With the FA Cup draw today, one thing is now for certain, a premiership team wanting to play in Europe next year must finish in the top 5. As always, the top 4 in the premier league go to the Champions League. 5th place in the premier league goes to the UEFA Cup. Middlesbrough has already qualified for the UEFA Cup as the Carling Cup winner. The FA Cup winner will go to the UEFA Cup. If they have already otherwise qualified for Europe, then the FA Cup runner up will go to the UEFA Cup. The only way for a 7th premier league team (the 6th place team) to go to the UEFA Cup was for Arsenal and Man United to both make it to the finals of the FA Cup. Now that can't happen. We're going to see Tranmere, Millwall or Sunderland in the UEFA Cup next year.
In fairness I think Boro will actually do well in Europe. Mendieta, Zenden and Juninho in midfield. Southgate and Ehiogu at the back, should be sound enough for a good run. It's the likes of Southampton and Blackburn who ruin it for everybody. Bloody 80's throwbacks.
was going to make the same point myself. i would say were are probably more suited to europe than the premiership, as we play a counter attacking style which is well adapted for use in away european matches. We will defo do better than the joke that southampton and blackburn were... I can see us getting us getting past the new group stages and then we'll see
At least Rovers qualified by doing something substantial last season, plus we were knocked out by a team which are still in the competition and who beat the likes of Parma on the way! The year before we were knocked out by Celtic who reached the final beating the likes of Stutgart, Celta Vigo and Liverpool on the way so I don't see how you acn call us a joke when the closest you got to Europe was watchin Newcastle.