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Priorities

Park Lane James said:
Would people rather have taken 4th over a trophy last season? :lol: :(
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Good point mate, would rather have finished 5th than 4th last year. Still hurts.

On a different but related note:
If we were to qualify for the CL we would have a chance of winning it, no denying, but the likelihood is we would make last 16/QFs at best. I know there are all the riches it brings and the world stars you could have, and I also appreciate it is a foundation on which to build success.

But go back to April/May 2010. Would you swap that win at Emirates Marketing Project for wins against Portsmouth then Cardiff in the FA Cup? Would you rather have had the Champions League adventure in 2010/11, or would you rather have had FA Cup Winners 2010 on our roll of honour?

It's a tough one, when I look back at Spurs in ten years time it would be great to see an FA Cup win, or Europa win. But that Champions League run was fantastic, and it spoke volumes about our club is about, even if we didn't end with silverware. I've already quoted one spurs motto today so at risk of sounding cliched..... "The Game Is About Glory"!
 
chicken_badge said:
Good point mate, would rather have finished 5th than 4th last year. Still hurts.

On a different but related note:
If we were to qualify for the CL we would have a chance of winning it, no denying, but the likelihood is we would make last 16/QFs at best. I know there are all the riches it brings and the world stars you could have, and I also appreciate it is a foundation on which to build success.

But go back to April/May 2010. Would you swap that win at Emirates Marketing Project for wins against Portsmouth then Cardiff in the FA Cup? Would you rather have had the Champions League adventure in 2010/11, or would you rather have had FA Cup Winners 2010 on our roll of honour?

It's a tough one, when I look back at Spurs in ten years time it would be great to see an FA Cup win, or Europa win. But that Champions League run was fantastic, and it spoke volumes about our club is about, even if we didn't end with silverware. I've already quoted one spurs motto today so at risk of sounding cliched..... "The Game Is About Glory"!
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I wouldn't swap those Champions League games for anything
 
I know I am guilty of this but actually Milo mentioned the League as one of the priorities rather than finishing fourth.

We are all saying fourth because thats what we are used to but I believe we can go for third. Finishing third would give us so much more clout than just winning a cup.

Performing well in the league is the bread and butter of football the cup competitions are all ancillary to that. So as far as im concerned our priority SHOULD BE the League and not necessarily finishing fourth.
 
milo said:
I wouldn't swap those Champions League games for anything
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If you mean watching Bale tear Maicon a new arse, I sort of agree but to me that's not an argument in favour of the FA's failure to maintain the FA Cup's magic.
 
Gordinho said:
Sadly, that's where it's heartbreaking. I'd rather win the FA Cup than compete as no hopers in the CL by finishing fourth.
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I agree, it is sad, but modern football is all about the Champions' League. I'd love to see us win a cup again but it has to come second to qualifying for the Champions' League.
 
Gordinho said:
If you mean watching Bale tear Maicon a new arse, I sort of agree but to me that's not an argument in favour of the FA's failure to maintain the FA Cup's magic.
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A Champions' League place for winning the FA Cup (or runners up if the winners have already qualified) is the only way that they can do that. Would people be in favour of that?
 
milo said:
A Champions' League place for winning the FA Cup (or runners up if the winners have already qualified) is the only way that they can do that. Would people be in favour of that?
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Flippin' right, even if someone who played out of their league, say Preston North End won it, they go into Europe.
 
I am slightly torn on this one.. I only really get excited about probably two games in a FA cup run, the semi because it could lead to a Wembley final and the Final itself.. The champions league run was just something else completely. The way we qualified, the way we nearly threw it away before we got started against YB, The Bremen game and going goals up and then punished quickly and pegged back (welcome to the Champions league, they dont mess about here!), The music, Inter home and Away, AC Milan home (my italian team, the game that I never thought I would see in my lifetime) home and away and the excitement before Madrid (ok so it all went a little bit wrong then).. But overall just wow!!!!..

But was it just a one off?? Now I am not so sure a 2nd and 3rd crack and it will feel all that special. I am worried that it will be a dull group and we don't even qualify or we do and it then becomes like the FA cup to me again and only the semi or final become the special games. When I think back to the League cup in 2008 other than Chelsea in the final and some moments in that game, don't get me wrong it was great and everything but I would really struggle to name anything else about that cup run..

I guess my conclusion is that I am greedy and want 6, 8 or 10 exciting games that matter rather than just two and a cup at the end.. The CL brings more money that has got to help us in the right direction of a trophy, and then hopefully trophies and domination..
 
chicken_badge said:
Good point mate, would rather have finished 5th than 4th last year. Still hurts.

On a different but related note:
If we were to qualify for the CL we would have a chance of winning it, no denying, but the likelihood is we would make last 16/QFs at best. I know there are all the riches it brings and the world stars you could have, and I also appreciate it is a foundation on which to build success.

But go back to April/May 2010. Would you swap that win at Emirates Marketing Project for wins against Portsmouth then Cardiff in the FA Cup? Would you rather have had the Champions League adventure in 2010/11, or would you rather have had FA Cup Winners 2010 on our roll of honour?

It's a tough one, when I look back at Spurs in ten years time it would be great to see an FA Cup win, or Europa win. But that Champions League run was fantastic, and it spoke volumes about our club is about, even if we didn't end with silverware. I've already quoted one spurs motto today so at risk of sounding cliched..... "The Game Is About Glory"!
Click to expand...
Obviously that Champions League run was fantastic, but we did only reach the quarter-final stage (and got our arse handed to us by Real Madrid). I cried at the final whistle of the AC Milan game, I never thought that I'd see us beat such a team over two legs (especially after seeing us play like utter brick when I first started supporting Spurs). I was also at that Eastlands game and that is probably the highlight of my Spurs-supporting life. But, I would have traded it all in for an FA Cup win. It's the most prestigious trophy in the world (still), and it's another bit of silverware to put in the cabinet (by the way we would have had to face Chelsea in the final, which would have been even better :) ).

