GWistooshort

Also articles about the hold-up in the contract talks in the Daily Post & the Daily Mail http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-22678039/ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...-transfers.html

David Maddock in the Mirror this morning says the exact opposite - most Premier League clubs do http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...15875-21037308/ Anyone know the answer?

Today's Liverpool-related transfer rumours........ Emile Heskey The Daily Mail says Heskey’s return to Anfield is “a done deal” as he has agreed to rejoin Liverpool at the end of the season when he will be a free agent. The Guardian claims Rafa “has earmarked Heskey for a return to Anfield on a free transfer in the summer”, but could make a bid for him “before the transfer window closes” if he is able to raise funds "by selling the likes of Jermaine Pennant". The Daily Telegraph quotes Wigan’s manager Steve Bruce as saying he thinks Heskey “will get over the January window & see what happens in the summer" & that it would “cost an absolute fortune” for anyone to sign Heskey this month. Bruce also warns that leaving Wigan could harm Heskey's England chances, saying he thinks Heskey “has to be playing every week” if he is going to England’s centre forward at the next World Cup. Meanwhile the Liverpool Daily Post says reports Heskey has signed a pre-contract agreement to move to Liverpool at the end of the season “are wide of the mark as such deals are prohibited between clubs in the same country", but that Rafa “remains an admirer of the Wigan striker, who becomes a free agent in the summer”. Daniel Agger According to the Liverpool Daily Post Agger’s agent has “reiterated the ball is in Liverpool’s court with regards the defender’s contract talks”. He said: “I don’t want to make any comment [about rumours of a bid for Agger from AC Milan]. The only thing that’s for sure today is that he is still a Liverpool player. His contract expires in the summer of 2010 & you have to speak with the club.”

Oliver Holt in the Mirror supporting Rafa's comments Why Rafa Benitez should be admired for standing up to Alex Ferguson By Oliver Holt 12/01/2009 Rafa Benitez looked pretty much the same as he leaned against a wall in a corridor after the game at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday night. Nice suit, blue shirt, small silver Liver Bird pinned to his buttonhole, neatly trimmed goatee, smile almost always on his lips. But he didn't sound the same. Something's happened to the guy. Not something bad, necessarily. But something's changed nonetheless. It's like he's auditioning for a re-run of that silly John Travolta movie, Face Off, where two guys swap face transplants. It was still Rafa's face talking in Stoke but it was Jose Mourinho's voice saying it was time Sir Alex Ferguson shut his big mouth. That's the real reason why what Benitez first said on Friday has caused such a stir: because it was so out of character. Most Benitez press conferences are platitudinous studies in polite obfuscation, careful exercises in not causing offence or making headlines. Then suddenly New Rafa turned up last Friday, insulting Ferguson as surely as if he had slapped him in the face with a glove. On Saturday, he kept up the attack. In fact, he warmed to his theme. He wanted to stop Ferguson talking about Liverpool, he said. "He has been talking too much for a long time," he said. He called Ferguson 'Mr Ferguson', by the way. Never 'Sir Alex'. Maybe he's not just not bothered about convention. Or maybe he thinks that might show too much respect. Anyway, it was all getting a bit Tony Soprano. Jovial on the outside but plenty of menace under the surface. We had to look down at his hands to check if he was wearing knuckledusters. In style and tone, it was similar to Mourinho's notorious attack on Arsene Wenger three years ago when the then Chelsea boss upbraided Arsenal's manager for much the same thing. "I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur," Mourinho said in 2005. "He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea." Okay, so Benitez's attack on Ferguson wasn't quite that personal but it wasn't far off. It certainly seemed to reveal a long-standing dislike of the man and a deep-seated suspicion of his working practices. Benitez is far from alone in harbouring those sentiments. Indeed, he claimed on Saturday that his staff at Anfield had been inundated with messages of support since his outburst. The crucial thing is what it all tells us about the Liverpool manager's state of mind and how he is dealing with the pressure of his leading the Premier League. Some have chosen to interpret his new line of attack as a sign that he is cracking up like Kevin Keegan did but Benitez is a harder man than Keegan could ever be. The opposite is more likely: Benitez has been filled with a new confidence this season. He believes Liverpool's time has come and that part of the title battle is playing Ferguson at his own game by putting pressure on the officials who referee United matches. When Keegan lost it in front of the Sky cameras, Newcastle were falling like a stone. He said what he said from a position of weakness. The situation with Benitez is different. Notwithstanding the draw at Stoke, the Liverpool boss is still speaking from a position of strength. His team is standing up to United and Benitez has decided it is time he did the same. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...15875-21035431/

