Celtic in the Champions League

[Boab]

It's maybe good for teams like Killie or Hamilton, where the 350k or what ever it is, is worth like another 5 home games to them.

 

For teams looking to be challenging for titles and cups it just puts another 30million quid between them and the rest of us.

 

It's not good for competition but then again, when have the media or the powers that be ever sought fair competition?

I agree with your last paragraph. European competitions these days are designed to make as much money as possible for the top leagues.

 

Imagine a time when the league winners of each association went into a knockout competition.....crazy eh !.....but it did happen in a a land a long time ago !

[BangkokHearts]

Leicester's success was a great story but they are a lot closer to the Top 4 in terms of finances than we are to celtic. They could afford to hold onto Vardy when he was subject to a transfer bid halfway through that season, and they gave him a better contract, and they continue to resist attempts to sell Mahrez for over ?30m. Plus they had the finance to employ a top level manager.

 

Of course we go to celtic park with trepidation. The gulf between the two clubs on the pitch is massive and they could easily tear us apart and it takes a huge defensive effort just to keep in the game.

Leicester are owned by multi-billionaires.

 

Sent from my SM-N900 using Tapatalk

[Hearts First]

Champions League is shite. Celtic are scum. The end.

My thoughts exactly.

[Morgan]

Celtic and Hibs are the only two teams that benefit.

 

Celtic can afford better players meaning the vermin can rummage around in the bin for more scraps.

I like that because it's pretty accurate.

[The Comedian]

There just isn't enough backslapping for the Tims when the diddies receive a hundredth of their Champions League bounty, is there.

 

How the **** is entrenching their dominance good for us all? They fully deserve plaudits for how they are run and congratulations to them. However, you simply can't put it onto the smaller teams who get average crowds of 4k and tell them to show some ambition! What a laughable attitude when, outwith the already vast advantages they hold over everyone else, they are the only club with access to a 30 million bonus every year. 

 

[Cade]

but the KO-EFFISUNT!

 

Celtic getting a bonus ?30million a year in the vain hope that they somehow do well enough for Scotland to receive an extra European spot for 4th place is a nonsense argument.

 

It's bad for scottish football to have such a massive disparity in the diddy league we have.

 

It's a one horse race and probably will be for decades if this extra cash keeps flowing to them.

 

In fact for much the same reason I'd want Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs or anyone other than HMFC to crash and burn in Europe.

 

Wanting your rivals to get a big wad of cash is shite patter.

[The Comedian]

30m which helps maintain one teams dominace = generally accepted as bad for our game overall.

 

30m to that team but 300k to everyone else = great for our game hooray!

 

Tim luvvie logic that, get in the sea.

[Boab]

I've asked this already but have had no answer yet.....what's the alternative ? Is by saying you want them to fail, going to make things better ?

 

Newsflash.....it will be worse but by rejoicing in that everything will somehow be better ?

[i8hibsh]

Nowhere, not anyone, at any time do people, places, leagues or sports benefit from Monopolies.

[peter_hmfc]

30m which helps maintain one teams dominace = generally accepted as bad for our game overall.

 

30m to that team but 300k to everyone else = great for our game hooray!

 

Tim luvvie logic that, get in the sea.

 

It is absolutely astounding logic .

 

It really does need to to be spelled out for most people though.

[peter_hmfc]

I've asked this already but have had no answer yet.....what's the alternative ? Is by saying you want them to fail, going to make things better ?

 

Newsflash.....it will be worse but by rejoicing in that everything will somehow be better ?

 

Celtic fail to get into Europe, minus the money it brings.

Celtic downsize, and can't afford the multi-million pound signings they are used to.

Celtic are a worse team, they still stroll the league but are worse overall.

Their fans get bored of the monopoly, and attendances sink like they did when The Rangers were in the lower leagues.

Celtic have less revenue, less money to buy players, a worse team, and fans are bored of poor football even if they are winning the league.

Unable to afford the bigger wages with their shrinking income, they consistently downsize to a typical Scottish Premier League level.

Other teams fans know they have a chance, and attend knowing there's an actual competition for once.

