Europa league swerve or not?

[Pootsy]

Despite the poor show this season, as a Club, we need to be qualifying every year for Europe in one way or another. This keeps are Coefficient higher, strengthens our marketing abroad and raises the standard of player that the club can realistically go after. We need to learn how to overcome the strains of playing away in Europe midweek then a Prem game at the weekend if we are going to achieve our ambitions.

 

[Lanolin]

I don't think we'll finish 7th, but if we can then getting into the Europa is an absolute must.

It's genuinely mind boggling how the same people can moan about us not getting astronomical sponsorship deals or being able to attract the quality of player we want, saying we're small time and have a poor mentality and then say they don't want us to finish as high in the league as possible and get ourselves out there in European competition. Sorry but it's absolute idiocy to not want us to qualify for Europe.

 

[Agent Blue]

Of course we need to play in Europe, the more we play in EL or CL the better.

But because of the position we find ourselves in regarding our manager and the disastrous summer transfer debacle, would it not be better to bring in a new manager who will have time to assess the squad, and then decide what incoming, and more importantly what outgoing players the squad needs without the distraction of having to play EL games more or less as soon as the PL ends. With all this possible upheaval set against the backdrop of a World Cup.

We need a period of consolidation at the club. A time to just take stock of the assets and liabilities that we have and to produce a rational coherent plan to take us forwards instead of the roller-coaster ride we seem to be on atm. So maybe, just for this season it might be better if we just concentrated on the PL and had a long hard look at ourselves.

 

[barneygumble]

It'll be 17 games to win it, if we enter the first qualifying round.

In 84/84 we played 63 games that season

It's actually 21.

3 Qualifying Rounds = 6 Games.
6 Group Games = 6 Games, 12 Games overall.
Round of 32
Round of 16
Round of 8
Semi Finals = 8 games
Final = 21 Games

 

[Khalekan]

The difference is, I think we had to play 9 games to win the cup did we not?

By the time we’re out the group, or at least at the end of it, we’ll have played 12 games.

And still nowhere near the final.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of being in the Europa, had some belting and less than belting trips over the last 10 years!

Just saying a lot of games!

Can’t be any worse!

Indeed.

I was just making the point that there have always been teams full of butchers, bakers and candlestick makers in European competions.

It is just nowadays there are way more of them

 

[Davideeyore]

Being in Europe every season is a must. At this stage just getting a place through 7th will surfice maybe in the future we should be aiming for CL but in order to move up the levels we need to be in Europe. If indeed 7th gets it watch out Wigan are rocking!

 

[Groucho]

It’s a distraction yes but what’s the point of existing if were not aiming for Europe or as high as possible?

 

[SantaClausisanEvertonian]

And it's a yes from me too. Even despite this season's poor showing, the Europa League was still a pleasant distraction and we have at least gained some valuable experience of european football.

 

[Death]

Is right. And I don't want champions league for atleast 15 years. We are not ready. Champions league would kill out top 5 aspirations.

 

[BiggyRat]

Every team owes it to their sponsors & fans to attain the highest level of competition possible. As much as it may be a stretch or embarrassing to get smashed in EU, the sponsors will want the exposure for their investment.

Does that mean that their needs are greater than ou teams? No, but if we didn't need their money, our shirt would be blank.

 

[AndyGray]

It's actually 21.

3 Qualifying Rounds = 6 Games.
6 Group Games = 6 Games, 12 Games overall.
Round of 32
Round of 16
Round of 8
Semi Finals = 8 games
Final = 21 Games

But we would enter the 3rd qualifying round as our 1st coming into the tournament through 7th place. That would make it 17 games

 

[TheAlmightyFloater]

Hard to swerve something you're not going to hit in the first place

 

[ToffeeJord]

Increases chances of sam staying, and in the long run that would cause more harm than good, see the signings of Tosun and Mangala and inability to find a left back in world football.. for sake of our young players it would be best for us to avoid it and get a serious manager in..

 

[Kenshin]

the other side of the coin would be a european campaign next season (no matter how unlikely) still opens the door for squad players to stake a claim that may otherwise be benched for the league only. I could run a list of players off that qualify right now but the point being, the more games we have, the more chance players who are frozen out have of proving themselves.

Plus a european win (if we can manage to perform on the sunday) means it keeps momentum and increases the feel good factor of the team which is important if we ever wanted to get anywhere.

 

[tommytowne]

And it's a yes from me too. Even despite this season's poor showing, the Europa League was still a pleasant distraction and we have at least gained some valuable experience of european football.

We've had enough experience of this competition already, but still haven't learned anything.
My reservations in the past has been that we haven't had a strong enough squad for a European campaign resulting in negative impact on our bread and butter which is the PL.
The paradox being that this season, on paper at least, we had the squad but performed embarrassingly throughout.
At best, a bit like the League Cup, I can take or leave the Europa.