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Why a Europa League run is important for Spurs

Why a Europa League run is important for Spurs this season

Tottenham Hotspur's UEFA Europa League campaign this season is crucial for our UEFA coefficient score and their standing in European competitions.

The UEFA coefficient is a critical factor that determines a club's seeding in future European draws, impacting not only the difficulty of our group stage opponents but also our overall competitiveness in European tournaments.

Current UEFA Coefficient Context

Spurs' coefficient score of 54.000 places them at the lower end of Pot 1 (8th) in this season’s UEFA Europa League (EFL), alongside clubs like Lazio, who also have a score of 54.000.

There are nine teams in each of the four pots.

Just below Tottenham in Pot 2 are teams like Real Sociedad (51.000), AZ Alkmaar (50.000), and Braga (49.000), which means that any slip in Tottenham's performance could see us drop into Pot 2 in future competitions, facing tougher draws and potentially hindering our progress in European tournaments.

UEFA Coefficient Scores

Tottenham sit 45th in the UEFA Coefficient club rankings. There are a stack of lesser clubs above us including West Ham United who are in 16th place, while our North London rivals Arsenal sit 19th.

Importance of Improving UEFA Coefficient

Seeding Advantage: A strong run in the Europa League could significantly boost Tottenham’s coefficient, ensuring we remain in Pot 1 in future seasons. This is crucial as Pot 1 seeding often results in a more favourable group stage draw, increasing the likelihood of advancing to the knockout stages.
Competitive Edge: Clubs like Roma (101.000), Manchester United (92.000), and Porto (77.000) have substantially higher coefficients, providing them with a significant seeding advantage. For Tottenham to compete consistently with these clubs in the Champions League (UCL) and Europa League, we need to close the gap by accumulating coefficient points through deep runs in this season's Europa League.
Risk of Dropping to Pot 2: Tottenham’s current score of 54.000 is precariously close to the top of Pot 2, where clubs like Real Sociedad and AZ Alkmaar are positioned. A poor Europa League campaign could see Tottenham drop into Pot 2 in future seasons, which could lead to tougher group stage draws and make it harder for us to progress in European tournaments. This drop could have long-term implications on the club's ability to consistently qualify for the latter stages of European tournaments.
Financial and Sporting Rewards: A successful Europa League run not only improves the coefficient but also brings significant financial rewards and sporting prestige. Winning the Europa League guarantees qualification for the next season’s Champions League, providing a direct path back to Europe’s top competition, which is crucial for a club like Tottenham in maintaining its status among Europe’s elite.
Maintaining Club Status: With clubs like Ajax (67.000), Rangers (63.000), and Eintracht Frankfurt (60.000) having higher coefficients, Tottenham must be mindful of maintaining our status as a top-tier European club. Consistent performance in European competitions is key to sustaining our reputation and attracting top talent, both on the field and in the off field management.

Strategic Importance

Given these factors, I believe Tottenham must prioritize the Europa League this season far more than we have done in previous years.

A deep run or even winning the tournament would solidify our position in Pot 1 for future draws, improve our overall competitiveness in Europe and ensure we continue to attract the financial and sporting benefits that come with success in European competitions.

Players value European competition these days. Having virtually guaranteed Champions League football is the main deciding factor for many top players.

They simply don't want to join a club who might get it or who are trying to build to get it, they want it now and thus joining someone like Borussia Dortmund or Atlético Madrid has a greater pull than joining Tottenham Hotspur, even though we are a richer club.

How are UEFA Coefficient Points Gained?

UEFA coefficient points are earned by clubs based on their performances in UEFA competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League.

I'll run through how UEFA coefficient points are awarded.

Club Coefficient Points

Match Results:
- Win: 2 points
- Draw: 1 point
- Loss: 0 points
Bonus Points:
- Qualifying for the Group Stage: 4 points (only for the UEFA Champions League)
- Reaching the Round of 16: 4 points (only for the UEFA Champions League)
- Reaching the Quarter-finals, Semi-finals, and Final: 1 point each round in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
- Reaching the Group Stage or advancing in the UEFA Europa Conference League: Bonus points are given, though the exact points may vary compared to the other competitions.
Group Stage Minimum:
- If a team reaches the group stage of the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League, they are guaranteed a minimum of 5 points, even if they lose all their matches.
- For the UEFA Europa Conference League, the minimum is lower, reflecting the tournament's status compared to the Champions League and Europa League.

Additional Considerations

Qualification Rounds: Points earned in the qualification rounds are generally lower. For example, winning a match in the qualifying rounds might only gain you 1 point instead of 2. These points are also halved if the result is achieved in the preliminary rounds.
Country Coefficient: In addition to individual club coefficients, points earned by all clubs from a particular country are averaged and contribute to the country's overall UEFA coefficient. This ranking determines how many spots a country gets in future UEFA competitions.

Five-Year Accumulation

A club’s coefficient is calculated over a rolling five-year period. This means that points gained in the current season will replace those from six years ago. Consistency over several seasons is key to maintaining a high coefficient score.

Importance of Progression

Clubs earn more points the further they progress in the tournament. For instance, advancing past the group stage, winning knockout matches, and reaching the latter stages of the competition all contribute to a higher coefficient.

Practical Example for Tottenham Hotspur

If Tottenham win a group stage match in the Europa League, we would earn 2 points. If we draw, we get 1 point. If we advance to the knockout stage and continue winning, we accumulate more points, plus bonus points for reaching certain stages like the quarter-finals, semi-finals, or final.

This system encourages clubs to perform well consistently, as even a single bad season can significantly impact a club’s coefficient score and consequently, their seeding in future UEFA competitions.

So, this season, Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League campaign is about more than just short-term success; it's about securing our long-term future in European football.

A strong performance is essential to maintaining and improving our UEFA coefficient, which in turn will help us stay competitive in European competitions.

For me, the quarter-finals are a bare minimum, we should be reaching the semi-final and final of this competition and it's about time we did so.

Can Ange Postecoglou gel the 2nd XI with the 1st XI, something we have struggled with in the past and made life very difficult for ourselves.

Again, that comes back to mentality, not ability and hopefully, we have a new breed of mentality at the club thanks to our improved recruitment.

COYS

Tottenham Hotspur Blog News - (THBN)

Why a Europa League run is important for Spurs