Country Ranking gone from 10th to 23rd in past ten years

[La_Leyenda]

When checking the coefficient tables, you're better off actually looking ahead to the following season, because a lot of the nations above us drop dramatically when good seasons are taken off (Holland look set to take the biggest hit).

Scotland therefore at the moment are set to move to 20th, and 15th is our aim to get a second champions league spot (and 5 euro places overall)

Holland are on 16.9 points. We're on 12.5, but have this season and next season to try and catch them. It would take two very good seasons of course, and for Holland to continue struggling.

Croatia, Austria, Sweden and Belarus are the other countries between us and 15th.

It's them five nations we should be keeping an eye on.

So state of play is:-

15: Holland 16.963

16: Croatia 16.750

17: Austria 14.375

18: Sweden 13.600

19: Belarus 12.750

20: Scotland 12.550

Holland and Belarus have already had teams knocked out, and there's quite a few not safe in their ties.

Champs League

QR2 (first leg scores in brackets, home teams are ones who are at home in 2nd leg)

Dundalk (1) v (2) Bate Borisov (Bel)

Zalgiris Vilnius (0) v (0) Malmo (Swe)

Fola Esch (0) v (0) Dinamo Zagreb (Cro)

all three ties in balance, and if they lose at this stage they don't drop into EL, they are out

QR3

Videoton v Bate Borisov (if Bate qualify)

Salzburg (Aut) v Malmo (if Malmo qualify)

Molde v Dinamo Zagreb (if they qualify)

Rapid Vienna (Aut) v Ajax (Hol)

losers in this round go into EL play-offs. Winners into QR4

Group stage

PSV already qualified.

Europa League

QR1

Go Ahead Eagles (Hol) and Torpedo Belaz Zhodino (Bel) knocked out.

QR2

PAOK (1) v (2) Lokomotiva (Cro)

Shiraz (0) v (2) AIK Stockholm (Swe)

Wolfsberger (Aut) (1) v (0) Soligorsk (Bel)

Elfsborg (Swe) (0) v (0) Randers

Dinamo Minsk (Bel) (1) v (1) Cherno More Varna

Aberdeen (3) v (0) Rijeka (Cro)

Hadjuk Split (Cro) (2) v (3) Koper

IFK Gothenburg (Swe) (0) v (0) Slask Wroclaw

QR3

(If the above qualify)

Lokomotiva v Linfield/Spartak Trvana

AIK v Atromitos

Soligorsk/Wolfsberger v Borussia Dortmund

Elfsborg v Odd/Shamrock Rovers

Dinamo Minsk v FC Zurich

Hadjuk Split v Stromgodset/Boleslav

Gothenburg v Belenenses

(Already in QR3)

AZ Alkmaar (Hol) v Istanbul Basalsehir

Sturm Graz (Aut) v Rubin Kazan

Southampton v Vitnesse Armhem (Hol)

Rheindorf Altach (Aut) v Vitoria de Guimaraes

Group stage

Groningen already qualified.

Just an update to how next year's table looking (which corresponds to the 2018/19 season - realistically the earliest we have a chance of getting to 15th and getting a second champs league spot).

Croatia have moved into 15th above Holland, so Aberdeen knocking out Rijeka is the best thing we could have done if we're to catch them.

(Brackets is how many teams they have left and how many they started with)

15: Croatia 17.375 (2/4)

16: Holland 16.963 (5/6)

17: Sweden 14.600 (4/4)

18: Austria 14.575 (5/5)

19: Belarus 13.125 (2/4)

20: Scotland 13.050 (2/4)

We need two teams in the group stages (doesn't matter what one - Celtic in the Europa groups is fine) and we need to do it two seasons in a row.

We do that, then depending on what the above do we might sneak into 15th, and if we don't we'll at least be in a great position to do it the season after.

[realmadrid]

That's a bit of a long shot but not bad considering some in our media think we are at league of Ireland level.

[Doonhamer doon south]

If and when league of Ireland climb above scotland in coefficiant table or they even get within 5 places of scotland that is when we should compare ourselves. As we are within few coefficiant points of Austria Croatia Poland and Sweden that's who we are comparing and competing against. Those in media need to realise that

[2pac]

Hopefully the likes of hearts and utd qualify sick of teams like caley and Gretna ruining our good work

[topcat(The most tip top)]

Hopefully the likes of hearts and utd qualify sick of teams like caley and Gretna ruining our good work

The phenomenon of smaller clubs qualifying for Europe in a season of exceptional overperformance and competing in Europe during a season when they're returning towards their more accustomed level must happen in other countries as well.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

,

[topcat(The most tip top)]

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[topcat(The most tip top)]

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Good to see we're in agreement

[Doonhamer doon south]

Denmark and Norway are right up our ass now especially Denmark

[La_Leyenda]

Denmark and Norway are right up our ass now especially Denmark

Denmark only moved 0.125 points closer though. They actually had a poor week; Copenhagen won but Brondby drew at home and their champions Midtylland look like they're about to get bounced out of the champions league qualifiers (lost 2-1 at home).

I'm biased obviously, but we could really do with an Aberdeen win on Thursday.

