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WEDNESDAY 21 |
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Rafa rubbishes Real talk
Rafael Benitez has insisted that the speculation linking him
with the Real Madrid coach position is just that -
speculation.
"At this moment I am very happy here. I am focused on the
games we have coming up and I want to win things with my
club.
"I don't want to waste my time talking about other
possibilities. I am focused on my team, winning matches and
I am happy at Liverpool."
Rafa was in Italy earlier this week to collect the Best
Coach in Europe trophy which he is very proud to have
collected.
He added: "I am delighted to have been named the best coach
in Europe, but this award isn't for me. It's for the club,
my staff, the players and our supporters. It's impossible to
win trophies and be successful if you don't have the support
of people around you
at the club."
(anfield-online)
Carragher to help jailed Liverpool fan
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is to take part in an
autograph signing session to help raise funds for jailed
Reds fan Michael Shields.
Carragher will sign autographs for a £1 each at Pryor's the
jewellers on London Road, Liverpool from approximately 3pm
on Thursday 29th September.
All proceeds will go to the Michael Shields campaign.
(Kop Talk)
Kewell, Mellor and Morientes due back
Liverpool trio Harry Kewell, Neil Mellor and Fernando
Morientes are all close to making a return to action
following their injury problems.
Spanish hitman Morientes has recovered from a hamstring
problem and could be involved against Birmingham City
depending on how he does in training during the rest of this
week.
Aussie international Harry Kewell is pencilled in to make
his comeback in a reserves game against his former employers
Leeds United on 27th September and Neil Mellor should be
back in training within a fortnight.
(Kop Talk)
Cisse's proud of his tackle
Djibril Cisse will appear nude in the 2006 calendar
published by the French rugby union club Stade Francais.
The French daily newspaper Le Parisien carried the naked
picture of the Liverpool striker showing his back and side
with him posing with a football on his tatooed thigh.
(LFC Online)
Michael celebrates birthday in his cell
The parents of jailed teenager Michael Shields were today
celebrating his 19th birthday with him in a Bulgarian prison
cell.
They flew to the city of Varna after being granted a special
visit by prison bosses yesterday.
Michael Shields Snr, 46, and wife Marie, 45, from Wavertree,
took birthday cards from family and well-wishers to keep
their son's spirits up.
(Liverpool Echo)
Hillsborough group raises £20,000
The Hillsborough Family Support Group has raised more than
£20,000 for the Marina Dalglish Appeal.
The money was collected through a recent golf competition
organised by Phil Hammond, chairman of the Hillsborough
group.
Marina's appeal, currently being supported by the ECHO
Sunrise Fund, aims to raise £1.5m for a chemotherapy unit at
Fazakerley hospital.
Appeal fundraiser Andrea Donovan said: "The support of the
Hillsborough families has been invaluable and this money is
a massive boost for our appeal."
(Liverpool Echo)
Bruce left short after new Izzet injury
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce feels like he has "run over a
black cat" after another injury to Muzzy Izzet left him with
only one first team midfielder to face European champions
Liverpool on Saturday.
Izzet's return from a long-term knee injury was curtailed by
an Achilles problem after less than half an hour of
Birmingham's 2-0 Carling Cup second round victory at
Scunthorpe.
(Sporting Life)
Under 18's continue good start
Liverpool's under 18's side continued their impressive start
to the season last weekend when they hammered Huddersfield
5-1.
Saturday's haul means that John Owens' side have scored 18
goals in five games so far this season.
This week's goals were scored by Ryan Flynn, Robbie
Threlfall, Adam Hammill and two from Michael Nardiello.
Nardiello gave the Reds the lead on 15 minutes before
Huddersfield equalised. Liverpool soon regained their lead
when Flynn headed in their second after man of the match
Adam Hammill had a shot saved. Nardiello then scored his
second to give the Reds a 3-1 half-time lead.
In the second half Hammill's free kick was headed in by
centre-back Thelfrall for the fourth before the impressive
winger added the fifth himself.
(LFC Online) |
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TUESDAY 20 |
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Red's warning over email hoax
Liverpool Football Club would like to warn all our fans
about a number of email based scams that have come to our
attention.
The sender is claiming Liverpool FC and their Board of
Directors are giving away high value cash prizes. All the
recipient has to do to claim their prize is reply to the
email with their personal details.
We are aware of two companies involved in this activity:
Liverpool Promotions
Liverpool Awards
However, there may be more of this type of email being sent
out.
Please be aware Liverpool FC is not currently running or
intending in the future to undertake this type of promotion.
In the meantime, the club is working closely with the
appropriate authorities to halt the activities of those
involved.
(LFC Official Website)
Parry: We want Benitez for years
Liverpool want Rafael Benitez to guide the club's fortunes
for years to come.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry outlined his long-term hopes
for the European Cup winning coach, as speculation grew that
Real Madrid have targeted Benitez as their number one choice
to replace under-pressure Wanderley Luxemburgo.
Parry said today: "It goes without saying that we are
extremely happy with Rafa and want him to stay. We are
working on a shared vision of sustained success on the
pitch.
