Win fourth or the Europa League?
- Thread starter Revan1882
- Start date
Armstrong_11
Spurs makes me happy, you... not so much :)
- Aug 3, 2011
- 8,621
- 19,310
We need a poll for the thread...
But it's 4th for me. Making it to the group stage can earn u so much more then winning the UEL... It's all about the money (unfortunately)
But it's 4th for me. Making it to the group stage can earn u so much more then winning the UEL... It's all about the money (unfortunately)
Armstrong_11
Spurs makes me happy, you... not so much :)
- Aug 3, 2011
- 8,621
- 19,310
A qulifying game for the group stage, I will take it. Don't get me wrong, I would prefer finishing 3rd. But I will take the gamble. It's worth getting to the Champions league. More money, more prestige, and a higher calibre of players we can attract.
dontcallme
SC Supporter
- Mar 18, 2005
- 34,461
- 84,100
Europa for me.
My happiest moment as a Spurs fan was watching us win the FA Cup in 1991. The fact that the following seasons we sold our best players and the start of a downturn doesn't take away from that moment.
Seeing Berbatov and Keane hug at winning at league cup was another one for me. The fact that we didn't go onto the CL or hold onto them long-term doesn't change the memory.
Being a football fan isn't about making financial plans and clever strategies. It's about enjoying great moments, full of passion and skill.
Talking about football nowadays feels like being an accountant. Always talking about the right financial moves and how best to brand a club.
My happiest moment as a Spurs fan was watching us win the FA Cup in 1991. The fact that the following seasons we sold our best players and the start of a downturn doesn't take away from that moment.
Seeing Berbatov and Keane hug at winning at league cup was another one for me. The fact that we didn't go onto the CL or hold onto them long-term doesn't change the memory.
Being a football fan isn't about making financial plans and clever strategies. It's about enjoying great moments, full of passion and skill.
Talking about football nowadays feels like being an accountant. Always talking about the right financial moves and how best to brand a club.
Robbiepope
Well-Known Member
- Aug 3, 2006
- 697
- 776
4th if arsenal lost out in 5th. Otherwise Europa.
Syn_13
Fly On, Little Wing
- Jul 17, 2008
- 14,853
- 20,662
Both!
Being serious though it's a difficult one, I can't really choose. I'd take 4th in the hope that we keep the likes of Lloris and Vertonghen and also tempt some good calibre players to join us, and use that as a platform for success next year. Plus, I'd love to see us in the CL again, the games against Inter and Milan were amazing last time.
However, I'd really like to win a trophy. The game is, as they say, about glory and another trophy in the cabinet would be wonderful. It'd be something to really celebrate. I think we may have a slightly better chance in the Europa than in the league right now. Yes, there are some really tough teams like Benfica, Napoli/Porto and Juve to get through, but you never know what can happen in knock-out rounds.
If we don't get 4th this year and play Europa next season then I think we should definitely make it a priority. Chances are it'll be easier to get into the CL through that than through the league!
Being serious though it's a difficult one, I can't really choose. I'd take 4th in the hope that we keep the likes of Lloris and Vertonghen and also tempt some good calibre players to join us, and use that as a platform for success next year. Plus, I'd love to see us in the CL again, the games against Inter and Milan were amazing last time.
However, I'd really like to win a trophy. The game is, as they say, about glory and another trophy in the cabinet would be wonderful. It'd be something to really celebrate. I think we may have a slightly better chance in the Europa than in the league right now. Yes, there are some really tough teams like Benfica, Napoli/Porto and Juve to get through, but you never know what can happen in knock-out rounds.
If we don't get 4th this year and play Europa next season then I think we should definitely make it a priority. Chances are it'll be easier to get into the CL through that than through the league!
Scott Spur
SC Supporter
- Aug 9, 2011
- 1,991
- 5,620
Agree to a point, but we can't have our cake and eat it too. You mention two cups successes, but how often do they come about even with a good team?
Also, some of my fondest memories of Spurs have been our fantastic Champions league adventure in 2010.....AC Milan away, Inter home? Unbelievable stuff...could a EL cup run playing pub teams in 'outer whereverville' on plastic pitches ever come close to that?
Lastly, the EL is not in the same ballpark as the UEFA cup and anyone who says it is devalues our success in '84. Champions went into the European Cup, the next top 2 or 3 went into the UEFA from top countries in Europe, unlike the pub teams that are served up now....they never used to make it through the qualifying rounds before!
Simples.....want the club to keep its best players, sign some better ones, play the best teams (even if it's only in the qualifying rounds), make serious cash, earn worldwide respect and fans?....top 4.
Want to win a three bit cup, one notch up from the scums Emirate cup? Then settle for mid-table mediocrity, again. The game is about glory, you just have to believe.
Winning trophies is what gets you the right type of talent, not fourth spot (players whose aim is to progress and win trophies at the club, not to put them in a more lucrative shop window). Also winning trophies can do wonders for the teams mentality and cohesion. I understand both arguments but we have to win some silverware soon, otherwise all we are is a 2nd rated Arsenal.
Go flat out in both and hope for the best but I would take Europa League win with 5th spot over a top 4 spot this year.
