When the Inter Toto is scrapped.

BBC

Iain Blair is an arse.

It's not his duty to determine who should get the UEFA Cup Spot if the Scottish Cup winners are already in Europe.

UEFA won't listen to him because it is the SFA who have jurisdiction. However Gordon Smith has also supported this move, so we will see what happens.


As for the initial story, I'm surprised it's taken the media so long to pick up on it. This was all announced months ago by UEFA and it was discussed on here when it came out.

To be honest, other than the League Cup, I can't see where else the team to fill that 5th spot could come from.

Starks Park

What disappointed me most is that the broadcast / print media are making as much of the 'poor wee players have to play football in summer' line. We've got a 3rd UEFA Cup place, for the first time in god-knows how long. Only in parochial, insular Scotland could we construe it into bad thing.

IMO, the League Cup should only get a slot if/when we rise to 9th in rankings = 4 UEFA Cup slots.

Isn't it just Blair giving the "players playing in the summer" or have I missed the overall feeling in the media.

The point is, it's not Iain Blair's place to lobby UEFA. It's Gordon Smith's...and he's already done it...and failed (for now).

Will it involve penalties after ninety minutes and a coin?

And I agree with you, just that if what he's saying is true then where's the problem?

The problem is that the SPL would be making itself almost as bad as its English equivalent on the arrogance stakes, sticking its nose into things that really are only their business a long way down the line.

Just makes Scottish Football even more of a joke than it already is.

Yes, but we all know that this is the attitude from the vast array of excuses that are given as to why the Intertoto Cup is not suitable for Scottish teams.

I think you missed the point there. Obviously the only alternative is the next league spot. However the status quo is an option. I think the point being made is it's not Ian Blair's duty to speak to UEFA about taking a place away from a club that potentially has nothing to do with his organisation and allocating it to one that does.

Gordon Smith may agree with him, and his actions are hardly surprising, but it's still not his place to be talking to UEFA about it.

Everyone knows that the SFL would gladly wipe the League Cup off the face of the earth (hence why the never mention it... and schedule title-winning games up against it). Blair is perfectly at rights to PROMOTE the view that this slot should go to the SPL. What he SHOULDN'T do, however, is imply that the decision is cut and dried; or be in a position where the SPL is involved with UEFA.

This similarly applies to the Scottish Cup runners-up slot: it has nothing to do with the SPL, at all.

The SFL aren't in a position to schedule title-winning games up against the League Cup. Well, none that would attract huge headlines anyway.

So I take it you meant the SPL?

No I definitely get the point both you and EF are making, and I agree with it, just on this occasion I don't see any great harm in it. Now if there was a specific argument of where the other slot should be occupied from (just for arguments sake, let's suggest the Challenge Cup) then I could see the point in getting annoyed with him.

I honestly think we are all singing from the same hymn sheet here, you know me if we were differing in opinion I would argue my case, however unless I am missing a press release or something the linked story only has Iain Blair saying that clubs would need to come back earlier from holidays as any participation is mandatory. The only direct quote he has is..

Quite embarrassing since it's usually ME who is pouncing on people's SFA/SPL/SFL and UEFA/FIFA errors. It was simply a typo, I was referring to the way in which the SPL derides the League Cup.

Well they did agree to move our game with Falkirk last season to a 1pm kick off so that it didn’t clash with the Stupid Cup Final.

It may not be a direct quote but the linked article says "Blair has contacted Uefa to request that in future the Scottish Cup runners-up do not qualify".

That's what is annoying. It's not his place to contact UEFA at all. That remit belongs with the SFA. He certainly can't be criticised for promoting the idea that the Scottish Cup runners up shouldn't get in and it should be the next SPL team down. Whether you agree with that or not as a principle it's only to be expected that Mr Blair adopts that attitude. And of course Gordon Smith has publicly supported the same course of action and I accept it IS his place to speak to UEFA about it. But the SPL are not the governing body of football in this country and sometimes they need reminded of their place. It isn't in talking directly to UEFA about who qualifies for their competitions from Scotland.

Ah, right, Ok, I see it now. Not very good journalism that piece as that Blair reference is at almost the entirely opposite end of the story to his quoted bit.

Sorry I didn't pick up on that line before.

Out of interest - what body has confirmed that the 'new' UEFA Cup place is going to the SPL? Did the SFA vote on it at their AGM? Did the SFA Board decide? Did the SPL claim it 'just cos'? Anyone?

I presume we allow the Scottish Cup winners to grab one of our UEFA places as this was a traditional route into Europe in the days of the Cup Winners Cup.

Is this common practice throughout Europe or do other countries allocate their UEFA spots purely on the basis of league positions?

UEFA rules currently state that a country's strongest UEFA Cup place must go to the Cup Winner. In the event of the Cup Winner qualifying for the Champions League, then that country's weakest UEFA Cup place (excluding places granted for Fair Play) must go to Cup runner-up.

This is not (as Gordon Smith initially believed) an opt-in situation. UEFA must approve any change.

All Champions League, Intertoto, and all other UEFA Cup places must be awarded according to domestic league tables. However, countries have a right to request to grant their League Cup the weakest UEFA Cup place (i.e. France, England); and Hungary unilaterally gave theirs the Intertoto.

I think they should give it to the 7th placed team in the 3rd division. Just to see what happens.

The winner of the Renfrewshire cup???