Do players really need Champions League football?

SocccerNomics

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Pertinant to ourselves, but Chelsea and Liverpool too - is there any real reason (monetary or otherwise) why a player would pick a club in next season's Champions League over one who isn't?

I suspect it's just an excuse used to justify a move for more money. And I don't buy the increased profile argument given the limited TV audiences for games other than the final outside Europe compared to the huge coverage Premier League games get globally.

Can anyone think of an example where a player needed CL experience to get in his national team?
 
Man, BT Sport really have killed it for the next generation, haven't they
 
Signing to a CL team doesn’t guarantee more money. For an ambitious player (99%) it is only natural that they want to play with the best, against the best in the best competitions.
 
Put it this way, do you think many players will choose Tottenham or Leicester if us or Chelsea are also in for them?
 
I think its massively over stated in terms of having to be in it to attract talent. However its still an attraction and there are bound to be players who are desperate to play in it and would let that dictate a move.
 
Sandikan said:
Put it this way, do you think many players will choose Tottenham or Leicester if us or Chelsea are also in for them?
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While this is true, i think a player would now choose city over us or chelsea because of cl football.
 
Someone will bring up how a player would much rather play West Ham than for Celtic .It always happens ,no matter how illogical that one is.

All things equal,a club that is consistently (key word here) playing in the UCL will attract better players than one without.
 
In regards to a club most likely never being in the CL again, or very rarely being in it, then yes, I think it is probably important for a player and decisive for him not choosing said club.

But when it comes to a club like ours that most often will be in it, and anyone that signs for us this year probably only are looking on one year out of it, then no. It shouldn't be a deal killer at all.
 
Sandikan said:
Put it this way, do you think many players will choose Tottenham or Leicester if us or Chelsea are also in for them?
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Of course not, Spurs and Leicester combined prob have about 25% of our wage budget, we'd easily price them out of it. It just so happens that usually the Champions League clubs are also the highest playing clubs so easier than a player admitting he's moving club ti earn more money. Next season will see that order restored I feel.

Obviously the top, top players don't want to be togging out on a Thursday night in Kazakhstan or wherever, but I think we'll surprise a few of the Champions League sides who will look at our signings and think "We could do with him in our side"
 
if you were a footballer... Whould you want to play against the best in europe?
 
CL football means exposition and exposition means money.
 
Sandikan said:
Put it this way, do you think many players will choose Tottenham or Leicester if us or Chelsea are also in for them?
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That actually proves the value of the UCL though .

The fact that Chelsea have been consistently in it for years means they will attract more talent. If Spurs and Leicester qualified for the next 10 years,it would be the same with them too

It's far too simplistic to ask the question you raised.
 
ManUchosenbosslvg said:
Of course not, Spurs and Leicester combined prob have about 25% of our wage budget, we'd easily price them out of it. It just so happens that usually the Champions League clubs are also the highest playing clubs so easier than a player admitting he's moving club ti earn more money. Next season will see that order restored I feel.

Obviously the top, top players don't want to be togging out on a Thursday night in Kazakhstan or wherever, but I think we'll surprise a few of the Champions League sides who will look at our signings and think "We could do with him in our side"
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Why is it this myth is going around, like CL is only played in Western Europe while EL is a tournament for Eastern European teams? There's usually two Russian and Ukranian clubs in the CL every season, and BATE Borisov from Belarus have also qualified alot in recent years, and speaking of Kazakhstan, they also had a team in the CL last season, Astana.
 
For a team with no hope of seeing CL football over the course of several seasons it could hurt them for some players. But if you look to be just going to miss one season, then be back in it, probably matters less. No really simple answer since every situation could be somewhat different based on the club, the player, the position of the player, which way the club seems to be moving (up or down the table), the players family, his age, etc etc etc
 
I think CL football is indeed a factor in players determining where they play... However, I also think players aren't stupid & don't sign a 5 year contract with 1 year in their mind. For example would a player sign for Leicester over United because they have CL football & you guys don't? No, because they know Leicester are likely a one season wonder team & they know United will spend mass amounts of money to get back into the CL ASAP.

Saying that, if you had an option of City or United currently, same money offered etc., both got top managers, then I could see CL having a swaying effect. Personally see us as the more attractive proposition than you guys as it stands this year.
 