Go flat out in both and hope for the best but I would take Europa League win with 5th spot over a top 4 spot this year.
Scott Spur
SC Supporter
- Aug 9, 2011
- 1,991
- 5,620
And that's why we will be also rans for another season.....you are banking on us winning the EL, where will the cohesion be if we crash out? What will our best players who want CL next year be thinking, 'Oh well we came close, I'll stay on in case we win it next year'?
This situation is easily settled by judging players and managers views, what do they want EL success or to be in the CL?
Guess we will see in the summer.....again.
parklane1
Well-Known Member
- May 4, 2012
- 4,390
- 4,054
Well from what i have read most of the fans would not.
ginola99
Well-Known Member
- Sep 4, 2005
- 684
- 1,425
Hard one to be honest.
Fourth: We haven't been in the CL for what feels like ages now and every year since we've either been not good enough or astonishingly unlucky having our noses rubbed in it even further! Whilst a trophy is tempting you have to say the money from the CL could propel us to title challengers after all it has been the Europa League that has held us back. Remember, the anthem reinforces the fact that this is the place to be.
Fourth: We haven't been in the CL for what feels like ages now and every year since we've either been not good enough or astonishingly unlucky having our noses rubbed in it even further! Whilst a trophy is tempting you have to say the money from the CL could propel us to title challengers after all it has been the Europa League that has held us back. Remember, the anthem reinforces the fact that this is the place to be.
Europa League: Six years without a trophy. You get the feeling that we should've won the EL by now, been in it long enough plus we're usually one of the favourites but this year is by far the toughest I can think of off the top of my head with Juve, Napoli and our opponents, Benefica. I think what has stopped us fulfilling our has been a winning mentality with this possibly being chance to have that. Also, aren't cup victories more satisfying?
Scott Spur
SC Supporter
- Aug 9, 2011
- 1,991
- 5,620
Very fair summation mate, but would have to add that although there is massive personal satisfaction for winning a cup of the EL's stature (minor comparatively), it would likely add very little for our progression in real terms. One top 4 finish would move us on more.
This will change next year with the CL place for the winners, but 18 games? Is it worth the damage it does in the league?
ginola99
Well-Known Member
- Sep 4, 2005
- 684
- 1,425
I personally think it isn't.
I missed the EL final two years ago due to it being the night before my dissertation hand in but having said that I wasn't all that upset about it, hardly what I call giant in comparison to the FA Cup for example. I really feel it's a competition that has held us back over the years, Thursday nights and the fact that in winning it you'll have played four more games than the winner of the CL added to the fact you get peanuts for participating in it.
We had nothing to show from winning the race to fourth last time?
We had glory European nights including beating the Champions of Europe and beating the might of AC Milan in the San Serio
The Champions League provided me with many great footballing memories - some of the best in my time supporting Spurs (active fan since 1987) - the equal of any cup victory for me.
We might not have got silverware for it - the memories are not erased though and in truth the silverware is soon forgotten now days anyway (what does the cup win over Leicester mean now? or Wigan or Portsmouth's FA cup wins as they now sit relegated from the top divsion? they're all just memories now same as the wins over the Milan teams are)
To be honest this debate has been done and done to death and there is no right or wrong answer in my opinion - just a matter of presence.
CL qualification provides the only potential route to sustained success - but its no guarantee of one in fact its still not particularly probable, just more so than the Europa or the domestic cups are.
Silverware is silverware - any fan my age or younger has really seen very little of us actually lifting trophies so its always good when we actually do. I've personally never seen us lift a European trophy so I'd love us to win the Europa - I've only seen us win 1 FA cup and 2 League cups the entire time I have supported the club so that puts in to perspective how rare such days are (and I was lucky enough to be at Wembley when we beat Chelsea in 2008 so I fully appreciate what a great day it is to see our beloved Spurs win a cup competition)
I don't know what I would choose - there are distinct pros and cons to each. CL is a gamble to future success but its kinda like playing the lotto because while it offers more money - rention of players- attraction of better players and therefore sustained success it didn't change much last time and while Levy is in charge it's unlikely to actually change a lot this time either.
The Europa cup would provide instant success - albeit secondary success but its a bigger title than the Carling cup was and I remember that day at Wembley, it meant everything to the fans that day.
If I was given the choice right now - I'd maybe go for the Europa, even though I am generally firmly in the CL camp everytime. I just think that a cup win is overdue again and winning a European honour would be a bigger deal for the club, or should I say the fans.
Scott Spur
SC Supporter
- Aug 9, 2011
- 1,991
- 5,620
To confuse matters more, I personally think 4th is gone so however much I hate the position we now find ourselves, we should go all out for the EL so we could walk away with something......the whole things messed up 
(If by some miracle we actually do close in on 4th, I reserve the right to change the above)
(If by some miracle we actually do close in on 4th, I reserve the right to change the above
)I think it would be quite possible to argue that it actually is.
Year after year, Arsenal fielded sub strength teams in the domestic cups in order to prioritise getting into the top four.
Fielding sub strength teams is just one form of not trying.
