forde

They gave the world Istvan Kozma

http://www.anfield-online.co.uk/lfc-news/2...ns-in-to-panic/ A very good article i believe!

Well said that man!

http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/breves2007..._153137Dev.html

Basically what was in the pink on sat! Forlan could prove cheaper option for Benitez at £16m James Ducker The clarity with which George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks have carried out most aspects of their takeover of Liverpool does not appear to have extended to the transfer market, with Rafael Benítez, the manager, thought to be revising his list of forward targets. He has apparently concluded that he does not have the funds to compete for players such as Samuel Eto?o and Carlos Tévez. Barring any sudden indication from the Americans that Eto?o falls within the club?s price range, Benítez is likely to pursue a series of alternative targets who would cost about half the £35 million Barcelona want for their sought-after Cameroon striker. How a player who struggled to make the grade at Manchester United would be received by Liverpool supporters is open to debate, but Diego Forlán, the Villarreal and Uruguay striker, is believed to figure prominently in Benítez?s thoughts. Diego Milito, who scored twice in Real Zaragoza?s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid on Saturday, has also been considered, while Benítez retains an interest in David Trezeguet, of Juventus, and Darren Bent, who will leave Charlton Athletic after their relegation from the Premiership last season. Forlán was scarcely given a chance to prove his worth by Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, the vast majority of his appearances during his 2½-year spell coming as a substitute, but he did achieve cult status after scoring twice in the 2-1 Premiership win over Liverpool in December 2002. The qualities that convinced Ferguson to pay Independiente £7.5 million for Forlán have come to the fore again in Spain, however, with 54 goals in 106 league appearances for Villarreal since his move in August 2004. Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, has been tracking his former United team-mate, but while the North East club are thought to have balked at the ?24 million (about £16 million) release clause in Forlán?s contract, that would not be an issue for Liverpool. Forlán, 28, who is preparing for the Copa America with Uruguay, is contracted at El Madrigal until 2010 but is understood to be enthused about the prospect of a return to England, where he feels he has unfinished business. ?There has not been any offer from Liverpool and it?s very difficult to talk about what might happen when there isn?t an offer there, but things can change every day,? Daniel Bolotnicoff, Forlán?s agent, told The Times last night. ?If he received a very good offer then he will think about it, but it will also depend on whether Villarreal are happy.? Milito, the Argentina forward who turns 28 tomorrow, would cost about the same as Forlán and has a similarly impressive strike record, with 37 goals in 72 league matches for Zaragoza. BenÍtez is understood to have had him watched against Real, when he will have done his chances of a move no harm after coming close to giving Zaragoza a memorable victory. Benítez?s budget will be bolstered if he can offload Craig Bellamy, Harry Kewell and Djibril Cissé, who together could fetch about £20 million. West Ham United are keen on Bellamy, although Benítez, who is also looking to sign a winger, will probably have to accept less than his £12 million asking price for the striker. Blackburn Rovers, who offered Bellamy £65,000 a week to keep him at Ewood Park before his move to Liverpool last summer, also want him back, while Martin O?Neill, the Aston Villa manager, has been contemplating signing Bellamy and Kewell. More talks between Liverpool and Marseilles regarding the future of Cissé are expected this week. The French club are understood to want to take the striker on loan for another season, but Liverpool are holding out for a sale, with Bolton Wanderers and Manchester City also interested. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle1912914.ece

More from tribalfootball so probeley bull! Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is reviving interest in Juventus fullback Giorgio Chiellini. Benitez tried to bring Chiellini to Merseyside last summer following Juve's relegation to Serie B due to the Calciopoli scandal, but the youngster chose to remain in Turin. However, Juve are now willing to listen to offers for Chiellini and Tuttosport says Liverpool have asked them to name their price for the Italy U21 international. http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=42709

Eto'o denies Rafa meeting http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...=&title=Eto

That's what i was thinking! Very odd report but then it is from the mail so no real surprise.

