Liverpool FC Forum

[adamnbarrett]

The latest from Reuters seems to be another climbdown by UEFA from their "all Liverpool fans are scum" approach of yesterday:

Liverpool won't face sanctions over final - report
Mon Jun 4, 2007 11:22 PM IST162

By Darren Ennis

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Liverpool will not face any sanctions by UEFA following a report into security problems at last month's Champion League Final, senior sources at European soccer's governing body said on Monday.

Citing the document, to be submitted to British sports minister Richard Caborn on Tuesday, sources confirmed no action will be taken against the English club, despite evidence that a number of Liverpool fans were to blame for the trouble in Athens.

"The report draws up some proposals, not sanctions. There will be no disciplinary action taken against Liverpool," one UEFA source told Reuters.

UEFA previously blamed Liverpool fans with forged tickets or those with no ticket for forcing their way into Athens' Olympic Stadium on May 23 for the match against AC Milan, while dozens of fans with genuine tickets were refused entry.

When Liverpool fans tried to enter the stadium, the situation threatened to escalate out of control and Greek police fired tear gas and used batons.

But although the report acknowledges that the trouble "was at the Liverpool end" and their opponents "were not to blame", it does not point the finger at the club or the majority of its fans.

"The report is more of a narrative on what happened from start to finish and proposes how to deal with it better in the future such as better police cooperation and a better strategy," another source said.

Ironically, the report will highlight the benefits of police tactics already used by British police forces at soccer matches, the source said.

BLAME GAME

UEFA, Liverpool and British authorities will hope news of the report's contents will calm tensions in the aftermath of the match which has led to a war of words over who was to blame for the trouble.

The atmosphere worsened ahead of Tuesday's report when a top UEFA official indicated that the document would identify Liverpool as a problem club, pointing to 25 incidents involving the English club.

However, both UEFA and British government officials said they were not seeking a confrontation when Caborn meets UEFA President Michel Platini on Tuesday in Brussels.

Caborn called on Monday for "an end to the blame game".

"This is not about UEFA versus Liverpool or UEFA versus England fans, we must all stop playing the blame game and stop pointing fingers at people," he told Reuters.

William Gaillard, advisor to UEFA President Michel Platini and the official at the centre of the dispute, told Reuters:

"Yes the troublemakers were Liverpool fans, but these were a minority of Liverpool fans. As I said the day after the final, 99 percent of Liverpool fans are fine, but this minority causes the problems.

"They need to be taught that attending a game is not a right it is a privilege which you must pay for. You can't take a tube in London for instance without for a proper ticket."

GATES OPENED

The report will say there was a moment of panic when the Greek police rightly opened the gates to prevent further trouble, stating that "a few hundred of the many thousands of supporters took the law into their own hands".

"The report says Liverpool stewards, who are capable at home in their own stadium, were unable to be influential on the night," the source said,

The UEFA document also includes evidence from various Liverpool fans with legitimate tickets who were forced to sit on each other's laps -- or stand up -- as a result of forged duplicate tickets.

A second report and more detailed report will be collated and sent to Britain's Home Office in the coming weeks, UEFA said.

It confirmed that a probe was also continuing into how around 800 Liverpool supporters got tickets in the Milan end which were known to be distributed to AC Milan.

(Additional reporting by Mike Collett in London and Mark Ledsom in Berne)

[Emerald Red]

"Yes the troublemakers were Liverpool fans, but these were a minority of Liverpool fans. As I said the day after the final, 99 percent of Liverpool fans are fine, but this minority causes the problems.

Hmm, so going from being the worst supporters in Europe, to having 1% of our fan base as potential troublemakers! Contradicting himself there, somewhat.

[J*o*n*D*o*e]

Uefa really are a joke, a bunch of fooking freeloaders the lot of them, its about time the club got there act together and fooked them off.

[The Manhattan Project]

If UEFA don't like us now, they REALLY won't like us when we win the cup in Moscow next year.

[Reg]

and last week they asked the G14 to voluntarily disband as it was 'no longer necessary and served no purpose'.  Well they fired their bullet on that one didnt they?? 

My @rse.

[Scottbot]

Am absolutely dumfounded at the sh.i.t. coming out of Gaillard's mouth and really can't believe an organisation as large and importnant as UEFA can release statements which are so wide of the mark, flippant and VERY DAMAGING to this club. That tw.at has thrown so much mud with just a few comments and you just know that most of it will stick now. Absolutely fu.c.k.in furious. Parry has had his say but he didn't say nearly enough. He shouldn't have come out guns blazing on this one but no, typical Parry 


Good article from Des Kelly (below) which sums up a lot of my feelings.

