Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 2:10 pm**

woof woof ! wrote:Totally agree ,
The holder of any title should always ,whatever their situation be entitled to defend it ! . Is that just an old fashioned english idea ? . (of sportsmanship ) .

You're right, that's some bullsh*t there. The college basketball tournament in America has a field of 64 teams, and the 64th spot is decided by a playoff...even that tiny chance would be enough, and I don't see any serious excuses anyone could have for not doing that here. Let us play into the qualifying rounds against Steaua or whatever ****** is around there at the bottom. I feel a definite persecution factor here.

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:12 pm**

I dont think you get the situation

There is no rule that says the holders qualify for next year

There is a rule that says 4trh position gets it

UEFA have bottled out and have said no to 5 teams and are letting the FA make the decision

If the situation arises the smart money is on Everton suing. The FA will bottle it

We cannot sue UEFA

How the hell you can have the holders not in is ridiculous but tell that to the FA when the blues send their legal team in which they will :angry:

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:16 pm**

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote:I am aware that the BS have been kicking up a fuss over being banned through heysel thats why this is happening now.

what the f#cking hell's heysel got to do with this? for the blue sh#te to claim that they would "deserve" to qualify because we denied them the chance to play in the european cup in 1985 and 1987 is ludicrous. that was 20 yeas ago. :angry:

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:18 pm**

That argument will appear of course but the main resons will be

Money

They might not get top four for a while again

But MONEY I would guess as the main one

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:39 pm**

Im glad in a way UEFA have left the decision in the hands of the FA because they firmly believe that whoever gets fourth would qualify over the CL winners,if of course the winners were fith or less.

And like woof said the holder of the title should defend it whatever situation.
" is it just an old fashioned English idea of sportsmanship ?"
probably

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:49 pm**

Its obvious what the FA should do! If we win it and they get 4th (which i dont think they will btw) then we should have a one off game at a neutral venue to see who gets the right to go in the CL, then you can truly say whoever wins deserves the right to fight!

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:38 pm**

No one has made mention of the situation about 3 seasons ago in Spain when Real Madrid won the Champions League yet finished 5th in the Spanish League . Guess what ? They were chosen by the Spanish FA and the 4th placed team (not sure who ) lost their CL place.

Of course I'm not saying this should take place in England and to be honest Ive very little faith in the English FA making such a decision but the precedent HAS been set ...............

For the record it's only Italian, Spanish, German and English teams that are get CL entry for the top 4. In Holland , Portugal and France I think it's the top 3 and so on down the European gravy train ..........

I find it incomprhensable that UEFA have basicaly pushed the decision onto the English FA which only goes to show that there is more than 1 spineless governing body in European football after all !

Posted: **Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:48 pm**

Real Zaragoza.

UEFA have made some half-hearten statement that they would feel the team who finished highest in the league should qualify, obviously I strongly disagree with that stance.

Posted: **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 ...

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 12:27 pm**

haps is right.

The FA will put in whoever they think will do the best. IF LFC win the thing this year, then who do they think will do better next season? The Champions of Europe or a bunch of thugs and hackers who've never done anything worthwhile in Europe.

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:27 pm**

If we win the CL and everton finish fourth i think the fair thing to do would be to have a play off between the two sides for the position. Really i think uefa should just give us an extra place but that isnt gonna happen. If they choose one or the other either side has got the right to be ****** off. A play off seems fair to me.

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:13 pm**

What odds on the FA deciding on a play off.

Sounds like a perfect fudge by them, saying the best team will go through.

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:32 pm**

i just read the everton web and kenny dalglish is backing everton to get the champions league. he also said the fa would be bending the rules if they denie everton from playing the champion league. he goes on and say if the rule says there can be no more then four clubs from england and liverpool finish ou tside the top 4 lpool should miss out from playing in the champions league

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:36 pm**

Now I really don't care what they decide, once a spineless organization and always will be.

Fourth place in the league is still not unreachable mathematically.

Posted: **Wed Apr 27, 2005 10:45 pm**

If everton take part in CL they will be beaten handsomely in every game. Lee Carsley, James Beattie, David Weir, and the rest of the shi!te are nowhere near good enough for european football.

Liverpool FC Forum

Fa would have to choose between us and everton - If we win the cl