Liverpool FC - "You'll never walk alone...!!!

[Kante]

Wie hat er das geschafft?

Ganz einfach, da er mir sowohl psychisch wie auch physisch um Welten voraus ist, konnte er mich beim Erwachsen werden dahingehend manipulieren.

Dies geschah unter anderem so und wurde mir erst viel später bewusst:

1) Andere jüngere Brüder bekommen beim Schlafen gehen friedliche Schlaflieder vorgesungen. Ich wurde mit „You´ll never walk alone” beglückt.

2) Andere jüngere Brüder erben von ihren älteren Brüdern nicht Puppen die Ian Rush heißen.

3) Anderen jüngeren Brüdern wird nicht erzählt, dass Kenny Daglish der Sohn von Superman ist.

4) Andere jüngere Brüder werden nicht erst dann auf ein Eis eingeladen, wenn sie die Aufstellung vom FC Liverpool wissen.

5) Und anderen jüngeren Brüdern wird auch nicht eingeimpft, dass der liebe Gott Robbie Fowler heißt.

Merk ich mir, so werd ich's bei meinen Kindern auch machen

bearbeitet 17. Mai 2004 von LukasK

[Gampern]

Merk ich mir, so werd ich's bei meinen Kindern auch machen

Kannst du das mit deinem Gewissen vereinen, deine Nachkommen so zu misshandeln?

Wenn schon dann wenigstens einen richtigen Verein wie Leyton Orient, PNE oder Port Vale!

[ans]

Wie hat er das geschafft?

Ganz einfach, da er mir sowohl psychisch wie auch physisch um Welten voraus ist, konnte er mich beim Erwachsen werden dahingehend manipulieren.

Dies geschah unter anderem so und wurde mir erst viel später bewusst:

1) Andere jüngere Brüder bekommen beim Schlafen gehen friedliche Schlaflieder vorgesungen. Ich wurde mit „You´ll never walk alone” beglückt.

2) Andere jüngere Brüder erben von ihren älteren Brüdern nicht Puppen die Ian Rush heißen.

3) Anderen jüngeren Brüdern wird nicht erzählt, dass Kenny Daglish der Sohn von Superman ist.

4) Andere jüngere Brüder werden nicht erst dann auf ein Eis eingeladen, wenn sie die Aufstellung vom FC Liverpool wissen.

5) Und anderen jüngeren Brüdern wird auch nicht eingeimpft, dass der liebe Gott Robbie Fowler heißt.

Weltklasse! Das nennt man noch richtige Erzeihung! Da habe ich bei meinem Bruder wohl viel falsch gemacht.

Mich wundert nur warum du dich nie aus der Unterdrückung befreit hast, ManU wäre der ideale Verein dazu ............ oder ist er noch immer physisch und psychisch um Welten überlegen?

[Cyrille Makanaky]

Das ich von meinem Bruder unterdrückt wurde, ist natürlich gelogen. Mein Bruder ist dafür viel zu anständig, um eine solche Freveltat zu bewerkstelligen. Viel richtiger ist das, als ich mich damals für den Fußball zu interessieren begann, gerade der F.C. Liverpool die beste Clubmannschaft in Europa war.

Warum ich damals kein ManU-Fan wurde, ist selbst mir ein Rätsel. Mein Vater war nämlich einer dieser vielen George Best Sympathisanten, die sich die Haare wachsen ließen und prinzipiell nur Rum aus Kuba tranken.

Aber ich bereue nichts, schon allein deswegen, weil man heute Rum aus Kuba nur sehr schwer erhält.

[goleador2000]

So nach einigen amüsanten Darstellungen und hochgeistigen Ergüssen meines geliebten Bruders in Bezug auf meine Person widmen wir uns in diesem Thread wieder dem eigentlichen Thema - dem FC Liverpool !!!

