Liverpool FC Forum

by **jonnymac1979** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:34 am

Was listening to the radio coming home in the car after I had been to my Mum and Dad’s to watch last night’s game and Aldo was doing a phone in.

A guy asked Aldo what he thought was more important, actually going flat out and winning the European Cup or finishing fourth in the Premiership.

Aldo’s answer was that he would hate to see Liverpool get all their hopes up, get to the final and lose and also finish fifth in the Premiership. It’s the obvious and sensible answer, everybody would agree with that, and nobody wants to see that.

It’s just that I was thinking that what Aldo was saying is that he would sacrifice the title of Champions of Europe just to finish fourth in our Premiership to keep the sustainability going i.e. making the Champions League season after season.

Can you understand how I perceived what he was saying, “Don’t try as hard in the games with Chelsea, in case we get injuries and then we lose out in the league, and we don’t get that fourth place”

Or “Fourth place is more important than winning the Champions League”.

Before anyone challenges me, I KNOW HE DIDN’T SAY THIS. I just thought it didn’t sound right and I didn’t agree with this. The reason being I am bored of everyone saying that the Champions League is the place to be, you need to be in the Champions League season after season, the Champions League is the most important thing, Champions League this, Champions league that…….

So what’s the point of being in it, only to bottle out at the final hurdle, because getting fourth is more important. Sorry Aldo, I just can’t agree. We’re in the competition because we want to win it.

Did we get that fourth place last season just to participate in the Champions League, you know, make the numbers up, get a bit of cash, or because we want to win the trophy for the fifth time?

Using his argument, I say fu*k fourth place and let’s win this competition. If it’s about money, we’ll have made between (just my estimate, if not more….) £7-10 million just by getting to the semi-finals, so even if we don’t get fourth place, a season out of the elite competition won’t bankrupt us, far from it. The money isn’t that important in the great scheme of things, we’ve got a chance to win the Champions League here!!!!

Aldo is a legend, I had my one and only season ticket in the main stand when he was acquiring legendary status in season 1987/88. I was eight years old and I loved him. I love listening to the guy because he bleeds Liverpool, I have seen him round Town before watching the footy before he was a radio analyst, cheering the players on like any fan, just mixing with us, no airs or graces, he invited my cousin to play golf with him when they met up on holiday a few years back, he is a through and through scouser, I have read his autobiography and I have had a bevvy in his (very overpriced) bar on Victoria Street only the weekend before last. He is a hero of mine and is a top, top guy. I haven’t come on here to have a pop at him. Far from it. I wouldn’t do it.

I just hope that it was the heat of the moment, twenty minutes after the final whistle had been blown and he hadn’t thought about it properly. To be fair, he had trouble answering the guys question, as if he was in two minds about it, but sided with the fourth place aside of the argument.

As he is a radio analyst, I am entitled to disagree with him. I hope nobody thinks I’m being unfair here, it’s just my opinion. It is allowed. And I hope I have put my side and my thoughts across without showing any disrespect to Aldo. I’m not being harsh. Far from it. I just think that winning the Champions League is more important than a fourth place finish which is beneath our standards anyway. Nobody remembers the losers.

What do you think?

Disclaimer: Don’t worry, I haven’t got a fever, I’ll be back to posting one sentence sh!te after this.

by **woof woof !** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:51 am

It's not about one season only Jonnymac, The Cl is a rolling cash cow that is there to be milked season after season . Also, money aside ,successful runs in europe raises our profile and prestige once again and in conjunction with the money made makes it easier for us to attract better players .Just as an example ,I think Owen would have signed a renewed contract if we had this kind of run last season, I also think with fourth place on top of what we've done in the CL Stevie G will be more inclined to stick with us .

by **taff** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:25 pm

It would be huge if we won the CL this year but Im in the 4th place camp but think that we should get used to challenging at different fronts.

This run and last night has probably turned a few heads as in I wouldnt mind signing for them now and if we did finish 5th I think players can see that with RB at the helm we are on the up and up.

For me however the league will always come first but whatever happens in the next few weeks I cab safely predict that this will be the last season for a while where we are challenging for the 4th place

by **jonnymac1979** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:33 pm

Okay yeah, if we were going for the Premiership title, I would think twice, but Champions League or 4th place?

