SPL Champions League Qualification

After winning the title with Rangers last season I joined the Champions League qualification at the 3rd qualifying stage despite the fact that champions of the SPL qualify for the group stages automatically. I ended up in the same round as Celtic who came second!!

Anyway I ended up getting beat on away goals so I restarted the game before the save and won. I don't see why I should miss out on the huge financial wedge of Champions League qualification because of an in-game error.

Anybody else had this problem??

After winning the title with Rangers last season I joined the Champions League qualification at the 3rd qualifying stage despite the fact that champions of the SPL qualify for the group stages automatically. I ended up in the same round as Celtic who came second!!

Anyway I ended up getting beat on away goals so I restarted the game before the save and won. I don't see why I should miss out on the huge financial wedge of Champions League qualification because of an in-game error.

Anybody else had this problem??

Scotland dropped in the UEFA Co-efficient standings to 16th which means they only gain one Champions League spot in the 2011/2012 season and the League Champions will enter at the 2nd/3rd qualifying round depending on the results of the 2010/2011 competition as can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_UEFA_Champions_League & here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/qual2011.html

FM is correct and it is not an error/bug.

Also the rep can change and u can gain lose places for euro comps, though what season was this?

Scotland dropped in the UEFA Co-efficient standings to 16th which means they only gain one Champions League spot in the 2011/2012 season and the League Champions will enter at the 2nd/3rd qualifying round depending on the results of the 2010/2011 competition as can be seen here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011%E2%80%9312_UEFA_Champions_League & here: http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/qual2011.html

FM is correct and it is not an error/bug.

exactly next year it is likely we will not have any teams in the champs league group stages.

After winning the title with Rangers last season I joined the Champions League qualification at the 3rd qualifying stage despite the fact that champions of the SPL qualify for the group stages automatically. I ended up in the same round as Celtic who came second!!

Anyway I ended up getting beat on away goals so I restarted the game before the save and won. I don't see why I should miss out on the huge financial wedge of Champions League qualification because of an in-game error.

Anybody else had this problem??

Only the league winners will enter the Champions League next season due to Scotland's Co-Effcient standings dropping and the League winners will enter at the 2nd Qualifying round but due to Rangers real life european performances the folllowing season it goes back to two Scottish teams again

Cheers for clearing this up lads - seems a bit farcical to me though.

Typical elitist stance from UEFA, with English, Spanish, Italian, German sides etc getting 3/4 spots yet teams from a 13th ranked league has to enter at the qualifying stages. Just proves how the Champions League is soley a money making machine now - UEFA would prefer a competition with all of Europes elite top clubs - whilst make iot increasingly more difficult for big clubs playing in 'less respected' leagues such as Rangers to qualify.

A real shame in real footballing terms.

Cheers for clearing this up lads - seems a bit farcical to me though.

Typical elitist stance from UEFA, with English, Spanish, Italian, German sides etc getting 3/4 spots yet teams from a 13th ranked league has to enter at the qualifying stages. Just proves how the Champions League is soley a money making machine now - UEFA would prefer a competition with all of Europes elite top clubs - whilst make iot increasingly more difficult for big clubs playing in 'less respected' leagues such as Rangers to qualify.

A real shame in real footballing terms.

It has nothing to do with that. UEFA want it to be a competitive tournament which it is. It would be highly unfair for a team like AC Milan to have to qualify when they offer more than Rangers do or have done in previous years. As soon as Rangers or any other Scottish side start to get further then things will change. As they haven't been they have to earn their place more.

It has nothing to do with that. UEFA want it to be a competitive tournament which it is. It would be highly unfair for a team like AC Milan to have to qualify when they offer more than Rangers do or have done in previous years. As soon as Rangers or any other Scottish side start to get further then things will change. As they haven't been they have to earn their place more.

I understand your point, but I remember when the Champions League was a tournamnet for the champions of all sides in Europe. Why should a team that finishes 1st in the league miss out on an automatic place in the group stages and have to go through a qaulification process during pre/early season yet a team finishing 2nd, sometimes 3rd in other countries gets an automatic qualification spot or enters much later on.

Its nonsense. Sorry a Champions League with Spurs who finished 4th in the Premier League?? They've done well, It's great to see - but a 'Champions League'. No. No.

I understand your point, but I remember when the Champions League was a tournamnet for the champions of all sides in Europe. Why should a team that finishes 1st in the league miss out on an automatic place in the group stages and have to go through a qaulification process during pre/early season yet a team finishing 2nd, sometimes 3rd in other countries gets an automatic qualification spot or enters much later on.

Its nonsense. Sorry a Champions League with Spurs who finished 4th in the Premier League?? They've done well, It's great to see - but a 'Champions League'. No. No.

