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FRIDAY 18 |
Barry: Just speculation
Aston Villa captain Gareth Barry insists any claims about
his future are just speculation after reports suggested he
was set for a summer move to either Liverpool or Chelsea.
The 27-year-old versatile midfielder has been instrumental
in Villa's charge towards a Uefa Cup qualification spot, and
Barry has also claimed a regular place in the England squad
after a string of impressive recent displays.
Despite reports that UEFA Champions League semi-finalists
Liverpool and Chelsea are vying for his services, Barry
insists his focus remains solely on the success of Aston
Villa.
"At this moment in time it's just speculation," Barry told
Sky Sports News.
"It's something I've dealt with before and I will approach
it exactly the same way as I have done in the past, until
the manager says something different, or I hear something
different."
(Sky Sports)
Reina hails Sami
Pepe Reina has sung the praises of Sami Hyypia.
Hyypia, who has just been rewarded with a new one year
contract, has been in fine form this season, earning the
praise of Pepe Reina.
"If it was not for Fernando [Torres] he would easily be my
player of the year. He has been consistent every single week
of the season and to watch him play you would never believe
for a minute that he is 34," said the Liverpool goalkeeper.
"I am delighted that he has signed a new contract for
another year and if he maintains this form who is to say
there can't be another year after that.
"People say that he is not quick, but did Adebayor get past
him with speed very often in three games against him? I
don't remember it if he did.
"He makes my job much easier, the whole defence do and that
is why when people talk about Ray Clemence's record I say
that it is not just for me it is for the defence, and the
team as a whole."
(LFC Online)
Torres dilemma for Benitez to ponder
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez must decide whether to
risk his star striker Fernando Torres at Fulham on Saturday.
Torres is one goal away from equalling the record for most
goals scored by an overseas player in his debut Premier
League season.
But Benitez is certainly considering resting a host of
players ahead of next week's Champions League semi-final.
He says: "OK, we will think about Chelsea but for us to be
in the top four is really important, and we will have enough
energy to play against Chelsea on Tuesday.
"Sometimes it's not easy for players to concentrate with a
Champions League semi-final so near, but they know how
important it is to finish in the top four so hopefully they
will be focused.
"They will be concentrated and then hopefully we can talk
about two victories in both games."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool ownership battle won't finish soon - sources
The battle between the U.S. owners of Liverpool FC and
potential buyer Dubai International Capital (DIC) will go on
for a few weeks as DIC isn't prepared to raise its offer,
said sources familiar with the matter.
The situation is deadlocked as Tom Hicks and George Gillett
don't want to sell their 50 percent stakes to each other,
while the agreement under which they bought the club last
year doesn't say what to do in such situation, the sources
said on Friday.
This leaves a legal void though the parties want to avoid
litigation, the sources said.
While Gillett has said he would sell his stake to DIC, which
has made a 500 million pound ($998 million) bid for the
English soccer club, Hicks may be waiting for a better
offer.
But this may not arrive as the two Americans would already
make a considerable profit at the present offer price as
they bought the British soccer club for 219 million pounds
last year.
DIC's offer includes 350 million pounds of debt, one of the
sources said.
DIC is awaiting the outcome of Hicks' negotiations with U.S.
investment bank JPMorgan over a loan to his sports group, as
failure to repay may force him to sell some of his assets if
there is a buyer,
one of the sources said.
(Reuters)
Team first for Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt says he will play anywhere for Liverpool.
The Dutch international has been moved to wide right in the
Reds' new
4-2-3-1 formation but says he will play anywhere for the
team as it's team success rather than personal glory that
counts.
"I don't really like to be put in any specific bracket, a
right midfielder, right winger, striker or second striker,"
said Kuyt in an interview with official publication LFC
Magazine.
"I've probably got a bit of all these positions within my
game. I can play as a striker, a second striker or on the
right or on the left. Whatever that may be, I just like to
do it my own way.
"But playing on the right is not exactly new to me. I've
played there for two years in the Dutch national team and
also for a year-and-a-half when I started out at Utrecht. I
know what to do out there so it's not like I'm just learning
the job."
