GWistooshort

It might have been - I've never been much good at spotting them

Nothing further since Rafa said he was doing well & was involved in the training session last Saturday http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs...091107-1423.htm

Correct

Tony Barratt said recently that Rafa had to pull the plug on the sale of Voronin (& Dossena) in the summer because he couldn't get an assurance that he would be allowed to re-invest the transfer fees in the squad Didn't say who to or for how much, tho

Tony Barratt said recently that Rafa had to pull the plug on the sales of Dossena & Voronin in the summer because he couldn't get an assurance that he would be allowed to re-invest the transfer fees in the squad

VORONIN EYES MORE ANFIELD ACTION James Carroll 12 November 2009 Andriy Voronin has spoken of his determination to play a part in helping Liverpool get their season back on track. After returning from a profitable loan spell with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin in the summer, the Ukraine striker has yet to find the back of the net in eight appearances for the Reds this term. However, Voronin admits he holds a strong desire to prove his worth at Anfield, and is eager to give fans something to cheer about in the coming weeks. "Last season was good for me because I wanted to play more matches," the 30-year-old told Liverpoolfc.tv. "I went to Hertha Berlin, played a lot of games and scored goals. I was happy there. "But I always wanted to come back to Liverpool because they are a massive club. "It is very important for me to be here. I've spoken with Rafa and I want to take my chance, work hard and play for Liverpool." He added: "I hope in the next game I play, I can give the Liverpool supporters more." Voronin watched from the stands as Liverpool were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw by Birmingham City at Anfield on Monday evening. The result means the Reds have won only once in their last nine matches in all competitions - a statistic the No.10 acknowledges to be disappointing. But Voronin insists there is a steely resolve amongst the squad to reignite their campaign and cites last month's victory over Manchester United as proof of what Liverpool are capable of. "The season hasn't started well for us," he said. "We have dropped a lot of points, but the season is long. "We can play better, everybody knows that. We played really well against Manchester United last month and showed a lot of good determination. "There is a strong desire amongst the players to turn things around. We want to try and win every game and we will do our best both in training and matches." Liverpool are currently in the midst of a two-week hiatus from action due to the international schedule. Though with several first-team players sustaining injuries in recent weeks, Voronin is hoping the recess will allow the squad time to recover ahead of the Reds' next outing against Manchester City on November 21. He said: "The break could have come at a good time for us because we have a lot of injured players who cannot play. "I think it is a good time for us to take a break and prepare for the next game." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...091112-0803.htm

You wouldn't want to upgrade Voronin first?

Agger has withdrawn from the Danish squad & the BBC have re-written their Torres story which now says the treatment is being undertaken to avoid surgery

No worries - just pointing it out in case anyone else hadn't noticed According to the Mirror article earlier in this thread the club has 2 options: no games for 3 weeks or surgery which could put him out for 1-3 months. Although there is apparently no guarantee that the first option will definitely work the club have obviously assessed the info in front of them & decided that it is the best course of action. In Doc Waller we trust!

That BBC story's slightly misleading because it makes it sound like we've just put off Torres' op until later whereas from the way Rafa was talking about it in his post-match press conference & what has been written about Torres' visit to the specialist in Spain last week we are giving him some treatment which if successful will avoid the need for an op altogether.

The official site have made 8 mins of Rafa's post-match press conference available for free Link

Click on the links below for highlights & post-match interviews............... Highlights (Virgin) [4:37] UK ONLY If outside the UK you could try the highlights from the Times in case they work. Rafa (BBC) [2:32] AUDIO Birmingham manager Alex McLeish (BBC) [2:45] AUDIO

A classic Vogwatch moment from the Birmingham game last night The commentator said "Voronin has disappeared without trace from the Liverpool squad." Paused. And then added "Probably three matches too late". Even the commentators hate him!

Benitez revealed Fernando Torres didn't feel fit enough to play and so was left out of the squad. "Torres had no confidence and said he couldn't play, so we started the treatment yesterday," said the boss. "He has to work with the physios and try to improve and be ready. We are not talking about an operation at this moment, we're talking about treating him properly. "I don't know if he will be ready for Man City (in two weeks). The only thing I can say is we're talking about two or three weeks working with the physios. "We haven't got a deadline, we just need to see how he is every day." There was better news to report on the returning Steven Gerrard, who was introduced just before the break to replace Riera. "I think he will be okay," said Benitez. "We have to check. There's small things but I think he'll be okay." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...091109-2320.htm

The News of the World yesterday had a similar story http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/live...MASCHERANO.html

Thanks for sticking up for me DH - I thought it was out of order too I bet he didn't even bother to check my opta stats first!

