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FRIDAY 21 |
Deal me in for life, says Gerrard
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard wants to sign a new
contract when his current deal ends and plans stay at
Anfield for the rest of his career.
Gerrard made the announcement as he approaches the 10-year
anniversary of his Liverpool debut next week.
He is currently injured with a groin muscle tear and out of
Saturday's home league match with Fulham.
Gerrard is back in light training and battling to be fit for
Wednesday's Champions League home clash with Marseille but
his clear indication he never wants to leave Anfield will
delight the club's fans.
"I do not know what is going to happen over the next 10
years but certainly for the next five or six I hope I am
playing in Liverpool's first team,"
he said.
(TEAMtalk)
Rafa: I want Yossi to stay
Rafa Benitez insists there is no problem between himself and
Yossi Benayoun, and he urged the Israeli to stay at
Liverpool after Benayoun claimed he may leave in January.
The former West Ham attacker has been a regular substitute
this season, with Dirk Kuyt and Albert Riera clear first
choices for the wide berths in the Liverpool side.
Benayoun has admitted that the lack of football is proving
frustrating, and he conceded he may have to leave if the
situation continues.
Benitez understands the player’s comments, but he urged
Benayoun to stay at Anfield as Liverpool attempt to utilise
their entire squad in order to win the league title.
“If you are asked whether you want to play more, then
obviously you say yes. If you are asked if you are unhappy
not playing, then you say yes,” Benitez explained.
"Then if you are asked that if a bid comes in and you are
offered lots more money, you will probably say you'd be
interested.
"But I have been speaking to Yossi and he is happy here. He
is a player I like, he can change games. He scores goals and
he has a lot of assists.
"If he stays here until the end of his contract I will be
very pleased. We want Yossi here.
"But if he does not want to stay here, okay, we will find a
solution to the problem. But now he is okay and ready for
playing. I will not want to see any offer for him."
(Setanta Sports)
Rafa tips Gerrard for Reds job
Rafa Benitez has backed Steven Gerrard to take over from him
as Liverpool manager.
Gerrard, who will miss Saturday's game against Fulham with
the groin injury that kept him out for England, made his
Reds debut ten years ago.
The midfielder wants to finish his career at Anfield and has
expressed an interest in taking his coaching badges.
Benitez believes Gerrard would be an ideal candidate to one
day replace him as boss, but does not expect the 28-year-old
to hang up his boots for some time.
The Spaniard said: "Maybe he will be here for another 10
years, certainly five or six. It is not easy to stay with
one club. Life in general is very different than before,
clubs can offer a lot of money.
"I am really pleased to have kept Gerrard here, and maybe he
will one day be the manager to replace me.
"There are more important things than money in Steven's
mind. He has great passion for the club, he loves the club
and the city.
"That is the key as far as he is concerned, and hopefully he
will take over from me."
(Sky Sports)
Gerrard in solo training
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will miss Saturday's visit
of Fulham and is also rated doubtful for the midweek
Champions League clash with Marseille.
The midfielder trained on his own with a personal fitness
coach as Rafael Benitez's squad went through their paces
ahead of the Cottagers clash.
Benitez had claimed Gerrard would miss "seven to 10 days"
after he sustained the injury at Bolton last weekend.
(teletext)
Hyypia ready to star again
There was a time, not so long ago, when Sami Hyypia’s place
in Liverpool’s starting line-up was pretty much guaranteed.
The big Finn has been such a fixture in the team over much
of the past decade that on the few occasions when he did
miss games his absence was almost always keenly felt by
team-mates and fans alike.
“We will see what is going to happen,” he said.
“I am just doing my job – working hard in training and when
I get my chance to play in the team I try to do the best
that I possibly can.
“We now have competition for places in a number of
positions, which is something we probably haven’t had as
much in previous seasons."
(Liverpool Echo)
Torres ready to rock again for Reds
Fernando Torres is set to start at Anfield for the first
time in almost two months when Liverpool host Fulham on
Saturday.
The last Anfield game he started was against PSV Eindhoven
in the Champions League on November 1 before he was hit by a
hamstring problem on international duty.
(TEAMtalk) |
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THURSDAY 20 |
Diego: Only Mascherano is untouchable
Diego Maradona has guaranteed Javier Mascherano his place in
the Argentina team, but added that all 10 other starting
spots are up for grabs.
Maradona, who took charge of his first game on Wednesday
night as the Albicelestes beat Scotland 1-0 in Glasgow, has
handed the captain's armband to Liverpool midfielder
Mascherano.
He then told Radio La Red that Mascherano is the only player
who can be sure of his place in the team.
"Taking Mascherano aside, nobody has a place secured in my
team," he said. "It doesn't matter what his name is."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds call off trade mark bid
Liverpool Football Club have withdrawn their bid to trade
mark
the Liver bird.
The decision comes after Liverpool City Council told the
club that they would oppose the bid to trade mark the symbol
of the city.
Speaking after the decision was announced deputy leader of
the City Council, Cllr Flo Clucas said: "I am delighted the
owners of Liverpool FC have seen sense and withdrawn this
controversial application.
