Priorities

[The Moonlit Knight]

I should have pointed out that it would be because AVB's stock would have risen and the chances are he'd be off to a bigger club. As for Lloris, he made it clear from the start he wasn't sure about signing for Spurs and that he really wanted a Champs League club. If we don't qualify for the Champs League I don't think he'll be at the club very long. I wouldn't be shocked if it was just a season but I think we'll get two out of him before he moves on.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Champion's League qualification is now the be all and end all. Because it provides the most income and money is what is required to stay in the race with the big guns.

People are still thinking of the FA Cup & UEFA Cup as they USED to be. They are next to nothing now, distractions from the main goal. The UEFA Cup is especially brick as it fudges up the League schedule and disrupts routines for next to nothing rewards.

I'd obviously love Spurs to win them all, but top players want to play Champion's League football and won't stick around long without it. Finishing outside of the Champion's League places and winning the FA Cup/UEFA Cup showcases your Manager and Players to other more successful clubs.

We finish 4th this season then our best players stick around. We finish 5th and win both the UEFA and FA Cup? Don't expect Bale, Lloris or even AVB to be at the club next season.

This is the bottom line for me. More likely to keep our best players and attract better players to the club with CL football. The financial rewards are so meagre for the Europa League.

Now the FA cup is a different kettle of fish. We have a prestigeous history in the competition, we usually sell or get pretty damn close to a sellout for every home FA cup game we play, even last year we played Cheltenham, and WHL was still packed! We have lost 6 semi finals since we last won the thing in 91, that needs to be corrected and it sadly shows what bottlers we can be at times. I would love to be able to say one day that we've won the FA cup 10 times!

I would probably take the FA cup over 4th, but I'd take 3rd over winning any cup competition any day of the week.

 

[scaramanga]

Winning the FA/Europa Cup doesn't attract players or pay for them that helps in the league.

Doing well in the league means getting into the CL with all the money and players that come with it. Those players will probably help us win cups in future.

So it has to be the league because if we keep qualifying for the CL then that answer eventually becomes "all of the above".

 

[Spur of the moment]

1. League
2. FA Cup
3. Europa

so:

which is more likely to persuade Bale to stay next season, a cup win or CL qualification?

Did the likes of Holtby and Lloris choose Tottenham because they think we have a good chance of winning a second-rate cup?

Is a cup win more likely to attract top players next window than qualifying for the CL?

For which competition do we always put out our strongest team, game after game regardless?

Okay of course it would be nice to win one of the cups but let's be honest, should we fail to qualify for the CL this season it will be seen as a consolation prize, nothing more.

The Europa may have slightly more status but even quaint little Fulham got to the final the other year so that tells you all you need to know about that.

Give me something that commands global attention and respect - Champions League qualification, something that will lead to real, intense competition for the very highest honours next season, plus huge tv exposure.

Give me something that will help attract and retain the top players.

In short, give me something that will provide a platform for the highest honours in the future rather than a mere consolation prize this term.

 

[chicken_badge]

Would be very interesting to know the thoughts of a player like Alan Shearer on this one. Granted he won the league with Blackburn, but he spent years at Saudi Sportswashing Machine, in the upper echelons of the Premier League, champions league appearances, but no trophies. Would he have swapped that for some open top bus parades around Saudi Sportswashing Machine? And a real place in history, never to be forgotten?

Blanchflower black and white photo with the 1963 CWC.
Hoddle( in that red QPR shirt!) with the FA cup!
Robbie Keane and Ledley lifting the League cup.

All iconic photos. A the end of his career I do wonder if Bale would rather have a photo of him on Sandro's shoulders with an FA cup, than another quarter final exit at a Spanish giant next year?

 

[Jurgen the German]

Would be very interesting to know the thoughts of a player like Alan Shearer on this one. Granted he won the league with Blackburn, but he spent years at Saudi Sportswashing Machine, in the upper echelons of the Premier League, champions league appearances, but no trophies. Would he have swapped that for some open top bus parades around Saudi Sportswashing Machine?

Blanchflower black and white photo with the 1963 CWC.
Hoddle( in that red QPR shirt!) with the FA cup!
Robbie Keane and Ledley lifting the League cup.

All iconic photos. A the end of his career I do wonder if Bale would rather have a photo of him on Sandro's shoulders with an FA cup, than another quarter final exit at a Spanish giant next year?

I think your answer is different clubs have different priorites. Saudi Sportswashing Machine haven't won anything since the war (Ok I exaggerated) so obviously they want a trohpy above all else. Liverpool want the league the most because they haven't won it in over 2 decades. Arsenal have never won the CL and they wanted to be the first London team to win it, I'm guessing they'd take a CL over another league title. We are trying to establish ourselves as CL regulars, like Arsenal, United and Chelsea.

 

[southstand1882]

People forget that players want MEDALS, as much as playing against the best of the best

Medals are a permanent reminder of their success as a professional

 

[chicken_badge]

I think your answer is different clubs have different priorites. Saudi Sportswashing Machine haven't won anything since the war (Ok I exaggerated) so obviously they want a trohpy above all else. Liverpool want the league the most because they haven't won it in over 2 decades. Arsenal have never won the CL and they wanted to be the first London team to win it, I'm guessing they'd take a CL over another league title. We are trying to establish ourselves as CL regulars, like Arsenal, United and Chelsea.

Sure, I was mainly driving at what the players themselves would truly want to look back at the end of their career.
Indeed, we could qualify for the CL and still lose Bale this summer. Who knows, maybe he would rather have a cup and 5th?

 

[spurspinter1]

People forget that players want MEDALS, as much as playing against the best of the best

Medals are a permanent reminder of their success as a professional

This!

It seems I'm completely on a different wavelength to the majority it seems silly to even attempt to argue, don't think much ground will be given either way..

