mightymoyes
Player Valuation: £70m
no one watches the uefa comps anymore (in the UK anyway since it moved to BT) so something will change eventually cos the sponsors wont be happy.
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Woolly Blue
Player Valuation: £80m
AndyC submitted a new blog post
UEFA Competitions – time for a rethink?
Continue reading the Original Blog Post.
Pretty much agree with all that mate, can't see it changing though.
The OCD part of me thinks this should be in World Footie though.
Zaschrona
Player Valuation: £10m
Nice piece, but I am quite sure UEFA will go the opposite way. And in the end, I am not absolutely sure it would be the worst thing to happen at all, at least for us. UEFA needs more matches to be sold to TV companies and all big teams in their premium competition. They will slowly get there. But, if done right, it could work nicely.
I can see a scenario where CL expands to 48 teams, top 4 leagues have guaranteed 6 places. That would almost guarantee UEFA to have all clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, MU, Atletico Madrid, Inter or Milan plus more money from Germany involved. They have 8 groups of 6 teams, that would be 10 guaranteed matches for all teams. Then they play NFL-like playoffs. Better seeded team gets home stadium advantage, top team in every group gets bye for the first round of playoffs, teams placed 2nd and 3rd play a wild-card match. The winner still plays only maximum of 15 games, more likely just 14 games, now it is 13 games, 15 for teams that start in the play-offs. The overall number in matches in the main competition would go up from 125 to 263. The likely result is way more money for every team involved, for UEFA as well.
And it should be likely more intresting as well. Group matches are usually boring nowdays, but if teams are seeded for the play-offs according to their results in the group stage and the result is home stadium advantage in the play-offs, plus winning a group actually gives you a real advantage, all group games should be be interesting till the end, every goal would count. And the playoffs should be more interesting as well: no boring replays like we are going to have with Arsenal, Juventus or Barcelona this year, as well as surprises would be more likelier to happen with only one match to be played. Also, no such thing as 3rd placed teams in CL groups ruining EL play-offs. EL could be expanded to 64 teams and so more champions from lower ranked football nations could be involved, plus the competition would profit from having a different format than revamped CL.
FA should then change the rules of qualification: winning FA Cup should result in CL ticket, winning the League Cup should probably too.
I can see a scenario where CL expands to 48 teams, top 4 leagues have guaranteed 6 places. That would almost guarantee UEFA to have all clubs like Liverpool, Arsenal, MU, Atletico Madrid, Inter or Milan plus more money from Germany involved. They have 8 groups of 6 teams, that would be 10 guaranteed matches for all teams. Then they play NFL-like playoffs. Better seeded team gets home stadium advantage, top team in every group gets bye for the first round of playoffs, teams placed 2nd and 3rd play a wild-card match. The winner still plays only maximum of 15 games, more likely just 14 games, now it is 13 games, 15 for teams that start in the play-offs. The overall number in matches in the main competition would go up from 125 to 263. The likely result is way more money for every team involved, for UEFA as well.
And it should be likely more intresting as well. Group matches are usually boring nowdays, but if teams are seeded for the play-offs according to their results in the group stage and the result is home stadium advantage in the play-offs, plus winning a group actually gives you a real advantage, all group games should be be interesting till the end, every goal would count. And the playoffs should be more interesting as well: no boring replays like we are going to have with Arsenal, Juventus or Barcelona this year, as well as surprises would be more likelier to happen with only one match to be played. Also, no such thing as 3rd placed teams in CL groups ruining EL play-offs. EL could be expanded to 64 teams and so more champions from lower ranked football nations could be involved, plus the competition would profit from having a different format than revamped CL.
FA should then change the rules of qualification: winning FA Cup should result in CL ticket, winning the League Cup should probably too.
AndyC
Player Valuation: £70m
My personal feeling Bruce, is that UEFA and a number of the so-called elite clubs do want a European League.
Call me pessimistic or even a conspiracy theorist, but the way things are right now, it's more or less nailed on every season, I'm tempted to say fixed, who the final 24 in the current CL are.
Take this country and perm any four from six... And then do likewise in Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Portugal, and there are your 'elite' clubs.
Look at the final 16 now, and there's a more than reasonable chance that at least 12 of them are likely to be in the last 16 next year, and the year after... Why?
Because of the prize money that means they can continue to strengthen their squads ad nauseum while the 'door knocking teams ' in 5th, 6th or cup winners are not quite so rich and therefore less attractive.
By having the almost inevitable same faces in the latter stages, year in year out, UEFA have created a de-facto European League by stealth tactics.
There will always be the chance of a one year blip like this year, Leicester instead of Chelski, but the 'norm' will inevitably return.
The only thing left for UEFA and the so called 'elite' clubs to do is walk away from domestic competitions and truly go their own way.
Will it happen?
Don't know.
Some people will suggest there is no appetite for it amongst the fans, but if UEFA and the 'chosen few' could negotiate even bigger tv revenues than the current CL enjoys, then I honestly could see it happening.
24 teams... 4 each from England, Spain, and Germany, together with 3 each from France, Italy and Portugal and 1 each from Holland, Belgium and maybe Scotland... and there you have it... a breakaway league.
Pie in the sky ?
I'm not so sure.
Mountfield1985
Player Valuation: £8m
No offence to the OP, but I think the whole "only league winners should qualify for the european cup" thing is just based on pure nostalgia. The Champions League is a far better competition than the old European Cup.
Just look at that period of 77-84. An English winner in 7/8 seasons. Mostly breezing past inferior opponents and facing a handful of proper games.
I think the Champions League worked brilliantly during the 90's and the early 00's. Teams like Ajax, Dortmund, Porto, Valencia, Red Star, Marseille, Leverkusen all reaching finals.
