[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?

Originally Posted by 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)

[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]

Originally Posted by 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

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]

Originally Posted by Clanblue

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]

Originally Posted by Clanblue

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....

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