 

You have a choice between one team hoovering up all the fans and revenue from across the league and country, as well as massive payments from UEFA,

OR

The top league on a far more balanced income, revenue and ability where fan power really does matter (and the fans know this).

[VALDOS]

My thoughts exactly.

then dont switch on the TV for games or read about them.

[Nookie Bear]

then dont switch on the TV for games or read about them.

 

Fair enough, as long as you don't complain when celtic hoover up the talent in the Scottish game.

[Boab]

Celtic fail to get into Europe, minus the money it brings.

Celtic downsize, and can't afford the multi-million pound signings they are used to.

Celtic are a worse team, they still stroll the league but are worse overall.

Their fans get bored of the monopoly, and attendances sink like they did when The Rangers were in the lower leagues.

Celtic have less revenue, less money to buy players, a worse team, and fans are bored of poor football even if they are winning the league.

Unable to afford the bigger wages with their shrinking income, they consistently downsize to a typical Scottish Premier League level.

Other teams fans know they have a chance, and attend knowing there's an actual competition for once.

 

You have a choice between one team hoovering up all the fans and revenue from across the league and country, as well as massive payments from UEFA,

OR

The top league on a far more balanced income, revenue and ability where fan power really does matter (and the fans know this).

Thanks for replying, Peter.

 

Disagree however. Wishing your rivals to come down to your level will do hee haw in a European context. That's what this thread is all about. If we, Hearts, can benefit from an improved coefficent and, aye, any financial benefits from other teams' success....i'll take it.

I want more European nights at Tynecastle and if that means other Scottish teams doing well in Europe....all teams, not just the hooped demons....then so be it.

 

I don't want to play in a diddy league with two Euro entries and get papped out in the first qualifying round because the teams are crap. That's my kind of logic, obviously different from some on here.

[peter_hmfc]

Thanks for replying, Peter.

 

Disagree however. Wishing your rivals to come down to your level will do hee haw in a European context. That's what this thread is all about. If we, Hearts, can benefit from an improved coefficent and, aye, any financial benefits from other teams' success....i'll take it.

I want more European nights at Tynecastle and if that means other Scottish teams doing well in Europe....all teams, not just the hooped demons....then so be it.

 

I don't want to play in a diddy league with two Euro entries and get papped out in the first qualifying round because the teams are crap. That's my kind of logic, obviously different from some on here.

 

 

I want a league that's an actual competition and not decided by mid-September. European nights are of course great but first and foremost I want some actual competition for the 38 games of the league campaign, that shouldn't come secondary to two or three European games in July/August.

 

We can't meet up to their standards, no SPL team outside the Old Firm is going to be routinely paying ?1,000,000+ for a player. They need to downsize down to the current level. It's disgusting the league has become so unbalanced it's got to this stage.

[hueyview]

Thanks for replying, Peter.

Disagree however. Wishing your rivals to come down to your level will do hee haw in a European context. That's what this thread is all about. If we, Hearts, can benefit from an improved coefficent and, aye, any financial benefits from other teams' success....i'll take it.

I want more European nights at Tynecastle and if that means other Scottish teams doing well in Europe....all teams, not just the hooped demons....then so be it.

I don't want to play in a diddy league with two Euro entries and get papped out in the first qualifying round because the teams are crap. That's my kind of logic, obviously different from some on here.

well said

[hueyview]

Wonder if we'd be saying how bad it is for the rest if it were us in it?

Eh, no....

[hueyview]

Aye, i'm sure Ann's going to give back the ?365,000 we're getting for the hooped demons qualifying for the group stage !

.

[Boab]

 

I want a league that's an actual competition and not decided by mid-September. European nights are of course great but first and foremost I want some actual competition for the 38 games of the league campaign, that shouldn't come secondary to two or three European games in July/August.

 

We can't meet up to their standards, no SPL team outside the Old Firm is going to be routinely paying ?1,000,000+ for a player. They need to downsize down to the current level. It's disgusting the league has become so unbalanced it's got to this stage.

If you want a debate leave the emojs to the kids !