Henry Winter in the Telegraph reckons the FA decided yesterday not to charge Rafa, but haven't seen it reported anywhere else yet Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benitez to receive soft treatment from FA The Football Association decided on Monday against taking any disciplinary action over Rafa Benitez for his explosive comments about Sir Alex Ferguson. By Henry Winter Last Updated: 7:15PM GMT 12 Jan 2009 The mess has been left to Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the League Managers Association, to sort out and he is to hold individual meetings with Benitez and Ferguson to find a solution to the feud. The FA had the option of charging Benitez with bringing the game into disrepute, or even simply asking the Liverpool manager for his views on his remarks about Ferguson. Benitez claimed during his Friday press conference that the Manchester United manager enjoyed preferential treatment from the FA and referees despite his hounding officials. On Saturday, following Liverpool's draw at Stoke City, Benitez again went on the offensive and suggested that United benefited from having their chief executive, David Gill, on the FA main board (ignoring the fact that Liverpool's Noel White was on the FA's International Committee for many years). Ferguson, talking after United's 3-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, responded that he felt Benitez was "disturbed". On Monday Soho Square decided they did not want to pour further fuel on the fire burning between Benitez and Ferguson. There are also no plans for officials of United and Liverpool to meet to clear the air. A precedent was set in 2004 in the wake of the Old Trafford Pizzagate affair when United and Arsenal players clashed in the tunnel and pizza was chucked at Ferguson. The then chairman of the FA, Geoff Thompson, and the Premier League's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, sat down with Gill and Arsenal's then vice-chairman David Dein to tackle the controversy. The FA became involved after Pizzagate because something was thrown whereas the Benitez-Ferguson issue was only verbal. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...nt-from-FA.html

Meagre pickings today I'm afraid........ Emile Heskey The Daily Mail claims that Heskey "has agreed a pre-contract to return to his old club Liverpool in the summer" as Rafa "is reluctant" to pay £4m for Heskey in the transfer window & has decided to wait until he is out of contract. According to the Mirror, Aston Villa have dropped their interest in Heskey because they fear he "is bound for Liverpool".

