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TUESDAY 15 |
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Rush leads clamour for Owen return
Liverpool legend Ian Rush wants the club to try to bring
Michael Owen back to Anfield.
Liverpool have first option on the player they reluctantly
sold to Real Madrid for £8m last summer, when the England
striker's contract was running down.
But Owen has struggled for a regular first-team place at the
Bernabeu despite being Madrid's top scorer this term in all
competitions.
He said: "If Michael Owen considers returning to England
at the end of the season, I'd be amazed if Liverpool didn't
do all they could to bring him back.
"Regardless of the fact that he's a former player, whenever
a striker of his quality becomes available, you want
Liverpool to be competing for his signature."
Rush sees a great opportunity for Liverpool to re-sign the
player they had on their books since his schooldays.
He wrote: "With the club having first option should he
leave Real Madrid, the possibility will have to be explored.
"Other clubs above Liverpool could be interested in signing
Michael.
"That means, if he is interested, Rafael Benitez would need
to convince Michael to come back.
"And the first priority in doing so is qualifying for the
Champions League, otherwise it would be very difficult to
attract Michael Owen or any established class players
this summer.
(TEAMtalk)
Hillsboro' families dismiss apology
Hillsborough families have dismissed The Sun newspaper's
attempts to make amends on national television last night.
They also criticised the BBC for its documentary The Sun
Says Sorry and Other Tales of Forgiveness, shown last night.
The BBC2 programe filmed The Sun's managing editor Graham
Dudman travelling to Liverpool to beg forgiveness for its
headline The Truth which ran above the tabloid's distorted
coverage of the football stadium tragedy which killed 96
fans.
Jenny Hicks, who lost two daughters, said she personally
accepted the apology, but did not forgive the newspaper.
But Phil Hammond, who lost his 14-year-old son in the 1989
FA Cup disaster in Sheffield, was also on the programme and
after watching it last night he said: "It seemed like The
Sun just wanted us to accept the apology and forget about it
and we won't ever forget."
Mr Hammond, chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support
Group, added: "It seemed very strange to make a programme
like that about Hillsborough alongside stories about
cheating and bullying."
(Liverpool Echo)
Gerrard keen on Owen link-up
Steven Gerrard has admitted he would be more than happy to
link up with former Liverpool team-mate Michael Owen if he
decides to make a swift return to the Premiership.
Reports have been linking the England striker with a move
away from Real Madrid after he failed to receive assurances
that he could command a regular first-team place at the
Bernabeu.
"Michael is a fantastic player to play with although I am
not sure what decisions he is going to make in his career.
"I love playing with Michael, he is a fantastic footballer."
(ITV Football)
Boss backs Nunez
Rafael Benitez has backed the struggling Antonio Nunez to
come good for Liverpool.
Benitez admits that Nunez has struggled at Anfield this
season but says the Spaniard will come goodand that it is
too early to write him off.
"People have been very critical of him and tried to compare
him with other players of the past. But if you were to see
the price of the player and compare that with other players
then you would know the criticism has been very unjust,"
said Benitez.
"Antonio is not at his level yet, he knows that and we know
that, but we didn't pay a penny for him. Okay, he's not
playing well but he is working very hard to improve and that
is the most important thing.
"I know he is not playing well but I don't think it is fair
to judge him with other players from the past and not to
give him the opportunity to improve. He will improve. He has
a good mentality and will give 100% for the team."
(LFC Online)
Gerrard plays in tsunami benefit match
tonight
Steven Gerrard will line up for a European select XI against
a Rest of the World select XI tonight in a benefit match to
raise funds for victims of the tsunami disaster.
Gerrard will line up alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane,
Paolo Maldini, Raul, Thierry Henry, Michael Ballack and
Frank Lampard, and is captained by Andriy Shevchenko.
"I'm looking forward to it - there will be some great
players on show," he said.
"I don't think it is goingto be like a Premiership game or
an international, but I think it will be competitive."
The Rest of the World side is captained by Ronaldinho and
contains the likes of Kaka, Ronaldo, Eto'o, Adriano, Kuffour
and Zanetti.
(LFC Online) |
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MONDAY 14 |
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Kewell back on track
Liverpool midfielder Harry Kewell stepped up his comeback
from injury by playing 60 minutes in the reserves’ 1-1 draw
with Newcastle tonight.
