Europa League Draw: Real Betis, Sparta Prague and Aris Limassol | Fixtures Announced

[CammyF 8,081]

What constitutes success (and / or failure) for us in the European context?

 

Prior to SG taking over, we were dismal in Europe for the best part of 4 decades with a couple of notable exceptions (1992/3 and 2008 both under WS, who largely failed in Europe).

 

 

[Gonzo79 15,292]

4 minutes ago, CammyF said:

What constitutes success (and / or failure) for us in the European context?

Giving a decent account of ourselves and making loadsa money.  I'd say we want to be qualifying from that group and any further 'success' would depend on who we draw and our form.

[ranger_syntax 4,320]

29 minutes ago, CammyF said:

What constitutes success (and / or failure) for us in the European context?

In relative terms we need to outperform the other Scotch teams.

 

In absolute terms we should be in the Champions league group stage or playing in the Europa league after Christmas.

 

 

[weebluedevil 1,239]

8 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

In relative terms we need to outperform the other Scotch teams.

Would be tough to outperform a Talisker 

[Uilleam 5,929]

15 minutes ago, weebluedevil said:

Would be tough to outperform a Talisker 

It would be interesting -and enjoyable- to put that theory to the test....

[CammyF 8,081]

41 minutes ago, ranger_syntax said:

In relative terms we need to outperform the other Scotch teams.

 

In absolute terms we should be in the Champions league group stage or playing in the Europa league after Christmas.

 

 

But historically, that has been beyond us even with a legend as a manager and great players like Gazza, Laudrup, DeBoer etc.

 

So given we got absolutely battered in CL last year but made loads of cash, was it a success? Financially yes, reputation and football wise, no.

 

Arguably you need to consistently qualify for the CL for finances and maybe yearly participation will make us perform better.

 

Whilst EL and Conference offer less financial rewards, they offer better football rewards?

 

Or have the last 3 or 4 years been the exception to the rule? 

[weebluedevil 1,239]

6 minutes ago, CammyF said:

But historically, that has been beyond us even with a legend as a manager and great players like Gazza, Laudrup, DeBoer etc.

 

So given we got absolutely battered in CL last year but made loads of cash, was it a success? Financially yes, reputation and football wise, no.

 

Arguably you need to consistently qualify for the CL for finances and maybe yearly participation will make us perform better.

 

Whilst EL and Conference offer less financial rewards, they offer better football rewards?

 

Or have the last 3 or 4 years been the exception to the rule? 

I agree with that.

 

I would just caveat that consistent CL qualification and yearly participation, on it's own, will not enable us to perform better. For that we need to invest the financial rewards into the playing squad.

 

Sorry, but these days 5million quid for a player is bargain basement these days (sometimes that can work out, but more often it won't). We need to mix it up with some young prospects for 1-5million, and a couple of proven players that may require higher investment. Outgoings, if we are true to the player trading model (+ the academy product has to be better), combined with regular European prize money should allow for that. 

 

On the back of a European final run and CL qualification last year, we didn't reinvest, and then it gets harder and harder and then we're on a slippery slope. 

[Sutton_blows_goats 5,331]

2 hours ago, CammyF said:

What constitutes success (and / or failure) for us in the European context?

 

Prior to SG taking over, we were dismal in Europe for the best part of 4 decades with a couple of notable exceptions (1992/3 and 2008 both under WS, who largely failed in Europe).

 

 

Still in Europe after Xmas.

[yuddie 1,693]

6 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Still in Europe after Xmas.

Always this👆

 

To be honest I agree with what PSV fans and their manager said after the game on Weds, they weren't any better than they were in the first leg it's just that our defending was abysmal in the second leg and good in the first.

 

I don't think we're as far from the UCL as people think and I'm wary of us making our bed in the UEL, which is what fans seem to want to do which I find frightening.

 

Bottom line is we need to win the bloody league!

[ranger_syntax 4,320]

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

But historically, that has been beyond us even with a legend as a manager and great players like Gazza, Laudrup, DeBoer etc.

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

So given we got absolutely battered in CL last year but made loads of cash, was it a success?

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Arguably you need to consistently qualify for the CL for finances and maybe yearly participation will make us perform better.

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, CammyF said:

Whilst EL and Conference offer less financial rewards, they offer better football rewards?

Not sure what you mean by "football rewards".