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Post by Jordan Forster on Jul 20, 2018 23:04:43 GMT
A topic so many have an opinion on - what can be done to improve Welsh performances in UEFA club competitions?
I read several opinion pieces over the summer about how this season may be the best opportunity yet for Welsh clubs to do well in Europe. There has been analysis on the re-format suggesting it may have provided favourable draws for Welsh clubs. However, results have been very disappointing.
Mike Harris (TNS) suggested there needs to be more investment because Welsh clubs are up against clubs with bigger budgets. I've heard talk of reducing the WPL to 8 clubs to ensure those clubs get bigger slices of the financial pie.
Irish clubs seem to perform better, although I am not expert enough to state whether that is a fair comparison or not. Is there something we can learn from our Celtic cousins?
Some people say summer football is the answer, citing Cefn Druids played a Lithuanian team who had 16 games behind them already, while Druids had just come out of pre-season. What about Bala? They lost to a team from San Marino that hadn't played in six weeks. What other benefits could summer football bring in terms of making Welsh football more successful?
Several people - more authoritative on the WPL than me - I have spoken to seem to be at a loss about how solve the problem of Welsh club performance in Europe. Where do we go from here?
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Post by Jordan Forster on Jul 21, 2018 22:19:07 GMT
Interesting point about home advantage. What are the reasons for clubs playing European home legs at other grounds?
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Post by JimmyRaggatip on Jul 21, 2018 23:11:13 GMT
Bala was just a freak result I think. Luck of the draw would certainly help, I have no doubt in my mind that 99 times out of 100 Welsh clubs would see off their Sammarinese peers. Unfortunately a lot of these draws are regionalised and many of our Northern European counterparts play in summer so it seems like a problem that isn't going to go away
reducing the WPL would be shutting the door after the horse has bolted, TNS have already built their empire off the back of the Champions League money and are pulling the ladder up after themselves.
Purely and simply it is just a case of money, some of the teams in these draws have budgets 20 times the size of Welsh clubs and without a sugar daddy it is hard for any club to compete, and whilst TNS have the largest slice of pie, it is a never ending cycle
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Post by bodger on Jul 22, 2018 12:24:37 GMT
The reason the clubs play at another ground is due to the fact that the grounds are not up to UEFA standard, mainly you are not allowed temporary stands, hence Bala, Connahs Quay and druids using Rhyl and TNS, If Cardiff Met had qualified they may have played at Newtown. Bala V San Marino at Rhyl was a great game with shenanigans and enjoyable football.
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Post by dt1892 on Jul 26, 2018 19:55:55 GMT
Good win for TNS against the Lincoln Red Imps, although weren't convincing. Hopefully enough to see them through.
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Post by dt1892 on Aug 2, 2018 19:24:09 GMT
Good win for TNS against the Lincoln Red Imps, although weren't convincing. Hopefully enough to see them through. Just about. Looks like they've secured that glamour tie in Cardiff.
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Post by Jordan Forster on Aug 3, 2018 8:42:51 GMT
Mark Webber calling on anyone within 30 miles to attend. What are people's thoughts here? Do we put aside club rivalry to support a 'Welsh' cause?
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Post by bodger on Aug 5, 2018 10:13:24 GMT
TNS have made sure that the other welsh prem clubs keep the 4 places on offer from UEFA, if they had lost there would have been a good chance 1 place would have been lost, so thanks to TNS they have saved a welsh prem club 200000 euros next year. Northern Ireland have lost a place next season due to poor performance and Gibraltar have gained one! Gib have a population of 36,000 residents and 18 teams in 2 divisions, (looks like everyone plays) lots of Spaniards travel over the border to play, Bit like north Wales!!!
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