Latest comments from Rafa............... United row rumbles on as Rafa Benitez questions David Gill... Jan 12 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post United row rumbles on as Benitez questions Gill... RAFAEL BENITEZ has continued his attack on Manchester United by questioning the involvement of David Gill with the Football Association. United chief executive Gill is a member of the FA’s main board having been voted to join Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside as the Premier League’s club representatives in June 2006. Ironically, United had long been critical of the inclusion of Gill’s predecessor on the board, former Arsenal chief executive David Dein. And after seeing Liverpool held to a goalless draw at struggling Stoke City on Saturday, Anfield manager Benitez queried Gill’s prominence in the FA. “The situation now is because we are at the top of the table and United were saying Liverpool is not a threat,” said Benitez. “Now they know we are a threat, they have started playing mind games. “I don’t think it’s a “mind game” when you already have control over everything; it’s a mind game when you have the same level as the other people then you can show you are cleverer than the others. “But when you have control of everything and your chief executive in the FA and things like this, then that is not mind games. I will push, push and sometimes enough is enough.” Asked if there was a conflict of interests with Gill at the FA, Benitez said: “It’s another fact. It is a fact that one person that has a lot of power and control and is on a lot of committees is in the FA. That is very strange.” Benitez has claimed to have had plenty of support from other people inside football following Friday’s Press conference during which he began his attack on United and their manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “I am really calm,” he said. “I don’t have any problems. I just think it is important to say something when he keeps doing something that you know is not right. A lot of people think the same as me. I need to change my mobile phone because it is blocked with so many messages of support. “I am not surprised by the amount of support I have received. After 22 years of Mr Ferguson working I understand why.” But Benitez insists his attack on United was not aimed at unsettling the Old Trafford side. “No, I didn’t have a plan,” he said. “He (Ferguson) has a plan maybe. I will tell you in three months time if I’ve achieved what I wanted. I wanted to defend my club from someone that was talking all the time and that’s it. “Maybe he’ll keep talking about Liverpool. We will see what happens. “f he continues saying things about Liverpool then we will continue to look for more facts and maybe, after 22 years, we have a lot of facts. “I’m more than happy to defend my club. If he concentrates on football, we will concentrate on football.” Benitez dismissed the notion that Friday’s outburst had been a factor in Liverpool’s lifeless performance at the Britannia Stadium at the weekend. “It didn’t make any difference for the team,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you talk in a Press conference. We were at the top of the table, we wanted to win and it doesn’t matter if you have a Press conference. For the players it was the same situation. “The only thing was that Mr Ferguson was talking too much about Liverpool and for a long time so I think it was the right moment to say enough is enough and a lot of people think the facts I put on the table were right.” The FA will review Benitez’s attack on Ferguson before deciding whether to take any action against him, a brief statement saying the comments will be analysed “in their full context” in the coming week. But the Liverpool manager is unrepentant, and said: “I do not have to justify anything. I was looking for some facts that everyone knows but no-one wants to say. “I have a lot of respect for him because he is a great manager but he was talking too much about Liverpool so he has to stop.” Benitez will undergo a third operation this week on his kidney stone complaint. “I’m worried about my health so I just talk to Sammy (Lee) and (Mauricio) Pellegrino about the training sessions and then I have to go home and relax by watching the telly,” he said. “But I didn’t speak to anyone at the club about it. I wasn’t expecting Mr Ferguson to talk about us so much. It is a situation that he has created.” Meanwhile, Jamie Carragher has backed Benitez for his attack on United. He said: “It was very entertaining and very funny. Everything that he said were facts, weren’t they?” http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-22670893/

Today's Liverpool-related transfer rumours/speculation (mainly from a handy round-up on the Times website)............ "Glen Johnson, the England full-back, may have signed a four-year contract with Portsmouth this week but a £10m minimum-release clause could still see him leave for Liverpool in the summer". "Wigan Athletic’s England forward Emile Heskey is set to rejoin Liverpool in the summer, rather than this month". (Sunday Mirror & Sunday People) "Sevilla are the latest Spanish side to show an interest in Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, says the News of the World. He has already turned down an approach from Real Madrid, who offered £3m for him." http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle5488894.ece Also from the News of the World Daniel Agger does not want to discuss signing a new contract "until the end of the season". Agger, who "has been unsettled...since returning from injury" wants to "keep his options open until the summer". Yossi Benayoun, who has been a target for Ajax & Roma, will also not be allowed to leave as Rafa "can’t be sure any funds [raised] will be ploughed back into his squad".

