So news has broken of a third UEFA competition, as if the Champions League and Europa League weren’t enough, they must be getting down to their last half a billion in Nyon. Poor buggers.
They haven’t decided on a format yet, but by the sounds of it, they will reduce the Europa League to match the numbers of the Champions League and go from there.
Bor-ing.
We’re nothing if not helpful here at The Gurgler, so to help UEFA make some more money create a third UEFA Competition, we suggest seven alternative formats for the teams.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #1 – Cup Winners Cup
A blast from the past, and hardly an original idea, until you add a bit of twist.
Not only will you include the winners of the various cup competitions from all over Europe like the FA Cup, Copa del Rey, but also all of the more useless and less loved competitions like the Carabao Cup and France’s Coupe de la Ligue.
And if the team that wins the cup is already in one of the other European competitions, then you keep going backwards through results until you get a team to participate.
Of course if it goes down to the same level (e.g. Semi Final) then goal difference, goals scored comes into play. Making every game matter in each competition, just in case you can go to Europe on the back of a quarter final appearance.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #2 – The Non Big 5 Cup
Perhaps the third UEFA competition doesn’t have to be about money and supporting the biggest leagues in Europe after all.
How about a competition of true minnows or at the very least, some different sides.
You could do this by opening up the third UEFA competition to only teams outside of England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Decide on the numbers of teams, and format at a later date. All you need now is to commit to the little guy. Make it a truly unique Uefa experience. That’s if they are about growing the game as much as their bank balance.
Bundle all of this competition into the Champions League by giving the winner of this competition an automatic path into the Champions League Group stage. This would make the competition worth winning for the smaller teams in so many ways.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #3 – The UE-FA Cup
The FA Cup remains one of the great sporting competitions in the world, perhaps UEFA can borrow some of the “Magic of the Cup” and replicate that for their third UEFA competition.
Like the FA Cup is would be open to anyone who wishes to apply. No qualification based on finishing position or winning another league or cup, just any team who want to play.
It could be an ambitious Sunday League, or a midfield team from Hungary, or a lower midfield team like West Ham. Anyone is allowed to apply.
It would mean the whole format is knockout, with replays of course.
The format will be decided once all the nominations have been receiving.
From there it should be a wonderful journey through all the levels of football, culminating in the big European finals night.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #4 – The Second Flight Cup
There’s so many quality football team all over Europe that are languishing in the second tier and below around the continent, so why not a third UEFA competition just for them.
Rather than having all the big names of European football, you could see some of the best lower division footballers and teams get a crack.
In reality, there’s not much difference usually between the second half of the top flight and the various second divisions.
Like with the Recently Relegated Cup, why not allow the winner of this third UEFA competition automatic entry into the top flight the next season. Explained further below. There’s a big prize worth winning.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #5 – The Mediocrity Cup
This is essentially what the third UEFA competition will become if you simply pick the next band of teams from the leagues around Europe.
That’s not to say that the teams don’t deserve it, or that it wouldn’t be great. But you are basically getting more of the same as the two upper comps with slightly more inferior teams.
In saying all of that, as an Ipswich Town supporter I would love for my team to be involved. And there’s barely anyone in sport more mediocre than Ipswich Town.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #6 – The Recently Relegated Cup
Relegation is tough on teams, especially in England if they are run as badly as Sunderland were. So what better way to give the relegated teams a helping hand (aside from a giant parachute of money in some cases) than their own third UEFA competition.
All teams relegated from every league in Europe would qualify, participation is optional, but who wouldn’t want to be a part of history. And there’s a large carrot dangled for those who bother.
For the winner of this third UEFA competition will be granted automatic readmission into the league they were relegated from.
If the team in question is already doing it, then it doesn’t apply and good luck to them. However the fun lies in if the team that wins the third UEFA competition is not in the hunt for promotion. This means with the automatic promotion assurance from UEFA, that an additional team will be relegated from the top flight.
Imagine a team thinking they’re safe in fourth last, only for a relegated team from the year before taking their place after winning in Europe.
Alternative Third UEFA Competition #7 – The Find a Way for Mourino to win a Cup Cup
By the end of the 2018-19 season, if Jose Mourinho is still in charge of Manchester United and trophy-less perhaps the UEFA third competition could be tailor-made for Mourinho to win something.
For which ever club he is in charge of.
