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WEDNESDAY 6 |
FA won't intervene in Reds takeover
The Football Association will not get involved in takeover
talks which could see the ownership of Liverpool fall into
foreign hands.
Reds chief executive Rick Parry confirmed earlier this week
that the Dubai International Capital, the investment arm of
Dubai's government, had been allowed the inspect Liverpool's
accounts as part of an anticipated £450million buy-out.
For the FA, the matter is straightforward. Unlike in Spain,
where clubs tend to be owned by the supporters, football
clubs in England have traditionally been owned by
individuals or a small number of directors.
And the feeling inside Soho Square is that is would be
'utterly impossible' to discriminate against any potential
owner on the grounds of nationality.
(TEAMtalk)
Benitez excited by spending power
Rafael Benitez admits he is relishing the
prospect of being able to spend big in the transfer market
if the proposed Liverpool takeover is completed.
The Anfield boss was anticipating the new "big picture" and
an exciting future as he brought his squad back from Turkey
following the disappointing - but largely unimportant -
Champions League Group C defeat by Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Benitez said: "The big picture now is clear. This investment
can help us for the future.
"We can have a big stadium, more fans seeing us and also a
lot of money.
"That will help us for sure. We will be able to compete at
the top end of the transfer market and that is a good
prospect for me.
"It is important for a club like ours to have this level of
investment, and it is important for the manager, too.
"You can consider buying certain players and you will know
that the club is behind you. If they have enough money it
will certainly help us for the future."
(PA Sport)
Xabi: Bring on Barca
Xabi Alonso claims the Reds do not care who they face in the
next round of the Champions League – even if it's the
holders Barcelona.
The Spaniard insists there are no easy draws and reckons he
and his teammates thrive on being underdogs anyway.
"We know whoever we get in the next round will be really
tough but it will also be exciting," he said.
"We'll have to be ready. Real or Barcelona could be the next
game, but we've played a few games in Spain in the last few
years and always won there, so if we meet either of those
clubs we'll know it will be a massive game for the club, but
we'll see."
(LFC Official Website)
Xabi joy at Dubai deal
Xabi Alonso today urged Liverpool's prospective new owners
to ensure the traditions of the club remain intact when
their takeover is complete.
Alonso says the players are excited by the possible
investment by Dubai International Capital, but was equally
cautious about the implications for the identity of
Liverpool.
"We'll have to wait until it's all done, but it seems to be
really close now," said Alonso. "We'll see what route the
club takes, but if they decide this is the best idea we must
all be happy and look to the future with optimism.
"Since I've been in Liverpool, one of the things I've
noticed most is how much the club and people respect and
realise the importance of their traditions.
"Of course, we all want to develop and improve the club, but
it's also important to respect the traditions. I'm sure
that's how the supporters feel, and it's the same for the
players."
(Liverpool Echo)
Gonzalez targets Fulham return
Mark Gonzalez is hoping to return to first team action when
the Reds take on Fulham at Anfield this weekend.
The Chilean winger has not played since being stretchered
off with a hamstring injury against PSV on November 22.
"I'm working really hard to be fit as quickly as possible.
Hopefully I'll be available to play this weekend," he said.
(LFC Official Website)
No easy teams left says Rafa
Rafael Benitez says there won't be an easy draw in the last
sixteen of
the Champions eague.
Liverpool will find out who they play in the next round of
the European Cup in next Friday's draw but Rafa Benitez has
already warned his team that there are no easy games at this
level.
"It will be difficult now because they are all top teams.
Last season we drew Benfica and everyone said it would be
easy, but we lost," warned the Spaniard.
(LFC Online) |
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TUESDAY 5 |
Benitez bemoans mistakes
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez blamed bad mistakes for his
side's defeat to Galatasaray.
Benitez was unhappy with his side's defending, but he
conceded he knew it would be difficult for his players to be
up for the game with top spot in the group already secured.
"We paid for bad mistakes - you cannot expect to win if you
make mistakes like that at this level," bemoaned Benitez.
(Sky Sports)
Carra plays down defeat
Jamie Carragher played down Liverpool's 3-2 defeat to
Galatasaray on Tuesday.
With top spot already secured in Group C a below-strength
Liverpool side fell to their first defeat in Europe this
season.
Carragher, who captained Liverpool in the absence of the
rested Steven Gerrard, shrugged off the defeat as there was
nothing riding on the game.
"We've already qualified top of the group," said Carragher.
"We came here and we wanted to win but there's a lot of
young lads out there and it's a great experience for them.
"Of course we're disappointed we got beaten."
(Sky Sports)
Reds not galled by Gala setback
Liverpool were losers on their return to the Ataturk
Stadium, with Galatasaray sealing a 3-2 Champions League win
over the Group C winners.
Robbie Fowler scored twice but Liverpool just did not have
the heart or interest to produce another 3-3 thriller in
Istanbul.
