European football

[KoTeMoRe]

In 2009 the Belgian Jupiler league/First division changed the competition format.
They cut down from 18 teams to 16 and continued games into the traditional winterstop.
What was most controversial is that they added the following:
After the regular competition there is a play-off system.

The top 6 ranked clubs (by points) advance to play off I where they battle it out for a spot in the Champions league/Europa league and for the championship.

Mind you that transfers during the 'winter stop' can have a big influence on the results of the second half of the regular season, but in no way ensure that you will be in the top 3 or 4- adding the play off system gives an additional chance to reach those spots.

The other clubs are divided into Play off II and play off III=
the winner of play off II plays against the 4th and 5th placed team from play off I for a Europa league spot.

There is also a play off for the bottom 2 ranked team to see who is regulated to the lower division, etc.

This system gives an extra chance for the traditional big 4 (Anderlecht, Standard, Club Brugge, AA Gent) to make up for any mistakes they made during the regular season, ensuring a place in the Champion's league/Europa league or for the actual Championship itself.

-

This year there was an attempt to change the format of the competition back to 18 teams with no playoffs - fthere was opposition from the big 4 and a further attempt to change the regulation format to that of the system used in Argentina where the bottom two teams are judged also on their perofrmances of the past three seasons- this in a bid to ensure that certain clubs would not be regulated to the lower division. (Charleroi was in serious danger of getting regulated- which they now are- and tried this in a last bid to save themselves)

Most of the fans don't want the play-off system and only a team like Charleroi would benefit from the 'Argentine' system so one can see that there is some foul play in trying to influence the competition formats- this is all very Belgian however.

What the Dutchie said. Except that Standard opposed the playoff format from day 1 and almost proved the why.

[WolverineBlue]

Yuck why would you have one of those! Having said that I cant stand west ham either.

For good measure...



Can't seem to find my Man United jersey.

[Military-G]

For good measure...



Can't seem to find my Man United jersey.

Yuck yuck lazio and to win the golden yuck Man UTD.

My Italian team is palermo.. means my jersey is umm .. well.. its pink.. lol. God damn it.

[Gleipnir]

Thanks for the detailed description!

The first I have heard of such a system in a European league.

No problem

it is bloody strange, isn't it?

What the Dutchie said. Except that Standard opposed the playoff format from day 1 and almost proved the why.

It is true that Standard opposed the play-off but during that proposed competition format change there were two distinct 'factions' that formed-
one for the play-off system, etc. and one against the play-offs system-

Standard was its own independent entity and wanted no playoff and a competition with only 16 clubs, so it would have definitely been strange if they had won the competition through the play-off system.

[KoTeMoRe]

No problem

it is bloody strange, isn't it?



It is true that Standard opposed the play-off but during that proposed competition format change there were two distinct 'factions' that formed-
one for the play-off system, etc. and one against the play-offs system-

Standard was its own independent entity and wanted no playoff and a competition with only 16 clubs, so it would have definitely been strange if they had won the competition through the play-off system.

The issue was that RCSL saw the whole deal behind the playoffs. It was to ensure that the biggest share of the pie stayed with the big ones (Who said Anderlecht?). Standard understood that this would de facto cut the league in two and the season in two. The "haves" would thus calculate their effort and have the possibility and time to breathe if engaged in Euro-Cups. This situation would force any young "prospect" to go through the said "big ones", ensuring their domination. But Standard relies on their youth and an array of smaller Walloon clubs that train and promote players through a privileged link. Needless to say, this isn't much more benevolent than the other bunch of vultures, but it still has that "local" feeling.

D'Onofrio raised the point in early 2010 when he said that Anderlecht would keep a low profil during the season (given other fixtures) and then roll over any-one else in the PO's. His point was made even more clear when HE entered this year's PO-1 as 6th and ended up as 1st ex aequo (loosing on number of victories in the overall season).

[Gleipnir]

The issue was that RCSL saw the whole deal behind the playoffs. It was to ensure that the biggest share of the pie stayed with the big ones (Who said Anderlecht?). Standard understood that this would de facto cut the league in two and the season in two. The "haves" would thus calculate their effort and have the possibility and time to breathe if engaged in Euro-Cups. This situation would force any young "prospect" to go through the said "big ones", ensuring their domination. But Standard relies on their youth and an array of smaller Walloon clubs that train and promote players through a privileged link. Needless to say, this isn't much more benevolent than the other bunch of vultures, but it still has that "local" feeling.

