spencer

And of course, lots of praise from our city rivals http://bluekipper.net/viewtopic.php?t=18584 Boy, is that a fun read!!!!!

Still unclear on Tevez' status: "Carlos Tevez will be eligible for West Ham's final two games of the season despite the lack of an agreement with MSI, according to a club spokesman. Following an FA hearing, West Ham were fined £5.5m and forced to terminate any third-party agreements with investment group MSI, which owned the Argentina striker. However, although the player now belongs to West Ham, the club are yet to come to a financial agreement with MSI. Yet Tevez played for the club against Wigan on Saturday, and a West Ham spokesman has insisted that he will be able to continue playing despite the lack of a resolution. "New arrangements are in place with the Premier League and dialogue is taking place in terms of Carlos Tevez's future beyond the end of the season. "He is a registered player with West Ham and nothing has changed since he played against Wigan on Saturday."

Parry politics? Doesn't sound like it from this Heighway quote: "It will be unbelievably difficult to go. I don't have to go but the time is right. I don't really have any plans for the future. Sometimes even boys need a new face. I have been around the staff here for 18 years now and maybe it is time they listened to someone else. It is up to the club to decide whether they would like me to stay in some capacity. We have new owners who may not want me around. But I have spent 29 years of my working life at Liverpool. If they have something of value they want me to do, that allows me the freedom to do some of the things I want to do, I would be more than happy to stick around." Can't imagine they won't find a role for him. Something 'ambassadorial' maybe.

Saw this from the Echo report: "Chief executive Rick Parry, who was watching with new co-owner George Gillett and his son Foster, also hailed the youngsters?s victory and said there may still be a role for Heighway at the club". Not surprised Foster was there but nice to see George was too - they are certainly dedicated our new owners. Also interesting that Heighway says the club were happy for him to stay on and he left of his own accord and clearly Parry would like him to stay with the club in some capacity.

Drogba was brilliant. Rafa should say to G&T - get me a player like that and I'll give you the league. Forget the diving - he was the only reason we lost tonight.

These guys learn fast though - made sure he had a dig at OT along the way.

If it had just been a loan deal, the Premiership would not have taken so long to approve the transfer.

Worth bearing in mind how little football the lad has played this season - just 5 starts and 2 subs for WHU (nothing after October), 4 starts now for us. He's still in pre-season compared to most players.

He's hardly played this season and that's only his fourth game for us and he looks a star already. A 'monster' indeed.

If Arsenal's players think 3rd/4th is guaranteed, they could be in for a big shock.

or this nonsense from Patrick collins in the Mail: "But Rafael Benitez is restless. More than that, he has American owners who regard his club as a "franchise". And, even more than that, Real Madrid are fluttering a seductive cheque book. So Benitez takes his decision and slaps on the Factor 40". It's just the usual rubbish, though I'm sure Real would love to get him.

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I thought Parry said they were reluctant to come till the takeover was official - they thought it would be presumptuous otherwise. But they can't miss the Barca game surely.

Has anyone been to see the stadium/Stanley park exhibit at the Vernon Sangster sports centre yet?

Part of the joy of winning is the pleasure of pissing off your enemies at the same time. Let's face it, the annoyance of Merson's original snide expression has been more than compensated for by him being made to look foolish afterwards. Likewise for these hacks, the more they disregard us, the more satisfying it is to do well and show them up. The Barca result pleased all us Reds, but upset even more of those who hate us. It's just as much fun to go on Bluekipper after a result like that as it is to visit YNWA or RAWK.

I take it everyone is ignoring Bolton who have even fewer games to play than either us or Arsenal. Everton got 4th two years go, Spurs only missed out on 4th last year on the last day - I certainly wouldn't take 3rd/4th for granted at the moment

The best managers in the world are those who sweat the details. You may scoff at an owner who worries whether the fans like the coffee but that's why american businesses are so successful - they care what the customers think (or the fans in our case).

Just read this in the Echo (full article: http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0500liv...al/tm_headline= %2D%2D8217%2Dit%2D%2D8217%2Ds-all-about-the-fans-and-anfield%2D%2D8217%2Ds-winning-tradition%2D%2D8216%2D%26method =full%26objectid=18588614%26siteid=50061-name_page.html) "?But then when you go to the game and you feel the passion and the tribal nature, which is as basic as anything I?ve ever felt, it?s great fun and it?s delightful to be associated with this extraordinary club. ?I won?t be a visible owner. You?ll see me in the stand yes, but probably not so much in the directors? box as out in front meeting people and thanking them for their support, visiting to see the quality of our food service and the length of time people have to wait in line ? to get some idea as we start to build the new facility of things we can develop. ?I?m not a person who goes and hides. I?m not particularly interested in being available to the media, I?m much more interested in a relationship with the fans, finding out what?s on their mind and supporting their dreams.? Co-owner Tom Hicks echoed his friend?s approach: ?I guess my first official game as co-owner will be March 6 against Barcelona. ?I will meet the fans, but I?ve never met anybody like George Gillett for that. I had him down for an NHL game in Dallas two weeks ago and I couldn?t stop him wandering around the stadium talking to fans. ?We went to see the match the other night between Arsenal and the Hotspurs, I thought to see the new stadium, but he kept wandering off and was talking to everybody, to fans, the waitresses, the box stewards, he was trying to see what was needed to make it better for the fans.? ?We love sports and we love passion. We love winning and I?ve never seen anything like the fans at a Liverpool match, away and at home. It?s just fabulous. ?The fans are so good and the club is so famous ?To have the privilege of having the number one club in the most popular sport in the world is really quite rare.

Can't see anyone falling out with Gillet - he really is very likeable - as Parry said, a bubbly character. Just saw another interview with him on BBCi - says he got Liverpool 'fever' after going to the Community shield game and was bowled over by the atmosphere. Said he and his son couldn't get tickets to the Liverpool end so had to go in the Chelsea end and as he put it 'pledge allegiance to Chelsea' before being let in, but when Liverpool scored he and his son stood up to cheer and nearly 'got the heck kicked out of them'! Great story (we've all been there at some time).

Going global, that's where. And hopefully, with us at the forefront.

Very impressed with the .tv interview and the press conference. Particularly liked Gillett's comments on the DIC deal; said DIC would have been great owners too and Moores made the right decision initially. But unlike DIC he didn't go off in a big sulk when Dubai was chosen (even when Rick wouldn't answer his phone calls!) but instead reflected on Rick's reasons for turning his offer down and when DIC dallied, got together with Tom Hicks to come up with a better deal. Very likeable character, Mr Gillett.

Considering how many foreign forwards have failed to adapt to the Premiership in recent years, I think Kuyt has been brilliant. I'm sure he'll get better too.

New ground - 250m, summer transfer budget - 100m, wiping the smile off that smug git's face - priceless. Great end to the weekend!

He always reminds me of Kevin Keegan - all hustle and bustle, non-stop effort, and the first goal yesterday was straight out of the Toshack/Keegan playbook. Like KK, he's not great at any particular thing but his wholehearted attitude makes up for any of the deficiencies.

I think the two defeats, though embarrassing to say the least, don't tell the whole story. We finished ahead of Arsenal in the league last year (and this fabled Arsenal team only qualified for the CL on the last day) and we are ahead of them now despite a dreadful start. They may have more depth but first 11 against first 11, we are still the better team and I expect us to finish ahead of them again this season.