[Albion] Do you want us to qualify for the conference league

[Uh_huh_him]

I honestly don’t understand a mindset that thinks the Conference League is not good enough for us and therefore they would rather we didn’t qualify.

It’s still Europe fhs. It would be great fun for thousands of Brighton fans who actually enjoy seeing us play on the Continent, have a few mini-holidays, experience of non-English fan culture/bars etc, camaraderie with fellow travellers …

As for the squad, a bit of kudos, exposure to a potential wider fan base and of course UEFA prize money

So far, Chelsea have secured about €7m for reaching the semi-finals. That fee would double if they win.

Winner: €7m (£5.90m)
Runner-up: €4m (£3.37m)
Semi-finalists: €2.5m (£2.11m)
Quarter-finalists: €1.3m (£1.10m)

Round of 16: €800,000 (£674,135)
Reaching knockout round play-off: €200,000 (£168,533)
League-phase wins: €400,000 (£337,067)

League-phase draws: €133,000 (£112,075)

AND as @Frutos said, the only likely route we would ever have to qualify for the Champions League.

The Prize money would barely cover the additional costs and appearance/win bonuses.
But I would guess it would generate some additional sponsorship revenue.

In reality the profit from ECL would be less than being 2 places up the table (which we lost out on in our European season).

BUT, that isn't the point!!
As a way to develop, recruit and retain our players, it's absolute gold dust.
As an experience for our fanbase it will be immense.
Even those that can't travel, will have the opportunity to experience the buzz of a European night at home.

I absolutely loved every part of last season and want to experience it again.

 

[The Fits]

Without a doubt. We’d most certainly be favourites for it. You’d be insane not to want to be in that competition as a club who’s never won anything.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Out of all the competitions we can potentially play in as a PL team, it is the one we have the best chance of winning

Without a doubt. We’d most certainly be favourites for it. You’d be insane not to want to be in that competition as a club who’s never won anything.

It quotes like this that are probably the main reason I would consider not qualifying as a good thing. There's lots of 'a real chance of winning' stuff posted in this thread, and its just another example of raising expectations exceedingly high. So when we don't win it, or get to the semis or whatever, people will moan. When we fail to beat a team from Bulgaria, people will moan. Meanwhile it will undoubtedly have an impact on our league form, so people will moan. And I think it will all disrupt the progress of this manager and squad. Brentford, Fulham, they've had a few years with their manager building to this, they're probably at a better stage of their journey for a little European run. Or Palace will win the Cup and then Villa or Forest will get to enjoy the Conference League instead.

Overall I would like it, of course, because it will be fun playing all these other teams in far-flung corners of Europe. I voted yes in the poll. But I just worry it will become another yoke around Fab's neck.

 

[Bold Seagull]

We enter 3 competitions each season and realistically only have a chance of winning 2 of them. To not want to enter a 4th, that you might have a good chance to win, I just don’t get what some of fan base think or want.

 

[sparkie]

Yes, but I think we've little chance of qualifying after yesterday's matches

 

[dazzer6666]

This would be a chance to win our first trophy. I find it absolutely incredible anyone does not want us to play in it.

 

[Bozza]

As a football club, we are 124 years old. We have qualified for Europe once in those 124 years.

The Premier League now has eight clubs that are, to varying degrees, on a different financial plane to the rest. And whilst money doesn't guarantee success, it certainly increases the probability of doing well.

In addition to those eight clubs, a well-funded Leeds United is about to enter the scene once again, and Everton could experience a renaissance as they enter their shiny new stadium.

Chances to qualify for Europe again could be very few and far between - we have to grab them when they come along.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

It quotes like this that are probably the main reason I would consider not qualifying as a good thing. There's lots of 'a real chance of winning' stuff posted in this thread, and its just another example of raising expectations exceedingly high. So when we don't win it, or get to the semis or whatever, people will moan. When we fail to beat a team from Bulgaria, people will moan. Meanwhile it will undoubtedly have an impact on our league form, so people will moan. And I think it will all disrupt the progress of this manager and squad. Brentford, Fulham, they've had a few years with their manager building to this, they're probably at a better stage of their journey for a little European run. Or Palace will win the Cup and then Villa or Forest will get to enjoy the Conference League instead.

Overall I would like it, of course, because it will be fun playing all these other teams in far-flung corners of Europe. I voted yes in the poll. But I just worry it will become another yoke around Fab's neck.

Agreed.

At some point in the competition, we would come up against a really good team.
Sure we are likely to be better funded, but we will still be putting out a group of youngsters with potential alongside some older heads.

Our opponents will be fielding experienced European campaigners.

