[Football] Union Saint-Gilloise

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

Absolute joke you can finish 5/10 points clear after a full season and have to enter playoffs. Maybe a case for playoffs for Europa league positions but winner of league should get the Champions league spot

It's not an absolute joke though as the Belgian clubs voted for this system. The idea behind it was that having a play off system to decide the champions and European qualification places there would be more games between the top sides and make said top sides better over a period of time and improve their chances of progress in European competition as well. It seems to have had the desired effect as they were 14th in the UEFA co-efficents pre the introduction of the playoffs and last season they were 8th.

 

[amexer]

Sorry. 'Fairer than most' play-off formats.

Any play-off system to decide a title seems incongruous to us, because we are not used to it. But it would seem completely normal for say a fan of Wakefield or Widnes, and that's what their season builds toward.

I don't know what the Belgian league has done historically.

Do you oppose the play-off system for promotion in our football structure? That is just as inherently unfair (the team finishing third having no advantage over the team finishing 6th, in the quest for promotion) as deciding the title in such a manner. yet the play-offs have proved a huge plus in general - keeping many more teams' seasons alive, far deeper into the season.

our play off system is good in that it retains interest for so many clubs to end of season. However would be better if it recognised finishing positions. I would say 3rd place should automatically be in play off final .4th place play at home against the winners of game between 5th and 6th place teams. That way a reward and incentive to finish 3rd and 4th

 

[hans kraay fan club]

our play off system is good in that it retains interest for so many clubs to end of season. However would be better if it recognised finishing positions. I would say 3rd place should automatically be in play off final .4th place play at home against the winners of game between 5th and 6th place teams. That way a reward and incentive to finish 3rd and 4th

I agree

Broadly this is how the play-offs in the National League work:

1st place go up as champions.

4th host 7th (higher team gets home advantage, and all ties are one leg only)
5th host 6th

2nd host 4v7
3rd host 5v6

Winners of semis play at Wembley for the second promotion place.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Sorry. 'Fairer than most' play-off formats.

Any play-off system to decide a title seems incongruous to us, because we are not used to it. But it would seem completely normal for say a fan of Wakefield or Widnes, and that's what their season builds toward.

I don't know what the Belgian league has done historically.

Do you oppose the play-off system for promotion in our football structure? That is just as inherently unfair (the team finishing third having no advantage over the team finishing 6th, in the quest for promotion) as deciding the title in such a manner. yet the play-offs have proved a huge plus in general - keeping many more teams' seasons alive, far deeper into the season.

Yes, I do, bit of a traditionalist.

I get the whole keeping teams alive and certainly not denying the positive elements that undoubtedly exist in terms of mid-table teams, but for a team in 6th to get promoted over one finishing 3rd isn’t fair in my mind. It’s just luck.

Take Sheff Weds, we’d earned our 3rd place, but then luck, injuries, poor refereeing, take your pick, saw us lose over two legs. To me really unjust, given how well we’d done over 46 games.

 

[nwgull]

Got to remember that professional football is a commercial product, and a standard league system risks the last few weekends being a bit of a procession with the title being done and dusted. In quite a few of the recent seasons, the relegation battle has been far more exciting and attractive to the broadcasters than televising Man City cruising to the title with games to spare.

I like the way that points accumulated are carried into the playoffs as it makes every game of the pre-season count. USG could still be 10 points clear going into the final day, but we'll still be willing them to get another win to keep the gap.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

Got to remember that professional football is a commercial product, and a standard league system risks the last few weekends being a bit of a procession with the title being done and dusted. In quite a few of the recent seasons, the relegation battle has been far more exciting and attractive to the broadcasters than televising Man City cruising to the title with games to spare.

I like the way that points accumulated are carried into the playoffs as it makes every game of the pre-season count. USG could still be 10 points clear going into the final day, but we'll still be willing them to get another win to keep the gap.

Yep, last season was quite the finish...

Title changes hands 3 times in 5 minutes: You won't find a wilder end to a season than in Belgium

The destination of the 2022-23 Pro League title chopped and changed between three clubs in the final five minutes of action.

www.espn.co.uk

The points totals are halved so Union would only be 5 points ahead if it stays as is at the start of the playoffs. Tough February with 7 games for Union as still in the Belgian Cup and Europa Conference. Anderlecht only have 3 league games to negotiate in February, although one is Club Brugge...