(LFC Online)
Benitez committed to Liverpool
Rafael Benitez has re-affirmed his commitment to Liverpool
at the end of another week of turmoil at Anfield.
The Liverpool chief made his position clear ahead of
Saturday's Premier League trip to struggling Fulham and with
the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea on the
horizon.
Benitez demanded answers from co-owners Tom Hicks and George
Gillett, plus chief executive Rick Parry.
And a day after Hicks and Gillett again squared up to each
other in a very public breakdown of their partnership,
Benitez now seems much happier with his position.
He refused to discuss the ongoing ownership battle or any
meetings he may have had with his bosses.
But he was keen to point out: "At this moment I have two
years of my contract still to go, I am really pleased and
really happy here. And I want to stay. And I want to stay
for a long time."
(PA Sport)
Klinsmann claims denied by Hicks
Tom Hicks has flatly denied speculation that he has been
using Jurgen Klinsmann to scrutinise Rafa Benitez's transfer
targets.
The Texan was incensed by reports in the national media that
he asked Klinsmann to run the rule over players Benitez
wanted to bring to Anfield and today insisted anyone making
such claims is "wrong".
A statement released on Hicks behalf by London-based PR firm
Financial Dynamics attempted to draw a line under the
ongoing speculation.
It said: "Tom has not had any contact with Klinsmann on this
matter.
He has not seen him since the meeting in November. So the
story is just plain wrong."
(Liverpool Echo)
No favours for Murphy
Danny Murphy will get no favours from Liverpool
tomorrow.
The former Red, now with Fulham, said earlier in the week he
hoped Rafael Benitez would rest the likes of Steven Gerrard,
Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres for tomorrow's game at
Craven Cottage.
However, Peter Crouch has warned Murphy that no matter what
team Benitez selects, they will be going all out to beat the
Cottagers and wrap up fourth place.
"I know Stevie and Carra are in contact with Danny a lot and
I'm sure they will be speaking to him before the game.
Fulham are desperate to stay in the league but I can assure
you neither Stevie or Carra will be taking their foot off
the gas," said the striker.
"The manager hasn't talked about the Chelsea game with us
this week and we are fully focused on Fulham. It will be a
tough game away from home against a team that really needs
the three points but we will be focused."
(LFC Online) |
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THURSDAY 17 |
Gillett hits back in Reds row
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett has issued a statement in
which he has refused point blank to sell his share in the
Premier League club to
Tom Hicks.
Gillett has responded to Hicks’ description of Liverpool
chief executive Rick Parry’s reign as ‘disastrous’ by
telling him to stop causing ‘turmoil’ so close to the club’s
Champions League semi-final clash with Chelsea.
The duo each own half of the club and with neither prepared
to sell their stake to the other a bitter war of words has
erupted on Merseyside, and Gillett has now reacted by
backing Parry.
"I am saddened at this latest outburst from Tom Hicks," said
Gillett in
a statement.
"If Tom wanted a serious discussion on the issues to help
the club move forward, he should bring his views to the
board and not to Sky Sports.
"Here we are, a few days away from a vital Champions League
semi-final match and Tom has once again created turmoil with
his public comments."
(Setanta Sports)
Davies wary of Reds
Fulham winger Simon Davies has warned his team-mates not to
underestimate Liverpool this weekend should the Reds rest
some of their key players.
Rafa Benitez takes his side to Craven Cottage on Saturday
three days ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League
semi-final first leg clash with Chelsea.
Welsh midfielder Davies is hoping that Liverpool will be
under-strength again this time around, but is wary of
heading into the game believing the match is already won.
"It's a boost when you see the opposition's teamsheet and
they have left out their star names," he said.
"Funnily enough we're in a similar situation to last year.
Liverpool came down here with a weakened team and we managed
to nick the win to stay in the league.
"But whoever Liverpool put out it will be a tough match,
they proved that in the Premier League at Arsenal a couple
of weeks ago."
(Sky Sports)
Will airing Liverpool FC's
dirty linen in public wash at Anfield?
It isn’t clear whether one of Liverpool’s owners has made a
right Hicks of the situation or is executing a
carefully-devised plan.
Mr Hicks’ surprisingly-public call for the club’s chief
executive Rick Parry to stand down could yet fall into
either category.
