[Archived] Intertoto

[philipl]

The Interto-tu-to-te should be scrapped. European football is dead. The charm has gone. It's no longer a novelty to see top European teams play each other, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea play Barcelona, Milan, Real Madrid etc twice a season as they play us. When the competition forst started it was exciting, now we actually know how the games will be played out, as we do when the big teams play in this country.

It should be back to Champions in the Champions League and 2nd-6th in the UEFA Cup. If you win a cup, your prize? The pride of winning a domestic honour. Why the Carling Cup winners warrent a place in europe solely on winning that competiton alone is beyond me.

The FA Cup hasn't been won by a team who hadn't qualified for europe via league position in a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time, and it's a joke that the runners up (Millwall, West Ham) can end up in europe because they finished RUNNERS UP in a cup competition.

The Intertoto is scrapped- next season is ita last incarnation and perhaps Rovers' last European chance.

It seems you want to close off every means the Rovers have used for European qualification since 1995!

[JAL]

The Interto-tu-to-te should be scrapped. European football is dead. The charm has gone. It's no longer a novelty to see top European teams play each other, Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea play Barcelona, Milan, Real Madrid etc twice a season as they play us. When the competition forst started it was exciting, now we actually know how the games will be played out, as we do when the big teams play in this country.

It should be back to Champions in the Champions League and 2nd-6th in the UEFA Cup. If you win a cup, your prize? The pride of winning a domestic honour. Why the Carling Cup winners warrent a place in europe solely on winning that competiton alone is beyond me.

The FA Cup hasn't been won by a team who hadn't qualified for europe via league position in a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time, and it's a joke that the runners up (Millwall, West Ham) can end up in europe because they finished RUNNERS UP in a cup competition.

Totally respect what you are saying Shilito15, and can clearly see your point, but for now this season Rovers HAVE TO APPLY THIS WAY to not do so would be tantermount to negligence on the part of our managerial team.

Having only been to one European adventure Feyenoord away, what an experience, an unbelievable adventure that just makes you wish for more experiences like that.

Playing teams you'd never played before in Europe was a totally refreshing exhilerating experience and a great opportunity to travel the continent with friends with one purposeful thing in common -to watch your home town team play in unusual places what better experiences are there.

We all only live once Shilito15 never miss an opportunity, never, lifes too short!

[philipl]

The Intertoto application list the FA has is:

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Everton

Manchester City

Middlesbrough

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur

So no West Ham, Pompey or Liverpool.

Spurs don't need it any longer and I'm sure Intertoto qualification isn't the first thought that enters the heads of barcodes and smoggies when they look at the league table over their cornflakes this morning.

If there is a Man U v Chelsea FA Cup Final, (and Liverpool don't slip beneath us and then win the Champions League) 7th is currently the Intertoto position and we're in it. Good job we can score and conceed more than Man City.

[brfcs5359]

The Intertoto application list the FA has is:

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Everton

Manchester City

Middlesbrough

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur

So no West Ham, Pompey or Liverpool.

Spurs don't need it any longer and I'm sure Intertoto qualification isn't the first thought that enters the heads of barcodes and smoggies when they look at the league table over their cornflakes this morning.

If there is a Man U v Chelsea FA Cup Final, (and Liverpool don't slip beneath us and then win the Champions League) 7th is currently the Intertoto position and we're in it. Good job we can score and conceed more than Man City.

THe FA Press Office won't confirm the 7 as some clubs have asked it be kept confidential till the end of the season. With Spuds winning the Floodlit Trophy there are two UEFA Cup places left. I am not sure the FA Cup runners up enter after Millwall's wasted entry. If it is a Chelski v ManU final then 5th and 6th will go on the UEFA and 7th the Intertoto BUT if English Clubs stay top of UEFA's Fair Play League, we will get an extra UEFA spot. We are currently top of the EFPL. So that could be 8th in the Intertoto.

Given Barcodes, Boro, and Spuds can't qualify for the Intertoto, that's Rovers, Villa, City, Everton for 2 or 3 or 4 spots. I'd say Everton will get a UEFA, Villa and Rovers for the second and City last of the 4.

I enjoyed the Intertoto anyway... better get saving.............

[bluebruce]

If it is a Chelski v ManU final then 5th and 6th will go on the UEFA and 7th the Intertoto BUT if English Clubs stay top of UEFA's Fair Play League, we will get an extra UEFA spot. We are currently top of the EFPL. So that could be 8th in the Intertoto.

Doesn't the fair play spot go to a random country out of something like 8 that have had the fairest play? It's a draw isn't it? It would be massively ironic if Blackburn got a UEFA spot because of English football's fairplay- aren't we bottom of the fair play table again? Do they not give the fairplay spot to the team that has played fairest in that league too, like they used to?

[brfcs5359]

Apparently we are top and that gets an extra UEFA spot. That's what the FA Press Office said.

[bluebruce]

Apparently we are top and that gets an extra UEFA spot. That's what the FA Press Office said.

Well I'm sure the press, if not the FA Press Office, will have a lot to say about 'Blackeye Rovers' getting the spot with our awful disciplinary record. Despite the fact that if anything we've been a soft touch this year at times, in physical terms.