"The outcry from residents and the threat of a legal
challenge from the council has forced them to think again
about registering the Liver Bird as its own, exclusive trade
mark.
"The Liver Bird is and will always remain the proud symbol
of
the whole city."
(Shanklygates)
Bellamy hails 'outstanding' Agger
Liverpool have spent years searching for the next Alan
Hansen, but have finally found him according to former Red
Craig Bellamy.
Daniel Agger has recently fought his way back into the Rafa
Benitez’s side and Bellamy hailed the defender as
‘outstanding’ after the pair faced each other on
international duty on Wednesday night.
The West Ham forward said: "Agger is outstanding. I have
watched Liverpool a lot over the years and for me Agger is
the closest thing I have seen to Alan Hansen.
"That's the best compliment I can give him. When he gets
possession he can move confidently into midfield, he joins
in the passing.
"He is comfortable on the ball and has really impressed me.
I liked him a lot as a person, he is down-to-earth and
level-headed.
"Nothing fazes him, nothing gets on top of him, he is an
outstanding player."
(Setanta Sports)
Skrtel happy with Reds
Martin Skrtel has stressed that is 'very happy' at Liverpool
following rumours he is unsettled at Anfield.
Reports emanating from Russia suggested the former Zenit St
Petersburg defender was keen to rejoin the Uefa Cup holders.
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has already discussed the
speculation with Skrtel and moved to clear up any confusion
over the Czech's future.
And now Skrtel, who is currently sidelined with a knee
injury, has expressed his happiness with life at Liverpool,
who he joined in January.
"I am very happy here at Anfield," Skrtel told the club's
official website.
"It was always my dream to play here in England and I'm with
one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I spoke to my friend in Russia and we talked about Zenit. I
have great friends there, but I never said I am not happy
here, and I never said I didn't like the city.
"I didn't say the city is boring. That's just not true and
I'd like to repeat I am very happy here.
"This is a special club and a city with a lot of history. I
have been made to feel very welcome here at Liverpool."
(Sky Sports)
Rafa rubbishes Skrtel rumours
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has dismissed reports that
injured defender Martin Skrtel is unsettled at the club.
Rumours emanating from Russia claimed the Slovakian was
seeking a move away from Anfield after failing to settle in
England.
Skrtel, who joined Liverpool from Zenit St Petersburg last
January, is currently recovering from the serious knee
injury he sustained at Manchester City last month.
Benitez has revealed he has spoken to Skrtel and he insists
the 24-year-old is happy with life at Liverpool.
"These sort of stories always tend to come out during an
international week," Benitez told the club's official
website.
"I was talking with Martin at Melwood yesterday [Wednesday]
and it was clear that he is very happy and just wants to get
back playing.
"He is working very hard to get himself fit again and he is
very settled at Liverpool - both in the city and at the
club."
(Sky Sports)
Fabio: Rafa can make the difference
Fabio Aurelio believes Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez's
rotation policy will prove crucial in the battle to secure
Premier League glory.
Ahead of Saturday's visit of Fulham, the Reds sit level on
points with table-topping Chelsea as they bid to end an
19-year wait for league silverware at Anfield.
And Aurelio, who worked under Benitez at former club
Valencia when winning La Liga in 2002 and 2004, believes his
boss' much-debated tactical changes could be a decisive
factor.
"There are similarities with what happened at Valencia in
terms of the rotation of the players," Aurelio told
Liverpool's official website.
"Rafa knows when to rest players and back in 2002 we were
fresher than other teams at the end of the season because
he'd rested players at the right times."
(TEAMtalk)
Torres back to his best
Fernando Torres returned to goalscoring form last night in
Spain’s 3-0 win over Chile.
It was the Liverpool forward’s first goal since his return
from the hamstring injury that he sustained on international
duty in early October.
And in a further boost to manager Rafael Benitez’s
preparations for the visit of Fulham this Saturday, he saw
all five of his Spanish internationals come through without
picking up injuries.
Xabi Alonso and Albert Riera completed full 90 minutes while
goalkeeper Pepe Reina played the second half after replacing
Iker Casillas.
Right-back Alvaro Arbeloa also made an appearance just past
the hour mark before Torres scored just nine minutes after
replacing David Villa 12 minutes into the second half. But
Benitez’s main concern was welcoming Torres back with his
fitness intact after being injured on international duty
three times during his Liverpool career.
(Liverpool Daily Post) |
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WEDNESDAY 19 |
Mascherano: Maradona inspired us
Argentina captain Javier Mascherano revealed he and his
team-mates were inspired by the sight of Diego Maradona on
the bench as the new manager's reign got off to a winning
start against Scotland.
Maxi Rodriguez's eighth-minute goal was enough to seal a
deserved 1-0 victory at Hampden Park.
Liverpool midfielder Mascherano told Sky Sports 1: "I think
it's a new era. It was very important to win. I think we
played well in the first half. The second half, we needed to
fight. We fought, so we are really happy. It's a good start;
we are very proud.
"You see Maradona on the bench coaching, it's fantastic for
us.
"It's just a friendly match but it's a good start."
