calscot 0 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 (edited) In two seasons' time, Scotland's UEFA coefficient will likely be in the mid 20's at best and quite possibly worse, due to the non-participation by Scotland's biggest contributor to the current metric. That means for the forseeable future, when we are able to enter the competitions, if we win the league we will have two qualifying rounds to appear in the Champions League, and if we're runners up we will need three qualifying rounds just to gain entry to the Europa League. Not only that, it is near certain our club coefficient will drop from a high of 24th in 2008 to the 80's, meaning our chances of being seed in the later rounds are almost non-existent. We may be missing Europe next season but it looks like the norm will become us scrabbling against our mediocre European peers and then facing the lottery of a what will become teams that are way above our acquired lowly status - teams we'd have scoffed at in years passed. If we survive that we'll then either be up against a champion of a better league or a top 5 to 8 team or cup winner from the big five leagues where, if we're lucky enough to draw the likes of Stoke, the reward will be akin to facing the likes of Man U in the past. Ironically, the path to the Champions League actually looks slightly more do-able... That will be our gauntlet just to get to the league stages which, on the face of what has been happening to our club and country lately, the rare occasions this will be negotiated, will likely have us humiliated and out at the earliest convenience. We may have the pain of no Europe next season but when we return, the annual pain for both us and Celtic will be excruciating and the money to made without qualification will be slim pickings - and like a lottery win when the Champions League is achieved. I can see our aspirations dropping and the lack of funding affecting the type of players both Old Firm teams can buy and wage for merely domestic competition. We may have just had a pep talk about our European future from Green, but at the moment it looks yellow and barren, and ultimately "blue"... Edited May 22, 2012 by calscot 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscottislegend 2,107 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Well put together and it makes grim reading. If all other Scottish clubs had done their bit and helped improve the co-efficient we would not be in this mess, especially considering we made the Eufa final not that long ago. I remember how I was derided for saying we should hope Keltic win in Europe and not laugh at them childishly - look where that immature perspective has got us. We have to somehow hope that Motherwell and St Johnstone too don't let us down. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caseyjones 0 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Well put together and it makes grim reading. If all other Scottish clubs had done their bit and helped improve the co-efficient we would not be in this mess, especially considering we made the Eufa final not that long ago. I remember how I was derided for saying we should hope Keltic win in Europe and not laugh at them childishly - look where that immature perspective has got us. We have to somehow hope that Motherwell and St Johnstone too don't let us down. Your cheerleading for our rivals should always be derided, immature or not. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscottislegend 2,107 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Your cheerleading for our rivals should always be derided, immature or not. Hoping that they win is far being the same as enjoying it. I want them to win for selfish reasons. That's not cheerleading, I wouldn't suggest going along and actually supporting them. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete 2,499 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Well put together and it makes grim reading. If all other Scottish clubs had done their bit and helped improve the co-efficient we would not be in this mess, especially considering we made the Eufa final not that long ago. I remember how I was derided for saying we should hope Keltic win in Europe and not laugh at them childishly - look where that immature perspective has got us. We have to somehow hope that Motherwell and St Johnstone too don't let us down. Yes and they may all have been in administration like us. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexscottislegend 2,107 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Yes and they may all have been in administration like us.Not with you there - you saying that it's all because of overspending on players? I just meant that they gave piss-poor on field performances at the preliminary stages v. teams often part-time that Scottish clubs should be able to beat. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CumbernauldGers 0 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 It's very clear that Rangers will only improve in europe when we play there again with a decent amount of money invested in the club and new manager. Or we will need to get a new management team that works well getting the most out of what we have. The current manager and scouts and coaches will simply never do anything imo in europe. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
der Berliner 3,328 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 (edited) People should be in the clear what our perspectives in Europe were and are. We heavily punched above our weight in 2007/2008, no matter what name our standard bears, or how much support we have. The reality remains that certain top notch teams from top notch leagues will rule the roost as much as the Old Firm rules the Scottish game. You'd have the odd pretender, but in general, that was and is the status quo. Hence, you can hope for group stages or being in Europe beyond x-mas, but everything past that is essentially wishful thinking. Of course, no matter whom you have in your team, the opposition has to be taken into account too. As for the Scottish teams in Europe, I always "supported" them as - last but not least - their gain is our gain. I always supported the native aliens' opposition, as no matter whether the Hooped Horrors won or lost, we benefitted: either they rack up points for the Scottish (oh the irony) co-efficient, or there was glee on our part. Sorry, but I have solely contempt for this lot nowadays. Edited May 22, 2012 by der Berliner 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 It's very clear that Rangers will only improve in europe when we play there again with a decent amount of money invested in the club and new manager. Or we will need to get a new management team that works well getting the most out of what we have. The current manager and scouts and coaches will simply never do anything imo in europe. I seem to recall being getting to the UEFA final as assistant manager... Wasn't Durrant the coach at the time? They were both also in what could be considered the most successful team in our history in Europe. I'm afraid with that last statement your knowledge of Rangers is severely lacking but then I presume you're still at school... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yieldshields loyal 0 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 All this chat about doing nothing in Europe until we can spend money on new players is utter madness. We're in no position at all to continue spending, no matter who throws money at us. The future should always be bringing through good young home-grown talent into the first team. Trade our way out of this economic mess and set a structure for the future of our club and Scotish football - ala Feyenoord or Dortmund. Who knows what gems of players we could nurture from Murray park in the future. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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