SPL to lose automatic qualifying place for Champions League

IrishKev

The winners of the 2010-2011 SPL will have to enter into a qualifying stage to get through to the Champions League.

Scotland will lose one of their two Champions League places from the season after next, the Scottish Premier League confirmed on Friday/
Thursday night's Europa League results for Belgian clubs saw them overtake Scotland into 15th spot in UEFA's co-efficient ranking table.
A fall to 16th also means the 2010-11 SPL champions will not qualify automatically for the following season's Champions League group stage.
They will instead have to navigate three qualifying rounds, though all matches will be against champions from smaller European nations rather than runners-up or third- and fourth-placed sides from larger countries.
But the loss of a Champions League spot is potentially a huge blow to the Old Firm, who published their half-yearly accounts this week in which the difference between reaching the group stage and failing to do so was laid bare.
Next season will see both the SPL winners and runners-up in the Champions League, with the runners-up facing two qualifying rounds, the second of which could be against one of the giants of the European game.
An SPL spokesman said: "Our clubs are sorted for next season. It's for the season after that that Belgium are now above us."

Link to SportingLife Article

GLaDOS

Bohs - Rangers in July, fun shall be had

Brewster

This is the result of desperately bad results this season for all SPL clubs. It is going to prove very difficult to claw back the place for Scotland. To be honest, the SPL runners up have very little chance of playing in CL group stages next season either because of way draw is structured.

Brewster

Brewster wrote: »

This is the result of desperately bad results this season for all SPL clubs. It is going to prove very difficult to claw back the place for Scotland. To be honest, the SPL runners up have very little chance of playing in CL group stages next season either because of way draw is structured.

Celtic are fcuked so !

CHD

rarnes1 wrote: »

Celtic are fcuked so !

So are Hibs when they come second

Mitch Connor

CHD wrote: »

So are Hibs when they come second

why would they be fcked? surely they don't budget for CL football. would be bloody stupid if they did.

dyl10

This could be the start of a downward spiral for Scottish football if they don't start turning out European results and get that coefficient back up, starting from next year.

Gavin "shels"

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Bohs - Rangers in July, fun shall be had

Probably be moved to Tranmere ala Shels -v- Rangers.



As for the article, about time. LoI clubs have to qualify and considering the standard of the SPL is a million miles from the LoI it's only fair.

noodler

Mitch Connor wrote: »

why would they be fcked? surely they don't budget for CL football. would be bloody stupid if they did.

I think you interpreted the broadest possible implications of fcuked.

They wouldn't have a hope of getting through was the point.

patmac

dyl10 wrote: »

This could be the start of a downward spiral for Scottish football if they don't start turning out European results and get that coefficient back up, starting from next year.

It is not as clear cut as that 2007 and 2008(criteria used for this year and next) Scotland were ranked 10th, they slipped to 13th last year and 16th this year, but they are currently ranked 14th for 2011 and 15th for 2012 so a good season next year could remedy the situation.
Ireland meanwhile have risen to 29th this year from 35th in 2008, so we should expect a higher seeding in the next two years.
All can be found here on this excellent soccer stats website:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/crank2010.html

rovingrover

This applies to 2011.

Rangers (assuming they don't implode) will be in the CL proper next season (once the winners this year qualify through their league as well).

The runners up (Celtic or Hibs) will be in the qualifying rounds.

In 2011 only the champions will enter the CL and will need to go through the same qualifying rounds as the League of Ireland champions (not necessarily entering in the same round)

So Shamrock Rovers v Rangers in Tallaght in 2011. It will be tough for Rangers to face a team in green and white hoops that can defend and might beat them. .

GLaDOS

rovingrover wrote: »

So Shamrock Rovers v Rangers in Tallaght in 2011. It will be tough for Rangers to face a team in green and white hoops that can defend and might beat them. .

And Stovelid thought we were overconfident

Gavin "shels"

rovingrover wrote: »

So Shamrock Rovers v Rangers in Tallaght in 2011. It will be tough for Rangers to face a team in green and white hoops that can defend and might beat them. .

Rangers will never play in Ireland! The guards and the FAI won't allow it (AGAIN).

Dont be at yourself

Best thing that could happen the league. It's likely that most years Celtic or Rangers will struggle to get into the group stages, thus breaking their financial muscle and their stranglehold on the SPL. The league should hopefully become a lot more competitive.

brick tamland

dyl10 wrote: »

This could be the start of a downward spiral for Scottish football if they don't start turning out European results and get that coefficient back up, starting from next year.

You must not have watched much scotish football recently mate

Its been in a downward spiral for a long long time

Coillte_Bhoy

Gavin shels wrote: »

As for the article, about time. LoI clubs have to qualify and considering the standard of the SPL is a million miles from the LoI it's only fair.

Ya right, which is why the SPL is ranked 14 places above the LOI. But hey, don't let your blinkered view get in the way of facts eh?

_blank_

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Ya right, which is why the SPL is ranked 14 places above the LOI. But hey, don't let your blinkered view get in the way of facts eh?

That's because of Celtic and Rangers, and in recent years the Scottish Co-eff has been slipping, while the LoI Co-eff has been rising.

Now, there is absolutely nobody claiming that LoI teams are in any comparable to probably the top half of the SPL, that is silly talk, but the bottom half of the SPL and lower in the Scottish League would be comparable, in my opinion.

It's not long since a LoI team knocked a Scottish team out of Europe, is it?

