Ordinary Gweilo

When English teams are successful in international competitions I usually have rather mixed feelings.  I can’t help feeling a little patriotic pride that an English team has won (even if the coach and players are actually foreigners), but I also feel some resentment towards the big clubs with the money and the fair weather fans.

I usually make an exception for Liverpool.  Rather endearingly, in spite of a being a ‘big club’ they haven’t won the Premiership or the "old" 1st Division title in living memory.  Even better, if you’re a small club in search of three points then Liverpool are often happy to oblige.  Then, just to add to the fun, Rafa Benitez will be affronted that lesser mortals should have the nerve to outplay the mighty Liverpool. 

As a result of all this, they only managed to finish fifth in the Premiership, just below Everton, who therefore qualified for next season’s Champions League. 

In spite of this, Liverpool somehow managed to win the Champions League.  The final was remarkable – in the first half they looked like the side that has been so inconsistent this season, and then somehow they scored 3 goals in about 5 minutes and finally won on penalties.   

Naturally, Liverpool think they should be allowed to defend the trophy, but inconveniently the rules say that only four teams can qualify from the Premiership, and ‘big club’ Liverpool weren’t in the top four.  Oh dear.

Captain (and actual native Liverpudlian) Steven Gerard insisted that as it is called the Champions League, the champions should be allowed to play.  Well, Steve, that’s a good argument, but I’m just wondering how Liverpool got in to the competition last year – was it by being the English champions?  No, it wasn’t – it was by finishing 4th, a long way behind the champions.

Nevertheless, it seems that UEFA will make an exception for Liverpool and let them defend the trophy.  Or, more likely, get eliminated at the first opportunity.