[N Lincs Jambo]

It's good for Scottish Football: The Brand but bad for Scottish Football: The Domestic Product, i.e. it promotes the fact that we have at least one team which can compete at the highest level, but in terms of resources it vastly increases the gulf between that team and the rest. 

 

That's what the hacks mean. I guess.

 

Do you mean Celtic actually competing in the competition they have qualified for?? To me, competing at the highest level means actually having a chance of winning the thing and let's face it, success even for Celtic means finishing 3rd in the group stages and dropping into the Europa League after Christmas.

 

Unless Hoffenheim come from behind at Anfield tonight, Celtic will be in the 4th pot for the draw tomorrow so their chances of finishing in the top 2 in their group will be slim in the extreme.

 

UEFA doesn't want even the big teams from pishy wee nations like Scotland regularly competing in the 1/4 finals and beyond of the CL precisely because we are a pishy wee nation of 5 million people. Their main business is advertising and sponsorship and the advertisers and sponsors want the populations of the largest and most prosperous of nations competing there. Why else would they sanction the 4 top teams of the 4 biggest leagues in western Europe getting straight into the group stages from next season.

 

Celtic in Europe will be like us, Aberdeen, Hibs etc in Scotland, ie small-fry who when they come up against the Barcelonas and Real Madrids, will be likely to be on the end of a 7 goal hiding like they were last season.

[Footballfirst]

I agree with peter_hmfc. 

 

Celtic excepted, all Scottish clubs would all be better served by a competitive domestic league, even if it meant poorer results in Europe (other than Celtic, can they get any worse?). 

 

The only way that can happen is for Celtic to go and play elsewhere, or for them to fail to reach the CL group on a recurring basis, thus cutting their revenue and putting them on a downward spiral of income and performance.

 

An alternative might be for the big four countries to go it alone with a super league and take the money with them.  That would allow the other countries to contest in more meaningful second tier Europe wide competition(s).

 

The sad thing for Scottish Football is that Celtic has already played and succeeded in their biggest games of the season by qualifying of the group stages. That in itself perpetuates their superiority over any domestic competition.

[Boab]

Do you mean Celtic actually competing in the competition they have qualified for?? To me, competing at the highest level means actually having a chance of winning the thing and let's face it, success even for Celtic means finishing 3rd in the group stages and dropping into the Europa League after Christmas.

 

Unless Hoffenheim come from behind at Anfield tonight, Celtic will be in the 4th pot for the draw tomorrow so their chances of finishing in the top 2 in their group will be slim in the extreme.

 

UEFA doesn't want even the big teams from pishy wee nations like Scotland regularly competing in the 1/4 finals and beyond of the CL precisely because we are a pishy wee nation of 5 million people. Their main business is advertising and sponsorship and the advertisers and sponsors want the populations of the largest and most prosperous of nations competing there. Why else would they sanction the 4 top teams of the 4 biggest leagues in western Europe getting straight into the group stages from next season.

 

Celtic in Europe will be like us, Aberdeen, Hibs etc in Scotland, ie small-fry who when they come up against the Barcelonas and Real Madrids, will be likely to be on the end of a 7 goal hiding like they were last season.

I've said all along the UEFA is a gravy train. I can't see any way that will ever change so the choice for me is simple, hope our teams can improve to at least play in Europe beyond August or wish for the teams in it....who aren't Hearts...to fail.

Former for me every day of the week.

 

Big money has ruined football but what's the alternative ? Say we're no playing ?

[Boab]

I agree with peter_hmfc.

 

Celtic excepted, all Scottish clubs would all be better served by a competitive domestic league, even if it meant poorer results in Europe (other than Celtic, can they get any worse?).

 

The only way that can happen is for Celtic to go and play elsewhere, or for them to fail to reach the CL group on a recurring basis, thus cutting their revenue and putting them on a downward spiral of income and performance.

 

An alternative might be for the big four countries to go it alone with a super league and take the money with them. That would allow the other countries to contest in more meaningful second tier Europe wide competition(s).