From the daily mail: Rafa Benitez's transfer frustrations finally showed signs of easing when Florent Malouda indicated he was ready to join Liverpool. The £8million-rated Lyon midfielder looks bound for Anfield in the next week after the French club agreed a similar fee with Benfica for former Liverpool target Simao Sabrosa to replace him. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;ito=newsnow First i have herad anything about Simao going to Lyon!

Get well soon lad! YNWA

Spectacular? new stadium plans to go before council LIVERPOOL FC co-owner Tom Hicks yesterday revealed that new ?spectacular? plans for the proposed stadium at Stanley Park will be submitted to the city council before the end of this month. A team of US architects have completely re-drawn the plans for the new stadium that will create a spectacular home for the club, Mr Hicks said in an interview in the US. It is likely the new plans will be delivered to the council offices at Millennium House around June 28 to enable planning officers to assess the revised scheme. Last night, the city council?s regeneration executive member, Mike Storey, said the city had ?struck oil? when the club was taken over by Mr Hicks and his business partner George Gillette. In the interview, Mr Hicks said he is keen to show fans the finished design for the club?s new stadium, to be built close to the current Anfield ground in Stanley Park. ?The design is now final, it?s spectacular and I can?t wait for everybody to see it,? he said. ?I think our fans will love it, it?s very creative arch- itecture, very contem- porary but also unique to Liverpool. It is all centred around the Kop.? The club?s new home is expected to be finished in time for the start of the 2010 season. Cllr Storey, who has had a number of briefings about the emerging scheme, said: ?There really will be a wow factor when people see the new scheme. ?The design has been radically changed and I am sure that people in the city will realise we have struck oil by having two people with the wherewithal to produce such a stunning scheme. ?They really have got the business experience and the eye for detail that will put the new Liverpool stadium on the world map.? A spokesman for the city council said last night: ?Because the design has changed, a new planning permission will be necessary. We understand that the club will be submitting its new plans within a matter of weeks.? It is expected that the new design will incorp- orate an expanded cap- acity of up to 68,000 compared to the curren- ly permitted 61,000, with the potential for further expansion in the future. http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html

Reds pair sign new dealsJun 4 2007 by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo STEVEN GERRARD and Jamie Carragher were expected to sign their new Liverpool contracts today. The Anfield duo agreed four year deals before the Champions League final, but the trip to Athens and international commitments delayed the formality of putting pen to paper. With England heading to Estonia for their crucial Euro 2008 qualifier, the players and club are keen to tie up the formalities as soon as possible and intend using an opening in their diary this afternoon. With negotiations to keep the Scouse duo concluded two weeks ago, manager Rafa Benitez was hoping to make progress on the futures of Pepe Reina and Xabi Alonso. Reina has indicated he will commit to the club and Benitez is also determined to retain Alonso, despite Barcelona?s interest. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT And he?s also planning key talks when he returns to England with Momo Sissoko. Benitez has no intention of allowing the African to move to Juventus for a paltry £10m, as widely reported over the weekend. Sissoko suffered a crisis of confidence towards the end of the season after a succession of horrific injuries, but at just 22, Benitez feels the midfielder is still potentially one of the best in Europe. Sissoko will be offered a new deal and if Juventus make a £10m bid as expected, they?ll be told to forget it. Benitez, who doesn?t return from holiday until the end of this week, is hoping for swift progress on a wide range of issues. Liverpool intend recruiting left winger Florent Malouda but are facing awkward negotiations with Lyon if the £8m switch is to proceed. Meanwhile, Benitez?s chief scout, Eduardo Macia, announced to the Spanish media over the weekend that Liverpool have ended their interest in Daniel Alves, who seems to be on the verge of joining Real Madrid in a £15m deal. Benitez would still love to sign Alves, but in the absence of any confirmation of how much is available, Liverpool are in no position to pursue such targets. Benitez remains in close contact with club officials but while the Reds continue to be linked with stars such as Samuel Eto?o, there appears to be an ever growing gap between reality and fantasy. The suggestion Liverpool may have as much as £35m to bid for Eto?o ? as one report suggested last week ? would be heartily welcomed by the manager, but so far he?s been given no clue he has anything like this budget as his disposal. He?s more likely to spend the next few days assessing how to raise funds through sales rather than await the huge cheque many presumed available following the takeover. http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...-name_page.html

