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WEDNESDAY 24 |
Alonso and Garcia in contract talks
Liverpool are expected to hold contract talks with Xabi
Alonso and Luis Garcia this week.
Garcia's contract expires at the end of the 2007/8 season
while Alonso's expires a season later. Liverpool are keen to
start new contract talks with both players this week. Rafael
Benitez also hopes to begin contract talks with Pepe Reina
soon.
(LFC Online)
Reds hit back at Neill
Chief executive Rick Parry has launched a thinly-veiled
attack on Lucas Neill after the defender opted to sign for
West Ham United rather than Liverpool.
Reds supremo Parry has hit back at claims from the Australia
international that the Anfield club didn't do enough to
persuade him to join them from Blackburn Rovers.
"The decision by Lucas Neill not to accept our terms after
we agreed a fee with Blackburn will bemuse many fans," Parry
told LFC magazine.
"What we want are players with an instinctive desire to play
for Liverpool. We want people with a real passion to come
here and help us win trophies.
"From our side, we never want to be in a position where
someone is only coming here for the money. A player has to
be driven by something more than that.
"Because of the stature, history and ambition of Liverpool,
there should be no need for us to sell the merits of this
club.
"It's Neill's decision and it's his future. It has happened
before and it will happen again."
(Football UK)
Reds sign striker
Liverpool have signed Ajax striker Jordy Brouwer.
Brouwer opted to sign for Liverpool after his youth contract
with Ajax expired. The 18 year old striker will be part of
Gary Ablett's reserve side and could make his debut against
Man Utd on February 1st.
"We have made a good signing for the future in Jordy," said
chief executive Rick Parry.
"He has had a youth contract at Ajax, but has opted to build
his career at Liverpool.
"We have been monitoring his progress and look forward to
developing his potential
at Anfield."
(LFC Online)
Stoke extend loan deal for Diao
Stoke have revealed they have extended their loan of
Liverpool's Senegal international midfielder Salif Diao
until the end of the season.
"There's plenty of excitement around the place. He's coming
until the end of the season and it's a smashing deal for the
club," said Stoke boss Tony Pulis.
"He will improve what we've got and that's what we're
looking to do.
"There are one or two other areas that we want to strengthen
because the pressure to get points mounts now."
(BBC Sport Online) |
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TUESDAY 23 |
King Carra celebrates 10th birthday
One of Anfield's finest celebrates ten years of playing
first team football at Anfield.
Jamie Carragher is the ultimate professional, a player of
unbridled passion, determination and character who has been
one of the stalwarts of the Liverpool side in the last
five years.
After making his debut against Middlesbrough in 1997, the
Redman was initially unable to gain a regular spot in the
Liverpool defence. But Carra fought for his spot, and now
enjoys one of the few certain starts since the Rafa-lution
at Anfield. Countless memories of Carra come to mind, but
perhaps the most famous occasion in Liverpool's recent
history captures just what the man is about.
The Chamions League final against AC Milan summed up Carra
in a match; fighting through a severe bout of cramp,
throwing himself in the way of Italian pile drivers and
famously instructing Jerzy Dudek of the 'Grobbelaar
shaky-leg' routine.
And despite being a Blue at one stage in his life, the only
blood running through Carra's body is Red. He saw the light
and is now Anfield's favourite local.
King Carra, we salute you.
(LFC Online)
Warnock relishing new challenge
Stephen Warnock has revealed he put his desire for first
team football ahead of his love for Liverpool when agreeing
to bring his Anfield career to an end.
Warnock signed a three and a half year deal with Blackburn
yesterday and is likely to make his debut in this weekend's
FA Cup 4th round clash against QPR at Luton.
Having been at Liverpool since the age of 11 Warnock admits
it's a wrench to leave, but he insists he couldn't turn down
the chance to play first team football with a new club.
"When you grow up supporting Liverpool as a lad and then you
get to play for the team it is a great experience and you
never expect to leave. But when you are at a big club like
Liverpool it is always at the back of your mind that someday
you might have to move on to play regularly.
"So I'm not upset about leaving because I know I'm coming to
a fantastic club.
"You look at Blackburn last year and they were fantastic in
getting into Europe and that is the aim again. That is what
I want to be doing, playing in the Premiership and in
Europe.
"Blackburn are on a great run at the moment and I understand
that it will be a challenge to get into the side. I'm not
expecting to come here and walk straight into the team, I
know I'm going to have to work hard and prove to the manager
why he bought me."
(LFC Official Website)
BBC says sorry for radio slur
The controller of BBC Radio Five Live has
apologised to the city for a joke about Liverpool made by
one of its best-known commentators.
Alan Green told Radio Five Live listeners that Hollywood
star Sylvester Stallone, who was a special guest at
Everton's match against Reading, would probably find his
limousine had no wheels when he returned to it.
