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MONDAY 12 |
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Liverpool have too many foreigners says
Blatter
Fifa president Sepp Blatter says he wants to see all clubs
have at least half a dozen players from the country they
play in, to limit the increasing number of foreigners.
Blatter cited Liverpool as an example of a club that has too
many foreign players and urged Football Associations around
the world to encourage clubs to use more home grown talent.
He said: "In clubs like Liverpool and Bayern Munich there's
only one or two domestic players. This isn't good for
football.
"National identity is very important. But the regulations of
the club competitions are not made by Fifa but by the
national associations and it is up to them and their leagues
to limit the entry of foreign players."
(Kop Talk)
Reds rubbish Riise medal sale claims
Liverpool Football Club has today strenuously denied claims
that John Arne Riise cashed in on the club's Champions
League triumph by selling his medal on eBay.
In response to unsubstantiated reports in certain sections
of the press this morning, the club would like to let it be
known that these allegations are total rubbish.
"There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in this story,"
says club spokesman Ian Cotton. "Like his team-mates, John
is very proud of the part he played in the club's Champions
League success and it is ludicrous to even suggest he would
sell his winners medal."
(LFC Official Website)
Liverpool chasing title not yen, says
Parry
European champions Liverpool are in Japan to win FIFA's Club
World Championship, not for commercial gain, chief executive
Rick Parry said on Monday.
Liverpool are hoping their involvement in the six-team
competition will attract investment in the club, although
Parry kept talk of business to a minimum upon the team's
arrival.
"First and foremost, this is a competitive trip and not a
commercial trip," Parry told reporters. "It's not about
raising revenues. It's not about money. It's about
trophies."
(Reuters)
Sami: Let's focus on our own game
Sami Hyypia insists that Liverpool must forget how Chelsea
are playing, and focus on their own game, as they look to
extend their outstanding form.
"I think we shouldn't think too much about catching
Chelsea," said the Finnish defneder. "We have to concentrate
on the games we have and not look at the table very much.
"Of course, it is better to look at the table now than
earlier in the season. We need to realise that we have to
keep going. We cannot afford to rest and take our foot off
the pedal, we have to keep going.
"We try to win every game and hope-fully we can keep the run
going until the end of the season and hope Chelsea drop some
points."
(LFC Online)
Mourinho: Liverpool winning the title
makes me laugh
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has insisted that Liverpool stand
no chance of the winning the title.
"Since I arrived, I've played eight times against Liverpool"
said Mourinho.
"We won four, drew three and lost one.
"The difference is enormous. When I hear them say they can
win the title, it makes me feel like laughing."
(Talking Soccer)
No secret about Mrs Benitez's Christmas
present
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has seemingly made good on
his promise to buy his wife, Montse, an expensive timepiece
for every trophy won by the clubs that he manages.
He was spotted coming out of city jewellers, David M
Robinson, with a hole in his pocket the size of Liverpool's
Champions League trophy.
If the trophies were to be added up from Rafa's time at
Liverpool and previous club Valencia, it would amount to
five designer creations for his lucky wife.
(Daily Post)
Gerrard: Japan no holiday
Liverpool captain Steve Gerrard has stated The Reds are not
taking the World Club Championship in Japan lightly.
The England international is keen to add more silverware to
his ever-growing trophy cabinet and has no intention of
travelling half way around the world to go down without a
fight.
"This is an important competition and we are not taking it
lightly," explained Gerrard.
"When I look back at my career I want to look at my medals
and it would be great to say I have got the lot.
"You never know what is going to happen and as players we
might only get one crack at this tournament, so we have to
make the most of it.
"To have the medal for being the best club side in the world
would be something special. We are serious and want to win.
"I have been lucky in that I have won lots of trophies at
Liverpool and if we can win in Japan then that would leave
The Premiership and the World Cup for me to get."
(Sky Sports)
Liverpool to face Saprissa
Deportivo Saprissa will face Liverpool in the semi-finals of
the World Club Championship after Cristian Bolanos'
47th-minute strike saw off Sydney FC.
The winger controlled a long ball on his chest and guided
the ball past Sydney keeper Clint Bolton.
The Costa Ricans were marginally better throughout against
hard-working Sydney, who were captained by ex-Manchester
United striker Dwight Yorke.
