Macedonian_Red

I love the fact that they will make no profit from the sale ...

John Henry & Tom Werner ... Interesting ...

He won't be here in January, so you really shouldn't worry about it ...

Spectre of Kenny Dalglish lurks over Roy Hodgson at Liverpool Defeat against Everton on 17 October could see the manager replaced by a club legend at Anfield http://www.guardian....dgson-liverpool

Anfield turns against Hodgson as Liverpool are humiliated By Tim Rich Monday, 4 October 2010 Sir Alex Ferguson once claimed his greatest achievement was "knocking Liverpool off their perch", but this morning they are at the bottom of their cage, feet sticking up in the air. Losing to Northampton in the Carling Cup at Anfield was humbling; this was much worse. Before every kick-off at Anfield, a huge banner is unfurled along the Kop with pictures of all Liverpool's managers from Bill Shankly onwards. It is a moving display of loyalty and continuity and Roy Hodgson's face does not appear upon it. Ominously, as it became clear that Liverpool would lose, the name of Kenny Dalglish began to be chanted the length of the great stand. In the summer, Dalglish's candidacy to resume the role he quit in 1991 was rejected out of hand, although many who streamed away from Anfield last night would have wondered whether, even if the returning hero would have brought only sentiment to the job, he could have possibly done worse. Hodgson may have been right in his observation that it "stretched credulity" that Liverpool would be relegated. The last time they were in the bottom three, in 1984, it was in a season that climaxed with them finishing second in the league behind Everton and in a European Cup final. These days the European Cup is out of the question but it is still highly likely they will finish behind Everton. Blackpool have now taken nine of their 10 points away from Bloomfield Road. The 4-0 win at Wigan, with which they opened their first top-flight campaign since 1971, was a delightful surprise. The victory at St James' Park came against the odds. This was both historic and astonishing. For the opening 45 minutes – numbing or thrilling depending on where you were sat – that decided this game, they outplayed and out-passed Liverpool. By comparison, the home side appeared a bewildered, incoherent mess, unable to cope with the loss of Fernando Torres who was withdrawn with a groin strain before 10 minutes were up. "Seeing the best striker in the world limp off so early played into our hands," said the Blackpool manager, Ian Holloway. "It gave us such a boost." It showed. Blackpool should have scored before Charlie Adam's penalty flew under Pepe Reina's gloves, when DJ Campbell's snap shot from a beautifully delivered cross from Neal Eardley skimmed into the Kop. As it had in Utrecht on Thursday night, Glen Johnson's game looked utterly at odds with itself and it was hardly a surprise when he conceded a needless penalty with a challenge on Luke Varney who cut into the Liverpool area without any real support. Adam had the daunting task of converting a penalty in front of the Kop and, although Reina went the right way, it was not enough. The second goal, in first-half stoppage time, was a wonderfully executed move with Gary Taylor-Fletcher slipping in Varney, who finished off a goal that was worthy of Arsenal. Holloway prides himself on the fact that when Blackpool enter the Premier League's great cathedrals, they pass and move with the same sense of purpose that brought them one of the more unlikely promotions. At the Emirates Stadium, where they were beaten 6-0, and at Stamford Bridge, where they were four down at the interval, Blackpool had come horribly unstuck. Here, they were for a while the clearly superior team. When Christian Poulsen was substituted after a wretched hour, the decision was greeted by a standing ovation. The home supporters applauded Blackpool off at the final whistle; the kind of generous gesture Anfield had accorded Barnsley and Watford when they won here in seasons in which they were each relegated. This is still a ground with a big heart, although it is questionable whether you could say the same about the players they support. "'You'll Never Walk Alone' is one of my dad's favourite songs; he's no longer with us and I was singing it with them," said Holloway. "This is almost the home of football and to be applauded off at the end made me so emotional. "In the second half, we were making mistakes, panicking and giving the ball back to Liverpool and sometimes in the second half it was like the Alamo. They were battering us so much and right at the death it needed a fantastic save by Matthew Gilks [from Sotirios Kyrgiakos] to give our fans something they will remember forever." More than half an hour earlier, the Greek's powerful header, which rebounded from the underside of the crossbar, had given Liverpool and Hodgson hope that they might be able to salvage a draw or maybe even steal a win. It had come from a free-kick, quickly and cleverly taken by Steven Gerrard, which displayed an invention Liverpool had entirely lacked in the first half. Kyrgiakos muscled his way past his marker, Ian Evatt, and a sustained assault that lasted a quarter of an hour began. Joe Cole, racing on to a pass from Jamie Carragher, unveiled a shot that seemed destined for the corner of the Blackpool net but swept just wide. When Gilks clung on to Dirk Kuyt's diving header, you could almost sense the goalkeeper's gratitude. "You saw in the second half, when we sat back, how poor we can be," said Holloway. "We need to be going forward. To win I thought we had to overrun Liverpool on their own ground, which we nearly managed in the first half. After that, we were just hanging on. "We have the smallest budget in the Premier League and we pay the worst money but that comes with its bonuses because there is no expectation, which is the awful cross that Liverpool have to bear. "I heard one guy shout: 'They are not Real Madrid, get tighter to them'." However, last year Real Madrid did come to Anfield and were beaten 4-0. What has happened since almost defies analysis. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/anfield-turns-against-hodgson-as-liverpool-are-humiliated-2096832.html

