More UEFA confusion

[atrottel]

Last week it was confirmed that the FA Cup losers would go through to the UEFA Cup if Portsmouth won the cup but then qualified under their own steam in the League.

However, the fact that Cardiff have joined them in the final has put the cat amongst the pigeons again as they are a Welsh FA club playing in an English league and it was agreed that they should not be eligible for an English UEFA place should they qualify from an English competition.

Now a UEFA spokesman says that they would be eligible to play, but only with a wild card (à la RS), as it would only be right.

"We understand there was an agreement from the beginning when Cardiff joined the English league that if it happened they gained a European place they would not represent the English Football Association," Gaillard told Sky Sports News.

"We understand this agreement but at the same time we feel from a sporting point of view Cardiff deserve to play in the UEFA Cup.

"What will be submitted to the executive committee if Cardiff win the final is the possibility of giving them a wild card."

Link to full Daily Mail article

(Since this shouldn't be of any particular interest to us, I put it in the World Football bit.)

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

it'll suit uefa if cardiff get in and then get knocked out in 1st qual, thus reducing our countries coefficient. whats the situation with the dutch cup ? may seem an odd question but ajax enter 2 teams and the jonger ajax team got to the final once. there are all sorts of rules created by all sorts of fools it seems.

 

[ToffeeDan]

I can't see the FA nominating Cardiff, if Portsmouth win the FA Cup. Surely it's correct to nominate an English team under these circumstances. If Pompey get 5th place it behoves the FA to nominate an English team by indicating that the FA Cup winners qualify as that and then the 6th place team take the only League place - or are we going to miss out yet again just like the old Fairs Cup BS we had to put up with back in the 60s?

Or are we presuming that Portsmouth, if finishing 5th, have prequalified and this is Cardiff's entitlement to claim entry - finishing as runner-up should never earn qualification - it doesn't happen in the League Cup anymore so why should it happen in the FA Cup which, in theory at least, could be any team from any league in the country!!?

Or maybe we need to factor in the RS control in the FA (Barwick).

All the items I have read on the Cardiff situation suggest they would only be in contention for a place in UEFA Cup if they win the FA Cup - this seems to indicate that Portsmouth would qualify for UEFA Cup as winners and perhaps as runners-up with 6th placed team going into the UEFA Cup if Portsmouth finish 5th..


TD

 

[DENNIS STEVENS]

i thought english clubs also entered the welsh cup but couldn't represent wales in euopean competition