 

[amexer]

For those that seem to like the Belgian system Would you like the same in the PL

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Got to remember that professional football is a commercial product, and a standard league system risks the last few weekends being a bit of a procession with the title being done and dusted. In quite a few of the recent seasons, the relegation battle has been far more exciting and attractive to the broadcasters than televising Man City cruising to the title with games to spare.

I like the way that points accumulated are carried into the playoffs as it makes every game of the pre-season count. USG could still be 10 points clear going into the final day, but we'll still be willing them to get another win to keep the gap.

Yes, but isn’t that the point of more CL places and then Europa etc, it keeps it interesting until the end.

Having done the hard bit, it’s pretty galling IMO to then miss out.

 

[Gabbiano]

For those that seem to like the Belgian system Would you like the same in the PL

Bit of a straw man that, I don't think anyone was suggesting the PL should use the Belgian system.

I understand the advantages of the Belgian system, and why it's done that way. It can make for an entertaining end of the season. I also don't think it's inherently wrong to halve the points and have a second round - the format is established and affects all the teams the same way, but it will feel extra shit if you win the regular season but don't end up champions.

I think it feels wrong just because we're not used to this kind of thing in football, whereas rugby and American sports are already doing this kind of thing to no complaint.

I still would prefer the normal league format as we have here, but the Belgian system isn't without merit, and makes it more fun to observe as a neutral.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

2-1 defeat away to Club Brugge in the first leg of the Belgian Cup semi final last night - second leg 28th February.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

2 points dropped at home to Westerlo...Anderlecht won again.

Union at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday, then away to bottom team Kortrijk on Sunday afternoon.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

Not sure what Union had done wrong to end up with Pawson refereeing. Tough second leg to come but still in with a shout - https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...t-gilloise-vs-eintracht-frankfurt/vi-BB1ilAfH

 

[Scappa]

Not sure what Union had done wrong to end up with Pawson refereeing. Tough second leg to come but still in with a shout - https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mo...t-gilloise-vs-eintracht-frankfurt/vi-BB1ilAfH

As long as they don't give him any easy decisions:

 

[BrianSwan]

The talent they have produced recently is off the charts

 

[GingerBeerMan]

The talent they have produced recently is off the charts

I wonder who their owner is. Maybe Bloom could learn a thing or two.

 

[tigertim68]

I don’t understand why Tony Bloom had to reduce his stake in Union , when all the big clubs seem to have financial stakes in other European clubs ,

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

I don’t understand why Tony Bloom had to reduce his stake in Union , when all the big clubs seem to have financial stakes in other European clubs ,

Because UEFAs rules state that no person or company can have more than a 30% share in a second club when both clubs are playing in UEFA competitions. It’s not a problem if the share is less than 30% or the other club isn’t involved in European competition.

Aston Villa’s owners also had to reduce their share Portuguese club Vitoria as they’d also qualified for European football this season.

 

[AstroSloth]

Because UEFAs rules state that no person or company can have more than a 30% share in a second club when both clubs are playing in UEFA competitions. It’s not a problem if the share is less than 30% or the other club isn’t involved in European competition.

Aston Villa’s owners also had to reduce their share Portuguese club Vitoria as they’d also qualified for European football this season.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens next year with Man City and Girona as both are owned by CFG.

I'm sure they'll figure out a loophole.

 

[Joey Jo Jo Jr. Shabadoo]

It's going to be interesting to see what happens next year with Man City and Girona as both are owned by CFG.

I'm sure they'll figure out a loophole.

According to wiki they own 47% of Girona so it should be easy for them to reduce that ownership to 30% you’d think. But I’m sure as it’s City there’ll be some sort of exception granted.

 

[Slum_Wolf]

3 points away at Kortrijk...

Big week of fixtures...2nd leg Europa Conference at Frankfurt (2-2) on Thursday, home to Alzate's Standard Liège on Sunday in the league and 2nd leg of the cup home to Club Brugge (1-2) next Wednesday. Anderlecht play away at 3rd place Club Brugge on Sunday at 12.30.