Lennon ‘targeting Europa League group stages’

[andybev1]

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...ages-1-4745840

Neil Lennon has declared that Hibs are targeting the Europa League group stages, as the Easter Road side prepares for a second tilt at European football under the Northern Irishman. Hibs would have to navigate through four rounds, where they could quite feasibly come up against the likes of Sevilla, Besiktas and RB Leipzig, to make it to the group stages but Lennon says his team are targeting that “absolutely”. No club from Scotland has ever managed to overcome those four sets of qualifiers, but the fact that Republic of Ireland duo Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers have made it to the Europa League group stages means Lennon refuses to accept that Scottish teams outside of Celtic should give up to having European football right up until Christmas. ““You have to hit the ground running in Europe but the incentives are great. We’re targeting the group stage, absolutely,” he said. “When you see some of the clubs who are in it – it’s tough but not insurmountable.” “It’s not impossible but the timing makes it hard. A lot of teams are already well up to speed. “We’re back in on 18 June and hopefully the main business will be done by then. The Irish clubs did it on a summer season, they caught a few teams cold. There’s no doubt it’s an advantage. “If it was September we’d be rubbing our hands because five or six games into the league season, you’re bang at it. “Because it’s early, it’s difficult and you’re going to all corners of Europe in different weather and time zones. “You have to acclimatise very quickly and it’s interesting for a manager. “My team surprised me against Brondby two years ago when we beat them [away]. I knew I had a right good group then. “Unfortunately we went out on penalties but they were a very good side. Hopefully that experience will stand us in good stead this year.” • Neil Lennon was speaking at the SPFL Trust’s Annual Golf Day at The Carrick. All proceeds raised will be used towards mental health first aid training in Scottish football in partnership with the Chris Mitchell Foundation. For more information visit www.spfltrust.org.uk

Read more at: https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.c...ages-1-4745840

[Centre Hawf]

I can't see it. But I love that this isn't treated as a holiday opportunity and a glamorous tie, but as an opportunity to kick on another level as a club.

[Humo]

Even if it's not this season I genuinely believe we should be aiming for the group stages within the next 3 years.

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[andybev1]

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Even if it's not this season I genuinely believe we should be aiming for the group stages within the next 3 years.

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It really would be a massive money spinner, would maybe make up for the cash we are ot getting the tv companies.

[SouthMoroccoStu]

Got to admire Neil's optimism and the group stages would be a fantastic achievement for the club, a massive financial boost, grow the profile of the club and attract better players

But.....

I can't help but feel it would be extremely bad for our league and domestic cup campaigns

We don't have the squad depth to compete on the 2/3 fronts and maintain the league work we've gained last season. Imagine a great european performance followed up by losing to Livingstone or Hamilton who have had 8 days since their last game

Plus all the sunday games would hurt our boosted crowd numbers.

Ok ok, I'm a good and typical hibee, I can find the negative in anything.....

[Oscar T Grouch]

If we were to get to the group stages it would mean a €10mil boost to the club. Which in turn would boost the squad numbers. I love NLs drive and optimism about this and if anyone can do it he can. I will say it is almost an impossible task given our ranking and the teams we may have to beat to get there. Stranger things have happened though.

[HibeeHibernian4]

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Got to admire Neil's optimism and the group stages would be a fantastic achievement for the club, a massive financial boost, grow the profile of the club and attract better players

But.....

I can't help but feel it would be extremely bad for our league and domestic cup campaigns

We don't have the squad depth to compete on the 2/3 fronts and maintain the league work we've gained last season. Imagine a great european performance followed up by losing to Livingstone or Hamilton who have had 8 days since their last game

Plus all the sunday games would hurt our boosted crowd numbers.

Ok ok, I'm a good and typical hibee, I can find the negative in anything.....

I respectfully disagree (with the exception of the League Cup).

Our league form may take a dip pre-Christmas because of a hypothetical run to the Europa League group stages, but the benefits of playing in that competition would far outweigh the damage us sitting, say, 6th in the table because we can't fight on all fronts. I will personally look back far more fondly on a season where we won 4 ties in Europe and reached the group stages, earning millions in the process, over a 4th placed league finish.

The Scottish Cup doesn't start until January, after a two week winter break (which I disagree with but there we are), if we were knocked out of Europe in early December, there would hopefully be time to recover ahead of the Scottish Cup games.

[Stokesy's on fire]

This is exactly the kind of Ambition Hibs should be showing and this is why Neil Lennon is the right man for the job!

[CapitalGreen]

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But.....

I can't help but feel it would be extremely bad for our league and domestic cup campaigns

We don't have the squad depth to compete on the 2/3 fronts and maintain the league work we've gained last season. Imagine a great european performance followed up by losing to Livingstone or Hamilton who have had 8 days since their last game

and I for one wouldn't be that arsed if it was.

Reaching such a stage would be a tremendous achievement for the team and a great experience for the fans. Any loss of revenue due to poor domestic form would be made up from a run to the Europa group stages.

[Stranraer]

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This is exactly the kind of Ambition Hibs should be showing and this is why Neil Lennon is the right man for the job!

Agree 100%, Lenny is one in a million.

[Since90+2]

We would need to be very fortunate with the draw otherwise I'll can't see it.

