Champion League Place Playoffs

[barroldinho]

This idea popped into my head so I thought I'd throw it out there. It might well be crap, I haven't given it much thought. Don't even know if UEFA would allow us to do it.

How about, instead of the top 4 getting into the CL automatically, only the top 2 do, and positions 3-6 have a playoff for the other two places? It would be seeded so as to maintain the value of the league positions. Maybe this way a Tottenham, an Everton or a Villa might qualify and get their hands on the CL cash, spreading the wealth around a bit and perhaps eroding that "glass ceiling" that everyone seems to worry about?

[Gandalf The Red]

This idea popped into my head so I thought I'd throw it out there. It might well be crap, I haven't given it much thought. Don't even know if UEFA would allow us to do it.

How about, instead of the top 4 getting into the CL automatically, only the top 2 do, and positions 3-6 have a playoff for the other two places? It would be seeded so as to maintain the value of the league positions. Maybe this way a Tottenham, an Everton or a Villa might qualify and get their hands on the CL cash, spreading the wealth around a bit and perhaps eroding that "glass ceiling" that everyone seems to worry about?

The Season is long enough, if we had a 34 game season then maybe but not as things are now

[barroldinho]

Yeah, good point.

[Gandalf The Red]

It would be interesting though, you could throw in a Stipulation that the Team that finished the season with the most points win's in the event of a Tie.

[Harry Boulton]

Not a bad idea that, but as has been pointed out, the season is long enough as it stands.

If that had been applied this season, then Everton, with a fairly small and injury plagued squad, would still be playing their play-off games, seeing as the league and European seasons only finished 10 days ago and having to play in the FA Cup final.

Maybe the scrapping of the League Cup for EPL sides would help to facilitate this kind of system?

It was only brought in to allow clubs to maximise the potential of floodlights and midweek gsames, and it holds very little value to most EPL clubs these days. The top clubs are after the "bigger" trophies, the bottom clubs have their priorities focused on avoiding relegation and the mid-table clubs are too busy trying to get the European league placings to really care about the league cup.

[Big Soccer Member]

The Season is long enough, if we had a 34 game season then maybe but not as things are now
We used top have a 42 game season and we managed then. And that was with about squads of 15 and no substitutes at all. We managed then, we could manage now with an extra few games at the end.
Maybe this way a Tottenham, an Everton or a Villa might qualify and get their hands on the CL cash
We have got to stop with this "its impossible to get into the top four mind set." If teams didn't waste all the money they spent on crap players (Spurs, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Villa), actually developed players from their academies (I'm looking at you Spurs, Villa, Newcaste), didn't choke towards the end of the season (Spurs 05/06, Everton 07/08, Newcastle 03/04, Villa 08/09) and didn't sack every decent manager they ever get (Sir Bobby Robson, Martin Jol) then teams would break through.

Besides, City will finish there next year anyway.

[barroldinho]

We used top have a 42 game season and we managed then. And that was with about squads of 15 and no substitutes at all. We managed then, we could manage now with an extra few games at the end.

We have got to stop with this "its impossible to get into the top four mind set." If teams didn't waste all the money they spent on crap players (Spurs, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Villa), actually developed players from their academies (I'm looking at you Spurs, Villa, Newcaste), didn't choke towards the end of the season (Spurs 05/06, Everton 07/08, Newcastle 03/04, Villa 08/09) and didn't sack every decent manager they ever get (Sir Bobby Robson, Martin Jol) then teams would break through.

Besides, City will finish there next year anyway.

Yeah, you're probably right actually. In fact the most promising thing from City's point of view is that their wealthy ownership didn't sack Highes last season. Not necessarily because of his credentials, but because it shows they are prepared to at least give a manager a chance. Mind you, we'll have to see if that attitude prevails after he's been on his first major spending spree.

[Dear_Claudio]

I posted this same thing not too long ago and got crucified here.

[barroldinho]

I posted this same thing not too long ago and got crucified here.

Yeah, there's some quirky guys on here. Only today, I casually posted on the Man U board that if Real Madrid and Ronaldo put on a repeat of last season, we should wack a 150m pound price tag on him to put them off. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of explaining how I came to that figure (won't bore you with the details) and was suddenly fending off a Real Madrid fan who had got it into his head that my plan was to sell him for that price and use Man City as leverage, because I mentioned their money could make transfers more expensive.

I wouldn't mind but it was a fairly throw-away idea. After all, I don't actually work for Man Utd!

[Harry Boulton]

and was suddenly fending off a Real Madrid fan


YOUNGSTARS........ :rolleyes:

[barroldinho]

YOUNGSTARS........ :rolleyes:

You've met? ;)

[Harry Boulton]

Unfortunately.

[glennaldo_sf]

One thing I like about the EPL, as opposed to other leagues like the Dutch Eredivise is that it is over when it is over. Come the last day of the season, teams know where they stand and I think it would be a bit anti-climactic if teams only qualified for a playoff rather than the actually CL itself. Also with the FA cup, euro cup and international games to play soon after the season ends - it would probably conflict with these, no?

I also like the way that, after the premiership ends - attention soon turns to the lower league playoffs which kind of adds some excitement and attention to teams that normally don't get so much.