Personally I think the CHAMPIONS League should be contested by CHAMPIONS and therefore it is ridiculous that a team that is the CHAMPION of Europe should miss out to a team that only finished 4th in the domestic league.
Anyway, buttuming Everton finish 4th and we win the CL.....
The rules are that only four teams can compete in the competition from the same country and I can't see UEFA changing the rules just to please the FA.
The FA precedent is that the fourth place team will qualify for the CL play-offs, and to be honest, if I were an Everton fan I'd be gutted to miss out on a Champions League slot, that my team had earned according to the FA precedent.
The only remotely fair way that I can see of resolving the issue would be for Us and Everton to have a play-off for the right to enter the CL play-offs.
On a different note: I think the winners of the FA Cup should qualify for the CL automatically anyway and the 2nd and 3rd placed prem sides should go into the play offs (yes I know it won't make a difference this year, but...). The reasons for this are: -
The partisansGary McAllister believes Liverpool can beat Chelsea and reach the Champions League Final and says he has great confidence in Rafael Benitez's men for...
competition in the world, but it is being devalued because it doesn't provide a CL slot.
earliest rounds making these early rounds a 'proper' games.
Carra risking a banLiverpool Echo, 26 April 2005 I'll risk a ban if it means getting to Euro final...
competition (at least after the first round) and therefore it stands to reason that a cup specialist club should be representing their country.
FA Cup you are at least a champion of something rather than just having only finished 4th in your domestic league.
On yet another note: If a team knocked out of the CL can compete in the UEFA Cup, shouldn't the winners of the UEFA Cup automatically qualify for the next seasons CL?
Any thoughts welcome...
Stevie D.