As we found out last season.
It only takes one poor performance against an experienced team, to f*** up a tie.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

As a football club, we are 124 years old. We have qualified for Europe once in those 124 years.

The Premier League now has eight clubs that are, to varying degrees, on a different financial plane to the rest. And whilst money doesn't guarantee success, it increases the probability of success.

On top of those eight, a well-funded Leeds United are about to enter the scene once again, and Everton could experience a renaissance as they enter their shiny new stadium.

Chances to qualify for Europe again could be very few and far between - we have to grab them when they come along.

THIS!

 

[drew]

I know I might be going against the grain but I would not be unhappy if we didn’t come 8th and play in the Mickey Mouse Europe league

Don’t have the distraction of mid week games and aim for top 6 next season

Out of interest, how many of the away games did you go to last time we were in Europe?

 

[Iggle Piggle]

As a football club, we are 124 years old. We have qualified for Europe once in those 124 years.

The Premier League now has eight clubs that are, to varying degrees, on a different financial plane to the rest. And whilst money doesn't guarantee success, it increases the probability of success.

On top of those eight, a well-funded Leeds United are about to enter the scene once again, and Everton could experience a renaissance as they enter their shiny new stadium.

Chances to qualify for Europe again could be very few and far between - we have to grab them when they come along.

This is why this season has been so frustrating for me.

Man Utd and Spurs have been miles off it, FFP rules have opened up opportunities so we could sign players off the likes of Newcastle and we've got some quality players that are good enough for any PL squad (Mitoma, Baleba, JPVH.and arguably others).

As opportunities go, we won't get much better than this and in all probability we've blown it. The lack of ruthlessness to see out games against teams we should have beaten has cost us the difference between scrambling for a Conference place and competing for a Champions League one. Wolves really is must win

 

[jcdenton08]

So what’s the plan, never qualify in case we play someone good and lose?

Agreed.

At some point in the competition, we would come up against a really good team.
Sure we are likely to be better funded, but we will still be putting out a group of youngsters with potential alongside some older heads.

Our opponents will be fielding experienced European campaigners.

As we found out last season.
It only takes one poor performance against an experienced team, to f*** up a tie.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Yes but we won’t.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

So what’s the plan, never qualify in case we play someone good and lose?

I think we're just worried that playing and losing to that someone good in the conference league will be accompanied by the hordes screaming that 'This was the best opportunity in our history to win a big trophy and our players and manager blew it, sack the lot'

I think I'm just suffering some kind of NSC-related trauma..... the comeback against West Ham just gave me a sigh of relief that Fab was spared a week of abuse; conceding the penalty yesterday wasn't accompanied by thoughts of 'damn it, 2 points gone', but 'damn it, NSC is going to be full of people slagging everyone off'

Off-season can't come soon enough

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

This would be a chance to win our first trophy. I find it absolutely incredible anyone does not want us to play in it.

End of thread.

Although, apparently not.

I am not sure I can be bothered to read all the convolution.
And people wonder how we voted leave and will vote in Farage.... <sigh>

 

[pigmanovich]

So what’s the plan, never qualify in case we play someone good and lose?

Hell, wind the club down altogether, there’s too much drama and unpredictability in football for my liking

 

[Bold Seagull]

Yes, but I think we've little chance of qualifying after yesterday's matches

Bournemouth 53:
Villa H
ManCity A
Leicester H

Brentford 52:
Ipswich A
Fulham H
Wolves A

Brighton 52:
Wolves A
Liverpool H
Spurs A

Fulham 51:
Everton H
Brentford A
ManCity H

It’s possible / likely Bournemouth could end up on 56/57pts. We’ll need to win 2 and hope Brentford slip. I think it’s all to play for. Spurs should be post a Euro final, Liverpool in celebration gear. Our toughest game is like your next one.

 

[pasty]

Do I want us to? Yes. 100%

Do I think we will? Sadly no.

 

[Jesus Gul]

Tear gassed in Astana, battered in Norway… hell YES

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Bournemouth 53:
Villa H
ManCity A
Leicester H

Brentford 52:
Ipswich A
Fulham H
Wolves A

Brighton 52:
Wolves A
Liverpool H
Spurs A

Fulham 51:
Everton H
Brentford A
ManCity H

It’s possible / likely Bournemouth could end up on 56/57pts. We’ll need to win 2 and hope Brentford slip. I think it’s all to play for. Spurs should be thinking about a Euro final, Liverpool in celebration gear. Our toughest game is like your next one.

Spurs would have played the Europa League Final before we play them. They’ll have either been celebrating a win or having suffered a loss and knowing they have missed out on Europe for next season be struggling to get themselves up for a game they have nothing riding on.

That’s better than going against a side that are potentially playing for their starting place in the final.