The official site has the whole of Rafa's press conference to watch for FREE online at http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/media/prematchpr...c_a_pl_high.asx

Liverpool Daily Post's rumour mill............. Rafa Benitez looks set to strengthen his defensive options by swooping for highly-rated Brazilian centre-back Anderson. Rumour rating: 2/5. Benitez is happy with his defence and wants to keep Agger and Hyypia. Portsmouth's Glen Johnson is expected to sign a new contract on Friday after a proposed move to Liverpool fell through. Rumour rating: 0 - Johnson has signed his contract but a move to Liverpool was never on. Emile Heskey wants to go back to Liverpool - and Rafa Benitez is trying to sign him in a bargain-basement move this month. Rumour rating: 3. If the price is right a move for Heskey could emerge in late January. Spanish top flight side Malaga are willing to secure a loan deal for Liverpool midfielder Nabil El Zhar. Rumour rating: 3. El Zhar has struggled to break into Liverpool's side and a loan spell could benefit him. Rafa Benitez has made an official enquiry for Brazilian right midfielder Renato Augusto. Rumour rating: 1. No approach has been made for the player, who is overpriced anyway. http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-22661389/

The Liverpool Daily Post's take on it........... Liverpool FC: Benitez states ‘facts’ to put the focus on Ferguson’s furies Jan 10 2009 by Ian Doyle THERE are few managers more punctual than Rafael Benitez. So when the Spaniard was more than 15 minutes late for his pre-match media conference yesterday, eyebrows were raised among the gathered throng inside the Melwood Press room. No-one, though, had an inkling of what was to come as the Liverpool manager launched into an astonishing outburst against Manchester United counterpart Sir Alex Ferguson. The last time Benitez was similarly late for a Press briefing, he was preparing his infamous “concentrating on coaching and training his team” statement that came close to costing him his job. This time, however, it is Liverpool’s title challenge that could well be under threat. Only time will tell whether Benitez’s comments will further galvanise his team or simply add oil to a United that has flickered intermittently this season in the Premier League. But there is no denying that, come the end of the campaign, yesterday’s extraordinary events will be seen as a defining moment in the race for the championship. Unfolding a sheet of paper before him, the Liverpool manager methodically went through each of his points, highlighting the hypocrisy of Ferguson’s moans about the fixture list, United’s continual harassing of match officials at Old Trafford and the manner in which the Scot has become a law until himself. Certainly, there will be plenty of supporters across the country who, fed up with the oft-perceived preferential treatment enjoyed by United, will have been nodding vigorously in agreement. Benitez insisted he was not interested in mind games, but how could yesterday’s events be anything but? At least the Spaniard was attacking from a position of strength, with his team three points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League table as they head to struggling Stoke City this evening. Ferguson has long been the master of the mind game, famously ‘breaking’ Kevin Keegan in 1996 who responded with his “I would love it if we beat them, just love it” rant as the title slipped through Newcastle United’s grasp. The difference yesterday, though, was while Keegan’s tirade came from the heart, the response from Benitez was typical of the Spaniard; calculated, composed, analytical. The tipping point had been the complaints earlier this week from Ferguson that intimated Liverpool may choke over the second half of the season.

Today's Liverpool-related transfer rumours........ Emile Heskey The Daily Mail claims that Heskey is “certain” to rejoin Liverpool “in the summer”, but Wigan will “resist” bids for Heskey during the January transfer window even if their new signing striker Hugo Rodallega gets a work permit, although the article claims a £4m offer would be accepted. Aston Villa's interest in Heskey “has cooled…because Anfield is his preferred destination”. Wigan manager Steve Bruce is quoted in the Guardian as saying the arrival of Rodallega “doesn't pave the way for anyone to go" & that Wigan haven’t received any offers for any of their players so far. Jermaine Pennant The Daily Mail says that Real Madrid’s bid of around £3.5m for Pennant “could be revived” after the Spanish club were priced out of a move for Wigan’s Antonio Valencia, who has been rated at £20m by his club. Joe Cole The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea are “determined to hang on” to Joe Cole, who has been linked to Liverpool in previous reports. Cole “is thought be concerned about his long-term future” after talks about an extension to his current contract, which expires in 18 months, have been “put on hold”, & is also “understood to have grown frustrated at being constantly replaced by Scolari this season”. The article says Spurs are interested in Cole.