These days the Premier League takes all the best talent from Holland, France, Belgium, Germany (Bayern aside), even Italy now. To the point that those leagues really struggle to put out sides that can realistically challenge. That's why we are starting to see the giant clubs dominate it so much now.
Just look at that period of 77-84. An English winner in 7/8 seasons. Mostly breezing past inferior opponents and facing a handful of proper games.
I think the Champions League worked brilliantly during the 90's and the early 00's. Teams like Ajax, Dortmund, Porto, Valencia, Red Star, Marseille, Leverkusen all reaching finals.
These days the Premier League takes all the best talent from Holland, France, Belgium, Germany (Bayern aside), even Italy now. To the point that those leagues really struggle to put out sides that can realistically challenge. That's why we are starting to see the giant clubs dominate it so much now.
Zaschrona
Player Valuation: £10m
That elite league will need to be bigger. 4 teams only from England means they won't get all teams 'needed' to get all the money available. And they need all United, City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and maybe even Tottenham too. Same as Italy: Juventus, Inter, Milan, likely Napoli and Roma too. Also they need at least Zenit from Russia, the biggest sponsor is Gazprom. They need money from Turkey as well, it is a fast growing market and already clear 6th most wealthy league in Europe. 6 teams from England, Spain, Germany, Italy + 4 from France + 3 from Portugal and Russia + 2 from Ukraine, Belgium, Turkey + CL winner + EL winner + 6 to 8 teams from nations ranked 11 to 55. UEFA gets ultimate money cow, all big teams have almost a guaranteed place and teams from smaller leagues still have a chance to participate. Everyone will be happy. Breakaway league won't happen. All big teams need their own league competition as well where they have a chance to win every year to keep fans happy.
zzebra
Player Valuation: £6m
Spot on.Totally agree how boring the Champions League has become particually the group stage.It doesn't hot up until the quarter finals at best with the same eight teams year after year.
One way to increase interest in the Europa League would be to put it on free on terrestrial.
brieverton
Player Valuation: £50m
As much as big clubs hold the power, I don't see a "Super League" coming to fruition unless clubs similar to ours would be complicit in its inception and agree to bit-part status.
The only way this would work would be a 20-team league in which the elite clubs play each other home and away - we would be excluded but I would imagine there would be additional cup competitions in a knockout fashion where we might be invited - no thanks.
The glaring issue is that there can be one winner only in a conventional league format - perhaps that interests the elite of the elite but I honestly don't see what the likes of Liverpool and Spurs would have to gain by a transformation into midtable mediocrity or worse in that format. Yes only one club can win UCL each season too but domestic success is as important, if not moreso, to a considerable number of fans. As it stands currently, a club like Man City can be knocked out of Europe and come home to the prospect of a thumping win against the likes of Hull.
There simply has to be cannon-fodder for the elite clubs to keep the fans clapping.
No, the UCL is the best fudge they can come up with and won't be changing in any dramatic format.
The only way this would work would be a 20-team league in which the elite clubs play each other home and away - we would be excluded but I would imagine there would be additional cup competitions in a knockout fashion where we might be invited - no thanks.
The glaring issue is that there can be one winner only in a conventional league format - perhaps that interests the elite of the elite but I honestly don't see what the likes of Liverpool and Spurs would have to gain by a transformation into midtable mediocrity or worse in that format. Yes only one club can win UCL each season too but domestic success is as important, if not moreso, to a considerable number of fans. As it stands currently, a club like Man City can be knocked out of Europe and come home to the prospect of a thumping win against the likes of Hull.
There simply has to be cannon-fodder for the elite clubs to keep the fans clapping.
No, the UCL is the best fudge they can come up with and won't be changing in any dramatic format.
The Cowboy
Player Valuation: £60m
Maybe they do need to follow the US a little here and consider having divisional playoffs leading to a grand final.
Somehow construct a tournament of both CL and EL teams, carve it into 4 divisions (Maybe by lumping all the UEFA nations in a hat and drawing them out), each division winner wins a trophy and goes through to a playoff for the big cup.
The Cowboy
Player Valuation: £60m
I agree on both counts, but I don't think either would make a blind bit of difference. It would just split the EL in two and the CL teams don't want to be in the EL anyway so it'd do them a favour.
NEWSWEETTOFFEE
Player Valuation: £1m
No one noticed that in the article neither once was mentioned the UEFA Cup, but only Inter Cities Fair Cup which wasn't sanctioned by UEFA?
Honestly, maybe the only reason why i follow football (european) is because of the systems of the competitions and how it is pretty fair and logical (of course, before CL it was even fairer)!
Honestly, maybe the only reason why i follow football (european) is because of the systems of the competitions and how it is pretty fair and logical (of course, before CL it was even fairer)!
NEWSWEETTOFFEE
Player Valuation: £1m
For this and next three seasons there is not much to worry about, but what will start to happen when season 2020/21 starts, which will be the last season in new three year cycle, will show us how much we are far from pan-European league. Luckily, in three years we will be amongst the strongest in Europe!
OneTrueLegend
Player Valuation: £35m
I think the biggest issue is that the big clubs would block any simple expansion of more teams or more games. They don't want that, it just means more games to play and the money gets diluted. Also I don't think the fans really want that. They have just announced that the top 4 leagues now get 4 automatic places,(rather than 3 automatic places and one additional place if a team qualifies) which comes in from 2018 to 2021, I'm sure next time they will announce that the top few countries will get 5 places, then So on and so forth, until it becomes more of a closed shop and the lower ranked nations need to go through more qualifying rounds to get to the Champions League and really most of the teams in the champions league will come from about 10 nations and the other 45 nations scrapping it out for one or two places.
When they make the changes slowly, people hardly notice it's happening
When they make the changes slowly, people hardly notice it's happening
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