European Football – Are we ready?

[Weston Saint]

With just 13 games to go and 4th in the league at present thoughts are very much on a European qualification of some sort. But are we ready!

 

If we look at Champions League qualification some suggest our sought after players like Schneiderlin, Clyne and Alderweireld will stay, but will they? We are limited on what we can pay these players and certainly will not be able to match the £80,000 - £100,000 a week they can attract at the 2 Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool.

 

OK, qualification will up our income substantially but we need to offer long term wages and therefore it is necessary to qualify every year. We are simply not big enough financially to compete. We are earning world respect but until our overseas income matches that respect we are not one of the “big 6”

 

It will be fun, particularly if we qualify for the group stages by finishing in the top 3, but with a small squad and not enough money to commit to a larger one will our league position suffer. We have got away with it so far despite injuries to key players but upping the ante with even more games will stretch us even more.

 

If we go into the Europa League we face the same problems albeit against opposition we should be able to compete with but Thursday away games in some of Europe’s outback it is bound to have an effect

 

What if our sojourn in Europe so affects our Premiership aspirations that we find ourselves in a relegation battle. Don’t say it will not happen. Just look at some of the other teams that stretched themselves. Ask Birmingham, Leeds, Wigan etc. Where are they now? Not sharing the massive money that being a member of the Premier League offers and even more so in 2016/17 season

 

So do we look to be a top 8 club and settle for ruffling the feathers of the big clubs on a regular basis until we can get our income to a level that turns us into a big club or go into Europe and hope that will be the catalyst for such increase in income on a regular basis? For me the Jury is out! I am very much undecided.

[Batman]

no way do we have a squad ready for a decent go in europe (unlike hull this season) and to have a fist at re-qualifying in the league.

 

way off

 

lets assume Morgan and Toby are not here next season. (not counting clyne)

 

we will need a new keeper, right back, top centre back, central midfielder, sign Elia and another striker at the very least

[aintforever]

Who gives a sh!t, I've got my passport ready that's all that matters.

[hypochondriac]

Personally I would prefer to qualify for Europe even if that means we struggle next season. Otherwise what is the point?

[shurlock]

Not thinking as far ahead as the OP.

 

Missed out on 2003; just want some away days in deepest, darkest Europe.

[The9]

No, clearly we are about 7 quality first teamers short of being able to field competitive teams in the Champions League AND challenge for the top 6 in the Prem. If we tried to approach a CL or El campaign with the current squad we'd be knackered by November and falling to bits by now, with the team somewhere around 12th in the table. Players just can't play 60 games a season at such a high intensity any more.

[BadgerBadger]

Long way short but hey ho if we qualify give it a bash, enjoy and don't let the it affect the league

[Toadhall Saint]

Not thinking as far ahead as the OP.

 

Missed out on 2003; just want some away days in deepest, darkest Europe.

 

And thoroughly recommend they are ?

[Sour Mash]

Who gives a sh!t, I've got my passport ready that's all that matters.

Pretty much this.

 

Personally I would prefer to qualify for Europe even if that means we struggle next season. Otherwise what is the point?

And this.

[Sour Mash]

So do we look to be a top 8 club and settle for ruffling the feathers of the big clubs on a regular basis until we can get our income to a level that turns us into a big club or go into Europe and hope that will be the catalyst for such increase in income on a regular basis? For me the Jury is out! I am very much undecided.

I've just read this properly, what the f**k

[Graffito]

Not thinking as far ahead as the OP.

 

Missed out on 2003; just want some away days in deepest, darkest Europe.

 

This. I went to the Steau home game and decided to take a chance on not going to the away tie in the hope that we'd go through and I've regretted it ever since. If we make it and whichever side we draw in deepest darkest Eastern Europe I'm going.

[Graffito]

I've just read this properly, what the f**k

 

That would be like supporting Newcastle.

[View From The Top]

I want the opportunity to take my boy to a European away game. Nothing more.

[Matthew Le God]

Ask Birmingham, Wigan etc. Where are they now?

 

hull this season

 

There is a big difference between having proved yourself qualifying for Europe through league placing and doing it through the cups like Hull, Wigan and Birmingham.

 

If Saints qualify for Europe this season through the league it goes to prove we do have a good amount of squad depth, more so than many give us credit for over a 38 league season as opposed to a cup run.

 

Saints next season will have a wage budget and turnover very high up in European football, we'd also have more transfer funds and pulling power than a lot of clubs in Europe.

