*** Tottenham Hotspur v Rennes *** *POSTPONED*

[elyid]

And when this rule comes in does it mean we could end say 15th and still get in to CL? And do you play some qualifiers or straight in the group?

To be specific it’s the top 2 teams that have qualified for European competition. So we’d need to at least qualify for the Europa conference.

There are still CL qualifiers, but the 2 teams selected on coefficient go straight into the group/league (as do all of the top 4 I think).

Full details here if you are interested!
https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsl...pions-league-post-2024-everything-you-need-t/

 

[AjaxDeSuperYids]

You are right! Good point.
I was so blown away that next season is the 22/23 season (that came around quickly!) that it threw me off

Fwiw the CL changes seem quite unusual. It will be one giant league of 36 teams, you only play 10 teams (and only once); top 8 go through, next 16 have a play off.

It’s almost like it’s been setup by a lawyer to stop a European league somehow.

Ah yes all coming back to me now. And you said we could finish 5th and still qualify but I guess we could actually finish 15th or even 20th in the PL and still qualify for CL as its all about co-eff?

If thats the case, then we could have CL football all but secured for almost forever more? Just keep that co-eff ticking over.

EDIT: okay so its CL secured forever more as long as securing at least ECL football each season and we sufficiently keep that co-eff ticking over.

In light of this I’d actually be tempted to play the rennes game (theoretically speaking. I know there is no room to play it.) play second string (due to fixture congestion) and see if they can nab a 1-0 win. And same again in next round etc. All just to keep that co-eff ticking over.

Also shows we must assemble a better quality squad but more importantly with players with a real drive and will to win.

That way we can use the squad in the EL and ECL and still win games.

 

[elyid]

So dropping out of the Conference league this season could cost us a CL place next season. Seems sufficiently sexy.

As AjaxSeSuperYids pointed out qualifying is 2 seasons after this. So yes, it could effect us, but also more chances to drop/gain points by then too.

 

[Seedy Ron]

If we get turfed out, at least in 15 years we'll still be able to hark back to that time when we were robbed of European (3rd rate) glory by Uefa/COVID/Gordon Kaye. Another for the Lasagne File. In fact, have we checked CCTV for signs of David Dein lurking around Spurs Lodge?

 

[elyid]

Ah yes all coming back to me now. And you said we could finish 5th and still qualify but I guess we could actually finish 15th or even 20th in the PL and still qualify for CL as its all about co-eff?

If thats the case, then we could have CL football all but secured for almost forever more? Just keep that co-eff ticking over.

EDIT: okay so its CL secured forever more as long as securing at least ECL football each season and we sufficiently keep that co-eff ticking over.

In light of this I’d actually be tempted to play the rennes game (theoretically speaking. I know there is no room to play it.) play second string (due to fixture congestion) and see if they can nab a 1-0 win. And same again in next round etc. All just to keep that co-eff ticking over.

Also shows we must assemble a better quality squad but more importantly with players with a real drive and will to win.

That way we can use the squad in the EL and ECL and still win games.

Exactly that. So if we had the top coefficient then we’d only need to finish top 7 to get CL, the 10 guaranteed CL matches then gives us a good chance of keeping the coefficient high. the rule probably favors us more than any other team

 

[braineclipse]

Groups have to be decided by the end of the month. There is no space for us to play it before then and the French winter break starts on 22 December.

It'll be decided this weekend. You can't draw a club from your own country in the playoffs and it will disadvantage the other clubs if PSV and Leicester can't be drawn against us or Vitesse

Definitely a conundrum well suited for an ethics board.

Definitely trust UEFA to come to the most ethical solution possible...

 

[Gutter Boy]

Definitely a conundrum well suited for an ethics board.

Definitely trust UEFA to come to the most ethical solution possible...

 

[Glenda's Legs]

UEFA. Ethics. Oxymoron alert.

 

[milo]

Definitely a conundrum well suited for an ethics board.

Definitely trust UEFA to come to the most ethical solution possible...

We'll forfeit the game and cover Rennes costs. There's no slot where the game can be played before the end of the month and it wouldn't be fair on Vitesse us playing knowing that any win sees us through

 

[RunTMC]

Groups have to be decided by the end of the month. There is no space for us to play it before then and the French winter break starts on 22 December.

It'll be decided this weekend. You can't draw a club from your own country in the playoffs and it will disadvantage the other clubs if PSV and Leicester can't be drawn against us or Vitesse

Is there anything in the rules stopping us from fielding a complete U21 squad? Or do we have to field a certain number of A list players that have been registered for Europe? If we can then theoretically there should be no impact on our first team squad. The U23s often play the day before an EPL game for instance.

The issue I see is the availability of coaches, physios, support staff etc. And also sporting integrity. Plus a huge assumption regarding covid, in the sense that the reporting is around EPL squad members. The kids might have it too but it's just not reported.

