scousepie

Absolutely spot on. couldn't agree more. Don't think he will be here after the summer. Has no first touch, lazy , blinkered, a waste of money. Riera should have been on from the start.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7591926.stm according to this link the spokesman has said that liverpool were also offered up for grabs along with arsenal and newcastle. check it out only a few seconds into conversation....Interesting

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he has a cousin by the name of bollocshavin .

May 9 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post JUVENTUS are considering a £15million bid to prise Xabi Alonso away from Liverpool – as Rafael Benitez slapped a similar price tag on Peter Crouch. The Anfield manager, who has urged the club’s board to “work quickly” in the transfer market, anticipates a summer of change with a number of high-profile departures. While Benitez has no immediate plans to include Alonso in that group, Liverpool’s interest in Aston Villa skipper Gareth Barry has cast doubt over the midfielder’s long-term future. And Juventus, having already taken Momo Sissoko from Anfield this season, are preparing to test Liverpool’s resolve by launching an official bid for the Spain international. Barcelona are also contemplating a move for Alonso, with new coach Josep Guardiola – who will replace the departing Frank Rijkaard in the summer – a boyhood idol of the 26-year-old. Benitez, though, said yesterday: “Xabi is our player, he has a contract. Barry can play in three different positions, so I don’t think we need to worry about this.” The Liverpool manager also responded to criticism from Martin O’Neill over the offer for Barry, claiming to have been in talks with his Villa counterpart for almost three weeks. “I was surprised with part of his comments,” said Benitez. “I had a private conversation with him, he knew my idea and needed to talk with his owners. In the end, we needed to make an official movement. I don’t have any problem waiting, we must respect his decision, and then talk again with him. I was talking with him 20 days ago more or less, and he knew everything. He knew my idea and I knew his idea.” Definitely leaving Anfield in the summer is Harry Kewell, while Crouch and John Arne Riise, who both have a year remaining on their current contracts, have been told they can speak with other clubs. Crouch’s decision to not yet take up the offer of a new deal at Anfield has already prompted interest from potential suitors, with Portsmouth ready to offer £8m. But Benitez believes Crouch is worth almost twice that figure and claims to have no problem keeping the England international at Anfield next season – despite the striker able to leave for nothing in 12 months’ time. “Peter is a different player now to the one we bought from Southampton,” said Benitez. “He is a big name, an international player and everybody talks really well about him. “Peter said in December that he wanted to talk about a new contract, but then his representatives said they wanted to wait, so now we will see the situation. “If we receive a very good offer, and by that I mean £15m, we will consider it. I’m reading about £8m, but if we only receive that then I’d rather keep the player. And don’t forget he is an English player, which is really important when you consider the market. “Peter is a player with an agent who will be working to do the best for him, and we will be working to do the best for us. “If that means I need to keep the player, I will keep the player. We’ve offered him a new contract, we like the player and we want him to stay. But we cannot offer him a guarantee he will start every game every week. We need to resolve this situation, and that won’t be with an £8m offer.” Benitez also underlined the situation regarding Kewell and Riise, with the latter being tracked by a clutch of clubs including Newcastle United and Villa. “Riise has one year left on his contract and we know there are some clubs interested in him, and we will wait until the end of the season and try and do the best for him and the best for us,” said Benitez. “I was talking with Harry’s agent, we didn’t have any agreement and we decided to release him at the end of the season. “Everyone knows Harry is a very good player. The question is whether we could do something with him, and in the end we couldn’t so we had to forget about it and think about the future.” As he presses ahead with his transfer plans, Benitez has been reassured by an improvement in communication with the club’s owners. But having been frustrated in the past by perceived hesitancy in the market, the Spaniard is eager to wrap up the majority of his summer dealings as soon as possible. “I’ve been in contact with the owners and Rick Parry, so they know our idea and the things that we want to do” said Benitez. “Now we must wait to see if they approve or not. The situation now is much better than before, because I can talk with them. I want transfer business to be done as quickly as possible. If you sign a player at the end of July you do not have much time, it is better to sign players as quickly as possible. “But the plan is not just to buy. It’s also to sell. But because we don’t have any concrete offer on the table for any player, we will just have to wait a little bit.”