Statistik und Kommentar zum letzten Saisonspiel:

Der FC Liverpool tat im letzten Saisonspiel vor 44172 Zusehern an der Anfield Road nur noch das nötigste. Die Magpies aus Newcastle waren gefordert, denn sie mußten noch den Einzug in den Europacup schaffen, was ihnen schließlich auch gelang Newcastle begann sehr ambitioniert und ging durch Shola Ameobi früh in Führung, Liverpool agierte sehr verhalten und Newcastle war dem 0:2 näher...doch die beiden besten Akteure der Reds in dieser Saison - nämlich Stevie Gerrard und Michael Owen konnten schließlich in einer Co-Produktion den Ausgleich markieren und beide Seiten waren schlußendlich mit dem Remis sehr zufrieden... Der 4. Platz und damit die QL-Qualifikation war ohnedies schon vor dem Spiel sichergestellt, daher freue ich mich sehr, daß die Magpies doch noch den Sprung in den UEFA-Cup geschafft haben

Premier League - 38. Runde:

FC Liverpool - Newcastle United 1:1(0:1)

Liverpool spielte so: Dudek - Finnan, Carragher, Hyppiä, Riise - Murphy, Hamann, Gerrard, Kewell - Owen, Heskey

0:1 Shola Ameobi(25'), 1:1 Michael Owen(67')

Anfield Road - 44172 - SR: Michael Riley

Emile Heskey steht vor einem Wechsel zu Birmingham City

Danke Emile für 60 Tore in 277 Spielen - Du warst ein Reds-Spieler mit Leib und Seele, hast immer alles gegeben !!! Wir werden Dich schmerzlich vermissen...

Die Gerüchteküche brodelte schon seit langem und nun ist es also so gut wie fix - L'Pool-Stürmer Emile Heskey soll sich mit den Blues aus Birmingham einig sein und für die Transfersumme von 6,25 Mio. Pfund ab 1.7.2004 nach St.Andrew's wechseln und dort für 5-Jahre unterschrieben haben...

Mein Statement zu diesem Transfer:

Tja, leider...ich hoffe die Macher sind sich bewußt was die damit tun...man verkauft den einzig kopfballstarken Stürmer im Kader und vielleicht einen der mannschaftsdienlichsten Stürmer der PL  ...bin ja neugierig wer Emile ersetzen wird - mit ihm fehlt dem FC Liverpool ein großer wuchtiger Strafraumstürmer, der Räume für seine Mitspieler schafft und sich für die Drecksarbeit nicht zu schade ist - das Problem war sicher nicht Emile Heskey, sondern die Flügelspieler des FC Liverpool - da ist der Verein mMn gefordert...Leute wie Owen, Cissé, Baros und eventuelle Kezman(soll ja vielleicht kommen ) sind ähnliche Stürmertypen und ein Trainer braucht einen Alternativstürmertyp wie eben Emile Heskey !!!

Emile Heskey geht also - er ist erst 26 Jahre, aktueller Teamspieler der bei Sven-Göran Eriksson nach wie vor hoch im Kurs steht und seine beste Fußballzeit noch vor sich hat

Wer soll Emile Heskey ersetzen ???

Ok der FC Liverpool holt Djibril Cissé, der mit Michael Owen den Einsersturm bilden wird, aber ich bin der Meinung wir brauchen auch einen kopfballstarken Spieler(Marke Brechertyp) in unseren Reihen der Räume schafft und nach hinten arbeitet Als idealen Heskey-Ersatz sähe ich Saints-Stürmer James Beattie - ihn wollte ich immer schon gerne im Liverpool-Trikot sehen und vielleicht ist es ja bald soweit ...als Alternative könnte ich mir Mark Viduka von Leeds sehr gut vorstellen, er möchte unbedingt von Leeds weg, bringt auch die von mir geforderten Attribute mit und ist seit Jahren sehr torgefährlich !!!

@Liverpool-Fans: Seid ihr auch meiner Meinung, daß wir Emile Heskey adäquat ersetzen müssen(ein kopfball- und zweikampfstarker Mann muß alternativ zu Owen, Cissé & Co her damit der Reds-Coach mehrere Sturmalternativen auf der Bank hat und je nach Gegner den Sturm variabel verändern kann ) oder sollten wir eher noch einen 4. Mann vom Spielertyp der vorhin genannten Spieler holen(an Kezman, Smith oder eventuell Buffel ist ja der FC Liverpool bereits seit längerer Zeit dran !) - also schnelle, dribbelstarke, wendige Stürmertypen ???