Celtic it's not as important as defeat puts them into Europa and that might be for the best anyway as them getting £15 million ain't great for the rest of Scottish football. They're welcome to go on a lengthy Europa run though.

[lionel hutz]

Denmark only moved 0.125 points closer though. They actually had a poor week; Copenhagen won but Brondby drew at home and their champions Midtylland look like they're about to get bounced out of the champions league qualifiers (lost 2-1 at home).

I'm biased obviously, but we could really do with an Aberdeen win on Thursday.

Celtic it's not as important as defeat puts them into Europa and that might be for the best anyway as them getting £15 million ain't great for the rest of Scottish football. They're welcome to go on a lengthy Europa run though.

Celtic would get 5 bonus points for Scotland (divisible by four) for reaching UCL GS

[FairWeatherFan]

Celtic would get 5 bonus points for Scotland (divisible by four) for reaching UCL GS

Pretty sure it's 4 bonus points for making the CL groups. With an extra 5 bonus points for those that make the Last 16. Which I find a little unfair considering that making the Europa League groups or qualifying from them bring no bonus points at all.

[The OP]

Pretty sure it's 4 bonus points for making the CL groups. With an extra 5 bonus points for those that make the Last 16. Which I find a little unfair considering that making the Europa League groups or qualifying from them bring no bonus points at all.

Presumably that's because to be in the Europa League groups or the knockout stage you have to have failed to get into or progress in the Champions League.

The year Lennon took us to the last 16 a lot of teams which dropped out the CL accrued more coefficient points, including Benfica who we finished above in the group. I thought that was slightly ridiculous and it would be made worse if they were handing out bonus points for EL progress.

ETA - I also see we got the same number of coefficient points as Maribor last season, even though they knocked us out of the CL.

[La_Leyenda]

Celtic would get 5 bonus points for Scotland (divisible by four) for reaching UCL GS

It's 4 bonus points.

However in the group stages you get 2 coefficient points for a win, 1 for a draw.

In the Champions league, they realistically might be aiming for third if they get a particularly tough group. Last time they were in the group stage they won one and lost five. So bonus + coefficient points = 6.

In the Europa, depending on draw, they could win the group. Therefore they could end up picking up more points in the EL anyway, and have a better chance of staying in Europe after Christmas. Last year, even finishing second in group, they got two wins and two draws, so also finished on 6 points, then drew with Inter to make it 7.

So aye, it's not really worth hoping they get to the CL group stage as them picking up £15 million doesn't benefit the rest of us anyway.

I like to support all Scottish clubs in Europe, but I wouldn't mind a 2-0 win for qarabag on Wednesday.

[RedLichtie86]

Idealy we want Celtic to win on Wednesday night. Would add 0.250 points to the country coefficient ranking. That way they can enter the Play Off round knowing that whatever happens they will be playing at least 8 games in Europe as PO losers drop into the Europa League group stages.

And if they manage to get through the PO round and into the Champions League Groups stages they would bring in between 1.250 and 1.500 points to the ranking before a group game is played (4 bonus points + PO points divided by 4). With each win worth 0.5 points and each draw worth 0.25 points in the group stage.

Celtic could bring in between 2.25 and 5.5 points. If they managed to win every game in PO and Group stage, bonus points and points already earned they would earn 5.5 points which is near impossible.

Fail in the PO round they would drop into the Europa League Group stages and earn between 1 and 1.250 before the group games start. Still get 0.50 for a win and 0.25 for a draw. But they would have to win and draw more often to earn the same as CL qualification would earn. Plus CL they could earn more points in CL group games that even if they won all 6 games in Europa League group they may be worse off. And Celtic would be very impressive if they managed to win all 6 games in the Europa League groups.

Also would really need Aberdeen to win on Thursday. The extra 0.25 points will go a long way to getting the country back up the rankings. Considering Israel, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Austria and Poland are going to lose their larger points next season. And we will be shedding our lowest. A wee jump up the table would be helpful.

[Ira Gaines]

I'm still not entirely sure why anyone should actually give a f**k about coefficient points.

[The OP]

I'm still not entirely sure why anyone should actually give a f**k about coefficient points.

More CL places, more teams into Europe, fewer qualifying rounds, easier qualifying draws.

Not really relevant to Morton tbf.

[Ira Gaines]

Not really relevant to most clubs tbf. They'll still be going to the backwaters of Europe to be potentially papped on their arses. Nothing would change. I know it benefits all of one club at the moment though, so I can see why you're rushing to the cause.

[The OP]

Not really relevant to most clubs tbf. They'll still be going to the backwaters of Europe to be potentially papped on their arses. Nothing would change. I know it benefits all of one club at the moment though, so I can see why you're rushing to the cause.

You sound like you have sand in your vagina but the fact is it benefits any club which gets into Europe. For examples sake, the runners up in Austria, Switzerland and Czech Rep will play a big club in the CL QR3 and (if they lose) drop straight into the Europa League playoff Aberdeen are currently fighting to get into.

[HibeeJibee]

I'm still not entirely sure why anyone should actually give a f**k about coefficient points.

It can be of considerable help in getting into Europe (higher-up you get 2 CL slots come into play meaning a further EL slot cascades down), and once into Europe it can be of considerable help for progression - either entering later in the first place, or having the seeding to get easier ties.