Bitter Blues Wankers the lot of 'em

From an EFC fansite - What a sad load of f***ers they are:-

Message to EFC. It's not the takin part that counts IT'S THE WINNING !!

open letter to uefa

By rusty shackleford

I don't know about other papers, but the Daily Mail are running this ridiculous campaign for Liverpool to go into the Champions League next season.

Things really came to a head yesterday when they printed UEFA's address and encouraged readers to "join Sports Mail's campaign" by "plantarding UEFA with e-mails, showing the depth of feeling amongst football fans in this country."

In the words of Popeye, I stands what I stands and I can't stands no-more, so I've decided to send an e-mail myself. Thought I'd send you a the address, that would be stooping to the Daily Mail's level.

Anyway, here's what I wrote (although I've obviously signed it with my real name, not Rusty Shackleford).

To Mr Johansson,

I've got this e-mail address from the Daily Mail, who are encouraging readers to plantard UEFA with e-mails requesting, no, demanding, that Liverpool be given a place in next seasons Champions League. I think it's utter nonsense. The rules state that the top 4 English clubs qualify and there's no automatic place for the winners.

Liverpool were aware of these rules at the start of the season and must have agreed to them. They only have themselves to blame for not qualifying via their league position, as they were 'preparing' for the big European games by losing against the likes of Southampton, Birmingham and Crystal Palace. To now ask UEFA to change the rules to compensate for their arrogance and failure is scandalous. Please ignore this obsessive campaign by the English press. Incidentally, when English clubs were allowed back into Europe in 1990 (I wont mention the cause of that ban, as it has nothing to do with why Liverpool shouldn't be allowed into the European Cup this year), I don't remember the English press (or the English FA, for that matter) campaigning for a 'wild-card' for Everton or anyone else who was denied a place in Europe after 1985. Yet now they want preferential treatment for a club who don't deserve a place in the Champions League because they failed to finish in the top 4 of the domestic league, which they knew that had to do to qualify.

They should have thought about their current predicament when they were dropping points in the league at the weekend before-after the big European games, examples of which are too many to mention. If Brazil were to fail to qualify for the 2006 World Cup via their qualifying group, would they be allowed to enter the tournanment at someone elses expense, "because they're the holders and it wouldn't seem right for them not to be in it"? I'd hope not.

Please don't change the rules to accommodate Liverpool. The rules are in place for a reason. If you start making exceptions, where do you draw the line? Everyone knew the rules at the start of the season so to expect the rules to be changed now because they don't like the outcome is outrageous.