Blue in Munich
Crocked Professional Yeti Impersonator
Why not? They complied with the qualifying conditions.
Why not? They complied with the qualifying conditions.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Perhaps it should be re-named the Champions and Not Champions League.
T
thecraw
Guest
Flawed as they are!
Don't really want to turn this into an anti Chelsea or English football as I enjoy watching some English games its more a rant at the flawed rules and the establishment in general. Whether you chose to ignore it or not it is a closed shop designed to keep the rich rich and let the rest starve.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
BINGO, the problem is in the competition criteria. CHAMPIONS LEAGUE when champions of countries leagues have to qualify and out and out losers like Chelsea (and 3rd palce teams from Spain etc) get a free ride in.
Wrong in every sense. UEFA pander to the larger leagues and it's no wonder smaller countries teams have a hard time, Celtic arguably punched miles above their weight this year, given similar financial resources they would easily compete with the best out there.
Birchy
Money List Winner
Trouble is Celtic cant compete not because of the champions league but because their own domestic league is poor and they get next to nothing revenue wise from it compared to the premier league and other top european leagues.
Now if they were in the PL getting that money they would be right up there with as good a chance of some of the English teams of winning the thing without a doubt imo.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Absolutely, but to potentially penalise Celtic financially by not allowing them direct entry into the CL where as 3rd place losers get direct entry is all wrong.
louise_a
Money List Winner
The Champions League is the nearest the big clubs could get to a European Super League. Bring back the old European Cup I say.
Birchy
Money List Winner
They would still struggle to compete even with direct entry. They get more money going through the qualifiers and they are still a way off the pace due to all the other teams getting a lot more money domestically.
The champions league is wrong in name only. The product is great as it is and throws up the best possible matches imo.
Birchy
Money List Winner
That wouldnt be good to watch at all. I dont want to see the champions of wales or finland getting absolutely mangled by Barcelona reserves its just not interesting at all.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
This years comp would suggest otherwise. 3 times Celtic have made the last 16 in their last 6 attempts in the CL with us failing to get there on 2 occasions. Thats a 50% strike rate of getting out the group which is pretty good given our resources.
Last 16 on our limited budget against 3 quality sides, how would we go with the guaranteed millions the CL brings in, our transfer dealing are based on us not getting in.
Birchy
Money List Winner
Celtic wouldnt get any more money than they get now with direct entry though, they would get less than if they won a few qualifiers. Celtic are already getting the same prize money as other teams that make the last 16 so unless they get better and get to the even later stages they wont get anymore money.
The trouble Celtic have got is they do absolutely fantastic to get to the last 16 with what resources they have got but the only way they will get to later stages is if they had more money from domestic football.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Direct entry GUARANTEE's in excess of £12m apparently, if you don't get through the qualifying stage you get nowt more, Celtic in recent years have failed at the qualifying stage twice. There are no easy qualifiers in the CL, Celtic have went out to Arsenal and Braga in the last 5 years. The year we went out to Braga they lost in the Europa final.
gregbwfc
Q-School Graduate
Why ?
Should we not be seeding the FA Cup then to make sure we have all the "top" sides in the latter stages of the comp ?
(Admittedly, this would have avoided the unsavoury sight of Wigan winning it this year
)No, there are a lot of things wrong in football, and we all know it's down to money.
Look how Liverpool are struggling to keep pace in the Prem because they've been out of the Champs league for a while.
Play offs - all wrong.
46 games is plenty to decide who goes up.
But it'll never change.
What will change, I reckon, is this.
When the EPL has the "right" teams in it, they'll pull up the drawbridge and it'll become a closed shop.
May even go down the franchise route.
These teams may even include the Old Firm.
But won't include the likes of our lot, Wigan, Norwich, Crystal Palace, etc.
Sorry, rant over
Birchy
Money List Winner
That 12m is never going to be enough for Celtic to have a chance though is it really. When teams like Palace, Norwich, West brom etc next season will be getting nigh on 100m for just being in the premier league it shows where Celtic are losing out imo.
Just imagine the big boys with their owners throwing billions about as well and its just a different level financially.