 

The sad thing for Scottish Football is that Celtic has already played and succeeded in their biggest games of the season by qualifying of the group stages. That in itself perpetuates their superiority over any domestic competition.

I would say your third paragraph is already happening i.e. The Europa League. UEFA won't admit it of course but demotion from the Champs League into it at various stages, proves it.

[Cruyff Turn]

I agree with your last paragraph. European competitions these days are designed to make as much money as possible for the top leagues.

 

Imagine a time when the league winners of each association went into a knockout competition.....crazy eh !.....but it did happen in a a land a long time ago !

Yep and it's ruined the game. Perhaps if they went back to the old format of Champions (CL) Runners up (EL) and Cup Winners (CWC) then the difference between the superpowers in European Football and the rest wouldn't be as wide and as a result those teams would compete better in their domestic Leagues.

 

All UEFA and the TV companies have ever wanted is a European breakaway League of the biggest clubs.

[peter_hmfc]

If you want a debate leave the emojs to the kids !

If you want a debate answer the points I made instead of complaining about a single "emoj" I posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[N Lincs Jambo]

I've said all along the UEFA is a gravy train. I can't see any way that will ever change so the choice for me is simple, hope our teams can improve to at least play in Europe beyond August or wish for the teams in it....who aren't Hearts...to fail.

Former for me every day of the week.

 

Big money has ruined football but what's the alternative ? Say we're no playing ?

 

I don't know the answer to your question Boab tbh but I do know that when European football was on a level playing field that teams from Scotland regularly made it the latter stages of competitions. Teams which have made it to at least the semi-finals of the European Cup/Champions league:

 

Hibs (sorry I have to mention that one)

Rangers

Dundee

Celtic (finalists twice inc 67)

Dundee United

 

(Aberdeen I think made the 1/4 finals at best)

 

Or to the Cup-Winners Cup/Fairs Cup/UEFA Cup:

 

Rangers (finalists 4 times, 3x CWC, 1x UEFA Cup)

Kilmarnock

Dunfermline

Aberdeen (won CWC)

Dundee United (finalists UEFA Cup)

Celtic (finalists UEFA Cup)

 

Apologies if I have missed any teams out but this was just from memory. The point is that the bigger European teams didn't want a level playing field and put serious pressure on UEFA to change things. UEFA were also shitting themselves in 1984 about the possibility of a Dundee Utd v Dinamo Bucharest final of the European Cup with a possible attendance of under 10,000 for their flagship competition. That and the threat of a breakaway by the biggest teams in the biggest countries led us to where we are now.

 

From a money point of view it makes sense but not from a football competition point of view. Take Dundee Utd for example: In European competition they have a record against Barcelona of played 4, won 4. Do we think anything like this could ever happen again?

 

Even as a pishy wee country, as long as the playing field was level, we punched way above our weight. Since the playing field changed only Celtic have any real chance of even getting to the group stages and when they do, the gap between them and the rest of us increases by over ?30 million a year.

 

I would prefer a genuine bit of league competition at home to what we have now. If the price for that is Celtic's failure in Europe then so be it.

[Boab]

If you want a debate answer the points I made instead of complaining about a single "emoj" I posted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I did answer them !

 

You would prefer Celtic to fail in Europe to give the rest of the teams in Scotland a fighting chance. I don't agree. I want our teams to fare well in Europe as it will have a financial and playing benefit to Hearts in a European context.

Are we just to accept that nights like Spurs and Liverpool will never happen again because our stock in Europe is so low ?

It's like the League Cup/ finishing fourth debate towards the end of last season. People preferring not to qualify for Europe to play in group stages of our country's second tournament. I couldn't understand that.

If we had finished fourth, we'd probably have been whipped with the current squad but i'll take Europe every time regardless.

If people want us to be an even bigger backwater, let's hope all our teams do badly in Europe.

Crazy thinking !

[Hearts First]

then dont switch on the TV for games or read about them.

Why? Because I don't like Selik?