Rafa also said the following according to Sky............... "The finances are being questioned. But I am assured that we did not budget for a last 16 place this season, only to reach the group stages. "The problem will come next season if we cannot arrest this situation. But the commercial department is earning us more money and the position of the club is very healthy. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_5684246,00.html

The Daily Mirror this morning says we'll have to either qualify for the CL knock out rounds or bring in new investment if we're going to have anything to spend in Jan "Benitez will be told there is no money available for new signings – unless he can produce a miraculous Champions League recovery to guide Liverpool into the knock-out stages of Europe’s top club competition. But he believes that Premier League salvation is still achievable without January recruits if he can keep his squad injury-free. Benitez said: “If I have no money in the New Year it will not be a problem. Benitez has already held talks with managing director Christian Purslow about the consequences of an early Champions League exit. Circumstances will change if Purslow can bring in investors to work alongside owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. And Benitez admitted that five Premier League defeats and a losses to Lyon and Fiorentina have instigated the most stressful period of his five-year reign – even though Purslow has given him assurances that his job is safe this season. Benitez added: “At Liverpool, this has been my most stressful time, but you have to carry on with your job. “I have been working with Christian Purslow and I know the situation. Together we will work to find what is best for the club and best for the team. “Not staying in the Champions League will not be a big problem financially because the budget was set only for the group stages. Anything after that would have been a bonus. “Of course there will be problems if we are not in the Champions League next year – but I believe we will be." http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liver...icle214391.html

Spain's coach Vicente del Bosque has confirmed that Torres has been left out of the squad according to the Daily Mail "We spoke to him (Torres), we spoke to Rafa Benitez and we came to the conclusion it's better not to force him. We don't want to push him, we want him to recover." http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...friendlies.html

The Sunday Times 8 November 2009 Liverpool plan £250m field of dreams Jonathan Northcroft LIVERPOOL will brush off the controversy over England’s top clubs selling naming rights to their stadiums and chase the most expensive naming rights deal in the history of sport. Despite the recession, the Merseyside club’s hierarchy are convinced they can raise a mammoth £250m by persuading a leading global firm to buy the rights to name Liverpool’s proposed ground. Liverpool’s owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have been buoyed by their record £20m-per-season shirt sponsorship agreement signed recently with Standard Chartered, taking it as proof of the world-wide appeal of the club and the Premier League. These factors have persuaded Hicks and Gillett to revisit stadium-building plans, shelved due to Liverpool’s debts. The two Americans now believe they can underwrite more than 50% of the cost of building a new ground on a site earmarked on Stanley Park through a world-record naming rights sale. The benchmark they have set Liverpool’s commercial team is the deal signed between the New York Mets baseball franchise and Citigroup. The American financial services giant paid $20m (£12m) a year over 20 years to have a new stadium, Citi Field, opened by the Mets early in 2009. Liverpool believe they can outstrip that. “Naming rights are a global market,” said Hicks. “We likely will partner with someone wanting global branding, unlike the US stadiums, which only worry about TV appeal in the States, similar to why Standard Chartered chose to partner with us on our shirts.” Despite debts approaching £300m and Liverpool’s onfield worries, Hicks remains bullish about the outlook for his club. He said Rafael Benitez would not be forced to sell star players even if Liverpool fail to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Hicks and Gillett are seeking new investors, in the hope of raising money to reduce the club’s debt by diluting their shareholding, and spoke of “significant interest”. They are undeterred by protests by Newcastle fans in response to their club’s stadium being renamed sportsdirect.com@St James’ Park Stadium and criticism of Chelsea, who last week announced they were looking to sell off naming rights to Stamford Bridge in the hope of raising £150m. Liverpool believe their situation is different, because they are building a new stadium rather than renaming an existing one. They regard as a precedent Arsenal, who signed a £100m 15-year deal with Emirates, which also included shirt sponsorship, when they moved from Highbury in 2006. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle6907973.ece

