Champions League

[Davyred]

I can\'t believe that the winners don\'t get automatic entry into next seasons competition. Its good enough for the world cup, but not the \'holy\' champions league. Just goes to show what a mess this competition is.

Bring back the European cup. Champions of their respective countries playing each other over 2 legs on a knockout basis - fantastic, proper european football, and something you looked forward to because it wasn\'t on the telly practically every night!

[Mike.Haley]

The difference being that the Champions League generates more money than the European Cup. Football today is not about sport, its about big money business.

[Davyred]

Yeah I know Mike, but it still not right to call it a \'champions league\'. Its a \'1st, 2nd and maybe 3rd and 4th of your countrys top division, but not the previous winners league!

[TC]

Totally agree with you Davy......

Ii\'s a crazy set - up. If the winners of the \"Champions\" League cannot be classed as \"champions\".......then who the *@%* can. Of course the holders of the trophy should get automatic inclusion......they\'re the defending \"champions\" aren\'t they ???

Also agree with Mike.........sad to say that football (at that level) is no longer about sport....it\'s about money.

[Edited on 6/5/2005 by TC]

[alan]

It astounds me that clubs think finishing 4th in the Premier league is a major achievment,surely finishing 1st is more important,nah money is all these clubs are after,as you say lads hows it a Champions competition when theres only one Champion ,Chelsea won the league !
I dont agree that the third placed teams in these mini leagues should drop into the UEFA cup either,if you\'ve failed your out IMO.
I think the European Championships were going to have the same rule,where the Cup holder had to Quailify for the following comp.

[Mike.Haley]

What everyone is saying is right, only the champions of the leagues in each country should go through, but when it comes down to big business and big money generating even more money then words like \"common sense\", \"logic\", and \"what is right\" go flying out of the proverbial window. The only thing that counts is Money, Money and more Money and its fools like us that keep paying it at the turnstiles.