Alvin Ceccoli was sent off late on for a challenge on
Saprissa's keeper.
The last four are now finalised, with Saprissa playing
Liverpool in Yokohama on Thursday and Sao Paulo facing Asian
champions Al Ittihad in Tokyo on Wednesday.
(BBC Sport Online)
New training regime pays dividends for
Morientes
Rafael Benitez has revealed the efforts Fernando Morientes
is taking to ensure he becomes a success at Liverpool - and
backed the striker to build on his weekend goalscoring
exploits.
The Spain international scored his first goals in front of
the Kop on Saturday to give the European Champions a 2-0 win
over Middlesbrough and maintain their excellent run.
And manager Benitez has told how extra work on the training
ground has helped the striker become more accustomed to the
robust nature of English football.
"He has been working with Paco Ayesteran on the physical
work, and he knows he needed to improve that," said Benitez.
"You can work on your stamina easily by running a lot, but
getting the speed and strength you need is more difficult.
"One of his other problems was the pace of the game. He is
not the quickest and has needed to learn how to keep the
ball and use the players around him.
"We have also worked on his attitude and mentality. He is a
player who needs to know you have confidence in him and we
have tried to support him. We told him to keep doing the
things he does well."
(Daily Post)
Reds touch down in Japan
Steven Gerrard and his Liverpool team mates finally touched
down in the Land of the Rising Sun at 10am local time –
almost 15 hours after setting off from their Melwood
training complex in West Derby, 6,000 miles away.
Flying first from Liverpool John Lennon to London Heathrow
and then on to Tokyo Narita Airport, the journey felt every
bit as long as some of the players had first feared when
Liverpool's participation in the tournament was confirmed
earlier in the season.
Fortunately for the players and coaching staff seated in
business class at the front of Virgin Flight 900, the first
few hours were spent poring over the sports pages of the
Sunday newspapers laid out on every seat.
(LFC Official Website) |
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SUNDAY 11 |
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Fernandez keen on Cisse move
Marseille manager Jean Fernandez is hoping the club can land
Djibril Cisse in January.
The French club have not hidden their desire in trying to
sign Liverpool striker Cisse.
Marseille have made a new striker their top priority when
the transfer window reopens and have identified Cisse their
main target.
Cisse's long-term future at Liverpool remains uncertain with
the former Auxerre ace struggling to hold down a regular
place in the side.
Marseille have claimed that Cisse is interested in a move to
Stade Velodrome and Fernandez would welcome the Frenchman to
the club.
"I am not in the managers' confidence but I know that we
really need a striker and I would be very, very happy to
have Cisse, who is a great player with fantastic potential,"
Fernandez told television channel Canal Plus.
"It would be an honour to have him with us."
(Sky Sports)
Saudi club reach semi-finals
Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad edged out Ahly in the first game
of Fifa's Club World Championship in Tokyo - ending the
Egyptians' 55-game unbeaten run.
Mohammed Noor capitalised on an error by keeper Essam El
Hadary in the 78th minute to book their semi-final place.
El Hadary flapped at a cross from right-back Ahmed Al
Dosari, leaving captain Noor the simplest of finishes.
Ittihad dominated in the freezing conditions, with El Hadary
making a smart stop from Mohammed Kallon.
It ends a remarkable run for African champions Ahly, who had
been undefeated in all competitions since July 2004.
Asian champions Ittihad's win came despite having three
Brazilian players thrown out of the competition the previous
day after a Fifa investigation found they were not
officially registered with the club.
The Jeddah-based side will now meet Sao Paulo in the
semi-finals in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Sydney FC meet Costa Rica's Deportivo Saprissa on Monday -
with European champions Liverpool awaiting the winners of
that game in the semi-finals.
(BBC Sport Online)
Fifa chief reveals Reds mission
Fifa chief Sepp Blatter has insisted that Liverpool are
desperate to win the World Club Championship and are not
worried by the travelling involved.
"I have had direct contact with Liverpool," said Blatter.
"They said they have won everything but never a world
championship.
"I am sure they will make a special effort. They will make
the effort to win the tournament definitely.
"I'm sure they will arrive on Monday completely ready to
play on Thursday."
