FTK Blog: The real class will remain with the top three.

When I first read about the ECL Playoffs yesterday I thought that they were a bad idea. But then this is only because the last few seasons we have only managed fourth place, and for us to have another 3 games or a mini end of season league situation would not be good. Then today I think that this could have a place in the season. Look at what the play offs have done for the lower leagues, the games are generally good, there is excitement and tension and something to play for to get into the top 6/7 or 8 depending on the division.

In the EPL now we have potentially 7 clubs fighting for the top 4 places. in recent years the top two have pulled away and the fight has been for the third and fourth places which we have been able to gain. So in some ways i think it would be a good idea, although the arguments put out by the EPL administrators for the reason of trying to spread the money around a bit more. I suspect that you will still get the same four teams in the ECL. If you look at our results home and away against Spurs, Everton and Villa over the last few years then we would still have held on to fourth place.

However, in the end this will only increase the divide between those at the top of the middle tier of the premiership and the rest.

I agree with your first point but not with your final. A European league run along the lines of American Football where there are no relegation risks but lots of travelling will mean that the ordinary Gooner will no longer be able to have the chance to enjoy or afford going to see the Arsenal

I can really see this new scheme failing miserably.
With 2 or 3 games to go the teams sitting 6th and 7th will be going flat out to remain in those positions. But as it doesn’t matter if you finish 4th or 7th then the 2 teams above them (already safe) aren’t going to try very hard. I can see them putting out squad teams for the last couple of matches to keep their best team fresh for the playoffs.
This could also have a major bearing on relegation issues. We’ve already seen the reaction to Mick McCarthy’s reserve team against Utd. That will be nothing by contrast if a team gets relegated because a team in 4th place throws a game to keep their best players fresh.
Champions League should imo be for champions only.

I too am old fashioned and believe that the Champions league should be for Champions and Runners up and the premier domestic cup competition. But money talks and the Broadcasters want to see prime fixtures with the best players in the best stadiums…

Nice article FTK and valid points. On the issue around finances, it is clear that this scheme will not share the wealth, but will involve 3/4 more clubs spending beyond their means to try and break into the Top 7 places. This is a recipe for financial disaster.

I heard somewhere last week, that the solution could be for the Premier League to put 50% of the clubs TV revenue entitlement into a Trust Fund, which could only be used for youth development, stadium development, or training facilities. basically the money has to go into the club and not into players pockets.

This sounds like a very good idea and if done properly, may stabilise things.

And as an Arsenal fan, I would suggest that we are already doing this so we wouldn’t have to adapt.

This is a possibility without the play-offs.

I still don’t know whether the 3rd place finisher this year has to go through qualifying for next years champs league??

Perhaps introducing a more competitive qualifying to the CL would be a better solution for the whole of europe because leagues accross europe all have certain teams dominating, not just England.

However I’m not sure why people want to try to make everything more even because, firstly money comes in from people wanting to watch the best teams play and secondly, if the rules are changed to limit the current big clubs from winning everything then these conditions will favour other (or maybe the same) clubs and these will be the new big clubs.

The issue should be around the sustainability of the clubs and not about making the league closer or more exciting or giving lower clubs more of a chance. The debate is currently confusing these two very separate issues bceause as pointed out by ftk, trying to make the league more even will probably make even more of the mid-table teams spend beyind their means.

UEFA must introduce rules to stop ridiculous over spending first, before the issue of the competitiveness of the leagues is looked at. And there are no guarentees that any new system will help make the league more competitive anyway (but in general saying something won’t work is not a good reason not to try it).

the trouble with having only the champions in the champions league is that this can become like the separate euro league that we don’t want to see if the same teams are getting into it (and then getting more money from it) then this will make the leagues around europe even less competitive than before.

Bit of a strange one DJ???? 4th and Champs League is pretty obvious answer. And if you win Champs League, you are in it next season regardless of where you finish.

Agreed TJ
The problem for us, is that the Premier league refuse to do what is right, so until UEFA step in and disqualify teams, Arsenal will remain alone on its moral high ground…

precisely J.I.N!

Well said

ok thanks. oh yeah it was the same last time. only we had to qualify.

I’d leave the Champions League as it is but have no groups and a completely unseeded knock out tournament.
Would be fantastic. Ok you’d get AC Milan v Barcelona and FC Cluj v BATE Borisov but so be it!
That would help spread the wealth as “weaker” teams would have a better chance to advance. And every draw would be genuinely exciting.

david moyes likes the idea too.

i think 5 teams from one country is a bit too much. but something similar to your suggestion almost happened last year. initially we were going to be able to be drawn agianst fourth place from italy or spain or 3rd from germany but at the last moment they made the qualifying seeded so that couldn’t happen.

although UEFA’s reason for doing this was to try and get more champions from smaller leagues in the competition, whereas i think yours is to make the champions league have more better teams.

The Broadcasters would object to Real Madrid getting knocked out.

Lets not beat about the bush, there are aspects of the draw that makes one wonder….mmmm

Great idea Mexican, but UEFA are scared of the Spanish might.

the only FA to be accused of Racism… Outcome? a pitiful fine

the main clubs who tap up other countries best players with Impunity…
Punishment —ZERO SANCTIONS

Its a joke1

Come on OM LYON beat the Galacticos…lol

Oh I didnt knew that form last year, interesting.