Happy birthday, Robbie !!!
Happy birthday to you, Robbie.
Today Robbie Fowler, a true Red legend, becomes 35.
(Webmaster)

Liverpool legend Fowler
to join Sydney FC
Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has decided to extend his stay in Australia, reportedly set to join reigning A-League champions Sydney FC.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Fowler will become Sydney's new marquee signing - which means his wages will not count toward the club's salary cap - replacing Melbourne Heart-bound John Aloisi.
At the age of 34, Fowler leaves the North Queensland Fury after just one season with the club, who are reshaping themselves after the departure of their owner Don Matheson.
It appears the financial burden of keeping Fowler proved too great for the new franchise, with the cost of his services reported to be around $750,000 AUD
a season.
(Goal.com)

Benitez has made mistakes
but Liverpool FC progress
By his own admission, Rafael Benitez has made mistakes this season. And he was guilty of another last night.
After all, the Spaniard's claim he has taken his Liverpool side as far as he can was proven to be not quite accurate as they progressed to the semi-finals of the Europa League on a night of high tension at Anfield.
With co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks watching on from the directors' box, Benitez's men overturned a first-leg deficit in thrilling fashion with a resounding triumph over Benfica to keep alive hopes of a silver lining to a tortuous campaign.
While accepting his share of the blame for this season's failings, Benitez had chosen before the game to launch his latest broadside at the American duo over the lack of fresh investment the Anfield manager believes will see the club stagnate if not addressed this summer.
(Ian Doyle - Liverpool Daily Post)    

Hicks and Gillett
consider stepping aside
Liverpool co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are considering appointing an independent chairman at Anfield and have sounded out leading business figures, including British Airways chairman Martin Broughton, about taking on the role, Telegraph Sport can disclose.
The appointment of an independent chairman is understood to be one of a number of options discussed by the Americans during three days of substantive talks with their advisers in London.
Hicks and Gillett co-chair the Liverpool board but are considering stepping aside in favour of a well-respected independent figure. Such a move would make sense if they were successful in finding a minority investor to help reduce the £237 million debt, but it is understood they will consider standing down even if they do not sell a stake in the club.
(The Daily Telegraph)  

Dirk praises Torres
Dirk Kuyt praised record breaker Fernando Torres after his latest double strike.
Torres became the first Liverpool player in the club's history to score a brace in four successive home games and the latest, against Benfica last night saw the Reds through to the semi-finals of the Europa League. After the game Kuyt was quick to praise his fellow goalscorer.
(LFC Online) 

Labour MP demands truth
about ‘toxic’ Liverpool FC loan
A Labour MP last night demanded to know if the crippling debt saddled on Liverpool FC by its American owners was now seen as “toxic” – and being underwritten by the taxpayer.
The huge £237m debt is owed to goverment-owned RBS but ministers are refusing to confirm claims that Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s loans has been included in the asset protection scheme (APS).
Jim Cousins, a Labour backbencher, described the government’s claim that disclosure would be unlawful as nonsense – insisting details had been revealed in relation to other loans.
And he said the body set up to administer the APS should – if the loan was insured and it judged taxpayer funds to be at risk – demand new owners be installed at Liverpool.
Taking up concerns of Liverpool FC fans, Mr Cousins, a member of the Treasury select committee, said: “Ministers must come clean on whether this loan to Liverpool Football Club has been protected by the taxpayer.
“If it has, then the asset protection agency has a duty to ensure the taxpayer gets its money back – which means deciding whether it has been put at risk by bad management.”
Mr Cousins urged Anfield supporters – many of whom had urged him to find out the truth – to keep campaigning for the lid to be lifted on the controversial loan.
(Liverpool Daily Post)

Benitez wants success on all fronts
Rafael Benitez will not lose sight of his top-four aim as he targets Europa League glory following Liverpool's aggreagate win over Benfica.
Benitez, whose side return to league action against fellow semi-finalists Fulham on Sunday, said: "Any win is important, especially at this stage of a competition.
"Hopefully we can play well, score goals, get closer to the top four and get
to the final.
"We will try to win every game. We will try to do it against Fulham and try to get close to the top four."
(TEAMtalk)  

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