Rafa's Scouse Heart

[Guest Kev]

Liverpool Echo

 

RAFAEL BENITEZ wants a Scouse heart in his European Cup winning squad.

 

Robbie Fowler was unveiled at Anfield yesterday, joining Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Steven Warnock as the locals in a multi-national squad.

 

And the Reds' boss explained that it was important for him to have more locally based players at Anfield.

 

"One of the reasons for bringing Robbie back was to sign another local player," he explained. "You know I always say that the English players have the passion that you need and they know the Premier League.

 

"That was one idea - and if you can sign a local player it's good for team spirit in the dressing room."

Fowler will have to wait to discover whether he is involved in the squad for tomorrow's visit of Birmingham City.

 

But Benitez will make changes to the team which won at Portsmouth on Sunday.

 

"Kromkamp has an ankle problem, but it's not serious," he explained, "while Reina has a slight problem.

 

"I will make some changes but I don't know how many.

 

"I was thinking about this game before I prepared for the Portsmouth game."

 

Florent Sinama Pongolle, meanwhile, is talking to Blackburn about a loan move until the end of the season.

 

Having pulled out of a move for Deportivo winger Victor, Benitez is pondering whether to switch his attention to alternative targets. However, further recruitment was considered unlikely.

 

After the draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup, meanwhile, handed the Reds the tie of the round against Manchester United, Benitez said: "If you want to win a trophy you have to play against the best teams.

 

"We played against Manchester United a week ago and people saw that we are very, very close. We were away from home that day, but now we are at home it's a good advantage for us."

 

Is four locals enough ?

 

Does this mean Rafa sees a future for Warnock at Anfield ?

[owenthomas]

just about the move for FSP - just saw a breaking news on the Sky Sports banner saying that Blackburn have signed David Bentley so Flo might not be going now..

[jfogarty]

just about the move for FSP - just saw a breaking news on the Sky Sports banner saying that Blackburn have signed David Bentley so Flo might not be going now..

 

Bentley is there for the season on loan anway. They probably bought him today

[Ed the Wool]

Barton?

[Gomez]

Bentley is there for the season on loan anway. They probably bought him today

 

You can only have 2 players on loan from other premiership clubs, therefore they had to sign bentley permenantly in order to get Flo on loan.

[Guest Kev]

Bently has signed permanently.

[anny road]

depends how good the locals are doesnt it

 

How many locals do Chelsea, United and Arsenal have?

 

Chelsea - 3? Lampard, Terry & Cole....

United - 2? Neville and Scholes....Rooney I suppose but you cant count him as a Mancunian heartbeat

Arsenal - 2? Cole, Cambpell

[Alonso]

Barton?

Owen?

[McBain]

Owen?

 

Savage?

[R A Softlad]

Garden?

[Billy Dane]

Graham? He's a goodie but don't think he's a scouser??

[Keita]

Nolan?

[Ed the Wool]

Owen?

 

He's not Scouse. (Neither am I, being a wool)And he doesn't know he's born, so he went to Newcastle for the cash. Even as a wool I can't understand what in god's name he was thinking.

(Ducks)

[Guest Marshy]

Graham? He's a goodie but don't think he's a scouser??

 

Brook-Taylor???

[Morse]

An Oddie choice.

[growler]

depends what you class as local really. spurs got loads of english players, but how many are 'local'?

 

also, I think the scum could count fletcher, giggs, o'shea and brown as local too.

[nd]

depends what you class as local really. spurs got loads of english players, but how many are 'local'?

 

also, I think the scum could count fletcher, giggs, o'shea and brown as local too.

 

Fletcher and O'Shea? Did they grow up around Manchester or summat?

[growler]

depends. would you count Beckham as a manc? what about Owen as a liverpool lad?

 

I think that if a player comes through the youth system at a club, then they are considered worthy of the 'heart' analogy.