Highly unlikely to happen. It's very clear that he's here for longer than that. It would take something crazy like being knocked out by Queens Park and then going on a run of a months worth of defeats for him not to be manager come the summer and beyond.
2nd Place. Do we still get Champions League Qualifiers
- Thread starter Arkyblue
- Start date
a whole new stratosphere
FDB1978
Well-Known Member
I’d agree with that but I just wonder if PC himself might just be having second thoughts now.
I think it’s clear he wanted reinforcements in the January window and now he’s being asked to take the squad forward with fewer options while being expected to maintain results.
We are pretty much at the point now of giving first team players away cause we need to trim the wage bill significantly.
If we start in QR2 it’s a near thankless task trying to qualify for the UCL and he’s under massive pressure again before the domestic season even starts next season.
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The last UCL campaign was grim anyway. and the money didnt make a dint in anything.
TheHammerJorgAlbertz11
Well-Known Member
Yeah, then drop into the ECL playoff draw if we lost that.
We would need to lose 3 qualifiers to be out of Europe altogether.
barcelonabear
Well-Known Member
We won’t play in the qualifiers next season. Europa league winners get automatic qualification
DeeGer10
Well-Known Member
We’re in a very shit position here, we really need a the EL winner to qualify for the Champions League through their league position.
Unfortunately that’s not as likely as it has been in previous years. Man U and Spurs are favourites and they won’t get in.
It’s looking like we’d need Bilbao, Lazio or Frankfurt to win it. Sociedad, Roma and Lyon are sitting outside by more than a few points.
What happened last year is two teams with the highest coefficient in QR2 (non champions) got promoted to QR3nc thus guaranteeing Europa League at a minimum.
If the above didn’t happen then we’d go in at QR2 and be unlikely to be seeded in the PO round due to Benfica, Club Brugge and even potentially Lille being involved.
If Benfica can get that automatic spot it’d probably help us massively, especially with the Belgian league split it’s possible Club Brugge actually win the league and the qualifiers altogether. Right now it’s not good but a lot of change potentially.
Paisleyranger
Active Member
Given our European record we should go into these ties with confidence with current squad. The negativity on here is mind blowing. Given the shambles Clement inherited and the way we are totally changing the face of the team I think he should be cut some slack. He is developing a young attractive squad that will come good.
Maughlan
Well-Known Member
We’ve been great in European I agree but I don’t agree it’s negativity, we’d all love to get there but it’s just realism based on 3 qualifiers being a massive task. I’d imagine/hope we’ll get past the first round, the second is dependent on a favourable tie, and the third is very likely to be a big hitter.
I’m not criticising the manager but I also think it fair to say Clement wasn’t backed in the January window so will he be backed in the summer ?
Paisleyranger
Active Member
We are the big hitter. The Hampden debacle and fall out over daft contracts damaged up badly at start of season.
Yes, preparation for the most lucrative games of the season means having a full, settled match fit squad imo.
Fortunately we shouldn’t have many away playing internationals into June. So if we don’t make the Scottish Cup Final I’d have guys who are defo going to be here next season away on an extended break from mid May onwards and play the young team in the remaining 2 or 3 league games as they will be meaning less anyway
sir_walter_smith
Well-Known Member
On paper and on our EL form we'd be able to navigate at least to the playoffs however that early in the season can throw everything in the air, especially when we're trying to bed in players and build fitness. Starting in QR2 would be shite
The current CL format is packed full of absolute dross that we’d easily pick up points against.
Just look at the filths campaign. In a league of 36, they managed to draw 33rd, 35th, and 36th at home, all but guaranteeing 9 points. They got an easier draw than us yet will pocket about 3-4 times the revenue that we have from the EL.
Yes their draw was a freak anomaly, but with a reasonable draw we would absolutely pick up a fair few points in the current set up.
tazzabear
Well-Known Member
This means, for next season, the league winners are automatically eliminated at the play offs.
The second placed team have a chance.
An incompetent ref, the shambles around Hampden, and injuries is what cost us a CL place this season.