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=4...mp;title=Betis+ When will the penny drop and Sly realise that the Dude is out of contract

Parting of the waysas Frankends aReds eraJun 2 2007 by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo LIVERPOOL are not only searching for a new Academy Director this summer, but Rafa Benitez must find another chief scout following the departure of his lieutenant Frank McParland. Scouser McParland will end a ten year association with Liverpool when he becomes the General Manager of Bolton Wanderers this July. It was a decision the former Academy recruitment officer agonised over before recognising that the opportunity to work with pal and former colleague Sammy Lee was too good to turn down. McParland has been responsible for many of Benitez?s key purchases over the last three years, with Peter Crouch, Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt among his most successful recruits. Before then he worked closely with legendary Academy recruitment officer, the late Jim Aspinall - the man who brought Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman to the club. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT McParland?s still working on targets on Benitez?s behalf for the next few weeks and played a crucial role in the signing of the Hungarian teenagers Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon. Leaving Liverpool was not on the agenda until Sam Allardyce?s surprise departure from the Reebok, but now McParland is preparing for a fresh challenge. ?Sammy Lee is probably the only person in football who could have convinced me to leave Liverpool,? said McParland. ?At first I thought I?d be staying, but Sammy was very persuasive and after giving it a lot of thought I decided this was a great chance for me. ?Liverpool is and always will be my club, but when you?re offered such a fantastic opportunity to work alongside a great young manager at a developing club such as Bolton, you have to give it a go. ?I spoke to Rafa about the situation and what was most important to me was he was supportive of my decision. He knows the circumstances are right for me to look for a new challenge in a role which gives me more responsibility. ?Sammy and I have been great mates since the day I first joined Liverpool and I know he?s going to be a top class manager - that also influenced my decision. We?re on the same wavelength when it comes to football. ?Bolton are a fantastic, forward thinking club which has come on leaps and bounds in the last few years, and Sammy has the potential to take the club even further. ?Anyone underestimating him is seriously mistaken. This a guy who?s learned his trade working under the best managers in the business such as Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan, as well as all the modern coaches he?s worked for at Liverpool and with England. He has all the top qualifications and his own ideas about management. It was only a matter of time before he was handed his opportunity, and it?s an honour for me to be helping him through. It?s going to be an exciting time for us. We?re particularly looking forward to taking the club into the UEFA Cup this season as well as building on our Premiership position.? McParland?s departure adds to the uncertainty around Anfield as Benitez looks to restructure the club at all levels, but the 48-year-old is certain for as long as the Spanish boss is at the helm, the future can be rosy. ?I can?t speak highly enough of Rafa or thank him enough for everything he?s done for me,? said McParland. ?One of the reasons I feel confident enough to take on a role like this at Bolton is because of what I?ve learned working close to Rafa. ?I?ve learned more from him in three seasons than the rest of my career in football. ?For as long as he?s at Liverpool, the club is in safe hands. I?d also like to thank Rick Parry because it was he who gave me my start at the club. ?He interviewed me for a job at The Academy ten years ago and I?ve been able to move through the ranks from there. I?ll always be grateful for that.? McParland has been one of the highly rated backroom members who?s shunned the limelight throughout his time at Liverpool, but whose absence will certainly be noted once he?s gone. Who knows? If Lee and McParland enjoy success at The Reebok, it?s inconceivable the Reds hierarchy won?t notice the impact of two favourite sons born and bred in the finest Anfield tradition. ?I?ve still work to do for Rafa before I leave and there are one or two exciting projects to complete for him before I go to Bolton,? said McParland. ?Then Bolton become my number one priority. I?d be lying if I said I wouldn?t still be looking out for every Liverpool result or ringing my friends at the club to see how we?re doing. But now I?m ready for a new challenge in my career and hope to take Bolton as high as possible in the Premiership, as well as have a good crack in Europe http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/liverpo...-name_page.html