Oliver Kay in the Times reckons the hold up over Rafa's new contract is because "his requests for greater control over transfer policy yet to be approved by Hicks & Gillett" http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle5485444.ece

The whole article is worth posting............... It's too early for Fergie's mind games! Benitez dodges United boss' trap By JOHN EDWARDS Sir Alex Ferguson may well have allowed himself a quiet chuckle on Friday night at the sight of another title rival rising to the bait and snarling with pent-up anger and indignation into the nearest television camera. Both seemingly in control of their own destiny but suddenly and, perhaps, fatally undermined after falling into the sort of trap reserved for any authentic threat to Manchester United’s standing at the top of English football. Ferguson would surely have been musing along those lines as he listened to the Liverpool manager’s voice cracking with the same emotion as during Keegan’s ‘I’d love it’ outburst at the tail end of Newcastle’s flawed title bid in 1996. No one could blame him, either, after the way cameras closed in on Benitez’s flushed complexion and relayed a Keegan-esque rant in response to the carefully-planted claim that nerves would betray Anfield’s title push in the second half of the season. There is not much that escapes Ferguson’s attention, but he may not be familiar with the routine at Benitez’s weekly press conferences. An insight into how Friday’s unfolded may just wipe the smile off his face and force him to conclude that he has more work to do to win the battle of wits with his Liverpool counterpart. His television tirade out of the way, Benitez retired to a side room to answer questions for radio before returning to his desk to deal with the written press. As he sat down to face around half-a-dozen of us, a smile spread across his face as he said: ‘Right, not much I can add to that, is there?’ First impressions may have suggested a typical Fergie ploy had snared another unsuspecting victim, but Benitez’s demeanour as he fielded questions and explained his motives argued to the contrary. We should have known. While emotion seems to influence Keegan’s every act, they don’t come much more hard-nosed than the former Valencia boss, who withstood the pressures of competing with Real Madrid and Barcelona to steer his unfancied side to two Primera Liga titles prior to arriving at Anfield. It may have sounded a temporary but revealing loss of control when he poured out so much venom over Fergie’s antics this season but, as ever with Benitez, appearances can be deceptive. Point made, he was soon back to his apparently easy-going self as he laughed off suggestions he had played into his arch-rival’s hands and indicated that the past master of psychological warfare may have to redouble his efforts in the coming months. Adamant that he was merely standing up to one of his main title rivals, rather than being dragged into an ill-advised verbal sparring session, Benitez insisted he was able to read between the lines as he said: ‘It is not a case of his latest comment about us being one too many. 'He talked about us when we won at Chelsea, saying we had done United a favour, and he has been talking about us ever since. ‘It is clear they are nervous about us. They didn’t expect us to be top of the table in January but we are, and they don’t like it. 'But it is a mistake to think I have fallen into any trap. I have said I will not get involved in any mind games at this early stage and I am sticking to that. 'I am just talking about things that everyone can see. Things that need pointing out. 'Facts.‘ 'People may wonder why I have responded to what he said, but I am not worried about that. 'He is a great manager with a lot of experience. He has a fantastic team at a big club but he is taking advantage of that. ‘I wouldn’t say Ferguson’s remarks have made me more determined to win the League. I had a lot of determination anyway.’ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...-boss-trap.html

