Sooo European Football again eh?

[Madbadteacher]

As long as neither are as good as Livi we're ok!

[RicoS321]

1 hour ago, Panda said:

Hearts could be in Greece to face PAOK while you're there..

That's not how you spell Rosenborg

[SeeBass]

Are you lot forgetting that if it wasn't for my favourite ever Aberdeen player Brian Irvine scoring an 85th minute goal at Pittodrie in the second leg of UEFA Cup qualifying in 1996-97 season we might have gone out to our Lithuanian friends 27 years ago!!

 

I was only 15 years old at time so missed game Live as had school in the Borders following midweek morning. 

 

Be nice to avenge that 3-1 loss.  

 

I once got told by a club official that the Lithuanian team were so convinced they were out after the first leg that they flew to London and got a bus up to Aberdeen from there to save some money.

Edited August 7, 2023 by SeeBass
Historical data mistake.

[RicoS321]

13 minutes ago, SeeBass said:

Are you lot forgetting that if it wasn't for my favourite ever Aberdeen player Brian Irvine scoring an 85th minute goal at Pittodrie in the second leg of UEFA Cup qualifying in 1996-97 season we might have gone out to our Lithuanian friends 27 years ago!!

 

I was only 15 years old at time so missed game Live as had school in the Borders following midweek morning. 

 

Be nice to avenge that 3-1 loss.  

 

I once got told by a club official that the Lithuanian team were so convinced they were out after the first leg that they flew to London and got a bus up to Aberdeen from there to save some money.

We were honking that night, it was awful. Good result in the end though! Jess, Windass and Dodds started I think. To balance it out Jamie Buchan and Peter Hetherston were in the lineup from memory, could be wrong.

[tom_widdows]

1 hour ago, SeeBass said:

Are you lot forgetting that if it wasn't for my favourite ever Aberdeen player Brian Irvine scoring an 85th minute goal at Pittodrie in the second leg of UEFA Cup qualifying in 1996-97 season we might have gone out to our Lithuanian friends 27 years ago!!

 

I was only 15 years old at time so missed game Live as had school in the Borders following midweek morning. 

 

Be nice to avenge that 3-1 loss.  

 

I once got told by a club official that the Lithuanian team were so convinced they were out after the first leg that they flew to London and got a bus up to Aberdeen from there to save some money.

That would be the same Brian Irvine who conceded a penalty for their 2nd goal?
Potentially a case of the Dons team being so convinced they were through

Team was Watt, Buchan, Woodthorpe, Kiriakov, Irvine, Inglis, Miller, Shearer, Windass, Dodds, Glass
Subs; Grant, Kpedekpo, Craig, Darren Young, Stillie

I'd prefer to say 'if it wasnt for Duncan Shearer scoring in the last minute ' in the away leg then 'we' might have gone out to our Lithuanian Friends.
Billy Dodds scoring twice either side of Stephen Glass might also have helped.
That 2nd leg brought back the nightmare of Skonto Riga crashing back (away goals only fun when its against Dnipro)

Perhaps on the other side of the North & Baltic Seas on 'Zaliai-BaltiTALK' there are our equivalents remembering their former players being wasteful infront of goal, and having a nightmate last 20mins in the home leg?

Then followed conceding 4 goals to Barry Town over 2 legs before Ebbe Skovdahk gave Aitken a lesson in how its done taking Brondby to the quaterfinals including turning round a 3-1 home leg defeat by winning 5-0 away to Karlsruhe

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by tom_widdows

[tom_widdows]

6 hours ago, Slim said:

Could have been worse but Vilnius have a decent recent record in Europe and Hacken are the current Swedish champions and presumably stronger since we played them so neither will be particularly easy. 

Hacken went out of the Champions league to the Faroe island league winners and they have aleady let an ex Don score against them in qualifying (Declan McManus - The New Saints).

 

[tlg1903]

Well we have as good a chance to go through as we are going to get.  A solid result in the first leg could have an effect on our transfers as well because playing Europa league instead of conference may be enough to convince a player to join us. That said there's a part of me that would prefer to go to the conference league purely on the grounds I think it would be more fun. 

[SeeBass]

Why did Michael Watt have such a long career with us?

TLG, I agree.  I think we could be visiting some crazier countries in Conference League Group Stage.

I've always loved at how one week we found ourselves in Lapland official birthplace of Santa Claus and seven days later we were travelling along the Silk Road to Tbilisi.

Our personal favourite European campaign in my lifetime though must be 2015.  First going to Tetovo and then toppling HNK Rijeka on the beautiful Adriatic Coast before getting too close to the Chinese Border with a trip to Almaty!! 

Got three decent results at home against FK Shkendija, HNK Rijeka and Kairat Almaty.

I think a lot of the support forget how good these sides were. Thought we did well to come from two nil down to HNK Rijeka at Pittodrie.