I agree with you. But times change. Football is a money making thing. So unless Rangers start to do better then things won't change for them. I would prefer it if we went back to a European Cup. After all the side I support won it two years in a row. Unfortunately the sponsors won't have it that way.

I understand your point, but I remember when the Champions League was a tournamnet for the champions of all sides in Europe. Why should a team that finishes 1st in the league miss out on an automatic place in the group stages and have to go through a qaulification process during pre/early season yet a team finishing 2nd, sometimes 3rd in other countries gets an automatic qualification spot or enters much later on.

Its nonsense. Sorry a Champions League with Spurs who finished 4th in the Premier League?? They've done well, It's great to see - but a 'Champions League'. No. No.

Couldnt agree more.

I understand your point, but I remember when the Champions League was a tournamnet for the champions of all sides in Europe. Why should a team that finishes 1st in the league miss out on an automatic place in the group stages and have to go through a qaulification process during pre/early season yet a team finishing 2nd, sometimes 3rd in other countries gets an automatic qualification spot or enters much later on.

Its nonsense. Sorry a Champions League with Spurs who finished 4th in the Premier League?? They've done well, It's great to see - but a 'Champions League'. No. No.

Good post.. it's really a pity how money has changed football so much, i miss the old European and UEFA Cup.

There's at least some consolation in that Scotland qualifies through a little bit easier path; they break Round 3 down into "Champions" and "Best Placed" teams, so you stay away from teams that are there based on their league finish instead of based on them being outright Champions. Instead you end up with teams like Anderlecht, Basel, and Copenhagen, which are still good sides but not as tricky as, say, Spurs or Sevilla.

I understand your point, but I remember when the Champions League was a tournamnet for the champions of all sides in Europe. Why should a team that finishes 1st in the league miss out on an automatic place in the group stages and have to go through a qaulification process during pre/early season yet a team finishing 2nd, sometimes 3rd in other countries gets an automatic qualification spot or enters much later on.

Its nonsense. Sorry a Champions League with Spurs who finished 4th in the Premier League?? They've done well, It's great to see - but a 'Champions League'. No. No.

Yeah we all miss the old days, but your issue is with UEFA not FM. And tbh Spurs are twice as good as any team in scotland so not really that fussed that its tougher for the SPL clubs.

plus its only for next season, the season after we will have two teams in the champs league again.

Yeah we all miss the old days, but your issue is with UEFA not FM. And tbh Spurs are twice as good as any team in scotland so not really that fussed that its tougher for the SPL clubs.

meh spurs, one dimensional team......

plus its only for next season, the season after we will have two teams in the champs league again.

Why only for next season?

Why only for next season?

because rangers have had a very good run this year which has knocked us back up a notch for the following season, god i hate rangers but you have to be grateful to them!!

Why only for next season?

Based on results Scotland are up into 15th spot in qualification for the 2012/2013 competition which grants them two spots in the Champions League.

because rangers have had a very good run this year which has knocked us back up a notch for the following season, god i hate rangers but you have to be grateful to them!!

Very good run? They haven't won for something like 8 european games? They must love the away goal rule.

Very good run? They haven't won for something like 8 european games? They must love the away goal rule.

its been their saving grace for 3 seasons now, they rarely win games outright in Europe, usually win on away goals over two legs, but at the end of it all they get through and they have given us a second chance at keeping that second spot.

Over the last few seasons Rangers have done really well in Europe which is why I simply dont understand this.

If you look at their record they overcame Sporting Lisbon over 2 legs, were unlucky (and probably) should have beat PSV, as well as finishing 3rd in a tricky Champions League group which included decemt draws agaist Manchester United and Valencia. This is why I feel they proabably deserve a little more 'respect' than a lot of people give them.

It always makes me laugh when people say that Rangers/Ce;tic are the equivalent of Championship 1 sides - yeah right - I wonder how Doncaster Rovers would get on in the Champions League.

Over the last few seasons Rangers have done really well in Europe which is why I simply dont understand this.

If you look at their record they overcame Sporting Lisbon over 2 legs, were unlucky (and probably) should have beat PSV, as well as finishing 3rd in a tricky Champions League group which included decemt draws agaist Manchester United and Valencia. This is why I feel they proabably deserve a little more 'respect' than a lot of people give them.

It always makes me laugh when people say that Rangers/Ce;tic are the equivalent of Championship 1 sides - yeah right - I wonder how Doncaster Rovers would get on in the Champions League.

The problem isnt rangers, its all the other teams letting the co-efficient drop because outwith rangers everyone else has been terrible in europe for years now.

If Celtic were also in the tournament then there is a bug, Scotland will only have one team next Season AFAIUI.

