Can we do this?

[braineclipse]

No.

And we shouldn't try.

We need a couple more players ready to compete with the first team squad. Perhaps an upgrade or two on the current first choice 11, and get ready to fight.

 

[imcallingbullsh*t]

One of the greatest moments of our clubs history, however now we should ask not to play in it? Why because we are too good for it? What about when we get into the champions league and our form dips should be ask not to be part of it either?

 

[billyiddo]

Personally Id be disgusted if we chose not to participate in a european competition.

 

[sc25]

I think we could manage the group games a lot better especially with the weaker teams as you basically can't not qualify, we did play teams that were too strong.

Not sure how well we would have fared fielding weaker teams than we did...6 of our 8 games in the group stage were not cricket scores:

AEL (A) 2-1
Partizan (A) 0-0 (H) 1-0
Besiktas (H) 1-1 (A) 0-1
Tripoli (A) 1-2

 

[Modric THFC]

I don't know why we don't add to our squad then go all out to try and win the thing.

Because its hard to motivate second string players to perform in this competition.

 

[chicken_badge]

Do you have an alternative theory for why they have so totally disappeared off the radar?

If Poch has shown us one thing since his arrival it is that he is scrupulously fair and gives anyone who demonstrates they are prepared to work hard their chance. He does not seem to hold grudges. Yet it seems pretty clear that despite his reassuring public words (re Ade for example) he has lost all faith in those players, such that he is not even prepared to turn to them at times of real need.

THEORY? That's the whole problem, people wasting time with speculation rather than fact.

I'd love to know why they have disappeared off the radar. At face value it looks to me that Kaboul and Lennon are no longer at their prime, Capoue never settled and Ade is the same Ade who does well for two months when a contract appears but otherwise misfires.

I have a friend who works at the club, with the first team squad at times, and I asked him about dressing room unrest. He said there wasn't a problem, players are always unhappy when not playing but if they are they are fine.

It could be he is respecting an instruction to keep quiet but he's a good mate and frankly I'd readily take what he said at face value. As far as the rest of you go, you can look at this being some unreliable ITK and that's fine, I don't care as it doesn't affect me!

But, I'm curious because I've been reading for months about a mutiny from this crew and seen nothing more than just that. So I'd be interested to know if there was more to it, rumours all well and good. But "theory", pffft. This isn't Sherlock.

 

[alekaras]

Because its hard to motivate second string players to perform in this competition.

On the contrary. Second stringers would probably see it as a stepping stone to first team football and really apply themselves. Not to mention how bad it would look if they lost to a Torpedo Centipede from Transylvania.

 

[billyiddo]

Because its hard to motivate second string players to perform in this competition.

maybe in future we can point to Kane and his excellent form in the Cup competitions, where we rotated the league team, and show the fringe players what can be achieved by playing well, regardless of what competition it is in. Especially with the new manager who doesn't seem to pick players on reputation and by all accounts rewards hard work/good form.

i agree that in the past it has looked like hard work to motivate players for this competition - for me this is probably through a mix of them not seeing the above example of performances being rewarded and a number of players feeling they are too good for the '2nd string' - if we continue down the path of building a young squad with hungry players then maybe we will see a shift in attitude/performance in the games we rotate for.

 

[parklane1]

Stupid idea, we might as well give up playing in Europe if we keep making excuses.

 

[Gilzeantoscore]

The original post I made was based on the concept of can we do it? Not should we do it? Nobody as yet, has been able to give an answer.

 

[DubaiSpur]

Let's say we finish 5th or 6th this year, or win tonight and qualify for the Europa League next season. Can we notify the FA or UEFA that we want to give up our place to the next best qualified team? I really think It is holding our domestic form back. Also, because of the huge number of matches played in English football, it's almost impossible to win. Has any English club actually won the thing since it was re-jigged?

I think United exited the FA Cup of their own accord in 2000, no? The FA allowed them to do it, given that they were competing in the Club World Championship at the time.

I think the EL would be different, given that UEFA oversee it, not the FA. As for your question about an English team winning it.....a Rafa Benitez-led Chelsea side did it in 2012-2013, remember? And still some snobs on this site refused to consider the possibility of him becoming our manager.