I know we lost narrowly on aggregate to Kairat Almaty and failed to reach Play-Off Round and a tie with Bordeaux but going home on train the following day in light of the Kairat Almaty 1-1 draw we remember saying to myself:

"I've really enjoyed those three home European games last month or so.  Actually feels like we've had a Group Stage within a short qualifying period the opposition has been pretty challenging."  

    

[Panda]

8 hours ago, RicoS321 said:

That's not how you spell Rosenborg

Rosenborg are absolutely gash at the minute, are 8th in the league (summer league innit) and out of both cups, one of which was a defeat to a lower league team.

I know all this because was out drinking with a Hearts fan tonight who is flying out to Norway tomorrow and has convinced me Hearts will prevail, and I have no reason to doubt him.

2 hours ago, tlg1903 said:

That said there's a part of me that would prefer to go to the conference league purely on the grounds I think it would be more fun. 

Aye it's Europa for the money and glamour, but Conference could be some cracking battles with teams on our level.

Either way it's a no-lose place to be in. I'm more stressed about Stirling away than I am about the play-off.

Here's the projected groups, take your pick (they've projected Vilnius making the EL based on their coefficient)

 

[manc_don]

24 minutes ago, Panda said:

Rosenborg are absolutely gash at the minute, are 8th in the league (summer league innit) and out of both cups, one of which was a defeat to a lower league team.

I know all this because was out drinking with a Hearts fan tonight who is flying out to Norway tomorrow and has convinced me Hearts will prevail, and I have no reason to doubt him.

Aye it's Europa for the money and glamour, but Conference could be some cracking battles with teams on our level.

Either way it's a no-lose place to be in. I'm more stressed about Stirling away than I am about the play-off.

Here's the projected groups, take your pick (they've projected Vilnius making the EL based on their coefficient)

 

Definitely feels like the conference league is the way to go. Not that there aren't some potentially hellish trips there, there are many more better ones though.

[Panda]

14 minutes ago, manc_don said:

Definitely feels like the conference league is the way to go. Not that there aren't some potentially hellish trips there, there are many more better ones though.

Thing is, what's easier in order to make the knockout stage? Finish third in the Europa group or finish top two in the Conference?

Pot 3 in the Europa groups looks no more imposing than Pots 1 and 2 in the Conference.

 

[manc_don]

2 hours ago, Panda said:

Thing is, what's easier in order to make the knockout stage? Finish third in the Europa group or finish top two in the Conference?

Pot 3 in the Europa groups looks no more imposing than Pots 1 and 2 in the Conference.

 

you're right, they probably aren't far off, but I feel like the conference may have some more winnable games rather than just getting pumped 6 times or however many it is.

[RicoS321]

7 hours ago, Panda said:

Rosenborg are absolutely gash at the minute, are 8th in the league (summer league innit) and out of both cups, one of which was a defeat to a lower league team.

I know all this because was out drinking with a Hearts fan tonight who is flying out to Norway tomorrow and has convinced me Hearts will prevail, and I have no reason to doubt him.

Aye it's Europa for the money and glamour, but Conference could be some cracking battles with teams on our level.

Either way it's a no-lose place to be in. I'm more stressed about Stirling away than I am about the play-off.

Here's the projected groups, take your pick (they've projected Vilnius making the EL based on their coefficient)

 

Shite, we'll tank all of those. We're Aberdeen.

[SeeBass]

Pot One of Conference League is looking like murder of the highest order.  Eintracht Frankfurt, Club Brugge, AZ Alkmaar, Gent, Dynamo Kiev, Fenerbache, Lille, Ferencvaros ARE NO MUGS!!

 

If I had the chance to hand pick my opponents we'd be going for the following...

 

Ajax, Olympiakos, Brighton & Hove Albion in Europa League.

Dynamo Kiev, Maccabi Tel Aviv, BATE Borisov in Conference League.

Edited August 8, 2023 by SeeBass
Grammar Error.

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

14 hours ago, manc_don said:

Definitely feels like the conference league is the way to go. Not that there aren't some potentially hellish trips there, there are many more better ones though.

Nah, surely not?

I'd far rather take a Europa League group with Roma, PSV and Brighton than the Conference League with Ferencvaros, Zorya and Tel Aviv.  Got to be the glamour ties all the way unless you are a club with a genuine chance at winning the competition.

 

[BigAl]

53 minutes ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Nah, surely not?

I'd far rather take a Europa League group with Roma, PSV and Brighton than the Conference League with Ferencvaros, Zorya and Tel Aviv.  Got to be the glamour ties all the way unless you are a club with a genuine chance at winning the competition.