Marseilles claim that they will open discussions with Liverpool this week about signing Djibril Cissé. The forward has spent the season on loan in France with a view to a permanent deal and is surplus to requirements at Anfield. Pape Diouf, the Marseilles president, is considering renewing the loan or buying Cissé at a substantially lower price than the £14 million Liverpool paid Auxerre three years ago. He has two years left on his contract. ?There is room for manoeuvre between what both sides want,? Diouf said. ?We will discuss things this week.? Cissé has not ruled out returning to the Barclays Premiership with a club other than Liverpool. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle1848375.ece

Sam Allardyce, the Newcastle United manager, is weighing up an audacious £10 million move for Peter Crouch, the Liverpool forward. Twice thwarted in his attempts to sign Crouch while in charge at Bolton Wanderers, Allardyce is hoping to strike it third time lucky this summer, although any deal would be dependent on a number of factors. Rafael BenÍtez is willing to sell Crouch, but the Liverpool manager will first want to satisfy himself that a suitable replacement can be found, especially with Craig Bellamy nearing the exit door, Robbie Fowler released and the pursuit of one world-class striker proving difficult enough. BenÍtez has struck a deal with Bayer Leverkusen for Andriy Voronin, the Ukraine forward, but Samuel Eto?o, the Barcelona striker, and Carlos Tévez, of West Ham United, are looking increasingly ambitious targets, while the manager is understood to have reservations about whether Darren Bent is worth the £15 million fee Charlton Athletic could command. With Liverpool demanding £12 million for Bellamy, who is being courted by Aston Villa, West Ham and Blackburn Rovers, BenÍtez would probably want at least that much for Crouch, although Allardyce wants first to establish whether Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins wish to stay at St James? Park. Owen is attracting interest from Liverpool and Manchester United, so in theory a swap deal involving Crouch would make sense, but the situation is thought to be more complicated than that, especially because Newcastle supporters would probably be lukewarm to the idea. Crouch was also wanted by Glenn Roeder, Allardyce?s predecessor. Whatever the decisions of Owen or Martins, they will not prevent Allardyce from pressing ahead with his plans to sign Mark Viduka, who is a free agent after his contract with Middlesbrough expired. Mohamed Sissoko will hold talks with BenÍtez this week about his future. The Mali midfield player fell down the pecking order after Javier Mascherano?s arrival. BenÍtez?s priority may be to find players who will turn Liverpool into genuine title contenders, but that has not prevented the Spaniard from planning for the future, with Andras Simon and Krisztian Nemeth, two young strikers, arriving on long-term contracts from MTK Hungaria. Simon is a year younger than Nemeth, 18, who caught the eye during last year?s Under17 European Championship finals. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle1848404.ece

When did we win at the Bridge?

Why is it harsh??

Didi has not been the same since he got hit by the firecrackers in the derby in 05!

Great man management by Rafa yet again by blaming himself and taking a bit of pressure of the lad!

Mascherano Pennant Gerrard Also thought Arbeloa had another very good game!