[American]

I am not sure the FA Cup runners up enter after Millwall's wasted entry.

I actually looked up the entry rules on the UEFA website and there is no reference to having to be in the top flight (I thought I had heard that being the case, as well).

For the entire rules:

http://www.uefa.com/newsfiles/19070.pdf

[philipl]

THe FA Press Office won't confirm the 7 as some clubs have asked it be kept confidential till the end of the season. With Spuds winning the Floodlit Trophy there are two UEFA Cup places left. I am not sure the FA Cup runners up enter after Millwall's wasted entry. If it is a Chelski v ManU final then 5th and 6th will go on the UEFA and 7th the Intertoto BUT if English Clubs stay top of UEFA's Fair Play League, we will get an extra UEFA spot. We are currently top of the EFPL. So that could be 8th in the Intertoto.

Given Barcodes, Boro, and Spuds can't qualify for the Intertoto, that's Rovers, Villa, City, Everton for 2 or 3 or 4 spots. I'd say Everton will get a UEFA, Villa and Rovers for the second and City last of the 4.

I enjoyed the Intertoto anyway... better get saving.............

Oops.

Mr Grooby quoted the letter the FA had sent to the Rovers when the club asked the question. I simply copied it from the official site when it was there.

[Derby Blue]

Well I'm sure the press, if not the FA Press Office, will have a lot to say about 'Blackeye Rovers' getting the spot with our awful disciplinary record. Despite the fact that if anything we've been a soft touch this year at times, in physical terms.

Surely we're not top of the fair play league with all of our red/yellow cards this season? Top of the Foul Play League maybe.........

The article a few posts up from the Express states that 2 places will be allocated for the intertoto. I was under the impression it was only 1 place as in previous years.

just found the latest fair play league standings here unless I'm misunderstanding what the fair play positions are based on?

[bluebruce]

Surely we're not top of the fair play league with all of our red/yellow cards this season? Top of the Foul Play League maybe.........

I know, that's why my previous post said 'aren't we bottom of the fair play table again?'. Graham suggests that the extra place goes to the country with the fairest play (Nonsense anyway since most decisions are tosh and refereeing attitudes vary from country to country). So if he's right, we could get it whilst being supposedly the 'dirtiest' team in the country.

[roversmum]

They ought to call it the 'Unfair Table'. What a load of tosh.......

[Derby Blue]

I know, that's why my previous post said 'aren't we bottom of the fair play table again?'. Graham suggests that the extra place goes to the country with the fairest play (Nonsense anyway since most decisions are tosh and refereeing attitudes vary from country to country). So if he's right, we could get it whilst being supposedly the 'dirtiest' team in the country.

I've confused myself I think. When it was quoted in an earlier post that 'we' were top of the fair play league, I read it as meaning Rovers and not England.

If an extra UEFA spot is given to the English FA for 'fair play' then this will go to the club that finishes top of the English fair play league. Not something we need to worry about in any case....

[philipl]

Fair play is an absolutely risible joke. Here is the proof of how stupid it is.

1) It doesn't reflect the fact that Rovers have been on the receiving end of more fouls than any other club FACT

2) Arsenal who have committed more fouls then any other club are up there in 5th position.

3) Rovers are way down on "behaviour of officials" which is the only reason we are bottom. This seems to mean we get points knocked off for being officiated by louts. (There is a separate section for behaviour towards officials where we are middling).

4) Rovers are actually 6th in the table for "positive play" so Reveidge Blue obviously isn't an ajudicator.

5) If England wins the Fair Play lucky lottery then 6th place Man City get to kick the whatsits off some unsuspecting foreign johnnies in the UEFA Cup next year. (1 to 5 are qualifying for Europe by other means- what Spuds and the Big 4 are top of the Fair Play League? OF COURSE REFS ARE NOT BIASED).

[RevidgeBlue]

4) Rovers are actually 6th in the table for "positive play" so Reveidge Blue obviously isn't an ajudicator.

It's Revidge.

R-E-V-I-D-G-E

There's a good lad, try to keep up.

BTW - not that I'm really interested in completely random stats but what is the "positive play" table based on?

[RevidgeBlue]

The Intertoto application list the FA has is:

Aston Villa

Blackburn Rovers

Everton

Manchester City

Middlesbrough

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur

So no West Ham, Pompey or Liverpool.

Spurs don't need it any longer and I'm sure Intertoto qualification isn't the first thought that enters the heads of barcodes and smoggies when they look at the league table over their cornflakes this morning.

If there is a Man U v Chelsea FA Cup Final, (and Liverpool don't slip beneath us and then win the Champions League) 7th is currently the Intertoto position and we're in it. Good job we can score and conceed more than Man City.

So realistically, if there isn't a ManUre/ Chelsea Cup Final, the automatic UEFA spot willl be filled by either Everton or Liverpool and we will need to finish above both Villa and City to get the intertoto spot?

Doable but not easy.

[philipl]

I know but my fingers don't!

[modes98]

Fair play is an absolutely risible joke. Here is the proof of how stupid it is.

3) Rovers are way down on "behaviour of officials" which is the only reason we are bottom. This seems to mean we get points knocked off for being officiated by louts. (There is a separate section for behaviour towards officials where we are middling).

The Fairplay league is a joke.

We don't show enough respect towards match officials. That must be all the times we surround the referee then and bully him into making decisions.

Also remember all the times Hughes has told off by the ref and fourth official this season. struggling to think of any to reduce our behavior points.

Red/Yellow cards seems to be heavily weighted but the amount of fouls isn't even in there.

We're being done over every season on this table and i have little doubt there will be another FA Fine headed our way come the summer.

[joey_big_nose]

Who the hell decides those last three things? Respect Towards Opponent, Respect Towards Referee, Behaviour of Officials? We are pretty decent to the referee I thought. We don't crowd him like some teams. And we show a lot of respect towards our opponents.

Our one problem is probably Hughes losing his head quite a lot and shouting at everybody. But I can't see how that put us by a fair distance at the bottom of the table. Our red and yellow count has decreased markedly.

If we finish bottom again we could be in line for a points deduction....

[RibbleValleyRover]

We are still suffering from the tag of being a "bully" or a "dirty side" that was created by the media and people like Wenger and Mourinho when Sparky came in and had to fight hard to keep us up. Officials and in particular Ref's probably go into games still believing what they were told over two seasons ago and we are suffering as a result.

We’ve have had some ridiculous decisions go against us this season, Nelsen’s red card against Villa, Gamst being booked for being assaulted by Arteta and that Newcastle lad (Beye I think he’s called) to name but a few.

I have no doubt we will end up with another fine come the end of the season, and the Newcastle touchline incident will probably be blamed on us as well. The game as a whole has become incredibly soft, and I’m beginning to wonder if that’s due to the rapidly increasing number of foreign players coming into the league.

[philipl]

Curbishley's BBC comments ahead of tonight's WHam game in hand at Liverpool have that familiar ring to them:

"If Liverpool win, it might finish us off in terms of breaking into the European places. We're in no man's land - and we need to change that.

"There are so many permutations, but it looks this season as though finishing seventh or even sixth might not be good enough to get into the UEFA Cup.

"We are not too far behind Portsmouth, Blackburn and Manchester City - but we just can't seem to catch them at the moment.

"We don't want the season to peter out. If we lose, we don't seem to go anywhere, and if we win, we don't seem to go anywhere. The next three or four weeks will decide our fate."

Although it seems West Ham are passing on the Intertoto so that means 7th for sure would not get West Ham European football next season.

[bluebruce]

Does anybody recall what we were threatened with if we finish bottom of this joke table again? Was it a big fine or worse?

If we get a points deduction I hope every one of us writes to the FA with our outrage.

[RibbleValleyRover]

The only link i could find that talked about our fine that we recieved in August and the possible fine we might have to pay come the end of the season.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6960060.stm

Blackburn: Fined £100,000 (including £70,000 suspended from 2005/06), with a further fine of £50,000 in place for the 2007/08 season.

From what i've seen so far this season, we are being targetted by ref's.

[brfcs5359]

Its not the UK fair Play League. Its the UEFA Champions Lge Fair Play Lge. How ironic Rovers benefit from English clubs fair play and are rewarded for (dare I say) foul play!!

As it stands now, 5th goes into the UEFA, 6th Intertoto (if entered). A Chelski Man U Final means 6th go in to eh UEFA and 7th Intertoto. And a Fair Play UEFA Cup place means 5th 6th and 7th go in the UEFA and 8th in the Intertoto.

I reckon

4th Hub Cap Collectors

5th Hub cap Collectors reserves

6th Burnley in Disguise Birmingham Branch

7th Simon Garners Blue & White Army

8th Nancy's Knickers select XVIIII

9th Burnley in Disguise London Branch

10th The Bell Ends

I reckon three UEFA Cup spots. FA Cup is full of penny pinchers plus the big two. Our Fair PLay position seems strong.

[bluebruce]

Its not the UK fair Play League. Its the UEFA Champions Lge Fair Play Lge. How ironic Rovers benefit from English clubs fair play and are rewarded for (dare I say) foul play!!

As it stands now, 5th goes into the UEFA, 6th Intertoto (if entered). A Chelski Man U Final means 6th go in to eh UEFA and 7th Intertoto. And a Fair Play UEFA Cup place means 5th 6th and 7th go in the UEFA and 8th in the Intertoto.

I reckon

4th Hub Cap Collectors

5th Hub cap Collectors reserves

6th Burnley in Disguise Birmingham Branch

7th Simon Garners Blue & White Army

8th Nancy's Knickers select XVIIII

9th Burnley in Disguise London Branch

10th The Bell Ends

I wouldn't exactly say we're being rewarded for foul play (aside from the fact that we aren't particularly engaging in it). We're just benefitting whilst supposedly undertaking foul play.

Anyway, who are Nancy's Knickers and The Bell Ends? You've lost me a bit on those two, I can only assume one is City and one is Pompey, but dunno which. Presumably the one in 8th would be City since I find it inconceivable they would drop to 10th.