The faces of both Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Garry Cook at the end of the match against Spurs last night say it all really, and they should bring a smile to the faces of Liverpool fans as well as Spurs supporters too. Al Mubarak and Cook both know very well that Manchester City’s task of recruiting players in the summer has become that bit harder now they have failed to qualify for the Champions League. Ambitions of going for players in the top 20 in the world will have to be put on hold for another season as they attempt to break into the top four and bag themselves a place in Europe’s premier competition.
For Liverpool, it effectively means a stay of execution. If City had qualified for the Champions League ahead of Tottenham this season, I have no doubt the quality of player coming to Eastlands this summer would have been greatly increased, and with it the possibility of cementing a top four place for years to come. Players of the calibre that City have been chasing in recent seasons, such as Kaka and John Terry, may well have been persuaded to join the revolution in Manchester if Champions League football was guaranteed, but with Europa League football only on the cards, they will surely only be challenging for fourth again next season rather than challenging for the title.
Such circumstances leave the door ajar for the Reds. After such a disappointing season and a lack of transfer funding to correct the weaknesses of this season, they would have had no chance of competing with the billions of City if Champions League qualification had been achieved. It is certainly by no means a level playing field still but at least Tottenham have bought us a little more time to sort out our own future with the sale of the club hopefully not too far away. Regardless of what happens this summer, a rebuilding process of some sorts will have to take place, one that could help us to compete in a Premier League next season, which will possess a top six rather than a top four.
It is a new reality that us Liverpool fans will have to face and my hope is that we are capable of holding on to our best players while reshaping the rest of a squad which has failed to live up to expectations this campaign. Whatever happens next season, Tottenham’s victory over Manchester City could have helped the Reds out of a deep hole, keeping us competitive at the top of the league next season. We certainly can’t afford to lose out for a second season in a row, for we then would be truly in the wilderness. Regardless of what happens this summer with the manager and the owners, as Alan Hansen says this “is the most crucial period in club’s history,” let’s hope everything turns out for the best and we can find our way out of the doldrums.
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Great article! I was thinking the same thing last night. I still really do feel that with someone else in charge, we are not that far behind the rest. Players don’t become bad, in the space of 1 season….But they do get fed up with managers and lose their commitment.
agree, yes spurs have spent huge too, but city are in another league along with the waste of time tea, called real.
city will still spend but it does kind of help liverpool that they are not in the champions league, however they still have the advantage of being able to offer a club that is stable and offer better deals as regards to wages and signing on bouns etc.
but im telling all and everyone.
david villa
messi
mascherano
gerrard
torres
xavi
inesta
maicon
and all top top bracket will not and would not even think about going to city unless all they really do care about is cash.
well done spurs last nite, however, if your didnt know, you do now, they have spent over 140 mill in under 3 years, i wish we could have done that.? oh well, i bet that’s rafa’s fault too.. ha ha
neither do manaagers. i think you should read what you have written again. what players were not committed when fit? those that were are on there way out anyway.
neither do manaagers. i think you should read what you have written again. what players were not committed when fit? those that were not(typo) are on there way out anyway.
My sentiments exactly. f**k the doom and gloom merchants, rafa is as good as it gets. give him a large budget(please arab princes or chinese tycoons) and you’ll see the master at work.
All is not lost.
Suck a bhala & hit a five you knobgiddicks
The old adage “you get what you pay for”, Liverpool have invested pennies in the last few seasons in comparison to City & Spurs. The more money the club has in the long term the more succesful the club is, it’s not rocket science.
If Liverpool do not splash the cash then they will be in mid table obscurity next season without a doubt. In a way I hope Liverpool continue to decline so the greedy yanks end up having to sell the club at a loss. Now that would be worth a few years in the wilderness for!
Apart from Arsenal the likes of Man city, United, Chelsea, Spurs and Villa have spent vasts amount of money on player acquisition. Its quite odd how they are in the top 6 in the league. No money, almost no chance.