Bin wie immer sehr gespannt auf eure Kommentare und Meinungen

goleador2000

bearbeitet 19. Mai 2004 von goleador2000

[ianrush]

Houllier has seven days to save his job

Dominic Fifield

Thursday May 20, 2004

Gérard Houllier has seven days to convince the Liverpool board that he should remain in charge at Anfield, with the club's refusal to offer any public backing merely helping to fuel rumours of the manager's imminent dismissal.

The Frenchman should learn definitively if he has a future on Merseyside at a board meeting scheduled for next Thursday, though the club maintained a stubborn silence yesterday in response to suggestions that Houllier could be removed from the position he has held on his own since November, 1998.

That merely added to the ominous sense of intrigue, with a number of directors on Liverpool's eight-man board known to favour a change. The club's hierarchy will spend the next few days reviewing the manager's position, with Houllier aware he must convince the chairman David Moores, who remains instinctively supportive, of the viability of his future plans if he is to survive.

The chairman's 51% stake ensures he will have the final say on whether the manager is backed or sacked, regardless of the views of the other directors. Moores remains ever conscious that the 56-year-old has steered Liverpool to four major trophies and salvaged a chance of returning to the lucrative Champions League, having cited a fourth-place finish as the "minimum acceptable requirement" at the turn of the year.

Not that this appears to have guaranteed Houllier will keep his job. The Frenchman has one season to run on his £1.5m-a- year contract, with the club having long intended to review his performance this summer. Those discussions will not only give directors the chance to air their opinions - the majority of the eight men are thought to be highly critical of his performance and sceptical about the merits in retaining him - but will also see Houllier attempt to convince them that he can yet transform the club into title challengers.

He has already earmarked potential signings for next season, with negotiations ongoing over the potential £7.5m purchase of Alan Smith from Leeds and Djibril Cissé sure to join for£14m on July 1. But Houllier must also offer an insight into how the team's style of play, from their performances to training techniques, will improve next year.

The manager refused to be drawn on his future yesterday. "I have been holding meetings with staff preparing for next season," said Houllier. "I have been discussing contracts and other moves, as well as when the players will report back. So I am carrying on my work as normal and with the same dignity as normal." Yet his chances of staying will hinge on his success in persuading the board that he can muster a more coherent challenge - Liverpool finished 30 points behind Arsenal and only 27 ahead of Wolves this season - for a first championship since 1990 next term.

The directors' main doubts surround the manager's prowess in the transfer market, the memory still lingering of the £18m misspent in 2002 on El Hadji Diouf, Bruno Cheyrou and Salif Diao. That has made them wary of giving him carte blanche to spend the windfall expected either from the negotiations with the Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, or from other investment offers the club's financial advisers Hawkpoint Partners Ltd hope to attract.

The club's failure to provide any kind of backing yesterday cast further doubt on Houllier's prospects. The silence was mysterious given that there had seemed to be little friction between the Frenchman and his chairman over the weekend, when the manager was invited to attend the annual end-of-season party at Moores' Lake District property.

Yet last week's withering attack on his record by the would-be board member Steve Morgan prompted Houllier to seek his own assurances. He aired his grievances during a private meeting with the chief executive Rick Parry on Tuesday, only to come away more concerned than reassured, with Parry non-committal as to the manager's long-term future.

· You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments to [email protected].

__________________________

Liverpool face test of nerve

The attacks by Steve Morgan have rattled the chairman

Dominic Fifield

Thursday May 20, 2004

The Guardian

The Liverpool chairman David Moores sat stony-faced next to Rick Parry as the man who would have his job made his entrance into the directors' box last Saturday. For all that Steve Morgan's thunder may have eventually been stolen by the emergence of the teams, the show of appreciation in the main stand for the would-be director did not go unnoticed.

The construction magnate may fail in his proposed £73m shares and rights issue to buy into Anfield this summer but the implications of his interest may yet have far-reaching effects, not least on the manager Gérard Houllier. A season of support for the Frenchman at boardroom level has given way to gnawing doubt. When Liverpool's directors convene for their fortnightly meeting next Thursday they will have Morgan on their minds and the manager's future in their hands.