Sunday Mirror 8/11/09 We will not sell any of our star players, vows Liverpool owner Tom Hicks By Simon Mullock Liverpool owner Tom Hicks last night promised the club’s top players will not be sold. The Merseysiders are on the verge of a Champions League exit, while five defeats in the Premier League have raised doubts about a top-four finish – which could have serious repercussions on Liverpool’s finances. But Hicks insists Liverpool will not cash in on Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres (above) and Javier Mascherano. Hicks said: “None of our star players will be sold, regardless of results. “The club is doing very well due to rapidly growing commercial revenues. “We have significant investor interest and want to make sure that we pick high-quality partners. We are happy with the way things are going financially, but we hoped things would be better on the pitch.” Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has been tasked with finding investors willing to work alongside Hicks and Gillett. There is a belief inside the Anfield hierarchy that a £100m investment could be forthcoming before the New Year to go with the £80m record shirt sponsorship deal that Purslow sealed in September. Gillett was a guest of Hicks when the Texan’s National Hockey League team, Dallas Stars, played Calgary Flames last week – three years after the pair had their £218.9m takeover offer for Liverpool accepted. Liverpool’s proposed new stadium at Stanley Park was on the agenda. And Hicks revealed that Liverpool believe a world-record stadium naming rights deal will help them raise the £250m required. Hicks said: “Naming rights are a global market. The naming rights for the new stadium will be the most attractive in the world due to television coverage and the millions of Liverpool supporters around the world. “We will likely partner with someone wanting global branding, unlike USA stadiums, which only worry about television appeal in the States.” Current sponsors Carlsberg have declared an interest – but they will have to be prepared to eclipse the world-record £240m that Citigroup Inc are paying New York Mets over the next 20 years for the naming rights on the baseball club’s new stadium. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/We-wi...icle214907.html

Bascombe in the NOTW yesterday said the ref had confirmed the red was for Carra pulling Zamora back & that an appeal ran the risk of the suspension being doubled http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/foot...HER-APPEAL.html

Click on the links below for clips of Rafa's pre-match press conference...................... Part 1 (Echo) [4:18] Part 2 (Echo) [2:29]

Some more detail on Torres' injury which I haven't seen anywhere else......... Daily Mirror 7/11/09 Liverpool blow as Fernando Torres could be out for three months By David Maddock Liverpool have been dealt another devastating blow, after Fernando Torres was ordered to take a complete break for at least three weeks. And now the Anfield club must decide whether to address the striker’s frustrating, continuing injury problems by cutting their losses and sending him for surgery - which would rule him out for at least a month and possibly three. Torres flew to Valencia on Thursday to consult with the top sports injury specialist in Spain, Dr Ramon Cugat, who has advised him on recent problems he has suffered with hamstring injuries. And after consulting scans, Cugat has confirmed the diagnosis that Torres is suffering from a condition called athletic pubalgia, which is sometimes referred to as a 'sportsman’s hernia', but is in fact not a hernia at all. It is a painful condition where the pubic bone becomes inflamed, because of the weakening of the muscles in the lower abdominal wall, which can also cause a tear in the area where the muscle meets the bone of the pelvis. Cugat has recommended the player must follow a conservative treatment plan which involves complete rest from training, backed by complementary work which would help strengthen the abdominal area. If the Anfield medical staff decide he will take the break immediately, then Torres will miss Monday night’s Premier League clash against Birmingham, and then Spain’s two upcoming friendly matches against Argentina and Austria. He would also most likely miss the two matches following the international break, which are against Manchester City on November 21, and Debreceni in the Champions League three days later, leaving him to battle to be fit for the Merseyside derby with Everton on November 29. But there is NO guarantee the rest cure will actually work, and if it doesn’t then Torres will be forced to undergo surgery, which leaves the Liverpool medical team with a real dilemma. Conventional surgery requires an invasive operation which would result in a three-month recuperation period, devastating the striker’s season. But hi-tech laparoscopic surgery can sometimes be used in this procedure, which seriously reduces the recovery time. If the damage in the pubic region is not too serious, then Torres could even be back in light, aerobic training after just a fortnight, and able to perform a full contact session after just a month. Given that he may well be out for almost a month just resting, Liverpool’s medical staff will now give serious thought to the idea that they may as well go immediately to the option of surgery, to avoid the risk of the rest cure being unsuccessful. Torres though, does not want an operation, and was hoping to continue playing until the diagnosis from Dr Cugat, who he trusts implicitly, suggested that he must stop completely. He was due to captain Spain in their game against Argentina next week, which will be played at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, the home of his former club Atletico Madrid, and the place he considers home, so it is a huge blow for him to miss out. There is still an outside chance he could play against Birmingham on Monday and then take the break he requires, but Liverpool will consider that such a plan could risk further damage, and it is more likely his rehabilitation programme will begin immediately. Experts suggest that the conservative treatment plan, avoiding surgery, is often successful, and if that does work, then it will provide the swiftest opportunity for Torres to play again. But the fear around Anfield is that they could lose their striker - under the worst case scenario - until well into the new year. The news comes as a bitter blow, not just to the struggling Anfield club, but to Torres himself, because the forward was desperate to play through the pain barrier, to help both club and country. He suffered the injury, originally, on international duty with Spain a month ago, and was out for a fortnight before returning to score the crucial goal to provide a massive victory over Manchester United, despite being only 80 per cent fit. Liverpool believed that with the correct training programme they could reduce the impact of the injury and steer the player towards fitness, but the diagnosis in Spain means the only decision they now face is when treatment begins, and whether that will include surgery. With Steven Gerrard also still unsure whether he will require surgery on the groin problem he has been carrying for the past month, it is a grim time for the Merseyside club, but at least the Anfield skipper has done some light training in the past few days, and could still be cleared to play against Birmingham. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liver...icle213513.html

