Europa League: what's the deal?

Day -224 WorldCup2018

After the joy of Tottenham today was the often emotionally incomprehensible beast that is the Europa League. Or the 'competition played by teams that don't really want to be in it against other teams for whom it is a big honour to play in Europe but then once they get into Europe rest their star players who will hopefully stay fit so that their team can finish high enough in the league....to qualify for next year's Europa League'. And most of it takes place in front of half-empty stadiums.

I know this has been said many times before but it really as an odd conundrum for team owners, managers, players and fans. Let's take a team like Everton. Their ambition is to qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top 4 in England. Instead they finish 7th and are in the Europa League. The fans think, ah ok, nights of European football, not bad. The owners think, we missed out on the big money, so let's spend more money for next year to get into the Champions League, but at least we have some extra revenue from Europa. The manager thinks another competition to prepare my players for and at the same time the owner wants us to play well on the weekend to finish higher in the league, so I'll rest some players but then the owner wonders why we are not doing well on Thursday nights. And the players for whom the majority it's in their nature that they want to win are maybe told that the league is more important and they read it in the papers so why the hell are we even bothering? And then back around to the fans, who think do we support the team on a Thursday night if the owners don't really care and the manager sends out a reserve team; do we want them out of this competition so that the players concentrate more on the League; and if they are knocked out of Europe and are dismal in the league then what: do we wish we backed the team to win the Europa League because there was no joy in the Premier League?

Everton are probably a terrible example this year because they can't going in either competition. They are terrible in both. I could have used Arsenal but they are too far up the scale of "embarrassed to be here".

On the other hand there's a team like Ostersunds FK, . Their incredible rise from the Swedish fourth division to eighth place in their first season in the top division was capped off by their qualification for this year's Europa League by winning the Swedish Cup. Were their fans ecstatic? Yes. What an achievement. When they qualified for the groups stage of the competition by beating the mighty Galatasaray, were their fans, manager and owner ecstatic? Yes, yes, yes! Every match is an amazing occasion for them. From the fourth division to this. Wow. Is their chairman happy that they are top of their group and could go even further? Yes...but he could be happier. He has ambitions to win the Swedish league and the Champions League. This season, with one match to go, they are one point out of third place and a spot in next season's Europa League. No Champions League. So what do they do next year? Ignore the Europa League if they qualify, because it starts in the second half of their domestic league season. Do they gamble on putting all their efforts into getting into the Champions League.

Of course Ostersunds are a different example to an Italian or Spanish team because of the timing of their domestic season. Once their league is over this year they can still enjoy the Europa League. Therefore, they extend their excitement and can spread it out over tow different competitions at different times. But what happens next season if they are not in Europa and not doing so well in the league. Are the fans happy? Is the chairman happy if they finish higher in the league but don't make the Europa League? Is the chairman happy if they do qualify for the Europa League again? Is that progress? . At what point do they become an Everton (or Arsenal) and are disappointed with a season of Europa League? And, again, back to the fans: do they know what they are supporting anymore?
Having said all that, picture Ostersunds playing Arsenal this year, in England. It would be a match played in front of swathes of empty seats and a packed away section, played by a team having the time of their lives against a team that wishes they were playing on Tuesday or Wednesday night, filled with players hoping to impress their manager and get more playing opportunities in the Premier League.

And next year? What if Ostersunds play against Watford in the Europa League. Which set of owner, chairman, fans will be happier