Tottenham: 10 Huge Benefits of Making the Champions League Next Season

There's no better way to say it—Tottenham is barely keeping its head above water.

It's a tough thing to swallow for north London fans that their beloved Spurs may not make it into next year's Champions League. The club performed so strongly in the first few weeks of January and February.

Now, in the middle of April, the lads of White Hart Lane have won just one match in eight chances, losing to the likes of Everton, Norwich City and (embarrassingly I might add) to Arsenal.

Tottenham is tied with Newcastle United for the fourth-place spot in the league table and, consequently, the last spot in next year's Champions League. Securing that spot is about more than just exposure and money for the club.

What are the deeper advantages of Spurs making next season's Champions League? Join me as I give you the 10 biggest benefits for Tottenham scratching out a top-four finish.

First and Foremost, It's About The Money

According to UEFA.com, each of the 32 clubs involved in the group stage of the 2011-12 Champions League received a participation bonus of €3.9 million. Clubs also get €550,000 per match played in the group stage with an additional €800,000 coming their way for every win and €400,000 for every draw.

That's just the group stage!

In the round of 16, clubs receive €3 million each, the quarter-finalists €3.3 million and the semi-finalists €4.2 million.

Finally, the UEFA Champions League winners will receive €9 million and the runners-up €5.6 million.

Tottenham Would Look More Attractive to Potential Transfers...

You can't tell me that Tottenham wouldn't have done a little better in the most recent transfer window if players knew they'd be on a team going into the Champions League's round of 16.

Loic Remy decided to stay at Marseille despite an £18 million bid, and Milos Krasic is still at Juventus. You think the possibility of European play would have nudged them towards White Hart Lane?

...Provide Reason for Players to Stay...

Dailymail.co.uk has reported more times than I can count that Welsh wonder boy Gareth Bale is being linked with a summer move to Barcelona.

Don't you think Tottenham's securing a Champions League spot for next season would be a little bit of an incentive for him and others like him—Emmanuel Adebayor, Luka Modric, Rafael Van Der Vaart—to stay at White Hart Lane?

It's all about the money in professional sports, but at least it makes it a little harder for players like these to leave.

...and Give Spurs Fans Hope Redknapp Will Stay

There are probably more rumors about Harry Redknapp becoming England's next manager than pubs in north London.

Tottenham failing to make next season's Champions League would be the final nail in the coffin of Spurs' hopes of keeping the former Portsmouth man. If Tottenham can finish in the top-four, it would make it hard for Redknapp to leave White Hart Lane.

European Competition Will Make the Squad Better...

What's going to make Tottenham better: matches against Wolverhampton and Blackburn, or matches against Real Madrid and AC Milan?

The Premier League is one of the most balanced domestic leagues in the world (just look at what Wigan Athletic did to Manchester United this week) but there's still a lack of parity.

Tottenham will almost always win matches against the league's bottom-feeders, but for existing players to get better, they need as many opportunities to go up against Europe's finest clubs.

...Gain Exposure for London's Lesser-Known "Middle Child"...

There are five top-tier football clubs based in England—Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Obviously, the two lesser-known clubs are Fulham and QPR. Arsenal and Chelsea are worldwide brands. Tottenham is the awkward middle child, well-known throughout England, but not outside the United Kingdom.

Another Champions League appearance will give Tottenham wider exposure, added marketability, increased merchandise sales and more people wearing Spurs jerseys all over Europe.

...and Give Reserves Opportunities to Prove Themselves

One of the most overlooked aspects of the Champions League is the tournament's early rounds. These preliminary matches leading up to the group stage are great ways for bigger clubs like Tottenham to play reserves and still win.

That means (nearly) free money for the club and opportunities for players like Carlo Cudicini, Niko Kranjcar, Jake Livermore, Sandro and William Gallas to get playing time that won't affect their place on the league table.

Spurs Can Raise Their Aim from FA Cup to UEFA Cup

It's been over 20 years since Tottenham won any kind of major silverware—either in Premier League play or European competition.

As Spurs makes its way more frequently to bigger competitions like the Champions League, the less frequently Spurs will put efforts towards the FA Cup or the Carling Cup. They'll gain confidence and know they don't have to settle for less-important silverware.

EPL Will Look Better—Tottenham Has Better Chance Than Newcastle

If Tottenham loses out on a top-four finish in favor of Newcastle United, it won't be long until England becomes the laughingstock of European football.

Not because Newcastle United is a laughable club. Alan Pardew has done an amazing job getting his club back into Champions League play.

But the Magpies won't hold up in European play. I don't believe they'd be able to balance league play with Champions League play and would fail at both, going down to the bottom-half of the table by next season's end and not even making it past preliminary matches and into group play.

Tottenham Fans Need Something to Cheer About

It's been a rough second half for Tottenham—their January transfer window lacked luster, they stumbled over themselves just as they were gaining ground on the league title, and the thought of Redknapp leaving White Hart Lane is causing more Spurs fans to cry in their beer than ever before.

A top-four finish would help Tottenham prevent Arsenal from London football supremacy and cause celebration for a Spurs fan base that has suffered "middle-brother" syndrome for so long.

But above all else, north London needs another reason to yell, "Come on you Spurs!"