Mourinho - Liverpool's year

[psl]

In the absence of Huyton Red...

 

MOURINHO WON`T WRITE OFF REDS

 

Jose Mourinho has backed Liverpool to be serious title challengers this season and believes "this could be their year."

 

The former Chelsea manager believes Rafael Benitez has assembled a team with strength in all the vital areas which could now push Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal further in the title race than they have in recent years.

 

Mourinho wrote in his column in the Daily Telegraph: "It is time for Liverpool to make their move in the Premier League.

 

"I honestly believe this could be Liverpool's year.

 

"Rafa Benitez arrived in England at the same time as I did and is beginning his fifth year at the club.

 

"It has been the same group of players and the same management structure for the past four years.

 

"Weaknesses are exposed in that time frame and dealt with.

 

"It is impossible to win the championship without a world-class goalkeeper and a world-class striker - and Liverpool have both.

"Last season, when the club bought Fernando Torres, the spine of the team was completed: Pepe Reina, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Torres."

Edited August 16, 2008 by psl

[MFletcher]

Can you provide a link to the original article?

[psl]

Sorry, thought I had. I got it from here anyway.

 

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8...3992721,00.html

 

Original article

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/...--Football.html

Edited August 16, 2008 by psl

[MFletcher]

Cheers mate.

[Cooger]

It could be.

 

We're not favourites, but we've got enough talent to challange, some of the best players in the league in Reina, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres. Four players that would not look out of place in any side in the league, infact they'd enhance them. With other very good players in Agger, Skrtel, Carragher, Arbeloa, Alonso, Babel etc you can see we have the depth and quality to challenge.

 

I think our supporters have been so used to having their high hopes burst over the last 18 years, they have become very cautious about talking about our chances.

 

You speak to Man U or Chelsea fans and they believe their team will win the league. You speak to Liverpool fans and they don't really think that we can. They will say we could win the league, but probably won't. I'm totally against this negative attitude as I think it feeds through out the club.

 

If we were playing any team in the Champions League our fans believe we'll win and usually we do. Our fans give the team great support, which you can see gives our team so much confidence and we perform. But in the league we have a different set of fans. Our fans moan and groan the first sign of trouble, the first poor touch or pass and you can see the confidence sap out of some of our players. I wish we could see the Champions League fans in the Premier League, as that's meant to be the priority... you have to wonder if it is, given our fans seem to get up for European games more. Sure it's not easy to get up for Hull at home, but if the league is the priority, then we should do as we'll know it can be three vital points in achieving our goal.

 

I think the biggest difference between our team and Man U and Chelsea is they believe they can win, their players and fans... we don't. Our team is just as good, not much difference in quality, just difference in belief.

 

Pako said the hardest thing was to change the mentality of the club, I agree and I don't think it has changed domestically yet. In Europe we believe, in the league we don't.

Edited August 16, 2008 by Cooger

[Gerrardrules]

Off the field soap is distracting again. There's no stability at the club. It will be very hard to compete in this kind of mess as we have seen last year.

[Cooger]

Off the field soap is distracting again. There's no stability at the club. It will be very hard to compete in this kind of mess as we have seen last year.

 

It did affect Benitez when it all kicked off with Klinsmann etc.

 

Much after a while I think Benitez decided to just concentrate on the team and on matters he can control. He can't control which players come and what the press can say. But he can control the football and the matter on the field. He hinted as much in the press conference yesterday. He did this towards the end of last season and we went on a very good run.

 

I think he hopes the new owners just keep quiet and Parry can pull off the Barry deal. But either way he'll just focis on matter he can control.