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FRIDAY 3 |
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Reds' fate rests with group of 14
Fourteen men hold Liverpool FC's Champions League fate in
their hands.
They form Uefa's executive committee, which will decide in
two weeks' time whether to let the Reds take part in next
season's competition.
Today the ECHO's Let It Be campaign calls on the committee
to allow Liverpool to defend their trophy.
Committee members have one vote each at the crunch meeting
in Manchester on
June 17.
Of the 14 members, five - including Uefa president Lennart
Johansson - are thought to favour granting the Anfield club
a spot.
Three others are believed to be against, while six more
appear to be undecided.
(Liverpool Echo)
Blues back Reds bid despite a £5m loss
Everton are still backing Liverpool's bid to defend their
Champions League trophy next season - even though it could
cost them £5m if their neighbours join them in the lucrative
group stages.
The third qualifying round is the gateway to a multi-million
pound windfall, although UEFA chief-executive Lars-Christer
Olsson has warned the English clubs' carve-up could be
reduced by as much as £5m each if they allow Liverpool to
defend the trophy.
"If Liverpool take part, then the income of the other
English clubs in the competition will be reduced and the
figure will run into millions," he said yesterday.
(Liverpool Echo)
Reina aims to oust Dudek
Spanish goalkeeper Jose Reina intends to be Liverpool's
number one if he joins the Anfield club.
Reina is not losing any sleep over his proposed move to the
European champions and plans to oust Champions League final
hero Jerzy Dudek.
"If I end up signing for Liverpool it is because they want
to sign me and want me to play," Reina told The Sun.
"The question of starting places is for the boss.
"You have to earn your place. I am going there to work and
to win my place - and win over the fans."
"I have to be patient to see the talks come to fruition but
I am not having any trouble sleeping at night. I am very
relaxed about it all. Just playing for Liverpool will be
good enough for me."
(Sporting Life)
Welsh leads England to opening Toulon win
Liverpool youngster John Welsh last night captained England
under-20s as they kicked off their participation in the
Toulon tournament with a 2-0 victory over Tunisia.
Having skippered the Reds' reserve side last season Welsh is
no stranger to the responsibility of wearing the armband and
he led by example as goals from Darren Ambrose and Wayne
Routledge secured a satisfactory 2-0 win.
"It was the first time I'd captained England at this level
and it was a real honour," Welsh told Liverpoolfc.tv today.
"The first half didn't go too well for us but we improved
after the break.
"Tunisia, to fair, weren't a bad side and the most important
thing was that we got the right result and got our
tournament off to a good start."
Peter Taylor's side are next in action on Saturday when they
face Portugal before completing their group fixtures against
South Korea on Monday.
(LFC Official Website)
Reds will start pre-season against German
teams
Although Liverpool FC are yet to officially announce it, the
Reds will kick their pre-season fixtures off against German
opposition.
First up will be a game against Bayer Leverkusen. Like
Liverpool, Leverkusen are visiting Switzerland for a
training camp as part of their pre-season preparations, and
their official website confirms that the two sides will meet
on July 16th.
No venue has yet been decided, but it will be somewhere near
to the training camps. Liverpool beat the German team twice
3-1, 6-2 in the second round of the Champions League this
season.
Next up is a visit to play FC Cologne in Germany. This match
has been arranged for Friday July 22nd, and again although
Liverpool FC have yet to announce it, the fixture has been
reported on the FC Cologne official website.
Both clubs seem to be excited at the prospect of facing the
new European Champions, and both matches will be excellent
preparation for the Reds players prior to their trip to
Japan. The two games confirmed for Liverpool so far are 27th
July v Shimizu S Pulse and 30th July v Kashima Antlers.
(Anfield Road.com) |
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THURSDAY 2 |
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Dudek "cannot imagine" leaving Liverpool
Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek cannot imagine leaving
Anfield after his penalty shootout heroics helped the team
to Champions League victory last week, a Polish magazine
reported him as saying on Thursday.
"With this medal around my neck I cannot imagine that I
would have to leave this club," Dudek told weekly Przekroj
in an interview.
"With that final I fulfilled many people's expectations of
me and for sure that will in some way be remembered," he
said when asked if his performance against AC Milan in the
Istanbul final had saved his neck at Liverpool.
Liverpool, however, are widely reported to be close to
signing goalkeeper Pepe Reina from Spain's Villarreal, which
could mean selling the 32-year-old Polish international two
years before the end of his contract.
