[Archived] Champions League

[Verminator]

Astounding game last night. Good to see Duff scoring - great vision, fantastic running and very clinical finishing - defensive error maybe but I'd like to have seen Van Nistlerooy finish that chance in his current form (NOT!). Chelsea are hungry for success. They look like Arsenal last season. Heart breaking to see Ferguson choking back his feelings of devastation during the press conference last night

On PhilipL's Europe Superleague point, if the current set of clubs who regularly play in the champions league form a Superleague and don't play domestic games then how will they make up the lost revenue of no longer playing in the champions league or a similar competition?? Just a point.

[Al]

I agree that we should support English teams in Europe but Manure are definitely an exception.

[DaveyB]

I have to say i disagree with anybody that does not support the english teams in the champions league. At the end of the day an english team doing well in europe who ever they are is good for the english game.

Why?

How have we, or any other club (except for Chelsea), benefitted from Chelsea's win last night?

[Flopsy]

I thought Joe Cole was brilliant last night - especially playing in a 4 man midfield - gives me hope that we might have an attacking midfielder with skill, vision and trickery for England - coz by god we need one.

Would work at the point of the diamond or as a withdrawn striker

[Hanks]

agree with you there daveyb, the further any of our teams get the more money they recieve and therefore are in an even stronger position than the rest of the league

[philipl]

A significant part of the UEFA ranking co-efficient derives from the performance of the League's clubs in European competition.

So Rovers benefitted by being seeded in the UEFA Cup and drawing some nice easy to beat opposition from Ankara.....

Back to tonight, PSV are winning so as good as through and Liverpool have scored a quick brace in Neverkusen.

If Arsenal ever get going, could be a bleak night for the Bundesleague.

Edited March 9, 2005 by philipl

[Eddie]

Baros gets liverpools third

Henry puts Arsenal 1-0

C'mon Arsenal

[modes98]

Well i decided in my wisdom that real vs juve would be the tie out of the 4 played today and last time. I have to say it was very boring, the exact opposite of both chelsea games! Juve have to have the mose wasteful strikers ever and real have to have the worst defense ever!

Nobody looked like scoring until the ball hit the net it was that bad. No saves by the keeper at all!!!!

Chelsea to win it for me with outsiders lyon as hot tips!

[Tris]

Have to take my hat off to Bayer Leverkusen for their choice of music tonight.

I never heard the Champions League anthem as the teams came out, however ACDCs Highway to Hell was very much in evidence. Take note Gerald Jackson, that would get Ewood going!

And after Liverpool's comprehensive win, immediately on the final whistle the tannoy kicked in at full volume with You'll Never Walk Alone for the celebrating Liverpool fans.

I think that's a brilliant touch from the German club, in a round where typical petulance, bad blood, histrionics and spin have been the main input from some of the bigger players / teams / managers.

It was a pleasure to see a decent game between two honest sides, and good luck to Liverpool next round.

Edited March 9, 2005 by Tris

[LeChuck]

I hate the cynicism towards the Champions League.

It's a wonderful competition that provides excellent matches, it's blatant jealousy from people who don't like it.

Yes, I wish we were there...and yes, I wish the money was distibuted more evenly. But why should it change? It's providing brilliant entertainment that people will see around the world.

Get over it.

Edited March 10, 2005 by LeChuck

[neekoy]

I would just rathera restructuring of European competition to spread some dollars around. I don't think that teams in the champions league should need to redistribute their funds, it would be like us having to do it with our FA cup winnings.

I hope they bring the Champions League back to being the champions of the domestic leagues.

Winner - Champs League

2,3,4 - Uefa Cup

Domestic Cup Winner and League Cup Winner - Cup Winners Cup

Fair Play - Uefa Cup

Scrap the Intertoto

More chances for clubs to play in Europe, more emphasis on domestic cups

[philipl]

The Spanish sides are out and Arsenal paid for their horror in Munich.

More defending like that when Arsenal come to Ewood would be much appreciated.

Liverpool have surprised a lot of people- don't think anybody would have thought they would have romped to a 6-2 aggregate win. Then again Lyons were going through a run of defeats in the Championat when they suddenly stuck 7 past Bremen. I wonder if a German side has conceded 7 in Europe since Eintrach Frankfurt did in Glasgow when Real Madrid won the 1960 Final 7-3?

Anyone know when the second leg of Inter v Porto is? Pesky Italians who cannot build enough stadia.

[neekoy]

It is getting shown on TV over here next Tuesday, I guess that means your Monday night?

[philipl]

Thanks.

An interesting perspective on RFW's future. Glad to see Martin O'Neill is leading in the betting to replace him.

[neekoy]

I hope Martin O'Neill does get it, he is crap

[broadsword]

I hate the cynicism towards the Champions League.

It's a wonderful competition that provides excellent matches, it's blatant jealousy from people who don't like it.

Yes, I wish we were there...and yes, I wish the money was distibuted more evenly.  But why should it change?  It's providing brilliant entertainment that people will see around the world.

Get over it.

Yesssssssssssssssssssssss SIR!

When I next watch the big clubs get umpteen chances to earn mega-money whilst the rest of our top-flight clubs wait at the table for scraps, I shall remind myself not to be cynical as LeChuck told us to "get over it". And after all, "why should it change" when it caters for the needs of the greedy few and actually provides entertainment once we get to the knockout stages.

You'd go down a storm on Question Time mate!

Edited March 10, 2005 by Bryan

[LeChuck]

There was more anger in that post than I anticipated...but I still think the same.

