Villa should focus on 5th and the Europa League and drop the Champions League ambitions for now

April 17, 2009 by Martin Banks
Filed under: Aston Villa, Hot topic debates 

OK, so I haven’t chose to ‘lower my ambitions’ easily or without much soul searching, but here’s the way I see it. We showed our squad isn’t even big enough for Europe’s second string cup with our Moscow debacle. We have also shown with the way we have fallen apart in the last 2 months, that we don’t have enough stamina and experience near the top at the business end to go the distance in the league.

It’s sad. It’s heartbreaking. And just as much it’s humbling. We have spent a long time being really convinced that we can make it to the Champions League by finishing 4th. Now don’t get me wrong, I will still be plugging for us to get ever higher in the league, but ultimately I think for the better of the club we should aim to finish 5th and really try to compete in next year’s UEFA Cup (which will be named the Europa League).

Why in the f@#k the dramatic U-turn?

The reason for me changing my tune is that I think Villa will stand a better chance of long-term growth if we do it a little slower. Just imagine if we made the Champions League this year; We’d either have to field the Moscow team and get embarrassed or we’d have to field full strength in that and suffer in the league, meaning we wouldn’t be able to maintain a 4th placed finish and therefore be one-hit wonders in the Champions League.

We have suffered greatly this last 2 months and a part of that has come from our confidence being knocked when it began to look like we might not hold onto 4th. However, if the team had been focussing on 5th all along, it may not have been such a kick-in-the-confidence to lose a couple and we may have picked our heads up sooner.

So what’s the plan, Stan?

If we can finish 5th this season then we will have made progress. Not much, just one position, but up here in the heady heights of Premier League’s top six one position can be a big step. A 5th-placed finish would give us Europa League football next season and that should be our ambition. If we can do well in that Cup, or even better win it, then we can earn revenue and status from it, which can help us to attract players and build a better, fuller squad.

Whereas if we do it as a Champions League one-hit wonder we won’t be able to keep hold of the players we attract. I guess a large part of the giving up hope of Champions League for next season (apart from the fact that it is now almost beyond our reach) is the news that Lerner doesn’t have a bottomless pit of money to throw at the club.

Am I actually lowering my ambitions?

Hell no! I actually think I’m raising them. By doing it slowly, by beginning with Europa League success, we can press on from there and aim to become fixtures in the Champions League. And that is what we all want. That is the holy grail. That and to begin to push for winning the league in future years.

Martin O’Neill has been right all along. It’s a long term plan. Let’s still aim to be in the Champions League. Just not for a coupla years.


Comments

10 Comments on Villa should focus on 5th and the Europa League and drop the Champions League ambitions for now

  1. Barcarich on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:09

    2. Whether we qualify for the CL or the EL makes no difference, well still be having to field either a weakened team or draining the resources that we have for the PL. Its not going to be easier playing multiple games abroad in 1 league than in another. Yes we might actually have a chance in the EL to go further but that puts more strain on the run in to the PL as weve seen.

    Either way, we need at least 4-5 good 10 million players who will accept rotation, and can play in various formations for us to compete to this level and beyond next season. With this, and less injuries, we can look to a european future. Without this, or with more journeymen, well be a laughing stock!

  2. andy villa on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:09

    3. couldnt agree any more if it came from my own keyboard…

    we are progressing steadily and very nicely, building solid foundations on which to mount a sustainable challenge when we are ready…

  3. Na-Sei on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:14

    4. How can you guys even think about Champions League seriously?? I mean your whole team is a shambles! Zat knight is one of the worst centre backs period!! Luke young is Garbage, Heskey is Abysmal! You don’t have ANY world class players and to me honest u guys are not good enough for champions league, your team is ONE DIMENTIONAL!
    Arsenal were always going to claim that 4th spot, we just let u villa fans get excited!!
    Arsenal are in champions league to win NOT just to make up the numbers! EUROPA league is more your standard!!!
    Ha Ha Ha
    Gunner 4 Life!!

