LoI in Europe 2018

**Buller** · 12/06/2018, 10:44 AM

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018...tering-europe/

In case anyone missed this, Uefa announced an increase in prize money this year. (should offset the fact it is now more difficult to reach group stages)

Cork City will earn €800,000 as a baseline. (up from about €480,000?)

Europa league qualifiers will get more modest increases per round.
1st Round - €215,000 --> €240,000
2nd Round - €230,000 --> €260,000
3rd Round - €240,000 --> €280,000
Play-offs - ?

With Dundalk being seeded for the first 2 rounds, I'd say they're in a good position to earn €780,000 before they come up against a big side.

**oriel** · 13/06/2018, 3:47 PM

Dundalk are indeed seeded for round 1, and round 2 if we get there, would be surprised if we don’t. The fun will start in round 3 if we get that far, as being seeded means avoiding likes of Burnley, Besiktas, Seville, Bordeaux, Sparta Prague and so many more top top teams, but we would be unseeded if we got to round 3 and could draw anyone. I`d say highly unlikely we could go any further, as it would mean beating a much better side than BATE this time.

Round 2 could be tricky enough mind, plenty of tough sides on the unseeded side. Earning almost 800k for playing in 3 rounds is a decent pick up though, but not sure you actually make anything on the gate with these games, the home leg usually covers the away expenses, plus there will be additional expenses for renting Tallaght and all the items that go with further round games.

Hopefully all 4 clubs will get favourable draws next week.

**micls** · 13/06/2018, 3:51 PM

New format for City too. Guaranteed 2 ties.

First round CL first. Win that, into 2nd round CL. Whenever we lose in the CL, we drop into the next round of the EL (Champions path) meaning we can only play other beaten Champions. So we won't ever be in the same draws as Dundalk, Rovers, Derry.

Win 1 tie at any point and we're guaranteed 3rd round EL, which would bring us over the million mark for prize money.

**El-Pietro** · 13/06/2018, 4:30 PM

Originally Posted by micls

New format for City too. Guaranteed 2 ties.

First round CL first. Win that, into 2nd round CL. Whenever we lose in the CL, we drop into the next round of the EL (Champions path) meaning we can only play other beaten Champions. So we won't ever be in the same draws as Dundalk, Rovers, Derry.

Win 1 tie at any point and we're guaranteed 3rd round EL, which would bring us over the million mark for prize money.

We would also be seeded at that point as the Champions Path Seeding is based on when you enter rather than coefficient. If we enter in the second round (i.e. lose our first Champions League tie) we will most likely neither be seeded or unseeded as there will only be three seeds and three non seeds with the other 12 teams being in an open draw against each other. And there is also the possibility that we get a bye past the second round of the EL as there are 19 teams in that draw.

**oriel** · 15/06/2018, 8:10 AM

Originally Posted by micls

New format for City too. Guaranteed 2 ties.

First round CL first. Win that, into 2nd round CL. Whenever we lose in the CL, we drop into the next round of the EL (Champions path) meaning we can only play other beaten Champions. So we won't ever be in the same draws as Dundalk, Rovers, Derry.

Win 1 tie at any point and we're guaranteed 3rd round EL, which would bring us over the million mark for prize money.

What round can Cork NOT use TC for Europe this season? pending you progress a good few rounds, for example can it used for EL play off round if you get that far?

The other thing to consider is both Dundalk and Cork might get stretched a fair bit in terms of their title hopes if both play through extended rounds. On that further, I`d still consider the 2016 title win as the best of 3 we won given we were still playing in Europe in early Dec that year.

**micls** · 15/06/2018, 8:46 AM

No, we couldn't use it for the playoff afaik

**El-Pietro** · 15/06/2018, 8:47 AM

Originally Posted by oriel

What round can Cork NOT use TC for Europe this season? pending you progress a good few rounds, for example can it used for EL play off round if you get that far?

The other thing to consider is both Dundalk and Cork might get stretched a fair bit in terms of their title hopes if both play through extended rounds. On that further, I`d still consider the 2016 title win as the best of 3 we won given we were still playing in Europe in early Dec that year.

Typically we've been told we're good up until the third round, for the Playoff round we need somewhere else. I think technically Turners Cross doesn't meet requirements (no parking etc) for the early rounds either but UEFA have let us off with it.

**oriel** · 15/06/2018, 9:09 AM

That’s a pity it couldn’t be used if you made the play offs, the car parking is a big thing I know, but you can’t be too far off the capacity cut off, plus you have the newly added wheelchair and helpers section installed.

I think Oriel Park can still only be used up to the 2nd round, which should mean an additional game to host this season as we have been joining in round 2 in previous years. 3,200 capacity limit. Its actually one of the few times the old place looks almost ok as everyone is sitting including home fans in the away end. Be great to see something new built in the ground for next season in Europe, even one new stand behind one of the goals would do wonders.

