Changes in the Champions League

Post by **T.S** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:32 am

It's that time of year again, boys. It's time for the Champions League draw. I've been reading recently that Michel Platini wants to have a shake up of the whole format of the competition, but I didn't realise that anything was actually going to happen. According to TEAMtalk.com (and maybe elsewhere, I haven't looked) right before the draw, UEFA are set to announce major changes to the competition's format. It is expected that one of these will be the nation's F.A. Cup winner getting a place at the expense of the national league's 4th place team. How do we feel about this?

If the F.A. Cup winner has already finished in the top three (as Chelsea did this year), the team who finished fourth (in this case, us) would have to qualify through the 'cup route' which involves a playoff with the other national cup winners.

Discuss.

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:45 am

I stand to be corrected after the draw, but i doubt whether this change will be announced today as something concrete. I imagine that the top clubs would be very much against this and would threaten a breakaway if this was taken on.

if we have 4 places then they should go to the top 4 teams, as these are the teams who have earned it over a league season, not through the luck of an FA Cup draw. The only diversion from this should be the winners of the comp being allowed to defend their trophy.

I am sure that the FA would like to see the FA Cup revived by having a CL place for the winners. But surely Platini's motives aren't to refresh cup competitions across Europe - because they were never anything much in the first place! No-one outside of England takes their cups seriously at all.

Platini is trying, like Blatter at Fifa, to pander to those who hold the majority of the votes through which he got elected. I have no problem with re-distribution but football's governing bodies should look at themselves first before accusing greedy clubs.

Hagbard 23 · Post by **Hagbard 23** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:50 am

Blimey, if thats true then thats a rather large spanner being thrown into the works isn't it ?
It would certainly makes our predicament more , shall we say, interesting, to say the least.

Not sure what to make of it though, as Platini does seem to come out quite regularly with these type of statements about making all these changes within UEFA and FIFA.

Does seem a bit of a waste of a place though. Take a team like West Ham or Wigan for example. They are both capable of winning then FA Cup. But I'm sure they'd last about 20 minutes against a top Euro team.

But it would make actually winning the FA cup a very lucrative achievement indeed!

My immediate reaction is that its a shit idea. But only because it would effect AFC enormously to put it mildly.

Hagbard 23 · Post by **Hagbard 23** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:56 am

Hagbard 23 wrote:Blimey, if thats true then thats a rather large spanner being thrown into the works isn't it ?
It would certainly makes our predicament more , shall we say, interesting, to say the least.

Not sure what to make of it though, as Platini does seem to come out quite regularly with these type of statements about making all these changes within UEFA and FIFA.

Does seem a bit of a waste of a place though. Take a team like West Ham or Wigan for example. They are both capable of winning the FA Cup. But I'm sure they'd last about 20 minutes against a top Euro team.

But it would make actually winning the FA cup a very lucrative achievement indeed!

My immediate reaction is that its a shit idea. But only because it would effect AFC enormously to put it mildly.

gunners-need-steel · Post by **gunners-need-steel** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:07 am

Hagbard 23 wrote:Blimey, if thats true then thats a rather large spanner being thrown into the works isn't it ?
It would certainly makes our predicament more , shall we say, interesting, to say the least.

Not sure what to make of it though, as Platini does seem to come out quite regularly with these type of statements about making all these changes within UEFA and FIFA.

Does seem a bit of a waste of a place though. Take a team like West Ham or Wigan for example. They are both capable of winning then FA Cup. But I'm sure they'd last about 20 minutes against a top Euro team.

But it would make actually winning the FA cup a very lucrative achievement indeed!

My immediate reaction is that its a shit idea. But only because it would effect AFC enormously to put it mildly.

You seem to be assuming that the 4th position has our name written on it .. why cant we be 3rd or higher ... or win the FA cup ?

RaM · Post by **RaM** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:07 am

Just on the draw, who do you think we'll get?

Post by **REB** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:10 am

it seems to be wat platini wants, but at the end of the day it will be up 2 the clubs and tv people so shouldnt happen, ferguson was talkin bout this at his press conference the other day and he said it wasnt goin 2 happen as it was just platini tryin 2 be nice 2 the smaller clubs and nations, as it is thou when was the last time one of the top four teams didnt win the fa cup,, was it everton

All_Arsenal_1886 · Post by **All_Arsenal_1886** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:25 am

I know Sparta aren't the best team but over two legs we looked in control, good team spirit and quality goals

Galasso · Post by **Galasso** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:28 am

All_Arsenal_1886 wrote:I know Sparta aren't the best team but over two legs we looked in control, good team spirit and quality goals

Has AA1886 finally lost it?? Does he need some sun urgently??

Hagbard 23 · Post by **Hagbard 23** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:30 am

gunners-need-steel wrote:

You seem to be assuming that the 4th position has our name written on it .. why cant we be 3rd or higher ... or win the FA cup ?

I'm not assuming anything , merely stating that losing the fourth CL spot would make life more interesting, or should i say more difficult for the team.

Of course winning the FA Cup is possible, and taking the third spot is not within the realm of fantasy. But we have made fourth place ours over the last two seasons, and our nearest rivals have strengthened themselves significantly and we ...aint.

stats · Post by **stats** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:38 am

I don't think the rules should change as imagine if Barnet (just saying) won the cup they would go into the CL which won't happen unless a english Roman comes in lol
The chances off Barnet winning the CL would be as low as anything
Uefa just don't like English teams anyways so let them get on with it

Post by **T.S** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 9:41 am

Personally, I think that even if the rules do change, it won't change anything. When was the last time someone out of the top 4 won the bloody thing?

Rilo II · Post by **Rilo II** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:24 am

look at how close milwall would have been to cl football a few years back. imagine if milwall represented english football at the top european level. it would be a disgrace. this should never ever ever happen

stats · Post by **stats** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:28 am

It was bad enough when they got Uefa cup

donaldo · Post by **donaldo** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:48 am

It wont happen.If it does the big clubs in Europe will form a breakaway midweek league.Also the t.v companies wont have it.

The reason why teams field weakened teams in the f.a cup is to save their players for the CL which is a much superior competition. Which would you rather watch Arsenal v Barcelona or Milan or Arsenal v Bolton or Blackburn?. No contest.