Weeksy, no you're wrong. The winners/holders of the world cup do not automatically qualify. They have to go through the heats like everyone else. Only the host nation qualifies - the rules changed some years ago. I think it's the same for the European championships.

[Edited on 26-5-2005 by everton]

Yep - Liverpool simply have to make a proposition to Uefa to give them special dispensation.

Uefa had asked the English FA to make a decision about the 4 entries they wanted to enter the Champions League next year and the FA said the top 4 in the Premiership - rightly so.

So the FA have made their decision (in all probability) and it means its now up to Liverpool to request a place from Uefa.

I can't really see how this would work, but there must be an opportunity for this.

I think a similar thing happened a few years back to Juventus??? who hadn't qualified for the next year, but had won the CL, but the Spanish FA made a decision to only allow 3 automatic entries from their league and let the defending champions play. A bit harsh on the 4th place boys, but this was a country's FA decision not an UEFA decision.

But sod it, now we've got the cup home - we're nicking it and not giving it back!!!! (that, and we are allowed to keep it!!!)

Tim:frog:

Was a great great game, fireworks going off left right and centre near me after the game, but missed Celebrity Love Island though :(

Because the rules state how many teams qualify from each country. England is currently 4. Over the course of a whole season Liverpool were not good enough to qualify.

Yes they have won it, and thats fantastic but why now change the rules because they have won it!

Whats the point of having rules in place at the start of a competition if at the end of it you just disregard them?

[/quote]

The rules state that the 4 leading English teams in the premiership qulaify and they have - the rules have not changed.

What is being requested here is that special dispensation be made for the European Champions who have not otherwise qualified to defebnd their title. The fact that they are English would not be relevant to this request.

The rules at the start of the season would NOT state that "the winners of the Champions League will not automatically qualify for the Champions League in the next year, if they haven't already qualified" (or similar).

Basically, no request is being made for rules to be changed, more for an additional place to be made available.

Furtrher to this, rules can and will always be changed in special or certain circumstances. No governing body would put rules in place that cannot be changed should they see fit.

Tim

:eureka:They should give them Arsenal's place,they waste it every year anyway-Up the Saints:saint:

[Edited on 26-5-2005 by swannymere]

Watched the first half round at Marks (No Limits) place and it was looking like 6 nil at half time, so I went home and sat through OC or Desperate Slappers or something WeeMrsB was watching whilst I read MCN, then eventually got control of the remote again and turned over to see them lifting the cup on the news.....WTF:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

WeeJohnyB

You let a woman have the remote!