Lurpak99 said:
Why is it this myth is going around, like CL is only played in Western Europe while EL is a tournament for Eastern European teams? There's usually two Russian and Ukranian clubs in the CL every season, and BATE Borisov from Belarus have also qualified alot in recent years, and speaking of Kazakhstan, they also had a team in the CL last season, Astana.
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I don't think it's a myth, when I think of the Champions League I picture a sunny evening infront of 90,000 in the Nou Camp, some of the best players in the World demonstrating their talent, the highest echelons of the beautiful game.

Then when I think if the Europa League, I can only see a hovering smog created by flares obscuring your view of the pitch, line markings hastily cleared of snow, players that clearly don't fancy it after the long haul flight, the weekend match on their mind, wearing gloves to fight the cold and playing in the hope they don't get abused by the crowd, and all in front of a few skinheads and their dog.

I think it's the difference in prestige of the 2 tournaments, I think the worst Champions League team still earns twice what the winners of the Europa receive. I do think they've gone some way towards addressing it by letting the winners get into the Champions League the following season, although it may devalue the Europa as a tournament itself.
 
If all things were equal, like pay and what city. I think a lot of smaller teams would be a lot better. Teams in Croatia, Ukraine would suddenly be a lot better.

You think 99% of the players dream of stoke or west brom. They don't care at all. But they pay the best, that's why they go. Same goes for CL and no CL. Weve signed world xi players to no CL cause they don't care. Why don't players sign for Shaktar or Ajax if they really care about CL, it's cause they don't. They just want to be paid.
 
I think its a bunch of over-hyped nonsense. Players join clubs to win trophies, earn cash and to enhance their profile. You can do all three of those at Utd which is why we are probably top 5 in the world for 'player pulling power'. If the CL were so important, as we are led to believe, why dont players go on about dreaming of playing for Ajax, Sevilla, Kobenhaven, Basel etc...

Obviously the longer you spend outside of the CL, the greater the impact on those three 'pulls' i.e. loss of revenue, loss of "profile" and the obvious fact that you wont win the CL joining a team who are not in it!
 
nokillingmoths said:
While this is true, i think a player would now choose city over us or chelsea because of cl football.
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I wonder if that wasn't already usually the case even if we were both in it.

VP being a standout exception to that
 
Lentwood said:
I think its a bunch of over-hyped nonsense. Players join clubs to win trophies, earn cash and to enhance their profile. You can do all three of those at Utd which is why we are probably top 5 in the world for 'player pulling power'. If the CL were so important, as we are led to believe, why dont players go on about dreaming of playing for Ajax, Sevilla, Kobenhaven, Basel etc...

Obviously the longer you spend outside of the CL, the greater the impact on those three 'pulls' i.e. loss of revenue, loss of "profile" and the obvious fact that you wont win the CL joining a team who are not in it!
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Exactly, Schweinsteiger nearly trebled his amount of twitter followers when he joined us, even if Mourinho does try to get rid of him as rumoured, he has still increased his profile and earning potential with endorcements and commercial activity by signing for Manchester United.
 
It's a good point to be fair.

Sure, you get to play against the best teams in the world, travel to some amazing stadiums, probably get slightly more money.. However, there are very few teams in the competition these days who are capable of winning it (bar the odd fluke win every 8-10 years or so). So, a chance of winning the Champions League is still generally restricted to less than 10 sides in Europe.

If you're going to a side to win trophies, you're going to pick the one with the most chance of winning their domestic competitions. However, this is again rare that those teams are not already in the Champions League. Size of club will always matter the most when you think of sides like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and ourselves. At the moment, its all just an odd scenario where we are no longer clearly the best side in England, even if we're still the biggest. If it was any other decent team who haven't managed to be in the UCL somewhat consistently, players would be less likely to join them regardless. For example, we still have more pulling power than Leicester, and maybe still more than Spurs and Arsenal, despite them all being in the Champions League.

As for the final point, I think the type of player matters a lot. If you're one of the worlds best players, you need that kind of stage to perform on. Some lesser and/or young players will want to work harder for that opportunity to play against the best, as they won't get to do it often or for very long if they're really not good enough. Players in-between are the least likely to care.
 
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