Robbie Musto: "...big clubs do actually get to the latter stages of European competitions AND still perform in the Premier League...this is a first where a manager has said 'forget the league' - so that's shocking for me..."
Kyle: "...they changed the rule that when you win the Europa league b/c big clubs like Manchester United did not take it seriously, and domestic league was much more important to them...of course it is a great opportunity to get Champions League as the league kind of falls away from them...but I remember him saying it was all about winning a trophy but ... that's ridiculous!! If it didn't win you a champions league spot you wouldn't care...he's so good at winding us up to take our eye off the big problem which is they're not going to finish in the top 4 this year.
Robbie: "They are close to top 4, with Liverpool's result, if they had won out their remaining games, they could have finished in the top 4...the mentality has always been [the prem] is not our priority...and I think that's wrong."
My two cents...gambler's sometimes win...and Jose is gambling which is his prerogative but he's in this position because he FAILED to deliver in the league despite a HUGE capital outlay. To use a lesser minded member of the forum's statement, winning the Europa League only "papers over the cracks" at Manu**. In my opinion, winning the Europa League and finishing 6th in the League can hardly be considered a successful season for any club with ambition...despite it being an accomplishment and despite UCL backdoor qualification. It's always historically been the league, the league, the league. The change 2 years ago to letting the Europa League winners qualify only changes that prioritization for teams that have failed in their prime objective - winning the league or at the very least, placing top 4.
My frustration with my team is the notion that "top 4" is something to jump up and down about - nothing short of WINNING THE LEAGUE should be acceptable. It is an indication of not being good enough to win that we console ourselves with European football, but it is a false positive. If you can't challenge for the title consistently, then you lack ambition (and I limit that to the big clubs btw - not the Southamptons of the world - it's Arsenal, Manu, City, Chelsea, LFC and Spurs that I speak of as they have the resources the other clubs don't). LFC has failed miserably at that for the last 10 years at least and have not won it for 25 years, despite having the resources - it's their lack of willingness to spend and their focus on profit (which while understandable, is out of sync with modern day football where the profit motive cannot be a driving force behind owning a club). Let's hope it's Manu**'s turn to "pull a Liverpool" now and that they face 25 years of famine.
Kyle: "...they changed the rule that when you win the Europa league b/c big clubs like Manchester United did not take it seriously, and domestic league was much more important to them...of course it is a great opportunity to get Champions League as the league kind of falls away from them...but I remember him saying it was all about winning a trophy but ... that's ridiculous!! If it didn't win you a champions league spot you wouldn't care...he's so good at winding us up to take our eye off the big problem which is they're not going to finish in the top 4 this year.
Robbie: "They are close to top 4, with Liverpool's result, if they had won out their remaining games, they could have finished in the top 4...the mentality has always been [the prem] is not our priority...and I think that's wrong."
My two cents...gambler's sometimes win...and Jose is gambling which is his prerogative but he's in this position because he FAILED to deliver in the league despite a HUGE capital outlay. To use a lesser minded member of the forum's statement, winning the Europa League only "papers over the cracks" at Manu**. In my opinion, winning the Europa League and finishing 6th in the League can hardly be considered a successful season for any club with ambition...despite it being an accomplishment and despite UCL backdoor qualification. It's always historically been the league, the league, the league. The change 2 years ago to letting the Europa League winners qualify only changes that prioritization for teams that have failed in their prime objective - winning the league or at the very least, placing top 4.
My frustration with my team is the notion that "top 4" is something to jump up and down about - nothing short of WINNING THE LEAGUE should be acceptable. It is an indication of not being good enough to win that we console ourselves with European football, but it is a false positive. If you can't challenge for the title consistently, then you lack ambition (and I limit that to the big clubs btw - not the Southamptons of the world - it's Arsenal, Manu, City, Chelsea, LFC and Spurs that I speak of as they have the resources the other clubs don't). LFC has failed miserably at that for the last 10 years at least and have not won it for 25 years, despite having the resources - it's their lack of willingness to spend and their focus on profit (which while understandable, is out of sync with modern day football where the profit motive cannot be a driving force behind owning a club). Let's hope it's Manu**'s turn to "pull a Liverpool" now and that they face 25 years of famine.
Comment