Why is European qualification so coveted?

[Hibbyradge]

If we finish fourth, we'll have games in July. We'd have 3 ties to get through before the group stages.

Third place and we'd have 2 ties.

(The Cup winners go straight into the final play off round so these could change depending on the finalists.)

We have zero chance of winning the Europa Cup and little hope of getting to the group stages.

So, apart from a jolly for the few fans who can afford to go to Azerbaijan or Hercegovina or wherever, what's the big deal for the club?

I want Hibs to finish as high up the league as possible, but should we really be getting excited about European qualification?

[CropleyWasGod]

Only those with a wee team mentality would ask such a question.

To answer it, though, money and kudos.

[blackpoolhibs]

Personally for me its the jolly up, hopefully a couple of them. It also means we are getting better, as to qualify for europe, the team have to win more than they lose.

Europe means the club is doing better than recent seasons, so a jolly up and progress. Everything i look for in supporting Hibs.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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I want Hibs to finish as high up the league as possible, but should we really be getting excited about European qualification?

I said something last year along the lines of the race to qualification for Europe is just a race to humiliation.

There'll be 3 non-OF teams playing against teams we've never heard of in July and at least one of them will take a pumping - more likely 2 out of the 3, especially if Raith or Ross County make the Cup Final.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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To answer it, though, money and kudos.

If you have to play the inter-toto rounds you struggle to break-even. I think I read that Motherwell were making a loss this year until they drew Steau Bucharest - they had to cut costs by travelling to London by bus to catch the flight to Azerbaijan (or wherever).

Kudos is also knackered after you lose 1-0 to Llanelli.

[The_Todd]

It's nice to get competitive matches against someone other than the usual 11 suspects we play at least 3 times a season, breaks up the monotony a bit.

Depending on who we play, a great night under the floodlights against decent opposition. Ok, we'll likely get humped but it's still an experience for us and the players.

[blackpoolhibs]

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If you have to play the inter-toto rounds you struggle to break-even. I think I read that Motherwell were making a loss this year until they drew Steau Bucharest - they had to cut costs by travelling to London by bus to catch the flight to Azerbaijan (or wherever).

Kudos is also knackered after you lose 1-0 to Llanelli.

So whats the point in bothering?

[Craig_in_Prague]

I thought 3rd place meant 1 tie, and 4th place 2?

Its a sign of progress, a chance to have some special nights... Aberdeen had Bayern Munich recently and some other great ties.

We might get nice draws and get into the Europa league, we have to push for that, excellent experience for the players, money into the club, some trips for the fans.
The more frequently we get 3rd/4th, the better chance we'll also go slightly better in the Europa league.

Basically, the whole clubs profile then gets better, which means keeping good players + scope to attract decent players.

[heidtheba]

You never know what might happen. Yeah you might get bent over by some wee team (insert obvious joke here) but then there's always the chance of a scoreline, even temporary, like

Raith Rovers 1 Bayern Munich 0

[Hibbyradge]

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So whats the point in bothering?

That's what I asked.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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So whats the point in bothering?

I'm not really sure. I think that's a point HibbyRadge is making as well.

It's worth it if you can get into the group stages (or further) and draw a Bayern Munich or the likes (like Aberdeen did).

[Hibbyradge]

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I thought 3rd place meant 1 tie, and 4th place 2?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2..._Europa_League

[blackpoolhibs]

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That's what I asked.

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I'm not really sure. I think that's a point HibbyRadge is making as well.

It's worth it if you can get into the group stages (or further) and draw a Bayern Munich or the likes (like Aberdeen did).

It has to be the progress the club is making. If we can do it regularly, we surely will get better at it, with hopefully more revenue we will get better players. Thats surely the plan. Oh and the jolly ups are always good.

[CropleyWasGod]

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If you have to play the inter-toto rounds you struggle to break-even. I think I read that Motherwell were making a loss this year until they drew Steau Bucharest - they had to cut costs by travelling to London by bus to catch the flight to Azerbaijan (or wherever).

Kudos is also knackered after you lose 1-0 to Llanelli.

Okay, modify my answer by inserting the word "potential".



Having said that, there have been some magical European nights in the past..... Napoli, Leeds, AEK... and there is a certain romantic mythology that is built up. I think that that contributes to the drive for it.

[Jack]

All good reasons above but what I cant understand is how the fans would be able to afford to go to the away games.
Just how do the fans of clubs who regularly reach the later stages do it?

[Erinfly]

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2..._Europa_League

Best case scenario then is if Hibs finish 3rd and Celtic beat Utd in the final we go straight into the cup winners slot meaning 1 knockout round to get into the europa league proper! Seems worth it to me...

