Ranking the Cups importance

[imradioboy]

Bear with me, I'm a newbie to this wonderful sport, and living on the wrong side of the pond to get adequate soccer coverage.

Here's my question: To a team, which is more important, winning the Champions luegue, Premiere league, FA cup or Carling cup? If you were to rank them, and explain why each one is or is not important, I would really appreciate it. I'll buy all of you beers when I make it over there ;)

[Borruma]

That's Easy!

1. Champions League
2. Premiership
<big gap>
3. Fa Cup
<big gap>
4. The Nobody cares cup (aka the Carling cup)

[imradioboy]

Thanks! So what is the point of having the other cups? Do they give smaller clubs the chance to win something?


That's Easy!

1. Champions League
2. Premiership
<big gap>
3. Fa Cup
<big gap>
4. The Nobody cares cup (aka the Carling cup)

[Borruma]

Well the CL is an elite league of European clubs - only the top 4 from England's league enter it every year.

The Premiership is just the highest ranking league of England. Then there is lamely named Championship, then league 1 and 2.

The FA Cup is the oldest cup competition (founded 1871?) in the world and at one time the most important of all footballing trophies, but that was a century ago and isn't taken so seriously now. It involves every club team in England even down to Amateur level

The Carling Cup is a minor tournament which gets very little interest - Many people think it should be scrapped. I think so too. It only involves the 92 'league' teams from the first four divisions, but the biggest clubs pay very little attention to it.

In 1999, Manchester United became the first team in English history to win The Premiership, The Fa cup and the CL in just one season.

Hope that helps. :)

[Colm]

1. Champions League (without doubt thats number 1)
2. Premiership
3. F.A Cup
4. Carling Cup

[Wide Boy]

I agree with all of these responses. The Premiership is now mainly a means of qualifying for the Champions League. There is almost as much emphasis on finishing in the top 4 as there is on winning it.

The FA Cup's status rests on tradition and the fact that the winner gets into the UEFA Cup.

As regards the League Cup, as a Newcastle supporter (last trophy won in 1969) I can guarantee that we would treat it as a big deal if we did win it; just like our polluted friends in Middlesbrough - it was the first trophy ever in their history.

(It also gives UEFA Cup qualification - at least if won by a Premiership team.)

[Borruma]

Well it all depends.. As a Chelsea supporter I'd wouldn't want to win the CL before winning the league, I wasn't too upset when Monaco knocked us out...

It's kind of sad when you see chairmen of clubs like Liverpool, Newcastle, etc saying their objective this season is to finish 4th (Aka the 3rd best loser)

[Clan]

Bear with me, I'm a newbie to this wonderful sport, and living on the wrong side of the pond to get adequate soccer coverage.

Here's my question: To a team, which is more important, winning the Champions luegue, Premiere league, FA cup or Carling cup? If you were to rank them, and explain why each one is or is not important, I would really appreciate it. I'll buy all of you beers when I make it over there ;)

Ask the fans though and you'll probably get this...

League title
FA Cup - i'm an old school die hard..;)
European Cup
UEFA Cup
League Cup

[Boro_lad]

Ask the fans though and you'll probably get this...

League title
FA Cup - i'm an old school die hard..;)
European Cup
UEFA Cup
League Cup

i would have have to agree, i prefer to look at domestic cups and league before europe, however with the finacial incentives in doing well in europe these days finatially speaking doing well in europe is key to a sucessful club (see leeds, failed to make champions league, 2 years later were all but bankrupt and relegated). However i love the cup competitions, however the league cup these days is seen as a root to europe rather than a cup to be won by some clubs (not i as i absolutly love cup games especially the later stages, and final goes without saying it is an awesome experience) However alot of the snubby big club "fans" see europe as being the best tihng to win, but what braggin rights do you get if you do well in europe but not so well in the league?, absolutly none (see chelsea over arsenal)

Domestic competitions over europe everytime for me. (however dont lead this to make you think i dont want boro to do well in the uefa cup this year, but if you gave me a choice of FA cup or uefa cup i would pick FA cup everytime. (especially if we could beat someone like man u in the final)) Though having said that, winning in europe helps to establish the club name around europe, which is important for a club like middlesbrough. But anyway, domestic > europe

[Rick B]

Ask the fans though and you'll probably get this...

