Europa priority change?

[Nigel Spinal]

I think some are underestimating just how significant finishing in the top four this season just might be. Keeping key players and keeping this group together could be huge for going forward, as opposed to constant rebuilding jobs.

I understand we want to be a Club with a playing identity that permeates right throughout the Club and that helps offset against losing our top players but we can already see the signs of a strong team developing now.

Like it or not the CL is the competition with by far the most prestige and that's where players aspire to be playing. The recognition and exposure of playing in it is what most players want to feel.

Yes it will be very difficult to sustain regular top four finishes but finishing there this season could be pivotal by giving the players a taste. Combine that with our plans for the new stadium in the not too distant future and we might just keep this group together.

If we want to compete near the top we have to start acting like it and finishing top four this season, where the chances of doing so are higher, would certainly be a good start and one we must try to take.

It will be very difficult to sustain CL qualification when it's likely the EPL will only get 3 places from next season (as Italy are overtaking us in the co-efficients this season).

Whoever called the FA cup a distraction… I just give up

 

[dontcallme]

It's an interesting. Interesting because many posters don't seem to know that winning the EL gets you CL football this season which makes it a different debate to previous seasons.

You have to take your opportunities when you gt them and with Chelsea struggling and Utd not looking great there is an opportunity for top four this season that isn't always there.

We can play strong squads in both but I believe our chances of top 4 are better than winning the EL this season so would put a few more eggs in that basket.

 

[onthetwo]

i dont think the squad is good enough for both i.e lose any of Kane, Dier, Jan, Hugo and i could see our current momentum grinding to a halt pretty quickly.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

It depends who drops out from the CL, if Arsenal, Chelsea, Sevilla, Roma or Valencia drop out then it's not the same competition.

Of those only Arsenal are more of a threat than Dortmund who are already in the EL.

 

[Gassin's finest]

League is bread and butter, and this season it's all over the shop. I would love to be able to focus on both competitions but its very clear that we haven't the squad for it. So bar a favourable run, like with last season's League Cup, I think its too much to ask of this squad to put 100% into both.

I absolutely love the European nights at the Lane, under the lights. But I have to say league.

 

[Riandor]

It's an interesting. Interesting because many posters don't seem to know that winning the EL gets you CL football this season which makes it a different debate to previous seasons.

You have to take your opportunities when you gt them and with Chelsea struggling and Utd not looking great there is an opportunity for top four this season that isn't always there.

We can play strong squads in both but I believe our chances of top 4 are better than winning the EL this season so would put a few more eggs in that basket.

Denying teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, possibly Man United... two of those have to miss out and that could be huge. Especially if England drops down to 3 spots. I want a cup, its great, but climbing above other rivals in order to strive for the League, that would be awesome, because then we can start talking about a chance at regular success.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

30 years ago yes.

In 2015 it's a different game altogether.
You only build great squads by sustaining champions league football. It's the equivalent of a championship club being promoted by coming 4th vs wining the Johnstone Paint Trophy.

Come 4th - get into qualification round of CL.
Win Europa - get into group stage of CL and get a trophy.

Please explain to me why you'd prefer the former.

 

[Lamelad]

Of those only Arsenal are more of a threat than Dortmund who are already in the CL.

A mourinho u-15 team would beat us in Europe. He is that good in european ties.

Seville are two times winner in a row.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

It will be very difficult to sustain CL qualification when it's likely the EPL will only get 3 places from next season (as Italy are overtaking us in the co-efficients this season).

Whoever called the FA cup a distraction… I just give up

This is far from the truth. Lazio crashed out of CL in qualifying, and Roma certainly don't look favourites to go through from their group. Juve will probably get through but their league form has Been shocking and you can't see them getting very far. City have qualified and United and Chelsea look safe enough. Considering they need to outperform us quite strongly to catch us, It looks very unlikely to happen this season.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

A mourinho u-15 team would beat us in Europe. He is that good in european ties.

