Time for a bit of a rant, this time caused by the never ending saga of european tournaments, or more specifically, why UEFA never stop making a mess of them.
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| I'm reasonably confident, that doesn't say Europa League. |
For a start it goes on way too long, to the point where Alain Depardieu recently said that he didn't care if Newcastle actually won the thing, it would still be a waste of time.
I'm paraphrasing slightly, and he is fundamentally wrong. If Newcastle actually won a trophy there would be such a regional orgasm that.. well I don't want to think about such a gruesome spectacle, but happily that's unlikely to happen before we are all long dead, so we'll move on.
His main point that his side couldn't cope with the demands of playing that many games is a fair one.
So far Newcastle have played 13 games in Europe and we're still only at the Quarter Final stage - it should be pointed out that they have only won 5 of those to get as far as they have.
Part of this is due to the sheer number of teams involved. 18 of which drop into it from the European Cup (see UEFA Cup). I agree that teams who lose their qualifier should drop into it, but the 3rd place teams from the European Cup is a joke - Chelsea I am talking about you here.
It's embarrassing and it all adds to the sense that the UEFA Cup isn't worth it. This is more of a view among the English sides although this may change if a few get through to the semi's tonight.
If they were to trim a few rounds off it.. and most of all make it worth winning, a place in the Champions League group stage would be a sufficient reward for slogging your guts out round Bratislava and the Ukraine since July.
It needs trimming down and personally I would like to see them not play all the games on a Thursday as I am not a huge fan of going to the league games on a Sunday, but that isn't going to happen.
It is part of the larger picture of what is wrong with modern football. It used to be the point of football to win trophies. That is it.
Didn't win the league? Fuck it, we won the Cup instead.
Winning a trophy used to mean a successful season. Last season Liverpool got to two Cup Finals, winning admittedly the shit one, but people (by which I mean the press) were saying that it was still a poor season EVEN IF WE WON THE FA CUP as well, but didn't finish in the top 4.
The Holy Grail of Modern Football - "getting in the top 4 is as good as a trophy" No it isn't Fuck Off Arsene.
But the sad thing is as long as the money keeps rolling in - by getting into the "Champions" League, not by the hard way of actually being Champions (although thank fuck for that) then that counts as success these days.
But let me ask you this... When did you last see a victory parade with the board of directors waving the club's balance sheet?
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