Fowler put the visitors into an early lead at the same
stadium that saw the Reds produce the thrilling three-goal
comeback that put them on the way to the Champions League
crown 18 months ago.
But with nothing riding on this final Group C match, and a
seriously weakened side on the pitch, they were unable to
stop Galatasaray claiming some pride and their first group
win in a disappointing campaign for the Turkish champions.
Fowler headed a second with just a couple of minutes left,
but in truth Liverpool did not really deserve to take
anything from a match that meant little to them, having
already won this group.
They now will await the last 16 draw later this month and
put their European dreams in cold storage until March.
(TEAMtalk)
BBC to show Liverpool v Arsenal
The plum tie of the FA Cup third round between holders
Liverpool and Arsenal will be shown live on BBC One on
Saturday, 6 January.
The match, which is being played at Anfield, kicks off at
1715 GMT.
(BBC Sport Online)
Team news: Reds v Galatasaray
Rafa has named a healthy mix of youth and experience as the
reds return to the Attaturk Stadium for the first time since
2005’s historic 5th European Cup victory.
Jerzy Dudek returns to goal at the ground where he had his
finest hour. Robbie Fowler partners in-form Craig Bellamy up
front. Lee Peltier and Danny Guthrie get some valuable
Champions League appearances under their belt and Pennant
gets another chance to shine.
Dudek, Peltier, Carragher, Agger, Paletta, Riise, Pennant,
Alonso, Guthrie, Fowler, Bellamy.
Subs: Martin, Anderson, Roque, Darby, Kuyt, Crouch, Garcia.
(Anfield Online)
The billionaire for whom anything is
possible
There are currently 793 billionaires in the world, according
to international finance experts Forbes.
And Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum - "Sheikh Mo" to
his friends - is, if you listen to those in the know, one of
the best of them.
"He would probably be the shrewdest of the bunch," says
Luisa Kroll, associate editor at Forbes magazine.
When you consider the "bunch" includes the likes of
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the Sultan of Brunei,
that's not a bad testimonial to have on your CV.
(Liverpool Echo)
Pongolle seeking Reds exit
Florent Sinama-Pongolle insists his Liverpool career is over
and he has no desire to return to Anfield at the end of the
season.
The French youngster is currently on loan at Recreativo
Huelva and has impressed in La Liga, scoring five goals to
date.
Sinama-Pongolle was shipped out of Liverpool after the
signings of Dirk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy, and his long-term
prospects under Rafa Benitez look increasingly small.
Now the forward may have firmly closed the door on any
future with The Reds by insisting he has no desire to return
to the Premiership.
"No, I don't see myself at Liverpool next year, it is over,"
Sinama-Pongolle told RMC.
"I have been important for them, helping them to win cups,
scoring in the Champions League and FA Cup.
"But I feel very good in Spain. The league is more
technical, less direct, and I have scored five goals.
"I want to do more than the club's best scorer record of 10
goals."
(Sky Sports)
Benitez hails starlet's progress
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez says he has been
impressed by the recent form of midfielder Danny Guthrie.
The England youth international has recently made
Premiership appearances against Portsmouth and Wigan, and he
looks set to be handed a starting spot in Tuesday night's
Champions League clash with Galatasaray.
Benitez told the Daily Post he feels Guthrie has made a big
improvement in recent months:
"We knew Danny was a good player and he was playing well in
the reserve team.
"I think he's improving this year. Last year he tried hard,
but now he has more experience and you can see he has more
confidence.
"Sometimes young players need time, they need to be mature
and to understand the game and understand that the manager
will sometimes ask them to play full back or something, to
play out of position.
"He needs to know what he has to do for our team, for our
tactics. I told him against Wigan to keep his position, to
go forward against them but not straight in and be
disciplined. He was a little bit nervous, but you could see
that he was a player
with quality."
(Clubcall Sports)
UEFA fear with Reds takeover closer
The impending takeover of Liverpool by the fifth-richest man
in the world will add weight to calls for Europe-wide
restrictions on spending on transfers and wages by clubs.
Lawyers and accountants working for Dubai International
Capital (DIC) - a firm owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, the billionaire ruler of the emirate of Dubai -
began looking at Liverpool's accounts in the build-up to
making an offer for the club.
If, as seems certain, the takeover goes through Liverpool
could have access to the sort of money for new players and
wages that would dwarf the sums spent by Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich.
Many in European football fear such takeovers will widen the
gulf between super-rich clubs and the rest, and UEFA and the
European Commission are currently considering new rules that
would tie spending to a proportion of a club's revenue.
UEFA communications director William Gaillard told PA Sport:
"There is no doubt the immediate threat in the short term is
a huge increase in the gap between the haves and the have
nots, and in the long term lead to inflation in wages and
transfer fees and a concentration of power that could
destroy the game."
