It's worth also pointing out that when they were introduced crowds, had been falling for decades and it was looking increasingly difficult to support so many professional clubs. It was thought that in 20 years that maybe half of them would either have either gone part-time or folded. Additionally, the football league had taken the decision to reduce the top division from 22 clubs to 22, and by having the 19th team from the top division join the 3-5th teams in the division below, it offered a less drastic way of reducing numbers of two years than just having a 4 team relegation zone or a two team promotion zone.
You get alot more money from a playoff win than you do in the UEFA Cup, for you to actually gain money from competing in the UEFA Cup you have to get to the last 16, and I think it's something similar with the Champs League.
Forgive me if this has been stated already, lower league playoffs also work best as: 1. they fill space in the calendar as well as getting national and international attention, when the fixture calendar is in its end-of-season phase with fewer matches to compete for attention 2. as few players involved in playoffs are on national sides (save for a CONCACAF nation or two) late playoffs do not translate into fatigued national players before international competition (such as Euros, WC, or qualifying dates in May/June in odd-numbered years when the weather is fair throughout Europe)
I do think playoffs are unfair on the team that finished 3rd though. They were rightly the 3rd best team in the division and then they have to play 3 more matches to prove it. Good luck Hull.
Yes. It's pretty simple really, teams are ranked on points accumulated, goal difference, and then goals scored. Why? Because just like giving three points for a win, it encourages attacking football and rewards teams who score more goals.
That's why they were considering a new system where you got an extra point for every extra goal you score past 3, which would really make the title race go down to the wire, because a team chasing would always have a chance to win it, and they would have to go out for 12-0 wins and stuff. But I think that would really ruin what football is about, it's not just about goals, it's just that these money grabbers think that only goals are entertaining. This is not Ice Hockey.
I think the results of the head to head matches counting before total GD as they do in other countries is interesting. I am not in favour of an extra play-off match though as this distorts the balance of the League where all teams have the same number of home games.
The head-to-head idea's interesting. It would make games between teams next to each other incredibly important.