[Watt-Zeefuik]

At this point I don't see what difference it makes. Yes, I know ?30 million and all that.  But the gap between us and Celtic is so big financially right now that it hardly matters. The gap between us and Celtic bothers me less than English League 1 teams being rich from the drippings from the cash drenched EPL that they can poach managers and players off of us. 

 

Celtic will fall back to earth eventually. Until that happens we're not a threat to them with or without the CL cash.

 

The "solidarity payments" are crumbs for the poor tossed at the whim of the rich, but we're at a point where we could use a few quid for the stand.  That will help us get our own financial house in order and bump our annual operating revenue.  In the end, that's what's going to allow us to win the league again, not Celtic making a pratfall in the qualifiers.

[Hearts First]

At this point I don't see what difference it makes. Yes, I know ?30 million and all that. But the gap between us and Celtic is so big financially right now that it hardly matters. The gap between us and Celtic bothers me less than English League 1 teams being rich from the drippings from the cash drenched EPL that they can poach managers and players off of us.

 

Celtic will fall back to earth eventually. Until that happens we're not a threat to them with or without the CL cash.

 

The "solidarity payments" are crumbs for the poor tossed at the whim of the rich, but we're at a point where we could use a few quid for the stand. That will help us get our own financial house in order and bump our annual operating revenue. In the end, that's what's going to allow us to win the league again, not Celtic making a pratfall in the qualifiers.

Utter nonsense. Giving them ?30m will only increase the gap. If they had a few years without CL cash they would have to tighten their belt, get rid of their big earners, start buying a lower class of player and a by-product of that would mean a more competitive league. Their crowds would go down and others would go up if we thought we could get a wee sniff of the league.

[Cruyff Turn]

Utter nonsense. Giving them ?30m will only increase the gap. If they had a few years without CL cash they would have to tighten their belt, get rid of their big earners, start buying a lower class of player and a by-product of that would mean a more competitive league. Their crowds would go down and others would go up if we thought we could get a wee sniff of the league.

Logic.

 

Celtic being in the Champions League also increases their sponsorship revenue and inflates the Price Tag of their players.

 

They are now looking to sign another striker, as well as adding Patrick Roberts and the South African lad. Doubtful they'd get that sort of player if they weren't a CL club, no chance in fact.

 

It's becoming a Turkey shoot for them now.

[Dagger Is Back]

Celtic doing well in Europe is good for Scottish football only in the sense that we get a wee windfall. Looking at the bigger picture though it's an absolute disaster. The gulf is already huge and will only get wider. No one will stop Celtic in terms of 10 in a row and quite frankly it would take a freak 'Leicester' situation for anyone other than Celtic and eventually Rangers to win the title. All these journos get a nice wee jaunt across Europe to follow ra Celts so all is good for them.

 

Celtic have qualified for the CL for many seasons now. Has it made any significant difference to the rest of Scottish football? No. Has the gap between them and the rest widened? Yes

 

How anyone cam think it's good for football up here is beyond me.

[GarryJ-o-s]

I personally think it will be good for the domestic game here in terms of competing in international tournaments. More money for Celtic should lead to higher fees for people like Hayes, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven this should make other teams in the league more competitive in the European market. It should also raise the quality of the league if players like Roberts are brought in giving young defenders like Brandon, Souttar, Greg Taylor bigger tests from a young age.

 

Obviously, the flip side is that it's detrimental to the competition in the league. No other team will get near to Celtic in the coming years. It's hard to predict how the game will look in 10 years...

 

Edit: I think the next step would be a team qualifying for the Europa League group stages. I believe it's worth ?8m which could totally transform a team like us or Aberdeen.

[Boab]

I personally think it will be good for the domestic game here in terms of competing in international tournaments. More money for Celtic should lead to higher fees for people like Hayes, Armstrong, Mackay-Steven this should make other teams in the league more competitive in the European market. It should also raise the quality of the league if players like Roberts are brought in giving young defenders like Brandon, Souttar, Greg Taylor bigger tests from a young age.

 

Obviously, the flip side is that it's detrimental to the competition in the league. No other team will get near to Celtic in the coming years. It's hard to predict how the game will look in 10 years...

