The Dubrovnik conspiracy.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Yes, it's about the glory of my eyes seeing the Villa win The Cup.
However, just to clear up in advance for those of you dreaming of Europe even if we fall at the final hurdle. 



  UEFA TEP strategy meeting, Dubrovnik Croatia. September 2013.

`Gentleman, we must do everything in our power to stop Aston Villa`.

In response to another request by the member associations, the UEFA Executive Committee agreed that the UEFA Club Competitions Committee should make the necessary regulatory changes to allow the best-placed non-qualified domestic championship club to enter the UEFA Europa League from the 2015/16 season, rather than the domestic cup runners-up, should the domestic cup winners also qualify for the UEFA Champions League via the final championship standings.

Bloody eurocrats ! It's enough to make ya vote for Farage I tell ya !

Seriously though. WE HAVE TO WIN IT !

http://www.uefa.org/about-uefa/executive-committee/news/newsid=1999120.html

[wozwebs]

2015/16 that though

[Dave]

2015/16 that though

I assume he's talking about when we have to defend our trophy next year.

[Brend'Watkins]

I don't want us in the Europa Cup.  It's a nonsense of a competition in it's current format.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

2015/16 that though

I assume he's talking about when we have to defend our trophy next year.

2015/16 Europa competition. In other words, the qualifiers for next seasons Europa from this seasons domestic competitions.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I don't want us in the Europa Cup.  It's a nonsense of a competition in it's current format.

Indeed. Let's just win the FA Cup and refuse to enter the Europa League. That'll learn them.

[DeKuip]

No arguments from me on this. UEFA have got it right, even if it is us that suffers through it this year.

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't want us in the Europa Cup.  It's a nonsense of a competition in it's current format.

It is a competition absolutely ruined by the desire to squeeze television money out of it.

Having said that, I used to like watching us in that competition. I like night games, which helps, but there was some entertaining stuff to be seen (if you forget about the existence of Rapid Vienna, obviously).

That Ajax match was great, and I even enjoyed the matches against teams we'd never heard of from grim Eastern European mining towns.

Then we had that Odense game which was the first time I've ever been sunburned at a football match in this country, it was played so early.

[itbrvilla]

I don't want us in the Europa Cup.  It's a nonsense of a competition in it's current format.

It is a competition absolutely ruined by the desire to squeeze television money out of it.

Having said that, I used to like watching us in that competition. I like night games, which helps, but there was some entertaining stuff to be seen (if you forget about the existence of Rapid Vienna, obviously).

That Ajax match was great, and I even enjoyed the matches against teams we'd never heard of from grim Eastern European mining towns.

Then we had that Odense game which was the first time I've ever been sunburned at a football match in this country, it was played so early.

That was the one when Bouma's foot came off wasn't it?

I think the trains were off too and ended up walking Lichfield Road back to town.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

I don't think we are strong enough to have a serious tilt at the Europa League, and (assuming we don't spend big in the summer).  It doesn't seem to have done Everton much good domestically.

[OCD]

I don't think we are strong enough to have a serious tilt at the Europa League, and (assuming we don't spend big in the summer).  It doesn't seem to have done Everton much good domestically.

It's badly affected teams for years - Everton, Swansea, Newcastle etc. You spend a season trying to get there and then when you do, it proves to be an albatross around your neck. It would be getting way too ahead of ourselves to take seriously at this point but you either need a strong squad or to play weakened teams in it to ensure league form isn't impacted.

[Des Little]

Avoid the Europa League at all costs.  We'd only get done by Rapid Vienna again. 

[tomd2103]

I'm sure that when Rangers and Fulham got to the Europa final, they had played over twenty games in the competition.  In league terms, that's over half a season, which is ridiculous. 

They should make it different to the Champions League and have two legged ties throughout.

[dave.woodhall]

Ah, but then you get clubs drawn in places like Bruges and they take twenty thousand.

[dave.woodhall]

I'm sure that when Rangers and Fulham got to the Europa final, they had played over twenty games in the competition.  In league terms, that's over half a season, which is ridiculous. 

They should make it different to the Champions League and have two legged ties throughout.

Bordeaux played twenty to get to the 1996 final, via the Intertoto.