European Football

[WindyCity]

I think it's worth it, to attain Euro play.  It can help in recruitment and getting better players in the team.  Great fun also for the fans, traveling, etc. 

All that said, for a mid table club like FFC, there can be danger of regression in the Prem.  And that still needs to be top priority, staying in this league.  Hopefully ownership/management would make the necessary acquisitions and upgrades to compete in Euro play and successfully stay in the Premier League.

[Jules]

Despite Palace's 'West Ham' levels of celebration, I still have no interest in the Conference League. Never heard of most of the teams & some of the grounds look non-league standard.

Me neither. Champions League and Europa league are the ones. The conference league is of no interest to me personally. I'm sure others feel different and that's fine. What i really want is for Fulham to win the FA Cup or League Cup.

[SP]

My Palace mate has been raving about the beer, food, sightseeing & late night drinking at the away Conference fixtures, no mention of any of the actual matches. He hated the Thursday night home fixtures.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree about the merits of the Conference League.

[WindyCity]

The conference league is of no interest to me personally.

Beggars can't be choosers.....

[perry geyton]

The quality in the European conference is pretty poor,
 just seems a way of milking the cash cow for more money.

Yep absolutely no need for that tournament

[Fulham Seaxe]

The quality in the European conference is pretty poor,
 just seems a way of milking the cash cow for more money.

Yep absolutely no need for that tournament

I'd happily see Fulham play in it. Something different. The Premier League bores me ****less.

[General]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

[SP]

Forget the Conference League, I reckon Europa League qualification will be a formality after we announce our new signings, Will Hughes & Callum Wilson! 

[Angus Telford]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

Dismissing Ajax, one of the biggest clubs in European football.

One of the best games in our history, I'm sure most over 40 will agree, was 1997 away to Carlisle.

If I can make lifelong memories there, I could certainly get excited about playing Ajax and competing for a trophy that's still a lot better anything we've ever won.

And even if you are holding out for a Champions' League win over Real Madrid, this is the necessary stepping stone to that.

[General]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

Dismissing Ajax, one of the biggest clubs in European football.

One of the best games in our history, I'm sure most will agree, was 1997 away to Carlisle.

If I can make lifelong memories there, I could certainly get excited about playing Ajax and competing for a trophy that's still a lot better anything we've ever won.

And even if you are holding out for a Champions' League win over Real Madrid, this is the necessary stepping stone to that.

If I were dismissing ajax I would've highlighted them as an example..

[Angus Telford]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

Dismissing Ajax, one of the biggest clubs in European football.

One of the best games in our history, I'm sure most will agree, was 1997 away to Carlisle.

If I can make lifelong memories there, I could certainly get excited about playing Ajax and competing for a trophy that's still a lot better anything we've ever won.

And even if you are holding out for a Champions' League win over Real Madrid, this is the necessary stepping stone to that.

If I were dismissing ajax I would've highlighted them as an example..

In that case you could have saved your word count and just agreed with Twig that "Some of these are big clubs"

[ron]

An Aesop fable about grapes comes to mind ...

[General]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

Dismissing Ajax, one of the biggest clubs in European football.

One of the best games in our history, I'm sure most will agree, was 1997 away to Carlisle.

If I can make lifelong memories there, I could certainly get excited about playing Ajax and competing for a trophy that's still a lot better anything we've ever won.

And even if you are holding out for a Champions' League win over Real Madrid, this is the necessary stepping stone to that.

If I were dismissing ajax I would've highlighted them as an example..

In that case you could have saved your word count and just agreed with Twig that "Some of these are big clubs"

The Eredivisie is apparently only the 7th best league in Europe, and Ajax have come 5th twice in the last 3 years, which for me still makes the point of recognisable clubs not being at their best when they play in the ECL.

Sorry, was going to be a complete pedant, but.

[Twig]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

So you think we'd easily stuff those "inferior" teams? I respect your optimism.

