Unai Emery

[dave.woodhall]

What's more important these days - winning a cup or playing in the Champions League? And more pertinently, which would our new fans prefer?

[algy]

What's more important these days - winning a cup or playing in the Champions League? And more pertinently, which would our new fans prefer?

This is what I've been saying.  Personally, I'd prefer us to win the FA Cup.  However, realistically Emery would be absolutely insane to priortise anything above a top 4 finish in the league.  The trophies will come if you consistently finish in the Champions League places season after season.  You can't say the same about the reverse of that statement.

[paul_e]

What's more important these days - winning a cup or playing in the Champions League? And more pertinently, which would our new fans prefer?

More important - Champions League - it's easily the biggest driver of revenue growth in the sport.
What fans want - Silverware - winning stuff is what really matters.

That said if we have to choose between the 2 for the next couple of seasons I'd go with regular top 4 finishes without any question because that increases our chances of competing long-term so naturally leads to more chances at silverware, whereas winning a cup (except for the Europa league) doesn't really give you anything to make things easier going forward.

[lovejoy]

There’s a lot of chatter on here moaning that the tabloid media, sky talksport are spouting bollocks and winding themselves up about unsettling Emery. The answer is simple, just don’t listen or watch that shit.  They have hours to fill and it’s basically pub bores chatting away with no insight anyway.
There’s no point in boosting their ratings, getting annoyed then coming on here to amplify the bullshit.

[johnc]

In reality though anyone who is regularly playing CL is also winning trophies.

[trinityoap]

Both, so far as this old-timer is concerned Dave. Of course I realise how important European football is to us, especially Champions League but like most supporters I have never seen us win the FA Cup,(don't  really remember watching it on TV in 57) so would love to see us win that before I peg it.  Suppose I could put up with being European Champions again though.

[kippaxvilla2]

So Eddie interesting Howe said he was very happy at Newcastle despite Man United links.  What did Unai say?  Or was he even asked?

[Sexual Ealing]

So Eddie interesting Howe said he was very happy at Newcastle despite Man United links.  What did Unai say?  Or was he even asked?

Genuinely, why would they ask him about some mid-table vacancy that's only going to be filled by a coach well below his level?

[kippaxvilla2]

Ah I see - so they asked another mid table coach about another mid table job instead - I see where you are coming from.

[kippaxvilla2]

Not that I like the Manc pratt normally but Noel Gallagher was on Talksport yesterday and put that gobshite Goldstein in his place.  Gallagher said they were all living in the past and that Emery joining them would be like him leaving Oasis for the Libertines.

[kippaxvilla2]

Also on Talksport yesterday a caller said to Keown 'Keown is to impartiality what Ronnie Corbett was to basketball.' Which I found highly amusing.

[Sexual Ealing]

Not that I like the Manc pratt normally but Noel Gallagher was on Talksport yesterday and put that gobshite Goldstein in his place.  Gallagher said they were all living in the past and that Emery joining them would be like him leaving Oasis for the Libertines.

I can see one flaw in his otherwise robust argument.

Edit. Oasis are WITHOUT DOUBT the Manchester United of British music. All they have in their favour is heft. They are a bloated, 90s relic, a staggering punchdrunk white elephant that inexplicably still makes money for the sponsors. There was never much magic there to begin with but it's long since disappeared up its dynamically-priced fundament. The parallels are exact.

Edit edit. And nowhere near as internationally popular as they'd have you believe.

[kippaxvilla2]

Agree with that - although I had no idea who the Libertines were.  So just went with it.

[PeterWithe]

We'll jot you down as 'undecided' then.

[Monty]

The Libertines are Peter Ridsdale's Leeds: it seemed like a good idea at the time for reasons we can't understand now, and it was never built to last.