I don't know, maybe, but when the choice is no European football at all and some prospect of european trophy all would go for the trophy. Besides I don't think anyone wouldn't want to add a medal to thier cabinet yet alone an europan competition.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that we are very unatractive to good players. Now with no european football we are atracted even less. What top player wants to go to play for a mid table team without any European football?