Anyhow I would suggest that you've kind of proved my point when you say none of those you listed have " won anything meaningful Europe wise".  Because neither have we!  In my view the Conference pretty much represents the level FFC are at right now and i wouldn't dismiss us as inferior, so to dismiss potential opponents in that way just strikes me as arrogant.

[HV71]

I just don't understand how people are so quick to dismiss teams in the Conference League. We haven't managed to qualify - and people seem to have short memories as we were playing in lower divisions not so long ago. Do the same people who dismiss the Conference league also look down on the FA Cup a competition which produced a "small team with a tiny ground" beating the Cup holders. The glamour of that competition is rarely called into question so why slag off a European Conference league?

[General]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

So you think we'd easily stuff those "inferior" teams? I respect your optimism.

Anyhow I would suggest that you've kind of proved my point when you say none of those you listed have " won anything meaningful Europe wise".  Because neither have we!  In my view the Conference pretty much represents the level FFC are at right now and i wouldn't dismiss us as inferior, so to dismiss potential opponents in that way just strikes me as arrogant.

I don't know if we'd 'stuff' those teams, but given Palace won it this year and came 15th in the PL, and West Ham came 14th.. the suggestion is that it at the very least hinders/affects league form negatively.

What I believe my initial point was making was that I'd rather get in to the Europa League proper and focus on that, over compromising our league form (with an already thin squad) just to play a, yes, inferior european competition.

I don't think there's any arrogance in it at all. For me it's a question of priorities.

I would rather us do well in the PL because we have everything in place to earn a european birth, then risk qualifying for a competition that could add as a distraction and hinder our PL form because we've not got a good enough squad to get into the Europa League.

The other aspect of what makes it not as good, and less of an arrogant statement, is that the teams are genuinely not as good in their own (lesser) leagues than the PL (factually), and it is what is deemed the third tier of European cup competition (again a fact).

I've highlighted what this leads to from a Getafe, Hapoel etc standpoint.

I don't think anyone needs to attack anyone over stating the obvious, just because one person doesn't think it's sensible and the other wants to do it.

For full transparency, whilst it's nice to highlight the bigger named teams, for context the rest of those who were in the ECL this season just gone include (from the group stage Palace started at and we would)

Drita (Cyprus)
Breioablik (Iceland)
Shelbourne (Ireland)
Hamrun Spartans (Malta)
Servette (Swiss)
Noah (Armenia)
AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)
Samsunspor (Turkey)
Celje (Slovenia)
Rijeka (Croatia)
Jagiellonia Bialystok (Poland)
Omonia (Cyprus)
KuPS (Finland)
Shkendija (Macedonia)
Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia)
Sigma Olomouc (Czech)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar)
Universitatea Craiova (Romania)
BK Haken (Sweden)
Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
Aberdeen (Scotland)

to name a few..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_UEFA_Conference_League

It's like having Atheltico drop down from the Champions League the year we got to the final, with them not winning a game outright in normal time, beyond beating Galatasary, but somehow ending up in the final and beating us, whilst we played 18 games to get to that point

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_UEFA_Europa_League_final

[Twig]

I don't get this argument that the stadiums, the teams, etc all reek of substandard.  Yes, there are some real minnows qualified, but nobody can tell me the following are substandard: Atalanta, Brighton, Getafe, Monaco, Ajax, Braga, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Partizan.  And there are plenty of others.

Some of these are "big" clubs that are curently having a tough time for one reason or another but they are still clubs with great hisotry and clubs I wuld be delighted to travel to and watch Fulham in action. 

Frankly it's arrogant to write off the competition as substandard or beneath us. We would struggle aganst a fair few of the qualified teams.

let's be honest, just because clubs are known entities it doesn't mean that they're in a good period with their team/management style and structure at the time of competing in the Europa Conference League..

Plus, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Braga, Getafe, and Partizan can't really be called big clubs - none of them have won anything meaningful europe wise.

When you ask for whether any of them have won european honours, Chatgpt even goes as far as referencing Hapoel Tel Aviv's basketball team as their european success.


