BBC Sport article on UEFA coefficient scoring

[Vienna_70]

It's fair.

No it's not!

How can it be fair that a team that won its domestic league be in a pot below the three teams who finished lower in that league.

It's a system that helps to keep the same teams in the Champions' Leage every season, as that article highlights.

Because if the league is a pushover every season and the same team is guaranteed to win due to the lack of decent opposition, why should that be regarded as a bigger achievement than finishing second in the PL?

That still doesn't answer the question of why Arse, Chavs and rags should be in a higher pot than City after we'd won the title.

Or why Chelsea and Arsenal are STILL in a higher pot than City this season, despite the fact that we've finished above both of them for the last two seasons, and in Arsenal's case, the last three seasons.

It stinks of a cartel to protect the big teams, and to ensure they qualify year after year.

 

[ROCKET80]

It also hinders development of football in other European nations. Just look at the demise in the standard of football and quality of players produced in countries like Sweden etc.

 

[Falastur]

No it's not!

How can it be fair that a team that won its domestic league be in a pot below the three teams who finished lower in that league.

It's a system that helps to keep the same teams in the Champions' Leage every season, as that article highlights.

Because if the league is a pushover every season and the same team is guaranteed to win due to the lack of decent opposition, why should that be regarded as a bigger achievement than finishing second in the PL?

That still doesn't answer the question of why Arse, Chavs and rags should be in a higher pot than City after we'd won the title.

Or why Chelsea and Arsenal are STILL in a higher pot than City this season, despite the fact that we've finished above both of them for the last two seasons, and in Arsenal's case, the last three seasons.

It stinks of a cartel to protect the big teams, and to ensure they qualify year after year.

True, it doesn't. I may have slightly misinterpreted the question.

At the end of the day, it IS a cartel. UEFA run the CL to provide "maximum entertainment" to the fans, not to reward teams for winning a league from out of nowhere. Of course that's not cool, but at least UEFA are honest about it.

I will say one thing for the new system, however. At least under the new system, no team has ever won the trophy two seasons in a row, because that happened far too often under the old system where only league champions entered the cup.

 

[ksf42001]

Because if the league is a pushover every season and the same team is guaranteed to win due to the lack of decent opposition, why should that be regarded as a bigger achievement than finishing second in the PL?

That still doesn't answer the question of why Arse, Chavs and rags should be in a higher pot than City after we'd won the title.

Or why Chelsea and Arsenal are STILL in a higher pot than City this season, despite the fact that we've finished above both of them for the last two seasons, and in Arsenal's case, the last three seasons.

It stinks of a cartel to protect the big teams, and to ensure they qualify year after year.

True, it doesn't. I may have slightly misinterpreted the question.

At the end of the day, it IS a cartel. UEFA run the CL to provide "maximum entertainment" to the fans, not to reward teams for winning a league from out of nowhere. Of course that's not cool, but at least UEFA are honest about it.

I will say one thing for the new system, however. At least under the new system, no team has ever won the trophy two seasons in a row, because that happened far too often under the old system where only league champions entered the cup.

I personally like the current coefficient system. It rewards teams that consistently place high enough in their league to qualify for CL every year. City's pot placement is not why we failed the last two years. It sure didn't stop Dortmund last year. After a couple more years of starting in the Group Stage (and hopefully making it out of the GS), we'll be part of that "cartel" you're railing about now.

 

[mad4city]

When the champions of Holland can be drawn in the same group as the champions of Spain, Germany and England (as happened last year, of course), there's something seriously awry with the seeding system from a sporting point of view (great for TV figures, though, I'm sure).
One thing's for sure, UEFA won't be changing it for the love of fair play over the love of revenue - and they certainly won't be changing it to suit City.
Personally, i think we should relish these difficult days. Right being right, we'll be in Pot A soon enough and the experience gained will hold us in good stead.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I definitely don't agree with having it just for the Champions. There are plenty of great teams that wouldn't be in the competition. Name aside, it's supposed to be the best teams in Europe, and like it or not, the second best team in Spain will always be better than the champions of Kazakhstan.

I don't have a problem with the idea of seeding, but I definitely think it should be weighted more to recent games and that teams should get more points for beating teams ranked higher than them. And I think domestic performance should be taken into account more, so that the champions are more likely to be seeded higher than the 4th place team. But obviously the points system that exists currently is designed to protect the cartel.

 

[Mancity1980]

I definitely don't agree with having it just for the Champions. There are plenty of great teams that wouldn't be in the competition. Name aside, it's supposed to be the best teams in Europe, and like it or not, the second best team in Spain will always be better than the champions of Kazakhstan.

I don't have a problem with the idea of seeding, but I definitely think it should be weighted more to recent games and that teams should get more points for beating teams ranked higher than them. And I think domestic performance should be taken into account more, so that the champions are more likely to be seeded higher than the 4th place team. But obviously the points system that exists currently is designed to protect the cartel.

Hit nail on head.

This seeding system really annoys me and even if in a couple of years it starts to benefit us rather than hinder us as it currently does I will still think that it needs changing. Your points on taking into account beating teams above them and taking into account domestic performance are good ones. Why should seeding be determined equally by results against minnows for some and results against top teams for others.

 

[Castiel]

We had to fight our way into Pot 1. It's hardly impossible, even though Jose moaned about this when we were in your position. I don't see why you can't displace Arsenal or maybe even your neighbours if it turns out Moyes has no idea what he's doing in Europe.