Dudek flew out of Warsaw on Thursday with Poland's national
squad for a World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.
A win would put the Poles two points ahead of Group Six
leaders England with one more game played and on the verge
of securing a spot in next year's World Cup finals in
Germany.
"Now I think that nothing is impossible. My dream is to go
with Poland to the World Cup and fight our way to the
quarter-finals. Once we're there everything is down to
luck,"
said Dudek.
(Reuters)
Baros dropped the cup
According to reports from the Liverpool Echo today,
Liverpool's Champions League Trophy has started its life as
Liverpool's permanent property with damage to the handle.
The report claims that the famous trophy was damaged by
being dropped onto a grand piano in the team hotel. The
player reportedly at fault for the damage is Milan Baros.
The players were partying away through the night and when
the trophy was dropped, one of its handles was dented.
Anfield museum curator Steve Done says they have no plans to
fix the damage: "We decided not to get it repaired because
it is part of the character of the cup. It would be a shame
to have it mended."
The Echo also recalls that the FA Cup was damaged during
celebrations when Liverpool beat Arsenal at Cardiff in 2001.
(Anfield Road.com)
Rafa eyes big man
Liverpool target Peter Crouch's future will be resolved
after crunch talks with Southampton as Rafa Benitez edges
closer to a shock swoop for the target man.
Crouch has emerged as the surprising name near the top of
Benitez's summer shopping list, with a £5m bid likely if the
striker decides to leave relegated Saints.
Feyenoord's Dirk Kuyt has also attracted the Liverpool boss,
but he's equally interested in the new England cap who he
believes could be a solution to the European Champions' away
day woes.
Benitez believes the lack of height and strength in attack
was a key reason behind his side's poor away record last
season.
(Liverpool Echo)
City leaders back the Reds
City leaders are backing the ECHO's Let It Be campaign.
Council chiefs will write to Uefa officials demanding
Liverpool FC are allowed to defend their Champions League
trophy.
They are determined to have their say before European soccer
leaders meet to decide the Reds' fate later this month.
At next week's meeting, councillors will ask chief executive
Sir David Henshaw to contact Uefa and the English FA to
voice their support for the Reds. They want both the city's
football clubs to represent the country in next season's
Champions League.
(Liverpool Echo)
No Reds talks for Kuyt
Liverpool have not held talks with Dirk Kuyt, according to
the Feyenoord striker's agent.
The Dutch international has been strongly linked with a move
to England after yet another successful campaign in De
Eredivisie.
He has bagged an incredible 69 league goals in just three
seasons, with Utrecht and Feyenoord.
Kuyt moved to Feyenoord in 2003 and he only signed a new
long-term deal at De Kuip in March this year.
However, links with a move to England have been growing
stronger and stronger with firstly Arsenal and Newcastle,
and now Liverpool, tipped to make a move.
Kuyt’s agent Rob Jansen has told skysports.com that no talks
have taken place with any other club, including Liverpool.
“We haven’t had contact with Liverpool or any other clubs so
far,” Jansen revealed.
“We are not in talks at the moment with any club.
“Dirk is at Feyenoord and that is it until they say
otherwise.”
(Sky Sports)
Benitez targets Zenden
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez looks set to make an
appoach for Middlesbrough's out-of-contract winger Bolo
Zenden.
The Dutch midfielder has turned down an extension to his
current contract at Boro, which expires in one month's time,
and Benitez would be able to sign the player on
a free transfer.
(ITV Football) |
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WEDNESDAY 1 |
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Finnan in doubt for Israel match
Ireland could be without five key defenders for their World
Cup Group Four qualifier against Israel on Saturday after
full back Steve Finnan returned to Liverpool with a thigh
strain.
"I doubt if he will be back for Saturday but he has some
chance," team manager Brian Kerr was quoted as saying on the
Football Association of Ireland's website.
"I'll just wait for the reports. He's still a fair bit to do
-- running, kicking and jumping -- but it's now Wednesday
and the game is on Saturday so there is time."
(Reuters)
Zenden quiet on Reds link
Liverpool are the latest club being linked with
Middlesbrough's Boudewijn Zenden.
Boro have stated their confidence about keeping the former
Barcelona star, but the player's father and agent Pierre
Zenden has rebuffed all offers so far.
Talks are continuing with the Teessiders, while a number of
European sides are also known to be interested.
However, it is now thought that Liverpool could enter the
bidding.
