http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20523405 Uefa are considering doubling the number of teams that enter the CL to 64 and to axe the Europa League. They will make a decision in 2014 so a while away yet. I like the idea. The Europa League is a complete waste of time to everyone except the winners. However there would be some really **** teams in the CL if this happened. Views?
This could be a good idea... Europa League is certainly a waste of time. But, how much would that damage fixture schedules? The top teams already have a massive fixture burden so surely doubling the teams would make that worse? Unless it just means 16 groups of 4 instead of 8, then that'd only make one more round of knockout competition...
Will potentailly have a massive affect on the transfer windows as well. Far less players wanting to move.
Love the idea. Europa League is useless, and this would mean a very real possibility that mid-table teams could parlay a couple years of success into the ability to compete (to some extent) with the big clubs.
As I said on the BBC article in relation to this: If the financial benefits of the Champions League are maintained, I think this could be interesting as it means more teams would receive the massive financial rewards of playing the Champions League. This could make the top half of the league more competitive as it's not just a select number of teams reaping the rewards of the Champions League. This would benefit both the EPL and SPL I think.
Of which precisely one would actually make the group stages. Can look forward to some thrilling encounters between the fifth-best team from Scotland and the third-best team from Latvia, though.
It'll be cool to see Skonto Riga back in the competition. Marian Pahars a Champions League manager, who'd have thought it?
Maybe keep it for non-premier league teams. A bit like the JPT trophy but with Championship teams in it too.
Yes but just think if clubs like Hearts and Hibs were getting the money from the Champions League, even just the qualifying rounds. It might mean they are able to compete with the financial clout of the 'Old Firm' and so maybe, just maybe, the SPL can become slightly more competitive.
I've got three words to say on this: Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Imagine them hosting Bayern Munich or Real Madrid!
I wouldn't get so far ahead of yourselves. The Scots are never easy to trounce. Lots of people are still eating humble pie from Celtic's performances so far in CL.
when you consider the winners of the Europa cup At Madrid kicked the arse of Chelsea, its probably a good idea
Bollocks. 1) Celtic are by far the best team in Scotland, and are in no way comparable to the likes of St Johnstone. 2) Bar some recent surprise results, Celtic have a pretty abysmal European record.
I actually like it. They would have to avoid adding to the number of matches in the schedule but giving teams in the Europa League the incentive of big games (more money) is good. The Europa league is a problem because no one is interested in it. I just had a really awesome/terrible idea (delete as applicable) - Euro style FA Cup. The teams lower down the table/from minor nations enter earlier in the "qualifying rounds" and the big guns come in later in the competition. They can play the ties over two legs to make it fairer. No more boring six game groups. More chance of an upset. And the minnows get to play the big guns, if they earn it.
The only downside is it makes the Champions league less special. Numerous upsides, the league gets more money and is stronger. You'd see more leagues on tv and smaller clubs would get in. I say do it
I think it makes it more special. It'd be the only European club competition and, with all the extra teams, it'll still only be Europe's elite clubs getting to the latter stages. I say the bigger the better.
