UEFA Cup

[The Acolyte]

I know Villa fans who were loving the European journey they were on as not only did it provide an added bonus to an already improved season but it also cemented their trust and admiration for MON.

He's just shat all over that!

[NIred1]

By the way, Anybody who's ever advocated "MON" in to replace Rafa needs to take a long walk off a short pier.

 

Repped.

[Code]

I can see why he did it.

 

The UEFA Cup is worthless, and Villa don't have a huge squad. I'm sure the vast majority of Villa fans will not be arsed at all if they finish fourth.

 

When a team focuses on finishing fucking 4th instead of winning something you know things are completely fucked with football.

 

I remember the year Bolton was in the quarters or something in the UEFA Cup and fielded a reserve team, what was their aim at the time, finishing 8th?

[philyhamann]

When a team focuses on finishing fucking 4th instead of winning something you know things are completely fucked with football.

 

I remember the year Bolton was in the quarters or something in the UEFA Cup and fielded a reserve team, what was their aim at the time, finishing 8th?

 

Do we give a fuck that Rafa put out a shit team against Burnley and lost in 05? No. It'll only bit him in the arse if they don't finish fourth.

[SpeedyG]

I don't get it. Why's he putting out a weakened team? Its not like they're fighting relegation, is it?

 

Is it so they have a better chance of getting fourth? so they can play a CL qualifier, get knocked out and play in the UEFA cup?

 

I remember reading that with prize money etc you barely broke even what with all the travelling etc.

[Code]

Do we give a fuck that Rafa put out a shit team against Burnley and lost in 05? No. It'll only bit him in the arse if they don't finish fourth.

 

Will we see O`Neill celebrating 4th with a glass of champagne like he had just won the CL if this happens and will SKY be there to cover it?

[Hermes]

Amazing that in these days of massive squads, multiple substitutions and squad rotation clubs feel the need to "rest" players in what they consider to be the lesser competitions.

 

"Twenty pieces of silver" appears to be worth far more than one big piece of silver.

[Liverpool lad]

It is the poor fans I feel sorry for

[Hermes]

It is the poor fans I feel sorry for

 

They should boycott the games in the competition that their club treats in such a way. I've stopped attending League Cup games and wouldn't bother with UEFA Cup either if we were in it. That's after attending every home game in every competition for 25 years.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

I remember the year Bolton was in the quarters or something in the UEFA Cup and fielded a reserve team, what was their aim at the time, finishing 8th?

 

It was for a relegation 6 pointer against Wigan. They promptly got twatted.

[Guest TK-421]

It's a tough one this. Villa are in a great position to qualify for the CL and in terms of attracting players and more money the rewards are great. Spurs are flirting with relegation and have an injury prone and unpredictable squad. They also have the Carling Cup final on Sunday, which they have a better chance of winning than they had of winning the UEFA Cup. Man City put out a strong team and are rewarded with a place in the next round, and probably a decent chance of winning the competition too.

 

On the other hand it must be a pisser if you're a fan who's traveled to the game, or any other fan who values the UEFA Cup.

[Liverpool lad]

They should boycott the games in the competition that their club treats in such a way. I've stopped attending League Cup games and wouldn't bother with UEFA Cup either if we were in it. That's after attending every home game in every competition for 25 years.

 

That is a good plan that

[Hermes]

It's a tough one this. Villa are in a great position to qualify for the CL and in terms of attracting players and more money the rewards are great. Spurs are flirting with relegation and have an injury prone and unpredictable squad. They also have the Carling Cup final on Sunday, which they have a better chance of winning than they had of winning the UEFA Cup. Man City put out a strong team and are rewarded with a place in the next round, and probably a decent chance of winning the competition too.

 

On the other hand it must be a pisser if you're a fan who's traveled to the game, or any other fan who values the UEFA Cup.

 

"We are not interested in this competition and will be putting out a reserve team, I would urge our fans not to bother attending these games."

[Faustus]

It makes me wonder if teams even want to win trophies anymore.

