Champions League draw....

[Pete]

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Yep that is actually repulsive - that's around £300,000 a week! In addition to that, it's reported that Manchester City will be signing him on a deal that's reported to be in the region of £60 million then it really is another sign as to how far removed elite football clubs are from reality.

Good luck to you if you can engineer a move that's going to earn you over £1 million every month but it's really wrong.

Professional sport has been far removed from reality for decades and it could be argued that football is just catching up.

[GreenLake]

Barcelona vs Bayer Leverkusen September 29th Nou Camp. Wife has a conference dinner so I get to fly solo. Player zone ticket bought from fcbarcelona.com. Easier than ordering a pizza.

[MWHIBBIES]

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As long as its names the Champions League then YES they do, its not called the runners up league or the 3rd/4th place League, its the tournament of Champions

If they deserved to be in it they'd qualify instead of getting dumped out by teams with a quarter of their budget every year. It is a tournament for the best teams in Europe, Celtic are far from being one of those.

[Bristolhibby]

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I'm not interested in analyzing the teams and their relative abilities but you're right about the money, self interest etc. What I do object to is the misnomer of Champions League.

It should be renamed the €-pean Cup!

J

[Bristolhibby]

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Yep that is actually repulsive - that's around £300,000 a week! In addition to that, it's reported that Manchester City will be signing him on a deal that's reported to be in the region of £60 million then it really is another sign as to how far removed elite football clubs are from reality.

Good luck to you if you can engineer a move that's going to earn you over £1 million every month but it's really wrong.

Is it any wonder with all the money sloshing about that the players (the people we pay to watch) want a bit of that sugar?

Normal behaviour IMO. No point being a martyr if you have the talent and some oligarch owned club wants to give you a guaranteed £60m.

J

[Scouse Hibee]

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Leaving aside my dislike of the Glasgow bigot brothers it is disgraceful that the Champions of Scotland (and other countries) are forced into qualifying rounds whilst teams from England, Italy, Germany and others who haven't had a sniff of being 'Champions' in their own country for years just sail right in.

It is all about money, Sponsorship and big business and is the main reason I have become bored of the Champions League. The group section has absolutely no attraction whatsoever for me and I'd honestly rather watch Dunfermline V St Johnstone or any other crappy Scottish game than this collection of teams with their snouts in the trough.

It gets a bit more interesting at the knockout stage but it's the same old teams all the time and despite the great players on show it has all just become a bit old hat and dull for me.

I agree, the champions of each league should be straight in, the teams that finish 2nd,3rd & 4th should be playing qualifiers to join them.

[bigwheel]

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I agree, the champions of each league should be straight in, the teams that finish 2nd,3rd & 4th should be playing qualifiers to join them.

would that be for all leagues..Wales, Andorra, Lithuania etc??

[Scouse Hibee]

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would that be for all leagues..Wales, Andorra, Lithuania etc??

As daft as it may sound yes, it's called the Champions league so why not, imagine the financial boost for some of those smaller clubs rather than the already massively cash rich clubs.

[bigwheel]

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As daft as it may sound yes, it's called the Champions league so why not, imagine the financial boost for some of those smaller clubs rather than the already massively cash rich clubs.

I like the principle, but it's hard to think that the winner of the Welsh league should get in before (say) Real Madrid....In some ways, I think it is fairer now - Celtic are clearly not good enough to mix it with the big boys - so they fail to qualify. As I say though, I do like the principle.

[Scouse Hibee]

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I like the principle, but it's hard to think that the winner of the Welsh league should get in before (say) Real Madrid....In some ways, I think it is fairer now - Celtic are clearly not good enough to mix it with the big boys - so they fail to qualify. As I say though, I do like the principle.

Yeah it's a thought of fantasy really but just so fed up with the same tired format every year.

[bigwheel]

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Yeah it's a thought of fantasy really but just so fed up with the same tired format every year.

Agree 100% with that...to be honest, I'd prefer they just all head off and actually have a European league, so we (and other countries) can have a genuine competitive league with the teams that remain. And I'd love Celtic struggling around the lower divisions too :)

[PeeJay]

Lot of people hung up on the "Champions" wording, but this is from the official history, dating back to 1955:

"The tournament initiated by L'Equipe did not stipulate that the participating teams had to be champions of their country, but they invited clubs who they considered had the most fan appeal."

http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionslea...ub+competition

Personally, I'm quite happy with the format

[Kato]

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I like the principle, but it's hard to think that the winner of the Welsh league should get in before (say) Real Madrid....

