Hi people,
Just read an interesting interview with Sevilla manager Unai Emery before last Wednesday's Europa League final and I picked up the excerpts below. I wanted to share them with you and hear your thoughts about them.I thought it would be pertinent to post them on your board, as I've often seen the pros and cons of playing in the Europa League discussed here.
“When I arrived at Sevilla, the first thing they said to me was: ‘Unai, playing in the Champions League, like Valencia did with you, is lovely but you haven’t experienced what it is to win things,’" says Emery. “Now I have; I have felt it. And it is the greatest feeling there is, something really shared. We can’t be a super-top team because of budget. But if you can grow, it’s very gratifying. And joy comes from the ilusión, the hope, the dream, of winning a title."
This point is a particularly pertinent one for a trophy that has not always been embraced, particularly in England where some clubs appear happier with an extra point or place in the league than the glory of competing. Emery struggles to find an explanation but agrees that to not embrace the competition is to miss the essence of the game: to compete. “Fans want their emotions to come to the surface," he says. “How? By their team transmitting intensity, attacking, scoring goals, competing, winning. That awakens them. You have to win. You have to generate ilusión."
“Football is emotion. There’s an economic [imperative] but what fans really want is to enjoy their team. If you have money but don’t generate feeling, it’s worthless. You play the Champions League but get knocked out in the group, losing all your games, and [the fan says:] ‘Sure, you’ve made €20m, but that means nothing to me.’"
[...]“City and United came into the Europa League after being knocked out of the Champions League [a couple of seasons ago] and you think ‘they’ll compete’. But they didn’t. The English league is so strong economically, but they don’t compete."
The excuse is that they have to prioritise the league or that this tournament is seen as just too secondary. “I don’t know: Sevilla have competed in the league and the Europa League," Emery notes. “It’s true that having had the joy of winning this trophy, being in another final, the fans want to be in the Champions League. We want more, we want to keep growing, and they want to see Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich here. They want us to play the biggest teams. But our mentality is: ‘we want this’, and not because of qualification but because of the ilusión. Often, people want to enjoy what comes next. No, no, enjoy the now."
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/may/27/sevilla-manager-europa-league-final-unai-emery
Thanks for your thoughts, and happy Friday!
Europa vs Domestic League - Unai Emery
posted on 30/5/15
"Though there's a big difference between us and you. We were competing for the title not top four."
That is a point that most people have missed from the start in this article.
posted on 30/5/15
Yep it's about trophies. That season both us and City were pursuing a big one, so it's not quite the same.
posted on 30/5/15
comment by Wumpatrol (U5046)
posted 11 minutes ago
"Though there's a big difference between us and you. We were competing for the title not top four."
That is a point that most people have missed from the start in this article.
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arsenal are not competing for titles
the arsenal and spurs aim is the same each season - get into the top 4.
arsenal achieve theirs, spurs usually don't.
dont fool yourself into thinking arsenal are competing for titles
posted on 30/5/15
Anyone mind pointing to the cretin his idiocy?
posted on 30/5/15
Chronic Arsenal could knock Man utd off there perch today if they defend there crown they won last season..
posted on 31/5/15
Chronic, very odd timing for that comment.
posted on 31/5/15
Since when has the FA Cup been a title?
To anyone with English as their first language it means the league
posted on 31/5/15
"Yeah and I was bloody piiiissed off with our performances in the Europa League. Though there's a big difference between us and you. We were competing for the title not top four. "
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Those seasons, yes. This season you were going for top four though. If you'd finished in 6th last season, and were in Europa this one, would you have been happy going full pelt at the possible expense of league form - top 4 being your aim?
"I Ihink the format is used as a bit of an excuse by some. It's not that different to the CL, two extra games for many teams. "
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Using the format as an excuse for what? I don't like the competition because of its format, I don't use it to excuse anything. Last season it was 4 extra games and us playing virtually every league game on a Sunday. I love going to football at 3pm Saturday, and we waited until December for one at home. Add to that playing catch up every weekend.
"The CL drop out thing is an obvious problem for many. However, I don't get why people complain so much about it when if the fans of these sides were to get to the CL they'd have to play teams of a stronger calibre than the CL dropouts that they already struggle against in Europa.
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it's not the calibre of the sides dropping down, it's the fact they drop down at all. Its disrespectful to teams in the Europa League that teams who have had a bite of the CL cherry are parachuted in to the best bit of the EL despite having failed miserably in.the CL, and trousered more money than any team starting in the Europa will earn even if they get knocked out first tie.
"I fully take your point about the scheduling, however. But the actual point of the article is about winning the trophy over domestic exploits - in this respect, the scheduling isn't the biggest issue."
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All teams prioritise. Not many go strong in all three cup competitions, plus the league. United did it this season despite being involved in only two - MK Dons thrashing you in the league cup. Would you have preferred winning the League Cup over finishing 4th? Hand on heart?
Spurs three priorities, in my opinion, should be - League position, FA Cup and League Cup. The latter two because you can win both of them in less games than it takes to win the Europa.
Europa should be treated as it deserves until the CL dropouts go in. Used to play mainly fringe and younger players. Like other teams treat the League Cup. Once it gets to the KO rounds, then you take another view
posted on 31/5/15
Yeah, whatever.
Btw, Athletic played that tie at a tempo an ageing United midfield just couldn't match. They played some of the most intense football on display in Europe that season. Don't agree that United went out 'cos they couldn't be bothered.
Generally speaking, teams in Europe that year didn't show United the respect they'd earned over previous CL seasons and were still afforded in the PL. Perhaps there was an element of overconfidence in the first leg and Athletic took them by surprise, but even in the second they were thoroughly outplayed.
posted on 31/5/15
"Yeah, whatever" was with regard to your cup comment, btw.
On your other post, I know some people like it but I just see the League Cup as a totally superfluous tournament.
I would say there's a difference as regards United though, in that they've lined their trophy room wall to wall in th past couple of decades. It's quite understandable for them to be eager to get back to competing for the major honours they have the experience of winning.
When you read some fans' opinions, and this is something you can apply to some fans of almost any club, they give the impression of viewing the CL as a money-making experience, and I just find that very baffling from a fans' perspective.