Edited 15 February, 2015 by Matthew Le God

[Batman]

There is a big difference between having proved yourself qualifying for Europe through league placing and doing it through the cups like Hull, Wigan and Birmingham.

 

If Saints qualify for Europe this season through the league it goes to prove we do have a good amount of squad depth, more so than many give us credit for over a 38 league season as opposed to a cup run.

 

Saints next season will have a wage budget and turnover very high up in European football, we'd also have more transfer funds and pulling power than a lot of clubs in Europe.

all well and good. My point was having a good go in europe and the league.

we are a fair few players off that. In having a decent go in europe and not thrashing it out with palace and newcastle for a boring season

[ericb]

I want the opportunity to take my boy to a European away game. Nothing more.

 

Agree totally (well apart from not having nippers), a club our size aren't going to get many opportunities in our lifetime so i'd take getting into Europe and having a few great **** ups over the hope that we "might" recreate this next season or the season after.

 

Then again i come from the school of years of watching and playing the game over playing some computer game and thinking that means i know something about football.

[Turkish]

There is a big difference between having proved yourself qualifying for Europe through league placing and doing it through the cups like Hull, Wigan and Birmingham.

 

If Saints qualify for Europe this season through the league it goes to prove we do have a good amount of squad depth, more so than many give us credit for over a 38 league season as opposed to a cup run.

 

Saints next season will have a wage budget and turnover very high up in European football, we'd also have more transfer funds and pulling power than a lot of clubs in Europe.

 

How can this be? When we got promoted to the premier league you were absolutely indignant

That the poor results in our first ten games were because we were 'adapting to the premier league' therefore we weren't ready for it when we got promoted. By your own logic we will also need time then to 'adapt to Europe' will we not? So we ain't ready.

[Roger]

With just 13 games to go and 4th in the league at present thoughts are very much on a European qualification of some sort. But are we ready!

 

If we look at Champions League qualification some suggest our sought after players like Schneiderlin, Clyne and Alderweireld will stay, but will they? We are limited on what we can pay these players and certainly will not be able to match the £80,000 - £100,000 a week they can attract at the 2 Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool.

 

OK, qualification will up our income substantially but we need to offer long term wages and therefore it is necessary to qualify every year. We are simply not big enough financially to compete. We are earning world respect but until our overseas income matches that respect we are not one of the “big 6”

 

It will be fun, particularly if we qualify for the group stages by finishing in the top 3, but with a small squad and not enough money to commit to a larger one will our league position suffer. We have got away with it so far despite injuries to key players but upping the ante with even more games will stretch us even more.

 

If we go into the Europa League we face the same problems albeit against opposition we should be able to compete with but Thursday away games in some of Europe’s outback it is bound to have an effect

 

What if our sojourn in Europe so affects our Premiership aspirations that we find ourselves in a relegation battle. Don’t say it will not happen. Just look at some of the other teams that stretched themselves. Ask Birmingham, Leeds, Wigan etc. Where are they now? Not sharing the massive money that being a member of the Premier League offers and even more so in 2016/17 season

 

So do we look to be a top 8 club and settle for ruffling the feathers of the big clubs on a regular basis until we can get our income to a level that turns us into a big club or go into Europe and hope that will be the catalyst for such increase in income on a regular basis? For me the Jury is out! I am very much undecided.

 

No let's just be rubbish every year and finish mid table be great!

[Turkish]

I want the opportunity to take my boy to a European away game. Nothing more.

 

I want the opportunity to see saints in Europe. Too young for hamburg and couldn't do Bucharest. I've seen us win at wembley now so only that left.

[Matthew Le God]

How can this be? When we got promoted to the premier league you were absolutely indignant

That the poor results in our first ten games were because we were 'adapting to the premier league' therefore we weren't ready for it when we got promoted. By your own logic we will also need time then to 'adapt to Europe' will we not? So we ain't ready.

 

Our manager already has good European competition experience, so do a good number of our players already. If we qualify for Europe through league placing we've shown we can mix it with some very big clubs in European football already over a 38 game season. If you have a side capable of beating Man Utd and Arsenal in the Premier League whilst near the top of the league, then they should also be capable of beating a lot of European teams. Your squad has to have more about it in terms of depth to qualify for Europe by Premier League placing than it does by winning/finishing runner up in the FA Cup or winning the League Cup.

Edited 15 February, 2015 by Matthew Le God

[JRM]

Not thinking as far ahead as the OP.

