Saxon Posted 29 June, 2014 Share Posted 29 June, 2014 I dont think its bizarre all these players want to leave but I do think your reason is incorrect. Lets look at the aways or supposed want aways - Lambert, Lallana, Shaw, Lovren and Morgan. What have they all got in common ? They are all current internationals, they are all mixing with a bunch of Billy Big Balls who are turning their heads, talking about life at a big club, the Champions league etc etc. Rickie virtually admitted that the wonderful Stevie G had been in his ear about Liverpool, Rogers congratulated him after his England debut etc. Thats the bloody problem, these International call ups are a bad thing for clubs like us. Morgan was talking of going in a bid to get into the France squad. Ok, he is there now, he has played so that should be the end of it. But no, he will now want CL football to maintain his place in the French team/squad. No doubt he and the rest are encouraged to seek out the bigger clubs cos we all know playing for England etc is so much more advantageous when playing for one of the big boys. And I suspect its no different for France, Croatia, any of them. Absolutely reckon this too. Was thinking the exact same thing the other day. For us, the timing of this world cup could not actually have come at a worse time it seems now haha. If it were in another coupleof years we would hopefully have pushed on further towards Europe. As it is, our squad has been tapped up by all the "billy big balls" in the national teams (love that phrase ) We could come out of ll this well, I am optimistic, but the disruption I believe is largely due to the world cup's influence as well as MoPo leaving obv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Charlie Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Worst thing about the PL for Saints and the other mid sized teams is that 4 qualify for the CL. Would be so much better if it was still 2. A move to one of the top clubs virtually guarentees CL football every year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Without a Halo Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Worst thing about the PL for Saints and the other mid sized teams is that 4 qualify for the CL. Would be so much better if it was still 2. A move to one of the top clubs virtually guarentees CL football every year. It is only four whilst out average success rate is maintained in the top few. The last two years lack of success have put a dent in the 4 places going forward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Worst thing about the PL for Saints and the other mid sized teams is that 4 qualify for the CL. Would be so much better if it was still 2. A move to one of the top clubs virtually guarentees CL football every year. Or if we are to keep our allocation - make it the top three and introduce a playoff involving the next four (4-7) for the remaining spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revolution saint Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Or if we are to keep our allocation - make it the top three and introduce a playoff involving the next four (4-7) for the remaining spot. Actually that's a really good idea. Would re-invigorate the league in the same way the play offs have done for the football league divisions. Doubt it would happen as the big clubs would be the ones to potentially lose out and UEFA wouldn't like it. Losing finalists could then get the Europa League spot as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallagroth Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 FA Cup win equals champs league playoff place. Quality idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Or 1. 'I want to move to the champions' is more tolerable. This modern 'I desperately want to sign for them cos they came 4th' is just utter ********. Is it just me, or is league football infinitely better than the CL? It's not the elite competition, it's cup football, and a tedious money spinning one at that, with a largely pointless group stage designed for exhibition football and the biggest clubs progressing. I only pay attention to it on the last round of group games and decent knock out ties. Yes it's just you. A degree of cup football -there is still a group stage- is the invariable price you pay for not moving lock, stock and barrel to a European super-league and attempting to balance the commitments of different competitions. And it's a price worth paying: if you're not in the gilded circle, a European super league would hurt every mid-sized club, pushing them further down the path of Scottish football impotence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mallagroth Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Not down to the FA though. I heard there's support for the idea there, but UEFA wouldn't allow it, and let's face it, the Premier League definitely wouldn't. Oh yeah I know it wouldn't happen in a million years. I personally hope there is a small chance that the Prem and FA would make the cup win worth points to the league you are in. 6points for win 3pts for semi finalist. Would make it really exciting ,spur teams to do well in the cup, and also add drama for the media with regard to both the cup and the leagues. TV, media and clubs themselves would lap it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 We already have a European super league, that's the point. Not a proper one, involving 30-40 games a season that would crowd out any semblance of a domestic league. At the moment, we have a glorified cup competition -as you point out- but that's a necessary compromise if you still believe that strong domestic leagues have a role to play in the future of football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CylonKing Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Personally, I would love to see the Champions League being just that, a league that is played by the champion of each Europena countries top team and not the 1st, 2nd or 3rd placed losers of that league. You could also then have a 2nd competition for the national cup winners to take part in, thus making that competition much more competitive and popular, just like the old days. I would call them the European Champions League and the European Cup Winners Cup. ;-) However, any decisions around football now will always be dictated by money, and that is quite sad really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Personally, I would love to see the Champions League being just that, a league that is played by the champion of each Europena countries top team and not the 1st, 2nd or 3rd placed losers of that league. You could also then have a 2nd competition for the national cup winners to take part in, thus making that competition much more