Daily Telegraph 06 Nov 2009 Liverpool face £10 million deficit from potential Champions League exit By Rory Smith Failure to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League would leave Liverpool needing to win the Europa League to wipe out the shortfall in their budget. It would also hand Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal the chance to earn a record revenue from Europe’s premier competition. Liverpool co-owner George Gillett admitted in a leaked conversation with a member of the fans’ union Spirit of Shankly, heard by Telegraph Sport, that the club’s budgets were predicated on the “conservative success” of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League each season. Lisandro Lopez’s injury-time equaliser in Lyon on Wednesday, though, has raised the spectre of the club failing to match that ambition for the first time since Rafael Benítez took charge in 2004. Liverpool will be condemned to the far less lucrative Europa League should Lyon lose to Fiorentina in Florence on Nov 24. As well as the on-pitch disappointment, that failure would cost Liverpool £4.7 million in prize money and could cost them a further £5 million, depending on how far Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal – all now qualified for the knockout rounds – progress. Last season, Liverpool earned £23.2 million from the Champions League, excluding ticket sales, including £8.4 million from the group stage and £4.9 million for their progression to the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Chelsea. They also received £10 million from their share of England’s market pool, a pot of money shared between competing clubs from the same nation and drawn from the sale of television rights and sponsorship. The amount due to each club varies according to the value of their country’s TV market and the number of games they and their rivals play in the competition. Should Lyon lose in Florence, though, Liverpool will have earned just £6.4 million from entering the group stage and a further £2.5 million in win and draw bonuses, depending on the results of their last two games. The amount they receive from the market pool is likely to be about £8 million, though should two English sides reach the final and a third be eliminated at the semi-final stage, the eventual amount in the Anfield coffers could be as little as £5 million, with Arsenal, Chelsea and United all earning more as a result. In short, Liverpool could earn around £10 million less this season than last for their Champions League campaign, while any one of their domestic foes may top the £39 million total made by United, runners-up last season. That shortfall, at a club where £20 million is needed every year to service the interest on the £290 million debt accrued by Gillett and his partner, Tom Hicks, on loans taken out with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia to finance their takeover of the club, would impact on Benítez’s spending in January. Some of the loss could be offset, though, by a successful run in the Europa League. Winning it in its new, more lucrative format, could land Liverpool £3.5 million in prize money and another £5 million from the market pool. The financial ramifications of failing to reach the last 16 of the Champions League would also be eased by the fact Liverpool would be able to sell the TV rights to the big broadcasters in this country for the Europa League, where they could expect up to £1 million per tie. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...eague-exit.html