Dons are hoping for Dutch delight
ABERDEEN could be set for a Europa League qualifying boost if Feyenoord win the Dutch title tomorrow.
The Dons are relying on the Rotterdam side to beat minnows Heracles on the last day of the Eredivisie season to clinch a bye into the second qualifying round of the competition.
They will be spared an extra qualifier if there is one fewer Dutch or English club taking part in the Europa League next season.
The winners of the Europa League now gain direct Champions League entry, with Ajax and Manchester United fighting it out for the silverware later this month.
Joe Mourinho’s United have only a small chance of reaching the Champions League by finishing in the top four so they will drop into the Europa League next term if they lose to Ajax.
But if they win there will be five English clubs in the Champions League and one fewer in the Europa League, helping the Dons to move up a place in the rankings.
If Ajax beat United and Feyenoord win their league then there will be two Dutch clubs in the Champions League, leading to a similar scenario for the Dons. But if Ajax win both the Europa League and their domestic title then the Dutch would have only one representative at Europe’s top table and Feyenoord would drop into the Europa League.
It would be a big boost for Derek McInnes’ men if Feyenoord seal their first title in 18 years because it will mean they are given an extra two weeks off. BETTiNG on football matches is a dangerous business – i know because it almost cost me a punching in the dressing room during my time at Norwich City.
Back in 1992, they didn’t have rules about players not being allowed a wager so it was commonplace for the lads to have a punt on games.
I didn’t do it so much myself as betting has never really been my bag. But there would be the odd occasion you would stick on a first goalscorer bet if you knew someone had been on fire at training that week or maybe a new individual had been given penalty duties.
One game for Norwich against Carlisle United in the FA Cup, the bookies were offering 14-1 on me scoring the first goal.
I had been playing centre-back in the weeks leading up to it but I was being switched back to striker and the lads all knew that. They also knew I was on the penalty-kick duties, so they all had a bet. I did the same. Sure enough, we got a penalty at 0-0 and I stepped up.
Typically, I missed. The boys would have had my head on a spike but I recovered the situation by scoring a header to make it 1-0 from an Ian Culverhouse cross and ended up netting twice.
That was something that went on back in the day but the game has changed and, more importantly, so have the rules.
I find some of the stuff surrounding the rules a little bit strange. I understand about players not being able to bet on games in which they have a direct involvement.
That is right as there are so many bets around these days. Never mind a result, you can bet on corners.
You could get centre-halves kicking balls behind their own goal-line all day to get the corners count up. Even match results are a no-go.
I can even understand it extending to matches in your own country. Let’s face it, players all know lads in other teams.
The fear is situations could be influenced and I could see that. Again, fair enough.
Where I do think it gets a bit silly is telling an East Stirling player he can’t bet on a Champions League semi-final.
Are you telling me that someone inside the Alloa dressing room can bang in a quick one-to-one phone call to Fernando Torres or Cristiano Ronaldo and tell them to start missing chances because they’ve had a bet on the opposition?
It’s at that point where I think the rules could be relaxed a touch but here’s the key thing in all of this.
The rules are not relaxed in that way. They are strict, they are across the board and they are clear.
So if any players choose to break these rules they have to pay the consequences. It as simple as that.
Footballers across the country know they cannot bet on football.
At this point, I would separate addicts in the sense that these boys need proper help. But I’m sure the majority who bet are not addicts. They are doing just doing it for fun.
I ask this, what’s fun about