Over the last few seasons Rangers have done really well in Europe which is why I simply dont understand this.

If you look at their record they overcame Sporting Lisbon over 2 legs, were unlucky (and probably) should have beat PSV, as well as finishing 3rd in a tricky Champions League group which included decemt draws agaist Manchester United and Valencia. This is why I feel they proabably deserve a little more 'respect' than a lot of people give them.

It always makes me laugh when people say that Rangers/Ce;tic are the equivalent of Championship 1 sides - yeah right - I wonder how Doncaster Rovers would get on in the Champions League.

Rangers had the chance (twice) to show what they could do against one of the English 'big boys' and twice they ran scared parking the bus for 90 minutes.

Rangers had the chance (twice) to show what they could do against one of the English 'big boys' and twice they ran scared parking the bus for 90 minutes.

We HAD to do that. Unfortunetly its the 2000 era anymore when we had Murray's millions and Dick Advocaat's players beating teams like a very good PSV side 4-1 raping Bayern Munich on their own ground. We dont have the players for that anymore. Were in debt. The Champions League for us right now is nothing more that a money making competition.

Did Man Utd not park the bus against Barcelona a few years ago?

Rangers had the chance (twice) to show what they could do against one of the English 'big boys' and twice they ran scared parking the bus for 90 minutes.

Its not about being scared, its about being smart and they were more successful than most teams at old trafford this season, its not pretty but its effective football and at the end of it, all that counts is getting to the next round and rangers have done that time and time again. They are financially ruined and have done fantastically well to get as far as they have as regularly as they have, no one can take that away from them, and especially not Man U with their tens of millions to spend every season. What you should be thinking about is why your mutli million pound team couldnt break down a team that cost less than Rooney makes in a year and not why rangers came and parked the bus, because everyone knew it would happen before the game even kicked off.

Its not about being scared, its about being smart and they were more successful than most teams at old trafford this season, its not pretty but its effective football and at the end of it, all that counts is getting to the next round and rangers have done that time and time again. They are financially ruined and have done fantastically well to get as far as they have as regularly as they have, no one can take that away from them, and especially not Man U with their tens of millions to spend every season. What you should be thinking about is why your mutli million pound team couldnt break down a team that cost less than Rooney makes in a year and not why rangers came and parked the bus, because everyone knew it would happen before the game even kicked off.

Could'nt agree more with that pount.

Given the financial situation the club is currently in I think they have been fantastic in Europe recently, indeed they have done Scottish football proud. How anyone can argue against this is beyond me.

We HAD to do that. Unfortunetly its the 2000 era anymore when we had Murray's millions and Dick Advocaat's players beating teams like a very good PSV side 4-1 raping Bayern Munich on their own ground. We dont have the players for that anymore. Were in debt. The Champions League for us right now is nothing more that a money making competition.

Did Man Utd not park the bus against Barcelona a few years ago?

Do you mean when we BEAT Barcelona? You cant beat somebody by parking the bus for 90 minutes can you?

I dont mind teams parking the bus. As you say some teams need to do it. It just makes me laugh that for years all you hear is the old firm would do well in the Premiership. Ive even heard that they would be able to challenge for it from some of the more deluded ones. But they had they chance to show what they could do and they didnt. I dont mind so much away from home, but at home they should be looking to score.

Do you mean when we BEAT Barcelona? You cant beat somebody by parking the bus for 90 minutes can you?

I dont mind teams parking the bus. As you say some teams need to do it. It just makes me laugh that for years all you hear is the old firm would do well in the Premiership. Ive even heard that they would be able to challenge for it from some of the more deluded ones. But they had they chance to show what they could do and they didnt. I dont mind so much away from home, but at home they should be looking to score.

I think its more the point that if Rangers/Celtic were to come down to the Premiership they would attract better players than they can currently in Scotland, be financially much better off due to the much better revenues, and have the some of the biggest support in the league home and away - meaning they would ultimately give most Premiership sides a good run.

Its not about being scared, its about being smart and they were more successful than most teams at old trafford this season, its not pretty but its effective football and at the end of it, all that counts is getting to the next round and rangers have done that time and time again. They are financially ruined and have done fantastically well to get as far as they have as regularly as they have, no one can take that away from them, and especially not Man U with their tens of millions to spend every season. What you should be thinking about is why your mutli million pound team couldnt break down a team that cost less than Rooney makes in a year and not why rangers came and parked the bus, because everyone knew it would happen before the game even kicked off.

Actually it IS about being scared.

Im not talking about the Old Trafford game, Im talking about the match in Irbox.

When you have to win for a chance to qualify, and the match is in your home, surely you are gonna attack from the start?

Not, Walter smith sent the team to park the bus and it nearly worked.