(BBC Sport Online)
Essien: I am not a dirty player
Chelsea star Michael Essien has rejected claims he is a
dirty player following his horrific tackle on Dietmar
Hamann.
The former Lyon midfielder was charged by Uefa for gross
unsporting conduct over the tackle in Chelsea's goalless
draw with Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday
night.
Essien, who faces a possible three-match European ban for
his tackle on Hamann, insists the incident was an accident
and that he is not a violent player.
"I am not a violent player. If you look at my career it will
confirm that," Essien told The People.
"It was a lunge for the ball, it wasn't a deliberate attempt
to get the player.
"I am not someone who goes around trying to break people's
legs but football is a man's game that is played with power
and force, not ballet.
"I was not trying to injure Hamann and the referee
understood that. That is why he didn't punish me as many
people are asking that he should have."
(Sky Sports)
Carra: I want to be a World Champion
Liverpool jet off to Japan today for the Club World
Championship with Jamie Carragher insisting they are going
there to win it.
Contrary to what certain critics may think Carragher
believes success in Japan would be 'special' and one that
he'd be proud to have on his CV.
Speaking ahead of the gruelling 15-hour flight to Tokyo, he
said: "Liverpool have never won the Club World Championship
and it would give us real kudos if we could add the world
crown to our European title.
"Winning the tournament would help our standing in world
football. It would be historic to see the words: Liverpool,
Champions of the World.
"At the end of my career, when I look back on all the things
I have won, being a world champion would be pretty special.
What a great thing to put on your CV.
(LFC Official Website) |
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SATURDAY 10 |
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Mac: Reds are contenders
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren sees Liverpool challenging
for this year's Premiership crown after seeing his side go
down 2-0 at Anfield.
"I see Liverpool challenging for the title. When you are
European champions it brings a confidence and a belief,"
said McClaren.
"I have every respect for them. You get very little out of
their back four and they are more than capable of offering a
very real challenge for the title."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa dull of praise for goal hero Nando
Rafael Benitez was full of praise for two goal hero Fernando
Morientes in the 2-0 win over Middlesbrough and said it was
the perfect situation to win before the team fly off to
Japan.
Benitez said: "Fernando is a good finisher and he did very
well. It's good for a striker's confidence to score. It's a
perfect situation for us winning and being near the top of
the table before we go to Japan.
"We are playing very well as a team and are working hard. We
have kept 10 clean sheets now and Pepe Reina made two very
good saves for us today. We have a good goalkeeper and are
defending well and attacking well as a team."
(LFC Official Website)
Reds level up record books
Liverpool made it 10 games without defeat - and equalled
their club record of 10 successive clean sheets - as they
eventually overpowered a determined Middlesbrough.
Fernando Morientes broke the deadlock with two late goals,
the first sweeping home a Luis Garcia cross and the second a
clever lob over Mark Schwarzer.
Boro had battled bravely but eventually were overrun, with
Chris Riggott being sent off for a second bookable offence
just to rub salt into the wounds.
This was Liverpool's seventh successive league win to send
them off to the World Club Championships next week in high
spirits.
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool v Middlesbrough - confirmed team
LIVERPOOL: Reina, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Riise, Gerrard,
Alonso, Sissoko, Kewell, Crouch, Morientes.
SUBS: Dudek, Josemi, Warnock, Garcia, Cisse.
(Kop Talk)
Rafa wants United front
Rafa Benitez has warned that he will not allow individuals
to undermine his plans at Liverpool.
The Reds have found their form with a vengeance in recent
weeks and a win over Middlesbrough on Saturday will enable
them to climb to second in the table.
Spanish tactician Benitez is looking to build a solid unit
at Anfield, but Djibril Cisse has voiced his disappointment
at having been forced to play second fiddle to Peter Crouch
on occasions this term.
Benitez says he does not want dissent in the ranks and
claims his sole aim is to ensure Liverpool are strong enough
to challenge Chelsea in The Premiership.
"I have yet to come across any player who has it written
into his contract that he must play every week," said
Benitez. "But in my contract it says I will be the only
person who decides who plays.
"The players need to understand that the team is always more
important than the individual. We have a large squad and
they all can't play."
(Sky Sports)
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Thor Zakariassen
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