General Football Discussion

[Orange14]

Regarding the CL qualifiers it's my understanding that we will get favorable draws in each round (providing of course we win the first round). It would be nice to see two Dutch teams in the group stage for a change.

[Tom_]

I'm completely ignorant of the calculations but I thought I read somewhere that we were seeded for the third round (where we enter) but may not be for the fourth / final round. Can't say where I read it so we can probably file this under 'unreliable'.

[#14]

We won't know for sure until we see what other teams qualify.

Likely seeded teams that start in the fourth round will be the representatives from England (likely United) and Spain (Valencia or Sevilla) whereas those from Italy (likely Roma or Lazio) and Portugal (Sporting) will be unseeded (or at least have coefficients lower than Ajax). The big question will be who ends up 4th in Germany, where Leverkusen would likely be seeded whereas Mönchengladbach would not.

Also depends on whether anyone makes it out of the third qualifying round with a better coefficient than Ajax - but with probably 2 or 3 seeded slots on offer just among the direct fourth round entrants, the odds are reasonably good that, should they survive the third round, Ajax will be seeded in the fourth. That said, how do you fancy our chances against an unseeded Roma?

[#14]

What is *not* in our favor, however, is the new way that UEFA is doing the CL groups.

Starting this year, the holders plus the league winners of the top 7 associations *automatically* go into Pot 1 *regardless* of their coefficient. Plus, if the holders would also get in by having won their league, then the league winner from association #8 automatically goes in Pot 1. And guess which association is #8? That's right boys and girls - if either Juventus, Bayern, or the La Liga winner wins the CL, then the Lightbulbs go straight to Pot 1.

Then the rest of the pots get done by coefficient. So even if they get thru qualifying, Ajax would certainly get Pot 3 and maybe even Pot 4.

[Tom_]

Cool, thanks for the detailed reply! I guess we should be grateful that there is a way for NL teams to get into pot 1 even if it won't be us who benefit this year (since we weren't heading into pot 1 on coefficient alone anytime soon).

[#14]

Unfortunately, after this term the Netherlands will be lower than 8th place. Therefore this won't be of use to Ajax in the foreseeable future.

[SPL]

My Man U mate asked me about Depay, I said a good player but has had one very good year in a season when the standard has been poor, really not sure whether he he is good enough for them.
I told him Suarez coming to England was a no brainer,sheer class.

[Orange14]

Looks like there was no shame in losing to Dnipro in the EL. They just defeated Napoli at home 1-0 to win the tie 2-1 and advance to the EL finals against Sevilla.

[#14]

This has come to pass. PSV get Pot 1 - forcing Madrid, the team with the highest coefficient score, into Pot 2.

What is *not* in our favor, however, is the new way that UEFA is doing the CL groups.

Starting this year, the holders plus the league winners of the top 7 associations *automatically* go into Pot 1 *regardless* of their coefficient. Plus, if the holders would also get in by having won their league, then the league winner from association #8 automatically goes in Pot 1. And guess which association is #8? That's right boys and girls - if either Juventus, Bayern, or the La Liga winner wins the CL, then the Lightbulbs go straight to Pot 1.

Then the rest of the pots get done by coefficient. So even if they get thru qualifying, Ajax would certainly get Pot 3 and maybe even Pot 4.

[Tom_]

I would say "bet we get Madrid" but I guess "bet we end up in the UEFA cup" is more likely

[Orange14]

Will Ajax management be displeased if FdB does not qualify for CL football? Would he be sacked?

[SPL]

We will get Man U in the final CL qualifiers so its going to be Europa cup on Thursdays ,

FDB does deserve one lean year but if next year is no better then he will go.

[Orange14]

But we beat them a couple of years ago in EL! I THINK it was at Old Trafford

[Orange14]

As I figured, they are going to modify the financial fair play rules to favour the wealthy clubs. It was only a matter of time before Platini caved in. Another mail on the coffin for the Dutch league. Too bad

[aveslacker]

As I figured, they are going to modify the financial fair play rules to favour the wealthy clubs. It was only a matter of time before Platini caved in. Another mail on the coffin for the Dutch league. Too bad

I think it's about ten years too late to be able to change things. As long as there are clubs out there with sugardaddies or suppliant local governments ready to bail them out, things aren't going to change. "Financial fair play" was always going to be an Orwellian turn of violence to the English language.

