Mark Hughes has revealed that he would love the chance to secure Europa League football for Stoke City - even if it affected their Premier League form next season.
The Potters, then under Tony Pulis, rubbed shoulders with some big European clubs in the 2011-12 edition of the competition, in which they were knocked out in the last 32 by Valencia.
City are six points behind fifth-placed West Ham United in the guaranteed Europa League spot, and Hughes says that he would love to qualify for it - despite the perceived inconvenience.
"Make no bones about it, if we ever got in a position to get into the Europa League then we would approach it as a priority," he told reporters.
"I can understand people questioning the difficulties of playing Thursday and Sunday, having maybe travelled across the continent, but we would take that inconvenience just to experience it again.
"We enjoyed the moments in Europe a few years ago and I would love to take Stoke back there. Look at the clubs who are involved in that competition - huge European clubs, so we would love to pit our wits against them. The next step for us is to challenge for European football each season."
Stoke, who sit ninth in the Premier League, visit Watford this Saturday. They have eight more games, while West Ham have nine.
Shane Callaghan