Seville are two times winner in a row.

Yes, strong credentials. I don't think I denied that. But the tournament already has some great teams in it. Vastly underrated tournament and it would be the best night of my Spurs-supporting life to see us lift the trophy.

 

[Dazza86]

The only merit to wanting top 4 over the Europa League is that we get to block another prem team from doing so.

Saying that, our recent history in the EL is shocking. We really should have gone further on a few occasions than we have. I'd love it if we put that right this season.

 

[Mustard]

League.
I'm sorry, I know we have a proud cup heritage and we all like winning trophies, but...

This has the hallmarks of a pivotal season, a chance to realistically aim for top four and whilst we are striving to achieve that, who knows what might happen. I seriously cannot see us winning the Europa league, i'm sorry but there are too many teams better equipped to do it and even if not, it's a total lottery.

Ideally you say both, but starting with tonight, I personally would rest half the first team if not more in preparation for a crunch game on Sunday.

We have never realistically looked close to EL success, even in our best seasons. Where as 4th or HIGHER is achievable this season. I think the problem with stating it as we want fourth over a trophy is its seen as aiming for fourth, where as I see a run of form that is needed to grab fourth as something that could grab something more. Look after all how close we were to more than 4th under HR.

Liverpool were possibly 1 game away from keeping Suarez, do we want to be 1 game away from losing Lloris, Eriksen, Kane?

So, in short, I would love EL success, but I would prioritise the league right now.

we have a proud cup heritage like Forest, Ipswich and villa are European Giants.

It's been that long

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

To those that questioned my comparison to promotion or the paint trophy, yes I know EL winners get a spot in the CL but, and this is my opinion only, you don't get the same pull for strengthening as you do by finishing in the league spots. So the next year you're a bit out of your league.
It's a bit like when a championship club wins the FA Cup and qualifies for the Europa league. They aren't suddenly gonna sign Aguerro.

 

[worcestersauce]

Genuine question Worcester. If we got back to the Champions League, would you still think that we shouldn't prioritise both, and if so which one would you prioritise?

If the goal is to get into the Champions League, we need to think about what we'd do when we get there, and surely the answer is that we'd have to prioritise both?

Good question TSH I would go for both without a doubt.
First let me explain that I am not against the Europa league itself in fact it is UEFA that downgraded it by making it the Thursday cup and has introduced a huge disadvantage to the participants compared to the CL teams.
Playing CL games on Tuesday and Wednesday night is much less of a burden than playing on Thursday and any burden is shared equally between the four teams in it, therefore you can give your best efforts to both.
My post that you quoted wasn't saying that I don't want to prioritize one or the other it was saying that we just can't, nobody can because by doing so you hand a massive advantage to your Premier league competitors and sad to say, that is a fact not an opinion.

 

[Gilzeanking]

Come 4th - get into qualification round of CL.
Win Europa - get into group stage of CL and get a trophy.

Please explain to me why you'd prefer the former.

Every year , I say the same on this issue .

We haven't come within a million miles of even the faintest , tiniest sniff of success in the EL . Whichever squad we use the story is exactly the same every season . The idea that if we put our strongest team out for every ELmatch, it will change this clearest of trends , is fanciful to put it mildly .

4th on the other hand has been a win or two away every single year for ages .... We even made it twice .

We have all sorts of good players bubbling under , blend them in as appropriate in the EL campaign , but any concept of weakening the Prem to concentrate on the EL....is seriously nutty imo .

In addition re FA or League Cup...these are doable..its only what , 5-6 matches . The EL is 19 matches to win...many of those in deepest Asia . There's no comparison in the squad strain with domestic cups .

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

No reason not to prioritize both right now. Getting out of the Europa group stage is actually pretty important in terms of making sure the top-4 actually means a CL berth.

Once we get to the knockout rounds, then you can make a better assessment of where we are in the league - and adjust priorities accordingly.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Next game is always most important.