Hapoel have often ended up mid table in Israel, with a 29,000 seater stadium.

Braga have 30,000 stadium, but often finish in Portugal's top 4

Getafe are often lower-mid-table in La Liga

FK Partizan, are usually 2nd in Serbia these days..


For broader context, the league ranks for each league based on UEFA league rankings are as follows

1. Getafe: La Liga - 3rd strongest after PL and Serie A
2. Braga: Primeira Liga - 6th (apparently considered upper-mid elite)
3.FK Partizan - 12th-20 strongest league in Europe (developing/strong regional)
4. Hapoel Tel Aviv - 15th-25th strongest league - considered mid-level european

Look, I appreciate european nights are special, but the conference league is completely different and substandard to any other european league..

When we played in the Europa League we played champions of Germany, Ukraine, Italy and Ukraine.

There's a considerable difference in quality there.

So you think we'd easily stuff those "inferior" teams? I respect your optimism.

Anyhow I would suggest that you've kind of proved my point when you say none of those you listed have " won anything meaningful Europe wise".  Because neither have we!  In my view the Conference pretty much represents the level FFC are at right now and i wouldn't dismiss us as inferior, so to dismiss potential opponents in that way just strikes me as arrogant.

I don't know if we'd 'stuff' those teams, but given Palace won it this year and came 15th in the PL, and West Ham came 14th.. the suggestion is that it at the very least hinders/affects league form negatively.

What I believe my initial point was making was that I'd rather get in to the Europa League proper and focus on that, over compromising our league form (with an already thin squad) just to play a, yes, inferior european competition.

I don't think there's any arrogance in it at all. For me it's a question of priorities.

I would rather us do well in the PL because we have everything in place to earn a european birth, then risk qualifying for a competition that could add as a distraction and hinder our PL form because we've not got a good enough squad to get into the Europa League.

The other aspect of what makes it not as good, and less of an arrogant statement, is that the teams are genuinely not as good in their own (lesser) leagues than the PL (factually), and it is what is deemed the third tier of European cup competition (again a fact).

I've highlighted what this leads to from a Getafe, Hapoel etc standpoint.

I don't think anyone needs to attack anyone over stating the obvious, just because one person doesn't think it's sensible and the other wants to do it.

For full transparency, whilst it's nice to highlight the bigger named teams, for context the rest of those who were in the ECL this season just gone include (from the group stage Palace started at and we would)

Drita (Cyprus)
Breioablik (Iceland)
Shelbourne (Ireland)
Hamrun Spartans (Malta)
Servette (Swiss)
Noah (Armenia)
AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)
Samsunspor (Turkey)
Celje (Slovenia)
Rijeka (Croatia)
Jagiellonia Bialystok (Poland)
Omonia (Cyprus)
KuPS (Finland)
Shkendija (Macedonia)
Zrinjski Mostar (Bosnia)
Sigma Olomouc (Czech)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar)
Universitatea Craiova (Romania)
BK Haken (Sweden)
Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
Aberdeen (Scotland)

to name a few..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_UEFA_Conference_League

It's like having Atheltico drop down from the Champions League the year we got to the final, with them not winning a game outright in normal time, beyond beating Galatasary, but somehow ending up in the final and beating us, whilst we played 18 games to get to that point

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_UEFA_Europa_League_final

I did acknowledge there were a lot of lesser teams too. My point was along the lines of.....remember beating Amkar Perm? I bet you do and I also bet you still took great delight even at that early stage in the competition, I know damned well I did. In the same way I'd take great delight in beating a Rijeka or whatever in an early round of the Conf. And I'm bloody well certain I'd move heaven and earth for a final ticket if we ever got that far.

Anyway this is becoming tedious for everyone so let's agree to disagree.

[Shredhead]

Is the Europa Conference League 'bigger' than the Intertoto? If it isn't, then it's  not worth our while, is it?


At the moment, it looks to me like the Champions League is the only one that might be harder to win than the EPL, or for that matter, the FA Cup once the big 6 start playing their first teams in the semifinals.