Coillte_Bhoy

Des wrote: »

That's because of Celtic and Rangers, and in recent years the Scottish Co-eff has been slipping, while the LoI Co-eff has been rising.

Now, there is absolutely nobody claiming that LoI teams are in any comparable to probably the top half of the SPL, that is silly talk, but the bottom half of the SPL and lower in the Scottish League would be comparable, in my opinion.

It's not long since a LoI team knocked a Scottish team out of Europe, is it?

Can't argue with any of that. My gripe was the other poster whining that it was only fair spl tems should have to qualify like LOI. He completely ignored the co efficient system. How else would he decide these rankings?

_blank_

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

My gripe was the other poster whining that it was only fair spl tems should have to qualify like LOI.

Well, he's right. And from 2011 the SPL Team will have to go through the qualifying rounds, won't they? Isn't that what this thread is about? The fact that the SPL Team will have to qualify.

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

He completely ignored the co efficient system. How else would he decide these rankings?

But he didn't, it's the co-effs that are being taken into account here, and the fact is that the Scottish co-eff has slipped so much that they now have to go through the qualifiers, just like the LoI teams do.

The leagues are getting closer than you might like to think, if Scotland slips any more and Ireland don't move, then they'll be in the same bracket (17-32), and recent trends are suggesting that Irish teams are doing better year on year, while Scottish teams (Celtic and Rangers included btw) are getting worse.

I'd be very interested to actually see a properly competitive game between Bohemians and Celtic/Rangers.

LoI teams aren't the "plucky underdogs" anymore, they are actually achieving results of note in Europe for the last 5 years at least.

Eirebear

As much as i'd like to defend scottish football here CB, I cant.

Rangers are 10 points clear at the top of the league, despite the fact we havnt made a single signing in nearly two years!
Results in europe for both teams were nothing short of embarrasing this season, and thats been the case for the other clubs representing us in europe for at least a decade. Defeats against teams from Iceland, Wales, Finland etc have been the norm for Aberdeen, Hearts, Motherwell et al. and to be honest any two legged game against the top two or three teams in the LOI would be a close encounter.

That said, weve lost the automatic places in the past and got them back. With a bit of luck we can do it again.

redout

I reckon this can only be a good thing.

It will force teams to improve knowing that there is only a single place up for grabs.

_blank_

redout wrote: »

I reckon this can only be a good thing.

It will force teams to improve knowing that there is only a single place up for grabs.

Force teams to improve by what means?

Teams chasing impossible dreams is not a good thing.

Eirebear

Des wrote: »

Force teams to improve by what means?

Teams chasing impossible dreams is not a good thing.

Amen to that.....:(

CHD

Mitch Connor wrote: »

why would they be fcked? surely they don't budget for CL football. would be bloody stupid if they did.

They will get hopped off = fcked. durrrrp.

dreamers75

patmac wrote: »

ST PATS!!!!!! on the LOIs behalf have risen to 29th this year from 35th in 2008, so we should expect a higher seeding in the next two years.

FYP

Gavin shels wrote: »

Rangers will never play in Ireland! The guards and the FAI won't allow it (AGAIN).

Of course they will, not a hope of that scenario happening again.

RE the scots, i wouldnt have feared any team from there in the last 2 years and im being honest we got screwed with 2 nasty 1st round draws Steaua and Hertha, either time i would have fancied beating any of the scottish clubs in that round. I was basing that on our euro form and theirs, hibs got thumped by Elfsborg and we beat them handy enough.

Joyce Country

bad news for Scottish football alright but it is recoverable with a bit of investment. It's strange how quickly it has slipped given that celtic and rangers in the past decade have both reached a European final and between them have three last 16 champions league finishes. the other clubs do absoloutly nothing ever to help them out.

citytillidie

patmac wrote: »

It is not as clear cut as that 2007 and 2008(criteria used for this year and next) Scotland were ranked 10th, they slipped to 13th last year and 16th this year, but they are currently ranked 14th for 2011 and 15th for 2012 so a good season next year could remedy the situation.
Ireland meanwhile have risen to 29th this year from 35th in 2008, so we should expect a higher seeding in the next two years.
All can be found here on this excellent soccer stats website:
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/data/method4/crank2010.html

They should take Derry City's two runs out of that points system as according to Linfield its a new Derry City

SantryRed

citytillidie wrote: »

They should take Derry City's two runs out of that points system as according to Linfield its a new Derry City

It is though...

A Dub in Glasgo

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

Best thing that could happen the league. The league should hopefully become a lot more competitive.

redout wrote: »

I reckon this can only be a good thing.

This I find hilarious. If you look at the 'Best league in the world (c) BSB', you will find the CL spots hardly competitive so by the same logic the EPL should lose 3 entries... just to make the league more competitive! Take it further and only the top spot should get into the CL which will bring it back full circle to the EC.

citytillidie

SantryRed wrote: »

It is though...

So Uefa should drop the league of Irelands ranking then as the old Derry City helped out

SantryRed

citytillidie wrote: »

So Uefa should drop the league of Irelands ranking then as the old Derry City helped out

If that's how it works then yes. Because the new Derry City are a different club to the old one.

citytillidie

SantryRed wrote: »

If that's how it works then yes. Because the new Derry City are a different club to the old one.

I know

CiaranC

SantryRed wrote: »

If that's how it works then yes. Because the new Derry City are a different club to the old one.

Thats not how it works.