CHAMPION CHASE: Sizing Europe storms to success

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Lack of English clubs in Europe shows inadequate depth of Premier League

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Although Liverpool and Manchester City are both clubs more than capable of making a lasting impact in the Europa League this season, a fact clearly demonstrated in the current odds of winning UEFA Europa League list, the distinct lack of other English clubs making it through to the group stages suggests that the Premier League is not as strong as years gone by.

With the likes of Aston Villa failing to make it to the group stages, despite facing the level of opposition that they were quite rightly expected to defeat in the qualifying rounds, the question that now begs to be answered is whether Fulham’s performance last season in the Europa League will turn out to be an anomaly, rather than the dawning of a new era in which sides not from the top four of the Premier League progress through to the latter stages of Europe’s second tier club competition.

This question is becoming all the more pressing given the fact that Manchester City are unlikely to be in the competition again next season, something that their obvious Champions League ambitions and odds of winning premier league make clear.

With City the only British team prepared to (or even able to) put out their strongest side in this season’s competition, it’s clear why this is a worrying situation made all the more concerning in light of the fact that Liverpool, a club in dire need of some sort of momentum, still refuse to put out a top side in the Europa League.

If this trend continues, the Premier League may yet rue the fact that English sides choose to see themselves as being above the Europa League, especially if they begin to struggle in the Champions League if and when they finally get there.

Betting floats popular in Europe too

After the long-awaited confirmation of the Betfair float, an eastern European operator has decided to follow suit. Czech betting agency Fortuna has announced plans to list on the Prague and Warsaw stock exchanges. The company's main territories are the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, with a heavy emphasis on retail.

Czech Fortuna IPO planned by end-October

Czech betting agency Fortuna plans to float shares on the Prague and Warsaw stock exchanges by the end of October, two sources with knowledge of the deal said on Friday.

"The decision has been made this week. The firm's intention is to complete the listing by October," one of the sources said.

The initial public offering (IPO) should be announced in the middle of next week, with a prospectus to follow in the coming weeks.

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Polish media reported in January that Fortuna, owned by Czech and Slovak financial group Penta Investments, planned to raise €100 million from an IPO.

UniCredit and Erste Group Bank are running the flotation, which will be the first in Prague since 2008.

Fortuna is active in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. The group reported an 11% rise in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to €11.61 million in the first half of the year.


Could this IPO be more successful than the Betfair float, at least in terms of upside for investors? Other reports have stated that 35% of the company will be available. With a strong base in eastern Europe, perhaps it could become a target for a bigger firm wishing to expand into those regions.Posted byScott Fergusonat12:14

Can Europe avoid becoming overburdened by tag of favourites?

With Europe likely to enter into the 2010 Ryder Cup as overwhelming favourites in the betting odds, few people placing a Ryder Cup bet would argue against the European side winning back the trophy that they lost on US soil in 2008 being a highly likely scenario.

With Tiger Woods in the team but out of form, combined with the almost embarrassing talent of riches that the European Team enjoys (a factor that has seen the likes of Justin Rose and Paul Casey fail to make the side this year), it would take a brave punter to bet against captain Colin Montgomerie’s side enjoying a satisfying victory on October 3rd.

However, the Ryder Cup, golf’s most high-profile event, has thrown up massive shocks before and with no event on either the European or US PGA tour coming close to replicating the unique pressures that players can feel when taking part in front of an expectant home crowd, it is not impossible that some of the rookies in the European team will wilt under the pressure.

With European players and those planning to bet on ryder cup 2010 aware that they are under pressure to win back the famous trophy in front of their own fans at Celtic Manor, a pressure that the tag of favourites will only serve to enhance, it will take all of their experienced players to keep their heads if the team are to be guided successfully to victory and ultimately justify their label as favourites.

This is especially true against an opposition with very little to lose, and with a huge chance to prove themselves in front of a global audience.

Should Europe fall flat, though, they are likely to shun the tag of favourites for a very long time.

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