Tam Cowan

[FJ-94]

Just found this not sure how many others have seen it

 

The strange noise you heard yesterday lunchtime was Manchester City, Liverpool and Juventus all heaving a sigh of relief as they managed to avoid Motherwell in the Europa League...

 

We were looking for a real glamour game - and OB Odense got one.

 

This provides Motherwell with a genuine opportunity to qualify for the lucrative group stage (get the cheque book out, Mr Boyle, and speculate to accumulate), although we could have been presented with an even better chance.

 

Sadly, however, UEFA rules dictate that we couldn't have been drawn against Celtic.

 

Most of the Well fans I spoke to on Thursday night were hoping for a money-spinning crack at one of the big guns.

 

But if it's all the same to you, lads, I'll settle for a glamour game at next year's final in the Dublin Arena.

 

Seriously, though, I'll happily swap a tie against one of the megastars in favour of the genuine chance we now have of qualifying for the Europa League's cash-laden group stage.

 

Sure, Man City would have been a tasty proposition but what's glamorous about lining up at Fir Park for the second leg and trying to claw back a 12-goal deficit?

 

Let's face it, the guys running Man City make wee John Boyle look like a Big Issue vendor and, as Stephen Craigan was honest enough to admit when I spoke to him yesterday: "They could put out four different teams that would beat us."

 

Incidentally, on a night when Motherwell performed a wee repair job on the Scotland co-efficient that was almost irreparably damaged by Celtic and Hibs, I must say that Craigan was immense.

 

All the pre-match talk had been about Aalesunds' 6ft 8in centre-forward Tor Hogne Aaroy (the tallest outfield player in Europe).

 

Well, I'm just amazed someone that size could fit so snugly into the Motherwell skipper's back pocket...

 

I know Man Utd scout Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was at Fir Park to have a look at the Norwegian keeper but, on this form, don't rule out Sir Alex making a £10m bid for Craigan.

 

(A large vodka and Coke will be fine, thanks, Stephen.)

 

The first leg of the play-off in Denmark will be Motherwell's third trip to Scandanavia on the bounce. Ouch!

 

I'm not saying funds are running low but I would gladly accept an invite from Naomi Campbell to attend one of Nelson Mandela's parties.

 

As for the rest of the Scottish teams in the Europa League, I can tell you that Celtic got Utrecht, Dundee Utd got AEK Athens and Hibs got gubbed.

 

Celtic's early exit from the Champions League means a £2million bonus for, er, well... Lloyds Bank or HMRC.

 

And you have to think United have a right good chance against AEK Athens.

 

After all, the Greeks could only beat Rangers 1-0 last Saturday.

 

But here's my main prediction about the Europa League and I just wish I could get a decent price from the bookies as I guarantee it will happen.

 

On the morning of the Rapid Vienna v Aston Villa match I bet Frank McGarvey is in all the papers telling Martin O'Neill the Austrians are nothing but a lowlife bunch of f*****g cheating b******s.

 

PS. Impressed by the set-up when Motherwell played Aalesunds in Norway last week, chairman John Boyle says he would love to see the introduction of summer football and plastic pitches.

 

This inspired one dry wit on the Motherwell website Steelmenonline to remark: "Surely the plastic pitches would melt if we played football in the glorious Scottish summer...?"

 

PPS: And the Sybil Fawlty Award for Stating The Bleedin' Obvious goes to Aalesunds boss Kjetil Rekdal.

 

After the match he said: "It was not our game plan to go two goals down after 13 minutes."

 

Naw, really?

[Well-Made]

But here's my main prediction about the Europa League and I just wish I could get a decent price from the bookies as I guarantee it will happen.

 

On the morning of the Rapid Vienna v Aston Villa match I bet Frank McGarvey is in all the papers telling Martin O'Neill the Austrians are nothing but a lowlife bunch of f*****g cheating b******s.

 

I take it he's pleased that he couldn't get a decent price now.