We got knocked out by Kiev, who finished second bottom in the EL table. We are clearly a better team than them. Salzburg is who they played in the play-off round, and I’d fancy our chances against them with a fully fit team.
The qualifiers and the main competition itself isn’t the impossible challenge some are making it out to be.
We should have nothing to fear in Q2 or Q3. The play-off is where we ideally need a favourable draw.
Bigbluebear
Well-Known Member
The champions path is easier than the non champions route.
ICA_86
Well-Known Member
Got a huge amount to do.
I’d have us comfortably odds against to get through three rounds.
rangeral
Well-Known Member
Still the same format
Champions route
Non Champions route
Whether you are seeded or not is based other teams co-efficient
GreigC
Well-Known Member
Gerrards first season we had to go through 4 rounds of Europa League qualifying having been eliminated in QR1 the season before… we were then a goal and 10 minutes away from getting out the group that year, folk had us written off there too
Hampden at the start of this season was a massive disadvantage
The UCL playoff round will be tougher this year, no doubt but Ibrox will give a massive boost
tazzabear
Well-Known Member
And?
Given Celtic’s record, that guarantees them nothing!
CupidStunt
Well-Known Member
I know there's a huge financial drop off, so it's not my preference - but I'd love a crack at the conference.
Josh Allen
Well-Known Member
I personally hope we never, ever play in that tournament.
Cooperfan
Well-Known Member
It's a bit of a joke competition with a handful of half decent teams. No glamour in it.
Macdonsj
Well-Known Member
i'm hoping that as we don't need such a wholesale squad renovation, we'll be better prepared
we should have made it this year even with the squad upheaval + the hampden shitshow
In this season’s qualifiers we were eliminated by Dynamo Kiev. We’ve since proven that we’re a much better side than them when you consider the Europa League standings.
Kiev went on to the CL playoff where they were eliminated by Salzburg, a side who have stunk the place out domestically and in Europe since and one who I’d be confident in us taking care of.
There’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be confident in our chances of getting through the qualifiers and making next season’s CL group stage. We all love the Europa but we need to move on at some point for financial reasons.
Kiev went on to the CL playoff where they were eliminated by Salzburg, a side who have stunk the place out domestically and in Europe since and one who I’d be confident in us taking care of.
There’s absolutely no reason why we shouldn’t be confident in our chances of getting through the qualifiers and making next season’s CL group stage. We all love the Europa but we need to move on at some point for financial reasons.
BartoBear
Well-Known Member
Then look at our EL draw, I've a feeling we would have difficult qualifiers!
BrooklynBlue
Well-Known Member
This is grim reading.
We were ill-prepared for Kyiv and it's going to be a struggle to be ready for a July qualifier. I wouldn't imagine any big sales (or transfers in) prior to that game.
We were ill-prepared for Kyiv and it's going to be a struggle to be ready for a July qualifier. I wouldn't imagine any big sales (or transfers in) prior to that game.
They wont allow ucl revenue to slip away. They know the revenue buys them next years title.
Our board havent had that mindset. Anything good is a bonus.
Foddo Foddo
Well-Known Member
Utter pish. We have enough already to get through providing all fit and ready.
Foddo Foddo
Well-Known Member
Next Season
For European places next season, Scotland finished 11th in the coefficient table last season which means for 2025/2026 we get:
Note 2: There's back door whereby the Champion path club with the highest coefficient may bypass the qualifiers and qualify automatically for the league phase if this years UCL winner also qualify automatically via their league. Rangers would potentially be in position to benefit from this if they won the Scottish Premier.
For European places next season, Scotland finished 11th in the coefficient table last season which means for 2025/2026 we get:
- Champions League: 1 playoff spot, 1 Q2 spot.
- Europa League: 1 playoff spot, 1 Q2 spot
- Conference League: 1 Q2 spot
Note 2: There's back door whereby the Champion path club with the highest coefficient may bypass the qualifiers and qualify automatically for the league phase if this years UCL winner also qualify automatically via their league. Rangers would potentially be in position to benefit from this if they won the Scottish Premier.
ICA_86
Well-Known Member
No we don’t.
You have no idea of who we’re up against for a start, and you’ve got no idea who we’ll sell during the summer.