Des Kelly
Cheap shot from a cowardly crew
00:33am 5th June 2007
  Comments

Hand me a felt pen. If UEFA want to tag Liverpool fans as the worst in Europe then it is only right they should be rewarded for this lazy insult with a cheap label of their own. And here it is: "The biggest cowards in football."

See how easy it is to throw insults around? Stung by criticism of the ticketing arrangements and chaotic crowd control at the Champions League Final in Athens, Michel Platini's administration has proved to be astonishingly unstatesmanlike with its response.

Scroll down to read more:


Blame game: Gaillard has accused Liverpool fans

Rather than examine the problems like a sensible governing body should, UEFA decided to stamp their feet, squeal "it's so unfair!" and trot out deliberately sensationalist claptrap to try to divert attention elsewhere.

The communications director of European football, William Gaillard, actually said this about the followers of Liverpool: "What other set of fans steal tickets from their fellow supporters or out of the hands of children?"

Dunno William. But a few, I'd guess. Even if a couple of kids did have their tickets robbed on the night, let's compare this sensationalist, unsubstantiated and, frankly, silly accusation with some of the crimes that have been perpetrated by the followers of a few other teams across Europe recently.

I'm thinking specifically about the murder of a policeman at an Italian stadium when a homemade bomb blew up in his face.

Then there was the French gendarme almost killed by German thugs. The routine and quite blatant racism at some Spanish and Eastern European grounds, a blight that UEFA have feebly failed to tackle.

The tendency of the Roman riot squad to beat visiting supporters senseless for no obvious reason. The attack on a referee in Denmark this week. I could go on.

When judged against that pile of paperwork sitting in UEFA's file marked "Trouble", I'd say snatching a ticket from some nipper might rank as a relatively minor offence. But Gaillard appears peculiarly keen to hype up any English problem.

He adds: "There have been 25 incidents involving Liverpool fans away from home since 2003 and these are in the report. Most teams' supporters do not cause any trouble at all."

This is an interesting claim.

William has obviously never tried to slip away from a Lazio game while trying to avoid the inconvenience of a sharp blade in the buttock.

Nor can he have danced through the streets of Marseilles as residents added a splash of local colour by throwing bottles.

But what about those 25 incidents said by UEFA to involve Liverpool over the past four years? We await the details.

English football will have the chance to verify the substance of these charges when the "undercover report" is handed to Sports Minister Richard Caborn today.

If many prove to be as minor as his ticket- snatching accusation then Gaillard had better look out. His job is in jeopardy, or at least it should be.

Particularly as he made this rather contradictory pronouncement before the Champions League Final: "The two groups of supporters have a tradition of good behaviour and at this point we are expecting that to continue."

A tradition of good behaviour or the worst in Europe? He just can't make his mind up. Perhaps William is just overwrought and in need of a lie down in a darkened room. For 20 years or so.

Let me make one thing clear. Nobody in their right mind doubts Liverpool fans were partly to blame for the disturbances in Athens.

Scroll down for more:


Logo: Lord Coe could not describe it

Too many turned up without tickets, some tried to bribe, fake, cheat and steal their way into the ground, even if it meant that a fellow supporter would lose their own legitimate place.

Sadly, like all big clubs, Liverpool has its fair share of scumbags. It also has more than its reasonable quota of people who believe it is their divine right to see the game by whatever means possible.

This is not a new phenomenon. As the crowds hustled towards the old Wembley 18 years ago, I watched one ticketless Liverpool fan vault over the barrier and make a run for it.

Three more were busy scrambling up the outside wall, attempting to break in through the stairwell above.

I vividly remember these scenes even now for one particular reason.

It happened at the FA Cup Final on Saturday, May 20, 1989. Thirty five days after Hillsborough.

With the emotional wounds of that day still horribly raw for so many people, it seemed inconceivable to me that a few would be so selfish when Merseyside was gathering to offer its respects.

I was amazed at their stupidity, their insensitivity. But it would have been ridiculous and lazy to talk about "Liverpool fans shaming the club".

It was one knot of irresponsible idiots, cretins who were completely unrepresentative of the mood of the city.

Yet, spin forward nearly two decades and UEFA believe they are justified in using the same kind of warped logic to damn an entire club. Why? Because they must know they are at least as culpable for the problems and want to shift the blame.