**El-Pietro** · 15/06/2018, 9:18 AM

Originally Posted by oriel

That’s a pity it couldn’t be used if you made the play offs, the car parking is a big thing I know, but you can’t be too far off the capacity cut off, plus you have the newly added wheelchair and helpers section installed.

I think Oriel Park can still only be used up to the 2nd round, which should mean an additional game to host this season as we have been joining in round 2 in previous years. 3,200 capacity limit. Its actually one of the few times the old place looks almost ok as everyone is sitting including home fans in the away end. Be great to see something new built in the ground for next season in Europe, even one new stand behind one of the goals would do wonders.

Capacity is only one of a number of issues. We don't have the right media facilities, press conference facilities, camera positions, possibly our floodlights aren't good enough for tv either. If tv wasn't an issue then there aren't many reasons we couldn't play there. The real problem is Turners Cross is boxed in and its probably impossible for us to ever meet all the requirements there. So we probably need to be thinking about what we do long term, unless Pairc Ui Chaoimh is opened for us (it won't be).

**sidewayspasser** · 15/06/2018, 9:20 AM

Originally Posted by El-Pietro

Typically we've been told we're good up until the third round, for the Playoff round we need somewhere else.

I guess that "somewhere else" would be Thomond unless the GAA lets us into Pairc Ui Chaoimh?

**osarusan** · 15/06/2018, 9:30 AM

Is there a reason Musgrave Park isn't part of the discussion? Just not up to standard either?

**Real ale Madrid** · 15/06/2018, 9:37 AM

Originally Posted by osarusan

Is there a reason Musgrave Park isn't part of the discussion? Just not up to standard either?

Only has half the seats that Turners Cross has. IRFU owned , in my opinion an ideal place to put a 10k / 15k stadium. Loads of room around it. They put a 4G pitch in there last off season which is not ideal.

**El-Pietro** · 15/06/2018, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by sidewayspasser

I guess that "somewhere else" would be Thomond unless the GAA lets us into Pairc Ui Chaoimh?

Hopefully. But it might depend on the draw?

**micls** · 15/06/2018, 10:13 AM

They can't. They'd have to have a special Congress to change the rule. No chance.

**osarusan** · 15/06/2018, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Only has half the seats that Turners Cross has.

Wow, shows how little I know about rugby, always assumed it must have 7 or 8 thousand seats.

**Nesta99** · 15/06/2018, 4:06 PM

Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid

Only has half the seats that Turners Cross has. IRFU owned , in my opinion an ideal place to put a 10k / 15k stadium. Loads of room around it. They put a 4G pitch in there last off season which is not ideal.

Would be an improvement on the Turners Cross pitch!!

If the Derrynane side has a new stand built a lot of the criteria could, theoretically at least, be met(?), even if it meant revising the main stand if things are a bit narrow Derrynane side. St Annes stand is mainly a banked seating area that is roofed isnt it? It too then could be rebuilt to meet criteria with the possibility of understand media rooms eg. Parking in a landlocked area then is an issue but can dispensation be sought if say parking was provided off site with a shuttle bus type system in place?
I've wondered in the case of Oriel Park could agreement with the train station suffice as meeting parking criteria with the proximity to the ground if it wasnt possible to provide a car park 'attached' to the ground. None of these type of solutions are cheap or easily managed of course.

If Cork's ambition, like Dundalk, is to reach group stages of European comps relatively regularly then a major project will eventually have to happen if ambitions come to pass. The city in general could have a very good MFA ground that would be expensive to maintain without Cork City FC as tenants, Musgrave Park, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, and maybe at some point in the future a stadium of their own for Cork City FC. If Turners Cross cant be upgraded to meet the criteria of a Cat 4 stadium then any major spend on it from now on (as it serves domestically as it is) would seem a bit of a waste if long term a move is needed.

**micls** · 17/06/2018, 9:33 PM

It's not possible for the Cross to be upgraded to category 4, not enough space for it to be done.

Only 2 more days to the draw!!!!

**El-Pietro** · 17/06/2018, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by micls

It's not possible for the Cross to be upgraded to category 4, not enough space for it to be done.

Only 2 more days to the draw!!!!

35 hours and 45 minutes... Not like I'm excited or anything!

**patrickccfc** · 17/06/2018, 10:39 PM

Hopefully TNS. But of course we'll get Legia or Celtic.

**sbgawa** · 18/06/2018, 8:34 AM

Be kinda funny if you draw Celtic as they will be playing us on The Saturday in Tallaght before your first leg against them potentially on the Wednesday.
I was expecting our match against you guys would be postponed due to you guys playing on Wednesday in CL and us on the Thursday in EL, I suppose it will depend on the draw and the travel involved.