I think that is complete bollocks too - no way you should be rewarded for being ****e in the CL by getting a high seeding in the EL. It would be like the losers in the FA Cup third round being parachuted into the League Cup just to try and make the LC less mickey mouse - it would have the exact opposite effect as it just makes the other competition a competition for losers. Problem with that is that league to league transitions are permanent. The winners of the Championship don't get promoted to the PL for just one season - they are promoted there until they are relegated and the Championship is the only route to the PL. The CL is a competition which you have to qualify for each year, no one is ever promoted to it, they qualify for it by succeeding in their respective league. Adding the EL as another qualifying route would be, like I suggested, having the FAC or LC as another qualifying route to the PL. I simply can't see the argument for 99% of the CL teams qualifying as a result of their success in their domestic leagues, and one team who weren't good enough to qualify for the CL the previous year being jumped into it because they have won a competition which is specifically there for teams that aren't good enough to qualify for the CL. It just makes a joke of the whole league system.
They would be good enough to qualify though if the Champions League didn't put limitations on teams from particular geographical areas and instead considered quality. We don't have the situation that Cardiff will be denied promotion next year because we already have a team from Wales in the league. The rules have already been changed to disregard league position as far as entering previous winners is concerned. Allowing the Europa League winners to enter is hardly a big step. The champions of many leagues are also already excluded on the basis of coefficients.
Name them? Also, if you're correct (which I don't think you are) then how would losing another CL place to the winner of totally different cup competition, do anything to benefit that situation? You've contradicted yourself in the same paragraph
If 3 teams who finish 4th in their leagues can enter, and the previous year's winners can enter, where is the huge stretch to allow the Europa League winners? The different cup argument also applies to qualifying for the Europa League via the FA Cup.
Because it's a totally unrelated competition & making the 'prize' for winning the EL, a place in the CL would further devalue an alreay devalued competition. Mentioning the previous years winners being allowed to play in the CL (assuming they don't qualify in their own right) downs your own argument, as they're only allowed to enter, in order to defend their title. Why wouldn't the EL winners want to do the same thing? Anyway where's this list of countries who don't get a place in the CL?
If Uefa do bring this in, it will almost certainly be at the expense of the lowest placed CL qualifier from the country of the winner. They are loath to give any more CL places to the big leagues as it is!! Personally I think its a good idea as the EL is bloody difficult to win, but they should really get rid of the 8 teams dropping into it from the CL if they want it to be a fair reward.
I didn't agree with that either, tho' at least you are allowing them to defend their trophy, rather than preventing the EL winnners from ever defending theirs. As has been shown, no champions have been excluded on the basis of coefficients. Allowing the EL winners to enter would be a big step as it would be the first time a team was allowed in the CL for a criteria that has absolutely nothing to do with being league champions or close to league champions. The EL is specifically there for teams that were not good enough to meet the criteria for the CL, so allowing the EL winners into the CL would fundamentally change the whole criteria for the CL. And there's no rational explanation for it other than another team wanting to jump on the vastly expanding financial gravy train when they didn't deserve to.
That's not true, though, is it? We've already spoken about the inherent link that exists, with CL teams being relegated to EL when finishing 3rd in the group. And let's face it, how many teams would rather win the EL and defend it the next year versus winning the EL and being in the CL next year? Offering the CL as a prize would not devalue the competition. It would do the very opposite. The 'stronger' European teams like Inter Milan etc. (who are right on the border of CL qualification in their domestic league) would be more likely to put a strong team out if it's their only way of qualifying for the CL. Some teams actually qualify for the CL in the season they win the EL anyway, so it's not as if a defence has to take place.
As a consolation prize for falling off the CL gravy train early doors - does **** all for either competition imo. Care to come back to me on the rest of the sentence that you highlighted now? Thanks.
I already have? Reread my post. But anyway, I didn't realise that proving incorrect one of your points meant that I'm contractually obliged to address every other point you've raised.
1 ) No you haven't 2 ) Not much to read 3 ) Your point was based on semantics, the dropping of losing CL clubs into the EL, bears no relation to whether the winners of the EL should be given a free pass into the CL, despite not earning a place via their league placing.
So I need to repeat my post? Ok: "Offering the CL as a prize would not devalue the competition. It would do the very opposite. The 'stronger' European teams like Inter Milan etc. (who are right on the border of CL qualification in their domestic league) would be more likely to put a strong team out if it's their only way of qualifying for the CL." There, that is a direct response to 'the rest of the sentence' I highlighted. And btw, your 3rd point in no way addresses what I said. I simply stated that there exists a connection between the two competitions, nothing more. This you can't contest.
That's a subjective opinion, not a fact, but anyway, so say Inter are chasing the pack in their own league in order to qualify for the CL. Are you seriously suggesting that they'd prioritise the EL in terms of team selections etc & play their weakened sides in Serie A?
I know it's an opinion - isn't that the point of this discussion? To the bit in bold: No, and it's ludicrous that you've taken such a point from my post. What I'm saying is teams won't automatically dismiss the EL as some currently do. Let's say they get through to the knock-out stages having played a weakened side in the group, and are doing quite poorly in their league. Maybe, just maybe, they'll think about having a good go at the EL. I'm not saying - at all - that they should play a weak team in the league, but that they'd take the EL slightly more seriously than they otherwise would. Why should I debate with you if you're just going to draw an interpretation of what I'm saying to suit your own agenda?