(Sporting Life)
Barnes backs Reds board
Former Liverpool winger John Barnes believes Anfield
officials will make the right decision for the fans when
considering any takeover bid.
Dubai International Capital (DIC) - a firm owned by the
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai -
have been given exclusive rights to launch a bid.
A takeover could lead to a move away from Anfield to a new
stadium, and Barnes is confident chief executive Rick Parry
and Liverpool officials will be looking after the club's
best interests.
"I'm very confident Liverpool are making the right decisions
on who to hand the reins over to and who the investors will
be," said Barnes, who starred for Liverpool in the 1980s and
1990s.
"I think why they like the investors from Dubai is because
they will have a hands-off approach and let the people in
charge take care of the business of running the club and
maintaining the relationship with the area and the fans.
"Financially others may have more clout and be a more
attractive proposition but the people in charge will make
the right decisions for the fans."
(TEAMtalk)
Cisse closing in on return
Returning Cisse happy to stay at OMMarseille striker Djibril
Cisse will play in a training match on Tuesday as he nears a
return to full fitness following a leg break.
Cisse underwent surgery on his leg in June, but the former
Liverpool striker will have a chance to prove his fitness
when he plays in a training match against Martigues on
Tuesday.
And coach Albert Emon even went as far as suggesting the
France international could be considered to join to squad
who face Monaco on Saturday.
"Why not?" Emon said. "We need a player like him."
But the flamboyant striker's return to action will still
depend on an examination on Thursday with the doctor who
operated on him in the summer.
(Eurosport)
Sport is the new oil of Dubai
If the Maktoum family offer Liverpool the same financial
clout and commitment they have afforded horse racing,
Anfield fans will be in for the ride of their life.
The Maktoum brothers, spearheaded by Sheik Mohammed, who
reputedly has a net worth in excess of £7billion, have
turned their racing operation into a world force.
From a handful of horses in 1992, Sheik Mohammed, now the
ruler of Dubai, has invested his precious time, money and
energy into making Godolphin the envy of the racing world,
with his globe-trotting operation blossoming to earn 132
Group One races in 11 countries.
The Maktoum family have also invested in Arsenal's Emirates
Stadium, spent £100m setting up the A1GP motor racing and
have coaxed the International Cricket Council to relocate
from Lord's. Manchester United are also planning to set up
their first football school in Dubai. And that is just the
start.
(Daily Mail)
Gerrard eyes Champions League solace
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard hopes the Reds have the
firepower to claim some “consolation” for Barclays
Premiership failure this season by winning a sixth European
Cup for the club.
Gerrard, rested along with three other Liverpool
heavyweights with a busy Christmas schedule in mind, will be
watching from afar tonight when Liverpool return to the
scene of their geatest triumph of the last two decades.
With his team preparing to take on Galatasaray in Istanbul’s
Ataturk Stadium, where he famously helped to inspire their
second-half fightback to claim the Champions League title at
the expense of AC Milan 18 months ago, Gerrard believes the
2006/2007 team are capable of similar heroics.
He said: “Because of the disappointing start we have had in
the Premiership, if we’re realistic we have got to try even
harder in the cups now.
“The Champions League would be a big consolation.”
(BreakingNews.ie) |
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MONDAY 4 |
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Benitez won't get Sheik's millions until
summer
Liverpool will come under the control of Sheik
Mohammed, the world’s fifth-richest man, but Rafa Benitez
may have to wait to spend some of his fortune.
The Sheik’s investment group, Dubai International Capital,
began examining the club’s accounts on Monday with a view to
a £450million takeover.
But the ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab
Emirates, who also controls the world’s biggest horse-racing
operation, will finance major transfers only after
addressing recent losses.
While Roman Abramovich continues to give Chelsea manager
Jose Mourinho licence to spend almost as he wishes, the
Sheik will adopt a more businesslike approach.
But in a clear warning to the Premiership champions, sources
close to the Sheik underlined his resolve to make Liverpool
a dominant force again, nearly 17 years after their last
title success.
(Daily Mail)
Benitez excited by Reds' takeover talks
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admits he is excited for the
Reds' future after it was confirmed they are in talks over a
£450million takeover.
Benitez was talking ahead of the Champions League clash with
Galatasaray on Tuesday and his emotional return to the
Ataturk Stadium, the scene of the Merseysiders' fifth
European Cup triumph just 18 months ago.
Benitez said: "I have talked to the chairman (David Moores)
and chief executive (Rick Parry) about this and I was
pleased with what I heard.
"At the moment I only really want to concentrate on the
match here, but of course it is always good for a club to
have more money and more possibilities."
(TEAMtalk)
Liverpool takeover talks confirmed
Liverpool have confirmed they are in "exclusive
talks" with the Dubai International Capital group (DIC)
about a possible takeover of the club.