Rafael Benítez rejected two highly lucrative offers to manage Real Madrid in the space of a few weeks after convincing himself that there was no club he would rather be at than Liverpool. The first approach came in the fortnight before Benítez held talks with George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the new Liverpool owners, on April 1. The second offer was turned down in the days after the decisive meeting with the Americans that assured the Spaniard he could fulfil his ambitions at Anfield. As revealed by The Times last month, Real had identified BenÍtez rather than José Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, as the leading choice to replace Fabio Capello as coach in the summer, but for the second season running he has resisted attempts to lure him to the Bernabéu, in the city where he was born. The news will come as a relief to Liverpool supporters, who feared that the temptation to join Real ? where Benítez worked as a youth and B-team coach from 1989 to 1993 ? might be too great to refuse for the manager who led them to the Champions League in 2005. It has also strengthened the prospect that he will see out, or even extend, the four-year deal he signed last year. ?I said no to Real when they offered me more money than I get here, even though there maybe were greater expectations. Madrid may be my town, but . . . we [my family and I] are happy here,? Benítez said yesterday. ?There were some teams interested in me, but I said no because after the meeting with the Americans I think [it was clear] we are going in the right direction. ?It?s not easy to find a club where all the supporters or the majority of the supporters are behind you and you have a good staff and players. The future can be brilliant here and these things are more important than money. In football, we are lucky because we earn good money, but the difference for me is not the money but the support of the people and the possibilities of the club.? Although he spurned Real?s initial advances, it is clear that the assurances Benítez received from Gillett and Hicks during their five-hour meeting went a long way towards convincing the manager to stay. ?They knew when we were talking what the situation was,? Benítez said. ?The meeting was very positive. I was really pleased before ? the situation at Liverpool was really good ? but now it can be better.? With his future resolved, Benítez has sought to remind some of his players before the Barclays Premiership match at home to Middlesbrough this evening that they will be playing for their futures between now and the end of the season. Benítez was disappointed with the level of performance in the goalless draw against Manchester City on Saturday and feels that, with a top-four finish virtually assured, some players may be slacking off before the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea. ?You try to explain to them how important it is to finish in the top three or four, but each player is different and for some it?s easier to be focused and others you need to push a little bit more,? Benítez said. ?They need to understand that I can decide about the future of some of them based on the things that I see now.? Rafael Benítez rejected two highly lucrative offers to manage Real Madrid in the space of a few weeks after convincing himself that there was no club he would rather be at than Liverpool. The first approach came in the fortnight before Benítez held talks with George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the new Liverpool owners, on April 1. The second offer was turned down in the days after the decisive meeting with the Americans that assured the Spaniard he could fulfil his ambitions at Anfield. As revealed by The Times last month, Real had identified BenÍtez rather than José Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, as the leading choice to replace Fabio Capello as coach in the summer, but for the second season running he has resisted attempts to lure him to the Bernabéu, in the city where he was born. The news will come as a relief to Liverpool supporters, who feared that the temptation to join Real ? where Benítez worked as a youth and B-team coach from 1989 to 1993 ? might be too great to refuse for the manager who led them to the Champions League in 2005. It has also strengthened the prospect that he will see out, or even extend, the four-year deal he signed last year. ?I said no to Real when they offered me more money than I get here, even though there maybe were greater expectations. Madrid may be my town, but . . . we [my family and I] are happy here,? Benítez said yesterday. ?There were some teams interested in me, but I said no because after the meeting with the Americans I think [it was clear] we are going in the right direction. ?It?s not easy to find a club where all the supporters or the majority of the supporters are behind you and you have a good staff and players. The future can be brilliant here and these things are more important than money. In football, we are lucky because we earn good money, but the difference for me is not the money but the support of the people and the possibilities of the club.? Although he spurned Real?s initial advances, it is clear that the assurances Benítez received from Gillett and Hicks during their five-hour meeting went a long way towards convincing the manager to stay. ?They knew when we were talking what the situation was,? Benítez said. ?The meeting was very positive. I was really pleased before ? the situation at Liverpool was really good ? but now it can be better.? With his future resolved, Benítez has sought to remind some of his players before the Barclays Premiership match at home to Middlesbrough this evening that they will be playing for their futures between now and the end of the season. Benítez was disappointed with the level of performance in the goalless draw against Manchester City on Saturday and feels that, with a top-four finish virtually assured, some players may be slacking off before the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea. ?You try to explain to them how important it is to finish in the top three or four, but each player is different and for some it?s easier to be focused and others you need to push a little bit more,? Benítez said. ?They need to understand that I can decide about the future of some of them based on the things that I see now.? http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle1668499.ece

Very good game this end to end stuff city playing very well! a*** fans getting very frustrated.