Liverpool wil defend their title!

[stojkovic]

If it was a silly rule why didn't they change it back when R.Madrid won it but finished outside the auto qualifing stage ?

As has been debated numerous times, they didnt have to make a decision then because the Spanish FA made it for them. The (English) FA are too stubborn as they invented the game etc etc

[Karlos]

The (English) FA are too stubborn as they invented the game etc etc

An organisation that follows the rules as they are given to them by their governing body - deisgraceful behaviour from the English FA alright!!

[fosterdollar]

An organisation that follows the rules as they are given to them by their governing body - deisgraceful behaviour from the English FA altogether!!

The problem was the 'rule' was passed on for interpretation. UEFA bottled it and left it up to the local FA to decide.

[Karlos]

The problem was the 'rule' was passed on for interpretation. UEFA bottled it and left it up to the local FA to decide.

I agree. At least the FA stuck by what they said (i.e top 4 qualify) and then lobbyed for the extra spot with UEFA so that all 5 english clubs could participate. Now they are being accused of being stubborn. Nearly wish they hadn't bothered to help out now as without their involement their mightn't have been the rule change that has occured today i.e. if they had kicked Everton out for liverpool this rule would never have even been considered to be changed

This was a UEFA problem with the competition rules. The Holders should always be allowed defend the trophy - that rule has thankfully now changed.

[Macy]

The problem was the 'rule' was passed on for interpretation. UEFA bottled it and left it up to the local FA to decide.

The rules were clear - Maximum of 4 teams from each country. The FA chose to have that as Top 4 of the premiership, they could've had it as Top 4 unless a team outside of the Top 4 wins the trophy (i.e. like the spanish FA did).

It really beggars belief that people are still letting the FA off the hook on this, especially UEFA.

Another victory for money over football.

[Karlos]

The rules were clear - Maximum of 4 teams from each country. The FA chose to have that as Top 4 of the premiership, they could've had it as Top 4 unless a team outside of the Top 4 wins the trophy (i.e. like the spanish FA did).

It really beggars belief that people are still letting the FA off the hook on this, especially UEFA.

.

I'm not usually a fan of the FA but in this instance I think they got it right - stuck by their rules as set out at the start of the season and as a result the rules have now been changed by the people who should have done it all along - UEFA - it is their competition after all.

[fosterdollar]

I agree. At least the FA stuck by what they said (i.e top 4 qualify) and then lobbyed for the extra spot with UEFA so that all 5 english clubs could participate. Now they are being accused of being stubborn.

Lobbying for an extra place surely is stubbornness though. Stubborn in that they wanted what they already had - and more.

It really beggars belief that people are still letting the FA off the hook on this, especially UEFA.

My opinion is that the FA made sh!t of the situation by twisting the intention of UEFA. They were given 4 places to be allocated as they see fit, as you said. But they messed up by not including, at the start of the year, for the possibility of one of this year's entrants winning and figuring outside the top 4.
UEFA are not completely blameless and should have a rule in place for this situation. They run the comp, they make the rules. I can't believe they've given England a fifth place.

[anto1208]

it does go to show that the prem league is the most important league in europe again , that they can force uefa to give them an extra spot .

smart move by the eng fa , this way they have 5 teams in the comp were as if they had said winner will get in not 4th they would only have the 4 teams

[Karlos]

Lobbying for an extra place surely is stubbornness though. Stubborn in that they wanted what they already had - and more.
.

I don't believe it's stubborn to stick by the rules you set your members and then in turn at your members request, ask the governing body why the rules that they have are so ridiculous.

The English FA are required to do the best for their members and I've no doubt that for once in this instance they have - I sincerely doubt that english clubs will be labelling the FA as stubborn after the result today. The stubborness has been with UEFA in taking so long to evaluate and correct their ridiculous rule. This situation wouldn't exist if the governing body had done what they are supposed to do.......i.e. govern!

[Karlos]

it does go to show that the prem league is the most important league in europe again , that they can force uefa to give them an extra spot .

smart move by the eng fa , this way they have 5 teams in the comp were as if they had said winner will get in not 4th they would only have the 4 teams

Only for one year though - it will revert to 4 now that UEFA have amended their rules, something which should have been done after the Madrid case and which is being excused because a member association got them out of a hole.

[Macy]

The stubborness has been with UEFA in taking so long to evaluate and correct their ridiculous rule. This situation wouldn't exist if the governing body had done what they are supposed to do.......i.e. govern!

Karlos, maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me you've changed your emphasis since Dein started mouthing yesterday....

[tiktok]

Anyone know if this will affect Lonford and Cork city's seeding in the UEFA Cup?
The Only Important question IMO.

[beautifulrock]

Yes indeed the rule change should have been made following the Real Madrid saga. It was always going to happen that Liverpool would be let in. England has the higest percentage TV earnings so UEFA is always going to have to go with them. In fairness to the FA they have done well for their members by getting a fifth team in. Not so good for the original four as their money will now be split 5 ways.

[Karlos]

Karlos, maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me you've changed your emphasis since Dein started mouthing yesterday....

I haven't read Dein's comments on this issue at all (perhaps you could point me to them) but had this thread being written yesterday my thoughts would have been as they are now.

I've little time for the English FA and having a board member from Arsenal has done little for us - too many unwarranted and unpredented supensions and point deductions for my liking.