UEFA's distribution of the tickets was woefully inadequate, creating an unprecedented demand. The stadium itself was ill-equipped to handle such a high-profile event - it had no turnstiles for starters.

The policing and security was said by most observers to be haphazard at best, panicked and belligerent at worst.

In this kind of environment, no wonder chaos reigned; no wonder fans with tickets found they were excluded; no wonder some cheats tried to exploit this lack of order.

Milan didn't even sell their ticket allocation. Just imagine the scenario if two English clubs had made the final and Manchester United had played Liverpool instead?

Cheap as they were, the effects of Gaillard's remarks are potentially catastrophic. With one sloppy, stupid statement he has increased the temperature right across Europe.

Supporters from Liverpool or any other English club travelling abroad can now expect to be met by an even greater level of hostility, to be herded and detained like cattle, baton-charged, penned in and locked in their coaches or trains.

Good or bad, it doesn't matter. Liverpool fans are "the worst". English fans are the "worst". So they 'deserve' what they get.

Sometimes it's true. But not always and UEFA are spineless if they hide behind insults instead of dealing with the real issues.

[Ciggy]

Tom Hicks has slammed the comments calling Gaillard a clown

Liverpool's co-owner Tom Hicks has fired a broadside at Uefa, claiming the governing body's communications director William Gaillard is a clown for piling blame on the Anfield club's fans for the problems at the UEFA Champions League final.

A Uefa dossier presented to sports minister Richard Caborn is expected to paint a dim view of Liverpool's supporters, while Gaillard has pinned the blame for the trouble in Athens squarely at the door of the travelling Reds hordes.

Gaillard said: "The incidents involving Liverpool fans have been well known to us before the trouble at the Champions League final which involved Liverpool fans last week.

"That was just the latest example. What other set of fans steal tickets from their fellow supporters or out of the hands of children?"

Gaillard's comments have stirred the fire in Hicks, as he has responded by hitting out at Uefa's handling of the Athens showpiece.

"I thought the guy from Uefa was a clown for saying that," Hicks told Sky Sports News. "Uefa did not handle this right at all.

"To give 17,00 tickets to the two teams, particularly knowing Liverpool is going to bring 40,000 fans is insane.

"I think it is a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take pressure off himself.

"They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures.

"Unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets and unfortunately there were Liverpool fans who paid hard-earned money and a lot of fans went to great sacrifice to get their tickets and they got to the stadium and were told there was no more room.

"Were they mad? Sure they were mad and I don't blame them."

[NANNY RED]

Dont know if this has been posted yet

Headlines
Liverpool fans: Backed by GerrardGerrard blasts back in UEFA row
Steven Gerrard has blasted UEFA for labelling Liverpool fans the worst in Europe and laid the blame for the problems in Athens at their door.






 





 



The Reds skipper claims his friends and family who went to the Champions League final all found the organisation lacking - and even the club's hotel facilities arranged by UEFA were not good enough.

UEFA president Michel Platini is to deliver a report on the problems caused by ticketless fans at last month's final against AC Milan to sports minister Richard Caborn when they meet in Brussels on Tuesday.

It is expected to say there have been 25 incidents involving Liverpool fans away from home since 2003, and that most away supporters do not cause any trouble at all.

But Gerrard said: "It upsets me because we've travelled everywhere together for the six or seven years I've been in the first team.

"From what I've seen their behaviour has been fantastic. So it surprises me to hear that.

"I had friends and family at the final. Their opinion was that the organisation wasn't good enough.

"I'm sure when it all gets broken down they will conclude that the organisation wasn't good enough and maybe a minority of Liverpool fans have let themselves down.

"But as far as I'm concerned the European Cup final has got to be in a bigger stadium with better organisation.

"Our set-up wasn't good enough either. Our hotel facilities weren't good enough."

nice one stevie

[112-1077774096]

more from hicks, also mentions the new stadium



Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has blasted UEFA's claims that the club's fans are the worst-behaved in Europe, with the American claiming their spokesman William Gaillard "doesn't know what he's talking about".

UEFA president Michel Platini is to present a report to Sports Minister Richard Caborn in Brussels today which is expected to be highly critical of Reds fans and include a dossier of 25 unsavoury incidents involving their supporters in the last four years.

Much of the criticism surrounds the conduct of Liverpool fans in Athens before the Champions League final last month, where fans without tickets or with fakes were able to gain access to the stadium at the expense of genuine ticket-holders and Greek police had to use tear gas in a bid to quell the chaos.