Because if Real Madrid come second in their League they aren't "Champions" of anything.

[Hibernia&Alba]

The Champions League is the elite club competition in world football, which must surely mean it needs to have the best teams facing off. We can quibble about the name of the competition, but IMO there is no place for the Icelandic or Northern Irish champions at the expense of Real Madrid or Chelsea. Come on, Barcelona v Linfield isn't a contest between Europe's best, is it? Linfield would never even qualify for the Europa League, yet some people say they should be in the Champions League because they won the Northern Irish title, which is but a small step up from a pub league? Call it the European up, or perhaps something else, but as the premier competition in Europe it must be for the best only.

[Diclonius]

The same teams in the group stages, gorged on their own success, year after year. Boring.

[Scouse Hibee]

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The Champions League is the elite club competition in world football, which must surely mean it needs to have the best teams facing off. We can quibble about the name of the competition, but IMO there is no place for the Icelandic or Northern Irish champions at the expense of Real Madrid or Chelsea. Come on, Barcelona v Linfield isn't a contest between Europe's best, is it? Linfield would never even qualify for the Europa League, yet some people say they should be in the Champions League because they won the Northern Irish title, which is but a small step up from a pub league? Call it the European up, or perhaps something else, but as the premier competition in Europe it must be for the best only.

A look through the list of clubs doesn't tell me that the "best" are in it though.

[Hibernia&Alba]

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A look through the list of clubs doesn't tell me that the "best" are in it though.

There is always scope to tweak the format to ensure only the best are included, but a champions only competition would actually severely weaken it. Take out Real Madrid and Chelsea then replace them with the champions of Luxembourg and Iceland? Certainly look for the best possible way of ensuring that only the cream of the crop are competing. The likes of Luxembourg's champions just don't belong there.

[Scouse Hibee]

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There is always scope to tweak the format to ensure only the best are included, but a champions only competition would actually severely weaken it. Take out Real Madrid and Chelsea then replace them with the champions of Luxembourg and Iceland? Certainly look for the best possible way of ensuring that only the cream of the crop are competing. The likes of Luxembourg's champions just don't belong there.

But surely being champions of your own league and having the opportunity to play on the bigger stage with the associated wealth is the way to spread benefits rather than a handful of super clubs benefitting every year. The current formst has become so elitist. I know it will never happen just a bit of fun trying to think what could be done.

[bigwheel]

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But surely being champions of your own league and having the opportunity to play on the bigger stage with the associated wealth is the way to spread benefits rather than a handful of super clubs benefitting every year. The current formst has become so elitist. I know it will never happen just a bit of fun trying to think what could be done.

Mate, if you go down that road (champions only), Liverpool will never be in this competition again

[Scouse Hibee]

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Mate, if you go down that road (champions only), Liverpool will never be in this competition again

Possibly but 5 is a target few will reach. :-) All in my lifetime too, along with the rest of the trophies I've seen them win my Liverpool journey has been fulfilled. Just waiting on the Hibs reaching the same heights then I'll pack in watching footie.

[bigwheel]

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Possibly but 5 is a target few will reach. :-) All in my lifetime too, along with the rest of the trophies I've seen them win my Liverpool journey has been fulfilled. Just waiting on the Hibs reaching the same heights then I'll pack in watching footie.

that my friend will be a longer wait

[Hibernia&Alba]

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Possibly but 5 is a target few will reach. :-) All in my lifetime too, along with the rest of the trophies I've seen them win my Liverpool journey has been fulfilled. Just waiting on the Hibs reaching the same heights then I'll pack in watching footie.

You're waiting on Hibs to win the Champions League, SH? Are you immortal or something? Just winning the Scottish Cup would be mission accomplished.

[Scouse Hibee]

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You're waiting on Hibs to win the Champions League, SH? Are you immortal or something? Just winning the Scottish Cup would be mission accomplished.

No I'm a realist, any silverware on a regular basis will do,I've seen two league cups in my time watching Hibs, just crave for more.