League title
FA Cup - i'm an old school die hard..;)
European Cup
UEFA Cup
League Cup

Please bear in mind though that when asking an 'oldie' Chelsea fan like Clanblue, even with his good ol' age of 40 he still hasn't seen the league being won by his beloved blues.... :D

But on a serious note, most people do rate the F.A. Cup as a high priority here. It is based in tradition and is the most watched club competition in the world by t.v audiences.

My opinion of priorities is a little different (probably because ive seen us win the F.A. Cup so many times.. ;) )

Premiership (this or the league title should always be at the top)
Champions League
F.A. Cup
Carling Cup
Charity Shield

[topcatcole]

Although it has slipped in importance, I think fans LOVE the FA Cup. As an example, I am a big Dagenham & Redbridge fan (that's a story for another day). Now Dag & Red are a Nationwide league team (kind of like the 5th Division, if you count the Premiership as 1st and so on) but two years ago they went far enough in the FA Cup that they were playing teams from the upper divisions, and even beat a second division side and took another to the replay before falling out. Any registered team can play. Playing against the big teams gives the little guys a real chance at the limelight. Can you imagine the feeling if you are playing with a lower division team in your small stadium and you suddenly find yourself playing at Highbury, Old Trafford or even in Cardiff. This is your dream come true and, depending on where you are in your career, either what you hope is a preview of things to come or the high point of your time in football. Fans feel that too, especially when the team they support is one of those that are not always in the top rank of teams. Last year's final was between ManU and a side from the next lower division. The opportunity for a team to be "giant-killers" is unique and exciting. I don't think there is another competition like it.

BTW, we have a similar competition in the US. It is played for the Hunt Trophy and it pits pro and amateur teams against each other.

You don't really see that in the other competitions. All of the teams in the CL are at least national champions or close to it. The Carling Cup is only for teams in the top four divisions.

I also think winning your league can't be underestimated. It is the key to everything else, and also means you have performed at a very high level for an entire year. The fact that Arsenal was the first team in over a hundred years to go unbeaten in the Premiership says something about the long term commitment and excellence of their performance. There were other outstanding teams in the Premiership last year that were only slightly below this standard. Winning the CL involves many fewer games and has a distinct element of luck in drawing the right opponents at the right time to meld into your domestic campaign. So for me there is a difference in the importance vs the interest.

Importance (Interpret as what makes the most money and garners the most fame):
Champs League
Premiership
FA Cup
League Cup

Interest (Interpret as what is the most fun and is most closely followed by this fan):
Premiership
FA Cup
Champs League
League Cup

Just my $.02.

[Clan]

Please bear in mind though that when asking an 'oldie' Chelsea fan like Clanblue, even with his good ol' age of 40 he still hasn't seen the league being won by his beloved blues.... :D

But on a serious note, most people do rate the F.A. Cup as a high priority here. It is based in tradition and is the most watched club competition in the world by t.v audiences.

My opinion of priorities is a little different (probably because ive seen us win the F.A. Cup so many times.. ;) )

Premiership (this or the league title should always be at the top)
Champions League
F.A. Cup
Carling Cup
Charity Shield

You're such a git.
One of the best times of my life as a Chelsea fan - no, wait, i was an actual supporter in those days ;) - was when we beat Liverpool, then reigning champions of Europe, in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge.
I was 18 years old and Chelsea weren't exactly doing well.More noted for our behaviour than the teams performances and all that.

The ground was packed - and remember, i 'm talking the old Stamford Bridge here, not that modern day wonder thats there now.Terraces and turnstyle gates that kids got lifted over for free, coppers (and everybody else for that matter that wasn't wearing Blue) staying farrr away from the shed end - the away support in the north stand, drinking and banter inside the stadium, queues down the Fulham road, people crowed outside and inside the pubs.
In short, an electric athmosphere that only the FA Cup could bring.

Oh how we sand when we went 1 up - and the roof got lifted off when Lee put in the second.

Those were the days.

[Rick B]

You're such a git.
One of the best times of my life as a Chelsea fan - no, wait, i was an actual supporter in those days ;) - was when we beat Liverpool, then reigning champions of Europe, in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge.
I was 18 years old and Chelsea weren't exactly doing well.More noted for our behaviour than the teams performances and all that.

