Comments on: UEFA Cup’s Delusions of Grandeur

By: Steven

Steven — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:46:14 +0000

Alessio’s spot on. And fuck those group stages. Let them battle it out like it used to be.

By: alessio

alessio — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:47:47 +0000

Rob, I agree with you. The CL needs to be cut down, not expanded.

By: roswitha

roswitha — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:32:33 +0000

way more interesting than the 2006-07* CL final.

By: roswitha

roswitha — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:30:45 +0000

The 2006-07 UEFA Cup final between Sevilla and Espanyol was way more interesting than the Champions’ League final, and Zenit were absolutely amazing in their campaign in 07-08, especially against a Bayern that actually started caring about their chances in the semis. Fair play to Rangers for their success, but I don’t think anyone would have found a Fiorentina-Zenit final wanting in entertainment when compared to the match in Moscow this year. In fact, I don’t think the Rangers-Zenit final was all that bad, either [on a purely quantitative level, it had more goals scored during the run of play]. I think a discussion of “level” when comparing the CL to tournaments like the Copa Libertadores, or the last couple of editions of the Vase, becomes academic, or a matter relating to non-footballing factors. I followed Fiorentina through the knock-outs of the Vase last year, and there was some gripping football on display.

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:58:32 +0000

Expect the same at what level, guys? The group stages? Maybe, somewhat. The final? No. Besides, can’t the same argument be made for the majority of leagues out there as well? Can’t you expect generally the same cream to rise to the top of the crop year in and year out? What level / league of football do I watch where parity (and not simply widespread mediocrity) is king?

By: Jon

Jon — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:45:36 +0000

Yep. Steven is right, in my opinion. I realize we’re in the minority, but I prefer the UEFA Cup to the CL. More entertaining and interesting.

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:27:18 +0000

Uefa Cup > Champions League.

In the CL, you can expect the same every year: Man U, Chelsea, Milan, some random spanish team. That’s it.

By: Phil McThomas

Phil McThomas — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:20:32 +0000

What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;

Or, “New Name, Same Bad Smell”: http://soccershout.com/2008/07/08/new-name-same-bad-smell/

By: Jan

Jan — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:01:42 +0000

Rob: Amen.

+ The millions pumped into the few CL clubs is hurting the domestic leagues. UEFA can’t give the UC its glamour back without reducing the CL again, but the least they could do is take some of the CL millions and redistribute it to the UC, like all domestic leagues with centralised TV rights marketing do.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:32:32 +0000

The Not The Champions And Not The Runners Up Either Because They’re In The Champions League Oh And Not Third or Fourth In The Really Big Leagues But The Best Out Of Everyone Not In The Above Trophy really isn’t gonna have the same ring to it is it?

UEFA want the UEFA cup to have the same prestige it had 15 years ago? They would have to undo what they’ve done in the Champions League. The reason the UEFA cup is such a secondary competition these days is because all-and-sundry get let into the Champions League. They sold the UEFA cup out when they started letting runners up in the Champions League instead of chucking them in the UEFA cup. Its made the Champions League the most smugly prestigous club trophy there is, but it has made a mockery of the UEFA cup, and there’s no going back.