[scooby]

We absolutely should have that ambition, and if the draws are kind to us there's no reason we can't do it.
Thank God we've got a manager who sets the bar high.

[Stokesy's on fire]

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We would need to be very fortunate with the draw otherwise I'll can't see it.

I don't care who we get i know Lennon will aim to beat any opponent put in front of us. We were really unlucky not to pit Brondby out and they were a very good Danish team. Have faith.

[bingo70]

People laughed at Lennon when he said we were the second best team in the country and although we never quite made it we got a hell of a lot closer to it than many so called experts expected.

I think we need to give Lennon the credit he deserves and if he thinks it’s achievable then it’s achievable.

[IGRIGI]

If we could reach the group stages and it was actually worth 10 million it would push us far above Aberdeen and Hearts financially for some time.

[danhibees1875]

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If we could reach the group stages and it was actually worth 10 million it would push us far above Aberdeen and Hearts financially for some time.

Aberdeen's revenue's are c. £6/7m a year more than ours at the moment (we should close that gap a bit this year though). They've brought in over £25m more than us over the last 5 years.

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be quite that easy. Although, it would definitely help.

[Since90+2]

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People laughed at Lennon when he said we were the second best team in the country and although we never quite made it we got a hell of a lot closer to it than many so called experts expected.

I think we need to give Lennon the credit he deserves and if he thinks it’s achievable then it’s achievable.

It's only achievable if the draw is kind. If we draw Seville for instance in the second round we will be going out no matter what Lennon does.

[bingo70]

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It's only achievable if the draw is kind. If we draw Seville for instance in the second round we will be going out no matter what Lennon does.

Of course.

But prior to the draw being made and before we draw one of these big teams then it is absolutely achievable. If we get a tough draw then it will obviously become more difficult but at this stage it’s achievable as proven by clubs smaller than us from worse leagues than us making it to the group stages.

[Keith_M]

TBF, Targeting is not the same as Expecting.


You should set your sights high, else why bother.

[bigwheel]

Great to hear..I
Hope the board continue to back him and help by getting in players before the qualifiers. They’ve been great so far so expect
To see
Some new faces ...

[.Sean.]

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Aberdeen's revenue's are c. £6/7m a year more than ours at the moment (we should close that gap a bit this year though). They've brought in over £25m more than us over the last 5 years.

Unfortunately, I don't think it will be quite that easy. Although, it would definitely help.

25 million is bonkers

[Onion]

If Lennon gets Hibs into the group stages of the Europa, we can kiss goodbye to any chance of hanging onto him. He'll be gone in a heartbeat. Would be an amazing achievement.

[Johnny_Leith]

Love the ambition. Take it one game at a time and see how we go. Really hope Boyle is fit for these games.

[Halifaxhibby]

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This is exactly the kind of Ambition Hibs should be showing and this is why Neil Lennon is the right man for the job!

Absolutely mate. Lot of people thought we wouldn't be still pushing for second in the league come the last game of the season. Obviously Neil knows the potential in there. As he says....if Irish teams can do it then there's no reason a Scottish club can't do it.

I admire his ambition and belief.

GGTTH
FTHMFC

[Michael]

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If Lennon gets Hibs into the group stages of the Europa, we can kiss goodbye to any chance of hanging onto him. He'll be gone in a heartbeat. Would be an amazing achievement.

Maybe. Didn't Calderwood get Aberdeen to the knockout stages?

[heretoday]

I like his positivity but I cannot honestly see us challenging the likes of Sevilla.

[hibsbollah]

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I like his positivity but I cannot honestly see us challenging the likes of Sevilla.

Hopefully we won't have to, it's all about the draw. Looking at it, about a third of the teams we have no chance against, another third we have a fighters chance at, and another third of the teams are from leagues I know nothing about, which probably means we have a fighers chance against those too.

How physically prepared the players are is key. I felt in previous European seasons we weren't at the races. I trust Lennon will have addressed this this time.

[Smartie]

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Hopefully we won't have to, it's all about the draw. Looking at it, about a third of the teams we have no chance against, another third we have a fighters chance at, and another third of the teams are from leagues I know nothing about, which probably means we have a fighers chance against those too.

How physically prepared the players are is key. I felt in previous European seasons we weren't at the races. I trust Lennon will have addressed this this time.

I totally agree, and I think there has been a tendency amongst those in Scottish football to accept defeat, poor preparation and mediocre results in this area.

It is music to my ears to hear that Lennon appreciates the importance of doing well in this competition and is working on being ready in plenty of time and having signings in place.

The state we were in going into that Malmo game was an absolute disgrace and we should never be in that kind of state ever again.

[johnbc70]

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Maybe. Didn't Calderwood get Aberdeen to the knockout stages?

They certainly made it to some kind of group stage, whether it's the same format now I am not sure.

[B.H.F.C]

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How physically prepared the players are is key. I felt in previous European seasons we weren't at the races. I trust Lennon will have addressed this this time.

I don’t think we need to worry too much about that side of it these days.

Making sure we have assembled a team to be competitive is the most important thing for me. Remember going to Malmo away and having Rowan Vine up front and Danny Handling on the right wing. Not that it got much better that season right enough. But having a bulk of our team in for the early rounds is huge.