An absolutely wild take on it at this point.
ICA_86
Well-Known Member
Sorry, did I miss us absolutely leathering Kyiv?
dereksmallsloyal
Well-Known Member
At which point you’d say it was a catastrophic campaign. Failure to win across three entry points to group stage football including, finally, against probable minnows, would Pedro-esque and out of keeping with our recent past. The playoffs this year were full of teams you’ll barely have heard of.
55 hours to Belgrade
Active Member
If we finish 2nd in the league we will be seeded in the 2nd round of the "league" path (6 teams) for the CL.
We will play 1 of the 3 lowest seeded teams, 2nd place finishers, in leagues from Czechia, Switzerland, Austria, Greece & (Norway = Brann Bergen). [JUL 22/ 23 & 29/ 30]
The next round [AUG 5/ 6 + 12] will probably still see us seeded [in top 4] and will be joined by the 4th team in France, 3rd team in Holland, 2nd teams from Portugal, Belgium & Poland plus 2 winners from 2nd round.
The 4 winners from these games will then be drawn together and both winners of the ties played on [AUG 19/20 & 26/27] will qualify for the CL league stages plus 5 teams who qualify via the Champions path.
Again we could be 1 of the 2 top seeds for this round but given the other teams who will qualify it might not make too much difference. The 2 unseeded teams this year FC Salzburg & Lille both got through.
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Foddo Foddo
Well-Known Member
I do not care about who we could face in qualifiers as they won't be near top notch. I believe, when all fit and available, that we can beat any team that will be in the qualifiers regardless of their high status in the game. Home and away. Our new players, mostly young men in new situations for them, have now settled and know the standards and expectations and they are beginning to gel, learn their roles in the system and form understandings on the pitch. We are in a much better place squad-wise, than we have been for a number of years now. I think at long last, we are on the right path with the current player management team.
Josh Allen
Well-Known Member
How can we be written off then barring a miracle?
ICA_86
Well-Known Member
GBY74
Well-Known Member
That was two very winnable ties that would've helped us out massively in a financial sense.
Josh Allen
Well-Known Member
So do I. It always is.
Bigbluebear
Well-Known Member
There's obviously loads of football left to be played, but as things stand the other teams who would be in the qualifiers, and their coefficients, are
QR3
Lille -65.00
Utrecht - 12.75
Benfica 86.25
Brugge 70.25
Fenerbahce 44.25
QR2
Plzen 37.25
Us - 67.25
Basel 6.4t
Austria Vienna 7.07
Brann 5.0
AEK 9.5
We will very likely be seeded in both these rounds so I'd be expecting us to make the playoff round at least if this was how it ended up. The Portuguese and French clubs being in these rounds is a bit of a bugger as doesn't matter which one it is, we would be really up against it.
QR3
Lille -65.00
Utrecht - 12.75
Benfica 86.25
Brugge 70.25
Fenerbahce 44.25
QR2
Plzen 37.25
Us - 67.25
Basel 6.4t
Austria Vienna 7.07
Brann 5.0
AEK 9.5
We will very likely be seeded in both these rounds so I'd be expecting us to make the playoff round at least if this was how it ended up. The Portuguese and French clubs being in these rounds is a bit of a bugger as doesn't matter which one it is, we would be really up against it.
BrooklynBlue
Well-Known Member
QR2 is awkward enough, especially given the games will be July 22nd/23rd + July 29th/30th. But QR3 is extremely tough with the exception of Utrecht (and I may be doing them a disservice).
I assume our Play-Off Round features the winners of QR3 with no one else being added. For argument's sake, it could then be us, Benfica, Brugge + Lille.
A big ask.
Celtic's PO Round doesn't look that bad. Bodo Glimt (confirmed) and then the Champions of Switzerland + Austria (Lugano + Sturm Graz in the current standings).
This is why we need to get our squad sorted so early in the summer.
The loss this year to Kyiv was criminal and cost us millions.
We can’t afford to do that again.
We will have three qualifying rounds to face, but will probably be seeded in the second and third qualifying rounds and possibly the playoff depending on who we get if we reach that point.
