Comments on: The gimmick of the Champions League playoff + an alternative proposal

By: Cal

Cal — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:33:43 +0000

This idea is a gimmick for TV. It has nothing to do with fair play the money the Big 4 have. Case in point the frugal dealings of the Arsenal in the transfer market. Hard work over the entire season must be rewarded not some ridiculous play off that could see a team in 7th being in the CL. The CL is about the best of the best.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:37:45 +0000

In fairness to the Europa League bunch, if I were them I would certainly be all for this idea. After all, it it advantageous to their teams. So we can’t blame them.

But it wouldn’t work. Theoretically, the successful team could be playing the August Champions League qualifer just two months after the playoff in June. If it were earlier it would screw the rest of the schedule up.

A 14-6 majority is needed to get this in. Fingers crossed three non-Big Four teams see sense.

By: GoonerGaz

GoonerGaz — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:03:22 +0000

Villa, Man City,Everton,or Spurs would be a joke in the champions league,they are simply not good enough………end of chat.

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:03:58 +0000

David Green’s comment was very poorly researched and ill-informed.

Tosser…

By: phil

phil — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:30:41 +0000

The Chief Execs of the big 4, should vremind the rest of the Premier League, that the EU were originally strongly in favour of clubs negotiating their own TV deals. If Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U, resigned from the Premiership combined deal, how much TV money would the other 16 get, always remembering that most of the income comes from overseas business. Furthermore, would the big 4 franchise, showing all their matches live, competing with the other premiership matches be worth less than the current Premiership deal. The big 4 would then truely benefit from their past investments, and get a hugely increased TV pot. The other 16 would receive vastly reduced income.
If the Premier League want to play hardball, they would be on a loser.
You only have to look at the TV incomes for the big clubs in Spain and Italy to see that it would make sense for the Big 4

By: Leo Ayi (Nigeria)

Leo Ayi (Nigeria) — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:12:25 +0000

I am not in support of this because we ave played too much games in the Premiership than any league, considering that we play in the Champions League, Premiership, FA Cup, Carling Cup and you still expect the team that comes up fourth to still play the Europe playoff which will qualify him to play or be grouped in the Champions League group stage.

This Idea is ridiculous, let us examine this very well. The style can’t be welcome. Let us respect the No. of games we play in the Premiership.

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:34:28 +0000

David,

It actually says “more than MANY” not ‘any’ which, as we all know, has a different meaning to the one that you took from it. But you’ve probably stopped reading this by now.

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:11:04 +0000

Moyes:

“I look at it both ways as it could be very exciting.”

“I would be happy with the idea if I finished fifth or sixth but if I finished fourth again I don’t think I would be backing it.

“Does finishing seventh give you a right to that kind of success?” Moyes asked. “It would be a good season but it doesn’t really mean you have the right to be the fourth best team in England.

“However, it has worked really well in the Championship, allowing teams to gain promotion, so it may be something worth looking at.”

By: Pete

Pete — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:07:59 +0000

Fair point on the leagues. For some reason, I had it in my head that Serie A was 18 teams.

But the point stands that our league is bigger than many around Europe, and our penchant for caring about the cups adds to the fixture list.

David Moyes said he considered the idea worth looking at, and didn’t reject it as you say here. He said that he has worries about seventh being worth more than fourth, but said if done correctly it could be worth chasing.

When pressed on whether he would vote for it, he said he was undecided.

By: David Green

David Green — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:00:10 +0000

This is a very poorly researched piece, you say we already play more league games than ‘any other major European nation’. Would that include the Italians and Spanish who both have top divisions with 20 teams in and there fore play EXACTLY THE SAME number of league games as we do?

Also you say Moyes is well up for the play off idea. In fact he has come out and said he disagrees with it.

I stopped reading after this.