As the summer finally arrives, we take a look at a controversial subject, seeding for the Champions League groups.
After the plethora of recent signings, finding something suitable to write about was becoming something akin to a chore. However, flicking through the pages of the Chelsea Magazine, I stumbled across an interview with José Mourinho. In it he lambastes the way the Champions League is run and it makes very interesting reading. More importantly, I believe his thoughts simply echo what everybody outside of the infamous G14 group is already thinking and certainly the vast majority of the Chelsea support..
Mourinho, and I apologise to Chelsea Magazine for lifting a few quotes out of their text but I`m sure the plug will more than suffice, has the following to say,
“It is the best competition in the world but you don`t see the best clubs in the semi-finals. So for me something is wrong, and what is wrong is that the knockouts come at such an early stage.”
“Also, the way the groups are made is wrong, the criteria to be seeded in the groups. For example, the English champions, Chelsea, are lucky to be second seeds.”
“For me, being champions is more important than the past for seeding. What does the last ten years matter? Inter Milan, for example, get more coefficient points for the Champions League than us even though Chelsea are champions of England and Inter Milan are only third in Italy.”
Now I could re-produce more but I don`t want to fall foul of an excellent magazine and their editorial team but you should by now be able to get the drift of where I, and indeed José, are coming from. The way things stand the Champions League isn`t an even playing field. How next season, for example, can Arsenal be forced to qualify but if they do be seeded ahead of Chelsea.
Obviously, those on the continent will cite that Chelsea themselves don`t care about level playing fields when it comes to monetary investment but we`re not the first to benefit from a rich benefactor and we certainly won`t be the last. But it clearly riles those who comprise the G14 group.
In the Guardian newspaper today, there is an interesting interview with Karl-Heinz Rummenige of Bayern Munich. The German legend, when discussing our financial situation, complains about Chelsea`s money and the fact that we don`t operate under financial constraints. However, later on he has the gall to suggest that ‘certain` clubs (such as the G14 group) should have privileged status in the Champions League whereby they qualify automatically.
By now you can probably all see, I hope, what exactly Mourinho objects to. If those from within the G14 group seek special privileges then those of us outside the group will continue to fall foul of their gluttonous ambition. Our European co-efficient is blighted by dismal failure in the UEFA Cup during Ranieri`s reign. If we have continued success in the Champions League we should, by present rules, become a seeded club in the next two to three years.
However, you just get that nagging feeling that when that happens there might just be another rule change, a change that would probably protect those in the G14 group. Surely, the best way to end all this palaver is to simply base seeding on the previous season. The Champions of the elite European leagues should be the seeds, not someone who might have been good four or five years ago but now languishes behind the best in Europe.
You know it makes sense!
Our thanks go to Chelsea Magazine for the inspiration for this article and we sincerely hope that our constant plugs for your magazine appease any anger you may feel for me nicking a few quotes from the Special One.
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