The usual procedure on these matters is for some kind of
boardroom conflab, a decision emerges and the CEO either
stays or goes.
It is a very odd thing, for a businessman of Tom Hicks’
experience, to bypass the first part of the procedure and
then to do the second bit
in public!
This is either the sports row to end sports rows or part of
a much more carefully planned strategy by Hicks to either
get total control of the club or compel his estranged
partner to make him an offer he can’t refuse.
(Sean McGuire - Liverpool Daily Post)
Fans back Parry
As the public war of words between Tom Hicks and Rick Parry
continues, Liverpool fans are showing support for the club's
chief executive.
"We have a European Cup semi-final coming up in a few days
time and this is a terrible time to do what he has done,"
said Spirit of Shankly chairman Neil Atkinson in response to
Hicks' televised interview in which he called Parry's reign
'disastrous'.
"He thinks he can rattle out this sort of stuff and leave
everyone to get on with it rather than be silent and stay in
the background over the next four or five weeks."
(LFC Online)
Parry slams Hicks 'sideshow'
Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry has hit back at the
'sideshow' created by Tom Hicks' latest attack in the
Anfield power struggle.
Co-owner Hicks has branded Parry's tenure at the Merseyside
giants as
a 'disaster' and insisted his relationship with fellow
American George Gillett had broken down completely.
Parry is keen to shift the focus back onto matters on the
field with the Reds due to face Chelsea in the semi-finals
of the UEFA Champions League and still battling to secure
fourth place in the Premier League.
He told Sky Sports News: "I don't think there's a discussion
between chief executive and co-owner. Apparently there's
some entertaining television which I haven't seen.
"We're trying to get on with the football, which is why I'm
still here. There's a job to be done, there are big matches
to be played, that's where the focus should be.
"This is a sideshow and the focus is on getting things right
at the club."
(Sky Sports)
Tom Hicks in new Rick Parry swipe
Tom Hicks today claimed he will become sole owner of
Liverpool Football Club by buying out George Gillett.
The Texan businessman also publicly blasted Anfield’s Chief
Executive Rick Parry’s leadership of the club as “a
disaster” and said he wants to give Rafael Benitez a
contract extension.
The TV interview, conducted at Hicks’ home in Dallas, showed
the 62-year-old watching Sunday’s match against Blackburn,
dressed in
a Liverpool jersey and drinking from a Liverpool mug.
After the game, Hicks celebrates Liverpool’s 3-1 victory by
telling cameras: “Well, Everton won’t like that.”
Hicks’ public campaign to remove Parry from his role began
last week.
He said today: “If you look at what has happened under
Rick’s leadership it’s been a disaster to fall so far behind
other top clubs.
“The new stadium should have been built three or four years
ago.
“We have two sponsors, maybe three, when we should have
12-15.
“We are not doing anything in Asia the way Man U is and
Barcelona is.
“We’ve got the top brand in the world of football, we just
don’t know how
to commercialise it."
(Liverpool Echo) |
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WEDNESDAY 16 |
Lawrenson: 'Benitez could be off'
Mark Lawrenson believes Rafael Benitez could walk away from
the “everyday farce” at Liverpool even if the club win the
Champions League for the second time in four seasons.
The former Anfield defender believes the breakdown in trust
between the Liverpool manager and chief executive Rick Parry
would make it difficult for Benitez to land the players he
wants in the summer transfer market.
Asked if Benitez would be there next season, Lawrenson said:
“If they don’t sort the mess out soon I’d have to think he
would not be, regardless of whether they win the Champions
League.
“The problems off the pitch could give him an excuse to
leave. If they win the Champions League there would be no
shortage of takers and he probably thinks ’why should I turn
up and flog my guts out for this lot when I don’t know what
is going to happen next week?’"
(Evening Echo)
Aurelio fit and first-choice
Fabio Aurelio is revelling in his role as first-choice
Liverpool left-back after finally cementing his place in
Rafa Benitez’s side.
The Brazilian defender arrived at Anfield from Valencia in
2006, but a series of injuries have frustrated his
first-team opportunities.
But after starting both Champions League clashes with
Arsenal, the 28-year-old appears to be Benitez’s preferred
choice and he is eager for the fans to see him at his very
best.