Australian international Kewell has been out for two months
with a groin injury but is hoping to prove his fitness in
time for next week’s Champions League clash with Bayer
Leverkusen.
Kewell was deployed as a central striker with another player
pushing for a first-team return, Vladimir Smicer, operating
on the left.
Spanish full-back Josemi, out for a similar length of time
with a knee injury, played the first half.
Anthony le Tallec claimed the Liverpool equaliser at the
Racecourse Ground after James Milner had opened the scoring
for Newcastle.
(BreakingNews.ie)
Kewell's chance to prove his fitness
Harry Kewell is hoping to push his claims for a
recall against Bayer Leverkusen in next week's Champions
League tie by featuring in a reserve match against Newcastle
tonight.
The Aussie has been pencilled in for the game at Wrexham's
Racecourse Ground.
Kewell hasn't played since suffering a groin strain against
the Geordies in the Premiership clash on December 19.
The winger intended to return against Fulham a week ago,
only to break down again with a different injury.
An Achilles problem kept him out of Saturday's 2-0 defeat to
Birmingham.
Manager Rafa Benitez is desperate for Kewell to prove his
fitness ahead of the visit of the Germans as he's woe-fully
short of numbers for the game.
Milan Baros could be the only fully fit striker available.
Fernando Morientes is cup-tied, Djibril Cisse and Florent
Sinama-Pongolle are long-term absentees and Neil Mellor is
suffering with tendonitis in both knees.
(Liverpool Echo)
Baros consulted by Blatter
FIFA president Sepp Blatter is considering revamping the
offside law due to the ongoing confusion and exploitation of
the new rules.
Several managers have complained that teams have been
exploiting the rules on 'passive offside', where by a player
in an offside position is not penalised by the match
officials if he is not interfering with play.
Blatter has consulted Liverpool's Milan Baros and his
international team-mate Jan Koller for a player's
perspective on the issue.
Blatter said: "They think it is a good idea and it would be
useful for referee's assistants. Abolishing the passive
offside rule would benefit attacking football. It would
simplify matters if the person receiving the pass was the
only player who could be flagged offside."
FIFA will discuss the matter at their annual meeting in
Cardiff on February 26th
(Kop Talk)
Leverkusen back to winning ways
Bayer Leverkusen got back to winning ways ahead
of next week's Champion's League visit to Anfield by
defeating Mainz 2-0 at the weekend.
Two goals in five second half minutes from Paul Freier and
Jacek Krynowek sealed victory for Klaus Augenthaler's side
at the BayArena and moved them within six points of
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich.
It was Leverkusen's third win in four games since they
returned from their winter break.
Bayer Leverkusen form guide
(last four games)
Hanover 96 (a) 3-0
Bochum (h) 4-0
Bayern Munich (a) 0-2
Mainz (h) 2-0
This coming Saturday they are away at Nuremberg before
arriving on Merseyside to take on the Reds in the first leg
of the Champions League second round.
(LFC Official Website)
Dudek: We're all angry at setback
Jerzy Dudek has revealed the "anger" within the
Liverpool squad after they wasted an opportunity to close in
on fourth-placed Everton at the weekend.
Rafael Benitez's side slipped to a dismal 2-0 defeat at
Birmingham City to remain five points behind their
neighbours in the race for Champions League qualification.
But goalkeeper Dudek insists the Anfield side remain
confident and retain the desire to secure a top-four finish.
"It was a very disappointing result, especially considering
Everton lost," he said. "We knew that it would be tough for
Everton and that if we had won we would have been closer to
fourth place, which is where we want to be.
"It is frustrating that we've got to wait a while for the
next game but in one way it is good because we have time to
think about what went right and what went wrong."
(Daily Post)
Anonymous Gerrard hurts Anfield morale
Prevailing wisdom suggests that no player is
bigger than the club.
Yet Michael Owen was at Liverpool.
And to judge from his past few performances, which have been
poor, Steven Gerrard will continue to be until his
inevitable departure from Anfield in the summer.
Both stars of England, both undermining and enveloping the
Liverpool team and manager with their superstar status.
(The Times)
Owen leads Real Madrid comeback
England striker Michael Owen helped inspire Real Madrid to a
2-1 win at Osasuna in La Liga on Sunday.