[#14]

Ajax secured a seed in the 3rd round a few weeks back.

A tip of the cap to Lazio - with their victory at Napoli today, if Ajax advance to the 4th round they will be seeded. Avoid United, Valencia, Leverkusen, and Donetsk but could end up with Monaco or, in a strange twist of fate, Lazio.

Regarding the CL qualifiers it's my understanding that we will get favorable draws in each round (providing of course we win the first round). It would be nice to see two Dutch teams in the group stage for a change.

[SPL]

Good news Lazio winning and we end up seeded

[Orange14]

Good news Lazio winning and we end up seeded

Although I'm the most optimistic Ajax fan around, expecting them to win every single game, I cannot help but be pessimistic here as FdB is a very poor knock out match manager. I won't be surprised at all if we go out in the first round (though I hope that is not the case).

EDIT: Here's the scenario

THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND
UEFA rank in (brackets), ties July 28/29 and August 4/5

Seeded: Shakhtar Donetsk (18), Ajax (26), CSKA Moscow (34), Club Brugge (51), Monaco (68)
Unseeded: Young Boys (69), Sparta Prague (72), Fenerbahce (75), Panathinaikos (100), Rapid Vienna (121)

The winners of these five two-legged ties will advance to the playoff round, with the ties played on August 18/19 and 25/26.

PLAYOFF ROUND
UEFA rank in (brackets)

Seeded: Manchester United (10), Valencia (12), Bayer Leverkusen (16), Shakhtar Donetsk* (18), Ajax* (26)
Unseeded: Sporting Lisbon (33), Lazio (40) plus the three other qualifiers from the third qualifying round

* If either Shakhtar Donetsk or Ajax fail to make the playoff round then Sporting Lisbon will be seeded.
* If both Shakhtar and Ajax fail to make the playoff round then CSKA Moscow** will be seeded too.
** If Shakhtar, Ajax and CSKA fail to make the playoff round then Lazio will be seeded along with Sporting..

[Orange14]

Raffie van der Vaart captained Hamburg for the final time tonight and helped them to a 2-1 away victory over Karlsruhe. Club stays up in the Bundesliga to keep there streak of having never been relegated. While he didn't score he sent in a number of great crosses.

[aveslacker]

I think discussion of the FIFA indictments is probably more appropriate here.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/zuric ... e-century/

[Orange14]

Well that was pretty quick. Blatter just announced his resignation from the FIFA presidency. Putin and the Qataris should be very afraid now. Better than even money that Qatar loses the 2022 WC and I won't be surprised if there is some Russian bribery uncovered now as well.

[SPL]

Great news but he is still going to continue for 4 to 6 months until his replacement is voted in.

Now they just need to overturn Qatar for 2022 . No way should aWC be played there.As for Russia maybe bribery in their bid but they are a proper football country and probably should have got aWC

[aveslacker]

Great news but he is still going to continue for 4 to 6 months until his replacement is voted in.

Now they just need to overturn Qatar for 2022 . No way should aWC be played there.As for Russia maybe bribery in their bid but they are a proper football country and probably should have got aWC

Considering that Blatter said that he was going to stand down when his last term ended and then stood for re-election again, I'll wait until he actually retires to believe it. Even better, I'll wait until he spends his remaining days behind bars.

[King Litti]

Now they just need to overturn Qatar for 2022 . No way should aWC be played there.As for Russia maybe bribery in their bid but they are a proper football country and probably should have got aWC

The working conditions in Qatar are inhuman. There's over a thousand people killed in the constructions sites already. Just disgusted by this. There were two people killed in preparations in South Africa and ten in Brazil. That's very sad, but the death toll in Qatar is just insane and it grows almost daily. This alone should be enough to pull the plug from Qatar bribery or no bribery (even though I wouldn't be surprised if money would be involved).

[Manneken Pis]

Qatar have stated today that there has been zero deaths in the construction of the infrastructure....

As they say in English "You're having a laugh"........