The Champions League

[vanderark14]

Whats your thoughts on this competition? it certainly brings up "glamour ties" like tonights match featuring arguably the two best sides to watch in Europe right now.

 

I'm against it, money has ruined it and its the same big sides cashing in on it every season. Its killed the game and totally de valued certain competitions IMO.

 

Thoughts?

[Dubai-Dandy]

Whats your thoughts on this competition? it certainly brings up "glamour ties" like tonights match featuring arguably the two best sides to watch in Europe right now.

 

I'm against it, money has ruined it and its the same big sides cashing in on it every season. Its killed the game and totally de valued certain competitions IMO.

 

Thoughts?

 

Pish setup and it isnt champions anyway so it just makes everyone second class people. The other Euros comp doesnt pay as much money even close by all accounts.

[stand_free]

No point calling it the Champion's league when you can win it without being champions. I remember reading that in the 1998/99 season Fergie wanted to turn down the change to play in the qualifiers beacause Arsenal had won the league and Man U shouldn't have been in it, but he was told that the amount of money that would cost United meant it couldn't be done.

 

They should go back to a straight knockout between champions. More likely to be upsets even in two legged ties than over the course of a group stage which quickly filters out most of the smaller teams in the tournament.

[OddJob]

Spot on guys, it has been completely de-valued for years. Great to watch certain games but should be converted back to just Champions of all the euro leagues, it might not be pretty but at least it would be fairer.

[minijc]

How can it be called the Champions league when it isn't just the champions that get in to it, they should rework the whole thing.

[Old Wing Stand]

Don't see why the champions of some countries have to play qualifying rounds when teams that are 2nd in their country, should be an all in draw from the start.

[Betty Swallicks]

Was exciting. Now much less so. Too much money going into the hands of the few. Different anti-sport philosophy held by FIFA & UEFA. The NFL give the weakest teams the best players in the draft, or they used to when I was semi interested in it for two shakes of a lams tail 25 years ago. That's a sporting chance. Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Aberdeen have all won European Trophies. That aint happening again any decades soon.

 

 

Most of this ^ is spot on but Villa could win the Uefa Cup.

Fulham and the huns have got to the final in the last few years ffs.

[fatshaft]

Whats your thoughts on this competition? it certainly brings up "glamour ties" like tonights match featuring arguably the two best sides to watch in Europe right now.

 

I'm against it, money has ruined it and its the same big sides cashing in on it every season. Its killed the game and totally de valued certain competitions IMO.

 

Thoughts?

Not just cashing in, but clashing. The league format and seeding has taken away all the excitement of the European tournaments, add in the doggies chance for 3rd place group finishers, and the whole thing is now a farce. I've barely watched a european game in the last five years.

 

I find it laughable how out of touch the rulers in football are today (in England at any rate) that they see seeding the FA cup as a possible move forward in halting the decline of that competition. Surely seeding in any form of football is against the whole history of the game.

[vanderark14]

Gets a bit repetitive at times, but I struggle to see what football competition doesn't.

 

Still find a lot of the tactical battles and contrasting styles in the latter stages interesting, even if others would probably describe it as being "boring" because it isn't 3-3.

 

The competition does miss strong Italian teams though.

 

not me, its boring because it the same "mouth watering" SKY © clashes every year. Was last nights match really an upset as some described on TV and radio? Arsenal maybe don't spend what Man City and Chelsea do but their spending power is much bigger than that of the majority of clubs in the world.

 

You can pretty much name the sides that will be in the latter stages before it starts.

[tup]

It's rubbish. Why does it only get exciting now? That's correct, because it's a two leg knockout, kill or be killed, do or die.

 

All that 'League' pish, for also-rans from Europe's richest footballing nations, is just a total joke and an insult to true football fans who remember the way it used to be, which worked very well indeed. It's not even mildly interesting at the group stage, just a means of enrichment, of taking the shilling from the gullible armchair dullard watching it all through (probably club crested) sepia tinted lenses.

 

Give us back the European Cup, for champions only. To hell with this league sh*te.

[vanderark14]

It's rubbish. Why does it only get exciting now? That's correct, because it's a two leg knockout, kill or be killed, do or die.

 

All that 'League' pish, for also-rans from Europe's richest footballing nations, is just a total joke and an insult to true football fans who remember the way it used to be, which worked very well indeed. It's not even mildly interesting at the group stage, just a means of enrichment, of taking the shilling from the gullible armchair dullard watching it all through (probably club crested) sepia tinted lenses.