(ITV Football)
Referee received death threats
Fifa referee Martin Hansson, who awarded a generous penalty
to Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard during the Champions
League draw with Atletico Madrid at Anfield, says he has
received death threats.
The Swede awarded a controversial penalty to The Reds after
a clash between Gerrard and Mariano Pernia in injury time.
Hansson claims furious fans have forced him change his phone
number, as he received menacing messages following the 1-1
draw.
“They called all the time and I received many text
messages,” Hansson told Expressen.
“I am used to it, but this time they used a threatening
tone, which was very unpleasant.
“I am really fed up with it.”
Hansson claims he thought about quitting, but felt it would
be wrong to allow a minority to force him to retire.
The 37-year-old added: “You have to keep on refereeing if
you like it despite all this bad influence. I am going to
carry on without listening to those obscure forces.”
(Setanta Sports)
Benayoun hints at
Liverpool departure
Yossi Benayoun has revealed his frustrations at being a
bit-part player at high flying Liverpool.
The Israeli international admits he is finding it difficult
to accept his role as a squad player and even hinted he
could seek a move away from Anfield in January.
“If the situation remains the same over the next few months,
and I’m not getting more time in the middle, I will not want
to continue as a Liverpool player,” he said.
“The fact that I have spent so much time on the bench, while
there has been a winning formula on the pitch, tells you
everything. I hope it changes for me, because I want to
stay, but it won’t be easy.
“I know I’m at one of the biggest clubs in the world, and
that there are many good players like Ryan Babel and
Jermaine Pennant who sometimes aren’t even in the squad, but
it’s not much fun sitting on
the bench.
“I always wanted to prove myself good enough for Liverpool,
and I thought I did well last season.
“But there seems to be more competition. If I continue on
the sidelines, I would not want to stay.“
Benayoun’s comments are unlikely to impress his manager who
places great store in the value of players who will fight
for their places.”
(Liverpool Echo)
Flap over Liverpool's bird symbol
The owners of Liverpool Football Club have applied to
register the Liver Bird as their trademark, prompting the
city council to take legal advice.
The club have applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office
to register the image for £450.
Bosses hope it will stem the tide of counterfeit Liverpool
merchandise bearing the famous Liver Bird emblem.
But Liverpool City Council said the club had "no right" to
claim the bird as its own.
Deputy council leader Flo Clucas said the council was taking
legal advice over the trademark application.
"I have some very real concerns over it," she said.
"They do already have their crest trademarked, but they have
no right of ownership to claim the bird, or any version of
the bird, as their own.
"The Liver Bird, not only does it appear on the Royal
Charter for the council, but it is also used by local
businesses and schools.
"It belongs to the city and nobody has a right to claim it
exclusively as the own. It's a symbol for the city."
(BBC Sport Online)
Skrtel targets Christmas comeback
Martin Skrtel has set his sights on a return to first-team
action during the club's festive schedule.
The commanding centre-back has been out since October 5,
after damaging a posterior cruciate ligament injury to his
right knee in Liverpool's 3-2 win over Manchester City.
However, the Reds number 37 is now on the mend and admits
rehabilitation is going well.
"The injury is much better," Skrtel told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"It has been six weeks since the injury and I have stopped
using the crutches, but obviously I have work to do in order
to get the ligament back to what it was before.
"The pain when it happened was huge and I thought it was
much worse than it actually was. Once I was back in the
changing room I realised it was not as serious as I first
feared.
As for a likely return date, the Slovakian international is
still hopeful he will achieve his initial target of a
run-out during the Christmas programme.
"I don't know exactly the date but the predictions were for
before Christmas and I am hoping it is as soon as possible,"
he added.
"It has been a long time. I can't wait to start kicking a
ball again and resume full training."
(LFC Official Website)
Arbeloa not signing
until Benitez sorted
Liverpool are keen to open talks with Alvaro Arbeloa over a
new contract to stave off interest from Atletico Madrid.
But the Spain international has intimated he will wait until
the future of Rafael Benitez becomes clearer before
reaffirming his commitment to
the club.
Arbeloa, an arrival from Deportivo La Coruna in January
2007, has a little over 18 months remaining on his current
contract.
The 25-year-old has emerged as a regular at right-back this
season with his form since signing for Liverpool earning a
place in Spain’s triumphant Euro 2008 squad.
That has alerted Atletico, who want to take the former Real
Madrid defender back to the Spanish capital.
And Arbeloa, in line to play for Spain in tonight’s friendly
at home to Chile, said: “I have a contract with Liverpool
for one more year. We’ve not spoken about renewing it, not
knowing if Benitez will continue, it seems to me a little
soon to talk about this.”
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Weijl inspires reserves win
Vincent Weijl eased the pressure on reserves team manager
Gary Ablett with an assist to end a four match losing streak
with a 1-0 win over Wigan.
Dani Pacheco scored the only goal of the game on a cross
from Weijl. Liverpool signed 17-year-old striker Weijl from
AZ Alkmaar and he was a constant threat throughout the
match.
Liverpool had the lion-share of the possession but just
couldn’t get the ball into the back of the net.
(Kop-TV)
Thor Zakariassen
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