Europa League - possible opponents

[Norris Cole 0]

Just had a two second glance at that list.

 

 

That'll be Europe for another year.

[calscot 0]

Just had a two second glance at that list.

 

 

That'll be Europe for another year.

 

Well, you're wrong more often than not, so I'll take that as a good omen - unless we get kicked out for playing the intelligible Bougerra who was reportedly sold in the summer...

[Tannochsidebear 2,321]

We must take into account that most of the "big" clubs in Europe care not a jot about the Diddy/Thursday/2nd raters (pick your own favourite) Europa League cup. Look at the likes of Juventus who didnt even get out of their group, such was the sides they put out.

 

Any big team from a big league in with a shout of CL footy next season wont be sending out their best 11 to play the likes of us in the diddy cup on a February night sandwiched between 2 big games in their leagues.

 

This is why such poor sides make the latter stages of this competition year after year, and big names keep getting pumped out.

 

There is absolutely no side we can draw that I would be afraid of for the above reason, and we are capable of beating, or losing to, any one of the list printed in the OP. It will come down a lot to our own attitude to the tourny, and if we play our best side available, and if our best players are fit and in form.

 

We seen in 2008 that we can compete and beat the Germans, Italians, Portugeuse in this tournament.

 

I will finish by saying I couldnt even tell you who was in the final of this cup in either 2009 or 2010, where it was played or anything about it. I could tell you that the last Diddy cup match I watched entirely was the 08 final, and such is the respect this cup is given, I'll bet i'm not the only one.

[metlika 0]

The teams that got to the final in 09 and 10 are low end champions league teams barring Fulham. Shakhtar won in 09, Werder Bremen the losers. Atletico Madrid beat Fulham last year. Don't mind a bit of the EL.

[maineflyer 0]

Personally, I hope the next round is our last round. This is already shaping up like the last time we had a long run in Europe - weather cancellations, depleted squad, fixture congestion, title to the piggery.

[calscot 0]

I think we need to learn how to beat these teams as they are the type that we'll be coming up against to qualify for the CL. And if we don't improve the coefficient we're looking at three qualification rounds - providing we win the league first.

 

There's a lot of reasons why we NEED to go through a few rounds of Europa, if nothing else to boost our income from the games and sponsorship.

[rbr 1,247]

Totally agree , though one round is worth a decent amount of money through UEFA bonuses , ticketing and the new group tv deal which is based on the C/L model we still do not have the required squad necesary to compete , we cannot expect the manky mob to continue to be as bad .....

 

Below is the UEFA guidelines on the Europa league money for this season , note TV and ticketing are not included.

 

 

 

The 48 clubs embarking on UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns this week will receive increased prize money compared with the rewards on offer last season, when the rebranded competition began life as the successor to the UEFA Cup.

 

Each team taking part this term will collect a €640,000 participation bonus together with a match bonus of €60,000 for every match played in the group stage. They can add to this total minimum amount of €1m through a series of performance-related rewards, starting with €140,000 per win and €70,000 per draw in their group games.

 

By way of example, if a side wins all six of their group fixtures they will earn a total of €1.84m from the competition by Christmas.

 

Progress beyond that point will trigger further bonus payments worth: €200,000 for reaching the round of 32, €300,000 for the round of 16, €400,000 for the quarter-finals and €700,000 for the semi-finals.

 

The prize money for the clubs that go all the way to the final will be €3m for the eventual winner and €2m for the runner-up at the Dublin Arena on 18 May 2011.

 

Participating teams will also be entitled to a variable amount depending on the commercial value of their national media rights, their position in their national championship last season, and their performance during this UEFA Europa League campaign.

 

A side could pick up, at best, €6.44m not counting the market pool share.

[Zappa 0]

Would be great to not be seeded, draw one of the best teams and pump them out in the first knockout round. Then work our way through the best teams round by round until we hit the final. Would love to see the reaction of all the people who call this a diddy cup if we got to the final and won it. Bet they won't be calling it a diddy cup if that happens and Walter Smith lifts a European trophy in his final season as manager! Kniggets!

[Whosthedado 1,522]

I personally hope we get Liverpool or Man City. At least we can concentrate on the Title untill mid Feb. SPL as always is our number one priority especially with qualifying for the Champions League set to be near impossible for the 2nd place team in the SPL next season

[Totti 0]

That'a the spirit, no surrender. Comon man, why so negative? The only teams i'd be looking to avoid would be CSKA Moscow (who are looking pretty good) and Sevilla/PSG both of course good sides. Over 2 legs i'd fancy our chances against every other side.

Odd you miss out City and Villarreal the strongest sides there. Then there's the likes of Leverkusen who are 3rd top in Germany, far ahead of Bayern. We'd stand little chance against Liverpool, Zenit and Ruban too