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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2015 12:07:49 GMT
Outside chance that if either spuds or bin dippers win the Europa Lge then they automatically qualify next yr, and if FA Cup is between 2 teams already qualified, the the FA Cup winner/loser spot goes down to 8th in the lge. www.stokesentinel.co.uk/images/localworld/ugc-images/276370/binaries/europeandream.jpgWho wants it, who'd rather avoid like the plague, bear in mind if we did qualify again we'd have a similar start to the campaing as last time, i.e pre qualies.... |
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Post by MilanStokie on Feb 25, 2015 12:09:24 GMT
Said before and I will say again, if people would prefer to not qualify for Europe, you might as well give up now.
Qualifying for Europe, winning the odd cup and coming 7th-10th in the league is as good as it will get. Any thought of sacrificing 1 of these is plain ridiculous.
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Post by EccyStokie on Feb 25, 2015 12:13:54 GMT
The thing is with the Europa, i loved our adventure last time, it was the unknown, something we didn't expect to advance in and something we'd just enjoyed for the ride.
The next time we go into it, I want us to have a shot at really progressing without it affecting our league form. Something that I don't feel we have the squad strength for just yet.
But then again, I want more stoke away days on the continent... NOW!
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Post by jeycov on Feb 25, 2015 12:16:45 GMT
It is an OUTSIDE chance
Players e.g. Begovic stated that he wants to win competitions when he was interviewed just a week or so ago. clearly very important to some of our top players
(He wasn't selected for our cup games this season?)
Our Europa Cup season probably did attract signings at the time - Crouch being a good example.
We would need greater depth in the squad, but I guess most players (and fans) would welcome the opportunity
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Post by FullerMagic on Feb 25, 2015 12:20:49 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2015 12:33:57 GMT
We can't turn our nose up at the Europa League. Yes, it puts extra strain on the squad and takes away even more Saturday kick-offs but surely, as a club of our stature, we have to want to be in it? It's a by-product of being successful on the pitch. It raises the profile of the club and gives the fans something to get excited about. There's plenty of negative stuff that comes with it, but the good will always outweigh the bad, in my opinion.
Yes, you may have to contend with qualifiers against obscure european sides and maybe even some poor calibre teams in the group stages but this is where the manager utilises the squad. Surely our fringe players are still too good for the minnows on the continent?
It'd be a balancing act, and if we did progress to the latter stages against the bigger teams, the manager would have the headache of whether to bring the "big guns" back in (Valencia anyone?) but these are good problems to have!
For what it's worth, I don't think we'll be in the Europa next season anyway but it surely has to be one of our goals, for every season we remain in the top flight?
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Post by apb1 on Feb 25, 2015 12:40:43 GMT
I just wish it was a knock out from the start. More people would watch matches on TV with something riding on them, and it would reduce the pain.
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Post by FullerMagic on Feb 25, 2015 12:41:38 GMT
Yeah - realistically, we're never going to be good enough for it to become the kind of talking point it is for clubs like Everton or Spurs.
For clubs like us, it's always going to be a enough of a novelty for it to be worthwhile and pretty exciting.
Clubs like Spurs or Everton can get definitely get caught in a bit of a Europa trap though - which is a problem if something that's supposed to be a reward starts to feel like a burden.
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Post by FullerMagic on Feb 25, 2015 12:48:29 GMT
I just wish it was a knock out from the start. More people would watch matches on TV with something riding on them, and it would reduce the pain. True. Don't think the group phase has worked at all from an English club perspective. The financial rewards haven't gone up sufficiently , certainly not relatively-speaking for Sky-rich Premier League teams, to justify the slog. Maybe the slight increase in money is more valuable to clubs in smaller leagues - but to English clubs, a straight knockout competition would be the way to go. Agree with this article here |
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Post by MilanStokie on Feb 25, 2015 13:08:30 GMT
But Spurs and Everton would not be happy with the same results Stoke would.
Where our fanbase would be relatively happy with coming say 9th, Spurs and Everton consider that a disaster. So of course qualifying for Europa is not so significant.
Any team outside the bubble of 7 at the top surely have to aspire to this. If not, are we just in the top league to make up the numbers?
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Post by RAF on Feb 25, 2015 13:19:51 GMT
I would lap Europe up again.
Any fans of any team that sneer at Europa are just a bunch of fucking spoiled wankbags.
I loved every minute of it right up until I saw the team sheet for Valencia away, and even then it was fucking ace.
H
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Post by nantwichstokie on Feb 25, 2015 13:41:04 GMT
I would lap Europe up again. Any fans of any team that sneer at Europa are just a bunch of fucking spoiled wankbags. I loved every minute of it right up until I saw the team sheet for Valencia away, and even then it was fucking ace. H Hearing that team sheet went into one of my strangest 'where were you when...' moments. |
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Post by dadofsam on Feb 25, 2015 13:59:02 GMT
I don't feel like we really qualified last time and can never get the kudos Pulis gets for "taking us into Europe", yes I know they're the facts, but we qualified fortuitously by losing the cup final.
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Post by thestokielad on Feb 25, 2015 16:56:02 GMT
It's unlikely but I'd love us to qualify for Europe. The away trips to other countries are brilliant and it would give us a bigger reputation and attract better players
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Post by 2004 on Feb 25, 2015 17:02:22 GMT
Loved the Europa League last time. Would be great to get into again.