AS LIVERPOOL FC chief executive Rick Parry last night defiantly refused to resign after a request to stand down from co-owner Tom Hicks, the Daily Post can reveal the reasons for the sensational demand. In a statement, not dissimilar to quotes given by manager Rafael Benitez at the height of a fall-out with the club’s American owners last year, Parry said: “It is my intention to remain focused on the job of serving Liverpool Football Club to the best of my abil- ities at this very important time of our season.” The unprecedented stand-off comes on the same day it is learned a deal between Dubai International Capital and LFC’s owners is reportedly just a phone call away. Comments made by Sameer Al Ansari, CEO of Dubai International Capital, to a Middle East business magazine about with-drawing DIC’s offer for LFC were said to be a plea for Hicks to sort his affairs and agree to sell. Al Ansari has said he “would love to own the club”, but wanted to have control over Liverpool’s destiny before investing. It is understood that the letter sent, but not yet received by Parry, called on him to “voluntarily resign” because of “commercial under-performance” and “frustrations” at the way he had handled player transfers. One insider said: “This is just not the Liverpool way, especially after the success of the team on the pitch this week.” The three-page letter was sent to Parry as Hicks’ 50% share in the club would not allow him to unilaterally dismiss Parry. It has been circulated to mem-bers of the board, and he is expec-ted to refuse the request after con-sulting lawyers over his position. A source said: “The basic con-tents of the letter are the commer-cial performance of the club since Rick Parry has been on the board. “In particular how the club has fallen behind to the big players – [Manchester] United, Arsenal, and Chelsea. He also cites frustration in terms of how some of the player transfers have been handled.” A report by Deloitte accoun-tants is thought to be the source of Hicks’s belief that Liverpool are failing to capitalise fully on commercial opportunities. Deloitte's Football Money League, based on revenues gener-ated during 2006/7, places Liver-pool eighth in the list of richest clubs, with revenues of £133.9m. Real Madrid topped the list with revenues of £236.2m, Manchester United were in second position with £212.1m, Chelsea were fourth with £190.5m, and Arsenal came in fifth by generating £177.6m. The sensational outbreak of warfare in the Anfield boardroom follows the snubbing of Parry and former owner David Moores in the original allocation of tickets for Liverpool’s first Champions League Quarter Final with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. They originally were told they did not have tickets for the match because Hicks and co-owner George Gillett had taken the allocation. Parry and Moores were later found tickets after behind-the-scenes turmoil. Last night, claims emerged that Hicks’s son Tom Jnr has been sending texts to fans’ groups over the issue of Parry’s continued involvement at the club. It is believed Parry’s legal team will also be investigating these allegations. Contrary to a report in Arabian Business magazine that DIC were pulling out of bidding for the club, Sheikh Mohammed and Al Ansari were last night said to still be keen on completing a deal. Their £500m offer for the club is understood to remain on the table. That would pay off the club’s £350m debt and leave both Hicks and Gillett with £40m apiece. A deal could apparently be struck as soon as Hicks’s lawyers call DIC’s London-based chief negotiator, Amanda Staveley. Although relations with Hicks broke down more than a month ago, Staveley is said to be on good terms with Gillett and in “constant discourse” with him. The only sticking point on a deal, insiders say, is Hicks. He has recently been in London with American investment bank Merrill Lynch seeking credit with which to buy out Gillett. It is thought a “first refusal” agreement between the Americans, in which one must offer their slice of the club to the other before selling to a third party, comes to an end in about six weeks’ time. After the pre-emption rights expire, Gillett would be free to sell his share to DIC. Although DIC would likely make an offer, sources close to the Dubai consortium say they will not rest until they have secured 100% of the club. Both Sheikh Mohammed and Al Ansari are fervent supporters of the club. Al Ansari will almost certainly attend the Moscow final of the UEFA cup if the team fend off Chelsea in the semi-final. Al Ansari was quoted in Arabian Business saying: “We will continue to be interested and would love to own the club but we are not going to put ourselves in a difficult situation where we make the investment but we have no control over the destiny of the club and we cannot influence the success of the club. “Unfortunately, the terms that have been put on the table do not allow us to do that.” http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news

Honestly I've never come across so many narrow minded and deluded people on quite a few LFC fans forums.. How hard is it to understand we NEED PARRY ON THE BOARD OR ELSE HICKS GETS CONTROL........What part of that doesn't anyone understand...It's sooooo simple Parry goes, Ayres becomes CEO, Hicks gets control of the board and basically we're f****** then... I agree Parry needs to go but NOT NOW

