Champions League play-offs wouldn’t work

The idea of play-off’s for the fourth Champions League place in the Premier League just wouldn’t work. It’s obviously an idea dreamt up in Premier League towers to fleece the hard working fans out of yet more money.

Monopoly

The top four has become a monopoly since in the last few years with only Everton breaking up that monopoly in 2005.

The prescence of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in the Champions League has maintained the gap between the haves and have not’s money wise.

Although Liverpool have huge debts because of their American owners, they could be in far worse financial straits if it wasn’t for season after season participation in the Champions League. Liverpool are in danger of missing out on the Champions League next season and that could be catastrophic for the club.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez is unsurprising against the idea of the play-offs and he has every reason to be against the play-offs. It’s his side who are most in danger of missing out on the Champions League if the play-offs do somehow materialise.

Coefficients

I am not against the idea because of the monopoly being broken up. That would be a good thing. The idea is that the teams from 4^th to 7^th place in the Premier League would contest the play-offs but if that would of happened last season Fulham could be in this seasons Champions League.

No offence to Fulham but they wouldn’t have the squad strength to deal with Europe’s top continental competition. As well as they are doing in the Europa League, I just don’t think they would have the strength in depth to deal with Europe’s elite.

A perfect example from this season is Aston Villa’s weak attempt at playing in the Europa League. The Villan’s finished 6^th in the Premier League last season yet went out of the Europa League before the group stages even started.

Another example is my club Everton. We finished fifth last season but our squad was so ravaged by injury earlier in the season that we had to put out a makeshift team out in the Europa League, the result a 5-0 hammering away at Benfica. If that would have been in the Champions League it could have been even more embarrassing.

All three clubs showed at times in Europe that they have limited squads. Fulham and Everton are only still in the competition thanks to fantastic bosses and their management. Roy Hodgson and David Moyes managed to pull their teams through.

Countries are given their number of Champions League places on past performances by their teams. If a team ill-equipped to deal with Champions League football found themselves in the competition England could lose a Champions League place.

That could mean the other countries gaining an extra Champions League spot and with that the extra revenue that comes with it. With the state of finances at some England’s top clubs that could be a major blow.

Money

Premier League officials will suggest that the idea is to spread the wealth amongst the clubs in the league. However it’s all about the money for the league representatives. With that in mind they should forget about the play-offs and concentrate on operating their multi-billionaire pound business.

Congestion

Another argument against the play-offs system is the fact that it will mean even more games on an already congested fixture list. The likes of Arsene Wenger have mentioned this as a possible problem and it’s true.

Traditional

The system should stay how it is. If a team is good enough to finish in the top four of the Premier League then they will. The fact that the European Cup is still called the Champions League is a bit archaic considering it’s no longer just the Champions of each country competing for the trophy (And it hasn’t been for years).

If we start putting teams that finish fifth, sixth or seventh in the Premier League in the Champions League it just becomes even more preposterous. They tried it out in the Dutch Eredivisie and scrapped it after just one season, realising it didn’t work. Fortunately for English football I don’t believe it will get past the idea stage.