UEFA Europa Conference League - Alkmaar, Legia and Zrinjski

[SamTheMouse]

I went to Prague for a week in 1995, and in some pubs the beer was 5p a pint. I lived like a king on about £20 for the week. Is there anywhere left still like that? If so, that's where I want to go.

Minsk?

A couple of mates and I were planning a trip there a few years ago for similar reasons, but then Lukashenko 'won' another election and it all started kicking off.

[cdward]

If we have genuine designs on Champions League, i think playing in the Europa (league or conference) is a great stepping stone.
It will give us european experience including the logistics of travelling, rotating and utilising a squad, and learning how to be savvy in home and away cup games.
Bring it on i say.
In the last 20 years the likes of Fulham and Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man U, and Arsenal have all reached the final.

[Drummond]

With all due respect but anyone who wanted us to stay in the Championship because it was more fun winning games against the likes of Rotherham, than testing ourselves at the elite level of the PL is an idiot.

I enjoyed that Championship run a lot more than anything for about 10 years before it. I'd also say I felt that shit about the Villa, that at times,going out of business seemed like a preferable option than having the existence that a few others have had.

I also wouldn't have blamed people for wanting to stay there, if we'd retained the same unambitious owners and managers, because let's face it, we circled the drain for a long time with no hope.

[ChicagoLion]

being competitive in the Championship is more fun than being cannon fodder for the PL. Thankfully it looks like those days are over.

[Toronto Villa]

With all due respect but anyone who wanted us to stay in the Championship because it was more fun winning games against the likes of Rotherham, than testing ourselves at the elite level of the PL is an idiot.

There were loads on here and elsewhere. It wasn't some Footy style lone wolf opinion.

Perhaps it was more in 2018 given who was managing and running us at the time but plenty didn't really want to go up and just lose most weeks in the prem.

Of course that's what happened in 19/20 but I think because we were so rubbish between 2011-16 people just thought that would be us for eternity at the top level rather than slowly establishing and then kicking on under ambitious owners like has happened.

I don't want to be digging up old threads from 4 years ago but I bet you there was one saying "do we really want to go up" and they'd be plenty saying no and would rather be a big fish in the championship.

Oh I’m sure. Speaking for myself, I hated every aspect of the Championship. The last thing I ever wanted was to continue to enjoy the shit served up in that division. And living out here it’s impossible to get games on TV unless you are the one game they have selected in the available services. Otherwise it was grainy footage via Iraq or some other shit server. So I can guarantee I wanted nothing to do with that poxy division.

[pauliewalnuts]

I went to Prague for a week in 1995, and in some pubs the beer was 5p a pint. I lived like a king on about £20 for the week. Is there anywhere left still like that? If so, that's where I want to go.

Minsk?

A couple of mates and I were planning a trip there a few years ago for similar reasons, but then Lukashenko 'won' another election and it all started kicking off.

A few years ago I worked somewhere where we had an outsourced development team in Belarus.

It was a nightmare to get to - two flights a week to Belarus, both from Gatwick and every now and then they’d detain our visiting staff at the airport and question them for hours. And i don’t mean a couple of hours, more like ten.

You were also only allowed to stay there three days too.

I never went (in fact i killed off the contract with them) but everyone i know who went proclaimed the err “outside work” entertainments to be top notch and said it was the absolute world capital of attractive women.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

With all due respect but anyone who wanted us to stay in the Championship because it was more fun winning games against the likes of Rotherham, than testing ourselves at the elite level of the PL is an idiot.

The best thing about the Championship is loads of games. European football will give us that, plus it will ensure we build a stronger and larger squad.

[eamonn]

With all due respect but anyone who wanted us to stay in the Championship because it was more fun winning games against the likes of Rotherham, than testing ourselves at the elite level of the PL is an idiot.

Don't worry, we released them on frees to TBAR that summer and they've never returned.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I went to Prague for a week in 1995, and in some pubs the beer was 5p a pint. I lived like a king on about £20 for the week. Is there anywhere left still like that? If so, that's where I want to go.

Minsk?

A couple of mates and I were planning a trip there a few years ago for similar reasons, but then Lukashenko 'won' another election and it all started kicking off.

A few years ago I worked somewhere where we had an outsourced development team in Belarus.

It was a nightmare to get to - two flights a week to Belarus, both from Gatwick and every now and then they’d detain our visiting staff at the airport and question them for hours. And i don’t mean a couple of hours, more like ten.

You were also only allowed to stay there three days too.

I never went (in fact i killed off the contract with them) but everyone i know who went proclaimed the err “outside work” entertainments to be top notch and said it was the absolute world capital of attractive women.

Mentioned before but an Israeli mate has an absolutely stunning Belarus girlfriend from Minsk. That amazing beauty and body soon loses its appeal when she opens her mouth, she's a foul mouthed racist scumbag. Horrible woman but she obviously thinks her views are normal which they may be in Belarus but they shocked me.

[Nev]

I'm a contrary fucker and want us to miss out on Europe this season because of all the games that get moved to a blasted Sunday. We can just qualify for the CL next season instead where the games are not played on Thursdays.

Of course, I don't really want to miss out. Any European qualification helps attract better players and brings more Kudos to the Club. And I'm likely to drive to more games which will help both liver and bank account.

[pauliewalnuts]

If we do get into Europe, I bet we then promptly get drawn against Rapid Fucking Vienna again.

Remember this the second time around?

[LeeB]

We managed to get ourselves knocked out by some shite down the years. Are NK Varteks still about?

[PeterWithesShin]

The Championship was shit, it nearly destroyed the club. Only reason there's fond memories is because of the last few months. Before going on the 10 game run we'd won 10 of the first 34 league games.

[Dave]

We managed to get ourselves knocked out by some shite down the years. Are NK Varteks still about?

Plus we managed to lose to Trabzonspor before they became good.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think I'm changing my mind on Europe, I now want the following three year plan:

23/24: Top 6 finish and WIN the FA Cup, qualifying for the Europa League
24/25: 5th and WIN the Europa League in Bilbao with Emery and his mates
25/26 Top 4, FA Cup WIN and 1/4 finals of the Champions League

That will do for starters..