Negotiations with the founder of Redrow Homes, with whom Moores has had such a fractious relationship, have long since stuttered but Morgan still casts his shadow. Where the chairman and Parry, his chief executive, had previously backed Houllier unswervingly, the Frenchman's knee-jerk and inopportune outburst last Friday in the wake of Morgan's own scathing assessment of his managerial record prompted alarm.

Rather than maintain a dignified silence, Houllier vented his fury. With concern already widespread over the board's willingness to negotiate with the Thai government, and a locally inspired scheme that promised to pump £73m into the club on the table, swelling support for Morgan's bid in the stands, this was no time for Houllier to lose his cool.

The worry in the boardroom is always that support for Morgan might quickly turn to antipathy for Moores. Given the groundswell of frustration among Liverpool's fans at Houllier's management over the past two years, playing to the crowd by removing the manager might seem a quick and easy way of seeing off the would-be director. It would certainly starve him of his main tub-thumping gripe and restrict his platform to those outbursts at the agm.

Not that anything at Anfield is clear-cut these days. Sources at the club still suggested last night that Houllier would most likely "hang on by the skin of his teeth", though his chances of survival fluctuate almost by the hour. Much will depend on the strength of his relationship with Moores, whose gut instinct will still be to back his manager. Parry, Moores's confidante and the financial mover and shaker at the club, has also traditionally been supportive.

Yet the lack of a public vote of confidence on the Frenchman's immediate future, even in the wake of achieving the consolation of a fourth place finish and a potential return to the Champions League, is telling. Instead, Houllier has been greeted with deafening silence. The brief talks which have taken place between manager and board merely prompted doubts from the club's hierarchy as to the clarity of the manager's plans for next season, suggesting his chances of seeing out the final year of his contract are bleak.

Indeed, the politics between Moores and Morgan form only part of the reason for the apparent slump in the board's faith in their manager. One way or another, Liverpool and their financial advisers Hawk point Partners Ltd will attract major investment this summer, and the directors need convincing that Houllier is the right man to spend that money.

The temptation must be to see the injection of cash as an opportunity to introduce a new man at the helm, giving him - whether it be Valencia's Rafael Benites or Celtic's Martin O'Neill - leeway to mould his own squad.

"Things are going to change," admitted Steven Gerrard, whose frustrations at the past season have been shared by other major influences in the dressing-room, including Michael Owen.

"If I come back (for pre-season) and there are only one or two new faces here then I don't think that will be good enough for this club. I've been promised this won't be the case. It's down to Rick Parry and the management to sort it out."

Things are going to change. Kenny Dalglish is expected to return, though rumours abound that he could arrive as a technical director, a role that has also been mooted for Houllier, though that is a position he is unlikely to relish. For him it remains the dug-out or nothing. The next week will decide his fate.

The Liverpool board

David Moores, Chairman

His 51.46% stake gives him a controlling interest. His uncle John, founder of Littlewoods Pools, smoothed the split in his workforce over their football allegiances by buying into both Liverpool and Everton. David took a 58% stake at Anfield in 1991 which was slimmed down by Granada's purchase of a 9.9% stake in 1999.

Rick Parry, Chief executive

The former chief executive of the Premier League is Moores' right-hand man, as pictured, at the club he supported as a boy.

Keith Clayton

An accountant. Went with Parry to Bangkok last week to open talks with Thai prime minister.

Noel White

Former chairman at Anfield . A retired hotelier and former chairman of the FA international committee.

Terry Smith

The former journalist helped establish the Merseyside-based commercial radio station Radio City before selling it to Emap.

Jules Burns

Joined board as a Granada representative in 1999 and stayed as a director at Anfield despite leaving the company.

Les Wheatley

Acts as Liverpool's director of finance, a position he held previously with Newcastle. An executive director.

John Cresswell

Succeeded Burns as Granada representative on board in September 2003.

· You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments to [email protected].

[ianrush]

Dalglish cool on Liverpool

Staff and agencies

Thursday May 20, 2004

Dalglish: 'they just need to ask'

Kenny Dalglish has distanced himself from the speculation surrounding Gerard Houllier's tenure at Liverpool, by denying he has been approached to become Director of Football at Anfield.

According to reports, Dalglish is wary of doing or saying anything that could be construed as disrespectful to Houllier and his staff. But the former manager did not go as far as to deny the possibility of a return.

