A bridge too Fair: Rodgers doesn't want good behaviour to land Liverpool in Europa marathon
A bridge too Fair: Rodgers doesn't want good behaviour to land Liverpool in Europa marathon
Rodgers ponders: "Maybe we should get a couple of sendings
off..." after he learns that Reds are in the running for Nice Boys'
ticket to Europa
Naughty step: Brendan Rodgers has joked that he might order
Liverpool to pick up some more bookings to avoid Fair Play ticket to
Europa League qualifying misery
John Powell
Brendan Rodgers has ruled out Liverpool qualifying for Europe through the back door of the Fair Play league. The Reds
could be eligible for a Europa League place because of their good
disciplinary record and Manchester City have previously used this route.
Rodgers
claims it is unlikely Liverpool could qualify through the Fair Play league and would prefer to make it on the team’s merit.
“I’ve never thought of it,” said the Liverpool boss. “Maybe we should get a couple of sendings off or bookings!
“There’s
a pride thing and we want to get into it with our performance level and
it’s highly unlikely we’d get that route [anyway].
“It’s
the top three countries and we’re fourth. It’s not something I would be
keen on. I want to get there through the right means.
“If we have to have a year where we are not in it, it’s going to give us an opportunity to push on.”
Playing
in
the first qualifiers in early July would clash with the club’s
prestigious tour of the Far East and Australia and Rodgers would prefer
to concentrate on domestic success next season. Dejected: Luis Suarez of Liverpool reacts as his team win on the night but exit the Europa League this season
Alex Livesey
“It
was a long journey in the Europa League this year,” he said. “Don’t get
me wrong, we enjoyed it and we were disappointed when we came out of it,
but I think down the Fair Play route means the competition starts even
earlier.
“I’d prefer to be in it by qualifying through the league or winning a trophy.
“If it’s not that way then, we as a club are better suited to re-aligning our focus to domestic cups and the league.”
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