Red News                                            

 


JANUARY       2009
7 8 9

 

 
    

FRIDAY 9
Benitez waits on new deal
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has revealed his disappointment at the slow progress in his contract negotiations.
The former Valencia boss - who launched an astonishing attack on Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson on Friday - opened discussions with the Liverpool hierarchy in November and both parties expressed a desire to secure an extended deal.
It was thought that Benitez was close to putting pen-to-paper in December, but discussions were put on hold as the Spaniard underwent a kidney stones operation.
However, Benitez - whose current terms expire in 2010 - has revealed that his representative has yet to receive paperwork from the club.
"My agent has not yet received any documents, and he is a little disappointed," said Benitez.
(Sky Sports)  

Rafa launches Fergie attack
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has launched an astonishing attack on Sir Alex Ferguson and has accused the Manchester United manager of attempting to start 'early' mind games in the Premier League title race.
Benitez takes his table-topping side to Stoke on Saturday looking to reinforce their position at the summit, but he has been angered by comments from Ferguson.
The Reds could move 10 points clear of third-placed United, who would enjoy the luxury of three games in hand, with victory at the Britannia Stadium but Ferguson has suggested that the Liverpool could choke under the pressure.
Ferguson's observation has caused an outburst from Benitez and the Spaniard has launched criticism of the Old Trafford boss, claiming he is the only manager to avoid punishment in the current Respect campaign.
(Sky Sports) 

Torres to return for Potters date
Fernando Torres is set to return to Premier League action for the first time since November when Liverpool travel to Stoke on Saturday evening.
Full-back Alvaro Arbeloa is unlikely to be involved as he recovers from a hamstring problem, but Javier Mascherano has overcome an ankle knock sustained at Preston in the FA Cup last weekend.
Fabio Aurelio is expected to return at left-back, with teenager Emiliano Insua on international duty with Argentina Under-20s.
Midfielder Xabi Alonso has been ruled out with a foot injury, while veteran defender Sami Hyypia will make the 700th appearance of his club career if he figures at the Britannia Stadium.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Carragher, Agger, Hyypia, Skrtel, Aurelio, Benayoun, Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Babel, Keane, Kuyt, Torres, Riera, Ngog, El Zhar, Cavalieri.
(TEAMtalk)

Pennant resisting Liverpool
offer for AC Milan deal

Jermaine Pennant is set to reject a new Liverpool contract offer.
The Mirror says the winger is out of contract at the end of the season and boss Rafa Benitez is open to offers of £4million in the January
transfer window.
(tribalfootball.com)

City boss tips Liverpool for title tilt
Stoke boss Tony Pulis did not give Liverpool a hope of winning the Premier League in the summer, but he happily admits they are contenders now.
Most pundits predicted this season's title race to be a two-horse race between Manchester United and Chelsea and Pulis admits he too expected those sides to be a class above the other two members of the traditional 'big four'.
Liverpool sit at the summit after 20 games, though, and Pulis believes they must now be considered genuine contenders to claim the Premier League trophy in May.
He said: "They can definitely win the Premier League if they carry on as they are. They've a lot closer to Manchester United and Chelsea than people thought, and that includes me."
(TEAMtalk)     read more
THURSDAY 8
Hansen: Benitez must strengthen
Alan Hansen is pleading with Rafael Benitez to strengthen Liverpool's squad before the end of January. Hansen, who played more than 600 games for the Merseyside club, believes the Liverpool boss needs to add more depth to the squad if they are to stand any chance of winning the Premier League.
Liverpool currently top the table by three points after a successful Christmas period and have Fernando Torres ready to make a comeback following a lengthy spell out of the side.
But Hansen is urging Benitez to splash the cash over the next few weeks and give Liverpool the best chance possible of winning their first title since 1990.
Hansen, a pundit for the New Football Pools, said: "Liverpool have made a great start to the season, but, like anyone, they can always still strengthen.
"That was the great thing about the Liverpool sides who were winning everything, and Manchester United and Chelsea too.
"If somebody comes along that you think is better than what you've got, then you go and buy them."
(Sport.co.uk) 

Cally: Why scouse duo are key
Anfield legend Ian Callaghan today stressed how important Liverpool's local contingent will be in the second half of the season.
Callaghan enjoyed a glittering 18-year career and won a raft of trophies under Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley throughout the sixties and seventies.
As the club's appearance record holder with 856 senior outings to his name, the Toxteth-born former Red knows how crucial the presence of local stars Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher will be as Rafa Benitez's charges approach the most important part of their league campaign.
"In this day and age it's a big bonus to have players who have been playing for the club for a decade or more," he said.
"You need that kind of experience and that's going to be very important in the coming months when the pressure starts to build."
(LFC Official Website) 

El Zhar a target for Spanish side
Spanish top flight side Malaga are willing to secure a loan deal for Liverpool midfielder Nabil El Zhar according to reports.
Twenty-two-year-old Moroccan El Zhar has only appeared eight times for The Reds this term, and Malaga are rumoured to have approached him regarding a short-term deal.
(Setanta Sports) 

Liverpool want cut-price
£1.5m deal for Emile Heskey

Emile Heskey wants to go back to Liverpool - and Rafa Benitez is trying to sign him in a bargain-basement move this month.
Wigan's England stiker has told close friends he is keen to go back to the Kop and be part of their trophy-chasing squad.
Benitez wants Heskey for as low as £1.5m, with Wigan valuing him in the region of £4m.
(Daily Mirror) 