 

[JPG_357]

CL money is money that you've worked hard for over 38 seasons and DESERVE. Billionaire money is like being given handouts when you don't deserve it.

It's still just MONEY, trophies are something you've worked hard for and you have something for it. People go on about 4th place because of the money involved, City showed that you don't need CL to get in top players, just lots of money.

 

[billyiddo]

:lol:

 

[Spursalot]

This!

It seems I'm completely on a different wavelength to the majority it seems silly to even attempt to argue, don't think much ground will be given either way..

Not a different wavelength to me, i'd rather they try to get medals for winning the league and being the best team in England than getting lucky in a cup competition though.

 

[Park Lane James]

Would be very interesting to know the thoughts of a player like Alan Shearer on this one. Granted he won the league with Blackburn, but he spent years at Saudi Sportswashing Machine, in the upper echelons of the Premier League, champions league appearances, but no trophies. Would he have swapped that for some open top bus parades around Saudi Sportswashing Machine? And a real place in history, never to be forgotten?

Blanchflower black and white photo with the 1963 CWC.
Hoddle( in that red QPR shirt!) with the FA cup!
Robbie Keane and Ledley lifting the League cup.

All iconic photos. A the end of his career I do wonder if Bale would rather have a photo of him on Sandro's shoulders with an FA cup, than another quarter final exit at a Spanish giant next year?

It's a sad state of affairs for English football when people would rather be the fourth best team in the land rather than actual silverware. And yes, I'm sure Shearer would have turned in those Champions League appearances against the likes of Barcelona to say that he actually won The FA Cup with his home club. Who wouldn't?

 

[Park Lane James]

Fair enough, I'm amazed that people don't want one, but that's their prerogative.

Interesting though that some people want CL money, but not billionaire money.

I couldn't think of anything worse than being given a billionaire to go and buy us a team - where's the fun in that? If a rich Arab bought us out then I'd seriously consider to stop going to Spurs games.

 

[braineclipse]

It's a sad state of affairs for English football when people would rather be the fourth best team in the land rather than actual silverware. And yes, I'm sure Shearer would have turned in those Champions League appearances against the likes of Barcelona to say that he actually won The FA Cup with his home club. Who wouldn't?

What you seem to ignore is that it's not just the fourth place this season. If the world was going to end in the summer then we'd all take the cup win, but with a CL spot comes a lot of extra revenue that will put the club in a stronger position financially in the next couple of seasons at least. With this we might get some more top class players to the club, and/or keep the best players we currently have. Implied in really hoping for a top 4 finish is that this will directly improve our chances of winning for example the FA-cup in the next couple of seasons after that.

There's also the fact that being in the CL is great, those added games against some of the best in Europe, that's a real bonus. The games against Inter and Milan were fantastic. The Young Boys game, even the Real game despite the result.

 

[onlyme]

What you seem to ignore is that it's not just the fourth place this season. If the world was going to end in the summer then we'd all take the cup win, but with a CL spot comes a lot of extra revenue that will put the club in a stronger position financially in the next couple of seasons at least. With this we might get some more top class players to the club, and/or keep the best players we currently have. Implied in really hoping for a top 4 finish is that this will directly improve our chances of winning for example the FA-cup in the next couple of seasons after that.

There's also the fact that being in the CL is great, those added games against some of the best in Europe, that's a real bonus. The games against Inter and Milan were fantastic. The Young Boys game, even the Real game despite the result.

A lot of the games you mentioned WE LOST. At the time they were exciting like any cup games but if you don't win nuffink, ultimately they were worthless.

I wanna win something. Am I the only person on this site who thinks that the Chelsea Wembley win was fudging fantastic? Better than the ECL games by a street for me.

 

[braineclipse]

A lot of the games you mentioned WE LOST. At the time they were exciting like any cup games but if you don't win nuffink, ultimately they were worthless.

I wanna win something. Am I the only person on this site who thinks that the Chelsea Wembley win was fudging fantastic? Better than the ECL games by a street for me.

Those games were not worthless. Not to the club financially, not to me as a fan enjoying the experience. Not to mention not to the club when it came to attracting players. Would we have gotten VdV if we weren't in the CL? And of course to keep our best players for a bit longer.

Perhaps to you the seasons having VdV at the lane were worthless because we didn't win anything, I must say I rather enjoyed it. The same with getting to keep Modric for another season or two.

If getting into the top 4 this season is the difference between getting to keep Bale and losing him, or between getting a Hazard or Oscar type player instead of him going to Chelsea that has a lot of value in itself, even if we don't go on to win the CL next season.

Yes, obviously you were the only one who thinks that the Chelsea Wembley win was fantastic. That is clearly the point people are trying to make...

 

[onlyme]

Yes, obviously you were the only one who thinks that the Chelsea Wembley win was fantastic. That is clearly the point people are trying to make...[/QUOTE]

I don't know if you are being serious or not but if you are then I am gobsmacked.

 

[Jordinho]

Yes, obviously you were the only one who thinks that the Chelsea Wembley win was fantastic. That is clearly the point people are trying to make...

I don't know if you are being serious or not but if you are then I am gobsmacked.

Of course he isn't.

The point for me is that while trophies are great and a cup final is a brilliant day out, I'd also like to see Tottenham become the dominant force in club football (not likely, but you've got to aim high and all that) and to do that we need to be in the CL. Players take more note of a club that consistently finish in the top 4-5-6 of a league than one in 7th to 10th with the occasional cup win. And of course there's the money.

 

[The Moonlit Knight]

People forget that players want MEDALS, as much as playing against the best of the best

Medals are a permanent reminder of their success as a professional

Players want a medal for winning a major League or the Champions League. The vast majority of players at the highest level couldn't give a brick about anything else. There is simply zero kudos in it.