 

Missed out on 2003; just want some away days in deepest, darkest Europe.

 

This. F@ck sake you can spend your whole life "waiting to be ready".

 

Carpe Diem, lets play Rubin Kazan away having a laugh on a night train from Moscow, followed by Dynamo Minsk Or Skonto Riga . It would be great to have a few big European nights at St Marys.

[Batman]

Our manager already has good European competition experience, so do a good number of our players already. If we qualify for Europe through league placing we've shown we can mix it with some very big clubs in European football already over a 38 game season. If you have a side capable of beating Man Utd and Arsenal in the Premier League whilst near the top of the league, then they should also be capable of beating a lot of European teams. Your squad has to have more about it in terms of depth to qualify for Europe by Premier League placing than it does by winning/finishing runner up in the FA Cup or winning the League Cup.

 

But we would really need to improve the quality of the squad from top to bottom to do spurs rather than everton

[Sour Mash]

But we would really need to improve the quality of the squad from top to bottom to do spurs rather than everton

Even if we "did an Everton", I'd still enjoy it, as would most other fans I know. What's the alternative?

[Turkish]

Our manager already has good European competition experience, so do a good number of our players already. If we qualify for Europe through league placing we've shown we can mix it with some very big clubs in European football already over a 38 game season. If you have a side capable of beating Man Utd and Arsenal in the Premier League whilst near the top of the league, then they should also be capable of beating a lot of European teams. Your squad has to have more about it in terms of depth to qualify for Europe by Premier League placing than it does by winning/finishing runner up in the FA Cup or winning the League Cup.

 

We qualified for the premier league through league placing, we had players with premier league experience, we beat premier league teams in cups, yet still you claimed we needed loads of games to adapt to the league.

[Batman]

Even if we "did an Everton", I'd still enjoy it, as would most other fans I know. What's the alternative?

 

I did not suggest it would not be enjoyed or shunned. Just saying that to have another proper pop at the top 6 AND have a decent fist at Europe, we would need many new additions (IMO)

 

I'd take a decent Euro run for a mid table finish any day of the week (not a relegation scrap, mind)

[Matthew Le God]

But we would really need to improve the quality of the squad from top to bottom to do spurs rather than everton

 

Would we?

 

I know all this may not happen... but if we signed the current on loan players, didn't sell anyone and Rodriguez was fit next season... what else do we need? A better back up keeper, what else?

 

Even if Schneiderlin and Clyne left I have confidence they'd be replaced with quality. Koeman appears to want Clasie and that will likely be the Schneiderlin replacement sorted possibly along with Vilhena.

[Batman]

Would we?

 

I know all this may not happen... but if we signed the current on loan players, didn't sell anyone and Rodriguez was fit next season... what else do we need? A better back up keeper, what else?

 

Even if Schneiderlin and Clyne left I have confidence they'd be replaced with quality. Koeman appears to want Clasie, and that will likely be the Schneiderlin replacement sorted possibly along with Vilhena.

We would need another target man, another right back specialist, another keeper AND keep everyone (which we wont)

[Matthew Le God]

We would need another target man

 

If we signed Duricic & Elia and Rodriguez was fit would we still need another striker?

 

For the front 3 positions we'd then have at least 8 players...

 

Duricic

Elia

Rodriguez

Tadic

Mane

Pelle

Gallagher

Long

 

another right back specialist

 

Perhaps, but then if Alderweireld signs he is a good right back and Gardos or Yoshida can play at centre back.

 

another keeper

 

This I give you.

 

AND keep everyone (which we wont)

 

You never know, but then even if Schneiderlin left, Clasie would appear to be the target and a good replacement. If Clyne left I have confidence they'd get a good replacement.

[Batman]

if we signed Toby, I do not want him moved to RB when/if we are missing our right back. Belgium have the luxury of playing him there as they have equally good CBs. We do not.

 

you say we have 8 players for thr front 3. I could not care if we had 18. We need another player like Pelle. He has been battered in the last few games and is clearly struggling a tad. We have no one else and the goals have dried up a tad.

 

we are also doing well as we have the luxury of Liverpool being absolutely atrocious at the start of the season, united appear all over the place and spurs started again with a new manager..

 

the 'top 4' will be a lot harder to crack next season IMO

having a run in Europe and a squad where our best CB (toby) by country mile would have to chop to RB to 'cover' is ridiculous

[NickG]

Can someone give an up to date summary of how qualification could be earned this season?