Council leader Warren Bradley, an Everton fan, branded the
comments ignorant and complained to Five Live.
Yesterday he received a letter back from Bob Shennan, the
station's controller, who said: "Alan's comments were an
ill-judged attempt at humour that misfired and were not
funny. Please accept my apology for any offence caused.
"As you state in your letter Alan is a regular visitor to
Liverpool covering both Premiership teams, and has a real
affection for both its football clubs and the people there.
"He has covered football in the city with great distinction
for more than 20 years, including the many high points in
the recent history of both Liverpool and Everton football
clubs.
"I know that the last thing he would ever want to do would
be to cause their supporters any offence."
(Liverpool Echo)
A sad farewell to Kop's Doctor Fun
For generations of Liverpool fans he was an unforgettable
part of the match experience.
Dressed in a red top hat and twirling a rattle, Lenny
Campbell became one of the Kop’s best-loved characters.
Today, relatives of the super-fan famously known as "Doctor
Fun" spoke of their sadness after his death on Saturday,
aged 63.
Father-of-two Mr Campbell, of Rupert Road, Huyton, died from
cancer at Whiston hospital only hours after his beloved Reds
beat champions Chelsea at Anfield.
The former Butlin’s Red Coat became well known on the Kop
during the 80s and 90s for his flamboyant outfits, rattle
and hand-puppet called Charlie.
(Liverpool Echo)
Johnson’s ruled out of Anfield derby
Andrew Johnson was last night ruled out of next month’s
Merseyside derby after it emerged he faces “weeks” on the
sidelines with an ankle injury.
The striker suffered the damage when he collided heavily
with Wigan Athletic goalkeeper Chris Kirkland during
Everton’s 2-0 win at the JJB Stadium on Sunday.
Johnson was carried from the field on a stretcher amid
concerns he had broken his left ankle, fears allayed by an
subsequent initial prognosis that revealed no obvious
fracture.
However, a further diagnosis yesterday determined the
25-year-old is nevertheless likely to be sidelined for
around a month with a “significant ankle injury”.
(Liverpool Daily Post)
Under 18's beaten
Liverpool's under 18's side were beaten 1-0 at home by West
Brom at the weekend.
The Baggies got a measure of revenge after Liverpool had
knocked them out of the FA Youth Cup at the Hawthorns back
in December, by recording a 1-0 win at the Kirkby Academy.
The Reds struggled to adapt to the conditions and gave their
worst performance in
a while as they were deservedly beaten.
(LFC Online) |
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MONDAY 22 |
Liverpool want more credit
Liverpool have dismissed suggestions that Chelsea's injuries
were the cause of their humiliation at Anfield on Saturday.
Boss Rafael Benitez is demanding that his team get full
credit for their 2-0 Barclays Premiership victory following
claims that it came about because central defenders John
Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Khalid Boulahrouz were out.
Both Benitez and defender Jamie Carragher are unimpressed
with the excuses being made for Chelsea.
Carragher said: "In Rafa's first season I can remember us
going into big games with Neil Mellor a lone striker. I
don't remember too many people making excuses for us."
Benitez added: "When we were losing some games, without
Steven Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, people didn't say we had
players missing."
(TEAMtalk)
Reds agree to Warnock sale
Liverpoolfc.tv can today confirm that the club have agreed
terms with Blackburn Rovers over the sale of Stephen
Warnock.
A graduate of the Liverpool Academy, Warnock was handed his
chance in the first-team not long after Rafael Benitez
arrived at the club and made his debut in the Champions
League qualifier in Graz in August 2004.
The break into the first team followed an entire season on
loan at First Division Coventry City, where he picked up the
supporters' Player of the Year award.
(LFC Official Website)
US bid delay to Anfield takeover
The American billionaire who wants to reopen the Merseyside
shared stadium debate was today linked with a fresh bid to
take over Liverpool.
George Gillett Jnr, owner of the Montreal Canadians Ice
Hockey club, is understood to be ready to delay the imminent
Dubai International Capital takeover by reigniting his
interest.
Liverpool FC has already decided to accept the DIC offer
worth £450m.
But under company law Gillett is allowed to bid for
Liverpool once DIC have completed an exclusivity period in
the due diligence process.
(Liverpool Echo)
Kuyt: It was a perfect win
Dirk Kuyt reflected on the 2-0 win over Chelsea and admitted
it was the perfect day and a great confidence booster for
the remainder of the season.
"This was a great result and there was only one team that
deserved to win," enthused Kuyt.
"We were good in attack but we were fabulous in defence. We
didn't give them one chance all game, we were defensively
very strong."
(LFC Official Website)
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Thor Zakariassen
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