Arsène Wenger... manager concerned for future of Uefa cup
Wenger - I don't know how to save Uefa Cup
By Richard Clarke
The Uefa Cup has become an increasingly hard sell, according to Arsène Wenger.
Last month, it was announced that the famous old competition would undergo major changes next season. It is to be re-branded as the Europa League and extended to include more teams.
There would be an initial 12 groups of four. The top two sides in each would then join the eight third-placed Champions League clubs in a 32-club knockout stage.
The Arsenal manager is not convinced that the changes will breathe life into the competition. But he has sympathy for the administrators charged with lifting its profile
“Its [future] is linked with the media interest and the fans’ interest,” he said speaking before the international break. “And one thing is for sure, the media interest has gone down because it has become very difficult to sell the competition, apart from in England maybe. That is why I don’t know how you can save the competition.”
He went on: “In fairness to the people who’ve had to think about this, it is a difficult problem. It seems to have become a competition that does not interest the media anymore before it gets to the Quarter-Final.
“Before that [point] it is very difficult to find the answer. I personally have not found the answer and I don’t know if people will.
“We live in a modern world where people have access to the best and want to see the best. That is why it is very difficult to sell it now.
“People nowadays have a choice. And because they have a choice they do not want to see a second-graded competition.
“It is good that people try to find a solution to make the Uefa Cup attractive but I am not convinced there is an answer.”
[Wednesday, October 15, 2008]
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