Paok-Thessaloniki

[yllos]

Yes, but you should still get away with it. They always overprice these kind of fixtures so tickets should not be too difficult.

Even if we do play our "reserves" they probably will include some names you are familiar with, Kranjcar, Huddlestone, Bassong, Walker, Rose, Pavluchenko and more, all in the first team, could feature, also the youth involved are of a higher level then Spurs normally get through, so many fans are excited at the possibility of some of them to develop in this competition. Expect Townsend and Livermore to get some game time even if we play with the first team. Carroll and Kane will also be in and around the team I would think.

fair enough!i thought i would ask anyway!i know many of those players and belive me almost any of those could easilly feet in our first line up!still hope to see your stars in firts or return match.

 

[Davo99]

Ignore the wankers that say we shouldn't take this competition seriously. After the league it's the next priority.

I want my team to qualify for the Champions League and for that I am a wanker?

 

[OmarsComing]

welcome to spurs community

 

[lillywhites61]

Wow, what an informative post, you should work for the Greek tourist board!! Great info and very much appreciated

 

[mdharris]

great post, thanks yllos for the interesting info

 

[Max_Junglie]

Yes, but you should still get away with it. They always overprice these kind of fixtures so tickets should not be too difficult.

Was it Wizla who we played a couple of season's ago in the Uefa? Some Polish team anyway. There were quite large groups of their fans spread around the stadium wearing their colours - an obvious coach party in the top NE corner for instance. Don't remember any trouble that night.

 

[camaj]

I want my team to qualify for the Champions League and for that I am a wanker?

No but you have missed the point somewhat. I'm with you, I want us to qualify for the champions league which is why what you suggested is wrong. If we play the youth and get dumped out it would allow us to concentrate on the league, and yes that'd be good for CL qualification. However our coefficient would take a massive hit and we'd end up with a tough draw if we did qualify so we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot. We might be okay but why not have the easiest draw possible and perhaps rest players

What we need is a compromise. Take the EL seriously and try to win as many games as possible (and thus gaining more coefficient points and money) but avoid fatiguing the first team. The solution is to play the best players who aren't in the first team, who otherwise would spend the season on the bench wondering WTF they did to deserve it. If our first choice midfield is Lennon,Sandro,Modric,Bale we should play Kranjcar,VDV,Parker,Livermore in the EL.

 

[Davo99]

No but you have missed the point somewhat. I'm with you, I want us to qualify for the champions league which is why what you suggested is wrong. If we play the youth and get dumped out it would allow us to concentrate on the league, and yes that'd be good for CL qualification. However our coefficient would take a massive hit and we'd end up with a tough draw if we did qualify so we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot. We might be okay but why not have the easiest draw possible and perhaps rest players

What we need is a compromise. Take the EL seriously and try to win as many games as possible (and thus gaining more coefficient points and money) but avoid fatiguing the first team. The solution is to play the best players who aren't in the first team, who otherwise would spend the season on the bench wondering WTF they did to deserve it. If our first choice midfield is Lennon,Sandro,Modric,Bale we should play Kranjcar,VDV,Parker,Livermore in the EL.

The Europa League is so bad our reserves would go quite far and would definitely qualify from that group. Our reserves are actually pretty good if Cudicini, Bassong, Rose, Huddlestone, Livermore, Townsend, Dos Santos, Pavlyuchenko are all involved that's a real solid base with the odd youngster filling in the gaps and getting invaluable first-team competetive experience. That's all I see out of this. We play these games on a Thursday, sometimes in the middle of nowhere, just before we have a proper game on the weekend. It's ridiculous.

I think you're fully fearing the worst with the co-efficients, too. Even if we were to go out in the groups, we suddenly aren't going to lose everything. It's not really going to affect it that much for just one half-bad year.

If you think Van der Vaart is a second string player, perhaps I should stop wasting my time here. :shrug:

 

[brett.spurs]

We're not finishing in the top 4 whether we throw the EL or not.

 

[Woland]

The Europa League is so bad our reserves would go quite far and would definitely qualify from that group.

When it comes to a knock-out competition the gulf of class can be easily bridged. Ok, we're having group stages first but any of those teams in our qual.group can pull a Young Boys. Three down with youngsters on key positions is not promising a famous comeback, mind you. Hearts home game was not something to point at but with 4 or 5 second-string players in the starting list I can see us being enough disjointed.

Oh, and please never underestimate the clubs 'in the middle of nowhere'. For them EL is the real Europe, since they couldn't get a sniff of CL. They all want to make a difference on a bigger, international stage and their success is measured by how far they go in Europe, given the lower quality of their home league compared to the top 5 European leagues.