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Post by lordherefordsknob on Feb 25, 2015 17:03:32 GMT
Would be great to do a European tour again soon.
Only problem is it might end in divorce this time. :-)
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Post by sheikhmomo on Feb 25, 2015 17:09:08 GMT
I don't feel like we really qualified last time and can never get the kudos Pulis gets for "taking us into Europe", yes I know they're the facts, but we qualified fortuitously by losing the cup final. I can't understand people who belittled our appearance in a Cup Final and subsequent European tour so readily. It's not as if every piss easy draw results in the same outcome, as we've recently witnessed. |
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Post by EccyStokie on Feb 25, 2015 17:34:27 GMT
I would lap Europe up again. Any fans of any team that sneer at Europa are just a bunch of fucking spoiled wankbags. I loved every minute of it right up until I saw the team sheet for Valencia away, and even then it was fucking ace. H Hearing that team sheet went into one of my strangest 'where were you when...' moments. Sitting on a wall to an underground car park on "the square", beer in hand, watching the stokies singing and the flag being draped off the chapel. At the time I was too pissed to care about the team sheet. |
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Post by Squeekster on Feb 25, 2015 17:57:22 GMT
The problem is with the Europa league is you get through the early stages thinking your doing well then just to make it more harder to win they allow the champions league failures in at the later stages which is totally bullshit for me!
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Post by skip on Feb 25, 2015 18:41:58 GMT
The Europa League is rigged in favour of television rights first and Champions League losers second. Would be still be good to see Stoke in it again though.
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Post by scfc75 on Feb 25, 2015 18:51:11 GMT
The problem is with the Europa league is you get through the early stages thinking your doing well then just to make it more harder to win they allow the champions league failures in at the later stages which is totally bullshit for me! Yep, it's farcical. It's like letting the losers of the early rounds of the FA Cup into the latter stages of the League Cup as compensation. Nonsense! |
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Post by heisenberg88 on Feb 25, 2015 20:45:08 GMT
Our season is back!
Anyone who panics about league form over Europe needs to have a wits with themselves. Europe was ace last time and it'd be great again.
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Post by mosquito on Feb 26, 2015 11:14:12 GMT
No brainer for me!
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Post by Northy on Feb 26, 2015 11:25:02 GMT
So basically we need the arse and the shit to finish in the top 4 and to make the FA Cup final, Spurs to win the League Cup, bindippers to win the Europa, and finish in the top 7 and us to overtake West Ham and Swansea in points and goal difference. Go for it and take me to the sunshine  |
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Post by sage on Feb 26, 2015 12:42:53 GMT
Seeing Stoke play in Europe is surely the greatest feeling we're going to get as fans, outside of winning a cup. I agree with everyone who says it's madness to want to pass on it just for fear of fixture congestion. Plus, qualifying for Europe = more money = more players to cover those extra fixtures.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 12:47:28 GMT
So basically we need the arse and the shit to finish in the top 4 and to make the FA Cup final, Spurs to win the League Cup, bindippers to win the Europa, and finish in the top 7 and us to overtake West Ham and Swansea in points and goal difference. Go for it and take me to the sunshine They've drawn each other next round though haven't they? |
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Post by mrcholmondleywarner on Feb 26, 2015 12:48:53 GMT
Said before and I will say again, if people would prefer to not qualify for Europe, you might as well give up now. Qualifying for Europe, winning the odd cup and coming 7th-10th in the league is as good as it will get. Any thought of sacrificing 1 of these is plain ridiculous. Spot on.
Would love another European Tour - Everton are well below us probably due, in part, to the Europa games but it's well worth it.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 26, 2015 12:50:19 GMT
The problem is with the Europa league is you get through the early stages thinking your doing well then just to make it more harder to win they allow the champions league failures in at the later stages which is totally bullshit for me! which is something i'd imagine most of the football league get pissed off when Prem clubs get to join the FA Cup at the 3rd round stage.......strange how now we're a Prem side that's apparently just fine though  |
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Post by Northy on Feb 26, 2015 13:13:23 GMT
So basically we need the arse and the shit to finish in the top 4 and to make the FA Cup final, Spurs to win the League Cup, bindippers to win the Europa, and finish in the top 7 and us to overtake West Ham and Swansea in points and goal difference. Go for it and take me to the sunshine They've drawn each other next round though haven't they? I hadn't paid much attention to the draw after we went out  but yes they are www.thefa.com/thefacup/fixturesnot sure how that affects the 8th place but if they both finish top 4 and one of them wins the FA cup then that still may make 8th a Europa place? |
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Post by Squeekster on Feb 26, 2015 13:14:50 GMT
The problem is with the Europa league is you get through the early stages thinking your doing well then just to make it more harder to win they allow the champions league failures in at the later stages which is totally bullshit for me! which is something i'd imagine most of the football league get pissed off when Prem clubs get to join the FA Cup at the 3rd round stage.......strange how now we're a Prem side that's apparently just fine though Not really that's always been the case in the FA cup being in the prem is irrelevant it still is wrong to fail in the champion's league then get another bite of the cherry in the second best European competition for getting knocked out of the other one. |
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but yes they are