But Hicks lays the blame for the problems at UEFA's door, and asked to respond to Gaillard's damning comments about Liverpool fans, he told Sky Sports News: "I thought the guy from UEFA was a clown for saying that. UEFA did not handle this right at all.

"To give 17,000 tickets to the two teams, particularly knowing Liverpool are going to bring 40,000 fans, is insane.

"It's a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take the pressure off himself. They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures and unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets.

"There were fans who paid their hard-earned money to get their tickets and they get to the stadium and are told there is no more room. Are they (the fans) mad? Sure they're mad."

On a more positive note Hicks is keen to show fans the finished design for the club's new stadium, to be built close to the current Anfield ground in Stanley Park.

"The design is now final, it's spectacular and I can't wait for everybody to see it," he added.

"I think our fans will love it, it's very creative architecture, very contemporary but also unique to Liverpool.

"It is all centred around the Kop. It will be the symphony stage that plays to the symphony hall."

[Ace Ventura]

more from hicks, also mentions the new stadium



Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has blasted UEFA's claims that the club's fans are the worst-behaved in Europe, with the American claiming their spokesman William Gaillard "doesn't know what he's talking about".

UEFA president Michel Platini is to present a report to Sports Minister Richard Caborn in Brussels today which is expected to be highly critical of Reds fans and include a dossier of 25 unsavoury incidents involving their supporters in the last four years.

Much of the criticism surrounds the conduct of Liverpool fans in Athens before the Champions League final last month, where fans without tickets or with fakes were able to gain access to the stadium at the expense of genuine ticket-holders and Greek police had to use tear gas in a bid to quell the chaos.

But Hicks lays the blame for the problems at UEFA's door, and asked to respond to Gaillard's damning comments about Liverpool fans, he told Sky Sports News: "I thought the guy from UEFA was a clown for saying that. UEFA did not handle this right at all.

"To give 17,000 tickets to the two teams, particularly knowing Liverpool are going to bring 40,000 fans, is insane.

"It's a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take the pressure off himself. They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures and unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets.

"There were fans who paid their hard-earned money to get their tickets and they get to the stadium and are told there is no more room. Are they (the fans) mad? Sure they're mad."

On a more positive note Hicks is keen to show fans the finished design for the club's new stadium, to be built close to the current Anfield ground in Stanley Park.

"The design is now final, it's spectacular and I can't wait for everybody to see it," he added.

"I think our fans will love it, it's very creative architecture, very contemporary but also unique to Liverpool.

"It is all centred around the Kop. It will be the symphony stage that plays to the symphony hall."

Hicks is brilliant, no messing calling Gaillard a clown 

Cant wait to see the new stadium designs, any ideas anyone when they are gone to be revealed ?

[Ciggy]

Cant wait to see the new stadium designs, any ideas anyone when they are gone to be revealed ?

16th of June 

[Ace Ventura]

Cant wait to see the new stadium designs, any ideas anyone when they are gone to be revealed ?

16th of June 

Not long then eh, cannee wait.

Thanks Ciggs

[The Red Baron]

"I thought the guy from Uefa was a clown for saying that," Hicks told Sky Sports News. "Uefa did not handle this right at all.

"To give 17,00 tickets to the two teams, particularly knowing Liverpool is going to bring 40,000 fans is insane.

"I think it is a classic case of a bureaucrat trying to take pressure off himself.

"They didn't handle it right, they didn't have proper ticketing procedures.

"Unfortunately there were counterfeit tickets and unfortunately there were Liverpool fans who paid hard-earned money and a lot of fans went to great sacrifice to get their tickets and they got to the stadium and were told there was no more room.

"Were they mad? Sure they were mad and I don't blame them."[/b]

This fellah gets better by the day.We have all heard of big mouthed yanks,but this fellah is OUR BIG MOUTHED YANK LONG MAY HE REIGN.

[HantsRed]

Check out some of the comments in this thread from Chelski scum about our fans - reading through it made my blood boil, particularly when they start talking about hillsborough.

There is one lone Red on there who is trying to defend us - I cannot believe his patience with some of those a*seholes.

http://www.csrforums2.co.uk/viewtop....start=0

I can't believe how obsessed they are with our club.
Feel free to invade their little Liverpool-hating world and provide some education to the bitters (mark II).

[Sabre]

I've felt some relief when I read the Spanish press today.

Because this time, they've given to the Liverpool's answer of the story as much relevance as to the UEFA's bóllocks statement.

When I browse the national press the overall idea I get is that the press hasn't bought the UEFA version. UEFA's done many mistakes and their credibility is not big, at the moment.