The State of the game

[Nebbiolo]

Oh I agree, that money for getting into the group stage is silly and is a very nice return for winning over two legs but it is short term planning for success. Get to the group stages, play more games, get knocked out, affects league games etc....

Most of the teams in the champs league are on par even slightly better than say Liege, we cant even beat Blackburn's reserves or Hull and the moment. Consistancy works,squads depth helps, the 1 world class talent gives you that push to change games. There's never any real easy games in the champs league, we're a hit and miss team when we're battling in too many comps.

Like I've said, give it a few years build the squad up to handle champs league. Doesnt mean we should just be a cup team but we do have a better shot at getting to an FA Cup final than getting 4th in the league so we should be doing what we can to get their (especially this year).

I cant even see Villa or Pompey making an impact on the champs league if they got there unless they spend a fair bob on more class and depth.

I'd just like some home success before reaching for the skies.

I see exactly where you're coming from. And our last effort at the CL seemed to screw our whole season. My reasoning is this is the quickest route to establishing ourselves as a name. My priority would always be the league, though. I suppose I could see a situation where we get into the CL group stages and Moyes thinks to himself: Right, from hereon I'm only interested in this European adventure and our position in the league. The FA and Carling cups can be competed for with our reserves. I would agree with that strategy.

 

[Namdrater]

If we actually made it to the champions league then theres no reason we couldnt compete, we'd be a much better team if we did reach the champions league.

 

[ToxtethBlue]

We failed in the Champions League because Moyes bought aload of [Poor language removed] players, injury prone players and players who took time to adapt.

Given Champions League money now I'm sure we'd be alot better off, he's improved in the transfer market. He knows we need genuine quality, he won't be signing anymore Simon Davies's or James Beattie's.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

I agree with kingjolean. Baffled as to why fans would prefer to win the Carling cup rather than finish 4th...

Is that because the Carling Cup is by far more realistic?

 

[kenada_blue]

Champs League is all about the dollar and would be a great profile boost, it would help us out (but we'll be alright if this investor threw money at us hahaha).

But nostalgia plays a big part for me. I still feel the FA Cup is the best competition in the world -- you dont get the same buzz of seeing Barsnley knock champions league finalists out of the competition as you do some random foreign elite team knocking out another foreign elite team.

Yeah, moneys massive in the Champs League, but just for football pride I wanna win our cups back.

 

[TsarDiniyar]

Interesting seeing the opinions, I really thought it would be more one sided towards 4th than the trophies.

I want to see Everton be a great club, I want them to be constantly challenging for the league and other honours. If we are mediocre in the league and lift the F.A or Carling cup, where do we start the next season? In exactly the same position in my opinion, I don't see winning the domestic trophies as progression, its all down to luck (of the draw/penalties etc), nor do I see them aiding our progression.

I want Everton to be like Man Utd or Chelsea, and the fact that Everton have only lifted 1 trophy since I've followed them, means I can live with a few more trophieless seasons, so long as there is progression.

 

[Nebbiolo]

Champs League is all about the dollar and would be a great profile boost, it would help us out (but we'll be alright if this investor threw money at us hahaha).

But nostalgia plays a big part for me. I still feel the FA Cup is the best competition in the world -- you dont get the same buzz of seeing Barsnley knock champions league finalists out of the competition as you do some random foreign elite team knocking out another foreign elite team.

Yeah, moneys massive in the Champs League, but just for football pride I wanna win our cups back.

The FA is still the biggest domestic cup in the world. But we've kind of reached this situation where many clubs aren't that arsed about it, which takes the gloss off it. I know when FA cup weekend comes around, I'm always a tad disappointed because I just prefer league games. I've seen us win quite a few things live, and I would rate it as follows:

1) Championship (or premier league as it is now). Winning that surpasses everything. The feeling is amazing and I fear I'll never witness that again
2) Cup Winner's Cup (or UEFA as it would now have to be). A great feeling, and brilliant going through the whole competition as well. just getting there was amazing. Rotterdam was cool.
3) FA Cup. This kickstarted our mid-1980s success. We lost another two after that, but I wasn't that gutted. Still had a couple of nice days at Wembley.

I've not seen us lift a League Cup, although I have seen us as beaten finalists. TBH, it would be nice to win it, but I'm not particularly bothered if we never do. It was a Mickey Mouse cup back in the 1980s, and is even more so now. Give me a CL or UEFA spot any day over that. I like us being consistently good, not just consistent in a competition that nobody really cares about.

 

[kenada_blue]

Trophy's are progession IMO. Based on when we came 4th and were knocked out, we dropped into the Uefa Cup got knocked out, then we had all the domestic competitions and were knocked out. I can only see us doing just that foreasons untill we gradually build a better squad that can cope

Its been 6 years under Moyes and we've got one of the best squads we've had for decades but we're still not good enough to get 4th or Champions League....but we can win a domestic trophy.

 

[dave1001]

Finishing 4th would be a great achievement but there is nothing better than winning a trophy. I'm 21 and only ever seen us win the FA Cup in 95, vaguely remember how I felt but I always remember seeing how my dad was that day.
Football is about money nowadays but money can never give you the feeling that seeing your captain lift a trophy does.

 

[Blue Ray]

I think your dad speaks a lot of sense Kingjoleon,i really do

Me too. Sometimes I'd rather watch a game of Subuteo.

 

[coyney]

I can see both points of view ,but being nearer you dads age We where brought up only thinking about winning things on the pitch the money side of it never entered our heads it was glory .I like every one else would love to win the prem.but nothing compares to standing in a mass of blue and white while the team go past on the bus holding the FA CUP in 66 we where supposed to stay in London until Sunday night but dashed home for the parade it was worth it

 

[Blue Ray]

I can see both points of view ,but being nearer you dads age We where brought up only thinking about winning things on the pitch the money side of it never entered our heads it was glory .I like every one else would love to win the prem.but nothing compares to standing in a mass of blue and white while the team go past on the bus holding the FA CUP in 66 we where supposed to stay in London until Sunday night but dashed home for the parade it was worth it

Some people are so full of good memories. I remember 66 thru a 5 yr olds eyes as if it were y'day. Them days was when playing for a club really meant something besides money.

 

[coyney]

Some people are so full of good memories. I remember 66 thru a 5 yr olds eyes as if it were y'day. Them days was when playing for a club really meant something besides money.

Ray seems your that young forget the Roy its sir from now on it was great though the only thing that annoyed me was at halftime a girl dressed head to foot in blue asked my which one is Alex Young

 

[Blue Ray]

Ray seems your that young forget the Roy its sir from now on it was great though the only thing that annoyed me was at halftime a girl dressed head to foot in blue asked my which one is Alex Young

Sorry Sir Roy of Old Swan. Alex Young was one of my heroes when I was a kid but my biggest hero was Alan Ball

 

[coyney]

Sorry Sir Roy of Old Swan. Alex Young was one of my heroes when I was a kid but my biggest hero was Alan Ball

One of my mates nephews was a kid at the club at the time and Bally stopped him in the changing room and said what waist are you then said come with me,took him to his car and got three suits out the boot and gave them to him ? nice guy as well as a great player,although I heard a few players where not that impressed when he would insist on longer training session if he felt it had not gone as good as he would have liked.