The Mail Bag
Europa Cup = Domestic Burn Out?
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I've just been looking at the new Europa Cup format for the coming season and I have to admit its got me a little worried.
A succesful run which ends in a place in the Final would mean playing 15 games in total in this one competition! It starts with a group stage - 4 teams each playing each other home and away. Out of 12 groups the top 2 qualify from each group and then join the eight 3rd place champions league teams to start a 32 team knockout stage. Its then home and away knock outs right up to the final. Couple this with the usual 38 game domestic league season, a decent FA cup run, Carling cup matches, the possibility of replays and extra time along with international matches and you have one long season!
Now obviously Everton could be knocked out early in some or all of these competitions which would make all of this irrelevant but, if we do want to have a go and try and produce a decent season, then we are going to need a much bigger squad to challenge. Moyes is already a miracle worker but, without the addition of at least 4 or 5 players of a decent standing, then surely this time around the impossible just cannot be possible again!
So I ask the question: New Europa Cup Format — Is it an exciting revamp of a stale old competition? Or is it Domestic suicide for clubs like ours?
Ian Ankers, Posted 08/07/2009 at 19:49:44
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We just don't have the resources to have match-winning players sitting on the bench. Moyes quite rightly maintains the First Eleven, and offloads those not required, to balance the books.
Sure, we could have a bigger squad. But this would only dilute the quality of player we can afford for the First Team. There is no doubt that, during the credit boom days, the board could have gambled and took extra loans to bring players in. Had it not brought us CL football, though, then we would have already been on the path that could end up in administration.
Europa Cup only seems to have the audience of those fans who’s team is playing. I am quite sure you only got a handful of neutrals watching. Could it be better advertised? More promoted as a competition? To change the perception of the competition, it needs to come from the top. Uefa keep complaining about the gaps between CL and the rest of the teams; however, increasing interest in the Europa would generate more money for the clubs involved. Anyway, I have gone way off topic here!
I think the League Cup should be used this year to blood some youth and fringe players, that financially is the lowest yielding competition. But many will argue that the League Cup is the one we have best chance of winning. So it is down to personal opinion, the manager will get slated whichever way he goes.
I think the one thing I noticed in your post was that, while 15 games is phyiscally tough, does that not mean much more revenue from gates and TV rights? But I guess your point is that to progress in all competitions, you need the strength in depth. So the equation is simple, money = more money. Not exactly a eureka moment for sure!!!
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1 Posted 09/07/2009 at 02:24:11
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Then would we sail further down the league, with Spuds, Man City and eventually Villa spending their millions? I got a feeling that 5th might get harder to reach, and fourth... nah.