Intertoto or not?

[Ziaka]

Should PAOK enter the Interoto Cup in order to qualify for UEFA Cup?

If PAOK decides to play in the Interoto Cup, they got directly to the 3rd Round and would possibly play the Czech team that enters the Interoto Cup. The would need to defeat the Kazahkstan/Georgia team from Round 1 of Intertoto Cup.

If PAOK qualifies from the 3rd round of Intertoto Cup they would enter the 2nd round of UEFA Cup. (FYI: PAO, Panionios, Aris and Larisa will start the UEFA Cup in Round 3). Keep in mind that PAOK would face "easy" opponents in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of UEFA Cup, since they would be seeded among the strong teams.

[DUDE]

PAOK cannot afford to pass up the opportunity from a financial perspective.

[Athens4]

Lets do it. Ties will be played 21/22 and 28/29 July.

Are we definitely going to play in the Intertoto?

[Athens4]

[Ziaka]

Yes, and if we enter Interoto Cup, we will most likely play the Czech side (possible opponents are Slavia Prague, Mlada Boleslav, Teplice, Viktoria Plzen, Banik Ostrava or FC Brno). With a win we enter the 2nd round of the UEFA Cup, where we will be seeded among the strong teams, so we play against an "easy" opponent and probably qualify to the 3rd round, where all the other Greek teams start their play. At that stage only Panathinaikos and PAOK would be seeded among the strong teams and we would have a good chance to reach the groups tage of UEFA Cup once again.

Pros and cons for entering Intertoto Cup:

PROS:

- maintain the prestige and points standings for PAOK in Europe

- front office would send a message that they are not giving up on the team

- once in for all clear the debts that prevented PAOK from playing in Europe last season, since we would need to get the license from UEFA

- revenue from the European games for the team

- give some of the young PAOK players European experience

- posssibly will not see European competition in the next 5 years, since only the 3rd team from league will only make UEFA Cup starting in 2008-08 season

CONS:

- will have to start season much earlier

- possible conflict with allready set up training schedule in Germany

- possible elimination by the Czech team

[AEKPROTATHLIMA]

The last thing a read it seems that PAOK board doesn't want to enter the team in the Intertoto cup. I think that it will be a mistake!!!

[Serraios]

I am not sure re pedia about intertoto.

I think it will detract us from the front office problems. Better we focus on getting the team ready for the new season, and getting the mess at board level cleaned up. I think going into intertoto and failing is not something we can risk, as it would exacerbate our problems. Given the state of the team I don't think we could beat a czech side, and who knows what the squad will look like.

Over the off-season the board should aim to fix massive problems that face PAOK.

Parashos should focus on getting the squad fit and united for the new season. A nice pre season with strong friendlies will be better for the team than the intertoto.

Also revenue from intertoto is bugger all, would probably cost us more to take part.

Lets fix PAOK once and for all forget these bandaid solutions.

[Tsalgik]

Ego elega oti me ayton ton proponiti(an theloume na ton poume etsi)oti o Paok den ehei mellon...elega oti kai ego ton evgaza 4,5....

Afou o otsalan den katafere oute kan na mas vgalei sto uefa,ta intertototo kai tiauta einai ilithiotites.As koitaxoun na rithmisoun tin omada toulahisto oikonomika..

Apo tin mia eyhomoun na mi vgoume UEFA vathmologika giati outos i allos tha ginotan to idio me persi(apo oikonomiki apopsi)..Apo tin alli den ifistatai Paok horis Uefa,einai sa tin marmelada horis psomi..alla auta thelane auta pathane...

Yliko yparhei(lefta mporei ohi)thelisi yparhei.As kanoune kati more ...

[Olympiakosthyra7]

INTERTOTO SOME EARLY SOCCER ACTION !!!!!!

DO IT

[Irlandos]

Besides the revenue and European competition, the early action will benefit PAOK in the early part of the season as our brethren will be in better physical shape than the rest of the Greek players.

However, I've been a Greek too long to expect PAOK's board and players to think this way...

Prediction: Zemanfoutismos to carry the day and PAOK to be left out of the Intertoto and Europe... :tdown:

[Irlandos]

Apparently OFI are anxious to play in the Intertoto Cup in case PAOK say "no":

From Eleftherotypia

[DUDE]

The danger is that PAOK's league form will almost certainly suffer in the latter part of the season. So if PAOK dont go on a good run in the UEFA Cup (i.e. go out early) and dont finish in a UEFA Cup spot next season a financial problem may be created in the long term. Personally I'd go for it though, its really PAOK's only option. The team won't be breaking the top 2 anytime soon so a UEFA Cup spot is the best the team can hope for.

[Ziaka]

The reason that PAOK will not be taking part is because they can't do it financialy. In order to get the license from EPO, they would need to pay money to ex- players and coaches.

It is my belief that the current "temporary" board has made a decision not to play in Europe as not to have to worry about the additional finacial burden. As hard as it is to believe, it was a relief for the people running the team that PAOK failed to reach the UEFA Cup on the field.

Not only that, starting from 2008-09 season things will get very tough to play in Europe. First of all, Greece will only have 4 team in Europe (2 in CL and 2 in UEFA Cup). The way things stand, Greece will have limited representation in Europe for several years to come. Additionaly it will be UEFA that will be handing out the licenses. Until now it was EPO that approved the licenses before they were sent to UEFA.

For this reasons I believe PAOK will not see Europe for the next 5 years. Hopefuly within this time frame PAOK will put their finances in order.

[Ziaka]

OFI has officialy entered the Intertoto Cup.

[Athens4]

m a l a k a vezirtzi!

[Olympiakosthyra7]

Thats a shame that PAOK coildnt do it

But hopefully OFI can enter and win

[Ziaka]

It's not that PAOK couldn't do it. PAOK or should I say the people running PAOK did not want to do it.

[AEKPROTATHLIMA]

It's not that PAOK couldn't do it. PAOK or should I say the people running PAOK did not want to do it.

That is verry STUPID of them. If PAOK had done good he could have gone to UEFA from Intertoto and maybe make some money!!! STUPID decision from the PAOK bord!!! :tdown: :tdown: :tdown: :tdown:

[Serraios]

It's a well-known fact; you can't make money from UEFA that is why they are looking at fixing the competition. Good move by the board I think. They need to concentrate on fixing PAOK, Intertoto would have been a distraction. We want CL varethikame pia.

[tahmazis]

we should enter it we need to make the UEFA cup.

[Ziaka]

Too late. OFI took our spot allready.

[tahmazis11]

ziaka did they take our spot for the UEFA cup or the inertoto cup.

[Ziaka]

They took our Intertoto spot, since PAOK decided not to enter that competition.

[tahmazis]

why didnt we enter OMFFGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. we should of entered we could of had a chance to make the uefa cup.

[Athens4]

auto na to peis ston m a l a k a ton Vezirtzi