We're in a relegation battle, admits shocked Hodgson Published 22:30 03/10/10 By David Maddock Roy Hodgson has accepted responsibility for the shambles which he admits has placed Liverpool in the midst of a relegation battle. But the Reds boss came out fighting last night by insisting he can turn things around, even after a humiliating Anfield defeat by Blackpool, and the loss of star striker Fernando Torres with a groin injury. The 2-1 reverse means the Reds are firmly anchored in the relegation zone, after seven games with just one victory in the Premier League so far. And according to the Anfield manager, that means a relegation scrap for the time being, even if he has implicit faith in his ability to turn the tide on a miserable season so far. "Is it unfair the fans sang for Kenny Dalglish? What's fair and unfair? There is no fairness. The fans are frustrated at the moment - there are a lot of things happening, and it's understandable they are frustrated," he said. "I am the manager, I am the one who has to take responsibility and I have to accept their right to aim their frustration in my direction. "We're in the bottom three, and while there are plenty of games left, if you are in the relegation zone then you are in a relegation battle. "With 31 games left to play I am absolutely convinced that Liverpool will not be in the bottom three at the end of the season. Whether we can fulfill our ambition of finishing towards the top is another matter after the start we have, but when you saw the way we played in the second half I am incredulous that anyone can suggest we will finish in the bottom three. "Whether I can turn things around is a question that really shouldn't even be asked, but you know it will be asked in football when there are some bad moments. That's the nature of the game. "I had very good moments in May and some very bad moments now, but after 35 years in football I don't think that I have suddenly lost my ability as a manager, and I have faith in my ability to handle this situation. I don't think you go from being viewed as positively as I was in May to losing your ability by now." Hodgson faces a frustrating two-week spell where he will be unable to work on the faults of this shocking performance, because most of his players will be away on international duty. And he faces the daunting prospect of going straight into the blood and thunder of a Merseyside derby showdown when they return, with all the massive pressure that entails. Already there are signs of unrest amongst the fans, and that will turn to outright hostility if Liverpool lose to their bitter rivals Everton, a fact that Hodgson is only too aware of. "It's a bad result and a very bad day and it's not a good thing to have hanging over the club for the next fortnight," he said. "No words I can say will change things or make it any better. We performed better and showed encouraging spirit in the second half, but all those statements pale into insignificance when you look at this result. "It's a very bad day, a very bad result. Blackpool's great result is our nightmare result. At the moment things look really really bleak because they are conditioned by our most recent results, which have been very, very bad. "There is a lot of work to do, there is a lot of things to sort out, I can't escape that, and will not hide from it. Things are difficult." While Liverpool were left to face up to a potentially destructive defeat, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway admitted that he still hadn't taken in the size of his side's victory at Anfield. First half goals from Charlie Adam and Luke Varney underlined a fine performance which showed brave attacking adventure at Anfield, and he said: "We caused them all sorts of problems and scored two genuine good goals at Anfield, and for me to be saying that afterwards is like one of the dreams I've had for years," he said. "The fans were singing You'll Never Walk Alone, one of my dad's favourite songs, he's not with us now and so I was so emotional and was singing it with them. So be applauded off at the end after all that, in what is almost the home of football is so special, because their fans recognize what we have achieved. "We are so far behind, we are the smallest club ever in the history of the Premier League, with the smallest budget. "I heard some guy shout behind me at one point, 'come on, they're not Real Madrid, get tight to them'. I had to laugh - he's not wrong is he?!" http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liverpool-crisis-Roy-Hodgson-accepts-responsibility-for-Blackpool-defeat-and-won-t-blame-fans-who-sang-for-Kenny-Dalglish-article593931.html

The good news is, we have loaned Aquilani out ... Otherwise, he would have ended up playing left back under Roy ...