[Hibbyradge]

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Best case scenario then is if Hibs finish 3rd and Celtic beat Utd in the final we go straight into the cup winners slot meaning 1 knockout round to get into the europa league proper! Seems worth it to me...

Wouldn't United go into the cup winner's place?

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Wouldn't United go into the cup winner's place?

Only if the win the Cup? If they lose the Final (or whoever loses it) should get the 5th best qualifying route.

That's my opinion BTW, not what the actual facts are.

[Nakedmanoncrack]

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If we finish fourth, we'll have games in July. We'd have 3 ties to get through before the group stages.

Third place and we'd have 2 ties.

(The Cup winners go straight into the final play off round so these could change depending on the finalists.)

We have zero chance of winning the Europa Cup and little hope of getting to the group stages.

So, apart from a jolly for the few fans who can afford to go to Azerbaijan or Hercegovina or wherever, what's the big deal for the club?

I want Hibs to finish as high up the league as possible, but should we really be getting excited about European qualification?

You are right, merely qualifying for Europe means nothing to me, the acheivement is to finish high in the league, Europe is a reward for that. If you get into Europe for merely finishing 4th, 5th, for losing a cup fina, or the biggest joke of them all; via the fair play place, l it's totally worthless.

[blackpoolhibs]

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You are right, merely qualifying for Europe means nothing to me, the acheivement is to finish high in the league, Europe is a reward for that. If you get into Europe for merely finishing 4th, 5th, for losing a cup fina, or the biggest joke of them all; via the fair play place, l it's totally worthless.

Not if you take advantage of it? We might get lucky and get an easy draw, and get through to the next round, were we get a huge club, and make a few bob. We just dont know, so i'd rather we were in than out.

[Shaggy]

For me a jolly is good enough,
I just want more of the atmosphere like it was at Bolton last summer... and that was just a friendly !!

The biggest Hibs racket since the CIS !
more of that please

[heretoday]

Qualification for Europe means at least one big night at ER which brings in cash too. Some of us can remember when these were regular affairs and eagerly looked forward to, although to be honest Hibs had only slightly more chance of winning a Euro trophy then than they do now.

It might persuade one or two "stars" to stay another year at Hibs. And it's a prestige thing to wave at our neighbours.

[MSK]

If we could replicate nights such as the game at Easter Rd v AEK Athens then i am all for it...the atmosphere that night was unbelievable, the place was absolutley rocking...more nights like that please ..

[Sean1875]

Attract more players to the club? Much more likely to come to a club in Europe.

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Attract more players to the club? Much more likely to come to a club in Europe.

Most Scottish sides are out before the transfer window closes though.

And although I agree with the atmosphere being great v AEK Athens the more recent European games we've had have been against Elfsborg and that Danish team that we played on Sunday afternoons with a wee crowd and no atmosphere sometime in July.

Having said all that I do want us to qualify for Europe!

[freddie m]

Getting to the group stages would be a massive incentive for the Hibs, considering the financial situation of a lot of teams in Scotland, and our excellent financial position then Hibs unlike other clubs would be able to strengthen our clubs infrastructure more, this includes player acquisitions, when compared to our rivals. Who knows this in itself may get us closer to that Scottish cup success that we all crave, even if it does not one would expect Hibs to be able to consolidate our position in the top three at least.
Glory glory

[MWHIBBIES]

You cant realy say we hve zero chance,look at fulham.
Also if we get a team like roma valencia or wender breman it would be a great night at ER like when aberdeen got bayern and they drew 2-2.

[Frazerbob]

To be honest a wee jolly to to some countries that end in "stan" is the reason I want European football as often as possible. If we get that and maybe a wee glamour tie like the Anderlecht game then it's all been worthwhile IMO.

Unfortunately, getting dumped in the first tie by a Vetra or a Elfsbourg is more likely for us.

[Hibster]

Its all about making progress and players gaining useful experience. Who cares if we have no chance of winning it, we don't have any chance of winning the SPL either. A couple of games against a team from the continent will be a lot more worthwhile than a couple of games against the likes of Motherwell and Kilmarnock though

Yeah we'll probably lose in the first couple of rounds if we qualify this year, but if we've got any ambitions as a club we have to be qualifying for Europe on a regular basis.

[boomtownhibby]

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If we finish fourth, we'll have games in July. We'd have 3 ties to get through before the group stages.

Third place and we'd have 2 ties.

(The Cup winners go straight into the final play off round so these could change depending on the finalists.)

We have zero chance of winning the Europa Cup and little hope of getting to the group stages.

So, apart from a jolly for the few fans who can afford to go to Azerbaijan or Hercegovina or wherever, what's the big deal for the club?

I want Hibs to finish as high up the league as possible, but should we really be getting excited about European qualification?

i can't believe you have came out with something like that