Maybe my last post was a little presumptuous pal.TBH I personally would sacrifice another domestic season like last season for a good run in the Europa League. There are some good teams in the EL, the Milans, Dortmund and a good few other prestigious teams. As you mention only 5 years ago Saints were in league one and travelling to face teams such as (no disrespect) Gillingham and Dagenham and Redbridge, these were dark days my friend. To see us play somewhere like the San Siro against one of the biggest names in world football only 5 years on is something I never thought I would see and I would most certainly sacrifice a few league places for it. Obviously as long as we don't drop into the relegation places for it.
Fair enough mate. I guess each team has its own priorities. We are in a unique situation with the new stadium. Relegation would be a MASSIVE disaster for us. We must probably could have had a little run in Europe and stayed up comfortably, but why take the risk when we have so much at stake?
By some people, yes. Southampton seem to be giving it a go. Spurs generally do. Fulham certainly did. Middlesbrough, Birmingham, Bolton in the past. You mentioned finishing eigth in the league makes you an attractive proposition to players compared to finishing twelfth. Would a European trophy or at least a good European run not catch the eye of a foreign player more?
A Europa league trophy yes maybe. A run to the quarter or even semi final? No. Only participation in the Champions League would have any sway on where a player would want to sign. Europa League no chance. A team with a big fan base, big stadium & good tradition that's clearly going places would be a much bigger draw than a smaller team that might make the group stages of some pony European tournament.
Pick any of our seasons from the last decade. Each would be a massive success for West Ham. Given this, I'm not sure how your vision of progress is supposed to work. Waving the white flag in the Europa League just makes the club look totally unambitious and rather cowardly. At the start of each Premier League season virtually every club has two realistic chances of winning silverware. A few have three. Admitting defeat in any of those trophies before the campaign has even started is an insult to the fans and a poor plan for the future, too.
I would agree with the OP partially. EL will be a risk for Spammers. That is a trick play from Bilic. Bilic can't be measured properly against his predeccessor if there is EL.
