[Napoleon Solo]

Originally Posted by crowie

Would the competition (the CL) benefit from having Union Berlin instead of Leverkusen or Calais instead of Marseille? I don't think it would.

I think this is where the problem is with regards to which teams qualify for the CL.

At the moment the big clubs from the major leagues are happy because they'll qualify year upon year. Throw in a few league winners from the "minor" countries and they're still quite happy.

However, open up the CL to a potentially "inferior" team (a Union Berlin or Calais) and suddenly it's the competition that's going to suffer.

Competitions like the CL should be there to benefit teams, the teams shouldn't be there to benefit the CL. If a team like Wigan make it to the CL then good for them, they'll benefit from a bit of extra revenue that season which will hopefully make them more competitive in coming years, which can only be a good thing surely!

Originally Posted by crowie

How many stadiums would be able to host the CL final if thats the case? Wembley in the UK, Bernabeau, Camp Nou, San Siro...can't think of anymore of the top of my head in Western Europe.

Thats a pish idea IMO, the CL final should be moved about to encourage teams to adapt stadiums and improve facilities and teams or national associations who do so should be rewarded with the final. You don't want the final rotating around a select band of 5 or 6 stadiums.

As far as this is concerned, at the moment only a select few stadiums around Europe would be able to hold the CL final. But surely these conditions can only help encourage the relevant football associations to improve their stadiums and facilities so that they'll get the chance to host the final.

It's the biggest game in European football, surely it should be held at the biggest and best stadia with the best facilities for fans. Why hold it in a sub-standard stadium just for the sake of moving it around. Impose restrictions and the national FAs will soon make sure they comply.

That's my two cents worth anyway!