 

Give us back the European Cup, for champions only. To hell with this league sh*te.

 

 

here here tup :applause:

[Bluto10]

It's rubbish. Why does it only get exciting now? That's correct, because it's a two leg knockout, kill or be killed, do or die.

 

All that 'League' pish, for also-rans from Europe's richest footballing nations, is just a total joke and an insult to true football fans who remember the way it used to be, which worked very well indeed. It's not even mildly interesting at the group stage, just a means of enrichment, of taking the shilling from the gullible armchair dullard watching it all through (probably club crested) sepia tinted lenses.

 

Give us back the European Cup, for champions only. To hell with this league sh*te.

 

i dont mind 2nd/3rd/4th place teams being in it t.b.h. - but i do think the league format has had its day.

perhaps uefa might make more money by reverting to knock-outs for the whole tournament as it would freshen it up.

 

 

i was thinking last night about barcelona. and specifically the times they played chelsea.

messi getting booted all over the place.

ronaldinhios goal form the edge of the box.

drogbas late equaliser ta the nou camp.

 

so much drama and excitment, and thats just 2 teams.

 

the leagues may be a procession for the usual teams but the tournament, or rather the 2nd phase of it, still has the ability to excite.

[tup]

i dont mind 2nd/3rd/4th place teams being in it t.b.h. - but i do think the league format has had its day.

perhaps uefa might make more money by reverting to knock-outs for the whole tournament as it would freshen it up.

 

 

i was thinking last night about barcelona. and specifically the times they played chelsea.

messi getting booted all over the place.

ronaldinhios goal form the edge of the box.

drogbas late equaliser ta the nou camp.

 

so much drama and excitment, and thats just 2 teams.

 

the leagues may be a procession for the usual teams but the tournament, or rather the 2nd phase of it, still has the ability to excite.

 

The only reason it excites now is because it's knockout.

 

The tournament itself is a total cartel as it stands.

 

And it's obviously wrong that the Champions of countries like Belgium and Scotland have to 'qualify' for the f**king thing. You win your league, you're in. It's very obviously wrong, and the only motive for this is base greed and nepotism from those dining at the top table in the big leagues.

 

And I don't buy this 2nd, 3rd and 4th crap at all, these teams should be in the UEFA cup, where they belong.

 

I'd go further and say it should be unseeded from the very first round, all the champions in and a free draw.

 

But the turkeys are hardly going to vote for Christmas, are they?

 

So we get this abberation of tournament foisted on us, neither a cup nor a league.

[Bluto10]

tup youre the prime viewer for champions league.

you only support aberdeen and so therefore have no allegiance when it comes to the c.l. - total neutral - so why cant you just appreciate the football?

its not like you support feyenoord, say, who would often get into it as champions of holland but then never win it cause there are better teams from italy/spain/england who arent champions of their league.

 

 

what you say is correct. money, money, money.

it should be made fairer. prob no one woudl disagree with you on that.

 

however who cares that 4th in the e.p.l. gives you champions league entry?

the 4th spot in england equates to one of the best sides in europe.

your argument realy only applies to the naming convention of the competition.

 

if it was called Best Team In Europe Tournament, would taht make it better for you?

[tup]

the 4th spot in england equates to one of the best sides in europe.

 

Utter, utter sh*te of the highest delusionary order.

 

Why the f**k do you think the 4th placed team in England is one of the 'best' sides in Europe?

 

They have the most money, that's f**king why.

 

Why the f**k do they have the most money?

 

That's right, they operate a f**king cartel, goes by the name of G-f**king-14, might as well be G-f**king-whizz for all I give a f**k, they shield all the cash for those they deem most entitled to it.

 

They widen the gap, they wheel, they deal, they manipulate, they mess with football traditions which were long standing.

 

So you have a previously joke outfit, Manchester City, as a club of stature, suddenly, because of money.

 

Whereas clubs of long standing heritage, like Ajax and Marseille, don't get a look in, even Wigan and the likes can help themselves to their players.

 

You've got it so wrong, it's difficult to know where to start with you, you're totally brainwashed by hype.

[Bluto10]

Utter, utter sh*te of the highest delusionary order.

 

Why the f**k do you think the 4th placed team in England is one of the 'best' sides in Europe?

 

They have the most money, that's f**king why.

 

Why the f**k do they have the most money?