I believe Yllos can confirm that for PAOK, recently playing a second-fiddle to Athenian clubs dominating the Greek League, the Europa League provides for a vital source of celebration and something to brag about. Which is why I can see them much better motivated as a team for the coming games.

 

[yllos]

When it comes to a knock-out competition the gulf of class can be easily bridged. Ok, we're having group stages first but any of those teams in our qual.group can pull a Young Boys. Three down with youngsters on key positions is not promising a famous comeback, mind you. Hearts home game was not something to point at but with 4 or 5 second-string players in the starting list I can see us being enough disjointed.

Oh, and please never underestimate the clubs 'in the middle of nowhere'. For them EL is the real Europe, since they couldn't get a sniff of CL. They all want to make a difference on a bigger, international stage and their success is measured by how far they go in Europe, given the lower quality of their home league compared to the top 5 European leagues.

I believe Yllos can confirm that for PAOK, recently playing a second-fiddle to Athenian clubs dominating the Greek League, the Europa League provides for a vital source of celebration and something to brag about. Which is why I can see them much better motivated as a team for the coming games.

4 years ago Paok made big changes to the team-squad!former captain of Paok and Greek team of 2004 european cup winner Zagorakis became president of the team!finances were terrible by that time due to past boards!fans who bought season tickets (apx 18.000 per year since then) and sponsors that would be benefit from his presence brought a lot of money to the team.let me say here that the incomes last year were 28 million euros from tv,sponsors tickets and el!it seems big for greek standars but not for european or uk!anyway Paok struggled to top!two years ago we put Aek athens and Olympiacos out of the way but we lost the championship in the last matches!Greek football is quite dirty and many things have been said about last championships!many games proved to be fixed phonecalls of chairmans trying to fix game came to light but in the end none of Athens big teams were punished!Paok is a big team or that's the way we see it!We do want to take the championship(last one was 1985)but we will be extremelly keen on big EL victories that will make the team famous and will increase our incomes!For now it might be our first priority!

 

[Achap]

That really is a superb original post yllos. It's efforts like that that bring a bit of joy back into football. We have got used to a diet of cynicism and back-biting from English fans, so it's a pleasure to meet a real supporter of the game of football. :clap:

Paok, with it's proud history should not be taken lightly in this competition, and any club that once knocked Arsenal out of the UEFA Cup has a special place in my heart. :grin:

Thanks very much for all your hard work preparing that post, and good luck to you and Paok. :up:

 

[Davo99]

We're not finishing in the top 4 whether we throw the EL or not.

You can't say that.

 

[Sir Henry]

The Europa League is so bad our reserves would go quite far and would definitely qualify from that group. Our reserves are actually pretty good if Cudicini, Bassong, Rose, Huddlestone, Livermore, Townsend, Dos Santos, Pavlyuchenko are all involved that's a real solid base with the odd youngster filling in the gaps and getting invaluable first-team competetive experience. That's all I see out of this. We play these games on a Thursday, sometimes in the middle of nowhere, just before we have a proper game on the weekend. It's ridiculous.

I think you're fully fearing the worst with the co-efficients, too. Even if we were to go out in the groups, we suddenly aren't going to lose everything. It's not really going to affect it that much for just one half-bad year.

If you think Van der Vaart is a second string player, perhaps I should stop wasting my time here. :shrug:

Meanwhile back here on earth, our reserves and some first teamers couldnt beat Hearts at home.

 

[Davo99]

Meanwhile back here on earth, our reserves and some first teamers couldnt beat Hearts at home.

Mate we were winning 5-0 on aggregate. I wouldn't say we were particularly 'turning the screw'.

 

[sloth]

Thanks Yllos. Really appreciated. You paint a picture of a fantastic city. Of course I'm sure it's not a patch on Tottenham on a Saturday night! (Joke)

In fact could someone more enterprising than me do an equivalent write up for our borough? :razz:

 

[C0YS]

Was it Wizla who we played a couple of season's ago in the Uefa? Some Polish team anyway. There were quite large groups of their fans spread around the stadium wearing their colours - an obvious coach party in the top NE corner for instance. Don't remember any trouble that night.

yep exactly, there should not be any trouble, but it will annoy people, it annoys me for sure.

 

[RickyVilla]

I want my team to qualify for the Champions League and for that I am a wanker?

Well you said it mate!!

 

[RickyVilla]

yep exactly, there should not be any trouble, but it will annoy people, it annoys me for sure.

I am sure they will do a half and half scarf again so he should get one of those. When we played Anorthosis from Cyprus there were a load of their fans sat near me. We had a great laugh but they were all Green Lanes born and bred!!

 

[yllos]

yep exactly, there should not be any trouble, but it will annoy people, it annoys me for sure.

that's more than acceptable!i won't annoy anybody!but if we score it will be difficult to resist :razz: