Europa league/conference 22/23 - Zurich v Hearts

[Boab]

9 minutes ago, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

my view is that the best development for us would e conference next season, qualify again for the following season and give the Europa league a right good shot. 
 

Walk before you can run.

 

I am convinced we will earn more cash and coefficient points in the ECL next season.

 

That’s not me being pessimistic - it’s actually optimism and a best most likely case scenario for us.

Agree. A decent EL draw would be nice but not winning and going into ECL would be good for us.

League is still paramount though. 3rd is now the minimum target and keep growing over the next few seasons.

To never play in the LC groups again is a good feeling but we have to push on from here. Record ST numbers and Euro money will help that.

[indianajones]

2 hours ago, Boab said:

Agree. A decent EL draw would be nice but not winning and going into ECL would be good for us.

League is still paramount though. 3rd is now the minimum target and keep growing over the next few seasons.

To never play in the LC groups again is a good feeling but we have to push on from here. Record ST numbers and Euro money will help that.

 

Can we not still get ECL after finishing 3rd in the EL groups?

[Boab]

Just now, indianajones said:

 

Can we not still get ECL after finishing 3rd in the EL groups?

Yea, we could. 
 

[Ricardo Quaresma]

If we win EL PO, then we take the co-efficient of the team we knock out, if it's higher than ours, I think

 

A good scalp in that round is taken and we could take the 2nd of the 'Big Team' slots

 

2 beatable teams below us

[FarmerTweedy]

22 hours ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

If we win EL PO, then we take the co-efficient of the team we knock out, if it's higher than ours, I think

 

A good scalp in that round is taken and we could take the 2nd of the 'Big Team' slots

 

2 beatable teams below us

I don't think that's the case at all!

 

I know there are some rounds which are drawn before the previous one is played, so any seedings are based on the higher coefficient of the two teams, but I'm 99% sure the group stage draws don't happen until after the playoff round has been finished. 

Edited May 13, 2022 by FarmerTweedy

[merseyjambo]

22 hours ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

If we win EL PO, then we take the co-efficient of the team we knock out, if it's higher than ours, I think

 

A good scalp in that round is taken and we could take the 2nd of the 'Big Team' slots

 

2 beatable teams below us

That only happens in qualifying due to pre arranged draws.

 

In group stage, you go in at your co-efficient leve.

[Jambo in Yorkshire]

If we win the play off round we will be in pot 4 and it’s likely we would be the lowest ranked team in pot 4.

[Ricardo Quaresma]

3 hours ago, merseyjambo said:

That only happens in qualifying due to pre arranged draws.

 

In group stage, you go in at your co-efficient leve.

 

3 hours ago, FarmerTweedy said:

I don't think that's the case at all!

 

I know there are some rounds which are drawn before the previous one is played, so any seedings are based on the higher coefficient of the two teams, but I'm 99% sure the group stage draws don't happen until after the playoff round has been finished. 

 

Bummer, hey-ho

[FarmerTweedy]

2 hours ago, Ricardo Quaresma said:

 

 

Bummer, hey-ho

It was a nice dream though!

[JimmyCant]

9 hours ago, Jambo in Yorkshire said:

If we win the play off round we will be in pot 4 and it’s likely we would be the lowest ranked team in pot 4.

You know what. I’d actually rather be in the Conference League this season to feel our way and find our feet. We’re not going to learn anything getting fecked every Thursday by household names

Edited May 14, 2022 by JimmyCant

[JFK-1]

1 hour ago, JimmyCant said:

You know what. I’d actually rather be in the Conference League this season to feel our way and find our feet. We’re not going to learn anything getting fecked every Thursday by household names

 

I see a fear of thrashings in the Europa, but no fear of Rangers who are Europa league finalists. Would it be harder in the Europa? Without a doubt but it may be a lot of it is little harder than playing Rangers. And you're not fearing that.

The more elite tournament has to be the target. It can increase the value of player by millions.

[Jambo in Yorkshire]

With one game to go Villarreal are 7th in the Spanish League which would be Conference League play off round, CL semi finalists would have no European football without the ECL.

[FarmerTweedy]

2 hours ago, Jambo in Yorkshire said:

With one game to go Villarreal are 7th in the Spanish League which would be Conference League play off round, CL semi finalists would have no European football without the ECL.

Not true actually, before the Conference League came about there were a LOT more places in Europe League qualifying. The bigger countries still had 7 European places. 

 

Edit: They might not have European football next season anyway as they're only a point ahead of 8th!

Edited May 15, 2022 by FarmerTweedy

[Jambo in Yorkshire]

That’s why I said with one game to go. 

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Villareal would be the nice “glamour” team to have in our group. 

[Riccarton3]

Heard Liam McLeod literally cursing our timing the other day. Finishing third and straight into the groups.  

[Sooks]

42 minutes ago, Riccarton3 said:

Heard Liam McLeod literally cursing our timing the other day. Finishing third and straight into the groups.  

 

This makes me even happier ................. never mind Liam it is all for the good of the Scottish game

[davemclaren]

53 minutes ago, Riccarton3 said:

Heard Liam McLeod literally cursing our timing the other day. Finishing third and straight into the groups.  

I have to ask …who is Liam McLeod and what did he say? 
 

I feel I’m getting too old for this lark. 😩

[Thought Police]

5 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

I have to ask …who is Liam McLeod and what did he say? 
 

I feel I’m getting too old for this lark. 😩

BBC Scotland's main commentator, Aberdeen fan.

 

Didn't hear it but I'm assuming he's annoyed that Aberdeen finished 3rd for years and had to play lots of qualifiers, but the first year the team in 3rd gets into the groups Aberdeen fall off a cliff.

[Riccarton3]

26 minutes ago, Thought Police said:

BBC Scotland's main commentator, Aberdeen fan.

 

Didn't hear it but I'm assuming he's annoyed that Aberdeen finished 3rd for years and had to play lots of qualifiers, but the first year the team in 3rd gets into the groups Aberdeen fall off a cliff.

I would debate he's Aberdeen other than for broadcasting convenience. It will be another muted watch on Saturday for me.

[davemclaren]

43 minutes ago, Thought Police said:

BBC Scotland's main commentator, Aberdeen fan.

 

Didn't hear it but I'm assuming he's annoyed that Aberdeen finished 3rd for years and had to play lots of qualifiers, but the first year the team in 3rd gets into the groups Aberdeen fall off a cliff.

All about timing your runs into the box. 😎

[Riccarton3]

9 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Did your dog do the translating for you, as all I hear when that little pip-squeak opens his gob is a high pitched whistling sound.

I just find it sad he is able to pitch his commentary with so much bias. In 2020 it was unreal. Surely, your first tick box is impartiality with some leeway, well, a lot, for Scotland.  Not entirely his fault cos, unsurprisingly, no one is keeping it in check.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Riccarton3

[FarmerTweedy]

2 hours ago, Jambo in Yorkshire said:

That’s why I said with one game to go. 

You said they'd have no European football without the ECL. If the ECL wasn't there, they'd be in a EL place. 

[Riccarton3]

13 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Is he also the guy that has an orgasm every time Celtic score a goal, whether it be the winner in an OF match or their fifth at home to the likes of Dundee? Embarrassing stuff.

Yep.

 

Assault by Hibs player on McKay second half whilst Faddy says 'that's horrific', McLeod: 'think he was trying  to make a statement'.

 

****ing ludicrous.

 

Anyway, back to European dreams.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Riccarton3

[Jambo in Yorkshire]

6 minutes ago, FarmerTweedy said:

You said they'd have no European football without the ECL. If the ECL wasn't there, they'd be in a EL place. 

As you would say they won’t be in any European competition if they finish below 7th.