 

[Glenda's Legs]

Is there anything in the rules stopping us from fielding a complete U21 squad? Or do we have to field a certain number of A list players that have been registered for Europe? If we can then theoretically there should be no impact on our first team squad. The U23s often play the day before an EPL game for instance.

The issue I see is the availability of coaches, physios, support staff etc. And also sporting integrity. Plus a huge assumption regarding covid, in the sense that the reporting is around EPL squad members. The kids might have it too but it's just not reported.

There was a report on Thursday (no idea as to accuracy of course) that we had 20 positive cases across staff, first team and U23s. It would make sense that the U23s might be impacted given that some of them were training with the first team squad.

The next round isn’t until February. So UEFA could change the 31 December deadline and hold the draw only after our game has been played, as long as it is within a reasonable time frame. (Haven’t actually checked calendars to see when in Jan might work). These are extraordinary circumstances and UEFA could do that if they wanted.

 

[milo]

Is there anything in the rules stopping us from fielding a complete U21 squad? Or do we have to field a certain number of A list players that have been registered for Europe? If we can then theoretically there should be no impact on our first team squad. The U23s often play the day before an EPL game for instance.

The issue I see is the availability of coaches, physios, support staff etc. And also sporting integrity. Plus a huge assumption regarding covid, in the sense that the reporting is around EPL squad members. The kids might have it too but it's just not reported.

I think that we can field the U23s apart from Paskotsi, Devine and Omole who are ineligible. I think that we've missed our chance to do that.

 

[milo]

The next round isn’t until February. So UEFA could change the 31 December deadline and hold the draw only after our game has been played, as long as it is within a reasonable time frame. (Haven’t actually checked calendars to see when in Jan might work). These are extraordinary circumstances and UEFA could do that if they wanted.

If we were going to do that the easiest week would've been the first week in Jan. If we beat West Ham in the League Cup QF that would mean we'd play Sat, Tue, Thur and Sun. That chance has gone now.

 

[Bishop]

Is there anything in the rules stopping us from fielding a complete U21 squad? Or do we have to field a certain number of A list players that have been registered for Europe? If we can then theoretically there should be no impact on our first team squad. The U23s often play the day before an EPL game for instance.

The issue I see is the availability of coaches, physios, support staff etc. And also sporting integrity. Plus a huge assumption regarding covid, in the sense that the reporting is around EPL squad members. The kids might have it too but it's just not reported.

What would be the point of playing the U21s? They would lose quite badly to the team Rennes put out. Is your thinking regarding coefficient points?

 

[RunTMC]

What would be the point of playing the U21s? They would lose quite badly to the team Rennes put out. Is your thinking regarding coefficient points?

Yeah that’s exactly it, to pick up coefficient points not necessarily to get through to the next round. At this point I’d rather we were out of the competition.

 

[AjaxDeSuperYids]

Looking at the latest co-eff there is roma and juve above us who may not get top 4 this season.

Sevilla above us too who wouldnt be shoe ins for top 4 in a couple of years, plus isnt it last 5 years that counts, so in time our decent seasons such as reaching CL final will fall off.

Taking all that into account, it begins to look like that once this gets enacted we’d actually be quite unlikely to get one of those two spots.

 

[Baleforce]

Looking at the latest co-eff there is roma and juve above us who may not get top 4 this season.

Sevilla above us too who wouldnt be shoe ins for top 4 in a couple of years, plus isnt it last 5 years that counts, so in time our decent seasons such as reaching CL final will fall off.

Taking all that into account, it begins to look like that once this gets enacted we’d actually be quite unlikely to get one of those two spots.

He's on a three year contract.

 

[AdamB]

The thing in our favour when it goes to UEFA's committee is that UEFA want this competition to be a success in its first season and with the greatest appeal, and we're probably the biggest name with the biggest following in it.

As a result, I wonder whether some fudge will be found e.g. us and Vitesse having a play-off at a neutral venue, and then UEFA adjusting the draw such that whoever won that game didnt cause problems with playing another domestic team? That way at least Vitesse would be in control of their own destiny too

I dont really have a strong opinion what outcome I prefer as I can see advantages of both outcomes

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The thing in our favour when it goes to UEFA's committee is that UEFA want this competition to be a success in its first season and with the greatest appeal, and we're probably the biggest name with the biggest following in it.

As a result, I wonder whether some fudge will be found e.g. us and Vitesse having a play-off at a neutral venue, and then UEFA adjusting the draw such that whoever won that game didnt cause problems with playing another domestic team? That way at least Vitesse would be in control of their own destiny too

I dont really have a strong opinion what outcome I prefer as I can see advantages of both outcomes

Nah
They don’t care about us staying in
They have some reasonable sides dripping down into it

 

[thfcsteff]

If we get turfed out, at least in 15 years we'll still be able to hark back to that time when we were robbed of European (3rd rate) glory by Uefa/COVID/Gordon Kaye. Another for the Lasagne File. In fact, have we checked CCTV for signs of David Dein lurking around Spurs Lodge?

Wonderful post. Love this mate, I giggled!