Liverpool FC Forum

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 9:13 am

According to the BBC, UEFA are considering placing the winners of the domestic cups into a playoff tournament for a Champions League place with the fourth place Prem spot only getting a UEFA Cup place:

Link

Thoughts?

Approve? Disapprove?

Got a better idea?

by **LFC #1** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:15 pm

Interesting idea. I kind of like it from the POV that it would bring the prestige back to the FA Cup, a competition which i've always loved.

If it came in, I would probably be in favour of it.

by **Sabre** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:19 pm

Lovely idea.

It's a matter of justice. In any fan's book when it comes to make a balance of a season you count titles. It's better to win the FA cup than being second in the league. So it makes sense that the F.A cup winner have a direct place to the C.L. quite simply because winning it is more important than being fourth in the league and thus it should be awarded.

I know at this stage that might put in danger we entered the CL, but I think it's the right thing to do when you look the big picture of europe

It will help to strenghten the importance of other countries' cups.

by **JC_81** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 2:35 pm

I'd be in favour of this, it'd definitely bring back the importance of the FA cup.

People say it's the foreign players in the premiership that has destroyed the prestige of the FA cup - because domestic cups aren't highly regarded in their countries. I disagree. It's because it's more lucrative financially for clubs to finish higher up the Premiership than win the FA cup and because 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the premiership gets you into the CL, which is the pinnacle of club football where megabucks can be made. When British managers like Paul Jewell and Sam Allardyce field weakened sides in the FA cup to rest players for a mid-table premiership clash, you know the FA Cup has lost something.

I'm 100% behind the idea of a route to the CL through the FA cup.

by **EddieC** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:52 pm

It would also make the league a bit more exciting. At the moment, with the odd exception, we know which four teams are qualifying each year. Four teams battling it out for the top three places would be much more entertaining.

by **Fowler_E7** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:49 pm

but what about if one of the top three team wins the FA Cup and has already qualified for the champions league? you couldnt have the runner up playing in the champions league, that would be ridiculous. In the past few years teams like West Ham, Millwall and Southampton have been runners up in the FA cup, you couldnt have teams like that in the champions league. Id only be in favour of it if the winners qualifed for the champions league, and if they have already qualified then the 4th place premiership team gets the champions league spot.

by **neil** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:55 pm

So what happens if the winners also finish in the top 3? would we be entering losing finlists like say Millwall? The champions league would soon start to lose its luster. Nah mate, dont fix what aint broke.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 11:58 pm

Well, chances are that if the FA Cup brought with it a potential Champions League spot, teams like Millwall wouldn't even get to the final, since the bigger teams would make it a priority.

by **neil** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:08 am

I'm under the impression that the big 4 have shared this trophy amongst themselves since the turn of the century.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:01 am

I'll look at this neutrally, as opposed to from the perspective of "what's good for LFC"

What I would do, in the case of England:

Prem Winner = Champions League
Prem Runner Up = Champions League
Prem Third Place = UEFA Cup
Prem Fourth Place = UEFA Cup

FA Cup Winners = Into Champions League Playoffs
League Cup Winners = Into UEFA Cup

Champions League = Current Format, but fewer teams.
UEFA Cup = Straight Knockout, two legs, with better quality teams.

Champions League Winner vs UEFA Cup Winner = UEFA Cup Winners Cup match (replacing the Super Cup. Previous Super Cup wins will be counted as overall CWC wins). UEFA can devise some kind of incentive for a team to win the CWC.

Finish third or fourth and win the FA Cup, and the fifth place Prem team gets the UEFA Cup spot.

Finish third or fourth and win the League Cup, and the fifth place team in the Prem gets a UEFA Cup place too.

This will increase the prestige and quality of:

- Trying to win the Prem and a consolation for finishing second.
- The UEFA Cup (higher quality of teams)
- The Champions League (more elite and slimmed down so it doesn't steamroll the UEFA Cup)
- The FA Cup (Champions League potential entry)
- The League Cup (something for smaller clubs, like Everton, to aim for)
- Brings back the old Cup Winners Cup.

by **Lando_Griffin** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:25 am

If a team finishes in a champions' league spot in the league and wins the FA cup aswell (another cl place), you can't justifiably hand the remaining CL place to anyone other than the runners up. It's totally wrong to bypass that competition simply because "Millwall or Everton" might be runners up.

Fact is, football is exciting because things like that are possible. Sh*t teams always have a chance. (Yes - EVEN Everton, the dirty scrubby b*stards.)

I think it's a good idea, and would certainly add more excitement to the competition that has been sadly lacking for many a year.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 6:36 am

Well, I suppose if Everton did make it into the Champions League as a cup runner-up, they would get instantly thrashed.

So yeah, that may not be a bad thing. :laugh:

by **dawson99** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:49 pm

something that ive been saying for eyars, will make the fa cup better..good work

by **Big Niall** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:20 pm

Rubbish idea. The best teams should be in the CL. Anyone can win the FA cup - West Ham nearly did last year - can you imagine them in the CL.

If the FA cup doesn't catch people's imagination anymore then that says more about the FA cup. If a tournament itself isn't viewed as very important then it isn't up to another tournament to subsidise it. :angry:

by **tommycockles** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 4:46 pm

I think the FA cup returning the the new Wembley should raise the interest in doing well. it's been nice going Cardiff but Wembey's the home of English football.

In the main- i'd expect one fo the top 4 to win the FA Cup so it wouldn't change much anyway. I think the only way to make it more competitve is to put less teams in- but who would that benefit in the long run? I'd leave it as it is (at least until we're guaranteed a top 2 finish

).

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