    [Edit by MB: Na-Sei, you will notice that Villa fans talk with constructive criticism about Arsenal and don't just trash them. Whereas you just come on here (A Villa Blog you dumbfuck) and spout shit and make yourself look like a totally thick wanker. You obviously chose to support Arsenal because they were successful. Well take that quote of 'One dimensional' and consider how applicable it is to yourself. And learn how to spell the word if you feel it's important enough for block caps. Go embarrass yourself elsewhere]

  4. McParland on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:17

    5. All i wish to say is that since Martin Laursen was out we have just not compeated as we did previously ,so irrispective of wishing to finish 4th or 5th we need a larger stronger squad to compensate for costly injuries like Laursens and Bouma; we need others of his leadership qualities to fill the gaps when they ultimately appear.

  5. neill on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:24

    6. NA-SEI you sound like a spa..
    HA HA HA
    SPA 4 LIFE!!

    DICK

  6. Timmy on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 12:46

    7. I agree that Champs League is now out of the question and focusing on 5th is our only option.

    However, I think we could have made Champs league this season if we hadn’t have stopped believing (Which ironically I think was caused by MON choosing the prem, and the push for 4th, over the UEFA Cup) He basically said we aint gonna win shit in Europe and yuo’ll be lucky to make 4th. He stopped believing and that caused the team to crumble.
    (other influences being the loss of Laursen and the introduction of Heskey)

    We were on fire and everyone was scared of playing Villa. Team spirit, confidence, and the belief that we can acheive anything can easily overcome the shortfalls of a small squad or not having a team of superstars. (Barry, Laursen and Young ARE world Class)

    Just imagine if we did make the champions league. Name on the map and an influx of top quality players. Look at the semi finals of the CL for this season and last. 3 English teams for the last 2 years. We’re now 5th in the English League. Makes us at least 6th best in Europe ;)

    It’s football and anything can happen. 4th wasnt miles away. It’s all about belief.

  7. Simeon on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 15:19

    8. I broadly agree with Timmy, although I would add that I think this post is not only a disgrace, but also betrays an inability to see beyond one’s own nose, and to put two consecutive thoughts together. The irony is that this article is making a pitch for the rational, sensible, middle ground, but actually has no basis in reality. Aston Villa should be aiming to be be the very best it can be. This season, being the best we could have been was, as a minimum, finishing in the top 4. We’ve fallen short of that, because O’Neill has made unforgivable mistakes. Next season, the best we’ll be able to hope for could well be a top 8 finish. 5th will look like a pipe dream. And the Europa League can now never be anything other than a joke because of O’Neill’s actions this season. Next season shows every sign of being as depressing as this season, but somehow, I suspect there will be a significant number of Villa fans who will be satisfied with utter mediocrity. It seems that Ellis’ most profoud legacy is spawning a fanbase as small-minded and lacking in ambition as he was. What happened to us? We used to be a proud club.

  8. andy villa on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 15:31

    9. or maybe some of us are realistic and have the knowledge and foresight to look at the longer term picture, rather than merely looking for quick fixes…

    looking at where we were under ellis, and where we are now, you can see the difference….

  9. Simeon on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 16:02

    10. Andy villa, under Ellis, we managed two 2nd’s and a 4th. And we won 2 League Cups (when the competition actually meant something). I believe we are in the top 6 or 7 most successful clubs in terms of league positions since the Premier League was inaugurated. I’m not suggesting this is an acceptable level of succes. But it seems to me that, on this basis, we are, relatively speaking, about where we were when Ellis was in charge. Of course, if Ellis had remained, we’d probably be in the Championship, but if you’re trying to tell me that being a top half team in the Premiership is something to get excited about, then you deserve nothing better than what you’re going get.

  10. andy villa on Fri, 17th Apr 2009 16:20

    11. we are 5th in the overall prem table…

    however, football is a completely different kettle of fish nowadays as to when we were finishing 2nd and 4th…

    we were regressing as a football club under ellis, and now we are heading in the opposite direction…

    i would say that every true villa fan deserves us to progress as a club…

    how fast we progress though, in the minds of individual fans, is purely subjective…

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