Super_Ally 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Earlier this week we had Lou Macari sounding off about the widening gap between the top clubs in England and Scotland. Personally, I am more concerned with our ability to compete in Europe and not just with our neighbours south of the border. However, with their recent dominance of the Champions League it is an ambitious aim to target a competitive challenge with the cream of the EPL. It was Celtic's 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal that effectively knocked them out of the Champions League, with the second leg still to be played, that prompted Macari's concerns. Celtic's disappointing if not entirely unexpected result (they also lost at home to a mediocre Dynamo Moscow side) followed closely on the back of elimination for Motherwell and Falkirk from European competition and Aberdeen's 8 goal aggregate humiliation. With Scottish team's faltering badly in European competition this season, I was hopeful that Hearts could achieve a positive result to take back to Tynecastle and maybe progress against Dinamo Zagreb. A 4-0 reverse in Croatia has effectively ended Hearts European ambitions and in a not unfamiliar situation in recent years, it is again the collective shoulders of the Rangers squad upon whom Scottish hopes in Europe rest. Despite recent misinformation in the press from supposed experts such as Pat Nevin, whilst poor results will not almost certainly preclude SPL involvement in the CL group stages (Nevin overlooked the fact that the SPL winners would have to qualify through the Champions route and not the more difficult non-Champions route Celtic are currently failing to navigate this year), the Country’s co-efficient is obviously hugely important for future success for Scottish sides in Europe. With that in mind we must acknowledge the negative impact of Rangers dismal showing last year in falling at the first hurdle. Celtic, this year, are fortunate that restructuring of European competition means falling in the Champions League qualifiers will not lead to the end of their European adventures as they will likely drop down to Europe's second tier competition. Of course Kaunas was a disaster for Rangers. Financially, for our prestige and for morale within the club. But it was also a deflating result for Scottish football. However due to our other results across the five year period over which coefficients are calculated, we are effectively carrying the rest of Scottish football and can be afforded one poor season in five from the rest of the footballing fraternity in Scotland. In scouring Bert Kassie’s impressive website, his excellent collation of coefficient points gained over the years shows that Rangers have amassed over half (52%) the coefficient points currently counting towards Scotland’s 13th placed ranking. The 4 bonus points added to our coefficient for automatic Champions League entry already take us past the dismal number accrued last year but we will all be looking forward to picking up a few more as we challenge in Europe’s premier competition, hopefully extending our European adventure into the second half of the season. The importance of Rangers own ranking is already coming to the fore this season. With Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina taking the advantage in their opening legs of the final qualifying round, we could well find ourselves promoted to pot 2 for the main draw avoiding European giants such as Real Madrid and Inter Milan. This would in theory make qualification to the next round somewhat less perilous. When the draw for the Champions League group stages is made in Monaco next Thursday, we will all be tuned into the websites or Sky Sports News hoping for a plum draw. At the top of many fans wish lists will be the high profile clashes with an English Premier League side or Real Madrid or the away trip to one of Europe’s top tourist cities like Prague or Amsterdam. Whichever teams it throws up, it will be an unenviable challenge, German and Russian Champions comprise pot 4. It will, though, guarantee 6 tasty fixtures to whet the appetites of fans and players alike. Unlike the previous 5 seasons, Scottish football cannot continue to expect Rangers to carry the rest of the clubs and build the national ranking. Last year demonstrated how detrimental it can be if we suffer a poor season and so Scotland’s other sides must start to make more of a contribution. Out with the Old Firm; only Aberdeen in 07/08 and Hearts in 04/05 have made any kind of real contribution to the ranking of our league. We have managed to compete reasonably well without the support of our other member clubs and unfortunately, based on the thumping defeats handed out by mediocre sides I do not hold out much hope for that changing. Come the 27th I will be looking for a draw that combines prestige ties with a competitive group from which we can have aspirations of further European football. 1. http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/crank2009.html 2. http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/ccoef2009.html Edited August 22, 2009 by Super_Ally 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Spliff 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Interesting stats mate - esp the 52% one. I suppose celtic have the chance now to pick up a few points with their (5?) Uefa Cup ties, which is good (in the world of co-efficients, if not the real one!). Obviously it all depends, but it would be nice to get to Pot 2 and for the draw to be kind, giving us an outside chance of being second or if not, making 3rd a distinct possibility rather than a 50/50 shot. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Interesting stats mate - esp the 52% one. I suppose celtic have the chance now to pick up a few points with their (5?) Uefa Cup ties, which is good (in the world of co-efficients, if not the real one!). Obviously it all depends, but it would be nice to get to Pot 2 and for the draw to be kind, giving us an outside chance of being second or if not, making 3rd a distinct possibility rather than a 50/50 shot. If Arsenal put them out of the CL, they'll still have to play a Europa league qualifier before reaching the group stages. The qualifier will probably be against reasonable opposition well, as I think they'll need to play against one of the other teams that exited the CL qualifiers. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 Interesting stats mate - esp the 52% one. I suppose celtic have the chance now to pick up a few points with their (5?) Uefa Cup ties, which is good (in the world of co-efficients, if not the real one!). Obviously it all depends, but it would be nice to get to Pot 2 and for the draw to be kind, giving us an outside chance of being second or if not, making 3rd a distinct possibility rather than a 50/50 shot. :cheers: I dont mind too much Celtic picking up a couple of coefficient points to boost the national ranking. Just not too many to boost their own standing or earn too much money. :devil: Can't decide precisely what i'd like in the draw. Best chance of qualifying - Munich pot 1 (can't get Wolfsburg in pot 4). Hopefully be pot 2. Most money/coefficient points earned too. Or Big clashes - Madrid, maybe an English team. Or Best chance of making an away game - Seville, my dad lives there. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Spliff 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 If Arsenal put them out of the CL, they'll still have to play a Europa league qualifier before reaching the group stages. The qualifier will probably be against reasonable opposition well, as I think they'll need to play against one of the other teams that exited the CL qualifiers. ahh didnt realise that mate, thank you. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbr 1,256 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 If Arsenal put them out of the CL, they'll still have to play a Europa league qualifier before reaching the group stages. The qualifier will probably be against reasonable opposition well, as I think they'll need to play against one of the other teams that exited the CL qualifiers. sorry mate but the 4th round is the last play off round , all teams from the c/l that are beaten go straight into the europa league 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 sorry mate but the 4th round is the last play off round , all teams from the c/l that are beaten go straight into the europa league Bollocks, you're absolutely right rbr. I was certain that it said on one of the pages on http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/index.html that it was the teams eliminated in the 3rd & 4th qualifying round of the Champions League that went into the 4th qualifying round of the Europa League, but it's not that at all, it's exactly as you say. Really weird because I'm so sure that I read that on there that I'm thinking there must have been an error on one of the pages at one point, but it doesn't matter. More likely user error I guess. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Spliff 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Can we add a "sorry" icon thingmy please .......................^^^ 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Cole 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Gone are the days when fans of these diddy teams can laugh at the Rangers whenever they get beat in Europe. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zappa 0 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Can we add a "sorry" icon thingmy please .......................^^^ Well spotted. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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