- May 26, 2004
- 4,794
- 2,135
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.
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.