We're in The Europa League? Lets Try and Win it, eh?

There is an an arrogance from much of the English media towards foreign leagues that is far from discrete. For a little over a decade, the Premier League has been placed on a pedestal above the likes of Serie A and La Liga, possibly quite rightly, you need only look at some of the talents to have played for Premier League teams in order to understand just why it was rated so highly; Bergkamp, Henry, Ronaldo, Cantona, Samaras. The list knows no end. In addition to this, United were Champions League finalists three times between 2008 and 2011, while Arsenal made the final in 2006, Chelsea in 2008 and Liverpool won the competition in 2005, beating AC Milan in the final, but were no match for the Italian club when they met in Athens two years later. During these periods, the Premier League played host to some of the best teams in the world, that much can't be doubted. The arrogance towards other leagues that has since followed though is astonishing.

Serie A as a division itself is not what it was say fifteen years ago, but has still been home to some top teams since then, Ancelotti's Milan, Mourinho's Internazionale and now, Conte's Juventus are expected to go far with just a little bit more financial backing. The likes of Napoli and Fiorentina are now enduring somewhat of a revival as well. 

It's fair to say that La Liga has become a two-horse race since Valencia last won it in 2004, it's now a far cry from a division within which Depor, Valencia and Atletico de Madrid had competed strongly only 12 years ago. Real Madrid and Barcelona are the dons in this league, of course, they are the two best teams in the world, but were aided becoming so by the quantity of TV money they receive in comparison to their lesser though of opponents.

How highly Serie A, La Liga, the Bundesliga and so on are though of isn't the point to be made here though, rather it is the complete disregard for teams from other European leagues such as the Eredivisie, Primeira Liga and the Russian league. These leagues have some of the best footballers in the world playing in them, and yet much of our media shows them about as much respect as I would to the dogshit I just stepped in.

Unfortunately, certain managers of English teams show these teams similar levels of respect when they face them in the Europa League. Of course, UEFA don't exactly dress what was formerly the UEFA Cup in a silk dress, red lipstick and six-inch stilettos, no, they have it's games played on a Thursday night, sometimes a Wednesday, but you're looking at a 5PM kick-off if it's a Wednesday. 5 o'clock, on a Wednesday. Regardless of this, how often do we see Premier League teams put out weakened XIs so that they may rest players for a 'six-pointer' at the weekend that, if won, may well put said team in the exact same position next year! More often than not, the team does lose its European game. 

I won't paint all mangers with the same brush, however. André Villas-Boas should be praised for the way in which he approaches the Europa League. It's a dead cert that some Tottenham fans may lament seeing their best players play in Slovenia on a Thursday when they have a big game only four days later against, say, Chelsea or City. Nevertheless, the opportunity of winning a European trophy is one considered to be too attractive to turn down by the Portuguese manager. He won the Europa League with Porto beating Braga in the final at the gorgeous Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Hey, that's another factor that must be considered, the bloody fans who pay good money to see their team.
That Amsterdam place is supposed to be alright isn't it? Yes? Well, guess where the Europa League final is to be played next May. You guessed it. The trip to Ajax came too early for me in terms of income this year, so I'd quite like to go in May if possible. Is that selfish of me? There are other places as well, I'd love to go to Brussels, Hamburg or Copenhagen if given the chance. What's not to like about going to watch (insert team here) in the above cities?
Additionally, City fans can complain as much as they like about the groups we have found ourselves in in the last two years. Firstly, our lack of luck lies in drawing the most dangerous side from pot 4 in both 2011 and 2012, but the simple fact is that until we have enough coefficient points, we'll be stuck in pot two, coming up against European giants, which doesn't bother me so much, that's kind of the point of the Champions League. If the top pot is what you yearn for though, then it's probably in your best interests for City to compete and be successful in the Europa League, should we even get there.

The problem is that there is an inferiority complex so to speak from fans of clubs in the Europa League, "Thursday nights, chan.." etc..particularly from those whose club had only recently been part of the Champions League and whose fiercest rivals progressed through the easiest Champions League group possible with ease. That said, United did their time and have been knocked out early themselves. So should we finish third in our Champions League group,  lets show the Europa League and its competitors the respect they deserve eh, City?

See you all in Holland, lads (hopefully).