competitive and popular, just like the old days. I would call them the European Champions League and the European Cup Winners Cup. ;-) However, any decisions around football now will always be dictated by money, and that is quite sad really. You've forgotten the Inter Cities Fairs Cup and the Anglo-Italian League, not to mention the Inter Toto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Personally, I would love to see the Champions League being just that, a league that is played by the champion of each Europena countries top team and not the 1st, 2nd or 3rd placed losers of that league. You could also then have a 2nd competition for the national cup winners to take part in, thus making that competition much more competitive and popular, just like the old days. I would call them the European Champions League and the European Cup Winners Cup. ;-) However, any decisions around football now will always be dictated by money, and that is quite sad really. Would ruin the Champions League and probably a lot of domestic leagues too. Would you really want to watch Maribor, Shamrock Rovers, Dinamo Minsk and Levadia Tallinn instead of Real, Barca, Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_ed Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Done according to Talksport. They're reporting its £26million Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Would ruin the Champions League and probably a lot of domestic leagues too. Would you really want to watch Maribor, Shamrock Rovers, Dinamo Minsk and Levadia Tallinn instead of Real, Barca, Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund? I'd rather watch Saints away in those places, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 I'd rather watch Saints away in those places, yes. You are suggesting Saints are going to win the Premier League, in order to qualify for Cyclon's proposed Champs League? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doddisalegend Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Would ruin the Champions League and probably a lot of domestic leagues too. Would you really want to watch Maribor, Shamrock Rovers, Dinamo Minsk and Levadia Tallinn instead of Real, Barca, Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund? I could easily live in a world without the champions league so if it had actual champions in it rather than just rich clubs getting richer I could live with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Would love the FA to grow a pair, as it is they who decide how the CL places are filled, and attach one to the winners of the FA Cup. Hell, why not go the whole way and give another to the winners of the League Cup as well, meaning Winners and runners up from PL take the other 2 spots. Of course they won't, instead they seem happy to the PL's bïtch and do everything that helps the PL, who certainly have no interest in anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Would love the FA to grow a pair, as it is they who decide how the CL places are filled, and attach one to the winners of the FA Cup. Hell, why not go the whole way and give another to the winners of the League Cup as well, meaning Winners and runners up from PL take the other 2 spots. Of course they won't, instead they seem happy to the PL's bïtch and do everything that helps the PL, who certainly have no interest in anyone else. It's in the FA's interest to have the best possible teams in the CL. If you start giving a spot to cup winners you could end up with donkeys like Wigan and Birmingham in the CL. The better results you get the better chance you have of keeping your number of teams to the maximum, in our case 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angelman Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 CL doesn't benefit the FA at all, does it? So what if there are 2, 3 or 4 teams in the competition from an FA perspective? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 CL doesn't benefit the FA at all, does it? So what if there are 2, 3 or 4 teams in the competition from an FA perspective? Well the FA Cup would suddenly be more important and probably bring in more revenue for them if there were a CL place for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffo Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 You are suggesting Saints are going to win the Premier League, in order to qualify for Cyclon's proposed Champs League? No I'm saying I'd rather watch Saints at Maribor, Shamrock Rovers, Dinamo Minsk and Levedia Tallinn instead of Real, Barca, Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Worst thing about the PL for Saints and the other mid sized teams is that 4 qualify for the CL. Would be so much better if it was still 2. A move to one of the top clubs virtually guarentees CL football every year. Big teams get richer and the small teams suffer. I posted this last year, I wonder if people's views have changed. Had we finished 4th, I'd expect our big players would still be here. http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?45072-FA-Cup-or-4th-place#.U7Fjxye9KSM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 I could easily live in a world without the champions league so if it had actual champions in it rather than just rich clubs getting richer I could live with that. So you would tune in to watch a game between Levadia Tallinn and Man City. That would constitute better entertainment to you than say City against Real or Bayern against Barca? It would be a crap competition, it's basically the Europa League but with Man City, Athletico, Bayern, PSG and Juve thrown in. There wouldn't be a game worth watching until you got to the semi finals. It would just be the Champions of Slovenia, Montenegro and Hungary getting smashed by the bigger clubs in the early stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 No I'm saying I'd rather watch Saints at Maribor, Shamrock Rovers, Dinamo Minsk and Levedia Tallinn instead of Real, Barca, Chelsea, Arsenal and Dortmund. That wasn't the question though, Cyclon was suggesting the CL would be better with just the Champions. It's going off topic but I disagree. Do like the idea of a playoff place for the FA Cup winners and a playoff between 3rd-6th in the League for the 3rd automatic place. Would make the League much more interesting for the likes of Saints, Everton, Spuds and Newcastle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 So you would tune in to watch a game between Levadia Tallinn and Man City. That would constitute better entertainment to you than say City against Real or Bayern against Barca? Thats the trouble - too many people think good sports matches are all about the tv audience. I'd like to see a European Cup like the FA Cup - any team can progress through