Champions League Revamp (Around 2018-2021) *

If UEFA had some balls they would admit to what they are doing and at least rename the * thing.

"UEFA elite football competition - for those that pay the right sort of money"

"UEFA who we pick competition "

"UEFA * sporting fairness competition"

"Uefa we don't give a * unless we get rich competition"


The idea of a European super league/Atlantic league will return again, only to be fizzled away as no one has the balls to step up and make it happen.

It will take a club like ourselves or Ajax to turn around and say "* it, we refuse to play" and step away from that tournament. Then folk will take notice and perhaps fellow clubs will follow in setting up a more fair competition.

But alas, while UEFA can dangle that carrot in front of every club about the big money and the elusive dream of making it, none of us would do such a thing.


Think I would be quite happy to see us do just that though. Win our league then reject the invitation to play. Assuming said invitation didn't filter down to the next Scottish club to use it to actually beat us.

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Operation Closed Shop is well under way. They're not even trying to hide it anymore. This is why I no longer care about the Champions League. I watch matches like last night and you get caught up in the moment, because it's exciting and you're happy that Celtic have won, but then you come back down to earth and realise that in the long run you are only there to make up the numbers and UEFA don't even really want you there at all.

It's sad what capitalism and greed has done to football.

 

The only good thing about us getting into the UCL is the pay day and some quality nights against big clubs in an atmosphere 99% of clubs can only dream of. Don't know why but it always feels soulless and clinical watching clubs like Madrid play PSG for example in the quarter finals or semis etc, always seems to be the same sort of script for these games, no passion or major dramas it always seems, hard to explain, maybe it is because it seems like the same teams reach these stages every year.

They are having the final at the millennium stadium as well, bit of a slap in the face to the Welsh who will struggle to even get a team into the tournament. I predict that the final willl be held in the USA, China or the UAE pretty soon, Qatar would be my bet with a bumper payout for clubs who will reach the final to suppress any complaints.

 

Agree with all of that. Even think about 10-15 years ago, the CL was more varied and alot more exciting, it's just the same ole, same ole again and again now. How many times do we have to watch Chelsea v * PSG?

The final thing I wouldn't put by them, they are itching to tap into the Chinese market so badly.

I was reading that China only pays £10.2m per year for EPL television rights - compare that to even Norway a tiny wee country which pays £45m. That highlights to me that China is still an untapped gold mine for football, believe it or not.


Uefa no doubt want in on it.

 

Serie A already hold their super cup overseas, China, Qatar etc.

 

Evolution of UEFA club competitions from 2018 - UEFA Champions League - News - UEFA.org

The format for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 have been confirmed, with no changes to the compettions system but a new procedure for entries.

Following an extensive consultative process involving all European football stakeholders, UEFA proposed amendments which have been approved by the UEFA Executive Committee, upon recommendations of the UEFA Club Competitions Committee and the European Club Association Board.

Q&A: All you need to know about the changes
Changes

The UEFA Europa League winners will automatically qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage (currently they can potentially take part in a play-off round).
The top four clubs from the four top-ranked national associations will now qualify automatically for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League.
The full details of the access list for both competitions will be finalised by the end of the year.
A new system for the club coefficients: clubs will be judged on their own records (deletion of the country share for individual club coefficient unless that coefficient is lower than 20% of the association's coefficient).
Historical success in the competition will also be acknowledged in coefficient calculation (points for previous European titles with a weighted system for UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League titles)
Financial distribution to clubs will be increased significantly for both competitions.
A new four-pillar financial distribution system (starting fee, performance in the competition, individual club coefficient and market pool) will see sporting performances better rewarded, while market pool share will decrease.
What doesn't change

Retention of Champions and League route of qualifying in the UEFA Champions League, ensuring that clubs from all associations can enter through their domestic leagues and qualify for both competitions.
The UEFA Champions League will continue to have a 32-team group stage leading to a 16-club knockout phase. Similarly the UEFA Europa League remains at 48 teams.
A subsidiary company will be created that will play a strategic role in determining the future and the management of club competitions: UEFA Club Competitions SA, where half of the managing directors will be appointed by UEFA and the other half by the ECA.

Speaking about the amendments agreed for the new cycle, UEFA General Secretary ad interim Theodore Theodoridis said: "The evolution of UEFA's club competitions is the result of a wide-ranging consultative process involving all stakeholders and taking into account a wide range of expertise and perspectives.

"The amendments made will continue to ensure qualification based on sporting merit, and the right of all associations and their clubs to compete in Europe's elite club competitions.

"We are happy that European football remains united behind the concepts of solidarity, fair competition, fair distribution and good governance."

 

Does this mean easier to qualify for us But less money? That's how I'm reading it.

 

Really disgusting decision. UEFA will slowly kill football.

 

Absolute sham...Disgusting infact...* UEFA...

 

Looks like they've made it easier for teams like us and Ajax to get in but I couldn't care less about that it looks an absolute disgrace what they've done.

 

Is this to make sure the English tv market is shared out evenly? Meaning less money for us? Atleast it's still "easier" draws for us though.

 

The changes might actually benefit us. I'm not saying it's good for football though, it's not.

 

Crucially, UEFA have this line in their list of changes: "A new system for the club coefficients: clubs will be judged on their own records (deletion of the country share for individual club coefficient unless that coefficient is lower than 20 per cent of the association's coefficient)."

If this is true it could mean celtic climbing the coefficient and maybe up a pot or two when we are in the draws.

 

In short, what does this mean for Celtic?

 

They've not really told us yet, but personally I don't think it will be good. Seems to me they are giving us this news in stages while trying to throw in things like, 'fairer financial distribution' and 'historical coefficients'.. load of *.

 

The only model I can think of that won't negatively affect us is one in which the Champions route is unaffected. Right now they've said it will still be there, which is a huge bonus because I thought it might be scrapped. The next problem is what if they force some of the better leagues to compete in the Champions route, or reduce the number of entries from it.

Putting some numbers together, we know 17 group stage places already (4 from top 4 + Europa winners).

In order to maintain the Champions route as it is, (i.e. same number of places and difficulty), associations 5 - 12 would need a group stage place for champions. That takes it to 25, leaving only 7 places. If the Champions Route gets 5 places, that only leaves 2 non-champion places for qualification, which seems unlikely. (if I've added it together correctly).


They might instead take the direct entry for Champions off of associations 11 and 12, giving another 2 places to the non-champions route.

 

That's close to what I came up with. My thinking is Countries 5 and 6 (Portugal and France now) keep the two spots they now have, and 7 through 9 (Russia, Ukraine and Holland) keep their one spot. That covers 24 of the 32 group stage spots. Countries 10-12 (Belgium, Switzerland and Turkey) lose their automatic access, and drop into qualifying with us. Next question is whether UEFA splits champion/league spots up 5/3 or 4/4; probably the latter.

So qualifying undoubtedly becomes more difficult, but not impossible. Need some good results the next two years to boost our coefficient and keep our seeding for the latter rounds.

 

I think you might be right. The only hope I had was the might not give Portugal and France the second spot automatically, since non-champion qualification should be much easier in theory (no English, German, Italian and Spanish teams).

I think it will be a 4 - 4 split. An article in the other thread has a quote saying 4.

 

Finish 4th in the English league - Guaranteed group stage berth.
Win the Scottish league - Play three qualifiers.

Champions League indeed.

 

They should just rename the thing.

Big spenders European cup.