by haps » Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:36 am
IF we win the CL, we will ultimately be in next year's tournament. I say 'ultimately' because I do believe that if Everton finish 4th and the FA go with us, there will be a legal claim to answer. I don't think that legal claim would come to anything though. I think the FA will go with us because I seriously believe they would favour the stronger representation of Liverpool fc and keep up the cumulative achievement record in Europe of English clubs (safeguarding future number of places in the CL). But that would be just a minor consideration as I also believe they would want the English holders of Europe's most prestigious trophy to have the opportunity to defend it.
The precedent set by selecting Real Madrid over Zaragoza also has some bearing here. Liverpool may also have some right of appeal (legal or otherwise) should they be overlooked. I would assume that UEFA will pressure the FA to enter Liverpool anyway (I personally haven't heard any comments to suggest otherwise). Oh yeah ... and Brian Barwick is a Liverpool fan. The meeting to discuss this at the FA takes place tomorrow but of course, nothing will be made clear unless the event actually occurs.
I don't share other fans optimism about the outcome of 4th place anymore. Sadly, I'm convinced we blew it at Palace on Saturday (and Birmingham, Newcastle, Southamton etc etc etc). I'd love it to happen and I can easily see Evershite dropping more points but the writing was on the wall when they managed to scrape past Mancscum and it'll take a miracle for us to win our last three games in the league form we're in. And as for beating Arsenal at Highbury ...