 

[Super_Hans]

33 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Is he also the guy that has an orgasm every time Celtic score a goal, whether it be the winner in an OF match or their fifth at home to the likes of Dundee? Embarrassing stuff.

That's him. Should have heard him when Celtic scored their sixth v Motherwell on Saturday. Absolutely creaming himself. 

Dandy tears though. Delicious.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

6 hours ago, Thought Police said:

BBC Scotland's main commentator, Aberdeen fan.

 

Didn't hear it but I'm assuming he's annoyed that Aberdeen finished 3rd for years and had to play lots of qualifiers, but the first year the team in 3rd gets into the groups Aberdeen fall off a cliff.

 

In truth, it's a sore one for them, after all we were the ones who fired Derek McInnes and signed Scott Brown. Clearly our fault.

[WheatfieldWarrior]

On 12/05/2022 at 08:17, Tom Hardy’s Dug said:

Villareal have got to where they have with a stadium capacity of 23,000.

 

So what you are saying is that all we need to do is fill in the corners and we're sorted.

 

[JFK-1]

20 hours ago, Thought Police said:

BBC Scotland's main commentator, Aberdeen fan.

 

Didn't hear it but I'm assuming he's annoyed that Aberdeen finished 3rd for years and had to play lots of qualifiers, but the first year the team in 3rd gets into the groups Aberdeen fall off a cliff.

 

The irony in that, a club with a support who wanted Rangers to never win a game in Europe. Which if they got that wish no one in 3rd would be getting automatic groups. And nor would the cup winner.

I feel the sheep are done as any force in Scottish football. They're more interested in obsessing on Rangers than on getting anywhere.

They're shite and they will howl for any manager who can't challenge the OF for the title to be sacked. Just like they did with McInnes who never failed to get them a Euro spot.

 

This Euro money is like a jackpot for Scottish football. I would love Hearts to rub it in with a notable transfer fueled by Euro money. 

[Boris]

On 16/05/2022 at 11:19, Riccarton3 said:

Heard Liam McLeod literally cursing our timing the other day. Finishing third and straight into the groups.  

 

Only by courtesy of us reaching the Cup Final against one of the OF.

 

If we had finished third and cup final was against a team lower than 3rd then we'd have to win the cup to guarantee the groups.

[Rocky jamboa]

Although the Europa League would be far harder, it would be great to get some glamour games and see us against some of the top teams in Europe. Then a 3rd place finish I believe would drop us into the ECL.

 

I remember our champs league qualifier v AEK Athens. They looked immense and I thought they would do well but they got put out in the group stage! 

[Jammy T]

9 minutes ago, Rocky jamboa said:

Although the Europa League would be far harder, it would be great to get some glamour games and see us against some of the top teams in Europe. Then a 3rd place finish I believe would drop us into the ECL.

 

I remember our champs league qualifier v AEK Athens. They looked immense and I thought they would do well but they got put out in the group stage! 

 

We were also a complete shambles at the time. Awful pre-season preparations and playing Mole up front in the away leg.

 

And even then we should probably have won the first leg (having taken the lead, albeit undeserved) but losing two late/unlucky goals.

 

The away game was all a bit corrupt but had we had a goal lead to defend we might have got somewhere.

[PapaShango]

2 hours ago, Jammy T said:

 

We were also a complete shambles at the time. Awful pre-season preparations and playing Mole up front in the away leg.

 

And even then we should probably have won the first leg (having taken the lead, albeit undeserved) but losing two late/unlucky goals.

 

The away game was all a bit corrupt but had we had a goal lead to defend we might have got somewhere.

The away games was a shambles, Brellier sent off, think one of his bookings was for wearing jewellery on the park! Playing Mole up top as well was ridiculous in the circumstances and really was a missed opportunity. Athens were far better than us over the 2 legs although we were quite unlucky to lose the home leg in the way we did. 