ROY HODGSON SAYS 'I'M RESPONSIBLE" AS FANS CALL FOR KENNY DALGLISH Monday October 4, 2010 By Paul Joyce ROY Hodgson accepted responsibility for the "really, really bleak" start to the season that has left his tenure in crisis and admitted Liverpool have been plunged into a relegation battle. Reds boss Hodgson was forced to listen to the Kop saluting the man they already want to replace him, as a chant of "Dalglish, Dalglish" rippled around Anfield before the end of yesterday's 2-1 defeat by Blackpool – which left Liverpool in the bottom three. Hodgson said: "I'm responsible, I'm the manager and, when the team performs poorly, the criticism is going to come my way. I have to accept it." And when Hodgson, who saw Fernando Torres limp out after 10 minutes with a groin injury, was asked if his team were in a relegation battle, he said: "Sure, you could say that. We've had seven games and have 31 left, but the fact is when you are in the relegation zone you are in a relegation battle. That is an ipso facto type of statement." Liverpool have now made their worst start to a top-flight season since 1953-54, when they were relegated, with Hodgson facing a crucial clash against neighbours Everton after the international break. "My concerns are that we aren't playing to our full potential," he said. "But I'm not thinking too much about relegation with 31 games to play. Things look really, really bleak. It's very difficult for me to put a brave or bright face on it." Club ambassador Kenny Dalglish was overlooked by the Anfield board in the summer after putting himself forward for a sensational return to the top job, and Hodgson responded to the chants by saying: "The supporters are entitled to sound their frustrations and they have plenty to be frustrated about." http://www.dailyexpr...Kenny-Dalglish/

To be honest, getting back Souness as LFC manager would probably be a tactical improvement at the moment ...

Nah ... We have paid Juventus £4.5 million so than can cover Aquilani's wages and performance bonuses ... By the way, Aquilani had a great game against Inter tonight ...

I have always rated Fanning, but this is ridiculously correct article ... And Rafa was still here at the time ... http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/in-six-months-the-benitez-era-will-seem-like-a-golden-age-2173371.html

Roy is not fit to do the job and he should go ASAP ... Everything else is irrelevant ...

In my humble opinion, Roy is not the right man to manage LFC, especially not in these difficult times ... He might be a solid manager and a decent person, but he looks completely out of his depth at the moment, and I am afraid that things will only get worse if he stays in charge ... And before people start saying that the things can't get much worse, lets not forget that Nottingham Forest have won more European Cup titles than Arsenal and Chelsea put together ... Roy should do a honorable thing and submit his resignation ... We are not in position to hire a top class manager like Rafa at the moment, but we are lucky enough to have Kenny employed at the club, so he must be given the job as soon as possible ...

Agreed ... And the best part of it is the fact that Spearing will get more playing time now ...

Reds target Trezeguet [/url]Link

Liverpool FC vs Arsenal FC highlights ... Part 1: http://rapidshare.com/files/413198694/100815_afc_h_pl_hlights.part1.rar Part 2: http://rapidshare.com/files/413198699/100815_afc_h_pl_hlights.part2.rar Liverpool FC vs Arsenal FC MOTD highlights ... http://hotfile.com/dl/62347815/9f086e8/MOTD_-_Liverpool_v._Arsenal_-_15-08-10.avi.html