 

As I understand it...

 

Top 3 CL

Next into last CL qualifying round, if don't qualify revert to EL

Winner of league cup -EL, however if winner already qualified place reverts to league.

 

FA cup winner EL, if already qualified then runner up gets EL place, if they have already qualified then reverts to league.

Winner of EL earns bonus place for CL.

 

Basically 4 (max 5 in English team wins EL) in CL.

3 places for EL, plus one for fair play possible.

 

So, have I got this right, if our fa and league cup places revert to league, and say Spurs win EL it could look like this;

1 CL

2 CL

3 CL

4 Spurs win EL so CL

5 CL last qualifying round

6 EL

7 EL

8 EL

 

Is that right as pretty much best case?

 

Clearly would need more players but so many variables as to who will stay.

 

Although we can guess who will go, some sound likely to leave, such as Morgan, but think its likely that nobody , including Morgan know yet.

 

Even without geographic or family preferences, which clubs will actually want him enough to bid the right money, who will be attractive to him, are clubs going forward or backward, who manager is etc

 

Every club loses players they want to keep, higher we finish, the more attractive we are in comparison to other clubs, same with European qualification.

 

The progress and running of the club should give us some cause for optimism.

 

The other positive of qualification, is it prevents a competitor qualifying. For example, our comparative finances could gain on Spurs or Everton.

[Sour Mash]

if we signed Toby, I do not want him moved to RB when/if we are missing our right back. Belgium have the luxury of playing him there as they have equally good CBs. We do not.

 

you say we have 8 players for thr front 3. I could not care if we had 18. We need another player like Pelle. He has been battered in the last few games and is clearly struggling a tad. We have no one else and the goals have dried up a tad.

 

we are also doing well as we have the luxury of Liverpool being absolutely atrocious at the start of the season, united appear all over the place and spurs started again with a new manager..

 

the 'top 4' will be a lot harder to crack next season IMO

having a run in Europe and a squad where our best CB (toby) by country mile would have to chop to RB to 'cover' is ridiculous

We would obviously strengthen though. We're going to have a load of money to spend and a pretty decent rep to attract players with. I can't see any reason to be concerned.

[CB Fry]

Reminds me of the saps who used to say we weren't ready for the Premier League and we'd be better off having two seasons in the Championship to "get ready".

 

Let's qualify and go for it. We are never, ever going to be more ready than now.

[Matthew Le God]

you say we have 8 players for thr front 3. I could not care if we had 18. We need another player like Pelle. He has been battered in the last few games and is clearly struggling a tad. We have no one else and the goals have dried up a tad.

 

Why? If Rodriguez was fit next season at Saints and Duricic and Elia signed, without Pelle we could like up with Rodriguez central and two of Mane/Duricic/Tadic/Elia/Long flanking him.

 

Why couldn't it work with Rodriguez as the central player? Why does it have to be another target man? In any case they may not want to block the pathway for Gallagher.

[Batman]

Why? If Rodriguez was fit next season at Saints and Duricic and Elia signed, without Pelle we could like up with Rodriguez central and two of Mane/Duricic/Tadic/Elia/Long flanking him.

 

Why couldn't it work with Rodriguez as the central player? Why does it have to be another target man? In any case they may not want to block the pathway for Gallagher.

 

Basically, we just need anotehr keeper for an assault on the Europa League and a bash at top 4.

 

Each to their own

[benjii]

We clearly have a good enough team to give the CL a decent shot. Are we worse than Ludgorets, Metalist, Prague, Olympiakos etc? No, if we got to the Champions League it would be great. It would be intriguing and fun and would represent one of the biggest league achievements since the Premier League began.

 

Would we probably do worse in the league next year? Yes, and I doubt we would re-qualify for the CL. But there's abosolutely no sense in saying, "let's hang around in eighth for a bit and hope we miracullously become as welathy as Liverpool or Spurs", becuase it just isn't going to happen.

 

We wouldn't have to add too many players to our squad to still be confident of a pretty decent league season. The notion we would be in a relegation battle is just lilly-livered fearmongering.

[ericb]

Why? If Rodriguez was fit next season at Saints and Duricic and Elia signed, without Pelle we could like up with Rodriguez central and two of Mane/Duricic/Tadic/Elia/Long flanking him.

 

Why couldn't it work with Rodriguez as the central player? Why does it have to be another target man? In any case they may not want to block the pathway for Gallagher.

