European football? We don't have it and that's the problem

[muglump]

What reasons do people give for why is it hard / impossible for some players to decide to come to Stoke?

1. Stoke is a shit hole
This is bollocks. Stoke is a great place to be, always has been. And it's not like the players live in Shelton anyway, is it? They all live in the posh bits of Cheshire. And have you seen a lot of European cities? Stoke is paradise compared to some of them

2. Money
Again, not a factor. We're never going to attract the really big money superstars anyway

3. Stoke City are unfashionable / they've never heard of us
Hmm, wherever I've been in the world everyone watches the premier league. Everyone saw us dick Liverpool, and we have some top international players now. I've met Stoke fans all over the place as I'm sure many of you have

4. The Stadium is shit
No it isn't. Okay it's not the Bernabau but I can't see many players caring about that. The training facilities are where they spend most of their time anyway and they get vocal, idolising support when they do well, which must satisfy their egos.

5. We're not going to win anything
aren't we? Cups aren't beyond our reach. Only a handful of clubs are ever going to win a league title in any major European league

6. We're not in Europe
For me this is the main reason. The way the turgid, same every year Champions League is structured means we can never neverget into it through league position. Although the Europa is possible it is really hard, long and very much the league cup of European football. I personally think that the major European competition should be structured as a proper cup, with more entrants (say the top ten of the premier league for example, top five in Spain maybe, based on a ranking system of some kind) and played as a knockout. That way anyone joining Stoke would have a good chance of, say, drawing Barcelona in such a cup. Okay so we're not going to win it, but these European players would be much more inclined to join us if this were the case.

For me this is why we don't have players jumping at the chance to take our dollar and joining clubs abroad where you don't have to be quite so good to get into the Champions League, whereas here it is impossible for a club of our level. It must be a factor that a player will want to strut their stuff on really big stages, or at least have that possibility.

I could be wrong of course, but it just strikes me like this. I hope all these top players do sing for us and we piss the FA Cup next year and finish in the top six but I can't hold my breath that long.

[spitthedog]

Won't the best players still join teams who are going to go further in the European competition than we are?

[muglump]

Jul 3, 2015 11:19:02 GMT spitthedog said:

Won't the best players still join teams who are going to go further in the European competition than we are?

Yes, but the point is that we aren't in it at all, and are not going to be

[Deleted]

Jul 3, 2015 11:13:18 GMT muglump said:

What reasons do people give for why is it hard / impossible for some players to decide to come to Stoke?

1. Stoke is a shit hole
This is bollocks. Stoke is a great place to be, always has been. And it's not like the players live in Shelton anyway, is it? They all live in the posh bits of Cheshire. And have you seen a lot of European cities? Stoke is paradise compared to some of them

2. Money
Again, not a factor. We're never going to attract the really big money superstars anyway

3. Stoke City are unfashionable / they've never heard of us
Hmm, wherever I've been in the world everyone watches the premier league. Everyone saw us dick Liverpool, and we have some top international players now. I've met Stoke fans all over the place as I'm sure many of you have

4. The Stadium is shit
No it isn't. Okay it's not the Bernabau but I can't see many players caring about that. The training facilities are where they spend most of their time anyway and they get vocal, idolising support when they do well, which must satisfy their egos.

5. We're not going to win anything
aren't we? Cups aren't beyond our reach. Only a handful of clubs are ever going to win a league title in any major European league

6. We're not in Europe
For me this is the main reason. The way the turgid, same every year Champions League is structured means we can never neverget into it through league position. Although the Europa is possible it is really hard, long and very much the league cup of European football. I personally think that the major European competition should be structured as a proper cup, with more entrants (say the top ten of the premier league for example, top five in Spain maybe, based on a ranking system of some kind) and played as a knockout. That way anyone joining Stoke would have a good chance of, say, drawing Barcelona in such a cup. Okay so we're not going to win it, but these European players would be much more inclined to join us if this were the case.

For me this is why we don't have players jumping at the chance to take our dollar and joining clubs abroad where you don't have to be quite so good to get into the Champions League, whereas here it is impossible for a club of our level. It must be a factor that a player will want to strut their stuff on really big stages, or at least have that possibility.

I could be wrong of course, but it just strikes me like this. I hope all these top players do sing for us and we piss the FA Cup next year and finish in the top six but I can't hold my breath that long.

1) you're right about them not living in stoke....but it IS a shithole mate.lovely people yes but to describe a city largely made up of shops that are boarded up and the rest look like they're about to fall down as a "paradise compared to some" leads me to believe that the only other city you've visited is chernobyl

2) personally i think the old days of 45k a week HAS to change if we want to step up.end of!!!

3) not an issue...players won't care what talksport,the daily mirror or arsenal fans think of us

4) not an issue

5) not an issue.players coming here nowadays aren't coming for silverware.they're coming because we're an established Prem team who are likely to finish in the top 10.they come to clubs like ours to get a shop window for the big boys

6) get 2 sorted and taking into account point 5 above,again not an issue.we're a stepping stone.european glory isn't what they'll expect from us hence needing far more patience for the players we're now after as they'll be waiting to see if they get offers from the clubs just 3 positions higher first

Get point 2 sorted and allow patience to get players in from point 6 and there's no reason we can't be finishing 6th in a few years if managed correctly

[foster]

Europe is a problem where signing older players is concerned. It may not be too difficult to persuade younger players to join us if they see that we're heading in the right direction.

I still think that a modern impressive looking stadium would help to persuade better players. It's a sign of evolution, progress and willingness to invest in a prosperous future.

[muglump]

Jul 3, 2015 11:25:09 GMT mickmillslovechild said:

Jul 3, 2015 11:13:18 GMT muglump said:

6) get 2 sorted and taking into account point 5 above,again not an issue.we're a stepping stone.european glory isn't what they'll expect from us hence needing far more patience for the players we're now after as they'll be waiting to see if they get offers from the clubs just 3 positions higher first

Get point 2 sorted and allow patience to get players in from point 6 and there's no reason we can't be finishing 6th in a few years if managed correctly

A good point but I still hate the Champions league. If it were a knockout cup it would level things out and be a jolly sight more exciting. Pie in the sky I know but there we go. I'd also like to think we could keep superstars through their prime. Maybe asking too much but aim high. And i agree about the wage cap