**** OFFICIAL Champions League 2007-08 Thread!*****

[Bedreviter]

Rooting for the money gap between IK Start and RBK to stay as small as possible is more important to me than my popularity in Tr.Heim [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[slickss]

I think your logic is wrong. IMO, the success of any Norwegian team in Champions League / UEFA Cup will benefit other domestic teams. I always hope other Norwegian teams will do well internationally. For instance, good efforts in the UEFA Cup could give Norway two qualifying spots for Champions League the following season (which happened once).

That said, enjoy lower division play next year [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Bedreviter]

I choose to focus on my teams chances to compete in the Norwegian league before I care about what happens to them in Europe. I rather have a 5% chance of winning the Norwegian League and then not be seeded in Europe than a 2% chance of winning the Norwegian League and then be seeded. Rosenborgs success in CL in the 90s=13 straight Norwegian Championships, and Im fairly certain that hurt IK Start a lot more than it helped.

[slickss]

In any case, I don't ever think it's wrong if the success of one team prohibits the success of others. Professional football is an extremely competitive game. The best team wins and gets the most money.

For instance, using Norway and Rosenborg as an example: Norwegian success in Champions League / UEFA Cup around 1996, was it?, allowed one extra Norwegian team to qualify to Champions League the following year. Molde FC qualified. However, they didn't perform well enough and were quickly knocked out. The following years they started sucking even more and were deregulated from the top domestic league.

They got their chance - partly because of Rosenborg! - but didn't take advantage of it. Too bad, but I don't feel bad for them.

[Bedreviter]

Im not asking for your pity either, and Rosenborg took advantage of a lucrative oppertunity as they should, and every other team would have done the same. Molde serves as a good example, the only team able to somewhat compete with RBK at the time was backed by one of the richest men in Norway, while the rest of the teams were fighting for the bronze medal.

Im in favor of capitalism and taking advatage of your oppertunities when they present themselves, but Im not going to applaud it or cheer for it as long as it does not happen to my team. Of course N.A.E. didnt help when cried about the rich capitalistic imperialists from England or other European countries that exploited the small and poor (Rosenborg) when they bought some of their best players, just to turn around and do exactly the same against other Norwegian teams and somehow claiming that it was good for Norwegian football. It was not good for Norwegian football that RBK could buy anyone with quality or a hint of talent at the time, but it was good for RBKs success abroad and weaker opposition and stronger RBK-team ensured their continued success in Norway.

But by all means, RBK had to and still have to do whats best for themselves, but I have never bought into the "its for the best for Norwegian football as a whole"-crap, and therefore Im rooting for the miserable blues from London today [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[slickss]

How about I hold up a bundle of cash and you cheer for that, instead of cheering for Chelsea? [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Bedreviter]

I dont get it... But yeah, my interest in that game is strictly financial. If there were no money involved I would be rooting for Troillungan over Chelsea.

[PITTM]

p00l for the loss!(hopefully)

[Bedreviter]

Pool for another huge win! (guaranteed)

[TheRenaissance]

Big, big game for Liverpool for several reasons. The atmosphere is going to be insane.