 

I know you love to trot out the company line like some Iraqi propaganda doll but you do realise that Gallagher is nowhere near the quality that's needed right?

 

Also your "maybe this, maybe that" shows your very limited knowledge of actual football. Pelle is great for the side as much as anything for what he does off the ball, the space he creates, the hassling of defenders, the option to be the target man to relieve the pressure on the defence. He's a player that can play with his back to goal and bring others into the game (especially our wing men/wide attackers).

 

Rodriguez on the other hand is a player that plays better with the ball infront of him, knocked into space or over the top, running at goal and making space in the box are his forte, holding the ball up is definitely not. Now if you'd mentioned Long there i might (just might) have agreed there was a case for it.

 

Sadly though once again you show you're great at stats but know very little about the actual game itself.

[Matthew Le God]

Why? If Rodriguez was fit next season at Saints and Duricic and Elia signed, without Pelle we could like up with Rodriguez central and two of Mane/Duricic/Tadic/Elia/Long flanking him.

 

Why couldn't it work with Rodriguez as the central player? Why does it have to be another target man? In any case they may not want to block the pathway for Gallagher.

 

Basically, we just need anotehr keeper for an assault on the Europa League and a bash at top 4.

 

Each to their own

 

I didn't say that did I, read the bold bit about signing Duricic and Elia. Plus the return of Rodriguez is effectively adding a new player to the squad that has done so well this season.

 

People are dismissive of turning loans into permanent deals, but they are still transfers. Already done Bertrand, signing Alderweireld, Elia and Duricic is all adding to the squad long term.

Edited 15 February, 2015 by Matthew Le God

[The Cat]

Why? If Rodriguez was fit next season at Saints and Duricic and Elia signed, without Pelle we could like up with Rodriguez central and two of Mane/Duricic/Tadic/Elia/Long flanking him.

 

Why couldn't it work with Rodriguez as the central player? Why does it have to be another target man? In any case they may not want to block the pathway for Gallagher.

 

Gallagher is fine as a 3rd/4th choice striker but in our main system we cannot afford to have him as Pelle's only back up. He's been out injured for ages, is still developing and will benefit from sub appearances, the odd cup game and a whole bunch of U21 action.

 

As for Rodriguez we still don't know whether he'll be the player he was. There's a chance he could break down and be out again for a long time. There's a chance his confidence will have gone and it will take him 3 months to recapture any form.

 

Ok, Koeman may change our style of play if Pelle was out but surely it's easier to have a player of similar attributes pushing him for a place in the team? Who knows, we may even sign someone better then Pelle and he will be our back up next season?

[Millbrook Saint]

Benteke would be the guy I'd like to sign to give Pelle competition

[LGTL]

Who cares if we are ready, just get me to some European hell hole.

[Whitey Grandad]

I'm ready, I don't know about everybody else though.

[The9]

How can this be? When we got promoted to the premier league you were absolutely indignant

That the poor results in our first ten games were because we were 'adapting to the premier league' therefore we weren't ready for it when we got promoted. By your own logic we will also need time then to 'adapt to Europe' will we not? So we ain't ready.

 

We're not ready because we don't have enough players to challenge on both fronts. That's not the same as in 2012/13 when we just didn't have many players at the appropriate level full stop. This lot could probably have a decent run in Europe if they didn't have to play Prem matches too, but the cumulative effect of twice as many matches is the problem, not ability.

[CB Fry]

We're not ready because we don't have enough players to challenge on both fronts. That's not the same as in 2012/13 when we just didn't have many players at the appropriate level full stop. This lot could probably have a decent run in Europe if they didn't have to play Prem matches too, but the cumulative effect of twice as many matches is the problem, not ability.

That's perfectly normal though, unless you are expecting SFC to go into an entirely domestic season with a 30-man European mega-squad.

[aintforever]

We're not ready because we don't have enough players to challenge on both fronts. That's not the same as in 2012/13 when we just didn't have many players at the appropriate level full stop. This lot could probably have a decent run in Europe if they didn't have to play Prem matches too, but the cumulative effect of twice as many matches is the problem, not ability.

 

That's what the CL money is for.

 

Qualify - get cash - buy more players - sorted.

[Turkish]

That's what the CL money is for.

 

Qualify - get cash - buy more players - sorted.

 

Wages that go with it mean you're then under pressure to qualify every season or your left with champions league player wages without champions league money. I refer you to the case of Leeds United for how that works out.

