Scary thought for FA Cup Place in Europe

[kevruth]

If you look at the FA Cup pairings and the possible outcomes for this next round consider this:

If both Manchester United and Arsenal should win their respective matches there is one chance in three that they will be paired up in the Semifinals. If that happens, a non-Premiership club will make it to the finals. And with that spot goes an automatic trip into the UEFA Cup. How much does that suck as to have an English representative be a non-Premiership club? It could even be Second Division Tranmere who is only ranked 58th in the League. Is this good for the future of England in European competitions since they probably wouldn't go very far and would hurt England's Competition Coefficient?

And to think Charlton may not even qualify for Europe with a 6th place finish. Sheesh!

[olegunnar]

Well even Tranmere can't do any worse than Southampton and Blackburn did this season going out in round 1.

I for one would love to see Tranmere in the final of the FA Cup and in europe or any non prem club for that matter.

[John Boy]

What? Like Ipswich last year? (Albeit through the Fair Play Route).

I think it would be great. Although Millwall fans in Europe is a scary thought.

[kevruth]

Originally posted by John Boy
What? Like Ipswich last year? (Albeit through the Fair Play Route).

I think it would be great. Although Millwall fans in Europe is a scary thought.

Ipswich was an exception. Ipswich also won the Fair Play spot while in the Premiership. They still had most of their Premiership players from the previous season. Didn't they advance to the next round, too?

I never even thought about the possibility of Millwall in Europe. England would certainly get banned again if their hooligans had a Millwall match to terrorise.

[Fevernova99]

I think it would be wonderful for a non-pre team to make it to the final and into europe. Great payback to the true fans of the club that support the team.

Underdogs prevail with hard work and luck, isnt that what the FA cup is all about?

[pookspur]

it will undoubtedly suck - for whoever finishes 6th in the prem. i'm not sure about anyone else. it all depends upon what one considers to be a more deserving criteria for UEFA cup qualification.

i think most would agree that it takes a better side to finish 6th in the prem than it takes to reach a cup final; but is that a more impressive accomplishment? one could easily say that it takes a better team to finish the NCAA basketball regular season with the best record in the country than it takes to win the NCAA tournament - but which is the greater accomplishment? it's quite subjective.

and relative, for that matter. if 6th in the prem goes to a club like charlton or fulham, one might be rather inclined to say "quite impressive", and deserving of that reward. but what if it's liverpool? "with all those resources you've managed to finish in the top 30% of your league - big deal."

in my personal opinion, i really don't think that either 'accomplishment' (6th in the prem, or REACHING a cup final) is significant enough that the denial of a UEFA cup spot represents any great injustice. but i'll certainly understand the disappointment of any addicks fan if that's the way it plays out.

[billf]

If both ManU and Arsenal make the final they will already have wrapped up places in the Champions League. How would a UEFA Cup rep via the FA Cup be determined then? Would England just not get one at all?

[Eric B]

Originally posted by kevruth
And to think Charlton may not even qualify for Europe with a 6th place finish. Sheesh!

I thought England got four UEFA Cup places; FAC winner LC winner and 5 & 6 in the Prem. Did Blackburn get in last year because Liverpool came in fifth and also won the LC?

[kevruth]

Originally posted by billf
If both ManU and Arsenal make the final they will already have wrapped up places in the Champions League. How would a UEFA Cup rep via the FA Cup be determined then? Would England just not get one at all?

If both FA Cup finalists qualified for Champions League then the FA Cup spot goes to the highest placed club in the Premiership that hasn't aready qualified for Europe. In this case it would go to the team that finishes sixth (first four places are CL and fifth gets an automatic UEFA Cup bid).

Hope this explains things.

[M]

Originally posted by kevruth
Ipswich was an exception. Ipswich also won the Fair Play spot while in the Premiership. They still had most of their Premiership players from the previous season. Didn't they advance to the next round, too?


Yes, but ironically I don't think the fair play winner counts towards a country's coefficient?