The ground was packed - and remember, i 'm talking the old Stamford Bridge here, not that modern day wonder thats there now.Terraces and turnstyle gates that kids got lifted over for free, coppers (and everybody else for that matter that wasn't wearing Blue) staying farrr away from the shed end - the away support in the north stand, drinking and banter inside the stadium, queues down the Fulham road, people crowed outside and inside the pubs.
In short, an electric athmosphere that only the FA Cup could bring.

Oh how we sand when we went 1 up - and the roof got lifted off when Lee put in the second.

Those were the days.


Jeez, talk about reminising, this is like Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horse's going 'Way back long ago during the war....'!!!! :D

I must admit im not as old as you (sorry had to get that in - again!!) but I do remember as a kid in 1990 (!!) the atmousphere standing at Highbury. Very different to what it is today and yes, the F.A. Cup was/is special, but I fear that my generation is the last for whom it will be special for. Today all Arsenal fans concentrate on is the Champions League............

[Clan]

Jeez, talk about reminising, this is like Uncle Albert from Only Fools and Horse's going 'Way back long ago during the war....'!!!! :D

I must admit im not as old as you (sorry had to get that in - again!!) but I do remember as a kid in 1990 (!!) the atmousphere standing at Highbury. Very different to what it is today and yes, the F.A. Cup was/is special, but I fear that my generation is the last for whom it will be special for. Today all Arsenal fans concentrate on is the Champions League............


Ho ho ho...
Funny stuff...goes all the way back to 1990 (!!) to reminisce :D

Do you remember crowding around the radio on the Monday following the Saturday games - ho - another tradition thrown into the dogs dinner - for the drawing of the next round and the excitment that was involved.

[Rick B]

Ho ho ho...
Funny stuff...goes all the way back to 1990 (!!) to reminisce :D

Do you remember crowding around the radio on the Monday following the Saturday games - ho - another tradition thrown into the dogs dinner - for the drawing of the next round and the excitment that was involved.


That I do, Saturday games at 3pm and then Saint and Grevsie on a Sunday afternoon for the ITV game. Great days. I was at school then and we had decent teachers, so we were always able to listen to the draws, it was good actually as it kinda made it more important as the school drummed it into us about the tradition of the cup.

And now we have Sky..... :(

[Val1]

Today all Arsenal fans concentrate on is the Champions League............
Not all fans, Rick. I became an Arsenal fan because of the Double (the one in 71, back when it really meant somethin). I've listened to the game on my record player thousands of times. My brother's got the whole thing memorized. My Arsenal highlight was finally seeing Charlie George's goal just a couple of years ago for the first time. I'd had a poster in my room for almost ten years of Ray Clemens going to his right, suspended in mid-air, so naturally the speed of the shot took my breath away.

Yeah, I'm psyched about the CL this year, just because we haven't won it, but the FA Cup is important and I'm sure to be disappointed this year when Wenger turns it into another Carling Cup. I see the FA Cup as a major victory...

[Rick B]

Not all fans, Rick. I became an Arsenal fan because of the Double (the one in 71, back when it really meant somethin). I've listened to the game on my record player thousands of times. My brother's got the whole thing memorized. My Arsenal highlight was finally seeing Charlie George's goal just a couple of years ago for the first time. I'd had a poster in my room for almost ten years of Ray Clemens going to his right, suspended in mid-air, so naturally the speed of the shot took my breath away.

Yeah, I'm psyched about the CL this year, just because we haven't won it, but the FA Cup is important and I'm sure to be disappointed this year when Wenger turns it into another Carling Cup. I see the FA Cup as a major victory...

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear, but the comment that you referred to was a bit of a joke to Clanblue that we don't have to focus on the league and F.A.Cup as we've won them so much anyway. It wasn't serious at all mate. If you have a look through, I listed my priorities with the Premiership first!!!

[Kevin(Rsa)]

In England

epl
champions league
fa cup

rest dont count else you a team like chelsea,dream of winning everything but win none

[Boro_lad]

In England

epl
champions league
fa cup

rest dont count else you a team like chelsea,dream of winning everything but win none

shut up.....

[Kevin(Rsa)]

shut up.....


take a hike .truth hurts ????? :mad: