kanjo 26,489 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Both clubs have similar (if not smaller) budgets than the Old Firm...yet that tonight shows that with organisation and good signings, you can do it all.EDIT: That should real APOEL even. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh_capet 341 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 They dont do it every year do they. Both ourselves and celtic have been in the last 16 and european finals in the past decade. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulRFC1 115 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Agreed.It shows you what you can do.Hopefully it gives hope to the people who seem to think we cant even qualify anymore. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluenose_72 198 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Basel have some very good young players coming through. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben10 2,300 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 We had a realistic chance of qualifying out of the Unirea group, but we played as if we didn't deserve to be there at all and this year, with pisstakers like whittaker sealing our fate for us didn't help. Who knows, we may get there in the end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdunsmb 43 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 They dont do it every year do they. Both ourselves and celtic have been in the last 16 and european finals in the past decade.Spot on. It's a one off for both teams and a feat that both Rangers and Celtic have achieved. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeReadyStu 70 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Basel and APOELCIty did have a tough group, but still should have got through.United Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanjo 26,489 Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 We've done it, but never under the circumstances of those clubs.APOEL don't even have a budget half of what we have and they won their group.For Basel to put those wankers into the EL was just fascinating...I hope we can one day do that again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgruntled_bear 157 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 FC Basel are probably a better example, although I'm not sure about the set up etc with wages, tax and work permit laws.As for APOEL, we can't flood our team full of south american players. Saying that it's not impossible for us to qualify for the last 16, but... It's getting harder for us. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh_capet 341 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 We've done it, but never under the circumstances of those clubs.APOEL don't even have a budget half of what we have and they won their group.For Basel to put those wankers into the EL was just fascinating...I hope we can one day do that again.APOEL topped the group with 9 points, a total that would see you papped out more often that not. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhosTheDado 32 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Congrats to both Basel and APOEL. It's always refreshing to see clubs from smaller countries compete with the big boys and will hopefully inspire Ally and the players to get us back playing champion's league football. I agree with an earlier post that qualifying for the group stage isn't as hard as people think as long as we are league champions. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanjo 26,489 Posted December 7, 2011 Author Share Posted December 7, 2011 APOEL topped the group with 9 points, a total that would see you papped out more often that not.touche mate! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bombaybadboy08 15,660 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 We could qualify for the Champions League every year and make gradual progress as each season goes on,we may not win it but hey who thought we would make Manchester with Kirky Broaderz in the team?We need gutted from top to bottom though,if our right back is injured or suspended we need to replace him with a right back regardless of his age or the opposition.Not a centre back or a left-back that has played that position at his local ash park.What hope are we giving these youngsters coming through the ranks when they see folk shoe-horned into positions before they are given a chance?,I know a big factor is the fear of being second behind celt*c but hey see if we lose the league in a year or two of transition in return to then have a squad capable of sweeping up all our domestic trophies and standing their ground in Europe I'm all for it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourfourtwo 2,065 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 gaun yersel Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_ni 12 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Good to see some smaller teams making it through. Makes it a bit more exciting. The champions league has become too predictable over the past few years with the same teams going through all the time. Just goes to show you don't need to spend big money to be successful Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKingObv 10,860 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Two teams who have shown no fear in the competition, and have gone out thinking they can win each game.Us on the other hand... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebooler 4,509 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Both clubs have similar (if not smaller) budgets than the Old Firm...yet that tonight shows that with organisation and good signings, you can do it all.EDIT: That should real APOEL even.That should read read................... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh_capet 341 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 Two teams who have shown no fear in the competition, and have gone out thinking they can win each game.Us on the other hand...Did you see APOEL play Zenit away? made our performance against Werder in the UEFA look like the Brazil 70 team in comparison. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wearethemighty 186 Posted December 7, 2011 Share Posted December 7, 2011 APOEL topped the group with 9 points, a total that would see you papped out more often that not.Man City went out on 10 points.You either need great players or a good coach/manager to compete in Europe. Unfortunate as it is to say we have, at best, decent players and a decent manager who will hopefully learn from this season and turn out to be a capable manager. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaguy51 941 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Both comfortably better footballing teams than us, probably the most harrowing part of it.They'll encourage ball on the deck style of football, not strength over ability, size over touch etc and that's the main problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheKingObv 10,860 Posted December 8, 2011 Share Posted December 8, 2011 Yeah, both teams would beat us comfortably. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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