Reds can beat anyone, roars Lucas
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva believes Rafael Benitez's troops are now capable of beating anybody as they target the Premier League title.
The Brazilian also admits the Reds' away form will be crucial in the second half of the season.
Lucas, in line to replace the injured Xabi Alonso for the trip to Stoke on Saturday, has been part of a squad which has won seven out of their 10 league games away from Anfield.
Another win at the Britannia Stadium would see the Reds go six points clear at the summit ahead of Chelsea's clash with Manchester United on Sunday.
"Each point will be really important for us in the race for the title," the Brazilian told Liverpool's official website. "We have confidence and we have quality.
"We are producing some good performances and we are playing well as a team. We feel we can beat anyone.
"Liverpool have waited a long time to win the Premier League title and now we have a chance to win it."
(TEAMtalk)

Pourie moves, Flynn extends loan
The transfer of teenage striker Marvin Pourie to Schalke has today been completed.
A deal to take the 17-year-old back to his native Germany was agreed on Tuesday and the paperwork has now been finalised.
Pourie moved to the Academy from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2007 but, despite being a regular on the scoresheet for Hughie McAuley's men, he has not made the breakthrough.
Meanwhile, 20-year-old midfielder Ryan Flynn has extended his loan at Wrexham for another month.
(LFC Official Website)
WEDNESDAY 7
Rafa to return for
Liverpool's Stoke clash

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will be back in the Barclays Premier League front-line at the weekend armed with an array of riches.
Benitez, whose side are unbeaten in 11 matches, will take charge at Stoke on Saturday evening and relieve assistant Sammy Lee of his touchline responsibility for the team.
The Reds boss, who has recovered from recent kidney stone surgery, will have star striker Fernando Torres ready to return to the starting line-up for the first time since being struck down with another hamstring injury
in November.
Hard-working forward Dirk Kuyt will also be back after being rested at Preston for last weekend’s FA Cup win, while Argentina captain Javier Mascherano has been declared fit following an ankle injury.
(Liverpool Daily Post) 

Xabi to return - if he
can get his boots on

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is in contention to face Stoke on Saturday – if he is able to put his boots on and kick a ball.
The Spain international had to have stitches in his foot after sustaining an injury against Preston at the weekend, but Rafa Benitez says he may be part of the squad that travels to the Britannia Stadium.
“Xabi trained yesterday, but the problem is he had seven stitches, so clearly it depends if he can put boots on and kick the ball,” he told the club’s official website.
“For running and training, I think he will be okay, but we have to decide at the end of the week about his boots.
“If he can kick a ball, he could be available for Stoke, but we will have to wait and see.”
Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to miss the game as he is still struggling with a hamstring injury.
“Arbeloa is improving, but I think he will need another week,” he said.
“Hopefully, next week he can train normally again.”
(Setanta Sports)

Extra time for Gillett and Hicks
Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been given an additional six months to repay £350.5m to their lenders.
According to an article on today's Guardian:
Those funds, provided last January as "working capital" to run Liverpool and including £60m towards constructing a new stadium, were due to be repaid or refinanced by 25 January. But the banks - the government-owned Royal Bank of Scotland and the US investment bank Wachovia - have deferred the deadline.
That came following a written request from Liverpool's American co-owners and their holding company, Kop Football, with the new deadline now set at 24 July. "The loan does not mature on 24 January," said an insider involved in the deal.
(LFC Online)

Former red relishing Rams challenge
Former Red Nigel Clough admits he is relishing the challenge of trying to get Derby County back into the top-flight.
The Rams are currently in 18th place in the Championship and Clough has replaced another former Red in Paul Jewell at the helm.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for me and one that I relish," said Clough.
"I know the club inside-out. It has always had a special place in mine and my family's heart and I know that this is one of the most exciting jobs in football.
"Derby County has everything - tremendous support, a first-class stadium, magnificent training facilities and an ambitious ownership group looking to grow the club even further.
"Also, we have a terrific squad of players already here and I can't wait to start working with them."
"This is going to be a tremendous challenge."
(LFC Official Website)

Torres’ red hot mission
Fernando Torres has described 2008 as “a year to remember” but bemoaned the fact he has yet to win any honours for Liverpool.
The Spanish striker is hopeful the injury problems that plagued him in the back end of last year are now behind him and is looking forward to Liverpool’s mouthwatering meeting with Real Madrid in the last 16 of the Champions League.
In an interview on Sky TV’s Revista La Liga, Torres also told of his regret at missing out on a reunion with former club Atletico Madrid when he was kept out of Liverpool’s Champions League meetings with the Spanish side by a hamstring strain.
“It has been a year to remember,” said the 24-year-old. “I think that there have been more positives than negatives.
“For the Spanish players here at Liverpool the win at Euro 2008 did not compensate for the fact we did not win any trophies with Liverpool."
(Liverpool Echo)

Thommo hails bargain Hyypia
Liverpool legend Phil Thompson has praised the services of Reds defender Sami Hyypia as the Finn heads towards his 700th appearance for the club this weekend.
Hyypia will pass the milestone if he plays in Saturday’s Premier League clash away to Stoke City, as expected.
And former captain Thompson says Hyypia has been terrific since Gerard Houllier signed him back in 1999.
He said, “He has been, and still is, brilliant for Liverpool. When you consider how much he cost then pound-for-pound he is up there with the £440,000 the club paid for Kenny Dalglish.
“It always makes me laugh when people started saying a few years ago his pace had gone. Sami Hyypia never had any pace to lose! What he has got is an incredible ability to read the game and that has been his biggest asset. More often than not he is in position.
“I’d be lying if I said that when we signed him I thought he’d still be going strong 10 years later. That’s incredibly difficult to do, especially for a foreign player in the Premier League.
“He’s a legend and, for me, Sami is in Alan Hansen’s ilk.”
(This is Anfield)

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