It's very easy to knock the Champions League but it's doing what it should...provide the best matches in the world at the highest level. Doing that is not easy, just look at how the major international tournaments have flopped since 98 (ish).

The money problem does need addressing but it won't come from a change in the Champions League, so other areas need to be looked at.

[Rovermatt]

It's very easy to knock the Champions League but it's doing what it should...provide the best matches in the world at the highest level. Doing that is not easy, just look at how the major international tournaments have flopped since 98 (ish).

Perhaps that's because the world's best players are playing to the most gruelling schedule in world football.

[daheri]

It's very easy to knock the Champions League but it's doing what it should...provide the best matches in the world at the highest level.

I dont share your entusiasm at all. It may well be a tournament filled with big clubs and big star players, but i find it a bore. Maybe its because i've never liked spanish and italian football, but champions league has never appealed to me. The cup-winners-cup was a great cup, now its just to slow, too big, and too defensive for me. Especially since there is no team i can relate to in it.

Big games like juve - real madrid doesnt make me excited, id rather watch ANY premier league match.

[Paul]

I cannot see any true entertainment value in the CL. The league structure presents fans with a series of meaningless games and it's not until the knock-out stage there is any real excitment. Games like Chelsea's and Liverpool's come along occassionally but most of the time it's typical European football, dull in other words. Utd's performance was described as "typical of a European game" i.e lots of strolling around.

Clearly some teams will fill stadiums but should Rovers, Bolton etc ever qualify I doubt there would be a huge demand.

The CL simply presents the clubs with another method of making huge amounts of money. The standard rarely reaches the hype. Now when it was the Champions Cup things were different

[rover6]

in a round where typical petulance, bad blood, histrionics and spin have been the main input from some of the bigger players / teams / managers.

Yes, totally true. All we got was cynical tactics in a backdrop of dour football.

You are obviously blinded by bitterness. Yes, there were indiscretions committed by individuals - but how can you ignore the brilliant football, the deluge of goals and the excitement? Surely that outshone any negativity.

Furthermore, I think some of you who are condemning the Champs League are missing the irony of your words.

What is the Champs League? A menagerie of the biggest clubs in Europe getting together to maximize TV revenues and transcend the national leagues, at the expense of the rest.

What is the Premiership? A menagerie of the biggest clubs in England getting together to maximize TV revenues at the expense of the rest.

Edited March 10, 2005 by rover6

[broadsword]

It's very easy to knock the Champions League but it's doing what it should...provide the best matches in the world at the highest level. Doing that is not easy, just look at how the major international tournaments have flopped since 98 (ish).

Puzzling.

The Champion's League does a good job as it provides the best matches in the World at the highest level (as opposed to the best matches in the World at the lowest level?)

Most of the best teams are in Europe anyway, so any competition that pits them against each other will provide the "best matches". That is why they have the current format, because whichever one they choose they are on a winner, so they choose the format that makes the most cash.

I'm not jealous of it, how could I be? I don't organise my own league competition! If you mean instead that I am envious of other teams competing at European level whilst we do not, you're miles out. I've had years of Rovers being in the Second Division, I can accept other teams being more successful, and what is more, I enjoy watching teams like Barca play.

What sticks in my craw is the top teams sticking their noses in the trough for ever-bigger bundles of dosh whilst smaller teams go to the wall. And that goes for the Premiership as much as the Champs League, so maybe I'm jealous of teh Premiership too. Ooops.

[jim mk2]

. I cannot see any true entertainment value in the CL........Now when it was the Champions Cup things were different

European Cup.

Agree. This knockout stage is how the old European Cup used to be in every round: exciting cup football played by the champion team of each country (not the top 3/4 in each league).

European Cup nights were always big nights, eagerly awaited occasions with huge crowds. Now ManU v Juventus or whoever is so commonplace no one cares. A case of familiarity breeding contempt.

The Champions League is one of the principal reasons why football is going down the drain. It is responsible for:

1. The reduced status of international football. Top players are knackered at the finals of the World Cup and European Championships resulting in triumphs by well-organised nonentitities such as Greece.

In addition, England friendly internationals, hitherto seen as an honour for the players chosen to represent their country, are regarded as "meaningless" because top players are too tired/injured to take part.

2. The reduce status of the great institution of English football, the FA Cup (viz CL teams fielding virtual reserve teams)

3. The reduced status of the Uefa Cup, Europe's No 2 club competition and formerly considered harder to win than the European Cup.

4. The demise of the European Cup Winners Cup, an excellent competition axed to make way for the CL.

5. As Kevin Keegan said, a boring Premiership in which the top 3/4 teams always dominate with the rest seeking to avoid relegation by playing dull safety first football in which the principal object is not to lose and the promoted teams know they are virtually certain to go back down again.

6. As Paul mentioned, the concentration of even more money and power in the hands of Europe's top clubs, leading to the G14 cartel who are virtually running the European game for their own selfish benefits.

7. Boring saturation CL coverage on television, turning fans off football in general.

The Champions League is the worst thing to happen to football in the past 50 years, worse even than the abolition of the maximum wage in the early 1960s. It, and television, will ruin the professional game in the long term.

[broadsword]

Can't really argue with any of that.

[SouthAussieRover]

[Agree. This knockout stage is how the old European Cup used to be in every round: exciting cup football played by the champion team of each country (not the top 3/4 in each league).

Have to disagree there.

Most of it was turgid, counter attacking stuff with it's worst time being teams in the 1980's onwards playing for penalty shootouts.