 

Edit: I think the next step would be a team qualifying for the Europa League group stages. I believe it's worth ?8m which could totally transform a team like us or Aberdeen.

 

 

Impossible to predict. 10 years ago, just under, Rangers were in a Europa League Final.

 

That's hooped demons in Pot 4 incidentally.

[Stephen Muddie]

Impossible to predict. 10 years ago, just under, Rangers were in a Europa League Final.

 

That's hooped demons in Pot 4 incidentally.

I only clicked on this thread as I saw you were last poster. I thought "if he doesn't mention hooped demons I dunno how I'll sleep"

 

Phew LOL

[Watt-Zeefuik]

Utter nonsense. Giving them ?30m will only increase the gap. If they had a few years without CL cash they would have to tighten their belt, get rid of their big earners, start buying a lower class of player and a by-product of that would mean a more competitive league. Their crowds would go down and others would go up if we thought we could get a wee sniff of the league.

 

The Ronny Deila years immediately followed two years in which Celtic made the knockout stage and the group stage, respectively.  They got an absolute avalanche of cash from that. The Deila years were the weakest Celtic teams I've seen since I started following Scottish football and almost blew the league title to a good but hardly spectacular Aberdeen side.

 

That shows that a windfall doesn't necessarily lead to success on the field, as we all found out during the Vlad years. What turned them back into a juggernaut wasn't a CL appearance, but a combination of the willingness of Rodgers to come to Glasgow and a pissed off Fergus McCann after losing the cup semi-final with the Rangers execs acting like racist welts.

 

Rodgers could take them to the CL semi-final but if he leaves and they hire another dud, it can all come crashing back down.

[Boab]

I only clicked on this thread as I saw you were last poster. I thought "if he doesn't mention hooped demons I dunno how I'll sleep"

 

Phew LOL

Ha...cheers, Stefano.

 

I might copyright it....all my own work !

[Bazzas right boot]

The only good thing is that rangers will push the boat out financially to catch them and ultimately end up in the shite again.

This means we can still realistically aim for second once we get our house in order. This is better than 3rd which was generally the case.

 

However, Celtic by my calculations are sitting on at least ?60-?80m of players sales and when qualifying for Europe can keep theses players happy, sell in Thier time and even push the price up.

They look out of sight for the time being.

 

A couple of non UCL qualification seasons would force the sales to compensate for the financial loss, a couple of more seasons might see them stagnant, but they'd still be a cut above.

 

The marginal decline was happening under Ronnie ( even Lennon failed to qualify for the UCL before that), we need that for a 3-5 years in a row.

 

For the time being, second is there, that is Better than third from our point of view.

 

From an overall prospective, Celtic could bash out 15 in a row quite easily. That is not healthy and possibly 12/13 or so trebles. They haven't even looked like getting beat, rangers when 1-0 up and us at 1-1 in the first game last year are the only times they looked remotely in danger domestically during that run.

 

Anything that hinders Celtic is good for the other teams, UCL non qualification would be the start.

 

How folk can say different is baffling.

 

I like the thought of the others raising the bar, but even if Celtic did become worse, we'd still need to do that to catch them.

ATM the bar is too high. Ranger's with thier resources can't and imo won't even get close to them. What chance we got?

 

In saying that, like Aberdeen, aim to become the best of the rest and take it from there, that's under our influence so control that.

What Celtic do is a concern, but we can't control that.

 

Concentrate on our circle of influence, get that right first, become the best of the rest, get in the Europa league, don't worry about the circle of concern, in this case Celtic being far too good as a result of European money.

[Hearts First]

Good post, Rudi (apart from that annoying apostrophe you put between the r and s in Rangers). Anybody saying that Celtic getting more money is good for our league isn't looking at the domestic picture, which is the most important part.

[Bazzas right boot]

Good post, Rudi (apart from that annoying apostrophe you put between the r and s in Rangers). Anybody saying that Celtic getting more money is good for our league isn't looking at the domestic picture, which is the most important part.

