Garfield 47 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 No Euro spot for cup final losers The Scottish Football Association are to stop the Scottish Cup runners-up competing in Europe. Chief executive Gordon Smith said: "From next season, only Scottish Cup winners will be nominated for the Uefa Cup by the SFA. "If the cup winners have already qualified through their league position, the extra European place will go to the next-highest team in the SPL. "Only Celtic and Rangers are pulling their weight in Europe at the moment." Clubs playing in the First Division have made it through in the last two seasons and performed poorly. And Smith added: "There is no doubt these Uefa Cup results have damaged our game." Dunfermline will be the last club to seek entry to Europe through the runners-up route after qualifying for the Uefa Cup by losing to champions Celtic in last season's Scottish Cup final. The Pars lost to Swedish second division outfit BK Hacken in the second qualifying round, the same stage Gretna were beaten 7-3 on aggregate by Derry City during the previous season after losing to Hearts in the cup final. Meanwhile, Smith is not keen on the prospect of the Scottish Cup winners going into the Champions League. Uefa president Michel Platini wants to give the cup holders from 16 nations the chance to play in Europe's premier tournament from season 2009-10, with four advancing after a qualifying stage. "It would be great for our competition in terms of sponsorship," said Smith. "And it would provide a better opportunity for teams outside the Old Firm to get into the Champions League. "But, then again, our co-efficient could be seriously damaged by how teams do in this competition. "At this moment, we are 11th in the rankings and that's only down to Celtic and Rangers." About f*ckin time too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the goal machine 7,801 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Great decision. Dunfermline and Gretna were embarrassments. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSuedeSambas 53,775 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 Good Move Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchy 0 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 great move, credit to Gordon Smith - , hes quality , and has the balls to do good things for the game in Scotland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boab 73 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 This is what good happens when we/you have a person who understands Football at the Top Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitchy 0 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 This is what good happens when we/you have a person who understands Football at the Top totally agree Boab... and all the other stuff smith is trying to implement, ie to stamp out diving etc, is great, and Uefa are putting the dampeners on it . Im not convined with Platini in his role , he seems to want to make changes for the sake of it, not for the good of the game. Get Gordon Smith as Uefa president! :) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmckinlay 0 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 great move, credit to Gordon Smith - , hes quality , and has the balls to do good things for the game in Scotland. Good shout Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poetry_In_Blue 1,043 Posted September 17, 2007 Share Posted September 17, 2007 It is good to hear, my concern is even the fourth placed team in the SPL might be rubbish in Europe!! Look at Hearts last season, kicked out of the CL and still didn't qualify for the UEFA cup group stages. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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