Dalglish said: "I have not spoken to anybody about any position at Liverpool Football Club. But if the club think I can help they just need to ask."

Dalglish joined Liverpool from Celtic in 1977 as the replacement for Kevin Keegan. He took over as player-manager in 1985, winning three league titles before going on to manage Blackburn and Newcastle.

Meanwhile John Barnwell, chief executive of the League Managers Association, believes Houllier deserves to be applauded for his record.

While Barnwell said it was not the LMA'S business to comment on the situation between manager and club, he launched a spirited defence of the Frenchman.

Barnwell told the Press Association: "Gerard's record is an excellent one. Not too long ago they (Liverpool) would have been delighted to have finished fourth.

"To say that is not acceptable for Liverpool is too easy a comment to make.

"It is too easy for people to say Liverpool should finish higher. Gerard obviously hasn't finished the work he set out to do."

Barnwell, however, is fully aware that things can change quickly in football.

"Lots of times today's success is tomorrow's failure," he said.

"Things that are outside of the manager's control can dictate the future. We can only hope common sense prevails."

· You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments to [email protected].

________________________

Wär ja so perfekt wenn King Kenny zurückkäme. Gebt mir seine Nummer und ich würd ihn sofort fragen...

bearbeitet 20. Mai 2004 von ianrush

[goleador2000]

Valencia coach Benitez open to Liverpool approach

tribalfootball.com - May 23, 2004

Valencia coach Rafa Benitez is interested in talking to Liverpool about a move to England over the summer.

Benitez has emerged as a target for the Reds board as they prepare to dismiss manager Gerard Houllier.

The News of the World says Benitez would consider an offer to become Liverpool manager, having won the Double with Valencia of the La Liga championship and UEFA Cup.

Spekulationen über Spekulationen...nach O'Neill, Dalglish, Mourinho, Strachan, McClaren, Ranieri wieder ein neuer Name der als neuer Reds-Manager gehandelt wird ...hmm...glaube nicht, daß er "sein" Valencia gerade jetzt verlassen wird, aber könnte mit ihm als neuen Coach sehr gut leben, da er aus Valencia ein Wahnsinnsteam geformt hat und dasselbe wäre ihm auch mit Liverpool zuzutrauen

News vom Transfermarkt:

Der bei den Reds als Neuzugang gehandelte Auxerre-Innenverteidiger Philippe Méxes wird wohl leider nicht nach Anfield wechseln...er tendiert zu einem Wechsel in die SerieA zum AS Rom und soll sich mit den Italienern schon fast einig sein und den scheidenden Argentinier Walter Samuel ersetzen....schade, schade, hätte ihn sooo gerne im Liverpool-Dress gesehen...

bearbeitet 23. Mai 2004 von goleador2000

[ianrush]

Houllier to leave Anfield in 'amicable' agreement

Denis Campbell

Sunday May 23, 2004

The Observer

Gérard Houllier's increasingly fraught six years in charge of Liverpool will end today when he meets chairman David Moores for talks.

The manager's departure will be confirmed in an official announcement tomorrow, which will describe the split as amicable. On the list of likely replacements being compiled by chief executive Rick Parry are Charlton boss Alan Curbishley, former Southampton manager Gordon Strachan, Middlesbrough's Steve McClaren and Rafael Benitez, whose Valencia side have just won a double of La Liga and the Uefa Cup,.

Moores has finally accepted that the growing clamour for Houllier to go has to mean the departure of the once-favoured son. He won the respect of everyone involved in the game, undergoing heart surgery in 2001, after leading Liverpool to a treble of the Uefa Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.

Houllier is understood to want to stay in club management and either Tottenham or Celtic, if Martin O'Neill leaves, could be interested in his services. The Parkhead club tried to hire him before he went to Liverpool, the club he supported, in 1998. O'Neill has been linked with the Anfield job and is thought recently to have rebuffed overtures from Spurs.

Developments in the next 48 hours will finally end one of the most protracted departures of recent times. Just yesterday, the Frenchman was claiming he was 'one hundred per cent sure I will be here next season' and describing suggestions that he was about to leave as 'a load of rubbish'.

