UEFA Europa Conference League - Alkmaar, Legia and Zrinjski

[Lucky Eddie]

I don't consider it a major trophy.  Clearly it would be nice to win it and West Ham fans certainly enjoyed it, but there's no way I'd class a third-tier Euro competition as a major trophy.

It isn't a major trophy as the best clubs aren't in it

Get a grip people. Exactly how many trophies have we won since 1996?

we won the past incarnation of this Conference in 2001 - Intertoto remember ? No you'd forgotten , just like in 10 years this will be forgotten. But here and now its a route to the Europa League so that is a good target. I still prioritise the League and FA Cup above it though

 

Speak for yourself; I hadn't forgotten our Intertoto win and I'll never forget our recent trip to Edinburgh.

Lifes what you make it and me and mine are relishing european adventures once more.

I hope I have as much fun as when we won the European Cup of Traditions which I haven't forgotten about either.


 

[Dick Edwards]

Apart from the opportunity to win what is a rather attractive trophy, the ECL winners qualify for next season's Europa League, a competition that you'd otherwise have to finish sixth in the Premier League or win one of the domestic cups to get in to.

[Clampy]

Met a few Villa fans last night. One used to sell H&V but not a messageboard person. Very pleasant bloke. Tall…50ish, been to see Villa in USA and Australia.

I think he was called Steve…but I was a little drunk at the time.

Sounds like Steve Whitehouse.

[AV84]

Apart from the opportunity to win what is a rather attractive trophy, the ECL winners qualify for next season's Europa League, a competition that you'd otherwise have to finish sixth in the Premier League or win one of the domestic cups to get in to.

Also this allows us to win Europa next season and have all 3 European trophies in our cabinet. Man City will never do that!

[Somniloquism]

I don't think it was designed for clubs from small nations to win it. It was maybe partly done to give them a chance of a bit of a run but the fact the major nations all have a team in it, and that teams from the Europa drop into it, means that the odds of a small nation winning it are all but zero. By the QF stage any true minnows have gone.

Countries appearing in the two finals of the competition. Italy Twice, England once, Netherlands once. Definitely minnows.

[astonvilla82]

It's nothing like the Intertoto. Why do people keep saying that?

The official entry spot for English clubs into the Conference is winning the League Cup. So from the very first step of the 2 competitions they are nothing alike.

the tournament is designed for lower ranking UEFA nations to have a go at winning something - think Malta, Faroes, Kazaksthan etc . I don't think it was ever meant for the bigger nations to take it so seriously but they have

That much is true. It definitely wasn't designed for the likes of Roma or West Ham to win it.

First contested in the 2021–22 season, the competition serves as the bottom level of the Europa League, which was reduced from 48 to 32 teams in the group stage. The competition is primarily contested by teams from lower-ranked UEFA member associations.[1] No teams qualify directly to the group stage, with 10 teams eliminated in the Europa League play-offs and the rest coming from the Europa Conference League qualifiers

UEFA had reportedly considered adding a third-tier competition since at least 2015, believing that a bottom-level tournament could act as a means of giving clubs from lower-ranked UEFA member countries a chance of progressing beyond their customary elimination from the Champions League and Europa League.[3]

Make your own mind up, but that is the background.

For me it's akin to winning the plate at a football tournament - the competition to keep interest for the shitter teams.

That's not to say that anyone who may share this view doesn't want to win it, all the stuff about progress etc etc.  The benefits to us playing in it are obvious.  It's just some (a lot I'd bet) don't consider a third-tier competition to be a major trophy. 

I strongly suspect Jacob Ramsey feels the same, but he'll still do the bouncy trophy on the head photo if we win it.

Well Jacob should have asked his mates who played against Stevenage "why were you so shit lads,"

[Small Rodent]

Met a few Villa fans last night. One used to sell H&V but not a messageboard person. Very pleasant bloke. Tall…50ish, been to see Villa in USA and Australia.

I think he was called Steve…but I was a little drunk at the time.

Sounds like Steve Whitehouse.

Could well be.

I’ve just met another H&Ver Liam. It’s brilliant being here.

[frank black]

Have a great time guys (and girls of course), I’m jealous.

[edgysatsuma89]

This could make me a prick and I don't know if I'm a product of my age but I could not give a shit about the League Cup. Do any of the other big European leagues have 2 'league' cups? I understand that it sounds snobbish and it is our only recent silverware but it just doesn't get me excited, I can't manufacture it. It would also add more weight to the FA Cup but I get that it would mean fewer clubs tasting success so I understand it in that sense. It doesn't mean I'm still not pissed off Vidic wasn't sent off.

I am genuinely excited by this competition though so it means something to me now in a way the League Cup just doesn't. Maybe I'll think differently in ten years but I won't give a shit whilst I'm getting annoyed about where the new star is that our lion will be playing with.

[Percy McCarthy]

Met a few Villa fans last night. One used to sell H&V but not a messageboard person. Very pleasant bloke. Tall…50ish, been to see Villa in USA and Australia.

I think he was called Steve…but I was a little drunk at the time.

Steve Whitehouse.

[Percy McCarthy]

I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup, much as I’d prefer us to win the latter. It doesn’t interfere with the league games and has a much more exciting semi-final.

[edgysatsuma89]

I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup, much as I’d prefer us to win the latter. It doesn’t interfere with the league games and has a much more exciting semi-final.

Fair enough, Percy. I genuinely don't think I've ever heard anyone else have that opinion.

FA Cup semis at Wembley will always be a shit idea.

[Percy McCarthy]

I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup, much as I’d prefer us to win the latter. It doesn’t interfere with the league games and has a much more exciting semi-final.

Fair enough, Percy. I genuinely don't think I've ever heard anyone else have that opinion.

FA Cup semis at Wembley will always be a shit idea.

It’s a rare opinion for sure, but it is shared by The Villa Podcast, who convinced me. Also, I love midweek games as I take the night off for them. I finish work at 6 on Saturday mornings and am back in at 6 on Sunday morning so weekend games really fuck with my very limited time.

[edgysatsuma89]

I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup, much as I’d prefer us to win the latter. It doesn’t interfere with the league games and has a much more exciting semi-final.

Fair enough, Percy. I genuinely don't think I've ever heard anyone else have that opinion.

FA Cup semis at Wembley will always be a shit idea.

It’s a rare opinion for sure, but it is shared by The Villa Podcast, who convinced me.

Ahh, I only started listening to them about 3 months ago. Funny lads, even when I don't agree with them. I'll always love the Pep Guardiola rant.

[Martyn Smith]

I actually think the League Cup is better than the FA Cup, much as I’d prefer us to win the latter. It doesn’t interfere with the league games and has a much more exciting semi-final.

Fair enough, Percy. I genuinely don't think I've ever heard anyone else have that opinion.

FA Cup semis at Wembley will always be a shit idea.

Well, they gotta pay the mortgage for it somehow.

The Millennium Stadium is there, has the facilities and capacity, and is crying out to be used as a neutral semi-final venue, for both cups