LOI in Europe 2011

**Dodge** · 27/07/2011, 9:42 AM

In comparison to Rangers. Danish sides are way, way above Scottish sides IMO

**paul_oshea** · 27/07/2011, 9:48 AM

IMHO you mean.

I didnt understand the bit yesterday in the papers that if rovers got through against copenhagen the highest ranked team they could draw would be Rangers. IS that because if you make it to the final round as a domestic winner you don't face higher seeded teams who finished runner(s x1,2,3) up in other stronger domestic leagues?

**punkrocket** · 27/07/2011, 9:48 AM

Scottish clubs haven't had a bad track record in recent years, uefa cup finals latter stages of champions league etc. they even managed a decent run outside of the old firm. Current teams aren't great though.

**pineapple stu** · 27/07/2011, 9:56 AM

It's five years since a Scottish side did anything of note in Europe (Rangers getting to the UEFA final). Can't think of the last time a Scottish side came top two in a CL group*. That's why they'll be seeded alongside LoI sides next year barring a good season this time out.

* Edit - it was 2007/08.

**punkrocket** · 27/07/2011, 10:06 AM

It's been 3 years - 2008 since Rangers made the uefa cup final, the same year Celtic were in the knock out stages of the CL. Admittedly they've been crap in more recent years, but if you know your history...

**Dodge** · 27/07/2011, 10:11 AM

Scotland's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 1.875, 2.666, 3.600
Ireland's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 2.500, 1.375, 1.000
Denmark's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 8.200, 4.400, 6.700

Rangers' run to the UEFA Cup final is the only thing stopping Scotland from sliding down to Hungary/Finland levels

**Stevo Da Gull** · 27/07/2011, 10:12 AM

I stupidly forgot that the game was tonight and organised dinner in town with a few friends. Anyone know which pubs in the centre of Dublin would be most likely to show the match tonight? None of the others watch football but maybe I can drag them after dinner if I can beg sufficiently.

EDIT: Never mind, I just checked the kick off time again. Probably wont have the time to catch it.

**pineapple stu** · 27/07/2011, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by punkrocket

It's been 3 years - 2008 since Rangers made the uefa cup final, the same year Celtic were in the knock out stages of the CL. Admittedly they've been crap in more recent years, but if you know your history...

You're right; sorry - I was looking at next year's rankings (and then dating from the start year of the season rather than the end).

But you mentioned "recent years", and I think Dodge has covered that point off well.

**punkrocket** · 27/07/2011, 10:27 AM

Okay, I meant in the past decade or so they've done well, much better than Danish teams have ever managed, and fully admit that the current crop aren't up to much. Having said that I think that the original point I was replying to was the comparison made between Danish and Swedish teams which the record shows that the Danish teams are demonstrably better. Malmo did look good last night though and should Copenhagen beat Rovers I can only hope for an all scandanavian clash to sort it out.

**Quinner89** · 27/07/2011, 10:30 AM

Not a Sham's fan, But I will be tonight. Looking forward to getting home from work, having a few beers & watching it. Is Setanta Sports the only channel showing it??

**pineapple stu** · 27/07/2011, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by punkrocket

Okay, I meant in the past decade or so they've done well, much better than Danish teams have ever managed, and fully admit that the current crop aren't up to much.

Copenhagen were in the last 16 last year, so that's straight out the window.

The Danish league is ranked 12th in Europe compared to 23rd for the Swedish league. It's a big step up.

**ifk101** · 27/07/2011, 10:46 AM

Professional footballers play a lower tax rate in Denmark than the Swedish equivalent. Wages are higher in the Danish league and consequently Danish clubs are more attractive to the best players in Scandinavia. Swedish clubs can't compete with the wages offered by clubs like FCK.

**Dodge** · 27/07/2011, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by ifk101

Professional footballers play a lower tax rate in Denmark than the Swedish equivalent. Wages are higher in the Danish league and consequently Danish clubs are more attractive to the best players in Scandinavia. Swedish clubs can't compete with the wages offered by clubs like FCK.

Danish clubs can't compete with the wages FCK aree paying at the moment...

**ifk101** · 27/07/2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Danish clubs can't compete with the wages FCK aree paying at the moment...

True. FCK is on a totally different level to the rest of Denmark but in saying that the rest of the Danish league is still financially on a different level to the Swedish league.

**Dodge** · 27/07/2011, 11:04 AM

Yeah, I think next season will see the Danish league winners go straight into the CL.

Thats a big step for them.

**punkrocket** · 27/07/2011, 11:22 AM

Copenhagen were in the last 16 last year, so that's straight out the window.

How often has that happened? Over the last 10 years Scottish clubs (since we're back to them again) have gone through to the knockout rounds on several occasions, Celtic have done so to Copenhagen's cost, jeez even Aberdeen whipped them by a large margin in the UEFA cup 3 or 4 years ago. I agree with you ( and haven't previously said otherwise) that scottish clubs at present aren't doing it but over the last decade or so have consistently been better than Danish clubs, so I'll add what I said before about seeing a viking fight to the death and hope that the winner of that particlur duel gets Celtic in a subsequent Europa game.

**pineapple stu** · 27/07/2011, 11:31 AM

I think if we're looking at the relative strength of the two leagues, anything more than three years old is actually irrelevant not only for the SPL (or Rangers/Celtic) now, but for them in the immediate future. That's when Rangers started hitting the skids financially and had to cut back drastically (here's a link from 2009 about it, for example). Not sure if Celtic have cut back too or if they've just been hiring crap managers, but basically the results the Old Firm got in Europe in the last decade are mainly from a completely different era to now. Pointing out a result from a few years ago is probably similar to pointing out Derry or Bohs beating Scottish opposition in our last two European encounters.

Obviously a game between, say, Copenhagen and Celtic would go a long way to confirming where the two leagues are though.

**punkrocket** · 27/07/2011, 11:39 AM

Still, I hope it's Rovers playing Celtic

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 27/07/2011, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Scotland's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 1.875, 2.666, 3.600
Ireland's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 2.500, 1.375, 1.000
Denmark's last 3 years of co-efficient points; 8.200, 4.400, 6.700

Rangers' run to the UEFA Cup final is the only thing stopping Scotland from sliding down to Hungary/Finland levels

The Danish league must be quality. I wonder how it's structured.