In his defence, Houllier drew attention to his record in steering Liverpool to qualification for the Champions League in three of his six seasons in charge, half of the first in 1998-99 in an unproductive partnership with Roy Evans.

But his side's failure to challenge Arsenal and Manchester United's stranglehold on the Premiership, the poor performance of many of the players he bought and increasing discontent among the fans have brought about his downfall.

Steve Morgan, the property magnate and Liverpool shareholder who has seen three attempts to invest further in the club turned down, is an outspoken critic.

Houllier is admired by senior figures at the Football Association for his technical knowledge of the game, and was discussed as a possible replacement for Sven-Göran Eriksson recently, when it looked like the Swede would be joining Chelsea.

The Frenchman, as technical director of the French Football Federation in the 1990s, helped lay the groundwork for his country's rise to becoming world and European champions in 1998 and 2000 respectively, although his stint as national-team boss ended in failure when les Bleus did not qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

The FA has lacked a technical overlord since Howard Wilkinson's departure, but it is thought he has lost some kudos with the FA top brass.

He is likely to wait and see what openings the summer break may produce in club management, in which he first made his name in the 1970s and 1980s.

You can mail the Observer direct at [email protected]

___________________________

Falglish soll woll so eine Art übergeordneter Sportmanager werden. Damit werden McClaren und Curbishley wohl nicht leben können was man so aus den Medien erfährt. Benitez ist sicher ein heisser Kandidat für die Nachfolge, nur kann ich mir nicht vorstellen, dass er Valencia gerade jetzt verlässt oder das Valencia das zulässt. Strachan dürfte auch ein sehr interessanter Kandidat sein, da er mit Soton einiges erreicht hat.

Ideal wäre natürlich ein Tausch mit Celtic ! O'Neill zu uns, Houllier nach Glasgow. Damit könnte ich sehr gut leben.

Wichtig wird nur sein, dass man schaut, dass der der neue Manager den vollen Rückhalt im Board, aber auch bei den Fans hat.

Sollte Mexes wirklich nicht zu uns kommen, wird es langsam Zeit nach weiteren guten Verstärkungen in der Abwehr ausschau zu halten, denn wir brauchen sicher für nächste Saison einen Klassemann hinten. Ausserdem muss endlich auch ein sehr guter Spielmacher geholt werden, nur die gibts eben leider nicht wie Sand am Meer. Hier könnte man vielleicht auf Rosicky schauen, falls der nicht zu Chelsea geht.

Ich lassmich aufjedenfall überraschen wär neuer Trainer wird und hoffe, dass wir einen wirklichen Topmanager bekommen.

[ianrush]

Houllier given chance of dignified departure

Stuart James and Dominic Fifield

Monday May 24, 2004

The Guardian

Gérard Houllier's tenure as manager of Liverpool is expected to come to an end within 24 hours. It is understood that he talked with David Moores at the chairman's home in the Lake District over the weekend, though a formal announcement will be delayed until the chief executive Rick Parry returns from Spain in the next couple of days.

Moores will be anxious to keep Houllier's departure as amicable as possible and the Frenchman, who arrived at Liverpool in 1998, may well be offered the opportunity to resign "with dignity" - a word he has emphasised in the past week. They will also need to reach an agreement on the remaining 12 months of his £1.5m contract.

The former France manager's exit will signal the end of a six-year reign at Anfield, during which Liverpool have failed to usurp Manchester United, Arsenal and more recently Chelsea at the head of the Premiership. Despite the success of 2001 when Liverpool secured the Uefa Cup, League Cup and FA Cup under Houllier's tutelage, supporters have become increasingly frustrated at the club's inconsistent performances.

The search for Houllier's successor gathered momentum last week, with the Valencia coach Rafael Benitez and Charlton manager Alan Curbishley among the leading candidates for a position which could well necessitate working with Kenny Dalglish, who is expected to return to Anfield either as technical director or as a go-between from the board to the supporters. There is interest too in Gordon Strachan, though it is thought that Curbishley is at the top of the Liverpool shortlist.

The Charlton manager, who was in Spain this weekend with his chief executive Peter Varney to help launch a European football school, has a clause in the 3-year contract he signed in February which allows to him to talk to specific clubs, among them Liverpool. The appointment of Curbishley, who has impressed the Anfield board with his achievements at The Valley, would be well received by the Liverpool players too, particularly Steven Gerrard, who is a known admirer.

