IF we finish sixth?

[Fosterbloke]

But to turn down a European place for some exhibition cash is really an appalling reflection on our current priorities. The chance to win a European trophy and to have European nights at Anfield (and later EL games do include some good teams) is not something you pass up because you couldnt be arsed.

It's not only about being arsed though. We could be completely arsed but not qualify and there wouldn't be a damned thing we could do about it.

I think Rodgers said that as a warning to his players that they'll only compete on merit and not on the whim of referees.

[EwarWoo]

Why is Saturday better than Sunday?

Because some people are in different timezones and its a bitch having to stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning on a work night or miss the match.

[Neil Young]

That's a false choice though. We have enough kids, etc that you should be able to divide between a pre-season tour and the early stages of the EL. The club has been banging on about how great the Nexgen experience has been - why not let those players have experience of European games on a slightly higher stage. If they lose, they lose.

Same on the pre-season stuff. Just organise it so that some of your fringe/young players are the ones who come back early.

But to turn down a European place for some exhibition cash is really an appalling reflection on our current priorities. The chance to win a European trophy and to have European nights at Anfield (and later EL games do include some good teams) is not something you pass up because you couldnt be arsed.

I don't think it's anywhere near that simple as 'letting the young players loose', as someone else has said at length (and persuasively in my view) in this or some other thread in the last day or so.

And I don't for a moment think the charge of "not being arsed" stands up to any scrutiny. That really is a red herring, and the worst possible construction on what has been said.

[Red_Polo]

Maybe we can't really back out of summer commitments made without realising this fair play **** could be possible? Who knows.

[Neil Young]

Because some people are in different timezones and its a bitch having to stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning on a work night or miss the match.

If you think you've got it tough, what about poor old Lec? He's in a different timezone - the 1980's.

[EwarWoo]

Definitely a 1st world problem anyways, so try not to bitch about it too much, but it is one that really annoys me.

If we get Saturdays back it means I'll need to cut down my Friday night drinking now so I can stay awake for the games. Another firmly 1st world problem

[Cormack74]

If we're doing it for exposure if our youngsters getting tonked teh exposure we're wanting?

If we're tring to actually win it then our youngsters getting tonked isn't really going to help either.

If we care about it we need to actually be in it not just send kids over as placeholders.

You seem to have inferred stuff that I didn't write.

My first choice is that we take the competition (fairly) seriously. So ideally the tie wouldn't suffer as a result of the club being on tour. If we are going to go half way round the world then where's the problem in leaving two or three players at home to supplement the kids?

If not then send out the kids anyway. Like I said if we get tonked then so be it but I'm not advocating that should happen. (Why would I?).

In fact given that we'd probably end up playing a team from Lichtenstein or Luxembourg or some other footballing outpost even the kids might be good enough to get us through to the next round in time for the big boys to come back.

[danperkins]

We should be doing anything we can to get into the Europa League. This club needs European Football... even if it is the Europa League.

[Shackanory]

We haven't swapped it though as we were not guaranteed to be in the competition anyway.

We would need to play 4 qualifying rounds in what would no doubt be the remotest places in Europe.

As opposed to Australia and Thailand? Last time I checked, even the remotest places of Europe are closer than the other side of the planet.
I'm assuming when David Moores said "We exist to win trophies", what he meant to say was "We exist to play in Australia and Thailand".

[ChesterDave]

I may be mistaken re Europe but I thought 6th place would qualify for EL if Chelsea qualified for CL and won EL

[RichC]

We've taken a commercial stance over the off chance we get into Europe through the back door, now if we get in through the league position and we're sure to be playing in Europe we'll be full tilt for it.

It would be terrible business sense and actually incredibly foolhardy not to have our pre-season tour in place, I am sure if need be plans will be tweaked to suit.

[Shackanory]

I may be mistaken re Europe but I thought 6th place would qualify for EL if Chelsea qualified for CL and won EL

No additional place is being given this year if the winner qualifies for CL.

[Lee]

Because some people are in different timezones and its a bitch having to stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning on a work night or miss the match.

Not having a pop at all mate, but if you follow an English team and live in a different timezone then kinda goes with the territory.

Like I say, I'm not having a go, but it's one of those things that you should expect and get used to.

[Liverpel]

We probably won't have any decision to make after all.



Through UEFA's Fair Play League, three places are on offer for the first qualifying round of the competition, with England in fourth place when the interim rankings were unveiled in January.

The period for assessment ended on April 30, so if England have ousted Norway, Sweden or Finland, the highest-placed team in their own Fair Play table who has not qualified for Europe - presently Liverpool - will be ushered in.

Reds manager Brendan Rodgers has already stated his desire not to get into the Europa League through the back door, partly due to his preference to qualify thanks to improved league performances, but also the knowledge his side's first competitive match would be on July 4.

As the place in the first qualifying round is non-negotiable - Fulham started last season on June 30 - it would in addition scupper Liverpool's summer tour, which is due to see them play matches in Australia, Thailand and Indonesia.

However, the chances of such a scenario unfolding would appear to be remote.

For the last two seasons, the intermediate rankings have remained the same when the final rankings were published and with more intense games at the end of the season, it seems more likely England will go down, rather than up.

http://au.eurosport.com/football/europa-league/2012-2013/fair-play-places-to-be-confirmed_sto3738367/story.shtml

[EwarWoo]

Not having a pop at all mate, but if you follow an English team and live in a different timezone then kinda goes with the territory.

Like I say, I'm not having a go, but it's one of those things that you should expect and get used to.

I am used to it, after so long I'd have to be, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to see advantages in more Saturday matches

Who's not going to be happy about getting to watch their team play more?