[aws]

By the way, Anybody who's ever advocated "MON" in to replace Rafa needs to take a long walk off a short pier.

 

close call between him and moyes in my opinion.

[RedinSweden]

I think it is a fucking disgrace. He didn't just play a few reserves mixed with first teamers, he played an entire bunch of unknowns. Redknapp did the same a couple of weeks ago. In Redkanpps case, you can understand it slightly more as they are fighting against relegation, but I think that stinks anyway. I would be fucking furious if I was a Villa or Spurs fan (I would also be mental, mind you).

[aws]

and redknapp of course

[JK1980]

close call between him and moyes in my opinion.

 

Don't be stupid...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moyes is BY FAR a better canidate.

[Barrington Womble]

I thought if you did well in the Uefa cup it helped with your coefficient ranking bollocks, they probably had a good chance of doing well. If they qualify for the c/l it could be the difference in who they face in the pre qualifying round...

 

The qualifying rounds for the CL are different I think next year. As far as I know the top 3 from england will qualify automatically for the CL. The 4th place team will play a team from another top league (I think another country with 4 teams in the CL). I don't think co-efficients will really come into until the group stage rankings.

[Unrighteous]

MON, what a biff.

[ScottyT]

What's the point of working hard over a full season to get into Europe and then not even bothering to try and win it?

 

Back in 2001 we went all out for the Uefa Cup even though we were chasing a CL spot because we knew that winning a trophy would be a catalyst for future success.

 

Maybe that's what sets us apart, or at least used to.

[Unrighteous]

Zhirkov scored a belter last night, sign him up.

[aws]

Zhirkov scored a belter last night, sign him up.

 

going to chelsea

[aladdinsane]

O'Neill's goodwill gesture to 295 fuming fans: dinner with players | Football | The Guardian

Martin O'Neill will host a dinner for the 295 Aston Villa supporters who travelled to Russia as a gesture of goodwill following their Uefa Cup defeat to CSKA Moscow, when eight first-team players remained at home. A small number of fans had expressed their frustration at the final whistle following O'Neill's decision to pick a weakened team but the Midlands club have moved quickly to quell any hint of unrest by suggesting an all-expenses-paid night at Villa Park.

 

The offer was greeted with applause by those Villa supporters who travelled back from Russia with the team yesterday after O'Neill moved to the back of the plane and offered an explanation for his decision to pick several fringe players. The positive response to O'Neill's actions suggested that any sense of disappointment has been quickly forgotten.

 

The dinner, which will also be attended by a number of players, is still to be ratified by Randy Lerner but it is regarded as a formality that the Villa chairman, who was known to be disappointed with the result in Russia, will approve the idea, irrespective of the expense.

 

O'Neill, meanwhile, has vowed that he will never again be in a position where he has to sacrifice European football because of a lack of strength in depth in his squad. The Villa manager is confident he will have the financial backing to add more new faces in the summer and avoid a repeat of the embarrassing scenario that saw the club slip out of the Uefa Cup this week after fielding what effectively amounted to a reserve team.

 

Further investment will be required to ensure that is the case but there are strong indications that Lerner is prepared to provide the funds.

 

O'Neill's decision to prioritise qualification for the Champions League has arguably placed more pressure on the players ahead of tomorrow's match with Stoke City, although he insists that any extra burden should fall on his shoulders. "Because we get knocked out [of the Uefa Cup] does it mean there is more pressure on Sunday? Not for the players. The one thing you want to do is take pressure away from the players. I'll take it myself."

Fair play.

[grandrake]

If Villa were consistently in Europe, I could see why they'd look upon the UEFA Cup with disdain. But they're not. This is their first meaningful European outing in years, and they go out and piss on it.

 

You don't see Milan, who like Villa, are challenging for a CL spot, play their U-18 squad. They're infinitely more successful than Villa and yet they don't piss on the competition. Granted, the Italians have a deeper squad, but they also have much older legs.

 

I don't know how the Villa fans really feel about it, but if I were one, I don't think I'd be too happy with it. What's their rallying cry: "Europe: We were there"?