Europa or nothing?

[Ronaldo's ego]

Nearly a decade since we’ve been anywhere near good enough to complete with Europe’s elite yet somehow still think we’re above Europa. It may be a second tier competition but it’s far closer to our level and it’s good competition to build a winning habit and bed in new players and system.

 

[e.cantona]

Those saying nothing are just clueless and ignorant.

If we can’t finish 4th we have to get Europa. Best chance to stop the trophy drought and at the same time get the all important coefficients. From 2024 the CL is extended to 36 teams and two of the spots will go to the highest non-qualified teams on the coefficients. Keeping our coefficients high will be our ticket to CL every season even if we fail to get top 4.

If the new rules were applied from next season, we would be getting one of those extra spots to CL. Why? Not because of our awesome performances in the CL over the last 5 years but because we’ve been going very deep in the Europa League. If we blank one season our coefficients will plummet and that blank will haunt us for the next 5 years. We would be overtaken by several other teams, making it highly improbable to get one of the extra spots. That would mean more years in the EL.

People need to get over their elitist and arrogant “we’re too good for Thursday” approach. Reality is that we aren’t. That’s our level currently. And the pros of being in Europa outweigh the cons comfortably.

I did not know this.

 

[MancunianAngels]

I would strongly argue that no other post-SAF manager was able to implement their ideas as quickly and heavily as LVG. I hated his philosophy but he absolutely had us thoroughly coached in it, to the point where I would recognise a clip of United playing as being from the LVG era within a few seconds. So yes, that's exactly what I mean about the benefits of training ground time.

If our new manager was able to get us playing their style of football as recognisably as LVG did within his first season then that would be a great starting point. I'd just hope that football doesn't make me want to stab my eyes out like LVG's did.

My main point is that playing an extra 6 games between September and December shouldn't hinder that development. If we qualify early, it could be as little as 4 with a relatively strong squad.

The new manager should, in theory anyway, be announced before the end of this season so he has time to develop an idea on style of play and then an entire summer to bring players in and have a full pre-season without a full international schedule.

This club needs to be in Europe, and needs to take whatever competition we're in seriously.