[WBAinDEVON]

Did i hear correct he can still get us into Europe if Man U win the europa and we finish 8th

[B_H_Baggie]

Did i hear correct he can still get us into Europe if Man U win the europa and we finish 8th

I'm sure this has been gone over before but to my knowledge if they win the Europa League nothing will change, Premier League won't get an extra Europa League spot no matter what happens.

[WBAinDEVON]

I'm sure this has been gone over before but to my knowledge if they win the Europa League nothing will change, Premier League won't get an extra Europa League spot no matter what happens.

i heard it on WM phone in last night

[baggiejohn]

The budget is the budget it won't vary depending on where we finish in the league table by much if anything, a lot of the merit payments go to the players by way of bonuses.

His contract is a different kettle of fish. On the one hand a top half finish is still more likely than not and that would probably get him an extension although a poor end to the season might see the board delay until the early part of next season. He's not going anywhere so there is little or no point in having him on a long contract it will only cost us more if we sack him.

Tony talking down the club and managing our expectations is all part of him keeping his job with the lowest level of achievement possible e.g. 40 to 50 points poor efforts in the cups and safety first football. He will not change our current position is not a platform to develop it is a danger to him because it comes close to raising the bar and making his life more difficult.

Part of me would love board to take leave of their collective senses and throw £100m at him just to see what happens and give him a new challenge in managing our expectations.

As ever I wouldn't expect a different manager to get better results but they might achieve them without the miserable hang dog conservatism that Tony Pulis embodies.

I agree with most of what you say Stan, & if you look at the remaining fixtures, it's hard to see us finishing lower than 10th, even if we don't win another game.
As a result, he will have met part of the challenge laid down by the board at the beginning of the season, & probably be offered an extension to his contract.

On the other hand, I can't imagine Guochuan Lai will have bought WBAFC for mid table mediocracy, & he will want to win something. As you say TP's conservatism, both in playing style & player selection, has caused him to paint himself into a corner.
IMO, at some stage, the board will want to appoint a head coach who can motivate a more eclectic group of players.

[TheBrom]

I'm sure this has been gone over before but to my knowledge if they win the Europa League nothing will change, Premier League won't get an extra Europa League spot no matter what happens.

Yep that's true. We only have the 7 places in the league whatever happens

[WBAinDEVON]

So why have WM touched on this everynight this week?

[Hunnington Baggie]

So why have WM touched on this everynight this week?

because they barely understand the field the have built careers on?

[leeiswba]

England will only have 7 European spaces whatever happens. 4 champions league and 3 Europa League.

If United win the Europa League it will be 5 Champions League and 2 Europa League

[Fritzl Palace]

Also, we won't be finishing 8th so not really much point worrying too much about it, Southampton will catch us following a number of lackluster performances from our lot.

[Hull Baggie]

Also, we won't be finishing 8th so not really much point worrying too much about it, Southampton will catch us following a number of lackluster performances from our lot.

Southampton have a number of tricky fixtures still to come: Chelsea away, Hull home, Liverpool away, Arsenal home, Boro away, Man Utd and Stoke home. Not so sure they will pick up a lot of points from those games.

[Fritzl Palace]

Southampton have a number of tricky fixtures still to come: Chelsea away, Hull home, Liverpool away, Arsenal home, Boro away, Man Utd and Stoke home. Not so sure they will pick up a lot of points from those games.

I still fancy them to pick up more than we will, even with our relatively 'easier' fixture list, based upon what I have been watching of late.

[TheBrom]

Personally think we'll get at least another 6 points

[Signor_Maresca]

Surprised people are suggesting we have a favourable run in, to me our fixtures look tough. 

Leicester who are increasingly looking like last seasons version.
Burnley who have the 6th best home record in the league (better than United's and City's).
Chelsea and Man City.
And Swansea who will probably doing their damnedest to stay in the division on the last day.