If it isnt from being scared, then from where is it?

I think its more the point that if Rangers/Celtic were to come down to the Premiership they would attract better players than they can currently in Scotland, be financially much better off due to the much better revenues, and have the some of the biggest support in the league home and away - meaning they would ultimately give most Premiership sides a good run.

Having a large attendance doesn't guarantee success - look at Newcastle.

The above isn't going to happen though anyway so its a moot point.

Having a large attendance doesn't guarantee success - look at Newcastle.

The above isn't going to happen though anyway so its a moot point.

'attract better players than they can currently in Scotland' and 'be financially much better off due to the much better revenues' - were the main points of the argument.

And your right it won't happen and should'nt happen - I simply am making the point that the the Old Firm, and in particular Rangers, deserve more credit for their performances in Europe in recent seasons.

What makes Man U, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Spurs etc better than the Old Firm......more fans? No. Better stadiums? No. More money......Yes.

Why do they have more money......because of the cash cow that is the Premiership.

Look back at the results between the Old Firm vs English sides when a) the English premiership had less money and b) the Old Firm were spending more on players.

Rangers were beating EPL champion Leeds, Celtic beat Liverpool and Blackburn.....all considered good English sides at the time. Only when the SPL had no TV money, and the EPL got more TV money than before....plus foreign owners, did the gulf in quality become recognisable.

Can anyone seriously say that if Rangers and Celtic joined the EPL and received 40 - 50 million extra every season they would not be able to attain similar levels to teams such as Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool? It seems obvious to me after a few seasons of financial stability they would definitely have a squad capable of being top 6 every year.

Someone mentioned Newcastle as an example of how attendance alone doesn't make a team successful....1) even as an English club, Newcastle doesn't have the global brand name, and worldwide support that Rangers and Celtic enjoy. 2) Newcastle are one of the worst managed clubs in Britain, clearly they have potential but keep making the most awful decisions.

Very good run? They haven't won for something like 8 european games? They must love the away goal rule.

Tell me how many games did the current holders of the Europa League win in Europe last season?

Tell me how many games did the current holders of the Europa League win in Europe last season?

Are the current holders Rangers? No. Did Atletico win in the final yes. Your point is irrelevant.

And for the dude asking what makes the English top clubs better? to your list of money, add better players by a massive degree. Massive, look how well [/sarcasm] all those spl players have done at middlesboro.

But anyway this thread hasn't been about FM for a long time. Closure is needed I feel.

And for the dude asking what makes the English top clubs better? to your list of money, add better players by a massive degree. Massive, look how well [/sarcasm] all those spl players have done at middlesboro.

Exactly.....that's the point I was making. And how to teams attract better players? Money!!! The only reason Rangers and Celtic can't have good players is money. They had awesome teams in the past, where they attracted some wonderful players from around the world. But as the money dried up, and the EPL became this money generating beast, the gulf in quality expanded rapidly. Yes, the difference now is massive....but only because of money.

If the Old Firm were in the EPL, earning the same yearly TV money, they would have the same ability to buy great players as the bigger clubs in England do.

Exactly.....that's the point I was making. And how to teams attract better players? Money!!! The only reason Rangers and Celtic can't have good players is money. They had awesome teams in the past, where they attracted some wonderful players from around the world. But as the money dried up, and the EPL became this money generating beast, the gulf in quality expanded rapidly. Yes, the difference now is massive....but only because of money.

If the Old Firm were in the EPL, earning the same yearly TV money, they would have the same ability to buy great players as the bigger clubs in England do.

Perhaps but they would. But as I said earlier, its not going to happen.

Scottish teams should only play in the Scottish league.

If the Old Firm were in the EPL, earning the same yearly TV money, they would have the same ability to buy great players as the bigger clubs in England do.

They'd have to fight to avoid relegation first

Perhaps but they would. But as I said earlier, its not going to happen.

Scottish teams should only play in the Scottish league.

I agree wholeheartedly, the Old Firm are Scottish clubs...and they should do the best with what financial support their country offers them in terms of TV money and sponsorship, which goes a long way to explaining the increasing gap between the Old Firm and those in England.

TBH, the Old Firm or an anomaly in footballing terms........I can't think of any other clubs from a country as small as Scotland (pop. around 5 million) having two such giant clubs.....and its understandable why they feel the paltry TV money is not enough to sustain their lofty ambitions....especially when UEFA are making it harder for any team not English, Spanish or Italian (or having an oil rich chairman) to ever gain a foothold in European football.

I would truly like to see a return of the foreigner rule that prevents clubs from fielding more than 3 overseas players in their starting 11 in European games.....in Scotland this was known as the "8 dummies rule" when it existed.

Gone way off topic, so closed.