Teams from poorer leagues will still be limited even if they have direct access so no matter how UEFA do it there will still be a gulf between teams with a chance of winning it and those with none.
Birchy
Money List Winner
Why ?
Should we not be seeding the FA Cup then to make sure we have all the "top" sides in the latter stages of the comp ?
(Admittedly, this would have avoided the unsavoury sight of Wigan winning it this year
No, there are a lot of things wrong in football, and we all know it's down to money.
Look how Liverpool are struggling to keep pace in the Prem because they've been out of the Champs league for a while.
Play offs - all wrong.
46 games is plenty to decide who goes up.
But it'll never change.
What will change, I reckon, is this.
When the EPL has the "right" teams in it, they'll pull up the drawbridge and it'll become a closed shop.
May even go down the franchise route.
These teams may even include the Old Firm.
But won't include the likes of our lot, Wigan, Norwich, Crystal Palace, etc.
Sorry, rant over
FA Cup is the David and Goliath trophy though isnt it and teams can have a lucky run and get through, thats part of its make up.
The champions league is to decide the best team in europe and shouldnt really be decided by Young boys bern having a flukey draw and scraping a 1-0 over somebody in the final in my view
You should have to prove over many games you are the business and beat the best teams.
M
MetalMickie
Guest
Sadly I must agree with gregbwfc and share your view of the way that something that was once "the beautiful game" has developed.
No longer any consideration for club supporters as everything is geared towards corporates and Match of the Day supporters.
Hardly surprising that there are increasing comments about lack of atmosphere at some games.
No longer any consideration for club supporters as everything is geared towards corporates and Match of the Day supporters.
Hardly surprising that there are increasing comments about lack of atmosphere at some games.
gregbwfc
Q-School Graduate
FA Cup is the David and Goliath trophy though isnt it and teams can have a lucky run and get through, thats part of its make up.
The champions league is to decide the best team in europe and shouldnt really be decided by Young boys bern having a flukey draw and scraping a 1-0 over somebody in the final in my view
You should have to prove over many games you are the business and beat the best teams.
Again, why ?
Both comps are knockouts.
If you're good enough, you'll beat what's put in front of you.
If not, tough, you weren't.
Chelsea fluked it last year but everyone thinks it shows how great EPL is - nonsense.
What our Scottish cousins are arguing is that certain teams never WIN anything, or indeed are likely to, but keep getting richer year upon year.
Now you could argue,it isn't their fault.
But it is - these certain teams and their european counterparts changed the rules to suit them
Now call it the European Midweek League and you'd be about right.
But as we're all saying, things won't change.
(Not sure why I'm that bothered actually, not like the Whites are ever going to be in it :smirk
Birchy
Money List Winner
Again, why ?
Both comps are knockouts.
If you're good enough, you'll beat what's put in front of you.
If not, tough, you weren't.
Chelsea fluked it last year but everyone thinks it shows how great EPL is - nonsense.
What our Scottish cousins are arguing is that certain teams never WIN anything, or indeed are likely to, but keep getting richer year upon year.
Now you could argue,it isn't their fault.
But it is - these certain teams and their european counterparts changed the rules to suit them
Now call it the European Midweek League and you'd be about right.
But as we're all saying, things won't change.
(Not sure why I'm that bothered actually, not like the Whites are ever going to be in it :smirk
If your good enough youll beat whats put in front of you applies to any team going through the CL qualifiers as well then surely?
Better teams in more competitive leagues could then argue why is there only one space for our league when we have got 5 european giants in it yet in Scotland theres only one team in the league capable of winning it and they get one as well?
The champions league or whatever you want to call it is for deciding the best team in europe and the current format is the best way imo.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
Money is buying success therefor teams with limited amounts will have less chance so they should get as much help as is available.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
If your good enough youll beat whats put in front of you applies to any team going through the CL qualifiers as well then surely?
Better teams in more competitive leagues could then argue why is there only one space for our league when we have got 5 european giants in it yet in Scotland theres only one team in the league capable of winning it and they get one as well?
The champions league or whatever you want to call it is for deciding the best team in europe and the current format is the best way imo.
Therefor they cannot and should not be calling it the Champions league, it's a European league now. For making rich teams richer and poorer teams poorer.
