srfqt1

Originally posted by 段云 at 2005-5-28 12:21 AM:
1.03 At the request of the national association concerned, the UEFA Champions
League title-holders may be entered for this competition, as an additional
representative of that association, if they have not qualified for the UEFA
Champions League via the top domestic league championship. If, in such a
case, the title-holders come from an association entitled to enter four teams
for the UEFA Champions League, the fourth-placed club in the top domestic
league championship has to be entered for the UEFA Cup

SO THIS IS ONLY REFER BACK TO RM CASE IN PREVIOUS YEAR

Gretzky

For the record, I am on the other side of the Mersey River (so you know which team i support).

Is it impossible to find a crack in the rulebook? Not really. But it is hard to do it in such an official way now.

Based on past behaviour, English FA is unlikely to bend and change its decision. And our bro says it well, the animosity between Everton and Liverpool is similiar to the one with Real Madrid and Barca....it's hostile! Nobody wants to stir up trouble cuz hooligans can make the clubs pay dearly.

We can argue for/against with our reasoning, but the fact is both UEFA and English FA has too much at stake here. The Welsh solution is an interesting one, but I wonder that would undermine the proud and stubborn figures of the two governing bodies.

Adding a fifth spot is out of the question....it's impossible with the scheduling.
Taking Everton out would be a dumb move for the credibility of both FA and UEFA.

it is a delicate situation....either way someone or some board would need thick skin and take the heat on June 16.

[ Last edited by Gretzky on 2005-5-28 at 01:45 AM ]

lliu

I think FA only have 2 choice left:
Everton or Liverpool for the last spot
Coz I don't think UEFA will let 5 teams to represent one country
this will  be unfair to other country.....

srfqt1

Pressure has increased on UEFA to include Liverpool in the Champions League next season after G14, the grouping of elite European clubs, called for the Reds to be allowed to defend their trophy.
G14 was the body that forced UEFA to expand the Champions League in 1998 by threatening to set up a breakaway competition and now they have thrown their weight behind Liverpool, one of their founder members.

A G14 spokesman said: 'We support the desire to see Liverpool defend their trophy and the matter will be raised at our management board meeting next month.

'We believe UEFA should look at ways of allowing this to happen.'

The organisation is made up of 18 powerful clubs including Real Madrid, AC Milan and Bayern Munich - as well as Manchester United and Arsenal - and a formal approach will be made to UEFA after the G14 meeting in Amsterdam on June 9.

Meanwhile, the FA's chairman Geoff Thompson, who is also a UEFA vice-president, has continued lobbying for there to be five English clubs in the Champions League so Liverpool can defend their crown.

His main argument is that nearly all the 52 UEFA member countries would be given an extra place in the Champions League in similar circumstances - apart from England, Spain and Italy because they are already allowed four teams in the competition.

The FA believe that is an inconsistency in the regulations and that even if UEFA are not convinced on this occasion they should change the rules for the future.

Thompson said: 'We are working extremely hard to try to secure the extra place for Liverpool.

'Our basic concern is to ensure that all 52 countries have the same opportunity. There is an additional place guaranteed should the champions come from 49 countries in Europe but not for the other three - England, Italy and Spain.

'We are saying that there should be a level playing field and that every country should have the same opportunity.'

Liverpool will have to wait three weeks before they will know one way or another - the issue will be decided by UEFA's 15-man executive committee at their meeting in Manchester on June 17.

There is some hope for Liverpool because UEFA president Lennart Johansson is understood to be broadly supportive, and his influence is extremely important though not necessarily decisive.

Mario Lefkaritis, a Cypriot member of UEFA's executive committee, said he would approach the meeting with an open mind.

He said: 'It is very dangerous to pre-judge anything. If the issue is raised in Manchester we have to listen to all sides and then make a decision.'

[ Last edited by srfqt1 on 2005-5-28 at 02:13 AM ]