Meanwhile Benitez, who is believed to be favoured by Michael Owen, was yesterday celebrating the culmination of a highly successful season at Valencia, with Uefa Cup success and a second Spanish title in the past three seasons.

Any attempts to lure the Spaniard to Anfield are likely to be resisted by Valencia, who are understood to be in the process of offering him a two-year extension to his current contract which expires at the end of next season.

Porto's Jose Mourinho, who has intimated that he might prefer the managership of Liverpool to that of Chelsea, has not been discounted, but the likelihood remains that Roman Abramovich will lure the young coach to Stamford Bridge.

Everton's deputy chairman Bill Kenwright has laughed off reports in a Sunday newspaper that the club will sell Wayne Rooney to Manchester United.

The 18-year-old England striker has also been linked with a summer switch to Chelsea. Kenwright told the club's website: "It is always difficult to respond to rubbish. David Moyes and myself have discussed a combined response and it is [that] the article is laughable.

"No deal has ever been discussed, set up or agreed with Manchester United or, indeed, any other football club on the planet."

· You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments to [email protected].

[goleador2000]

Houllier Sacked By Liverpool

Der glücklose Gerard Houllier muß die Anfield Road verlassen...wer wird sein Nachfolger ???

05/24/2004. Liverpool will confirm at 12:00GMT today that Gerard Houllier has been sacked.

The Frenchman's six-year reign at Anfield is being brought to an end after a disappointing season, even though he eventually guided them to fourth place in the Premiership.

Houllier stated at the weekend that he was 100% certain that he would be Liverpool's boss next season, but his confidence appears to have been misplaced.

Valencia's Rafael Benitez has emerged as the favourite to replace him at Anfield, although Gordon Strachan, Alan Curbishley, Martin O'Neill and Jose Mourinho have also been linked to the position.

Rob Hogley

Tja so sind eben die Gesetze dieses Geschäfts...was vor wenigen Jahren und Monaten noch gut schien, ist jetzt alles verkehrt...hmm...ich verhehle nicht, daß ich den französischen Gentleman auf der Trainerbank vermissen werde, ich finde er hat bei Liverpool keine schlechte Arbeit abgeliefert und war immer mit seinem Herzen beim Verein, er war sehr akribisch und die Fans standen lange hinter ihm...doch die unglücklichen Umstände und der immer größer werdende Abstand zu den Spitzenteams der PL hat wohl dem Reds-Vorstand keine andere Wahl gelassen als Gerard zu entlassen... Man kann ihm verfehlte Transferpolitik und eine zu defensive Taktik vorwerfen, aber just mit dieser Taktik holte der FC Liverpool vor 3 Jahren noch 5 Titel in einer Saison, das sollte nie vergessen werden - Danke Monsieur Houllier dafür !!!

Bin wie viele natürlich sehr gespannt wer den Franzosen beerben wird - die gängigen Namen kursieren eh schon seit Wochen in diversen Medien und sind Insidern bekannt - und hoffe der Verein holt die "richtige Person", die den FC Liverpool wieder zu einer Spitzenmannschaft Europas formt !!!

[Cyrille Makanaky]

Houllier hat sicher gute Arbeit verrichtet, aber wie schon einmal erwähnt, stagniert der F.C. Liverpool seit der großartigen Saison 2000/01. Deshalb finde ich es von der Clubführung eine gute Entscheidung mit einem neuen Trainer in die nächste Saison zu gehen.

Hoffentlich macht der neue Trainer mit dem F.C. Liverpool einen ähnlich großen Schritt Richtung Spitze wie Houllier, dann ist der 19. Meistertitel nicht mehr weit entfernt!

[goleador2000]

Liverpool convinced Benitez is theirs

tribalfootball.com - May 27, 2004

Liverpool insiders are confident that Rafa Benitez will be their next manager.

Despite contrary reports, the Guardian says Liverpool are relishing the prospect of hiring one of Spain's most highly rated coaches.

