I didn't say that just because it hadn't been done before it could not be considered - I used a specific example of an historic situation which no-one at the time would have considered. For all the reasons listed, I don't like the idea of clubs getting two bites at the cherry. That is not 'my logic', that's my opinion.
Just like the Johnstone Paint Trophy is for lower league teams, the EL is for the second level of European teams and gives them a chance to win a European trophy. The top sides have their own competition. If PL and Championship teams knocked out of the F.A and CO Cups were to drop into it, it would be devalued for the League 1 and League 2 sides, whose chances of a cup run and pay day at Wembley would be significantly reduced. I don't see that it's any different for lesser European sides in the EL.
OK - Apologies if I came over as too critical. I'm a very unconservative person and I like innovation and while I think the extension of the CL to 32 teams was excessive I also thought that the consolation prize for third place was interesting. If the Champions league was restricted to 16 clubs then the likely third place teams woudl be in the Europa from the start. Most of the arguments used against this would equally well apply to the concept of premier league teams getting a bye to the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Why should a team who has started in the preliminary round and won 7 matches to get to the third round have to play a team who hasn't played at all. LDL's point above is a good one but I would contend that the EL is actually designed for Clubs below the top 16 in Europe and the current system is quite a good way of determining who the best of those is. I'm basically looking at it this way around - I want the best team in Europe to be able to win the CL and the best outside the top 16 to be able to win the EL. But choosing who the top 16 is, is in itself not simple. So spread the net wider to allow more into the CL but allow the best ones who don't qualify to drop down to where they probably should have been all along.
If any teams deserve a second bite of the cherry, it's the league winners from the lesser nations, who have no chance of winning the CL and effectively make up the numbers. To have a team like Chelsea- ranked in the top ten of European clubs- dropping into the EL is unfair on the rest.
That's probably a really good idea - just one that we know will never be taken on. 'Developing the game' is the hackneyed old phrase that UEFA and FIFA continue to spout as an excuse for creating unbalanced competitions.....
Whatever.It's giving our favourite waiter a chance of a trophy to add to his resume!......before he slings his hook.
Bacon Face is whinging that Bale didn't sign for his lot six years ago. Get over it - not every player in world football wants to sign for your multinational corporation. Thought they'd have learned that when Alan Shearer turned them down...
I think Watford, Hull started well but they look tense, the longer they go without a goal the harder it will become for them.
As final days go this one in the Championship has got to go down as one of the most incredible. Feel really sorry for the young Watford 'keeper but it was an awful mistake, he barely got 2 inches off the ground. Proschwitz will be relieved.
Now that Palace are in the playoffs, does that mean the Croydon branch of Sports Direct will start stocking their shirts?
Results couldn't have been better for us today with Wigan winning and Newcastle drawing they now have two very difficult games to contend with.
I think 3rd and 4th are 50/50 Krome for all three teams battling for it. Let's face it a 1-0 home win although three points wasn't very good and Arsenal score in the first minute and then no more,it's all up in the air. Let's see what Chelsea do. As Wigan won today away it makes our draw look quite respectable against them. Mind you we were lucky but we were away from home. I'm nervy about our chances now.
