Blue Honour TGS: Valid

Probably because they don't dominate the domestic scene any more. Look at Man Utd's reaction this season when they went out? Money drives the game and the teams you refer to are, IIRC, desperately in need of pots of money to sustain their 'quality of life'.

I do see your point, but winning your national league will *always* be the preferred target.

I disagree. Under the old format you couldn't come 4th in your national league and go on to win the European Cup...if you did win your national league you couldn't lose 3 games and go on to win the competition.

I'm not trying to undermine the achievement of winning the thing, but as I said many times earlier in the season, getting through the group stages is the real challenge. Once it became a cup competition anyone left in it could win it.

Peeps will focus on the negative aspects of what Liverp**l did in the knockout stages - let's face it it was mostly fugly - but you can guarantee they'll be practising how to crack those tactics on the training grounds around Europe.

The priority has to be concentration on the league. I hope Rafa spends all your money on more mercenary journeymen. You can win all the cups you want but we all know the 18:5 rubbish is meaningless with the last of those 18 being many years ago.

The Good Son