[JAYEL]

When will we know our opponents , is it just a few weeks before we play. ?
 

 

 

 

[The Hogfather]

15 minutes ago, JAYEL said:

When will we know our opponents , is it just a few weeks before we play. ?
 

 

 

 

 

Draw is the 1st August. First leg is 17 days later.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

3 hours ago, Rocky jamboa said:

Although the Europa League would be far harder, it would be great to get some glamour games and see us against some of the top teams in Europe. Then a 3rd place finish I believe would drop us into the ECL.

 

I remember our champs league qualifier v AEK Athens. They looked immense and I thought they would do well but they got put out in the group stage! 

 

If we made the UEL groups, I'd be hoping for two big teams and a beatable team that snuck in as a fluke. West Ham would be a fun one for the similar colors and maybe PSV, then someone like Ludogorets that we should be able to get some results off of. Maybe get a famous draw in London and manage third place and slide into the UECL knockout round.

 

We truly are a big club, it's time we started getting some results in Europe like one.

[JimmyCant]

10 minutes ago, Led Tasso said:

 

If we made the UEL groups, I'd be hoping for two big teams and a beatable team that snuck in as a fluke. West Ham would be a fun one for the similar colors and maybe PSV, then someone like Ludogorets that we should be able to get some results off of. Maybe get a famous draw in London and manage third place and slide into the UECL knockout round.

 

We truly are a big club, it's time we started getting some results in Europe like one.

I want us to progress in Europe year on year if it’s possible but we’ve got a coaching staff and playing staff with next to no experience of European football. It’s partly a learning process and we’re going to learn very little, if anything, getting thrashed out of sight by the likes of West Ham and PSV. Add to that the experience the likes of Ludogorets have in Europe and your looking at 6 defeats from 6 quite easily.

 

We’ve had two decent European campaigns in our entire history but the gap between us and teams regularly playing in Europe is much bigger now 

 

I think it will benefit us more playing in the Conference with similar types. More likely to pick up a few points, more money, co efficient points, experience of winning, better for the fans IMO.

 

We are not ‘truly a big club’ in this theatre. We’re a wee unknown club looking to become known. Baby steps IMO

Edited May 17, 2022 by JimmyCant

[Heartsmad1874]

48 minutes ago, JAYEL said:

When will we know our opponents , is it just a few weeks before we play. ?
 

 

 

 

We'll know for sure on 1st August but  we'll get a rough idea of the likely opponents in the early rounds of Champions League/Europa League when teams drop down.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

14 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

I want us to progress in Europe year on year if it’s possible but we’ve got a coaching staff and playing staff with next to no experience of European football. It’s partly a learning process and we’re going to learn very little, if anything, getting thrashed out of sight by the likes of West Ham and PSV. Add to that the experience the likes of Ludogorets have in Europe and your looking at 6 defeats from 6 quite easily.

 

We’ve had two decent European campaigns in our entire history but the gap between us and teams regularly playing in Europe is much bigger now 

 

I think it will benefit us more playing in the Conference with similar types. More likely to pick up a few points, more money, co efficient points, experience of winning, better for the fans IMO.

 

We are not ‘truly a big club’ in this theatre. We’re a wee unknown club looking to become known. Baby steps IMO

 

I'm going to keep pointing out until I'm blue in the face that St. Johnstone, with no major changes to the playing staff to the one that finished 11th and will try to stay in the prem against ICT, got a result in Istanbul at Galatasary, which then went on to top their group over Lazio, Marseille, and Lokomotiv and got a result at the Camp Nou.

 

It is not reasonable to expect us to do any better than third in an EL group but nor is it unreasonable for us to believe that we might grab a famous draw here or there along the way. Our team that had a lead at Anfield for three minutes was no group of world-beaters.