If we want this squad to go anywhere and achieve anything, then we should want them to want to win every match and every competition. Focus on the next game, then the one after, etc.

I think that's correct to a certain degree, but there also needs to be a certain amount of forward planning.

The demands of the modern game mean that a huge number of matches are played, and you simply cannot go all out to win all four competitions you are in.

Of course the players who are picked should be expected to try 100%, and the ideal situation is that you have a squad of players who can all contribute thus allowing you to rotate without weakening the team.

The reality right now is that we do have at least 8-9 players who we'd mostly consider our first team, so there has to be a sense of weakening the team for some competitions as making those players play every game isn't realistic.

But as you say, once the team is picked, the focus should be on that next game, and on winning it.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Good question TSH I would go for both without a doubt.
First let me explain that I am not against the Europa league itself in fact it is UEFA that downgraded it by making it the Thursday cup and has introduced a huge disadvantage to the participants compared to the CL teams.
Playing CL games on Tuesday and Wednesday night is much less of a burden than playing on Thursday and any burden is shared equally between the four teams in it, therefore you can give your best efforts to both.
My post that you quoted wasn't saying that I don't want to prioritize one or the other it was saying that we just can't, nobody can because by doing so you hand a massive advantage to your Premier league competitors and sad to say, that is a fact not an opinion.

It's a fair point on the extra day you get a lot of the time with the Champions League, and you cannot deny the fact that results generally have been poor after Europa League games.

I just think we should be able to have a squad and a strategy that allows us to compete in both. We've been luckyish with the draw this year in that we don't need to travel, other than a trip to the arse end of nowhere on which we should mostly send the kids.

No we shouldn't play the same 11 players in every game, and I hope Poch realises that, but there's enough in our squad that we should be able to compete on two fronts if we manage it properly.

 

[Spursidol]

Would love to win EL - but its a bloody hard slog with a lot of matches and lengthy tiring travel distances as we've found in previous years and will find when we play Qarabag later this month.

Lots of good teams in it - before the CL drop outs get into it, so the chances of winning it are very very slim. And if you don't win it - well you get lots of interesting matches but no consolation prize, just tired players which affects results in all competitions

We just don't have an experienced enough squad to tackle both PL and EL this season.

For those wanting a cup, its more realistic to target the FA Cup alongside the league (less matches, no long distance travel - just uncertainty over the draw)

This year the PL top 4 has a chink in it with Chelsea badly out of sorts atm, ManU struggling to score (even more so than us) and Liverpool not firing on all cylinders. So we have a much better chance of finishing in the top 4 this season than for a few seasons.

When we had our season in CL we increased gross revenues by just over a third. Assuming we did the same then with last year's revenues being £181m, that would mean over £60m extra next season in CL. Now a good part of that goes in player wages and other costs but we'd still probably get an extra net profit of £30m which certainly helps out the squad. We'd almost certainly keep several players like Lloris and Eriksen who'd be interested to see Spurs in CL and might well stick around even if we did not get CL the following year.

This year's target has to be CL glory via the PL - its just more realistic this season than EL

 

[worcestersauce]

It's a fair point on the extra day you get a lot of the time with the Champions League, and you cannot deny the fact that results generally have been poor after Europa League games.

I just think we should be able to have a squad and a strategy that allows us to compete in both. We've been luckyish with the draw this year in that we don't need to travel, other than a trip to the arse end of nowhere on which we should mostly send the kids.

No we shouldn't play the same 11 players in every game, and I hope Poch realises that, but there's enough in our squad that we should be able to compete on two fronts if we manage it properly.

It's actually an extra day or two days and it's most of the time.
Here is my solution, play CL and EL rounds on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, UEFA or the broadcasters want them separated fine just rotate the days, Europa would play Thursday this week, Tuesday next round, Wednesday the following round and so on and so forth, do the same with a one day shift for the CL.
That keeps them to separate nights but levels out the imbalance; how easy is that.