D'Onofrio raised the point in early 2010 when he said that Anderlecht would keep a low profil during the season (given other fixtures) and then roll over any-one else in the PO's. His point was made even more clear when HE entered this year's PO-1 as 6th and ended up as 1st ex aequo (loosing on number of victories in the overall season).

Yeah, that is a good analysis.
Standard has been and will always be a kind of 'outsider' in these kinds of things, in my opinion.

Anderslecht and Club Brugge are the biggest culprits in this whole play-off mess.

/EDIT/
sh*t-
I just re-read what i wrote and noticed I put Standard in the 'big four'
I meant Racing Genk- I am going to edit it to reflect this.

[KoTeMoRe]

No biggie, Standard is your old Aristocratic family wanting things to stay as they were. Anderlecht your capitalist, arrogant, impulsive brother-in-law with monopolistic views. Needless to say I'd rather see Belgian football profit from the Arrogance of RSCA, just that sometimes you love when the tables are turned on the big brass.

Sport is an excellence based activity, you can't have results if you're all boyscout. Sometimes indeed tradition makes right, but ambition makes perfect.

It would have been somewhat bad for Genk that indeed had those young guns ready and firing.

[Clearday-TRForce]

Breaking News

Official: Real Madrid sign Hamit Altintop

Four year deal for former Bayern Munich star as Madrid announce latest arrival

http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain...hamit-altintop

[Clearday-TRForce]

Real MADRID, Karanka: "We're happy because Altintop is the sort of player we want"

We've had a good season; the club is back in the European elite and we won a title we lacked for many years"
Realmadrid.com / Translation by Michael J. O'Donnell

Assistant coach Aitor Karanka addressed the media the day prior to the final league game of the season against Almeria.

"Altintop is an international who comes from a great side: Bayern Munich. He is a team worker and the sort of player we want. We are very happy about the singing and we want to show people why we signed him throughout the coming season."

...
....
.....

http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satelli...r_we_want_.htm

We will see the performance of HA in next season.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

We will see the performance of HA in next season.

He's a good role player, can play a few different positions. I think he'll just be a substitute however. Even at Bayern Munich he wasn't always in the first team.

Sahin, Özil and Altintop were all born within 100 km of each other, pretty close to where I am living now.

It is the center of Real Madrid's recruiting, lol. )

[Clearday-TRForce]

He's a good role player, can play a few different positions. I think he'll just be a substitute however. Even at Bayern Munich he wasn't always in the first team.

Sahin, Özil and Altintop were all born within 100 km of each other, pretty close to where I am living now.

It is the center of Real Madrid's recruiting, lol. )

Yeah I need some for Barcelona too...the worst thing I support Barca...what will I support now? Can't I see some players in Barca?

[Universals]

Funny how Real M. had the dutch revolution a few years ago and had to send them packing pretty much for free...Now they are starting a German/Turkish revolution... hope this one ends well.

Barca is going after Giuseppe Rossi which i think is a brilliant move.

[Breakfast in Vegas]

Yeah I need some for Barcelona too...the worst thing I support Barca...what will I support now? Can't I see some players in Barca?

I don't have any "blood" spirit for Barca or Real, but have supported Madrid since Beckham and Roberto Carlos went there. Now with Özil and Khedira there, plus Mourinho... and now Sahin and Altintop, supporting them is easy. )

In any case, Real is my Spanish team... of course if they play German or English teams, I am against them...lol.

Which Turkish team you support?

[Clearday-TRForce]

I don't have any "blood" spirit for Barca or Real, but have supported Madrid since Beckham and Roberto Carlos went there. Now with Özil and Khedira there, plus Mourinho... and now Sahin and Altintop, supporting them is easy. )

In any case, Real is my Spanish team... of course if they play German or English teams, I am against them...lol.

Which Turkish team you support?

I support Trabzonspor (second team's Galatasaray) in Turkiye...In the world, Barca, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Napoli.

[WolverineBlue]

After 20 minutes, Blackpool and Wigan to join Hammers for drop. Spurs in Europa Cup.