Liverpool tell Javier Mascherano that he will not be sold cheaply • Internazionale still have not made bid for want-away midfielder • 'We want an offer that meets his value' – Roy Hodgson * Andy Hunter * The Guardian, Thursday 19 August 2010 Javier Mascherano has told Liverpool he wants to leave the club for famiy reasons Javier Mascherano has told Liverpool he wants to leave the club and has been linked with a move to Internazionale. Photograph: Tom Jenkins for the Guardian Roy Hodgson has warned Internazionale he is prepared to hold Javier Mascherano to his contract and let him leave Liverpool on a free transfer in 2012 rather than accept a cut-price offer for the Argentina captain. Liverpool are only prepared to sanction a departure, Hodgson revealed, because of a gentleman's agreement made when Mascherano was refused a move to Barcelona last year. Inter, the European champions, were linked with the midfielder before they appointed the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez as José Mourinho's successor in June. Italian officials have since held talks with their Anfield counterparts, Mascherano and his agent, Walter Tamer, and have frequently talked up a reunion with Benítez. But, almost a week after receiving £22.5m from Manchester City for Mario Balotelli, the Italian club have not made an offer for the 26-year-old. Mascherano will miss Europa League play-off first leg against Trabzonspor with a calf injury. But Hodgson has told the midfielder to prepare for an extended stay should Inter fail to meet the asking price of £25m and admits an agreement struck last summer, when he was priced out of a move to Barcelona and asked to give the club one more season, has forced him to consider a sale. Hodgson, who insisted Dirk Kuyt, another potential Inter target, is not for sale, said: "We want an offer that meets what we think is his value, and Javier is perfectly happy with this. He doesn't expect the club to just let him walk out of here. He hopes that a club comes in where he could be reunited with his family, which is the major problem for him, that offers us what he is worth and we accept that. But he has also made it clear that he doesn't regard it as a hardship to play for Liverpool football club. In fact, the reverse. It's because of a family matter he wants to go. "I'm very happy he remains with us because, in an ideal world, if it was simply a situation of would we be prepared to listen to offers for Mascherano, I would say 'no.' I don't care what money is offered. It's only a promise that was made a year ago that lingers over my head, which means I am even prepared to go as far as this." Mascherano's wife and young children have not moved to Liverpool, a club he joined in February 2007, but Hodgson is confident Liverpool, who offered the Argentinian a contract extension at the end of last season, will not have a disillusioned player to contend with if he is forced to honour his current deal until 2012. "He realises he is a very valuable player, the best at what he does in the world, and a club has to come along and offer us what he is worth," the Liverpool manager said. "If that happens, and we said yet again no and reneged on what we'd said to him earlier, then we'd have an unhappy player. But we won't have an unhappy player if no offer comes in or if the offer comes in and is so ludicrously below what he, I and the rest of the world knows he is worth. "He has a new contract offer, so that's up to him. As far as I am concerned, I'd be quite happy to work the two years with him. If he then wanted to walk away, then so be it. The nicest thing of all would be if he signed a new contract – it's there for him. But nobody is putting him under any pressure." Daniel Agger will also be absent against Trabzonspor due to the concussion he suffered against Arsenal on Sunday. "He has no memory of the game whatsoever. He is not doing too well," Hodgson said. But Christian Poulsen, the £4.5m signing, will make his debut, possibly in place of the rested Steven Gerrard, while Fernando Torres is fit to make his first start although, with Manchester City away on Monday a priority for Hodgson, the Spaniard is expected to be on the bench. "Fernando is very keen to start and I haven't made my mind up yet," he said. "I don't know if he is up to two games in four days. I would think he could do that, though. He's worked very hard since he rejoined with us but what we must remember with Fernando, Pepe Reina, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel is that they are doing a pre-season with games going on around them. We have to not be blinded by the fact they are three to four weeks behind." Liverpool will allow Diego Cavalieri to hold talks with the Serie A newcomers Cesena, having completed the £2.3m signing of Brad Jones from Middlesbrough. "Diego will be the substitute goalkeeper tomorrow. Then he will travel to Cesena for a medical," Hodgson said. The manager also confirmed an interest in the PSV Eindhoven striker Ola Toivonen. http://www.guardian....-internazionale

Reds target PSV star Hodgson keen on Swedish striker Last updated: 16th August 2010 Skysports.com understands Liverpool are preparing a bid for PSV Eindhoven forward Ola Toivonen. New Reds boss Roy Hodgson has admitted he is keen to bolster his attacking options and Toivonen is thought to be top of his wanted list. Toivonen is regarded as one of the best young players in Europe after catching the eye for club and country in the last few years. The Swedish international only joined PSV in January 2009 and he has netted 24 goals in 49 appearances for the Dutch giants. Liverpool scouts have watched Toivonen in action on a couple of occasions and Hodgson is thought to have cast an eye over him as he scored in Sweden's win over Scotland last week. The 24-year-old has started the season in fine form with five goals in his first two games for PSV and a number of top clubs are believed to be monitoring his situation. However, Liverpool are ready to steal a march on their rivals by making a bid in excess of £10million for the versatile attacker. PSV are reluctant to lose Toivonen, but Liverpool are prepared to make a mega bid to force the Dutch club's hand and take the Swede to Anfield. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_6316183,00.html