I think a top 10 place is no way guaranteed, especially when you consider Southampton have 2 games in hand and Watford have hit some late season form (3 wins in their last 4).

[WBAinDEVON]

So why have WM touched on this everynight this week?

Again tonight on WM if we finish 8th and Man U win the europa baggie Eddy this time said we will be in europe along with Franksie

[caravanc58]

Again tonight on WM if we finish 8th and Man U win the europa baggie Eddy this time said we will be in europe along with Franksie

sure it was in the media that no matter who won what there would be no European spot for a team finishing 8th, hope they was wrong though.

[Standaman]

Radio WM don't know their arses from their elbows. There will only ever be 7 European places for English clubs end of.

Getting back on topic.

Following on from what BaggieJohn was saying about mid table mediocrity and how that might impact Pulis' future. Here is where we get into a bit of a minefield of second guessing of what the owner wants from the club and what constitutes mid-table mediocrity or the dreaded next level.

Without substantial (£200m+ over and above what the club generates from it's current operations) investment it is probably unreasonable for Lai to demand a 8th place or better finish from a coach. There is nothing to suggest that level of investment will be forthcoming and I have never thought for a moment that it would be.

I think more realistically we are aiming for top half finishes cup runs and the holy grail of European football but without the level of investment that gives the owner the right to demand those things. All of which is entirely reasonable but the coach's future is a lot less clear cut. How far do we sink into the mid-table morass before it becomes unacceptable?

Does style matter? If we are trying to promote the club in China does anything other than our Premier League status matter or does  football that switches off TV audiences faster than a Party Political broadcast hamper our progress?

I honestly don't know the answers to these questions and until something happens that forces Lai to show his hand then I take it is survival first and anything else is a bonus and Pulis has a job for the foreseeable future.
 

[adamw1109]

In normal circumstances, four UCL places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:

• The top three teams in the Premier League qualify for the group stage proper.

• The fourth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the play-off round.

In normal circumstances, three UEL places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:

• The fifth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the group stage proper.

• The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the group stage proper.

• The EFL Cup winners qualify for the third qualifying round.

Where these qualifications changes

a) If the FA Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League, their UEL group stage place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

b) If the EFL Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League (or top six if (a) happens), their UEL third qualifying round place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

How qualification for English teams may change were United to win the UEL:

• If Man Utd win the UEL and finish in the top four of the Premier League, the top four PL teams will all qualify for the UCL group stage unless the 2016/17 UCL winners fail to qualify for the group stage via their domestic championship finishing position. Then Man Utd, as UEL winners, would go into the UCL play-off round stage.

• If Man Utd win the UEL and finish outside the top four of the Premier League, the top three PL teams will qualify for the UCL group stage, the fourth-placed team will qualify for the UCL play-off round and Man Utd will qualify for the UCL group stage unless the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League winners fail to qualify for the group stage via their domestic championship finishing position. Then Man Utd would go into the UCL play-off round.

• If Man Utd win the UEL their place in the UEL third qualifying round for winning the EFL Cup would go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

So basically because Man united won the EFL, that is their route into Europa league, but if they win the Europa league that gets them into the champions league (which eliminates them from Europa league) which adds 1 extra place for English teams to qualify (takes it to top 6)

If a top 5 team win the FA cup (either chelsea, spurs, man city ATM)... That then gives a place to the next highest ranked team (7th place)

Winners of the Europa league qualify for champions league... so if Man united win it this season that adds another place to qualify because they are already in europa league next season due to winning the EFL and they cant take part in both competitions!  (8th place)

Taken and explained from... https://www.premierleague.com/news/373663

We would have to be really lucky and other teams results go our way... but if we somehow manage to keep our 8th place til the end of the season.... European football is definitely possible.

[DivinePast]

Watford and Stoke losing means it's increasingly unlikely that they will pass us now.

[Adder]

Watford and Stoke losing means it's increasingly unlikely that they will pass us now.

