2016/2017 Champions League

[Brown Nose]

I know it's a bit early but we know quite a lot about the structure and competitors so I thought I'd set a few things out here.

Firstly, we qualify as top seeds as winners of one of the seven leagues with the highest coefficients.

So, the top seeds are: Leicester, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSG, Benfica. Juventus, plus the winners of the Russian League (current leaders are CSKA Moscow) and the winners of the Madrid final.

Other qualified teams for the group stage are: Arsenal, Spurs, the other Madrid team, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Bayern Leverkusen, Basel, Dynamo Kiev, Lyon, PSV Eindhoven, Brugge, Besiktas, Sporting Lisbon and either Liverpool or Seville.

The other ten places go to the winners of the various play off and qualifying rounds. Five teams are already in the qualifier for a group stage place: Man City, Porto, Villareal, Roma, Borusia Monchengladbach.

These five will play the winners of from the following ten sides that have to play off against each other first: Shakhtar Donetsk, Ajax, Fenerbahce, Sparta Prague, Steaua Bucharest, Monaco, Young Boys plus the runners up in Russia, Greece and Belguim.

The other five places come from a league system whereby clubs are ranked by their coefficient and have to play up to four qualifying rounds. So, for example, Celtic enter the competition at the second qualifying round and have to win that round and two others in order to get a place in the group stage.

After we're drawn as top seeds, we will then face teams ranked into sections based upon their coefficient scores. There cannot be more than one team from a country in a group either. So, for example, the best ranked side we could be drawn against is the loser of this season's Champions League final.

The worst case scenario would be us being drawn into a group comprising of something like a Madrid club, Roma and Besiktas. Of course, the draw could be a lot kinder too.

 

[fitz]

Shame we can't get Liverpool.

 

[camberwell fox]

Thanks BN.

 

[MerseyFox]

wow just wow never ever though I would see us in the Champions League. Becoming real though

 

[Miles Away]

"So, the top seeds are: Leicester, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, PSG, Benfica. Juventus, plus the winners of the Russian League (current leaders are CSKA Moscow) and thewinners of the Madrid final."

Is ****ing hilarious to read.

 

[Mawsley]

Football Manager is great fun.

Oh wait...

 

[Lako42]

Sweet baby Jebus

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Kante is sure to be offered an improved contract with us to put him on a par with Vardy and Mahrez.

I cannot honestly see him want to move to an English club, where he will not fit in, and not be loved or worshipped to the same extent he is here.

Even if Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal were to offer him £6million a year instead of £3million a year here, does he really need it?

 

[LCFC'sGodWears9]

Kante is sure to be offered an improved contract with us to put him on a par with Vardy and Mahrez.

I cannot honestly see him want to move to an English club, where he will not fit in, and not be loved or worshipped to the same extent he is here.

Even if Man City, Chelsea or Arsenal were to offer him £6million a year instead of £3million a year here, does he really need it?

If someone doubled your wages, would you take it?

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

From £20,000 to £40,000 yes.

From £3million to £6million? Not necessarily.

If I knew I was going to receive £10million pounds for a few years work, the quality of that time would be very important.

Once you have about £10million, how much more do you need?

 

[pork pie fox]

From £20,000 to £40,000 yes.

From £3million to £6million? Not necessarily.

If I knew I was going to receive £10million pounds for a few years work, the quality of that time would be very important.

Once you have about £10million, how much more do you need?

Why wouldn't his quality of that time be enjoyable at Arsenal?

 

[SwedeFox]

Not being a millionaire I'm perhaps not qualified to talk about it but I think at some point money is more about prestige and valuation of work rather than actual things you can buy for it.

 

[Lako42]

Why wouldn't his quality of that time be enjoyable at Arsenal?

There is nothing fun about constantly under achieving.

There is fun in achieving what everyone expects you to achieve, but it's still expected.

There is an unrivalled amount of fun in achieving things against all of the odds.

 

[LCFC'sGodWears9]

From £20,000 to £40,000 yes.

From £3million to £6million? Not necessarily.

If I knew I was going to receive £10million pounds for a few years work, the quality of that time would be very important.

Once you have about £10million, how much more do you need?

I'm not picking on you as many other people have the same opinion, but I really don't understand the argument people have for footballers not moving for money, you would do the same. If you earn enough, arguably you change the lives of your family for generations.

If your career offers you an opportunity to double your salary, you take it. Footballers, more than the rest of us, have limited opportunity to maximise their earnings (20 years if they are lucky) because once it has gone they will never see anything like that money again. The working man can have 50-55 years of earning if you're starting at 15/16. I realise the average working man will get nowhere near the salary of a footballer, but you would maximise your earnings during your working time, why is a footballer exempt?

Footballers are one nasty tackle or freak injury away from never playing again and their potential earnings are gone. We as fans just don't like it because they are paid such enormous amounts and sometimes can jump ship unceremoniously (Sterling), but I can't see a reason for rejecting a doubling in salary. You would at the very least try it and see what happens.

If a bigger club wants you, they obviously think you're of sufficient quality to contribute to them and I'm sure nearly all footballers believe that they can play a big part at their respective clubs. It is up to them to prove it once they are there. The quality of their time is down to what they make of their opportunity, them proving they are worth the money, if I was Kante/Mahrez/Vardy you're damn right I think I'm good enough to be at a bigger club (Yes we are the champions, but we don't have the lure of Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs even Liverpool like it or not).

If it doesn't work, they can always request a transfer and move again a year later and they'd probably end up on more than they had originally here, when moving to their 3rd club. If you're talking about a marginal increase in salary, then maybe you consider things like team spirit, friends, loyalty, playing time etc. but when you're doubling salary it's a no brainer for anyone IMO.

 

[pork pie fox]

There is nothing fun about constantly under achieving.

There is fun in achieving what everyone expects you to achieve, but it's still expected.

There is an unrivalled amount of fun in achieving things against all of the odds.

I'm sure the Arsenal lads still enjoy themselves. Maybe our lads enjoy it more, who knows. I don't think players see it the same way as fans, though.

 

[artic fox]

Kante is to Leicester as Shearer was Blackburn/Newcastle. that work rate is not seen too often.I really hope we keep him.I mention Shearer as he was something special that I had the honour to see play in the flesh

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Kante is to Leicester as Shearer was Blackburn/Newcastle. that work rate is not seen too often.I really hope we keep him.I mention Shearer as he was something special that I had the honour to see play in the flesh

I only saw Shearer in the flesh once, when he confused Neil Lennons head with the ball some 18 years ago. Shearer something special? I am sure he is!

 

[Robin127]

The most important thing to Shearer when he was playing was Shearer. A prime example was the penalty shootouts at Euro 96 and the world cup two years later. When Southgate missed his spot kick and England went out, the first person to go up to him was Tony Adams, the captain, putting an arm around him and offering some consolation. Two years later David Batty missed and Alan Shearer, the England captain stood in the centre circle looking thoroughly disgusted and eventually walked off without talking to anyone, a totally selfish act.

 

[Matt_B]

Does anyone know if you can get odds on us winning it yet?

 

[bocadillo]

Does anyone know if you can get odds on us winning it yet?

You won't find anything online because this year's competition is yet to be completed. You'd need to find a friendly bookie who would give you his best guestimate - and probably a bookie that wasn't stung too badly by our recent 5000/1 miracle.