The Times January 10, 2009 TV searches for slumdog striker to be soccer prince Rhys Blakely in Mumbai The premise is straightforward: in a country of about 1.1 billion people, there must be at least one who can play a bit, right? This year a new reality television series begins scouting for footballing talent in India, a land that the show’s organisers believe represents the beautiful game’s “last great frontier”. The winners of the Soccer Prince competition will be offered apprenticeships with English teams likely to include Liverpool, the current leaders of the Barclays Premier League. The venture is based on a similar programme aired in China last year, which attracted more than 30,000 14 to 19-year-old contestants, the final episode of which was watched by 130 million viewers. Three Chinese players were selected and offered year-long contracts with English Premier League clubs – Everton, Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest. Liverpool are understood to be in talks with the show’s creators, Kickworldwide, to offer an Indian player a similar opportunity. Kickworldwide says it hopes that the competition will kick-start a passion for football in India, a nation besotted with cricket, by encouraging not only players but also coaches, referees and groundsmen. “The ultimate dream must be that India reaches the 2018 World Cup,” Mary Gopsill, the company’s chief executive, said. “You can’t just plunge into a market like this to make a quick buck. You will fail if you don’t invest for the long term.” Football’s bean counters have long eyed India and its vast population, half of which is under 25. Most of the country may be grindingly poor, but it hosts the fastest-growing pool of dollar millionaires on the planet (about 125,000 and counting), many of whom revel in conspicuous consumption. The game already has a useful foothold: more than 60 million Indian viewers tuned in to the Premier League through satellite and cable television last season and 20 million people are estimated to play regularly. Yesterday, the back page of the Hindustan Times, one of the most widely read newspapers, led with the news of Manchester United’s shock defeat to Derby County and a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo’s wrecked Ferrari. Indeed, some supporters question whether interest in cricket really does supersede football in India. They point out that when the Indian national team played Japan at football in Calcutta last year 120,000 spectators turned up – three times as many as for a Test match in the same city against South Africa. In 1950 the Indian football team qualified for the World Cup by default, because all of its opponents pulled out. But the organisers ruled that all players had to wear football boots. Several of the Indian team, who played barefoot, refused – and the team withdrew. It has not come close since. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol...icle5484934.ece

A few transfer snippets from Rafa's press conference this afternoon................. According to the Liverpool Daily Post, Rafa "dismissed talk that he had been trying to bring Portsmouth’s England defender Glen Johnson to the club". The paper also had the following quote from Rafa “I have had a conversation with Jermaine [Pennant]. He is waiting for a good offer and we are waiting for a good offer. A new contract for him would be very difficult.” http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverp...64375-22658439/ While the official site has the following re Heskey: Journo: "Is there any truth in the talk about Emile Heskey?" Rafa: "We are not talking about any player." http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090109-1542.htm

Official site has transcript with Rafa's 'statement' plus some questions & answers before & after it http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...090109-1542.htm