I know, but it's true, ranger's ATM are chasing the gold at the end of the rainbow, imo it's a indirect positive that they are chasing them. Ranger's and Celtic have dominated for a long time, as in the early 90's when Celtic where poor it helped others, cups were shared a bit, other teams for second.

If ranger's get stretched chasing them, imo that's good. It's a small positive in a sea of negativity.

 

It's reversed now, celtic are stronger bit the point still stands.

 

Maybe, like the 80's both will be weaker at some point together!

[manaliveits105]

watched the end of their game in Spain the other night and nobody else was paying any attention

Watched Liverpool last night and bar was full of Irish supporting Liverpool

The Scottish plastics make you laugh real Irish people don't give a fig about them

[Boab]

Good post, Rudi (apart from that annoying apostrophe you put between the r and s in Rangers). Anybody saying that Celtic getting more money is good for our league isn't looking at the domestic picture, which is the most important part.

Not just the demons though, mate.

I had this argument on another thread and stated that it was a double-edged sword. I like Scottish teams to do well in Europe because, in the present, money driven game, it would, I believe, be good for our game.

Obviously, with the money involved in Europe now, the team(s) doing well will be more wealthy.

Can't do anything about that !

As Rudi said a couple of posts back, forget the hooped demons, concentrate on raising our game and becoming the best of the rest.....in the meantime.

If any benefits come our way..financial or coefficient wise on the back of other teams...good !

 

This, in my view, is far better than them and others failing badly in Europe to bring them down to a level where we can compete. Their dominance won't go on forever.

[Nookie Bear]

Logic.

 

Celtic being in the Champions League also increases their sponsorship revenue and inflates the Price Tag of their players.

 

They are now looking to sign another striker, as well as adding Patrick Roberts and the South African lad. Doubtful they'd get that sort of player if they weren't a CL club, no chance in fact.

 

It's becoming a Turkey shoot for them now.

 

Yep. And whilst I despise their pathetic little fans, I do sense they are bored with dishing out hammerings every week, and that may explain why they are amusing themselves with more off the field crap.

[jack D and coke]

Yep and it's ruined the game. Perhaps if they went back to the old format of Champions (CL) Runners up (EL) and Cup Winners (CWC) then the difference between the superpowers in European Football and the rest wouldn't be as wide and as a result those teams would compete better in their domestic Leagues.

 

All UEFA and the TV companies have ever wanted is a European breakaway League of the biggest clubs.

UEFA altered the competitions at the demands of the bigger clubs who threatened to break away if they didn't get their way.

The bigger clubs even want CL matches played saturdays and domestic stuff midweek but thankfully that hasn't happened, yet.

European stuff now isn't really worth bothering about we get an absolute riddy every time we qualify now I'd much rather we won a league cup than qualified for Europe.

As far as Scottish clubs go it's all over.

[jack D and coke]

Not just the demons though, mate.

I had this argument on another thread and stated that it was a double-edged sword. I like Scottish teams to do well in Europe because, in the present, money driven game, it would, I believe, be good for our game.

Obviously, with the money involved in Europe now, the team(s) doing well will be more wealthy.

Can't do anything about that !

As Rudi said a couple of posts back, forget the hooped demons, concentrate on raising our game and becoming the best of the rest.....in the meantime.

If any benefits come our way..financial or coefficient wise on the back of other teams...good !

 

This, in my view, is far better than them and others failing badly in Europe to bring them down to a level where we can compete. Their dominance won't go on forever.

Rudisleftfoot is an absolute slaver he wanted a Hibs cup win cos we should now be focused on overtaking Rangers. Not enough cornettes for nonsense like that.

Celtic winning is good for Celtic and nobody else and just because you believe it's helping Scottish football it certainly doesn't look like it from where I'm sitting. They get ?30m CL money and we're looking to appoint managers or coaches who haven't succeeded anywhere whilst still losing out best players to a poor Rangers outfit.

I'm sometimes amazed us and now Hibs have such decent supports as our domestic competition is an utter farce.

It's already over in all competitions for us[emoji1]

[Boab]

Rudisleftfoot is an absolute slaver he wanted a Hibs cup win cos we should now be focused on overtaking Rangers. Not enough cornettes for nonsense like that.