The miners' son from Glenbuck became a football icon, not only in the eyes of Liverpool supporters, but even for Evertonians. Shankly understood the psyche of the Liverpool people, and it was a match made in heaven. 'Slowly at first, and then with gathering pace, Shankly and his backroom team turned Liverpool around' Bill Shankly became the manager of Liverpool in December 1959. He is remembered by Liverpool fans as one of our greatest-ever managers, along with Bob Paisley. In 1959, Liverpool were at the bottom of the old Second Division, with a crumbling stadium, poor training facilities and a large but poor-quality squad. The quality of the backroom staff was undeniable, though with Paisley and Joe Fagan in tow. The Liverpool Bootroom, one of the famous institutions in the football world, was born. The training ground at Melwood was in a terrible state, overgrown and with only one mains water tap. Shankly turned this into a positive, by getting the players to arrive instead at Anfield, and then bus them over to Melwood, developing team camaraderie. At Melwood, Shankly introduced fitness training including diet assessment, and skills training including using an artificial goal painted on a wall, split into eight sections which he would demand the players use to improve accuracy. For playing practice, Shankly introduced five-a-side games that so defined his football thinking - pass and move, keep it simple. After training, the team would all bus back to Anfield together to shower, change and eat a communal meal. This way Shankly ensured all his players had warmed down correctly and he would keep his players free from injury. Slowly at first, and then with a gathering pace, Shankly and his backroom team turned Liverpool around. The Liverpool crowd sensed a wave of change on Merseyside. At the time, Liverpool were Merseyside's poor second team. Everton had supremacy on Merseyside. With new signings Ron Yeats and Ian St. John, Liverpool gained promotion back to the top flight in 1962. That was the first target for Shankly; the next was far greater. Liverpool hadn't won the League title for almost 15 years. With local players like Ian Callaghan and Tommy Smith added to the team, Liverpool won their sixth league title in their second season after promotion. It was a vindication of the ethics Shankly had built around the club. Success continued at Anfield for almost four decades since his arrival to the last League title in 1990. In his reign as manager of Liverpool, Shankly had an impressive honours list: 1962 - Second Division champions 1964 - First Division champions 1965 - FA Cup Winners, European Champions' Cup semi-finalists. 1966 - First Division champions, European Cup Winners Cup beaten finalists. 1969 - First Division runners-up. 1971 - FA Cup beaten finalists, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-finalists. 1973 - First Division champions, UEFA Cup winners. 1974 - FA Cup winners, First Division runners-up. His record match-by-match was an incredible testament to his footballing philosophy: Played 753, won 393, lost 175, drew 185 with a winning percentage of 52.19%. His relationship with the fans is well known. Due to his working-class background, Shankly had a strong feeling for how the fans followed the team and wanted them to perform. He felt he was letting the fans down when the team didn't do well. One of the most iconic images of him was caught on television, when a Liverpool scarf which had been thrown at Shankly during a lap of honour was flung to one side by a policeman, in April 1973, when he and the team were showing off the League Championship trophy to the Kop. Shankly pounced on the scarf and reprimanded the copper, uttering the immortal words "Don't do that. This might be someone's life". When he resigned in July 1974, he made one statement that typified the humbleness of the legendary status he commanded: "I was only in the game for the love of football - and I wanted to bring back happiness to the people of Liverpool." He said that going to tell the chairman of his decision was like facing the electric chair. When news of Shankly's resignation first emerged, distraught fans jammed the club's switchboard and at least one local factory's workers threatened to go on strike unless their hero returned. Shankly was awarded the OBE in November 1974. He even went regularly to Melwood to watch the team train. He continued to live in the terraced house that he and his wife had bought when they moved to Liverpool, and he was a regular sight around the city, happy and willing to talk to anyone about football. The fact he should have been given a knighthood along with legends like Paisley, Jock Stein, Brian Clough and Fagan is a disgrace. On the morning of 26 September, 1981, Shankly was admitted to Broadgreen Hospital after a heart attack. While in hospital he insisted on being nursed in an ordinary ward, not a private one. There was no suggestion that his life was in danger. The switchboard was jammed with concerned fans and prayers were said for him in the Sunday morning and evening services at both of the Anglican and Catholic Cathedrals. However, late on 28 September Shankly unexpectedly took a turn for the worst and died, aged 68, at 1.20am on 29 September 1981. He was cremated, and his ashes buried at the Anfield Crematorium on 2 October. Sir Matt Busby, a Legend in his own right also, was so upset when he heard the news of Shankly's death that he refused to take any telephone calls from people asking him for a reaction. Some years before his death, Shankly had paid tribute to Busby, saying that he was "greatest football manager ever". On the first game at Anfield following his funeral, a banner was unfurled on the Kop which read "Shankly Lives Forever". Bill Shankly was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002, in recognition of his impact on the English game as a manager. Recently, a Liverpool Supporters Union was set up in the name of the man, Sons of Shankly. Formed to maintain the philosophy he instilled in Liverpool FC, which is still burning bright among the supporters today. Bill Shankly, may you never walk alone, R.I.P. sourced at: http://www.sportingo.com/football/

I know we trade in sterling but jeez thats one hell of a price tag. I'm only trying to be rational in the sense that maybe hicks values the club at $1 billion US dollars then again I'll shut up....

Am i reading it wrong but would Hicks valuation of the club not be $1 billion US dollars rather than UK pounds., that would therefore mean a closer valuation of 500 million pounds. DIC offer 400 million take it or leave it. £1billion pounds is astronomical given the state of the dollar against the pound.

Might be too late for that Ricky boy