My stance has always been the same - holders should be allowed to defend in my opinion, however this year that wasn't the case re: the rules and I felt it would be wrong to remove Everton who are deserving of the place in the tournament to incorporate a team that had finished 30 odd points off the top. For once though I think the FA did the right thing, stuck by the rules and suported their members and as a result UEFA have acted.

Now all they need to do is issue similar fines and suspensions for similar incidents and I'll be in love with them again!

[shedite]

So who misses out guys? Some team must have lost a place? Or had they an extra place reserved for holders all along?

From Uefa.com:
Spain, Italy, England (4 teams each = 12)
Germany, France, Portugal (3 teams each = 9)
Scotland, Turkey, Belgium, Swiss, Ukraine, Norway (2 teams each = 12)
33 other countries with 1 team each = 34 teams.

That's a total of 67 teams. Last season's had 72. If they always had a place for the holders, who were the alternative if they decided to vote against Liverpool.

By the way, the numbers above were counted from lists so some errors may appear.

[fosterdollar]

Apparently the FA are looking for their 3 UEFA Cup spots to be maintained also.

[anto eile]

Only for one year though - it will revert to 4 now that UEFA have amended their rules, something which should have been done after the Madrid case and which is being excused because a member association got them out of a hole.

the new amendment of the rules is pretty much what i suggested in another post . either here or shelsweb.anyway il take all the credit for coming up with the new uefa rules so il expect a "thank you" card in the post from sepp blatter soon

[4tothefloor]

First off, i'm not happy with having to play in the first round. The least Liverpool should have awarded is a 3rd qualifying round place. Putting the holders needlessly into earlier rounds involving comparitively mediocre teams is a poor decision. UEFA bottled it as far as i'm concerned. The same way they bottled the Real Madrid decision years ago. They have put Liverpool in at the first stage simply because any other decision would have been egg on their collective idiotic faces.

change the record , stop living in the past thats over 3 weeks ago

Anto my dear friend, this is one record that will be on long play, for a very long time

absolute bloody disgrace. yet again UEFA bow to money I've always had a soft spot for liverpool, not anymore

It's hardly Liverpool's fault! So you've lost your soft spot for them because they, rightly, fought their case......strange logic. It's UEFA that your beef should be with. They shirked the same situation years ago when it happened with Real, because the Spanish FA were weak enough to bow to what was a ridiculous rule. If the Spanish FA saw it then, why didn't UEFA see it? They've amended the rules now to what is the logical solution - holders take place of 4th place team in event of non-qualification domestically.

I'm not usually a fan of the FA but in this instance I think they got it right - stuck by their rules as set out at the start of the season and as a result the rules have now been changed by the people who should have done it all along - UEFA - it is their competition after all.

Exactly. Dozy UEFA needed this to happen before common sense could prevail - This could easily have happened\could happen with a Spanish side again. A good example is that Valencia, who were the reigning Spanish champions this year and played in the champions league, finished well down the table this season. Deportivo also finished well down the table, having also played in the CL this season. If one of these sides won the CL this year you would have the exact same situation as the Liverpool one. Put simply, there is no gaurantee that the same 4 sides from the bigger nations will keep qualifying for the CL every season, and thus the old rule was deeply flawed. It's been changed now for the better, so I don't see what all the fuss is about. It's a bit of a joke if the Champions of the 'Champions League' don't get back in automatically....

[jimbob117]

absolute bloody disgrace. yet again UEFA bow to money I've always had a soft spot for liverpool, not anymore

Disagree. they deserve the right to defend their title.

[mypost]

First off, i'm not happy with having to play in the first round. The least Liverpool should have awarded is a 3rd qualifying round place. Putting the holders needlessly into earlier rounds involving comparitively mediocre teams is a poor decision. UEFA bottled it as far as i'm concerned. They have put Liverpool in at the first stage simply because any other decision would have been egg on their collective idiotic faces.

So, according to UEFA's logic, winning the European Cup is not as important as a pub side who happened, (as opposed to earned) to finish 4th in their domestic league! Before anyone gets upset about the financial aspect, it must be said that only 2 teams have qualified from England for next year's CL, so far. It remains to be seen if they will be joined by up to 3 other English teams. We don't have the chance to defend the trophy yet. UEFA should have put us straight into the group stage, after all, we ARE reigning champions.

Everyone will want to play us in the first round, but the later qualifying rounds could be difficult. I don't want to play Shels in the qualifiers, because a)they will be in mid-season, Hadjuk Split found out last season what a difference that makes in Europe, and b) the game at Lansdowne would be hijacked by bandwagon-jumpers, and non-football people who shouldn't be there, as seen when Coruna came to town last year.

It's hardly Liverpool's fault! So you've lost your soft spot for them because they, rightly, fought their case......strange logic. It's UEFA that your beef should be with.

In all honesty, you can't take Eanna's post seriously. The only club he has a soft spot for is Cork City, and that's it. It wouldn't matter if Liverpool, Lyon, or Leverkusen were allowed to defend their CL title on these grounds by UEFA, he'd still whinge about it. We will actually LOSE money by competing next year. This is a decision made on sporting grounds, nothing else. The sad thing is; the debate about our participation wouldn't have been necessary, if we had won just one more league game last season.

But, I'd just like to say to those who tried to prevent us from playing in next season's CL, in (some of) the words of that famous Norwegian:
Juventus, Chelsea, AC Milan, Everton, and William Gaillard, you boys took one hell of a drowning from the 'pool!!!!!!