is that huge a gulf between the ECL/EL in the final stages of both comps, Roma won it last year and lost the finals of the EL this year, and West Ham were semi finalists in the EL last year. I think you only really see the large gulf when in the CL. I would say the gulf between the ECL/EL is more obvious though in the groups and early knockouts though.
 

SilentWitness

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Even funnier now that Spurs didn’t even get out of the group stage last year in this. :lol:
 

Paul_Scholes18

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As a West Ham fan what makes me most proud is that when there was a chance to play a weaker team in the ECL because of a poor prem season to make sure we stay in the prem, but Moyes didn't. He took a gamble and this is the end result.

For West Ham it is a huge moment, to finally end a long cup drought and its the first time in my lifetime I've seen us win something, it is quite plausible it might be the last as well so I'm going to make the most of this.

Finally, I'm not sure there is that huge a gulf between the ECL/EL in the final stages of both comps, Roma won it last year and lost the finals of the EL this year, and West Ham were semi finalists in the EL last year. I think you only really see the large gulf when in the CL. I would say the gulf between the ECL/EL is more obvious though in the groups and early knockouts though.
Congrats. I think europa league has more teams from the big league as there is 2 from the big leagues and only 1 in conference. Although 6th and 7th placed teams are quite even often.

In the past the CL sides used to be far ahead. Barca, Real, Atletico much better than the 5-6 placed side and only Sevilla somehow being better in EL. Bayern, Dortmund also in the past far ahead with lewa, Haaland etc over the other German teams.

This season though I feel that the CL sides have not been so amazing apart from City really so smaller gap. Lazio for example that played conference had a really good season and ended higher than Inter in the league.

Have fun today with your family, friends and tell your boss you are sick or something if needed tomorrow.
 

massi83

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Great competition! One of the rare things uefa has done right.
 

Bertie Wooster

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For me it is nothing to do with Man Utd. It's just seeing the old trooper get a little bit of success in terms of silverware. It'd be the same if Roy Hodgson got his hands on the trophy.
This place was toxic during Moyes tenure, as it was the first time for a lot of us that we experienced our club being crap. I was desperate for Moyes to be sacked at the time.

Having said that, the club have continued to fail since Moyes left. A handful of managers have come and gone since, and the majority of them have enjoyed some level of success since leaving. Moyes should never have got the Man Utd job - that was never his fault. Moyes season was also the season Woodward stepped up to replace Gill, and the former proved to be a complete and utter failure - also not Moyes fault. Moyes had an incredibly difficult time at Man Utd and now, reflecting on the past ten years, I can safely say I am really happy for him to have won a trophy tonight. He is hard working and deserves this.
I think most of us felt that whilst the Utd job wasn't right for him, he left us with his reputation in tatters and accusations of being a one trick pony at Everton.

Lots of us will be pleased for him going on to prove that he is actually a decent manager, so games like this give him a bit of redemption
Thanks for all the interesting replies. :)
 
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Oscar Bonavena

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They are commemorative medals
Yeah I know. Still a load of old bollocks though. Like giving a medal to the bloke who fires the starting pistol for the 100 metre sprint!

I'll file it under the "things in football that make you irrationally angry" thread.
 

Red in STL

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Yeah I know. Still a load of old bollocks though. Like giving a medal to the bloke who fires the starting pistol for the 100 metre sprint!

I'll file it under the "things in football that make you irrationally angry" thread.
You seem to be the only one, remember for a referee, games like this are the highlight of their careers
 

noodlehair

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Why did BT have to constantly state "we have to praise the West Ham fans fir their behaviour" before criticising them?

Praise them for what? Not committing criminal assault on an opposition player for 20 minutes? Shouldnt this just be a given? Do I also "have to be praised" every time I go one quarter of watching a football match without committing any violent acts of crime? Where is my praise?

It's like that bad kid in school getting a well done sticker for going half a lesson without hitting the teacher in the face with a chair.


Also liked that BT added to the magnitude of the occasion by going for the "8th most important CL game of the night/non league saturday evening" choice of commentary team, despite their being no other football games on at the same time, then threw in a token Robbie Savage in case the other two commentators weren't annoying enough. It wasn't even worth wheeling out the full Europa League production for apparently.
 

Blood Mage

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I'm happy for Moyes honestly, he's received far too much disrespect over the years and I truly felt sorry for him after his humiliating stint as United manager. Feck West Ham though, scummy club with scummy fans.
 

G-manc

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I was pleased for West Ham and how chuffed Moyes was at the end. Not ashamed to say I let out a little “get in” when Bowen scored.

Yes, it’s a lower tier trophy but for a team that’s not won owt for 40 odd years, it’s massive.
 

GuybrushThreepwood

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I would prefer it if clubs from leagues outside the top 4 leagues won this tournament (I still can’t say that it’s a big 5 when the last time that a Ligue 1 club won a major European trophy was in 1996). I hope that does happen at least from time to

But still last season it was Roma’s first European trophy win for 61 years and first major trophy win for 14 years, while this season it is West Ham’s first European trophy win for 58 years and and first major trophy win for 43 years, so both good storylines (despite the fact that I don’t like West Ham in general).

I do think that this tournament was a very good idea in general, and the fact that it means that the size of the Europa League has reduced (preventing quite teams from having to play in 1-3 qualifying rounds to get to the group stage), is another added benefit.
 

adexkola

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Interested by all the 'Hope they win for Moyes' / 'Happy for Moyes' posts before and after the game.

Personally, I've no liking or disliking of him as a person. But I don't like the style of play of his teams, and didn't enjoy his one season with us, so certainly don't cheer him on as a former Red. But don't wish him any ill will either.

I wasn't on here - as a reader or member - during his reign at United. But knowing how toxic and divisive it can become on here, I'm guessing that was no different.

Are people really that pleased for a manager who had one poor season managing us, or is it just a bit of a dig at those they feel go too far in their hatred for him so more of a continuation of old arguments?
You don't know the half of it.

It was a literal black hole sucking all positive emotion out. I stopped going in the United forum. Even the football forum wasn't spared from the toxicity.
 

SilentWitness

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I didn't realist that they had such a good record in the tournament. Only drew one game and every game aside from that was a win. Fully deserved it.
 

Idxomer

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Aston Villa should win it next season. They have Emery and their only competition will be Juve who might not take it seriously.
 

RedRocket9908

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Aston Villa should win it next season. They have Emery and their only competition will be Juve who might not take it seriously.
It depends who drops in to it from the Europa League after the group stage, I can see Liverpool and maybe Brighton dropping in to it to be honest.
 

DomesticTadpole

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It depends who drops in to it from the Europa League after the group stage, I can see Liverpool and maybe Brighton dropping in to it to be honest.
Which is what's wrong with all the European formats. If you fail, you fail. Tough luck. Not get another chance.