 

Ludogrets play in a stadium that's a dead ringer for Firhill and have slightly more European experience than, say, Aberdeen. I'm not going to go toys oot the pram if we faceplant in the way Bongo inevitably will no matter what happens, but with the squad we have and the level of players I expect us to sign, a bit of dreaming is not out of order.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Led Tasso

[Tom Hardy’s Dug]

Do we know more of the teams in the pots yet. For example cup winners and those based on league placing?

[JimmyCant]

12 minutes ago, Led Tasso said:

 

I'm going to keep pointing out until I'm blue in the face that St. Johnstone, with no major changes to the playing staff to the one that finished 11th and will try to stay in the prem against ICT, got a result in Istanbul at Galatasary, which then went on to top their group over Lazio, Marseille, and Lokomotiv and got a result at the Camp Nou.

 

It is not reasonable to expect us to do any better than third in an EL group but nor is it unreasonable for us to believe that we might grab a famous draw here or there along the way. Our team that had a lead at Anfield for three minutes was no group of world-beaters.

 

Ludogrets play in a stadium that's a dead ringer for Firhill and have slightly more European experience than, say, Aberdeen. I'm not going to go toys oot the pram if we faceplant in the way Bongo inevitably will no matter what happens, but with the squad we have and the level of players I expect us to sign, a bit of dreaming is not out of order.

Reality - It’s what you wake up to after a dream.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

49 minutes ago, JimmyCant said:

Reality - It’s what you wake up to after a dream.

 

It is a reality, as documented above, that those are not unrealistic dreams.

[OTT]

Think Haring could be crucial to a successful run in Europe. 

 

The prospect of getting to play European football (likely the entire reason he signed for us) must be huge. It will be a bitter blow if we lose him now. 

 

Really looking forward to seeing Hearts in Europe properly, rather than getting slapped down in the qualifiers by some English financial juggernaut

[ModJambo]

Seeing as we only know our opponents a couple weeks before the first tie, what is everyone's plans for booking flights etc?

 

Carriers will probably bump the prices off.

 

I'm wondering if it would be savvier to book multiple potential opponents before the draw and then cancel the ones outside of who we get.

 

Does anyone know if that would be possible with a lot of plane companies?

[Jeff]

Just now, ModJambo said:

Seeing as we only know our opponents a couple weeks before the first tie, what is everyone's plans for booking flights etc?

 

Carriers will probably bump the prices off.

 

I'm wondering if it would be savvier to book multiple potential opponents before the draw and then cancel the ones outside of who we get.

 

Does anyone know if that would be possible with a lot of plane companies?

 

Book from down south or book to a city nearbyish is probably the way forward. Really depends who we draw though.

[davemclaren]

2 minutes ago, ModJambo said:

Seeing as we only know our opponents a couple weeks before the first tie, what is everyone's plans for booking flights etc?

 

Carriers will probably bump the prices off.

 

I'm wondering if it would be savvier to book multiple potential opponents before the draw and then cancel the ones outside of who we get.

 

Does anyone know if that would be possible with a lot of plane companies?

Not many ( any ) do free cancellation. 

[ModJambo]

Just now, davemclaren said:

Not many ( any ) do free cancellation. 

Yeah had a quick look on ryanair and easyJet there and it looks as if they're steengy about people cancelling.

 

Other options would be to fly somewhere close to who we get and get a train/bus, which are usually peanuts in continental Europe.

[ModJambo]

11 minutes ago, Steak said:

 

Book from down south or book to a city nearbyish is probably the way forward. Really depends who we draw though.

 

Newcastle/Manchester will surely have decent options.

[LarrysRightFoot]

Whilst I’d love a run in European competition (get out of the group stages) I’m dreaming of drawing the likes of Lazio, Man U, Feyenoord (avenge that lucky victory they got over us 😉)

[Thought Police]

Some of the confirmed teams in the Europa League group stage are magic and would be a class away trip.

 

Man United

Arsenal

Lazio

Roma

Betis

Sociedad

Nantes

Union Berlin