Europa League - is it worth the hassle?

[Krafty]

Recently Tottenham’s best Premiership finishes were achieved when the team was able to focus entirely on the league campaign. This season’s Champions League exploits, while being something that no fan would want to forget, have affected our league form. Not directly in the form of the cliché ‘Champions League hangover’, but by diverting attention, and clouding selection decisions and tactics. Because we will not make fourth place again this season, would we be better off out of Europe altogether?

The Europa League has nowhere near the glamour or interest of the Champions League, and the prize money and TV revenue are accordingly nowhere near the tens of millions the club will receive from this season’s exploits in Europe. Spurs will make at least 5 times as much money from the quarter final run in the Champions League than the winners of the Europa League will make from winning a trophy.

Channel 5, Thursday nights, are not going to interest the world class players that we need to be in the continent’s premier competition every year. For the fans there is annoyance of league games being switched to Sundays at short notice, while the players can face long journeys and no rest before league fixtures.

Missing out on a full week of preparation for the weekend’s league game can be costly and Spurs have yet to get to grips with playing two games a week, every week, unlike Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United. Is it a coincidence that Spurs have dropped points not against the top teams but against those at the bottom of the table? When total focus and total concentration are needed Spurs can be found lacking, perhaps suffering over-confidence that allows points to slip from their grasp. Saturday being a prime example

The lack of strength of the Europa League can be a good thing. We would expect to get out of the group stage even if our line-ups consisted of mainly fringe and younger players. There would be the bonus of giving valuable experience to the likes of Kyle Walker, Steven Caulker, giving game time to squad players who would obviously sit on the bench or in the stands, and providing match fitness for players returning from injury. Even with a cull of those deemed surplus to requirements Spurs will still have a very strong squad and will no doubt add to it in the summer.

These easier group games can allow some tactical experimentation to be put into practice and may help certain partnerships and combinations gel. As a fan it is always interesting to see young players get game time to check their progress, and for those fans who go on tour then there is the chance to see some more interesting cities and countries, ones that would not pop up on the CL-radar.

And at the end of the day, it’s a competition, there is a trophy to win, history to be made, and we would instantly be amongst the favourites for it.

Next season’s goal will be to get into the Champions League – if we could beat the bottom half more consistently there is no reason we could not finish third or even second – and Champions League qualification will fast become the goal every season. In the meantime we need to learn to compete on several fronts, balance domestic football and continental, league and cup. It cannot always be one or the other.

I believe we are strong and big enough to do well in the Europa League and finish top four in the league. But if playing in the Europa League costs us a place in the Champions League then sixth would be better than fifth.

 

[postigol]

Good article but I don't agree. By the same rationale we should avoid prolonged runs in both domestic cups aswell as neither of these have the alure or money of the Champions League and these also pile on fixtures for additional strain.
Yes, it would be nice to go for CL next season but realistically we'll be doing well to get a Europa League place at the end of next season, not to mention this one due to Citeh's millions.
Playing in Europa League does have more pull than not being in Europe at all, both domestically and internationally - it's a tournament watched in many countries so participating and, especially, doing well will raise the profile of the club amongst players and fans. Going far in it also raises our Uefa coefficient, which helped us get Young Boys (oo-er) rather than when Everton got 4th and drew a tough Spanish opponent.
It's also a cup we've a decent chance of winning, and players want to lift cups and win medals, so for me we have to ensure we finish 5th.

 

[JimmyG2]

Yes in every way that I can think of.
For prestige, for pride and because coming sixth has serious implications for our status amongst players who might be tempted to come to us and those who might be thinking of leaving us.

Nor does being out of Europe seriously affect our chances of coming in the top four unless the manager cannot see his way to exploiting the 'best bench in the Premiership' more expertly.

Youngsters can be bloodied and squad players given an opportunity in the Carling Cup or in the Europa and who knows we might just discover talent ready to step up to assist our push for the title in a couple of years time.

No brainer to me.

 

[dontcallme]

For me we have to try to get into the Europa and then win it.

With Jol we had a relatively small squad and had to focus on one or two competitions. This bought better positions in the league but the step up to multiple competitions was difficult.

We need to evolve into the same mindset as Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea. They successfully compete in the league and Europe every season and most seaosns at least one of them wins a domestic cup at the same time.

We have a large squad now and if we want to become successful then we need to make winning a habit.

Wanting to focus on just the league is playing it safe but we should be aiming to do well in the league and win cups on a more regular basis than we are right now.

 

[mawspurs]

We have to get used to playing midweek games sometime, the Europa league can help us to do that even if it is less glamorous and with smaller prize money.

The other thing is that Harry will probably rotate the squad more in that competition as he did the last time we were in it, he didn't feel able to do that in the CL as we were up against better teams.

 

[Azazello]

It was worth the "hassle" when we won the UEFA cup in 1984 and I think it still is now.

I assume most of us want to see the club win trophies, rather than not.

Also, if we were to get back into the CL, we would have the same problem, just with better clubs.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Yes, it is worth "the hassle" - how do we expect to be able to comfortably cope with a season competing on four fronts, including the Champions League, if we don't get into a habit of having more games per season? We need to get the squad used to the idea that they will be playing a few more midweek games, that fixtures will have to be shuffled about, and that rotation is going to happen and it doesn't mean the manager has "dropped" a player.

We need to get into this mindset now, have the squad at a level where they are prepared to play that many games and play them at a high tempo to suit the players in it.

However you rate the Waffa, it's all valuable experience on our way to the top and is still a trophy that would sit nicely in our cabinet again.

 

[Fleetspurs]

It is a must as far as I am concerened for all the reasons stated above. Europa is the second biggest draw if we cannot get into CL for new players and the coefficient could be critical if and when we do make it back into the CL.

There are still memorable nights to be had a the lane playing against non CL European teams with some good eastern european, Italian and Spanish clubs all in the mix plus those that drop out of the CL in the group stages.

We need to grow and develop as a club and continued exposure in Europe has to help us to do that.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

Playing in Europe, at whatever level, is essential for Spurs to make progress and learn to cope with the balance between domestic and European football fixtures.

It also gives us an opportunity to test out our young, less experienced players in the hope that they will come through as worthy first team squad players - as Danny Rose is now proving himself to be.

Silverware, of any kind, is worth writing into Tottenham's illustrious history and winning the cup, if we can, would be a fine stepping stone back to CL football.

 

[macspurs]

I just have to think back a few seasons when we had qualified for the Euro league for the first time in ages. I remember how proud I was, and how happy that we would be playing in it.
Yeah, it's worth it.

 

[chiversandgilzean]

Spurs should always be in Europe if possible. I'd like to have a proper go at winning it too. By all means use the squad more, including younger players that may otherwise be out on loan. Being in the Europa Cup can thus be used to our advantage, benefiting rather than hindering the "noble pursuit of 4th" or even a title tilt.


Spurs should be about trying to win major trophies and Glory Nights, not putting all aside for 4th place.

 

[Azrael]

As many have said, it would be more worth it if the prize were a CL place. But I am am not convinced by the argument that without a CL place there is nothing to gain. At the end of the day if we are going to be CL regulars then one thing we need to learn to do is play more games and effectively squad rotate. So I kinda see Europe as a practice run this year.