Rafa: Money can't buy me the title
Rafael Benitez admits Liverpool's £37million summer spending spree may not be enough to wrest the Premier League title from Manchester United.
With Holland forward Ryan Babel arriving for £11.5million from Ajax and midfielder Yossi Benayoun recruited from West Ham on Thursday for about £5million, the Spanish coach has underlined his ambition.
The duo followed club-record £20million signing Fernando Torres to Anfield within the space of a week and while Benitez is excited about what the future holds, he sounded a note of caution.
"I feel we are going in the right direction. If you look at the value of the squad three years ago and its value now, the squad is much better,"
he said.
"I don't know, however, if it will be enough for winning the title. Manchester United won the title and are spending more money than anyone.
"Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are also spending lots of money but at least we are competing with these teams in the market and that is important."
(TEAMtalk)  

Torres: A working class hero is all that I want to be
To some players, signing for Liverpool represents the summit of their ambition.
Too many of the club’s most recent record signings have seen a lucrative Anfield contract primarily as a passport to fame and fortune, bringing their years of toil elsewhere to an end while they reap the rewards of their newly acquired reputation.
It comes as a refreshing relief that the latest multi-million pound recruit, Fernando Torres, breaks this trend.
“If I had the idea I’d already be a success just by joining Liverpool, I wouldn’t have come,” says the 23-year-old.
“To achieve the level the people here demand of me I know I will have to work hard all the time.
“I also like that Liverpool is a working class area with supporters who I believe are similar to those of Atletico, who appreciate and respect hard work."
(Liverpool Echo)  

Avi Cohen's advice convinces
Yossi Benayoun over Liverpool move
When Yossi Benayoun was told of Liverpool's interest, he knew exactly where to turn for advice.
The 27-year-old Israel international had been offered a lucrative new contract by West Ham who were desperate to keep him at Upton Park.
But the lure of Champions League football and the chance to play under Rafa Benitez swayed him towards a new challenge and any lingering doubts were soon dispelled by a phone call to his homeland.
Benayoun got in touch with former Liverpool defender Avi Cohen, who was the first Israeli to ever play for the Reds.
Cohen is now chairman of the Israel Professional Footballers Association and the 50-year-old was only too happy to steer Benayoun in the right direction.
"In my job as chairman of the PFA I'm in touch with all the top Israeli players regularly," Cohen said.
"Yossi rang me recently, said that Liverpool were interested in him and asked me what I thought he should do.
"He knew I used to play for the club and I told him 'listen, do not even hesitate. When Liverpool ask you to sign you just sign'."
(Liverpool Echo)  

New squad numbers announced
Liverpool have announced a few new squad numbers.
New signings Yossi Benayoun and Ryan Babel get the number 11 and number 19 shirts respectively. Returning loan star Scott Carson gets the number 26 shirt while Alvaro Arbeloa changes his squad number from
2 to 17.
Fernando Torres has been given the famous number 9 shirt while Andriy Voronin will wear the number 10 shirt.
(LFC Online)

Liverpool FC: We’ll build our new stadium by 2010
The ECHO can today reveal the detailed timetable to deliver Liverpool FC’s new stadium.
Anfield officials have delivered precise plans to the city council which would lead to work starting in Stanley Park by the end of the year.
Despite calling back the bulldozers who were due to start work in May, the club is confident the 60,000-capacity stadium will still be ready for the start of the 2010 season.
The £280m project’s new timescale was revealed today as city officials waited for the club to unveil its redrawn proposals for New Anfield.
Reds’ owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks decided to go back to the drawing board after buying the club to see if stadium capacity could be increased beyond 60,000.
As revealed in Monday’s ECHO, the American owners intend to retain the original capacity, but redesign it significantly so it can be expanded later.
(Liverpool Echo)  

Bluebirds reject Pool's Ramsey bid
Chairman Peter Ridsdale has revealed Cardiff have spurned a seven-figure offer from Liverpool for youngster Aaron Ramsey.
The 16-year-old midfielder has only played one minute of first-team football and is the youngester player to ever feature for City.
While Ridsdale has denied claims that Chelsea are also interested in Ramsey, who has also been linked with Arsenal, Everton and Tottenham, he admits Liverpool have been in touch.
"I'm not aware of Chelsea's interest," he told the Western Mail.
"Liverpool are the second Premiership team to put in a seven-figure bid for Ramsey, but he's not for sale.
"In fact, we are not selling any more of our crown jewels. Our young players like Ramsey, (Joe) Ledley and (Chris) Gunter are not for sale. We are going to build a team around them."
(TEAMtalk)

Insua stars in Canada
Emiliano Insua helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Canada after a 3-1 win over Poland in the last 16 clash.
The Liverpool left back has been in fine form for his country during the tournament and played the full 90 minutes as the holders progressed with another polished performance.
Sergio Aguero scored twice and Angel Di Maria hit the other goal, and Argentina will now face Mexico in the quarter-final on Sunday night in Ottawa.
(LFC Official Website)

Bargain flight for Mr £21m
Liverpool's record £21million signing flew in to join team-mates - on budget airline easyJet.
Fernando Torres, 23, who is on a £90,000-a-week deal, stunned passengers on the £88 Madrid to Liverpool flight.
The down-to-earth Spanish star and his girlfriend Olalla were waved off before check-in by his mum and dad.
A fellow passenger said: "You don't expect a star like that on easyJet.
"He spent most of the time chatting to his girlfriend. They had no idea they caused such a stir."
(Ananova)

Family first for Fowler Down Under
Robbie Fowler admits his family will be the deciding factor as to whether he makes the move to Australian club Sydney FC.
The former Liverpool and Leeds striker arrived in Sydney on Thursday to continue discussions with the A-League side's officials about becoming their marquee player for this season.
Fowler has also been attracting interest from Cardiff and Port Vale, as well as at least one club in America.
But the 32-year-old, who has four young children, insists any decision regarding who he will play for in the coming campaign will rest with his family.
"I spoke to George (Perry, CEO of Sydney FC) last week and obviously I'm very interested, which is why I'm over here," Fowler said in the Herald Sun.
"But as you probably know I've got a young family, so basically I'm over here to see what it's like and see if it's good for them.
"Obviously I'm over here to see how it is, then I'll go and report back and see how they feel.
"But if I'm happy, they're happy and vice versa. So we'll see how it goes."
(TEAMtalk)

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