The former Liverpool star again started on the bench, but he
cancelled out Pierre Webo's opener soon after coming on as a
second-half substitute.
Roberto Carlos' free-kick was parried and when Raul's shot
was kept out Owen was in the right place to head home.
Ivan Helguera scored the winner for Real, who have won seven
games in a row under new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.
(BBC Sport Online)
Hansen: Owen should quit Bernabeu and make
Anfield return
Reds legend Alan Hansen believes Michael Owen should quit
Real Madrid in the summer and re-sign for Liverpool.
The England hitman has again spoken of his agony at not
getting a game, and as reported on KopTalk recently, he
would consider a move back home to Anfield but only if there
were clear signs from the top that the club are ready to
challenge for serious honours.
Hansen said: "I think it would be beneficial for all
concerned if Michael Owen makes a move away from Real Madrid
in the summer, ideally back to Liverpool but if not, then to
one of the top three clubs in the Premiership.
"I think Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho
would all agree that Owen is a quality goalscorer who could
win them matches. In a perfect world, though, he would come
back to Liverpool. He's a Liverpool idol. His goalscoring
record for them is unbelievable and I believe Liverpool
would welcome him back to Anfield with open arms.
"A partnership between Owen and Fernando Morientes would be
terrific - two class acts. It would be great to see him back
in that red shirt."
(Kop Talk) |
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SUNDAY 13 |
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Benitez ready to ring changes
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez admits his side have some
soul-searching to do before they return to action against
Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.
The Reds put in an inept performance against Birmingham on
Saturday, losing 2-0, and Benitez said: "Maybe we need to be
more physical sometimes.
"We tried to play football but if you don't win the battles
then you cannot play football.
"We now have 10 days to analyse what was wrong in this game
but if you look at each player, none of them played to their
best.
"We've got to try and change things for the next game."
(TEAMtalk)
No Cisse grudge
Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse says he holds no grudge
against Blackburn Rovers defender James McEveley for the
tackle that left him with a horrific broken leg.
The £14million former Auxerre hitman snapped two bones in
his leg during the 2-2 draw at Ewood Park last October but
he insists the injury is just one of those unfortunate
things that can happen in the game.
Cisse said: "I do not resent the Blackburn player at all. I
have never had anything against him. My injury was
completely accidental.
"Now it is down to me to do all I can to regain my best
form. I have a hell of a strong morale and I will be back at
my peak from the start of next season."
(Kop Talk)
Nunez: “We’re all disappointed”
Midfield ace Antonio Nunez has spoken out on behalf of the
players following the team’s poor performance resulting in a
2-0 defeat at Birmingham City on Saturday.
Manager Rafael Benitez was “shocked” by the display which
saw no signs of wanting to achieve, despite Everton’s defeat
to Chelsea earlier in the day and the chance to close the
gap on the Merseyside rivals.
Nunez, who came on as a second half substitute said, "We are
all very disappointed. It was a good chance for us to get
closer to Everton and the top four positions but it was a
bad game. For some reason we are not playing well in certain
away games and this was one of them.
"The manager was obviously not happy because the team did
not play well and every game is important for us now. We
have to push hard if we want to get into the first four."
Liverpool have a break from the fixture list now, until next
Tuesday when they entertain German club Bayer Leverkusen in
the Champions League. The Carling Cup final against Chelsea
follows shortly after.
(This is Anfield)
Aldo: Rafa can be the Spanish Shankly
Liverpool legend John Aldridge believes Rafael Benitez has
all the qualities needed to recreate former glories at
Anfield and admits the Spaniard reminds him in some ways of
late great Bill Shankly.
Aldridge has been mightily impressed with the job Benitez
has done since becoming Reds boss last summer and thinks the
club is definitely heading in the right direction under
guidance.
"I had the pleasure of 90 minutes in the company of
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez earlier this week and as a
result the Reds chief has gone up even more in my
estimation. The club is in superb hands," says Aldo.
"He is an intelligent, articulate, down-to-earth football
man. His tactical approach this season has impressed me
greatly. And he has a clear, focussed plan for how the club
will develop in years to come.
"I have faith that he will achieve his goal of taking
Liverpool back to the pinnacle of the English and European
game. His knowledge and passion for the game means that I am
not over-stating it when I suggest he could prove to be the
'Spanish Shankly'."
(LFC Official Website)
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Thor Zakariassen
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