different levels of qualifiying. Every team in the PL, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A along with top half teams from other leagues would get at least one European tie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkeith Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Thats the trouble - too many people think good sports matches are all about the tv audience. I'd like to see a European Cup like the FA Cup - any team can progress through different levels of qualifiying. Every team in the PL, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A along with top half teams from other leagues would get at least one European tie. Great idea, as the Europa league is such a money bit, replace it with a straight knock out competition, for all top division teams not in the Champions League. Not to the TV companies liking maybe, but lots of fun for the supporters. As for the big name clubs, Bayern versus Arsenal gets less exciting if it happens every season. I wont miss it when it goes onto BT Sport at the end of the Season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Thats the trouble - too many people think good sports matches are all about the tv audience. I'd like to see a European Cup like the FA Cup - any team can progress through different levels of qualifiying. Every team in the PL, Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A along with top half teams from other leagues would get at least one European tie. Every Champion can get through to the Champions League, it's just that most of them are crap and get knocked out in the qualifying rounds. To give you an example of some of the Champions in this years qualifiers Nomme Kalju - spanked 10-2 on agg. by Viktoria Plzen Daugavpils - spanked 11-1 by Elfsborg Sutjeska Niksic - spanked 6-1 by Sheriff Tiraspol Gyor - Lost 4-1 to Maccabi Tel Aviv Ludogorets - Lost 6-2 to Basel These are all Champions of their respective Leagues getting hammered by average teams in the qualifiers. Put them up against the likes of City and Bayern they will get destroyed. Nobody is going to watch it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Warrior Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Has AL left the building yet? If so can this thread now be moved to the Lounge please ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Every Champion can get through to the Champions League, it's just that most of them are crap and get knocked out in the qualifying rounds. To give you an example of some of the Champions in this years qualifiers Nomme Kalju - spanked 10-2 on agg. by Viktoria Plzen Daugavpils - spanked 11-1 by Elfsborg Sutjeska Niksic - spanked 6-1 by Sheriff Tiraspol Gyor - Lost 4-1 to Maccabi Tel Aviv Ludogorets - Lost 6-2 to Basel These are all Champions of their respective Leagues getting hammered by average teams in the qualifiers. Put them up against the likes of City and Bayern they will get destroyed. Nobody is going to watch it. you could easily adjust things so the champions of Estonia or wherever enter the competition at a lower level - eg fighting it out with Championship level sides Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batman Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 lallana can kiss my arse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 lallana can kiss my arse He can but why would he want to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 He can but why would he want to do that. Maybe Jamie has a Saints badge tattoo on there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spudders Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Maybe Jamie has a Saints badge tattoo on there? :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Maybe Jamie has a Saints badge tattoo on there? I dont even want to know where the rose is located. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 you could easily adjust things so the champions of Estonia or wherever enter the competition at a lower level - eg fighting it out with Championship level sides We do, that's what the qualifiers are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Has the tw*t f**ked off yet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSFC Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Has the tw*t f**ked off yet ? No you're still posting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hypochondriac Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Wonder what the delay is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwoPints Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 No you're still posting LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Ash Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 No you're still posting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk :lol::lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint-Armstrong Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 No you're still posting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SO16_Saint Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 No you're still posting Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No 2 to Maybush Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Have to say this is dragging on a bit now - just want it finished. Wouldn't be surprised if Fenway are having a fit about the insurance required after the medical lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Must be the longest medical in history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonb Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Must be the longest medical in history. The poor bugger will need another week off prior to pre-season up there since their doctor is some kind of sadistic machiavellian monster apparently. He must have his probe well and truly inserted by now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SO16_Saint Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Must be the longest medical in history. he was replaced by JWP after 70 mins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DT Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Must be the longest medical in history. They're assessing quite how bad his beard is. answer: VERY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 he was replaced by JWP after 70 mins Ha, nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliemiller Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Maybe he is waiting for his last wage packet to clear from saints !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldNick Posted 30 June, 2014 Share Posted 30 June, 2014 Just wait for the 'I decided that my heart was still at SFC and so turned down the move' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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