Your Europa League Experience

Hi guys


I have a blog which looks at certain aspects of the game and clubs, and one thing I want to try and get something to write on is the feelings of Newcastle fans toward the Europa League, broken down in to a number of categories....


1. How you felt before the season started about the Europa League competition
2. How you felt as you progressed until the end of the 'league' stage.
3. You opinion on the knockout stage, from a Newcastle fan perspective.
4. Do you know if Newcastle made any money out of taking part? If yes, how much?
5. Your overall opinion of the competition and how it effected the Premier League season.

You can either post answers here or PM. Thanks in advance to those who make the effort to respond

 

1. Slightly disappointed to begin with as there was the slimmest of chances of champions league.

2. Came round to idea and enjoyed it. Champions league was always a long shot but we were playing in Europe.

3. Immensely proud of display against Benfica though we eventually went out.

4. No idea. I guess some but its been reported Ashley doesn't like cups as there is no money to be generated.

5. Good competition for the smaller clubs. Champions league teams shouldn't be allowed to drop into it in my opinion.
Not the cups fault but a massive strain if you've got a very small squad

 

1. How you felt before the season started about the Europa League competition really looked forward to travelling in europe again
2. How you felt as you progressed until the end of the 'league' stage. did not think we were too well winning but playing ****e
3. You opinion on the knockout stage, from a Newcastle fan perspective. Better oppo and good to got away also we done well
4. Do you know if Newcastle made any money out of taking part? If yes, how much? yes but not as much as acommitment to the comp should pay out
5. Your overall opinion of the competition and how it effected the Premier League season. Enjoyable but it was used as an excuse for bad form, poor squad.

 

Still got a team sheet from the Barcelona game in 1997.

Given.
Barton,Watson, Albert, Beresford.
Gillespie, Lee, Batty, Barnes.
Tomasson.
Asprilla.

 

Keep em coming guys.

2 further questions.....................


Do you believe the 'failed' Champions League teams should be allowed in to the Europa League knockout stages? and were you knocked out by one of these teams?

 

1. How you felt before the season started about the Europa League competition - In all honesty I was worried because of the size of our squad and also the record of teams who had taken part (some with bigger squads) I was hopeful of drawing some good sides. You had to look forward to it regardless of the problems because we hadn't been in Europe for a while.
2. How you felt as you progressed until the end of the 'league' stage. - Basically we made pretty comfortable progress but it was clearly proving detrimental to our league form. It wasn't so much the fatigue but the preparation. We got there the previous season because we were well drilled and organised with clear game plans. That season just became manic with alll the games and we looked badly organised. The manager and coaches did not adapt well, their lack of European experience telling.
3. You opinion on the knockout stage, from a Newcastle fan perspective. - It was great fun and we had some really exciting ties. I would only have knockout anyway as the group stage just dilutes the competition and makes it a bit of nuisance.
4. Do you know if Newcastle made any money out of taking part? If yes, how much? - Haven't a clue but I imagine not much.
5. Your overall opinion of the competition and how it effected the Premier League season. - Very bad for your season. Not that that is any revelation, it was never going to be different for us to any of the others. We did tire badly in the 2nd half of the season, the additional games/travelling was telling. I think the manager and coaches have to take some flack, we were a bit novicey going into it and it showed. Probably a good learning experience for all concerned. I'm not convinced though it would be any different if we were in again. It is a big ask for a club like us.

Do you believe the 'failed' Champions League teams should be allowed in to the Europa League knockout stages? Definitely not. Its comical that they are and completely degrades the competitiion.
Were you knocked out by one of these teams? Yes but that is not the reason for being against them entering late on

 

1) Was very excited to have European football back at SJP

2) Enjoyed it.

3) Benefica was a great game. If squad been bigger felt we could have got to final.

4) Don't think we made a huge profit.

5) Any fan who says they don't want European football are lying its a great experience.
Our league form did suffer which was blamed mostlybon size of squad.

6) No I think once you go out for a competition your out and that's it.
Yes Benfica put us out of competition

 

Hope it's useful

 

1. Prefer Champions League as anyone would but would prefer Europa to nothing. Still remember old Fairs Cup nights and Win so very happy to be in it. Frankly i didnt mind even the Intertoto Cup as it gave more interest and variation than normal dull pre season games and had the possible reward of continuing into the Uefa cup. (and we won it once too lol).
2. Very happy to progress whatever the format and the "easier" early games and group games were an excellent opportunity for our younger and fringe players to play relatively meaningfull games to bring them on and gain experience so not against league stage to be honest unlike most others.
3. The Knockout stage is obviously more exciting and also being farther down the line gives harder and more interesting games and we did well. A little unlucky to go out in the end in a big tie. Had we won that which we wernt far away from i fancied us to win the semi then obviously massive underdogs in final v Chelsea but anything can happen in a one off final and we had just beaten Chelsea in the League so not impossible.
4. I believe we did but probably not enough to justify strengthening the squad for it which is probably why we didnt. Short sighted though as a good run there and experience and maintaining our progress in the league could have seen us pushing for champions league.
5.Still love the competition with memories of the Fairs Cup and my own travelling experience, Monaco was great. Frankly i think the talk of how much it affected us in the league was a bit of a cover up for simply poor performances below what we were capable of and think we could and should have strengthened the squad at least a little bit more than we did. At the end of the day our team in the qualifier and group games was a long way short of our premier league 11 so its hard to claim how our league form was affected. Where i did think it affected us was when heads went down a bit in disapointment just after our quarter final exit and that led to a few bad performances just after that which put us on a wobble around the relegation zone. A relegation which was avoided though in the end, something everyone seems to conveniently forget. Had we still avoided relegation and won the Europa no-one would have been moaning about our participation.

I am happy for losing teams from the Champions League Qualifier to enter the Europa but having the third placed group stage sides enter the Europa has always been a stupid and unpopular move. They have had a go in their competition and also earned good money from it so they should bow out there and leave the Europa for the others who have been fighting for it all season.