As I said before, two League Cup wins in 21 years is not enough for this great club - and if we really want to be considered part of the big boys then we need to start winning more regularly. Now, the trouble with that is a Champions League spot means more money and a greater chance to bring in the players needed to ensure that we stay near the top and continually challenge for trophies; but as a fan I want to see us win trophies in the first place. The question is whether you take the risk of more income in this hypothetical situation or the trophy? We all have our own thoughts.

But this doesn't mean to say that we can't challenge on all fronts. Why can't we do the business in the league and have two long cup runs? The odds are against us, but AvB seems to have turned around from the opinion that the Europa League is beneath us and the domestic arena is ours. fudge that - winning breeds a winning culture and we should go out there and try to bring the house down. Aim for the moon and you'll land amoung the stars.

We all have our own thoughts on the issue - but if it's a toss up between top four (where we're not guaranteed entry into the CL - a qualifying tie or perhaps bad luck may prevent us like last year) and a guaranteed trophy then I'll take the silverware all day. Nowhere on the honours list will it say Top Four finish season 2012/13 but it would say Europa League winners season 2012/13.

Each to their own, but people calling other people names for opinions is childish; you know who you are :)
 
Ginola99 said:
I am slightly torn on this one.. I only really get excited about probably two games in a FA cup run, the semi because it could lead to a Wembley final and the Final itself.. The champions league run was just something else completely. The way we qualified, the way we nearly threw it away before we got started against YB, The Bremen game and going goals up and then punished quickly and pegged back (welcome to the Champions league, they dont mess about here!), The music, Inter home and Away, AC Milan home (my italian team, the game that I never thought I would see in my lifetime) home and away and the excitement before Madrid (ok so it all went a little bit wrong then).. But overall just wow!!!!..

But was it just a one off?? Now I am not so sure a 2nd and 3rd crack and it will feel all that special. I am worried that it will be a dull group and we don't even qualify or we do and it then becomes like the FA cup to me again and only the semi or final become the special games. When I think back to the League cup in 2008 other than Chelsea in the final and some moments in that game, don't get me wrong it was great and everything but I would really struggle to name anything else about that cup run..

I guess my conclusion is that I am greedy and want 6, 8 or 10 exciting games that matter rather than just two and a cup at the end.. The CL brings more money that has got to help us in the right direction of a trophy, and then hopefully trophies and domination..
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It won't. I was watching 'The Corner' recently and a dope fiend described his addiction as 'always trying to chase that first high, but never getting there. But you carry on...' - I reckon the CL would be a bit like that. Because it was our first foray into the European Cup for about 50 years it felt very special to us - we'd finally made it. But the only time I think we'd beat that excitement is if we went deep into the competition or won it. That's the way it goes, humans get used to familiarity.

That's not meaning to say that playing against Europe's best wouldn't be special, just not like the first time.
 
a lot would depend on one's frame of reference,:

a british supporter would put a lot more emphasis on the FA cup than a non-british supporter. a non-british supporter appreciates it but considers champions league club as the elite of clubs. also you don't hear players signing for clubs because they've won the FA cup, but more so because they play - not necessarilly win - the champions league regularly. that includes british players.

from a commercial perspective and the long term viability of the club, the champions league = a lot more money and consequently access to the top tier of players.

so from a logical point of view champions league has to take top priority. and the hot blooded british football fan is usually more emotional than logical.
 
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.
 
Roy1983 said:
Completely different argument. The FA Cup will always be the number one priority in terms of cups. To answer your question if it was for my own personal satisfaction I'd take the FA Cup. However, I realise that the money from CL is too important nowadays which is testimony to the sad state of affairs our game finds itself in I'm afraid.
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I was just trying to get to grips with the traditional football fan outlook mate ;)

Would you have sacrificied our ECWC and Uefa Cup wins of the past for 3 more FA Cups?


Personally id take a european cup win over a domestic cup, any day. Id also take either EL or FA cups over 4th in the league as well.
 
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Billy your changing goalposts mate our previous European cup wins are engrained in our history so of course you wouldn't swap them no. The Europa League winner receives about 20% of what you'd get for finishing 4th.
 
Reasons why FA Cup should be a priority

1) Trophy - some major silverware in the trophy cabinet that adds to our rich history.
2) Wembley - yes it's a brick house and the players look like ants, but it's still Wembley and major celebrations all night long
3) Experience - following on from number 2, our players need the experience of a final. More finals will lead to more success in all competitions
4) Winning - it engenders a winning mentality in our squad. We are #1 and can win the BIG games.
5) History - people talk about CL being the pinnacle of modern football. But participation in a competition we cannot win does not deliver us a trophy.
6) Arsenal - its 7 years since our closest rivals won silverware. It would be great to add ANOTHER trophy to our achievements and increase the pressure.
7) Players - major success (like CL participation) will help us attract and retain players and build a better squad
8) Social - bragging rights, facebook, twitter, photos, quotes, newspapers. Our opportunity to share (brag) to our friends, family and enemies
9) Competitors - winning the FA Cup means one less trophy for the traditional big 4. No more doubles / trebles for our biggest rivals
10) Wins - we are 2 behind Arsenal and 3 behind United. we are 1 ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. Let's close the gap on those above us, and put distance between us and those below
 
Push and Run said:
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.
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:eek:
 
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