Watford's remaining games.... 4 of the 5 are against current top 6 sides and the other one against Leicester. They've tended to ship goals against the big boys so yes they will do well to get above us now.

[AlbionDaz]

I would personally consider renewing,if he gave the Younger players much more game time,didn't play his favourites so often,when there obviously either knackered,or not having an effect on the game,set up the team so the striker isn't so isolated for long periods.

[VANDERLEI]

I would personally consider renewing,if he gave the Younger players much more game time,didn't play his favourites so often,when there obviously either knackered,or not having an effect on the game,set up the team so the striker isn't so isolated for long periods.

So 8th place and lots of goals wasn't enough for you to renew?

[Hull Baggie]

So 8th place and lots of goals wasn't enough for you to renew?

I'm not sure 39 goals in 33 games is "lots of goals". 11 teams have scored more than us.
It does make you think how many we could have got with some decent goalscorers and baring in mind we have only scored in 1 of our last 7 games but have created plenty of chances in those games.

[WoysWunderful]

Tbf the finshing this second half of the season from all the players, not just the strikers, has been woeful. If we'd put away half the chances , we'd be top 10 scorers no doubt

The best part about being this well disciplined and drilled is that it isnt as temporary and flimsy as just pure form, unless the squad gets a case of the mowbrays over the summer, i cant see us lingering near the bottom 7 and if more clinical finshers come in, well what a exciting times to be an albion fan. Im 26 and this is the best its been in my lifetime

[ABaggie]

In normal circumstances, four UCL places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:

• The top three teams in the Premier League qualify for the group stage proper.

• The fourth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the play-off round.

In normal circumstances, three UEL places are given to English clubs who fulfil the following criteria:

• The fifth-placed team in the Premier League qualify for the group stage proper.

• The winners of the FA Cup qualify for the group stage proper.

• The EFL Cup winners qualify for the third qualifying round.

Where these qualifications changes

a) If the FA Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League, their UEL group stage place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

b) If the EFL Cup winners finish in the top five of the Premier League (or top six if (a) happens), their UEL third qualifying round place will go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

How qualification for English teams may change were United to win the UEL:

• If Man Utd win the UEL and finish in the top four of the Premier League, the top four PL teams will all qualify for the UCL group stage unless the 2016/17 UCL winners fail to qualify for the group stage via their domestic championship finishing position. Then Man Utd, as UEL winners, would go into the UCL play-off round stage.

• If Man Utd win the UEL and finish outside the top four of the Premier League, the top three PL teams will qualify for the UCL group stage, the fourth-placed team will qualify for the UCL play-off round and Man Utd will qualify for the UCL group stage unless the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League winners fail to qualify for the group stage via their domestic championship finishing position. Then Man Utd would go into the UCL play-off round.

• If Man Utd win the UEL their place in the UEL third qualifying round for winning the EFL Cup would go to the next-highest ranked team not qualified for UEFA competitions in the Premier League.

So basically because Man united won the EFL, that is their route into Europa league, but if they win the Europa league that gets them into the champions league (which eliminates them from Europa league) which adds 1 extra place for English teams to qualify (takes it to top 6)

If a top 5 team win the FA cup (either chelsea, spurs, man city ATM)... That then gives a place to the next highest ranked team (7th place)

Winners of the Europa league qualify for champions league... so if Man united win it this season that adds another place to qualify because they are already in europa league next season due to winning the EFL and they cant take part in both competitions!  (8th place)

Taken and explained from... https://www.premierleague.com/news/373663

We would have to be really lucky and other teams results go our way... but if we somehow manage to keep our 8th place til the end of the season.... European football is definitely possible.

Unfortunately you have ignored the most straightforward statement on the link you have posted.....

                              "The maximum numbers of English teams in UEFA competitions is seven"

[TheJacko2000]

Unfortunately you have ignored the most straightforward statement on the link you have posted.....

                              "The maximum numbers of English teams in UEFA competitions is seven"

Haha.


Didn't even click the link because I knew the whole premise was wrong...