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| Stuff
the Champions League, let’s crack open the trophy
cabinet! |
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The
strain is really beginning to tell as the
race for third spot intensifies in the
league. Defeat against Leeds has rendered
the point at Ipswich less meaningful and
makes Monday’s derby clash with the
Toffees a must win.
Perhaps this is not a
bad thing. This time last year we were
cruising to the Champions League. Then the
wheels came off. This season as far as the
Champions League goes, things might be
headed the same way. But there is still
hope. After all, we still have games in hand
and a superior goal difference to Leeds and
Ipswich. Chelsea also come into the
equation, but beating them at Anfield might
see us through.
At least after the Barca
game, there will be some respite and at
least one possibly two cup finals to look
forward to. At the start of the season, any
trophy would have been a sign of progress.
But now, we can still nab three, so we
shouldn’t let any failure to get in the
Euro Cup deflect from what already has been
an extremely encouraging season. A Champions
League berth would be great. But having
given the whole matter a little thought, I’ll
take the silverware any time.
Let’s face
it, adding either the FA or UEFA Cups to our
cabinet would be a damn site better than
winning nothing at all, like Leeds and
Ipswich are likely to do. We want to stay
British football’s most successful side.
Sadly in recent seasons, largely due to the
power of the Champions League, success seems
to be measured in qualification for this
overblown tournament. Many teams are just
glad to be involved, not because they stand
a chance of winning it, but because of the
injection into the coffers it represents.
Sure that is important - but as Rick Parry
said this season, Liverpool is about winning
trophies. Imagine small boys in the
schoolyard slagging each other about the
amount of times their sides have qualified
for the Champions League. Imagine football
historians looking back on Liverpool in 20
years time saying Houllier was a top manager
as he got Liverpool into the Champions
League on several occasions. OK he did not
win any trophies, but look at the balance
sheet for those years.
God forbid. Football
is about glory and trophies and winning.
There will be more satisfaction for me in
winning the UEFA Cup or beating Arsenal in
the FA Cup final than in saying that we
finished third in the league. After all, we
want to win that league, not say we are
third best. The money generated by the
Champions League would come in handy, but we
have never been in it, so missing out for
another year is not as devastating and some
would have us believe. Our squad is strong
and young , the gaffer is quality, and we
are only one or two players short. The money
is there to get what we need. Let’s keep
that trophy cabinet door swinging for this
season.
As far as the Champions League goes,
let’s get into it when we have a real
chance of winning it. I don’t like to see
Liverpool playing in tournaments they just
cannot win. The Premiership has made for bad
viewing over the last few years because of
this. But that we are getting there is
irrefutable. And hey, if we don’t qualify,
then our chances in the Premiership will
improve even before a ball is kicked next
season. And maybe we’ll have a few
trophies to defend come August. Wouldn’t
Leeds, Chelsea and a few others love to be
in that position.
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