What's there to celebrate?

[football101]

I still don't understand why we didn't apply for Intertoto cup. All You have to do is play 2 additional matches against some rubbish Eastern European club and you are already in UEFA cup (as Blackburn probably will). Look no futher than newcastle. They went a long way through Intertoto last season.

Why oh why

[Ian Royal]

how on earth has this made 4 pages, please please don't give our fisherman anymore of a thrill

[papereyes]

I'm going to put it here, as it seems the only thread where this discussion is.

At first glance, Tottenham's cup commitments don't appear to have taken too heavy a toll on their season. After all, they still finished in fifth place, winning the 'best of the rest' award that is so applauded these days.


On closer inspection, though, the difficulties Spurs have faced are more obvious. Last term, in which they played just 40 games - the shortest season of any top-flight team - Spurs challenged for a Champions League place. Indeed, they were in pole position going into the last day. This season, Martin Jol's men were never in the running for the top four.


That's not intended to either criticise Spurs' performance this season, in which they performed admirably in more than one cup, or belittle their achievements last time out; merely to underline that the rigours of a European campaign can have a heavy toll on a squad. Spurs are far from the only example. In fact, every Premiership team that played in the UEFA Cup this season is in the same boat.


Blackburn have amassed nine points less than last year, and slipped four places down the league. West Ham topped that, missing last season's total by 14 points. Needless to say, they were nearly relegated, and parted company with their manager along the way. Newcastle, though, suffered the greatest loss of form, finishing 15 points and six places worse off than last season. It is widely accepted that the loss to AZ Alkmaar was the beginning of the end for Glenn Roeder.


More games mean a more difficult season. Stating the obvious? Perhaps. But how often are we told that UEFA Cup qualification is a necessity for any club hoping to build a credible challenge to the top four? "Qualifying for the UEFA Cup was a big part of what Big Sam and I have planned to take this club on to the next level," said Sammy Lee on Sunday. Lee, like most people, is convinced that European football is a bonus for a club.


In a way, it is. The point of football is to win things and to entertain your fans; Europe gives you the opportunity to do both. But that comes at a cost, and that cost is usually your league form. The teams in the tier below the big four do not have the squads required to sustain assaults on several fronts. Even the big four struggle to do so.


Qualifying for the UEFA Cup is an admirable achievement, if not as admirable as it was in the days before a fifth of the Premiership qualified for the Champions League. But all those who think it is a means to an end and a certain chance to improve a football club should tread warily - it is most definitely a double-edged sword.