Roy on trail of prolific Swede 16 August 2010 Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is on the trail of Swedish striker Ola Toivonen after watching him score against Scotland last week. Anfield boss Hodgson traveled to Solna to see the 6ft 4 inch striker net for his country against the Scots in a comfortable 3-0 win and has told Christian Purslow to make enquiries about his signature. PSV Eindhoven want £5million for the versatile 24-year-old who can play as a striker or an attacking midfielder. Toivonen scored a hat-trick on Saturday against De Graaftschap and his exploits are now starting to alert the big clubs in Europe, but Hodgson hopes that his friendship with Swedish agent Martin Dahlin can secure him an edge in negotiations. http://www.setanta.com/ien/Articles/2010/08/16/Roy-on-trail-of-prolific-Swede/gnid-74856/

Brad Jones Ainfield move close to completion Aug 16 2010 BRAD JONES was finally given the green light to head off to Anfield for contract talks today. Boro have agreed a fee, believed to be in the region of £2.3m, for the Australian goalkeeper to join Premier League Liverpool. Jones turned up for training at Rockliffe Park today and was informed that he could travel to Merseyside. The 28-year-old is likely to undergo a medical immediately. No problems are envisaged over the transfer going through. The Aussie will become Jose Reinas No.2 at Anfield. Its taken some time for the deal to reach fruition since Liverpools interest was first revealed, though it appears that there has never been a problem over the fee. The delay has been caused by all the paperwork. Jones, who was suspended for Boros seasonal opener against Ipswich, was been left out of the clubs last two games in anticipation of the move taking place. Jones, who came through the clubs Academy, has played just 58 league games for Boro. Twenty four of these appearances came last season and he had been expected to be a regular this season before news of Liverpools interest emerged. The fee is a good one from Boros point of view. http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/boro-fc/boro-fc-news/2010/08/16/brad-jones-ainfield-move-close-to-completion-84229-27071583/

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid29318049001?bctid=574830900001

RBS set for Liverpool takeover as deal hopes fade Ben Marlow Royal Bank of Scotland, the taxpayer-backed bank, is preparing to take control of Liverpool FC as the search for a buyer peters out. Frantic negotiations last week with several suitors, including China’s Kenny Huang and the Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi, proved fruitless. Sources close to the talks said none of the potential buyers could prove they had the money. The club released a statement late on Friday saying the “timing and outcome” of the auction “remain uncertain”. If a new owner cannot be found, RBS, the club’s main lender, may have to take it over. It is owed £237m, which must be repaid by October 6 or a penalty fee of £60m will be due. The bank has set an unofficial deadline of the end of this month for Liverpool to find a credible bidder. Insiders said RBS was not keen to seize the club, but had held preparatory talks with Anfield officials in recent weeks to plan how to proceed if the search for a buyer fails. If RBS were to take control, there would probably be a new bidding round. Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the club’s American co-owners, had wanted £600m but RBS would only need to recoup its loan. Hicks and Gillett would receive nothing. The bank declined to comment. RBS pushed the pair into searching for a new owner in April after losing patience with mounting debts and trading losses. The Americans loaded £185m onto the Premier League club’s balance sheet in 2007 to bankroll their takeover. Liverpool’s finances have deteriorated steadily since. Three months ago it reported a loss of £53m for 2009, prompting its auditor, KPMG, to issue a “going concern” warning. Hicks and Gillett brought in Martin Broughton, chairman of British Airways, to chair the club and conduct the auction, with advice from Barclays Capital. In recent weeks, the auction has been played out in public, with a variety of international entrepreneurs emerging as would-be buyers. At the start of this month The Sunday Times disclosed that Hicks and Gillett were trying to strike a deal with Kirdi. Huang, a sports marketing executive, was named as another contender, with his advisers claiming he had backing from China. Meanwhile, the finances of another top Premier League club are set to come under further strain this week. The interest rate on a loan taken out by the Glazer family to buy Manchester United is expected to rise two percentage points to 16.25% after they failed to keep the club’s debts below the level required. The jump will add £5m of interest payments to the £138m payment-in-kind (pik) loan that helped the American family to finance the purchase. Pik loans, which normally have high interest rates, are paid off in one hit at the end of their life, with the accrued interest added to the initial advance. The Glazers have to repay their loan in 2017. The new charge means the pik will have risen from £202m last year to nearly £269m next year — making it more likely the Glazers will take cash out of the club to help repay it. Source: The Sunday Times

Reina Cavalieri Gulacsi* Johnson* Kelly* Carragher* Agger Skrtel Kyrgiakos Wilson Aurelio Insua* Mascherano Aquilani Lucas Poulsen Cole* Maxi Gerrard* Pacheco* Jovanovic Babel Torres Kuyt Ngog