Will we qualify for the CL?

[Sdwbvf]

If we come top 5 and win Europa the Champions League place goes to Scotland from what I read on the BBC

[Dave]

If we come top 5 and win Europa the Champions League place goes to Scotland from what I read on the BBC

Think it's too early to know that. The spare place goes to the team in next years qualifying with the best UEFA coefficient. So they skip qualifying and just go straight to the league stage.

But at this stage, nobody knows who the teams in next years qualifying will be.

[PeterWithesShin]

While I obviously really hope it doesn't happen, the fact that a second tier side could be in it next season is quite funny.

[Dave]

While I obviously really hope it doesn't happen, the fact that a second tier side could be in it next season is quite funny.

Agreed. If nothing else, it'll play absolute ruddy hell with Championship fixture congestion with the number of midweek games they play.

[Smithy]

While I obviously really hope it doesn't happen, the fact that a second tier side could be in it next season is quite funny.

Agreed. If nothing else, it'll play absolute ruddy hell with Championship fixture congestion with the number of midweek games they play.

They'd play a minimum of 56 games in the season, assuming they go out of the domestic cup competitions after the first fixture.  They could EASILY play 60 games in one season.  Which sounds bonkers.  But I looked it up, and the record for a top flight club in the premier league era is Chelsea in 12/13, who played 69 games - which is insane.  Not only did they go far in every competition, they were reigning champions from the previous season which meant extra games in the Community Shield, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.  Insane.

[eamonn]

If we come top 5 and win Europa the Champions League place goes to Scotland from what I read on the BBC

Feels right. Hearts and the cuddly Old Firm have been in a threeway all-sesson.

[Goldenballs]

https://x.com/i/status/2045118345393934435

Thought this was quite interesting, albeit not surprising. We've made less than thr 35th ranked team in UCL prize money - Pafos (eliminated in league stage).

Just to add, it might be utter bollocks but I liked the graph.

[trinityoap]

So long as we qualify I really don't give a shit where anyone else finishes.

[Smithy]

https://x.com/i/status/2045118345393934435

Thought this was quite interesting, albeit not surprising. We've made less than thr 35th ranked team in UCL prize money - Pafos (eliminated in league stage).

Just to add, it might be utter bollocks but I liked the graph.

It makes sense, and demonstrates why simply qualifying for the Champions League is so important, commercially speaking.  You can have an average season in the Champions League and still clear £60m. Spurs have done over £80m despite going out in the first knock-out round.  Get to the semis, and you could be looking at £100m.  We could win an actual European tournament and earn less than a third of that. 

I don't want us building a club that RELIES on that money, but being in it more often than not for four or five seasons, will lift our profile such that our commercial income will start getting to the levels of the clubs we want to compete with every season.  Once we have that, a season missing out on the top 4 won't be the disaster it was last summer.

[algy]

We definitely want Man Utd to win this weekend imo. Keep that gap to 6th as large as possible. Regrettably I think the same is true of Liverpool v Everton, although a draw in either would be acceptable.

Everton win all day long. If Everton overtake us, we've massively fucked it anyway.

Let's have Chelsea and Liverpool panicking about the teams behind them as well as the teams ahead of them.

Absolutely this. Ideal (realistic) situation for me is:

1. Arsenal
2. Manc City (though truth be told I don’t care much who finishes higher of those)
3. Us
4. Manc Utd
5. Everton
6. Sunderland
7. Brighton
8. Bournemouth
9. Brentford
10. Liverpool
…
18. Wolves
19. Spurs
20. Chelsea because they’ve been deducted 100pts for being racist twats

[paul_e]

https://x.com/i/status/2045118345393934435

Thought this was quite interesting, albeit not surprising. We've made less than thr 35th ranked team in UCL prize money - Pafos (eliminated in league stage).

Just to add, it might be utter bollocks but I liked the graph.

It makes sense, and demonstrates why simply qualifying for the Champions League is so important, commercially speaking.  You can have an average season in the Champions League and still clear £60m. Spurs have done over £80m despite going out in the first knock-out round.  Get to the semis, and you could be looking at £100m.  We could win an actual European tournament and earn less than a third of that. 

I don't want us building a club that RELIES on that money, but being in it more often than not for four or five seasons, will lift our profile such that our commercial income will start getting to the levels of the clubs we want to compete with every season.  Once we have that, a season missing out on the top 4 won't be the disaster it was last summer.

I'm ok with everything in that graphic up until Marseille. All of the problems with the financial models of UEFA come from the sharp curve that comes after that. Almost all of those clubs (Newcastle are probably the biggest outlier, like we were last season) have been turned into powerhouses in their domestic leagues, eliminating most competition from them and turning the first 15-20 champions league places into, effectively, permanent slots with the only chance to fall out coming from a club being spurs level of comically shit. Aside from Newcastle I reckon most of those clubs will have made the champions league 20+ times this century and they will continue to be favourites for a place going forward.

Add in all the commercial benefits that come on top of that and this is a super league already, the only difference is that complete failure is still possible as things stand, just rare.