How important is the EL spot?

[bag a yoko]

For me the FA cup is a far bigger prize than the Europa League. It was there long before the EL and will remain long after.

 

[JMT]

For a club like us who don't win anything or rarely make Europe we need to be constantly getting into Europa to move onto the next step, I'd place winning a cup our #1 priority, I know most might prefer CL but for us young ones who haven't been able to see us lift a trophy it really sucks. but yeah Europa is needed for the next step this club needs to make.

 

[ForeverBlue92]

Remember folks 7th is now Europa CONFERENCE not Europa League - which is 5th/6th.

 

[Bigduke1234]

Minimum this year is a European spot, even europa. It’s a platform and we desperately need that. Think we need to play europa for a season to improve our coefficient as any CL spot likely involves a qualifier

 

[chippy1722]

Very Important.
Every time we get near it loads of fans** say it’ll ruin our next season and don’t want to be in it. Then we wait years to get even close.

**Those fans definitely don’t go to European away games.

 

[zukai12_]

Irrelevant

We're getting champions league

 

[canuckblue]

Not as important as the G-spot, in my opinion.

 

[H.H.]

As already said, the money received playing in the Europa League has gone up a lot and the extra prize of the winners entering the C/L unfortunately now makes it much more prestigious than the F.A.Cup (and I remember the days when the F.A.Cup was nearly as prestigious as winning the league.)
I also think that players from abroad rate the Europa highly so it could help him choose between clubs.

Now that the League/Carabao Cup only gets a conference league place it really has been further devalued but would still good to win while trying to achieve something better.

 

[Alanbileysfeathercut]

UEFA competition is just a cash cow for them.

FA cup please toffees.
Or Caribou....

 

[twoblue]

Europa league is important because we have no pedegree in European completion. It also means more game time for squad players, that we can justify have players like kean and dcl even if only one is on the pitch at any time.
If we can’t make a fist of it in EL there is not point is aiming for finishing top four.

 

[Bigduke1234]

What are the changes, haven’t followed it?

 

[Zatara]

Players want to play in europe
The team gains experience
Squad players can be developed
Prize money
UEFA coefficient goes up
Exposure

If we get 4th this season then champions league will be a welcome shock.

But if we get 6th and europa...then 4th the following season the experience may serve us well in champions league.

All in all, the 2nd best competition to win for all the above.

 

[ToffeeTim]

Winning a trophy is what matters for us. Any trophy.

 

[TheBigIguana]

European competition of any sort is important. There are some very big names in the Europa league. Then you look at Rangers who Everton beat 8 days a week who should easily go through to the next round against Antwerp. Plus you've got the bonus of a CL spot for the winner.

Spurs
Dynamo Kiev
Utd
Roma
Ajax
Milan
Arsenal
Benfica
Napoli

All big teams. Plus the players want to play in Europe as well. Having European competition generally means shopping on a higher shelf in the transfer market.

Antwerp were competitive with Spurs so I wouldn't pencil the fighting Gerrards into the next round so quickly.

Ultimately if we are in Europa it is the second most prestigious trophy to win that year after the PL. With respect to the FA Cup it isn't what it was and we weren't the ones who killed it.

Now that said I don't know how important getting Europa actually is unless we intend to do all we can to win it.

 

[johnjoeefc]

If Everton were in the Europa League - I'd rather Everton put a stronger team out in the FA Cup, and even the League Cup. It's embarrassing we've never won that domestic cup, and we're so desperate to win anything, something - I'd fancy our chances more for the League Cup over Europa League.

They've progressively made the Europa League less and less attractive. It needed to be standalone, with less football and more financial incentive.

All that said, the Club need to be regularly in Europe. We just need to make sure if we do that, we don't let it dictate transfer policy as I think we did under Koeman.

I personally disagree with this. The fa cup maybe yes. But the league cup I think is on its final legs and it wont be long until it's totally scrapped as a competition and noone will even care about who won it. It's already a competition that nearly all clubs use to utilise their reserve teams.

For real true prestige in a team and to show a certain level of ability it's mainly the league placing or European competition. Even the FA cup is dwindling in that regard. It's not just an opinion this, its pretty obviously the case.