Aurelio told the official club website: "It's great that I'm
now able to show the fans the level I can play at."
"It's hard when you're coming back from an injury and have
small problems. I'm training well now, my body has adapted
to the level of games we're playing and the competitions
we're playing in and I am feeling really good."
(Setanta Sports)
Drogba struggling for Reds tie
Didier Drogba is a major injury doubt for Chelsea ahead of
next week's UEFA Champions League semi-final, first leg
against Liverpool.
While it was thought Drogba was rested for Monday's Premier
League meeting with Wigan, it has emerged that he is still
struggling with a troublesome knee injury and is not
expected to feature at Everton on Thursday night.
The news at least explains why, even if he was being rested,
Avram Grant didn't take the insurance of naming the Ivorian
ace as a substitute against the Latics.
Without their talisman striker, the Blues' prospects of
recording the victory at Goodison Park that is essential if
their faltering title bid is to be maintained would be much
diminished.
But the Independent claims that 'the priority now is to get
the player fit to play at Anfield next week.'
Were Drogba to be ruled out, his place in Grant's first team
is likely to be taken by Nicolas Anelka.
(ITV Football)
Carragher hails Reds duo
Jamie Carragher has hailed two of his Liverpool team-mates
as being amongst the best in world football.
Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have formed a lethal
partnership for the Reds and have scored over 50 goals
between them this season and Carragher believes that the duo
are currently playing as well as anyone in world football.
"For me, Fernando is probably the stand out striker in world
football and I'm just delighted that he's in a Liverpool
shirt," Carragher told
the Liverpool Echo.
"Steven was man of the match in that game and that was a
great way for him to mark his 300th league game for
Liverpool.
"A few years ago I said he was the best player in the world
and I stand by that. I would rather have Stevie in the
Liverpool team than Kaka, Messi, Ronaldinho, whoever you
want to mention. That's the way I judge him."
(Shanklygates)
Liverpool must end public fall-out
For the sake of Liverpool Football Club the in-fighting that
has transformed their off-field problems into a PR disaster
has to stop.
The fall-out between the co-owners has hit the club hard,
and there has been scant regard for the good name of
Liverpool FC in the blur
of publicity.
Almost every day there’s a new angle to the story – and the
club’s current plight looks likely to get worse before it
gets better.
Tom Hicks, in particular, and George Gillett have not just
been washing their dirty linen in public.
They have been dragging it through the streets, too, and
others have got involved in what is becoming a free for all.
Where it’s going to end I just don’t know. But what I do
know is that the back-biting, ego trips and recriminations
have to cease – and quickly.
(Tommy Smith - Liverpool Echo)
Megson hopes Rafa stays strong
Bolton boss Gary Megson is looking for a helping hand from
Liverpool in the coming weeks.
The Trotters are currently firmly embroiled in the battle at
the foot of the table, two points from safety with four
games remaining.
Keen to ensure that their fate remains in their own hands,
Megson is hoping that high-flying Liverpool will not offer
any favours to their relegation rivals in the coming weeks
by fielding an under-strength side.
"Liverpool will have a massive say in which teams go down
with their next two league games," Megson said in The Sun.
"We hope Rafa Benitez will retain the integrity of the
Premier League with his squad selection.
"You would imagine Liverpool's Premier League campaign is
still as important as the Champions League.
"They are battling with Everton for fourth so there is local
pride
to play for."
Megson accepts that he cannot dictate the side Benitez will
play, but insists that every top flight manager has an
obligation to select their strongest side whenever possible.
"It is nobody else's business but I'm sure Rafa realises the
importance of being seen to do the right thing.
"That's from Liverpool's point of view as well as the rest
of the country."
(Sky Sports)
Rush praises partnership
Ian Rush has again praised the partnership of Fernando
Torres
and Steven Gerrard.
Torres and Gerrard were both on the scoresheet again at the
weekend having scored 50 goals between them this season.
Their partnership has won the amiration of Ian Rush.
"If there is a better partnership in English football at the
moment than Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres I certainly
haven't seen it,"
the Liverpool legend told the Echo.
(LFC Online)
Thor Zakariassen
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