I went for the Champions League.

by **taff** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:40 pm

This season yes I agree
What would however be terrible is 5th and losing in the final

Boring, but I would like to see us secure 4th first but in reality that wont happen even if Everton lose this weekend and we win

By the way, you live in Liverpool. How are the bluenoses now as we might realistically now take their CL place off them :laugh:

one way or the other

by **JBG** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:44 pm

Winning the Champions League is obviously the most important. Whowill remember or care in 5 years time if we failed to finish 4th if we won the CL?

Trophies are what matters and there is none bigger than the CL.

by **jonnymac1979** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:45 pm

taff wrote:This season yes I agree
What would however be terrible is 5th and losing in the final

Boring, but I would like to see us secure 4th first but in reality that wont happen even if Everton lose this weekend and we win

By the way, you live in Liverpool. How are the bluenoses now as we might realistically now take their CL place off them one way or the other

They're still bitter b**tards, but they are a lot quieter around my circle of friends. They are getting a bit nervous.

Going for a pint. Back later.

by **JBG** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 1:52 pm

I read on an Everton forum last night that Everton fans are now shitting it that we'll win the CL and take "their" 4th place from them.

As if Everton could get past Sturm Graz/Dinamo Bucharest/Shelbourne/Maccabi Tel Aviv or whoever the hell they would meet even in the pre-qualifers if they managed to get 4th spot!

by **taff** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:44 pm

I had a gander at Chelsea forums this morning

Amazed really at their arrogance. Some fans talked sense but theyve got it into their heads they are one of europes super clubs. Now they may well be now in the semis etc but what does that make us in the semis etc and having won it four times before

Sky phone in was good last night when they pointed out that although Mourinho is a great manager what did Rafa inherit and what money has he got to spend

by **stmichael** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:56 pm

taff wrote:I had a gander at Chelsea forums this morning

Amazed really at their arrogance. Some fans talked sense but theyve got it into their heads they are one of europes super clubs. Now they may well be now in the semis etc but what does that make us in the semis etc and having won it four times before

The thing is, we can approach the semi-finals as the rank outsiders. After all, we didn't spend £278m to get there. Chelsea spent that money in the desperate desire to match some of our illustrious history. They can't. It's as simple as that.

by **84-1106852058** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:43 pm

I agree with Jonny Mac on this one.Of couse we must go all out to ensure cl football next season,but at the same time we are in this years semi final.Whats the pointin entering this competition only to lack ambition at this stage.We all know how importantit is to qualify for cl every season for much needed income,but in the words of Mr. Parry,We are a football club first and a buisness second.We have waited twenty years for this lets not take a backward step now.
I was lucky enough to attend all our previous finals,lucky may not be the right phrase with regard to Heysel,but the other four were unforgetable,I for one if it came down to it would swap 4th place for a chance to see us lift our fith European Cup.
In the words of a great man 1st is 1st 2nd is nowhere,were does that leave 4th place.

by **taff** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 9:53 am

Nobody is saying to sacrifice the CL position that is crazy but I think the point is dont put all your eggs in one basket. I expect us to try and win every game from now on CL and Premiership

by **Rimetto** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 2:30 pm

For me winning the CL should be our priority this season. I can't see how 4th place can be more important than winning our 5th Cup. But saying that i'm still confident that we can take 4th even if we do concentrate on the CL.

Listening to Joe Coles interview after beating Bayern he didn't even mention the semi final he was just talking about meeting AC Millan in the final. For me they are getting above themselves and it would be great if we could bring them down to the level they should be at. NO BODIES.

You Can't Buy history.

by **LFC #1** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:28 pm

stmichael wrote:Chelsea spent that money in the desperate desire to match some of our illustrious history. They can't. It's as simple as that.

Agreed St mike, their is no way Chelsea are going to win 4 European Cups in 8 years like we did, no way.

by **dawson99** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 9:25 pm

another london perspective people?
been speaking to some chelski mates and they are nervous.
also all of london wants liverpool to win, and a fair few people think we got a chance after seeing how alonso came back as if hed never left.

if u asked me which would i want, itd be champs league even tho 4th is more important.
id rather have both tho

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