retired_jdupont

I think both systems are fine, which is not fine is using one system in the club competitions and a different one in the nation competitions, like UEFA does.

retired_anneduck

True. That doesn't make it a good idea.

If you want to watch crappy minnows just get more satellite channels ffs, don't mess up our CL. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Plenty of good teams round there to be honest, the gap has just grown over time, few years and they'll catch up to a decent level again. </BLOCKQUOTE>

That's the thing, I don't think the gap is closing but rather widening (if that is a word) </BLOCKQUOTE>

It is at the moment and has been since 1998 when non-champions were admitted. That's why it needs addressing </BLOCKQUOTE>

But the overall level of the CL increased since 1998 which is why it doesn't need addressing imo </BLOCKQUOTE>

Has it? It's certainly much less competitive in the group stage than it was back then. Why was that? Because the ridiculous gap in money didn't exist so much then, so we had Kiev thrashing Barca home and away for example.

The situation now is not a good thing, it makes our league ever more predictable at the top.

retired_anneduck

I fully agree with that. Just don't think teams should be given a CL spot because of them being good sometime in the future, it's about who's best now.

I do think that the CL tv money should be distributed in a more fairly way but as UEFA doesn't want to screw up the smaller leagues we'll have to do with this system. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Champions of their league shouldn't be disadvantaged over clubs finishing fourth though for example. It's fair that the mid ranking champions (Russia, Romania, Scotland, Ukraine etc) over them. None of this Slovenia/Moldova rubbish, that's just not who this is affecting </BLOCKQUOTE>

Do you think that the Russian/Scottish/Ukranian champion is better than the 2nd/3rd team in Spain/England/Italy?
If not then the debate is over since most people want the best teams in the CL regardless of what country they are from.
Imagine the EPL not allowing more than 2 teams from London just because there's not enough teams from Kent, everyone would think this is ridiculous and ask for the best teams to play the EPL no matter where they're from. I don't see why it wouldn't be the same way with the CL.
If the 32 best european teams where from the same country then put them all in the CL just like if the 20 best English teams were in London they'd all play in the EPL. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Put simply, many of the greatest European teams are from outside the biggest league

And yes, I'd rather see Celtic, Shakhtar or CSKA instead of Osasuna, Everton or Chievo thanks. And yes they are often better teams, even with the money gap.

retired_sedimohasel

Yes but the important thing is we get more smaller team who'll get thrashed 7 and 8 nil because the magical CL fairy dust will make them good. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Them getting thrashed 7 and 8 nil means that something is wrong with the current football regulations. </BLOCKQUOTE>

No it means that these teams shouldn't be playing against the big teams just because they're not good enough and allowing them to play CL games every year is only gonna make the CL weaker instead of making them stronger. </BLOCKQUOTE>

What's a "good enough" team for you? Countries like Romania and Serbia used to produce great sides that did well in the CL, now their players are poached before the age of 18 by clubs from richer countries that get more TV money. And they are thrashed 7 or 8 nil. So being "good enough" is just about being favoured by non-football related conditions so that you get enough money to actually buy out the opposition? </BLOCKQUOTE>

It might sound horrible to you but to me only the top 32 teams in Europe should be in the CL and I don't care what city/country/league they are from and I don't care how they became one of the top 32 sides in Europe as long as they didn't cheat. (ie: buying a 16 year old Romanian player isn't illegal as far as I know or playing in a richer/more attractive league isn't either)

retired_sedimohasel

Yes but the important thing is we get more smaller team who'll get thrashed 7 and 8 nil because the magical CL fairy dust will make them good. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Them getting thrashed 7 and 8 nil means that something is wrong with the current football regulations. </BLOCKQUOTE>

True, UEFA should make it the law that Turkish and Czech leagues are attracktive to play in and give those two clubs a big history so all the players will want to go there, and also forcing the Turkish TV channel to pay £11b for the TV domestic rights. </BLOCKQUOTE>

There are many clubs outside London which DO have a big history, for your information. Turkish TV channels probably wouldn't pay £11b for their TV domestic rights, but English/Spanish/Italian TV channels should be stopped from paying clubs £11b. And clubs should be stopped from, like, going Arsenal. </BLOCKQUOTE>

So the big league should sell their TV rights at a discount because the others leagues can't follow... let's do the same with people, we should all have the same salary no matter how good/bad we are at what we do

retired_khabmth

Actually based on WC results/strength of the teams there are to few european teams in the WC. But I guess that FIFA will rather favour the global market than the best teams so we'll have to live with it.

retired_sedimohasel

So the Slovenian champion deserves the same reward as the Liga champion... that's starting from the hypothesis that every league is as strong as any other, as hard to win but since it isn't the case the reward should be the same.

I definitely think your first option is the best

retired_khabmth

Smart and cheap transfers making a great team should be stopped? Yea the Real/Chelsea way of just spending humongous is soo much better...

retired_sedimohasel

Yes but half of the teams come from Europe, so it is baised.

Mon New Zealand and India in the next world cup at the expence of France FTW. </BLOCKQUOTE>

Even though there are far too many European teams in the World Cup, it's somewhat fair considering that there are loads (60-ish?) of countries in UEFA and only 10 in CONMEBOL. Asia also gets a nice share of spots as well even though they are crap. </BLOCKQUOTE>

There are 53 teams in Europe, but half of them are the likes of Malta, San Marino, Azerbaijan and Lithuania that, using the CL logic, shouldn't play against the big Euro teams in the WC/EC Quals. </BLOCKQUOTE>

When's the last time Malta/San Marino/Andorra made it to the WC? imo having these teams in the qualifying round play as many games as the big countries is only increasing the number of games played in a season for no reason. These small countries should play a preliminary round like small clubs do in the CL.

retired_sedimohasel

How about good ol' foreigner restrictions since football is more like an art rather than regular working? I bet Liverpool wouldn't thrash any Turkish side 8-0 had they relied mostly on Merseyside talent. And Arsenal, it's ridiculously impossible to imagine them without all their African French guys. </BLOCKQUOTE>

National teams are different than clubs.
Do you want players to only be allowed to play for the city they were born in?