Reds chief executive Rick Parry has already had a meeting with Benítez's representatives and departed yesterday for a 10-day break in Barbados, where he will be playing in goal for the Liverpool veterans' team, confident that he will unveil the 44-year-old soon after his return.

Benitez will be handed a four-year deal worth about £25,000 a week, much more than his current salary but a similar package to former Reds manager Houllier's. But the big pull for Benitez is that he will control on all transfer dealings.

The Spaniard has been regularly at war with his board through the press over their transfer policy and the lack of say he has on new signings.

Parry has promised Benitez that will not be the case at Anfield. He is expected to air his grievances to Valencia president Jaime Orti in the next 24 hours.

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Benitez to take Aimar, Ayala to Liverpool

tribalfootball.com - May 27, 2004

Rafa Benitez is expected to bring two of his top names from Valencia to Liverpool once his appointment is confirmed.

The Guardian says Benitez WILL be Liverpool's next manager and supporters can expect to see Argentina international duo Roberto Ayala and Pablo Aimar to follow him to Anfield.

Backed by the cash invested from the Thai government, Benitez will overhaul Liverpool's squad, with his first two signings being 31 year-old centre-half Ayala and Diego Maradona's favourite current player, Pablo Aimar.

Wahnsinn !!! Ich glaube immer noch nicht, daß Benitez neuer Reds-Coach wird...laß mich aber gern überraschen . Wenn er auch noch die beiden Argentinier Ayala(für mich einer der internationalen Topverteidiger schlechthin ) und Pablo Aimar mitnehmen würde, das wäre ja der absolute Überhammer...bin schon gespannt wie die nächsten Wochen und Monaten am Transfermarkt tun wird...

PS: Djibril Cissé ist seit gestern fix ein Liverpooler

bearbeitet 27. Mai 2004 von goleador2000

[goleador2000]

HARGREAVES EYES PREMIERSHIP

Saturday 29 May 2004

Owen Hargreaves - er wäre eine Bombenverstärkung für den FC Liverpool...

Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves has revealed he would like to move to the Premiership, with Liverpool and Arsenal his preferred destinations.

The England midfielder has two years left on his contract in Germany but he is ready to end his stay on the continent.

"Sometimes you just know when it's time to move on and take a new step. The Premiership, in particular, is brilliant and the fans are fantastic and just to be there every week would be a dream for me," he told The Guardian.

"Liverpool, with a new manager, will be looking to strengthen their squad. With one or two players they could be a very talented team. The basis is already there with Stevie Gerrard and Michael Owen.

"That would be a great destination for me, and I think I would fit in really well.

"Arsenal are a wonderful team. I'd love to play for them but I just don't know if they need any new players.

"Manchester United are in a bit of a transition and Chelsea have a wad of money to spend on who they want.

"If I had carte blanche to choose I would say I'd be a good fit at Liverpool. But I also feel I'd be a good fit at Arsenal and even at Man United for that matter."

Er wäre der ideale Hamann-Nachfolger. Wäre toll sollte es mit dem Deal was werden, glaube aber die Bayern, insbesondere Hargreaves-Fan Beckenbauer werden ihn nicht ziehen lassen...

Weitere News:

Nachdem sich die Gespräche mit Wunschtrainer Rafael Benitez in die Länge ziehen, Valencia dem Coach einen neuen 2-Jahres-Vertrag und mehr Rechte im Verein geboten hat, ist mittlerweile ein neuer interessanter möglicher zukünftiger Liverpool-Manager im Gespräch. Die Rede ist von keinem geringeren als Didier Deschamps . Der Franzose der als fast sicherer Lippi-Nachfolger bei Juve galt wird zur Zeit, da Capello bei Juve gelandet ist, sehr stark mit dem FC Liverpool in Verbindung gebracht...

Jerzy Dudek wird vom holländischen Vizemeister PSV Eindhoven umworben...Stammkeeper Ronald Waterreus wird Eindhoven diesen Sommer verlassen und der Pole könnte ihn beerben...und der Nachfolger könnte ja auch schon feststehen - Hertha BSC-Keeper Gabor Kiraly war angeblich schon zum medizinischen Check in Liverpool

[Sportsfreund]

Ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass die Reds Gabor Kiraly als Nummer 1 verpflichten. Der bringt einfach keine konstant guten Leistungen.