It is definitely a major ballache to play on a Saturday after Thursday but my memory of it is that you end up playing most of your games on Sunday. One of the major complaints is how often we end up playing on a Sunday, from memory anyway. I may well be wrong though.
I'm still not that sure how playing Thursday and then Sunday is so different to Wednesday and then Saturday.
I don't think I or anyone else has ever claimed that it compares to the CL. The CL has more prestige, more money, has better teams, helps you attract better players (though, having said that, in the now 4 seasons total we've been in the CL, who have we actually attracted?) and would be infinitely better to win. I and literally everyone would much rather be in the CL than the EL, especially if you actually have a chance to win the CL.
Do you not think that at least part of the reason the EL affects teams in it more than the teams in the CL....is because those in the CL are better teams anyway? Hence why they finished 1st-4th in the preceding season and not 5th-7th?
I think part of my annoyance with how it is spoken about is the perceived dismissal of firstly Spurs fans, who turn their noses up at the competition that arguably counts amongst our greatest moments and when we've won 2 trophies in 25 years and English fans in general, who seemingly uniquely in Europe seem to think its a waste of time. And the hyperbole that comes with it.
I mean, crappy stadium on a crappy pitch against a crappy team? Why? Again, I've had a quick look at the teams we played in the EL in between the Redknapp CL season and the Poch ones. Dortmund, Fiorentina, Monaco, Anderlecht, Qarabag, Partizan Belgrade, Besiktas, Benefica, Anzhi, Basel, Inter, Lyon, Maribor, Panathinaikos, Lazio, Rubin Kazan, Gent have all also been in the CL in the last 10 seasons. That means out of 26 teams we've faced in the EL in that period, only 9 haven't competed at least once in the CL in the last 10 seasons, 2 of whom are Hearts and Shamrock Rovers. And I've excluded teams that were competing in the CL playoffs only.
So the exchange between the 2 competitions is not as closed as people seem to think it is. Fiorentina or Benefica don't suddenly have great pitches or great stadia the moment they end up in the CL rather then the EL.
You are right, Sundays were more regular. I remember a Thursday game miles away and a 12 KO saturday away at Chelsea one year. We asked for an extra few hours delay as we only got back Friday lunchtime and got told where to go. Was probably 10 years ago now and Im still tinkled off about it. Obviously we were flat and insipid and ultimately lost.
Playing Sunday is always playing catch up, youre always behind and there is definitely a psychological element to that. Its tiring.
You also end up with regularly unfavourable fixture congestion, with weeks that end up running like the Christmas schedule. Especially if you do well in the domestic cups.
Yes, teams can qualify for the CL sometimes, it doesnt change the fact they arent particularly good and their facilities are much lesser than the more premier teams you find regularly in the CL.
Fiorentina, Benfica, Lazio - yes of course. Nice stadiums, big teams etc.
Quarabag? CL or not, thats a hole. And they are a limited side. And playing them is arduous. Fly to Azerbaijan, stay in a hotel, play on a sub standard pitch against a team that is largely inferior. For them its a massive game and they are up for it, so despite the gulf in class its a long fought and aruous game. And almost certainly you come away from it with knocks. Then you travel back the next day and have to prepare for a PL game - knowing its "must win" because the other teams won Saturday and now you need to make up ground, and youre completely fatigued by it all.
As I said, its a suite of smaller factors that add up to one huge stumbling block. Its not like you can point to "take out one of the knock out rounds and itll be absolutely fine". It is literally the fabric of the competition.
I can completely accept this may be unique to England. Though I would suggest it is because the PL is unique. Not in the way that its particularly special, but in the make up of the league and its rewards.
Top 4 really is the be-all end-all for clubs. Settle yourself there and you can close the door behind you to the rest of the league. The riches are such you can basically push everyone else back. We know, we have spend 15 years trying to bridge the gap. And the whole time the EUROPA competition has been far more a hinderance than help. It holds teams back, there is no question in my mind.
As I said before, look at the performance in the league post EUROPA tie. And post CL tie. Youve been digging into the details, take a look and see the difference.
Ill bet you will find post CL games teams generally perform just fine/as expected. And post EUROPA they most certainly do not. Why might that be?