 

100% this

Always strive to be the best and stretch yourself to your limits

Anyone think back in the day, Fergie wouldn't have wanted to be playing in the higher tournament 

[RicoS321]

18 minutes ago, BigAl said:

100% this

Always strive to be the best and stretch yourself to your limits

Anyone think back in the day, Fergie wouldn't have wanted to be playing in the higher tournament 

I don't think fergie would have deemed Brighton a glamour tie either though. Ideally we get Europa League, with two ace teams and one shite one.

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

26 minutes ago, RicoS321 said:

I don't think fergie would have deemed Brighton a glamour tie either though. 

No, you are probably right there Rico, pot 3 is definitely missing a real big gun.  Brighton I guess would be similar to drawing Ipswich in the 80s maybe, does not have the glamour of a trip to Anfield but it would still be an exciting tie.  The Burnley tie a few years ago was a great occasion.  

 

 

[tlg1903]

1 hour ago, BigAl said:

100% this

Always strive to be the best and stretch yourself to your limits

Anyone think back in the day, Fergie wouldn't have wanted to be playing in the higher tournament 

I think fergie would want to go the route that give him the biggest transfer budget the next season.   That's why a part of me would prefer the conference, we have a much better chance of winning games and getting out of the group. 

 

"For the 2022–23 season, group stage participation in the Europa Conference League is awarded a base fee of €2,940,000. A victory in the group pays €500,000 and a draw €166,000. Also, each group winner earns €650,000 and each runner-up €325,000. Reaching the knock-out stage triggers additional bonuses: €300,000 for the round of 32, €600,000 for the round of 16, €1,000,000 for the quarter-finals and €2,000,000 for the semi-finals. The losing finalists receive €3,000,000 and the champions receive €5,000,000."

 

I'm not disputing that it would be nice to get some glamour ties but I'm more interested in taking in as much money as we can and using that to make sure we get third again minimum.  Do that a few seasons on the bounce and we could then be looking at splitting the gruesome twosome as a realistic aim whilst creating a gap between ourselves and the Edinburgh sides. If we can split them we have a shot at CL and I think that is what out long term goal should be.  

[BigAl]

I'll happily take a Europa League group with Brighton in it.

Be nice to add it to Anfield, Portman Road and Turf Moor as the English grounds where I have seen us in European action 

[Panda]

9 hours ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Nah, surely not?

I'd far rather take a Europa League group with Roma, PSV and Brighton than the Conference League with Ferencvaros, Zorya and Tel Aviv.  Got to be the glamour ties all the way unless you are a club with a genuine chance at winning the competition.

 

 

8 hours ago, BigAl said:

100% this

Always strive to be the best and stretch yourself to your limits

Anyone think back in the day, Fergie wouldn't have wanted to be playing in the higher tournament 

Sorry, how can you say "100% this" and then mention Fergie, when the post you're agreeing with has just said let's have some glamour ties because we've no chance of winning it?

Fergie would be spinning in his grave. Or not, since he beat that too.

7 hours ago, wokinginashearerwonderland said:

Brighton I guess would be similar to drawing Ipswich in the 80s

Ipswich were Uefa Cup holders and had England internationals in their team when we ragdolled them.

I'd never even heard of Brighton before opening this thread. 

[BigAl]

8 hours ago, Panda said:

 

Sorry, how can you say "100% this" and then mention Fergie, when the post you're agreeing with has just said let's have some glamour ties because we've no chance of winning it?

Fergie would be spinning in his grave. Or not, since he beat that too.

Ipswich were Uefa Cup holders and had England internationals in their team when we ragdolled them.

I'd never even heard of Brighton before opening this thread. 

Perhaps I haven't articulated this well or you haven't grasped what I meant.

Did Fergie shy away from playing the supposed bigger teams ?

No, he took them on, learnt from the experiences and made us better and more prepared the next time around and that is my point about striving to be the best you can be.

I'd rather be playing the best and developing any day of the week than playing diddies week in, week out.

Opinions vary and each to their own which is the whole point of discussion.

[Panda]

21 minutes ago, BigAl said:

Perhaps I haven't articulated this well or you haven't grasped what I meant.

Did Fergie shy away from playing the supposed bigger teams ?

No, he took them on, learnt from the experiences and made us better and more prepared the next time around and that is my point about striving to be the best you can be.

I'd rather be playing the best and developing any day of the week than playing diddies week in, week out.

Opinions vary and each to their own which is the whole point of discussion.

I was just winding you up min. I need to stop posting at 1am, but it keeps me from shouting obscenities in the street, which apparently one or two of the neighbours don't like.

[BigAl]

4 minutes ago, Panda said:

I was just winding you up min. I need to stop posting at 1am, but it keeps me from shouting obscenities in the street, which apparently one or two of the neighbours don't like.

No bother, shout your obscenities on here towards me as it'll keep you out of the jail 

[wokinginashearerwonderland]

10 hours ago, Panda said:

I'd never even heard of Brighton before opening this thread. 

A man in denial surely. Someone told me you go down there every Friday night