The thing that screws England is giving one of its UEFA Cup spots to the winner of a competition that few care about - the League Cup. Having either Middlesbrough or Bolton in the UEFA Cup instead of the sixth placed team is ridiculous, imo.

[Boro_lad]

Originally posted by M
Yes, but ironically I don't think the fair play winner counts towards a country's coefficient?

The thing that screws England is giving one of its UEFA Cup spots to the winner of a competition that few care about - the League Cup. Having either Middlesbrough or Bolton in the UEFA Cup instead of the sixth placed team is ridiculous, imo.

People cared about it last year when it was man u vs liverpool, and they cared when liverpool did thier "treble", all of a sudden you have 2 clubs that southerners and foreigners dont support and then "NO ONE cares", stick your superior bollocks up your arse cause i care, middlesbrough cares, and im sure bolton do.....

[Boro_lad]

from the mouth of the little fella

"I’m here for the third time to win titles with Middlesbrough and we have the opportunity to do that on Sunday," he said.

"It’s important to me as it was to win the World Cup,"

[John Boy]

Originally posted by Boro_lad
People cared about it last year when it was man u vs liverpool, and they cared when liverpool did thier "treble", all of a sudden you have 2 clubs that southerners and foreigners dont support and then "NO ONE cares", stick your superior bollocks up your arse
http://www.btinternet.com/~johnnythrostle/files/notworthy.gif

[Prenn]

Originally posted by Boro_lad
People cared about it last year when it was man u vs liverpool, and they cared when liverpool did thier "treble", all of a sudden you have 2 clubs that southerners and foreigners dont support and then "NO ONE cares", stick your superior bollocks up your arse cause i care, middlesbrough cares, and im sure bolton do.....

Amen.

[gaz_vince]

How it'd make me laugh


Sheff Utd 0 Vs. Inter 4

that'd be interesting, Paul Peschisolido in Europe, noooo

[MightyBees]

How much does that suck as to have an English representative be a non-Premiership club?

from a lower divisions supporters point-of-view i think it would be pretty cool to have a Nationwide team in Europe- rather than having a 'jumped-up' team in Europe again- to see a smaller team play against the likes of Europes elite would be good for the game!
For all you stuck up people who see their team play in Europe season after season- just think what it would mean to a smaller team to have one season in Europe?

[AndyMead]

Was it two years ago that a French amateur side made it to the French Cup final?

If you don't want non-EPL sides in Europe, then don't give out European slots to Cup winners (best finishers). That's the simple solution (one I don't agree with.)

Didn't Middlesborough make it to the cup final a few years ago when they relegated back to the 1st Division? If they'd (or whoever it was) had won the cup they'd have been in Europe and in Division One.

That's why they play the games. Whining is for losers. This whole "6th place team deserves it" is hogwash. The 6th place team is 5th loser.

I miss the old Champions League where only champions made it. I miss the pre-wild card MLB playoffs. Go 100-62, but finish in 2nd place? Enjoy your vacation, buddy.

[Peakite]

Originally posted by gaz_vince
How it'd make me laugh


Sheff Utd 0 Vs. Inter 4

that'd be interesting, Paul Peschisolido in Europe, noooo
Still, it isn't as bad as conceeding six to Portsmouth

[basso001]

Originally posted by AndyMead
Was it two years ago that a French amateur side made it to the French Cup final?
Right -- Calais, wasn't it?


I miss the old Champions League where only champions made it. I miss the pre-wild card MLB playoffs. Go 100-62, but finish in 2nd place? Enjoy your vacation, buddy.
Get the man his rocking chair and prop him up on the porch. Bring one for me too.

I agree about everything except the baseball playoffs. I miss the (really) old days where there was one league champion who went straight to the Series.

b.

[TopDogg]

Originally posted by gaz_vince
How it'd make me laugh


Sheff Utd 0 Vs. Inter 4

that'd be interesting, Paul Peschisolido in Europe, noooo
Hey, leave Pesch out of this discussion ;)

Besides, he could be in the Prem next season anyways.