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MONDAY 12 |
Hicks and Gillett want far east tours
Liverpool will be expected to play promotional friendlies in
Japan and China now they have been taken over by Tom Hicks
and George Gillett.
Chief executive Rick Parry has flown to the United States
for talks about the club's future with their new owners, and
he is likely to be told the "brand" needs to be promoted
more in the Far East.
Gillett said: "Liverpool is the number one brand in Europe.
If you go to the Far East, where Manchester United has
historically been the number one brand, Chelsea has recently
become quite popular.
"They have a global branding concept which involves playing
a number of games in the Far East.
"In that part of the world, Liverpool is number two and
growing. We have had conversations with management in the
last several months and I believe you will see Liverpool
playing some friendlies in Asia.
(TEAMtalk)
Mascherano decision this week
While Liverpool are in Portugal, they can expect to hear the
outcome of their loan move for Argentinian midfielder Javier
Mascherano.
The decision to allow the deal has been delayed for almost a
fortnight by a Premier League probe, but it is believed
nothing irregular has been discovered with the move.
A Premier League spokesman said: "You can expect a decision
by the end of the week."
He also insisted Liverpool's move for Mascherano is in no
way linked with the investigation being mounted into
joint-owned players, with West Ham at the centre of that
probe.
All 20 Premiership clubs had until Monday to furnish the
league with details of any
similar deals.
(TEAMtalk)
Tenerife Gonzalez snubs Reds
Red target Iriome Gonzalez has said he is not ready for
Premiership, despite being aged 22 and with Rafa Benitez
openly interested in signing the player.
The Tenerfie player admitted he was flattered by the
interest shown from Anfield bossess, but that he wanted to
build a career for himself on the Spanish island.
The player's agent, and father, said Iriome was happy for
the interest but wanted to remain in Spaniosh football.
Gonzalez snr said, "We are grateful for the interest from
Liverpool but the player's desire to stay must come first.
Liverpool is a great club but it means a lot to Iriome to
play for his hometown club."
(LFC Online)
Barca watch: Messi returns as Barca win
Argentine starlet Lionel Messi returned to the Barca side on
Sunday after recovering from a broken foot.
The winger played the final 22 minutes as the Catalonians
beat Racing Santander 2-0 to extend their lead at the top of
La Liga to three points.
Ronaldinho bagged both goals - including an unstoppable
20-yard free-kick – to take his league tally for the season
to 15.
Samuel Eto'o, who made his return to action against Osasuna
last week after recovering from a serious knee injury, was
an unused substitute.
Next up for Barca are Rafa's former club Valencia next
Sunday, three days before they face Liverpool in the first
leg of the Champions League second round.
(LFC Official Website)
Break will do Reds good
Rafael Benitez says his side's midweek break in Portugal
will do them good.
Since Liverpool don't have a game this weekend the Reds
today fly out to Portugal for a five day training camp to
prepare for the Barcelona game. It's a break that will do
the team good says Rafa Benitez.
"We will go to a camp to prepare for the game. We have a
period of 10 days, which gives us time, so we decided to do
this," said the Liverpool boss.
"I think it will be good for team spirit, but it will also
provide a change of weather, so maybe that will help us
train a little bit better because the pitches here are not
in the best of conditions right now."
(LFC Online) |
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SUNDAY 11 |
Gerrard 'blown away' by Reds' owners
Steven Gerrard has revealed he was ``blown away'' at meeting
Liverpool's new American owners and has backed the pair to
make the club the biggest in the world.
George Gillett and Tom Hicks will replace David Moores as
co-chairman at Anfield promising a massive investment into
the team and their new stadium.
The duo met Gerrard and fellow home-grown star Jamie
Carragher this week to discuss the plans and the Reds
captain was hugely impressed.
"After 15 minutes, we had been blown away by the plans they
have for the club,'' he said in the Sunday Mirror.
"They said they are going to turn Liverpool into the biggest
club in the world.
Lifelong supporter Gerrard says it "kills'' him to see
Manchester United and Chelsea dominating English football
but he sees a new golden era for Liverpool around the
corner.
He said: "I believe that we are still the best club in the
land and, with a bit of help from our new owners, there will
come a time again when everyone outside Liverpool
understands that as well."
(PA Sport)
Parry: Reds come before England
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry insists the
club will always take priority over England.
The comments follow Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson's
claim that the country's top clubs were hindering the
international structure by importing too many foreign
players.
Parry, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek programme,
claimed Liverpool's fans cared about the club first and
England second and their focus would remain on bringing
success to Anfield.
But Parry also maintained that the club's investment in its
youth academy would continue.
Parry declared: "From our perspective, our target is winning
trophies.
"Our supporters care about Liverpool first and England
second and our job and focus is to bring glory to Liverpool.
"But at the same time we have invested as much, if not more,
than just about any other club on our academy.
"We are still committed to the process. We will still
continue to do our thing to develop young English players,
we are very committed to that but the balance for us has to
be winning things first."
(TEAMtalk) |
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SATURDAY 10 |
Rafa rues wasted chances
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was left to rue a
number of missed opportunities in his side's 2-1 defeat at
St James' Park.
Craig Bellamy, on his return to his former club, could have
had a hat-trick while Dirk Kuyt was also guilty of wasting
several clear openings.
"After missing so many clear chances it's difficult to
explain how we lost with a rebound and a penalty," the
Liverpool boss told Sky Sports.
"It's something you can't explain but we were punished for
our mistakes.
"The equaliser was bad luck but when you create chances to
score two, three, four goals it's difficult to understand
how we lost the game."
(Sky Sports)
Reds sunk by Solano spot-kick
A controversial Nolberto Solano penalty allowed Newcastle to
come from behind to beat Liverpool who paid the price for
squandering a host of opportunities.
Solano slotted home from the spot after John Arne Riise was
penalised for an apparent trip on Steven Taylor.
Replays showed there was minimal contact as Taylor went over
the Norwegian's outstretched leg but referee Mark Halsey had
no hesitation in awarding the penalty.
(Sky Sports)
Two changes for Reds at Newcastle
Liverpool's starting eleven to play Newcastle at St James
Park this afternoon shows two changes to the team that began
last week's goalless draw with Everton.
Momo Sissoko makes his return from injury in place of the
suspended Xabi Alonso, while Bolo Zenden replaces Peter
Crouch, who drops to the bench.
Also named among the substitutes, for the first time, is
Alvaro Arbeloa.
Team in full: Reina, Finnan, Riise, Agger, Carragher,
Sissoko, Gerrard, Pennant, Zenden, Bellamy, Kuyt. Subs:
Dudek, Arbeloa, Hyypia, Crouch, Guthrie
(LFC Official Website)
Barca consider Alonso
Reports in Spain suggest Barcelona could test Liverpool's
resolve over Xabi Alonso in the summer.
Barca are widely expected to tweak their midfield ranks over
the summer and are being linked with a host of big names.
Barca's sporting director Txiki Beguiristain has refused to
confirm any reports on Alonso - but it is thought that the
player is firmly on the Catalan club's list of summer
targets and an approach could be forthcoming at the end of
the season.
(Sky Sports)
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Thor Zakariassen
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