The Europa League is a strange beast. Like a small child trying to emulate his father by attempting shaving at the age of four, Europe’s secondary competition continues to try its best to be like Daddy. Re-jigging the format so it more resembles the Champions League was the latest attempt to improve the ailing competition but still, the Europa League is held in the same reverence as the Carling Cup is by Premier League clubs.
Take Stoke for example. A side who would put European qualification as the pinnacle of their expectations from a season. Once there they competed remarkably well and reached the knockout stages where they drew a glamour tie against Champions League drop-outs Valencia. Unai Emery was always going to put out a weakened side as Champions League qualification for next season was still a distinct possibility for Los Che. Yet Tony Pulis decided it was in Stoke City’s best interest to concentrate on the Premier League and in the return leg at Estadio Mestalla fielded a second choice eleven – leaving nine first team regulars at home. But why?
Whatever your opinion on Stoke City and their style of play, it would be hard to argue that they couldn’t have matched a Valencia side without star names like Soldado if they had played their regular EPL side. Alas, the visitors bench was not even full, and Valencia ran out comfortable winners. If the best you could hope for from a season is Europa League football for the next campaign, why belittle that feat by not giving it your best go when you make it there?
I believe part of the problem stems from UEFA’s insistence on seeing the big clubs right. What other major competitions in world football allow losers from another tournament entry that same season?! UEFA must stop the rule where the team that finishes third in any given Champions League group gains immediate entry to the Europa League. If, in a group of four teams you finish third, then you are a loser – better luck next time – see you next season. Allowing these teams automatic entry is demeaning the tournament as a whole. Take these places away immediately and spread them around Europe. Give them to leagues where lesser known teams could have their day in the sun.
As a supporter of one of those lesser known teams, it’s the past trips to Europe that live long in the memory. Ask any Shamrock Rovers fan in twenty years about the Europa League and they will wax lyrical about the night that Tottenham Hotspur came calling at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin.
It is time that the powers at be stop treating this once great competition as secondary to the all conquering Champions League. Sure, all the smaller teams will eventually ebb away and you will be left with the bigger teams fighting it out for the title but you won’t have drop-outs besmirching the competition with weakened sides – you will have teams who care trying to win what is still a major competition.
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