The Scousers to Defend European Crown

Sadly at Anfield !
By Chris O'Brien
June 11 2005

Liverpool will join Manchester United and the three other Premiership qualifiers in the 2005/2006 European Cup. Uefa changed the rules to allow the holders, the Scousers, into the comeptition even though they failed to qualify via the Premiership's four slots.

The farce is finally over and Liverpool will be able to defend their Champions League crown. Uefa changed the rule books after the Mickey's won the European Cup in dramatic fashion, coming from three goals to down to beat AC Milan in a nail-biting penalty shoot-out for all concerned. However, the Scousers are still complaining bitterly.

Unless you've been living under a stone for the past few weeks, it is well know that Europe's footballing body have been scratching their heads over the 'Liverpool situation'. The European Champions, and how it hurts to say that, failed to finish in the top four of the Premiership. With the Football Association allotting their four European Cup places to Chelsea, Arsenal, ourselves and Everton, Liverpool were effectively left without a route into the Champions League despite winning the trophy in, admittedly, spectacular fashion.

The rules have been changed, and not at the expense of the 'Pride of Merseyside', Everton. Uefa have let Liverpool in, and Steven Gerrard and the rest of the charming lot from Anfield will get the chance to defend the trophy they won in May. So is all happy on the Kop? Of course not! Liverpool supporters are moaning their side will have to enter the competition at the First Qualifying Round, which has messed up their pre-season plans of a training camp in Switzerland and glamour friendlies in Japan. My heart really does bleed!

Liverpool kick-off their European campaign in only a matter of weeks. They will go into the hat with for the opening round with the minnows of the continent, including the likes of Welsh Champions Total Network Solutions of Llansantffraid and Ulster Champions Glentoran. They will kick-off their campaign on July 12th, hopefully damaging their Premiership campaign nicely! Still, a team calling themselves the best in Europe should have finished in the top four of their domestic league, and as they missed out they can consider themselves lucky to be involved again.

Spokesman for the Liverpool International Supporters' Club Les Lawson, said: "Uefa has been caught with egg on their faces over this because the FA put the first four in the Premiership into next season's tournament. "It means Uefa has had to sort it out and they have done the minimum possible. They have treated their own champions with contempt.

"It is a disgrace. Liverpool are the top team in Europe because they are the holders and have beaten Europe's best. They are being treated like TNS or other very small clubs. To be told they have to start in the first qualifier is wrong and a real kick in the teeth."

Shouldn't you have just finished fourth? Stop moaning, get on with it, and maybe we could have one hell of a derby to look forward to in the European Cup next term.

MUFC - Keep the Faith.