#AvbIn!!

[myhartlane]

I daren't think where we'd be now without Adebayor

Yeah that was clearly a massive mistake from AVB, probably his biggest. But I don't think that is good reason for sacking him.

 

[FinnYid]

By this logic it is only fair then to compare league games against the same opponents at the top level. So we have:
vs Chelsea - better under AVB or Tim?
vs Man City - ditto
vs Liverpool - ditto
vs Arsenal - ditto
vs Man Utd - ditto

True, but reckon it should be all the opponents in the PL.

 

[Shadydan]

The problem I have with this idea is that it pre-supposes Champions League qualification is a magic bullet that will deliver success on its own.

Yes, the Champions League brings money, but surely revenue streams aren't what we care about now are they?

If you're realistic enough to accept it as extremely unlikely we'll win the Premier or Champions League any time soon then qualification doesn't really help us in the hunt for silverware.

Besides, I think it's impact is exaggerated - look at what happened to us when we did qualify, not a huge amount.

Champions League qualification is obviously a good thing and something to aspire to/get excited about but I think the fan obsession with it has gone way, way too far. I think there is a lot to be said for playing in a competition we have a better chance of winning and I think the Europa League, whilst derided in this country, is much more important in attracting European talent (remember what Rafa said when he was left out of the EL squad?) - look at Atletico Madrid, taking the Europa seriously hasn't done them any harm.

Personally, having spent a good chunk of my supporting life trying to will Spurs into Europe via the InterToto or the Fair Play League, I'm reluctant to start wishing us out of it or to carry on like we're too big for it now. Especially when we're pretty consistent at getting knocked out in the Quarter Finals.

I see your point but the Champions League is unfortunately the main goal for clubs because it's an absolute money spinner which will aid our progression to stabilise ourselves as a major player. Constantly qualifying for the CL will bring revenue in, allow us to attract better sponsors, better players, it will give us more money towards the stadium thus a quicker turnaround time on the project therefore when the stadium is built we'd get much more money from gate receipts which will allow us to pay higher wages and sign better players and retain our best players and will give us higher chance of competing with the bigger boys and a realistic shot at winning the title other trophies.

Of course this all happens in an ideal world...but CL qualification will set us on our way.

Also the I think people often understate how difficult the Europa League is to win, I know we're often seen as favourites but we've come up against some very good, organised and experienced teams in the competition who are better equipped to win than us.

 

[whitechina]

I don't understand who'll give him another chance after both Chelsea's and our failures. But that's football

 

[jimbo]

I see your point but the Champions League is unfortunately the main goal for clubs because it's an absolute money spinner which will aid our progression to stabilise ourselves as a major player. Constantly qualifying for the CL will bring revenue in, allow us to attract better sponsors, better players, it will give us more money towards the stadium thus a quicker turnaround time on the project therefore when the stadium is built we'd get much more money from gate receipts which will allow us to pay higher wages and sign better players and retain our best players and will give us higher chance of competing with the bigger boys and a realistic shot at winning the title other trophies.

Of course this all happens in an ideal world...but CL qualification will set us on our way.

Also the I think people often understate how difficult the Europa League is to win, I know we're often seen as favourites but we've come up against some very good, organised and experienced teams in the competition who are better equipped to win than us.

The trouble with this is that I don't think it will have anything like as much of an impact on all these things as is supposed. It certainly hasn't worked for Arsenal. Regular Champions League qualification on its own won't make us major players in our own league, let alone Europe. The only way we're going to win a title in the near future is through a big money backer - I wish that wasn't the case, but wishing isn't going to change it.

I do think that the new stadium is important, more important than qualifying for the Champions League would be at this stage actually, but I don't think CL qualification will get it built quicker because we'd never be in a position to just throw money at it without caution. The same goes for wages, transfer fees, etc. Would Bale or Modric have stayed with us over joining Madrid, or Berbatov and Carrick turned down United if we'd been a perennial top four, last 32 team? Because I really don't think they would.

Qualifying for the Champions League is not going to solve all our problems and turn us into a top tier team.

And you know what the most important aspect of the new stadium will be? It's not larger attendances, it's more corporate income.

Oh, and I do think the Europa League is hard to win - but if we can't do that how are we ever going to be good enough to finish in the top four given the teams we're competing with?

I think we won't make it this year, and might not get a shot for a while, because I don't think we're good enough. And I don't think that constantly measuring ourselves against the Champions League standard is going to help us get good enough because it builds ridiculous expectations. Trying to win the Europa would be a better target because we're not good enough for that either yet but it's a closer goal. Baby steps and such.

 

[Metalhead]

Yeah that was clearly a massive mistake from AVB, probably his biggest. But I don't think that is good reason for sacking him.

I think that his biggest mistake potentially was not speaking up for himself with regard to transfers.

 

[Geyzer Soze]

I think that his biggest mistake potentially was not speaking up for himself with regard to transfers.

I thought he was quite clear on that. He wanted to recreate his Porto team.

 

[Metalhead]

I thought he was quite clear on that. He wanted to recreate his Porto team.

The problem with my statement was that it was largely based on supposition.