As reported in The Times this morning, the subsidiary of the
Arab state government is close to agreeing a £450 million
deal to take control of the five-time European Cup winners.
The Merseyside club have been searching for an investor to
secure the club's long-term future for three years and Rick
Parry, the club's chief executive, believes a DIC takeover
would be enormously beneficial to the Anfield outfit.
"This is the latest step on the road of finding the
long-term investment that the club needs," he said.
"DIC is a potential investor with the resources and
philosophy that we believe could make them an ideal partner.
"Already they have demonstrated a full understanding of, and
respect for, the club's heritage and values."
(Times Online)
Benitez wants Reds to concentrate
Rafael Benitez wants Liverpool to stay focused on beating
Galatasaray as they return to the stadium where they won the
Champions League 18 months ago.
He said: "The stadium will bring back great memories. It
will good to look around and remember what happened.
"But we must not get too wrapped up in the emotion and
memories, we must concentrate on winning this one.
"It is important to keep the momentum of our European form
going. Now we have qualified we can try to enjoy it."
Benitez added: "We have already beaten Galatasaray at
Anfield. That was a special game because we were winning 3-0
and Peter Crouch had scored a wonderful goal.
"But they came back and scored twice and it was very
difficult in the end. We were under pressure and they showed
they have good players with quality.
"If we had come here to Istanbul still needing points to
qualify, it would be really difficult. But now we can enjoy
the night."
(BBC Sport Online)
£400m to start a new era
It is appropriate that Liverpool head back to the
scene of their greatest comeback today.
Off the pitch, the most lucrative deal in the club's
history, with a man wealthier than Roman Abramovich, will be
noted by generations to come as a fightback of equal
significance.
With the clock ticking on the club's dreams of building a
£180m stadium, a three-year pursuit for investment is
finally on the brink of conclusion, ensuring that the
Stanley Park plans proceed.
The stakes could not have been higher for the Liverpool
hierarchy, with the temperature within the boardroom
increasing daily.
A multi-million pound deal with one of the richest economies
on the planet would represent a stunning hat-trick for
chairman David Moores and chief executive Rick Parry.
Not only have they ensured that the Stanley Park stadium can
be built, but the resources Rafael Benitez craves should
also be available.
More significantly, the long-term financial security of
Liverpool Football Club would be strengthened through an
alliance with one of the richest and most stable economies
on earth.
(Chris Bascombe - Liverpool Echo)
Kuyt:: I wouldn't have blamed Craig
Dirk Kuyt insists he wouldn't have blamed Craig
Bellamy for being more selfish in a bid to get his hat-trick
at the JJB.
Bellamy was in a position to net his third on 40 minutes but
instead squared for his Dutch strike partner to slot home.
"It was a pity for him he did not get his hat-trick, he
deserved it," said Kuyt.
"I know Craig is not selfish and it is a compliment to him
that as well as being a good footballer, he is a good
human."
(LFC Official Website)
Gerrard rested for Europe by Benitez
Steven Gerrard was one of several members of the first-team
squad left behind as Liverpool flew out for their Champions
League clash against Galatasaray in Istanbul.
Liverpool top their group, giving manager Rafael Benitez the
opportunity to rest key men.
Skipper Gerrard, Jose Reina, Sami Hyypia and Steve Finnan
were all left behind - none is injured.
Benitez brought in a host of youngsters, including full-back
Stephen Darby, captain of last season's FA Youth Cup-winning
side, for his first call-up to the senior squad.
Other youngsters included were Danny Guthrie, Lee Peltier,
goalkeeper David Martin and midfielder Miki Roque.
Team (from): Dudek, Agger, Riise, Alonso, Crouch, Fowler,
Pennant, Bellamy, Kuyt, Carragher, Paletta, Luis Garcia,
Guthrie, Peltier, Darby, Martin, Anderson, Roque.
(PA Sport)
Anfield fans give cautious welcome to
latest bid
Liverpool supporters have given a cautious welcome to the
latest news about a possible takeover of the club.
It is the latest twist in the long-running speculation about
the possibility of a takeover at the club, which remains one
of the few prizes in the Premiership for potential foreign
investors.
There have been at least two serious contenders for the
club, including US billionaire George Gillett, owner of the
Montreal Canadians ice hockey club, who was said to be the
leading contender.
But Dubai International Capital, Emirates private equity
arm, understood to be advised by JP Morgan, the firm which
arranged financing for the deal by Malcolm Glazer to take
over Manchester United, appears now to be the favourite to
take over.
Last night, Richie Pedder, of the Liverpool FC Supporters
Club, said a buy-out was "inevitable" for Liverpool to
remain competitive.
He said: "I think it's got to happen.
"We need more money coming into Liverpool, and if this is
the only way then it has
to happen."
(Daily Post)
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Thor Zakariassen
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