PLENTY of talk has been about Pompey being awarded a ‘retrospective’ European place next season following the fact that our cup final appearance ‘should’ technically ‘assure’ us a place in the Europa league next season…
Tonight’s rival manager, Roberto Martinez of Wigan, is all for us fighting for this place – perhaps he thinks we will give them an ‘easier ride,’ by doing this although chances are we will anyway!
Villa manager Martin O’Neill has, depending on where you read it, voiced a few concerns that this ‘could’ impact on Villa getting in next season, which it ‘shouldn’t’ really but they are wobbling a bit…Although all in all it does seem, from most reports, that he IS backing us in our fight.
Whereas Everton’s David Moyes has been the most outspoken on this, making it perfectly clear that we ‘should not’ get in. Technically, whilst Everton earned this place a few years back, remember when Liverpool won the champions league but missed out on the top 4? Everton, albeit it very wrongly so, could have been denied a place in the champions league yet both were eventually allowed in – so, in some ways he ‘might’ be wise to remember that? His argument that, basically, ‘preventing’ Everton from taking a European place prevents them a chance to ‘develop’ as a club does NOT wash with me. ‘Technically’ this is not their place anyway, and if you are going to play that ‘development’ card, could you not argue that preventing us a ‘rightful’ place would deny us a much need chances at redevelopment?
Either way whatever Moyes, or anyone else thinks, with the UEFA DEADLINE – not the ‘self imposed one’ that the FA/premier league one give – being the end of May, in many ways they have the final call AND there is still plenty of time to make sure we can ‘just about’ fulfil the criteria needed, although it seems uefa are leaving this to the FA to decide.
I just hope that they decide fairly…
I can understand the argument for ‘is this really something we want?’
But come on is this, as fans, not something we WOULD want to do! And does it not give us, as a club, a better chance of attracting an owner and/or rebuilding more successfully as a club?
Yep, it costs money and being short of this, and players, would make it harder but the thought of possibly having, even if it was only one more two-legged European tie, is amazing! Well, at least I think so anyway and I know that I would be there, be it in deepest darkest depths of Kazakhstan, somewhere in the middle of Uzbekistan or the furthest reaches of Bulgaria, or whatever!
Having been told that we did not make the ‘deadline’ to apply, which has since been exposed as another ‘un-truth,’ I prefer this term to ‘lie’, although there are countless reasons for us to not apply I think that Admin Andy and co SHOULD push this all the way.
Uefa HAVE given it their blessing, within reason so, if they are happy enough, why not?
Unfortunately it appears the final world belongs to the FA, who ‘could’ be pressured by the premier league! Quite how ‘closely’ these two work together remains to be seen, although you can bank on the premier league looking to hand this extra place to a premier league club as they will want a ‘premier league giant’ flying the flag in Europe for ‘the best league in the world’ and not a ‘no power minnow’ that has constantly brought ‘shame’ on them this season…
The football league should be jumping all over this bandwagon and looking to support us as we ‘could’ maybe ‘enhance’ the football leagues own image, as we would do them proud off the pitch and I am sure give it everything on it!
It is also the FA’s chance to show that they ARE their own body, it is not an entity that is ‘overruled’ and/or dictated to by the almighty, all-conquering and all commanding bigger, ‘bullying’, brother that is Dick (Richard) Scudamore and co at the premier league!
Another of those ‘un-truths’ were thoughts that we did not meet ‘certain criteria’ to gain entry – although it would now seem that this was ‘financially’ the case, and the fact that accounts needed looking at were the main factor, as those ‘running us’ would have been exposed far sooner than they eventually were and that may well have been that for Pompey, as ‘trading insolvent’ probably would have been revealed for sure. We did ‘tick’ all the other boxes just 18-months or so ago though.
Yep, we do not have the players, or ‘might’ not have them but being able to ‘dangle the carrot’ of European football could alter this?
CLEARLY if we are still in administration and/or have not had a CVA agreed by the uefa deadline, remember the END of May – not the March one the English powers, and ‘former owners’ palmed off on us, we cannot feasibly do a European tour, as much as it might be wanted. But you would hope this is not going to be the case and we have a new owner sooner, rather than later so you would also hope that this would make us suitable candidates?
As said, playing in Europe could also help rebuild this club and keep some of the players, the ones that are realistically financially retainable, not to mention Avram Grant!
By rights our actions ‘ON-THE-FIELD’ have earned us this place, those ‘OFF-THE-FIELD’ should not be the defining matter, unless these continuing problems remain ‘financial ones’ – the actions of these people previously connected to Portsmouth Football Club have caused enough damage, how is it right that they continue to harm the club even after that they have gone?
Grow a pair you guys from the FA and stand up to Dick and co and, SO LONG as these financial and CVA issues are being controlled, grant us our rightful place in Europe and do not let the premier league ‘hog’ a place that belongs to us for one of their own…
PLAY UP POMPEY!
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