 

That's right, they operate a f**king cartel, goes by the name of G-f**king-14, might as well be G-f**king-whizz for all I give a f**k, they shield all the cash for those they deem most entitled to it.

 

They widen the gap, they wheel, they deal, they manipulate, they mess with football traditions which were long standing.

 

So you have a previously joke outfit, Manchester City, as a club of stature, suddenly, because of money.

 

Whereas clubs of long standing heritage, like Ajax and Marseille, don't get a look in, even Wigan and the likes can help themselves to their players.

 

You've got it so wrong, it's difficult to know where to start with you, you're totally brainwashed by hype.

 

 

tupperware, we all know this - and i agree with you.

 

but i'm sorry its the way it is - its progress.

and its not always good.

 

i'm not brainwashed, i'm just nae a moaning f**ker like you.

 

alsdo think that man city have every right to be in the c.l. - money or no money. marseille are no paragon of virtue, have no more heritage than man city and are a bunch of cheating froggy bast*rds

[tup]

but i'm sorry its the way it is - its progress.

 

Not it's not, it's regressive, and that's the original point of the thread.

 

i.e. it was much better before.

 

Progress for who exactly?

[Bluto10]

 

Progress for who exactly?

 

father time?

[Dynamo]

I voted for'for' it.

 

A premier European football competition, yea brilliant. Don't agree with a lot of what goes on though, rich clubs getting richer and becoming a closed shop really.

 

Hats off to UEFA though and their affordable pricing for the final at Wembley, football for the fans.

[vanderark14]

I voted for'for' it.

 

A premier European football competition, yea brilliant. Don't agree with a lot of what goes on though, rich clubs getting richer and becoming a closed shop really.

 

Hats off to UEFA though and their affordable pricing for the final at Wembley, football for the fans.

 

I didn't realise the sarcasm in your post till I got this link emailed to me today

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/9401141.stm

 

thats a f**king disgrace

[tup]

I didn't realise the sarcasm in your post till I got this link emailed to me today

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/9401141.stm

 

thats a f**king disgrace

 

Just serves to confirm the elitist, totally detached from reality snakes running the game now.

[Jaws]

The biggest farce is the back door route into the Europa League just to protect the big teams from going out altogether. You can go out in the qualifying round or the league stage (3rd place) and STILL be in Europe albeit a different competition. Wtf is that all about? The whole format imo is just designed to ensure the rich stay rich or get even richer. The poorer clubs just don't stand a chance in hell.

 

I agree that the league stage has had it's day and we need to go back to the knockouts, for both competitions.

[Nespa]

As long as Spurs are in it (and Liverpool aren't) I fecking love it!!

 

COYS!

[vanderark14]

The biggest farce is the back door route into the Europa League just to protect the big teams from going out altogether. You can go out in the qualifying round or the league stage (3rd place) and STILL be in Europe albeit a different competition. Wtf is that all about? The whole format imo is just designed to ensure the rich stay rich or get even richer. The poorer clubs just don't stand a chance in hell.

 

I agree that the league stage has had it's day and we need to go back to the knockouts, for both competitions.

 

football is more or less over for the "working man" its blatantly obvious that FIFA and UEFA couldn't care less about the fans as long as the gravy train keeps moving. They lied about the world cup and bringing it regular south African's when it turned out they couldn't afford it. They lied about moving the CL final to a Saturday to make it more accessible to families, considering most families could not afford those prices I fail to see how that's possible. As long as people are tuning at home on pay per view TV they don't give a f**k. The CL is a unique event and they know it will sell out through sponsorship and the prawn sandwich brigade.

 

Football is finished as we know/knew it.

[Nespa]

Joke sent to me from a poster on here, seems good to post it now.

 

What do Arsenal, Spurs and Paul McCartney have in common? They all get excited over 1 leg.

 

no i get excited about

 

beating Arsenal 3-2 at the big london Library

beating Liverpool at WHL

Beating Inter 3-1 at WHL

and currently sitting 4th in the league 8 points ahead of the mighty Liverpool with a game in hand

 

also with one foot in the champs lg 1/4 final.

 

these things get ma tail wagging!

[Nespa]

I like Spurs fans getting excited, it makes the rest of the country laugh because all of a sudden they are a big club.

 

8 points clear, good stuff. 38 games in a season though.

 

Oh how the fallen giants weep...

[weapon]

Chepest general sale tickets for this years champions league final at wembley are gonna be