As far as I can see, a successful Intertoto campaign would consist of only six games as the fourth round is the semi-final (I'm going by www.intertoto-cup.org). And it's not like the first game is the week after the season ended. I can't see how that's going to lead to our players crawling exhausted into the new campaign.

The only problem I have is to who we play up front. Let's see, how about Shea- oh no, sorry. It'll have to be Carl C- oh, right, no. Oh well, have to depend on good old Kevin Galla- oh sorry, I forgot. Um, well we'll have to play Keiron Dyer out of posi- what? Oh yeah. Er...Ameobi as a lone striker then. Oh, of course, we'll have signed Bellamy by then so that's ok.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001

Answers

icDeadPeople pulls Shearer's quote out of the last matchday prog:

Captain Alan Shearer made his feelings clear in his programme notes before the final game of last season. "I'm delighted we're not in the InterToto. I have to be honest, I don't think it's a good move to be in a tournament that starts in the middle of July. The last thing you want is to play early and get injured for the start of the season."

It's all right if you're already injured though, eh, Alan?
Look, it's six games max, and if you're one of our key players you'll probably only be fit for the last one or two at best anyway. And frankly, I'd rather a player got injured in a competitive game than in training or a friendly, which'll happen to half of them anyway.

-- Anonymous, June 21, 2001