When asked, Zenden snr refused to confirm any interest from
Merseyside.
"I have heard of the stories, but there is nothing to say,"
he told skysports.com.
"Talks are ongoing."
(Sky Sports)
Traore set to sign new deal
Born again defender Djimi Traore is ready to sign a new
four-year deal at Anfield.
But, veteran defender Mauricio Pellegrino has been told he
won't be retained
next season.
(Liverpool Echo)
Diarra's dilemma
Alou Diarra is in the dark over whether he will spend next
season at Lens or return to Liverpool.
The midfielder has been a fixture in the Lens team since
making a loan move from Liverpool and the club are keen to
retain his services next term.
Lens are eager to exercise the €3 million option they have
on Diarra and the Sang et Or have started negotiations with
the player and have proposed a four-year deal.
The two parties are still wide apart in terms of his wages,
with the player's agent Janos Toth saying: "Frankly, today,
it is 50-50."
It is being claimed that Reds chief Rafa Benitez has
contacted Diarra to urge him to return to Anfield in the
summer and fight for his place.
Diarra is thought to be mulling over his options, as he has
previously stated he wants to remain at Lens but the
prospect of staking a claim at Liverpool has left him in a
quandary.
(Sky Sports)
Reds fan who missed Euro final wins £13m
A Liverpool fan has won a £13m lottery jackpot win.
But Ken Henry, 58, says he will not be able to buy a season
ticket at Anfield because of the club's waiting list.
The factory cleaner from Llanelli, who won the top prize on
the Lotto Extra game, had a ticket to watch the Reds'
Champions League victory in Istanbul last week, but was
unable to go because he had to work.
Mr Henry said: "I could not swop my shifts. If I had won
this a week earlier, I would not have cared and could have
just packed up and gone.
"My first thought was 'great, I can now get a season ticket
for Liverpool'. But I have checked and I have been told
there is a waiting list. It is the one thing I want more
than anything."
(Liverpool Echo)
Henry: I want Reds to challenge for title
Thierry Henry is hoping Liverpool can build on their
Champions League glory and challenge for the Premiership
next season.
The Arsenal star is full of praise for the Reds following
their remarkable European success and he feels it will be
good for English football if they can take part in a four
way battle for the league title.
"I really want Liverpool up there at the top," he said. "It
will make it much more exciting. I hope they can catch up
with us, Chelsea and Manchester United. A four way
championship fight would be special.
"Liverpool have done something for all of us and we should
thank them. It was the most amazing final ever. At 3-0 down
Liverpool looked completely dead. But they were able to show
the fighting spirit which is so typical of an English team."
Henry also had words of praise for the club's brilliant
supporters, adding: "Liverpool's fans are just amazing. The
best feeling I have at away games is Anfield. It is just
incredible. I love it.
"You get goosebumps when you see their supporters sing
You'll Never Walk Alone."
(LFC Official Website)
Uefa chief: Reds too late
A Uefa executive committee member believes it is too late to
change the rules to accommodate holders Liverpool into next
season's Champions League.
Uefa president Lennart Johansson is understood to be broadly
supportive, and his influence is extremely important though
not necessarily decisive.
However, Dr Joseph Mifsud, who has been on the committee
since 1994, is a dissenting voice and is unequivocal in his
belief the current regulations should be adhered to, which
would result in the exclusion of the newly-crowned
champions.
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez chases £10m Aimar
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has made Valencia playmaker
Pablo Aimar his main target this summer.
The Argentine midfielder, valued at £10m, has a good
relationship with Benitez - the man who brought him to
Europe when he was coach of Valencia - and Aimar would
relish a chance in the Premiership.
(TEAMtalk)
Hamann played on with broken foot
An X-ray has shown that Dietmar Hamann played in Liverpool's
Champions League triumph with a broken foot.
Hamann, 31, who launched Liverpool's penalty shoot-out,
sustained the injury in extra-time against AC Milan.
The German international told the Daily Mail: "I can
remember when I did it but not how. I was determined to
shake it off, despite the discomfort.
"Running on sheer adrenalin wasn't a problem and by time I
walked up to the penalty spot I'd forgotten about it."
Hamann discovered the injury while on duty with the German
national squad, whose doctor ordered the Liverpool
midfielder to undergo an X-ray.
The team doctor ordered Hamann to rest for a month,
scuppering his hopes of making an international comeback in
a friendly against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and
ruling him out of the Confederations Cup tournament later
this month.
(BBC Sport Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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