[1576]

Bucharest was the best Saints moment of my life and that includes being 6 on the 1st May 1976. The semi final of the FA cup at villa park was all about winning to qualify for Europe for me. Really didn't care about the FA cup at that time.

 

Bucharest was an unbelievable 3 day experience and we couldn't have hoped for a better draw. Anyone who missed it get your passport ready and keep your fingers crossed!! Anyone else end up in Diva and the Pink Pussycat?

[aintforever]

Wages that go with it mean you're then under pressure to qualify every season or your left with champions league player wages without champions league money. I refer you to the case of Leeds United for how that works out.

 

You obviously have to be sensible about it and budget for not qualifying the following seasons. But the extra income will give the club money to increase the size of the squad.

[The Cat]

Bucharest was the best Saints moment of my life and that includes being 6 on the 1st May 1976. The semi final of the FA cup at villa park was all about winning to qualify for Europe for me. Really didn't care about the FA cup at that time.

 

Bucharest was an unbelievable 3 day experience and we couldn't have hoped for a better draw. Anyone who missed it get your passport ready and keep your fingers crossed!! Anyone else end up in Diva and the Pink Pussycat?

 

We went to a couple of strip bars/brothels but I have no idea what they were called due to the heroic amount of alcohol consumed. The first one was empty, the second had leather sofas and countless beautiful women sat on our laps with their flaps out.

 

Stayed in the Intercontinental. It was a 5* place about 200 yards from the subway where children were pimped out and rabid dogs lurked around menacingly. Eventually ended up in the casino underneath it and on finally returning to our rooms reception was full of 50yo Saints fans with a prostitute on each arm. I imagine plenty of them had the best night of their lives.

 

As for the game, there was the madcap police escort to the ground, the armed cops sharing cigarettes with us, the muddy bank to climb up to the terrace surrounded by a row of trees which was the unofficial toilet. Flares, incredibly noisy, bouncing home fans and incessant drizzle. Rory Delap missing a sitter right in front of us, the Steua players applauding us and fans swapping shirts and scarves through the segregation. Apparently at that time we'd taken more than any English club ever.

 

That's why I want to get back into Europe. Stuff the squad size just give me beautiful butt naked pole dancers, dirt cheap alcohol and a crazy atmosphere. That'll do.

[aintforever]

Bucharest was the best Saints moment of my life and that includes being 6 on the 1st May 1976. The semi final of the FA cup at villa park was all about winning to qualify for Europe for me. Really didn't care about the FA cup at that time.

 

Bucharest was an unbelievable 3 day experience and we couldn't have hoped for a better draw. Anyone who missed it get your passport ready and keep your fingers crossed!! Anyone else end up in Diva and the Pink Pussycat?

 

Went to Diva and one other strip bar. I remember a girl coming out to dance to Robbie Williams' Come Undone and looking terrified as every bloke in the place immediately started singing "Shoot the Pompey scum".

 

Was a fantastic trip though, very dodgy city. I will always remember the cab ride to the ground thinking what a shame it was that only fans of the few big clubs get to experience European Football regularly. it's brilliant rocking up at some dodgy bar in the middle of some **** hole and bumping into people you went to school with. 60p a pint as well. it's like an England trip without the assholes.

[Coxford_lou]

We went to a couple of strip bars/brothels but I have no idea what they were called due to the heroic amount of alcohol consumed. The first one was empty, the second had leather sofas and countless beautiful women sat on our laps with their flaps out.

 

Stayed in the Intercontinental. It was a 5* place about 200 yards from the subway where children were pimped out and rabid dogs lurked around menacingly. Eventually ended up in the casino underneath it and on finally returning to our rooms reception was full of 50yo Saints fans with a prostitute on each arm. I imagine plenty of them had the best night of their lives.

 

As for the game, there was the madcap police escort to the ground, the armed cops sharing cigarettes with us, the muddy bank to climb up to the terrace surrounded by a row of trees which was the unofficial toilet. Flares, incredibly noisy, bouncing home fans and incessant drizzle. Rory Delap missing a sitter right in front of us, the Steua players applauding us and fans swapping shirts and scarves through the segregation. Apparently at that time we'd taken more than any English club ever.

 

That's why I want to get back into Europe. Stuff the squad size just give me beautiful butt naked pole dancers, dirt cheap alcohol and a crazy atmosphere. That'll do.

 

Really??!! Blimey, I've led a sheltered life.