Celtic winning is good for Celtic and nobody else and just because you believe it's helping Scottish football it certainly doesn't look like it from where I'm sitting. They get ?30m CL money and we're looking to appoint managers or coaches who haven't succeeded anywhere whilst still losing out best players to a poor Rangers outfit.

I'm sometimes amazed us and now Hibs have such decent supports as our domestic competition is an utter farce.

It's already over in all competitions for us[emoji1]

There have been five different winners of the Scottish Cup this decade.

I'm not giving up just yet, bud !

[doctor jambo]

It's maybe good for teams like Killie or Hamilton, where the 350k or what ever it is, is worth like another 5 home games to them.

 

For teams looking to be challenging for titles and cups it just puts another 30million quid between them and the rest of us.

 

It's not good for competition but then again, when have the media or the powers that be ever sought fair competition?

Its not good even for them

When I was young in the 80's there was a choice of successful teams you could follow- Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, celtic Rangers.

Now there is 1, maybe 2 if Sevco sort themselves out.

So, for the kids the choice is straight up- either condemn yourself to never seeing Champions League live with a genuine interest in the match, and never see your team win the league (and in most teams cases never see them win a cup)

OR follow one of the OF.

Or abandon Scottish football completely and go EPL

there are more kids in my sons year have ST's for EPL teams than Ayrshire teams

go figure

[Boab]

Its not good even for them

When I was young in the 80's there was a choice of successful teams you could follow- Hearts, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd, celtic Rangers.

Now there is 1, maybe 2 if Sevco sort themselves out.

So, for the kids the choice is straight up- either condemn yourself to never seeing Champions League live with a genuine interest in the match, and never see your team win the league (and in most teams cases never see them win a cup)

OR follow one of the OF.

Or abandon Scottish football completely and go EPL

there are more kids in my sons year have ST's for EPL teams than Ayrshire teams

go figure

Or they could just do what we had to do and follow your team, knowing there was little chance of winning a league but still dreaming of it after a few close calls.

[The Old Tolbooth]

I agree with your last paragraph. European competitions these days are designed to make as much money as possible for the top leagues.

 

Imagine a time when the league winners of each association went into a knockout competition.....crazy eh !.....but it did happen in a a land a long time ago !

 

Also, teams were unseeded too which threw up much tastier and more imaginative ties, European football for the small club nowadays is pretty much dead because we eventually hit a brick wall, and all it's doing is making the bigger clubs richer with the smaller clubs losing out, which is pretty much ending competitiveness throughout European leagues (apart from England, which appears to have bucked the trend and now more than only two clubs could win that league). 

 

When I see Hearts trying to qualify for Europe these days, I think to myself...meh! We will no longer get the trips to Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy etc, and instead we will end up in countries like Estonia, Azerbaijan, Latvia etc (no disrespect meant to those countries, but it's hardly rubbing shoulders with the likes of what us older Hearts fans are used to) 

[Boab]

Also, teams were unseeded too which threw up much tastier and more imaginative ties, European football for the small club nowadays is pretty much dead because we eventually hit a brick wall, and all it's doing is making the bigger clubs richer with the smaller clubs losing out, which is pretty much ending competitiveness throughout European leagues (apart from England, which appears to have bucked the trend and now more than only two clubs could win that league).

 

When I see Hearts trying to qualify for Europe these days, I think to myself...meh! We will no longer get the trips to Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Italy etc, and instead we will end up in countries like Estonia, Azerbaijan, Latvia etc (no disrespect meant to those countries, but it's hardly rubbing shoulders with the likes of what us older Hearts fans are used to)

I agree, John, and have been alluding to this throughout the thread.

The money side of of football is here to stay unfortunately; by that, I mean huge sponsors and TV running the show.

There's no good outcome for a country our size but i'd rather be in it than hoping our teams fail.

I agree with an earlier post about the future being unwritten. I'm...just about....optimistic that we, as a club, can grow to re-enter that arena and have some more great nights in Europe.

It may need a re-structure of our calendar to make that happen however.