"Bringing trophies back to Anfield is all we are concerned
with. Without underestimating the size of the challenge, we
are very confident we can achieve that aim together.
Benitez would be faced by an emotional dilemma if Real came
calling.
He coached Madrid's B and C teams earlier in his career and
when he left Valencia for Anfield 15 months ago his agent,
Manual Garcia Quilon, claimed: "It's a great shop window for
Rafa to show his talent to become Real Madrid coach."
Benitez, however, dismissed any Real Madrid interest in his
services in one sentence during Friday's pre-match
conference for the Manchester United match.
"The situation is the same as it was," he said. "There is
nothing."
(Liverpool Echo)
Reds give trial to Hull midfielder
Hull City midfielder Paul Anderson has been given a trial at
Liverpool.
Rafael Benitez has been keeping a close eye on the
17-year-old during training sessions at Melwood, and he was
given 45 minutes for the reserves on Monday night.
''He's just had a few days at Liverpool,'' said Hull boss
Peter Taylor 'He's back with us now. That was always the
plan, he'd have three or four days there.
''As far as I was concerned, he was always coming back to
Hull and I haven't spoken to Liverpool yet.''
(LFC Online)
Grobbelaar collapses
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar was said to be
stable in hospital yesterday after collapsing at a town
centre bar.
He had posed for photographs with other footballers at a
promotional event at the Cafe du Sport in Reading last
Friday. But he is thought to have suffered a flare-up of an
ulcer, brought on by an attack of nerves.
(Daily Post)
Rafa: Traore is like a new signing
Rafael Benitez has hailed the return to fitness of Djimi
Traore and described him as 'like a new signing'.
Up until last week's fixture at Tottenham Benitez had been
without the services of Traore since the summer when the
French defender suffered a thigh injury.
But after recovering well Traore has figured in Liverpool's
last three matches and the boss is delighted to have him
back.
"It's important for us to have Djimi back because we always
need to have at least two players competing for each
position," Benitez told Liverpoolfc.tv.
"We have Djimi, Warnock and Riise now competing for the
left-back slot and this can only be good for the team.
"Having him back is like having a new signing in the squad.
He gives us another option and increases the competition for
places."
(LFC Official Website) |
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MONDAY 19 |
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Raven nets winner in five goal thriller
David Raven scored the winner as Liverpool Reserves produced
a superb performance to come back from 2-0 down to beat
Bolton Wanderers 3-2 at the County FA ground in Leyland on
Monday night.
Raven scored five minutes from time with a superb low
drilled effort into the back of the net to give a young Reds
team a deserved win. They did so well to come back and
deserve great credit and showed a fantastic will to win and
never gave up.
Bolton fielded summer signings Jared Borgetti and Hidetoshi
Nakata in the first half and they were 2-0 up after 36
minutes but Danny Guthrie pulled a goal back just before
half-time with a superb header.
David Mannix scored a fantastic free-kick to level the
scores before Raven pounced.
Liverpool lost the injured Antonio Barragan who limped off
after 35 minutes after failing to recover from a strong
tackle. However his replacement, Academy starlet Adam
Hammill had a superb match.
Liverpool Reserves: Willis, Antwi, Raven, Roque, O'Donnell,
Hobbs, Barragan (Hammill 35), Mannix, Calliste (Nardiello
75), Idrizaj (Anderson 45), Guthrie. Subs unused: Peltier,
Roberts (GK).
(LFC Official Website)
Kewell return imminent
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez reckons Aussie attacker Harry
Kewell will make a playing return in a fortnight's time.
The 26-year-old is training again and Benitez has penciled
in a reserve team run-out in the next two weeks.
If he comes through that game unscathed, he could then be in
contention for a first team comeback against Blackburn
Rovers on October 15.
Benitez said: "He is training and playing football now.
"In two weeks he will play for the reserves."
(World Fotballers)
Crouch laughs off long ball jibes
Striker Peter Crouch has laughed off claims Liverpool will
rely too much on long ball football following his arrival at
Anfield.
Crouch made England team-mate Rio Ferdinand look
uncomfortable for much of yesterday's uneventful 0-0 draw,
but he admitted there were times he was a lone figure in
attack.
Manchester United fans taunted the Reds with chants of
'Wimbledon' during the second half as Liverpool looked
towards the aerial threat of the £7m striker.
But Crouch dismissed the jibes.
"The United fans are always going to take the mickey, but we
know we don't play like that," said Crouch.
(Liverpool Echo)
Helguera exit prompts Anfield interest
Ivan Helguera, the hugely experienced Real madrid defender,
has hinted that he may leave the Bernabeu next Summer.
The player is currently playing out his final year under
contract at the club, and has yet to receive a new offer,
prompting Helguera himself to consider his future.
"With the way things are, I see myself more on the way out
than staying in Madrid," Helguera said.
This has prompted several clubs, including the Reds, to keep
tabs on the Spanish international who are reported to have a
keen interest in signing the player.
Fellow Premiership hopefuls Man Utd and Newcastle Utd are
also thought to have an interest in helguera's future, along
with several top European teams, including Italian champs
Juve, and Barca.
(LFC Online)
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Thor Zakariassen
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