[olafgb]

Hope nobody posted it before:

A club assembly suggested to reform the UEFA cup. They want to reduce the system to 40 participants and introduce a group system (8 groups with 5 teams). In these groups everyone plays once (!) against everyone in a way that each team has two home and two away games. Only the first ranked of each group qualifies for the quarterfinal which is held in regular k.o.-system.

I'm just afraid that 32 of the participants play the regular UEFA way to qualify for the competition - and the UEFA cup as introduced here only starts after the first Champions League group stage to take over the 8 CL 3rd ranked teams.

[Syncope]

I don't think it's wise to reform the UEFA Cup without reforming the CL. The UEFA Cup, with the proposed changes to group play, will look no different (aside from some technicalities) than the CL, especially after the CL teams, some of which will be domestic champions, have dropped into the UEFA Cup.

I have an idea. Why not combine the UEFA Cup and the CL into a 72-team event, as the two are losing their identity and differentiation anyway? With nine teams from England, eight from Spain, seven teams each from Italy and Germany, and six teams each from Turkey, Greece, the Netherlands, and France, we'd be sure to finally find the true champion of Europe.

[MasterShake29]

I like the idea, only I'd go with the format of 16 groups of 5 (80 teams), to ensure that a good number of smaller teams make it in.

Each team plays 4 matches (2 home / 2 away), winners advance to Round of 16. Finalists only play 11 games (compared to 17 in the current CL, and 13 in the CL next year with the elimination of the second group phase).

Note that in the CL, the group phase is 6 games (each team home and away, top 2 advance), but in the UEFA Cup it would be just 4 games, with who plays who randomly drawn, with only the winner advancing.

I would not increase the number of teams from the big nations, as this would slightly reduce the numbers of teams in the UEFA Cup (currently 96 enter the first round).

[AFCA]

I don't like the idea at all.

[IASocFan]

I don't like the single round robin. The importance of home field is too great. I like the knockout system with home and home. League play takes too many games in an overcrowded schedule.

[MasterShake29]

Originally posted by AFCA
I don't like the idea at all.

Have a better idea? If I'm not mistaken this how Italy's Serie C Cup works (or at least how I think it does in my computer game).

[bocatuna]

Is there any point in keeping the UEFA Cup anymore ? As it seems only the smaller sides care about winning it.

What's the point in holding a tournament to find the best 'mid-table' team in Europe ?

[Oscar]

I have to agree with AFCA, don't like the merger idea either.

The Champion's League is there for the best teams in Europe. I see some complaining on this board that only the "champions" should play in this Cup, but the truth is that the CL has improved a lot since other teams from the best leagues have joined the fray. Would the World Cup be better or more enjoyable if only the winners from each continent's cup (European Cup, Gold Cup etc. ) were allowed to play? I sure as hell don't think so.

The UEFA Cup is there for the "lesser" teams. Might seem like a pointless Cup, but it brings an extra income and goal to reach for the smaller teams in the different leagues. Many of whom most likely wouldn't stand a chance in the Champion's League, and would find opposition more to their level in the UEFA Cup.

Merging the 2 would just result in a Cup with too many clubs, of which the difference in quality is even bigger than that of FC Rosenborg against let's say Real Madrid.

What's the point in holding a tournament to find the best 'mid-table' team in Europe ?

Not so long ago I read on 1 of the America's board here that you people were planning the same thing over there, you know, the one where they wanted the champion of that Cup to play a "special" match against the UEFA Cup winner.

Didn't see too many negative reactions to the idea on that thread. Don't know if the actual plan goes through or not, but apparently to find the best mid-table club from a region appeals to not just the Europeans.

[bocatuna]

Originally posted by Oscar


Not so long ago I read on 1 of the America's board here that you people were planning the same thing over there, you know, the one where they wanted the champion of that Cup to play a "special" match against the UEFA Cup winner.

Didn't see too many negative reactions to the idea on that thread. Don't know if the actual plan goes through or not, but apparently to find the best mid-table club from a region appeals to not just the Europeans.

I have aboslutley no idea what your talking about here.

[Oscar]

I should definitely start looking at the location thingy looked at your name and thought you were Argentinian...sorry for the insult.