Rafa's statement in full............... "I was surprised by what has been said, but maybe they (Manchester United) are nervous because we are at the top of the table. "But I want to talk about facts. I want to be clear, I do not want to play mind games too early, although they seem to want to start. "But I have seen some facts. On November 1, they played Hull and Mr Ferguson had a two-match touchline ban and a £10,000 fine after confronting Mike Dean, the referee, for improper conduct. "We started the Respect campaign, and that was when (Javier) Mascherano was sent off (last season) at Old Trafford. "The referee (Steve Bennett) was the referee when they played against Wigan - he could not see the handball against Wigan by Rio Ferdinand, he did not give a penalty. They won the game and they won the title in this game. "I think it will be the same referee who will be in charge of their game in hand this season (against Wigan). "During the Respect campaign - and this is a fact - Mr Ferguson was charged by the FA for improper conduct after comments made about Martin Atkinson and Keith Hackett. "He was not punished. He is the only manager in the league that cannot be punished for these things. "Then he was talking about the fixtures. Two years ago we were playing a lot of early kick-offs away on Saturdays when United were playing on Sundays. And we didn't say anything. "Now he is complaining about everything, that everybody is against United. But the second half of the season will see them playing at home against all the teams at the top of the table, it is a fantastic advantage. "But at Christmas, United played on the 29th and the rest of the teams played on the 28th. We were away against Newcastle two days after playing Bolton. They were playing about 40 hours later, they were not complaining then. "And about his behaviour with referees. The Southampton manager he knows how Mr Ferguson works and how he works, he was very clear. I am not playing mind games, just facts. "If he wants to talk about fixtures, and have a level playing field as you say in England. There are two options if we don't want more problems with fixtures. "One is the same as in Spain, the draw for the first part of the league is known, everyone knows which weekend. In the second-half everyone plays the opposite, so you all know. "Sky and Setanta have the right to choose their games and it will be the same for everyone. So Mr Ferguson will not be complaining about fixtures and a campaign against United. "Or there is another option. That Mr Ferguson organises the fixtures in his office and sends it to us and everyone will know and cannot complain. That is simple. "We know what happens every time we go to Old Trafford and the United staff. They are always going man to man with the referees, especially at half-time when they walk close to the referees and they are talking and talking. "All managers need to know is that only Mr Ferguson can talk about the fixtures, can talk about referees and nothing happens. "We need to know that I am taking about facts, not my impression. There are things that everyone can see every single week. "Are they under pressure? Maybe they were not thinking that we would be at the top of the table in January. But we are at the top of the table and they are nervous. "I am not telling the authorities what to do. But I have been here for five years and know how things are going on. I will be watching United's game with Chelsea. "The result does not matter to us, if we win at Stoke that result does not matter. "I was surprised United wanted to start the mind games too early, maybe it is because we are top of the table. But I only wanted to explain our position. "It is a massive difference to play early on a Saturday, say, after a European match in midweek. "But they will play the second half of the season with home matches against the other top teams, and that is a massive advantage to them. "They cannot complain about the fixtures after they were playing on 29 December while the rest played on the 28th. "I have decided that I had a lot of information and I have been watching every single week what has been going on. Then they started talking about us, but every single week we know they will be talking. "But we want to stay at the top and maybe they will talk about us right to the end. "To hear someone talking when he has problems with referees every single week, and now complaining about the fixtures and complaining about everything, I think that is not fair. "You can see every single week how they put (referees) under pressure, we know this. We have seen it before. We have seen players sent off at Old Trafford and we do not see our opponents sent off. "It is part of the game. But to complain and to always have an advantage is not fair. "We had a meeting in Manchester with managers and FA about the Respect campaign. And I was very clear, forget the campaign because Mr Ferguson was killing the referees, killing Mr Atkinson, killing Mr Hackett. "But he is not punished. How can you talk about the respect campaign and criticise the referee every single week? "You can analyse the facts and come to your own decision and ideas. "There is still no news about my contract, my agent has not received any documents so he is a little bit disappointed. But we will see. "I would rather not talk too much about this, though, when we have an important game ahead." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ool/7820798.stm

Daniele Padelli

“When he came to Liverpool he said he would be working only on the defending side of things. Everyone was thinking ‘what is he talking about?’ “He said in the next year he would work on the midfield and in the year after it would be the strikers. In four years’ time we would be ready.” So says Salif Diao (nice to see him praising Rafa in the article despite the fact he hardly got a look in under him) http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-f...00252-22655538/

Not if he had been developed by an overseas team - it's irrespective of nationality

Excellent suggestion

You're right, we could

That doesn't happen under these regulations Sign Heskey & swap him for N'Gog Swap Sami for Martin Kelly/Steven Irwin Keep Pennant

UEFA's regulations require 8 players to be “locally trained”, of which 4 can be "association trained" & 4 can be “club-trained”. To qualify as “association trained” a player has to have been registered with a club or with other clubs affiliated to the same national association as that of his current club for a period of 3 entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 & 21. To qualify as “club-trained” a player has to have been registered with his current club for a period of 3 entire seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 & 21. Our squad for the group stages had the following 8 "locally trained" players: Jamie Carragher Stephen Darby Steven Gerrard Robbie Keane Martin Kelly Steven Irwin Jermaine Pennant Jay Spearing See the full squad at http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/club=78...on=1/index.html I guess Sami could possibly come in for Skrtel, depening on how his comeback from his injury goes? Otherwise, if we keep Pennant & bought Heskey in the window, he could replace N'Gog in the squad, allowing Sami to replace one of the youngsters, probably Kelly.