Jamie Carragher is putting a brave face on Liverpool's fall from grace this season, believing a failure to qualify for next season's Champions League will not affect the club's ability to attract top players.
Carragher and team-mate Fernando Torres, among others, have been vocal in their assessment that Rafael Benitez needs to sign four or five quality players in the summer for the club to compete at the highest level — but the defender doesn't believe that the possibility of missing out on Europe's premier competition will make that task harder.
"Finishing in the top four attracts players, but I think playing for Liverpool is the main attraction," Carragher told the club's official website.
"People forget that there have been times when we haven't played in the Champions League.
"We missed out under (Gerard) Houllier at Bradford on the last day, and we had to win the trophy to get into the Champions League in the current manager's first season.
"I wouldn't say we have been spoilt by being in the Champions League, or we should expect to be there just because we are Liverpool. It isn't something that we have done all the time.
"It's nothing new if we don't get there. And if we don't get there, we'll just come back and have another go next season."
The 18-time champion Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind Manchester City in fourth having played a game more. Some pundits believe the lack of Champions League qualification, and the subsequent windfall that will be missed, will send the club into decline but Carragher is more pragmatic.
"People are saying that if we miss out, then that'll be it for us, speaking as if we'd never get there again. That's just nonsense," he said.
"If we can't get there we'll battle on next year. We can't be as bad as we have been this season.
"The Champions League is a big thing, you want to play in it and the revenue it generates is important for the club.
"We're a massive club and I'm sure we'll get back into the Champions League."
Carragher and team-mate Fernando Torres, among others, have been vocal in their assessment that Rafael Benitez needs to sign four or five quality players in the summer for the club to compete at the highest level — but the defender doesn't believe that the possibility of missing out on Europe's premier competition will make that task harder.
"Finishing in the top four attracts players, but I think playing for Liverpool is the main attraction," Carragher told the club's official website.
"People forget that there have been times when we haven't played in the Champions League.
"We missed out under (Gerard) Houllier at Bradford on the last day, and we had to win the trophy to get into the Champions League in the current manager's first season.
"I wouldn't say we have been spoilt by being in the Champions League, or we should expect to be there just because we are Liverpool. It isn't something that we have done all the time.
"It's nothing new if we don't get there. And if we don't get there, we'll just come back and have another go next season."
The 18-time champion Reds are currently sixth in the Premier League table, six points behind Manchester City in fourth having played a game more. Some pundits believe the lack of Champions League qualification, and the subsequent windfall that will be missed, will send the club into decline but Carragher is more pragmatic.
"People are saying that if we miss out, then that'll be it for us, speaking as if we'd never get there again. That's just nonsense," he said.
"If we can't get there we'll battle on next year. We can't be as bad as we have been this season.
"The Champions League is a big thing, you want to play in it and the revenue it generates is important for the club.
"We're a massive club and I'm sure we'll get back into the Champions League."
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