Liverpool Signings and General Rumours Thread

Iceman_5000

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4745612.stm I **** you not

Chucky the tree

er...not very concrete is it?

eyerer

'alleged' debt
doesn't sound too great though

mike65

Ignore that story its one made up by Morgan to pressure the board.

Mike.

p.pete

I think Morgan is trying to put presure on before his chance of taking control slips away. My prefered option is the kraft family to invest in the club, things don't seem to be moving on that one but hopefully they are in the background.

Hard to say how much Rafa wants - previous transfer windows it's been alledged that he's had x amount to spend and then he goes and tries to squeeze prices down or refuses to pay more then he thinks a player is worth. He definitely doesn't seem like the type of manager to bankrupt the club, on the other hand there is one or two players missing still most people agree.

el rabitos

personally i dont care where the investment comes from. i think liverpool as a club are at a fairly critical juncture in terms of where the club hopes to be in the next 5 to 10 years

anfields capacity and the facilities are becoming a hinderance to the club. so if it means calling the new stadium "adidas anfield" or "carlsberg anfield: probably the best stadium in the world" then i think the board should go ahead with it

theres no room for sentiment when arsenal, chelsea and united are making more than 2 times the income from home games that liverpool are.

jesus_thats_gre

el rabitos wrote:

personally i dont care where the investment comes from. i think liverpool as a club are at a fairly critical juncture in terms of where the club hopes to be in the next 5 to 10 years

anfields capacity and the facilities are becoming a hinderance to the club. so if it means calling the new stadium "adidas anfield" or "carlsberg anfield: probably the best stadium in the world" then i think the board should go ahead with it

theres no room for sentiment when arsenal, chelsea and united are making more than 2 times the income from home games that liverpool are.

The investment still needs to be in the overall best interest of the club!!!

Big Nelly

I thought Liverpool had plans etc for a new stadium and where ready to start building? is this not true? if so Liverpool will soon have major probs on the finacial side of things!

cruiserweight

There is supposed to be a new stadium on the way alright! Liverpool received the planning permission in October 2004

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/newstadium/

p.pete

Big Nelly wrote:

I thought Liverpool had plans etc for a new stadium and where ready to start building? is this not true? if so Liverpool will soon have major probs on the finacial side of things!

There's a stadium planned alright, a site picked, plans drawn up and fincial backing is in the pipeline (hopefully advanced). Shouldn't necesarilly cause major financial probs - unless you have details otherwise? - the financial probs are getting the thing started in the first place.

Big Nelly

p.pete wrote:

There's a stadium planned alright, a site picked, plans drawn up and fincial backing is in the pipeline (hopefully advanced). Shouldn't necesarilly cause major financial probs - unless you have details otherwise? - the financial probs are getting the thing started in the first place.

No I meant if it didnt go ahead then there would be problem, with Utd expanding and Arsenal having there new 60,000 seaster stadium Liverpool would be losing alot of income from having a small stadium when compared to 2 of there major rivals, dont count Chelsea because it doesnt matter how many comes to there games!

p.pete

Big Nelly wrote:

No I meant if it didnt go ahead then there would be problem, with Utd expanding and Arsenal having there new 60,000 seaster stadium Liverpool would be losing alot of income from having a small stadium when compared to 2 of there major rivals, dont count Chelsea because it doesnt matter how many comes to there games!

Apologies for your use of grammar

astrofool

There was an article in The Economist recently over the problems Kraft were having, shrinking market size, and going back to their main brands. Not sure if it would affect any possible invest by the family though.

redspider

p.pete wrote:

There's a stadium planned alright, a site picked, plans drawn up and fincial backing is in the pipeline (hopefully advanced). Shouldn't necesarilly cause major financial probs - unless you have details otherwise?

The new ground was I understood not a done deal and there are issues with it. Have a look at the Liverpool financial statements which do mention it and its a point of discussion in Liverpool city. When Everton left Anfield in 18-whatever it was easier to establish a new ground!

Arsenal are expanding to a new bigger ground, but they have taken a hit because of that through lack of investment in players, it would seem. In a way, Liverpool and Arsenal are a victim of circumstance. Man Utd were allowed to expand Old Trafford where it was, where as Arsenal and Liverpool arent allowed to expand their's, and moving to a brand new stadium is clearly a more expensive option.

In terms of matchday revenues, the big 4 are:

Man U - euro 102.5m
Chelsea - 83.7m
Arsenal - 55.4m
Liverpool - 49.0m

according to the recently published Deloitte Football Money League.


Speaking of this report, was there a thread discussing the football finances which it outlined?

I have a copy of it and it has a lot of interesting details. I didnt see a thyread on it so I might start one next week if I get the time and remember.

respider

ps: anyone know any good strikers available for Liverpool !

el rabitos

Liverpool arent allowed to expand their's, and moving to a brand new stadium is clearly a more expensive option.

i wonder whats stopping an expansion of anfield as it is. the surrounding housing estates are largely empty, and the area is majorly run down. plenty of buildings around the stadium could be knocked down

cruiserweight

Good news Rafa has come out and dismissed talk of hime leaving! Viva La Rafaloution:)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4783250.stm

Rafael Benitez insists he wants to stay at Anfield
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has insisted he is happy at Anfield and concentrating purely on Wednesday's Champions League clash with Benfica.

The Spaniard, linked with Real Madrid and Inter Milan, dismissed reports he will leave at the end of the season if he does not get a budget of £30m.

Benitez said: "I don't have any problems with the board, the chief executive or the chairman.

"If we win this game it could make things easier financially."

He continued: "I don't like talking about other things. The most important thing is to be focused on the match.

"I am only concerned about winning and improving with Liverpool.

"Worrying about other things will only distract us from our objective."

Striker Robbie Fowler said the players hope Benitez will stay at Anfield.

He said: "I have worked with Rafa for just over a month and I have enjoyed working with him.

"I want that to continue for as long as I am here.

"I couldn't go into details over what has been happening but he is Liverpool's manager and that's what we want.

"He has achieved so much already, winning the European Cup in his first season and I hope he continues winning European Cups, leagues and FA Cups as Liverpool manager."

Liverpool trail 1-0 from the first leg in Portugal as they battle for a place in the last eight.

segadreamcast

cruiserweight wrote:

Good news Rafa has come out and dismissed talk of hime leaving! Viva La Rafaloution:)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4783250.stm

Robbie: "for as long as I am here". That'd be a year, max. No disrespect meant to Robbie - he was great for us way back when, but he's a stopgap now, no more no less. He'll be sidelined permanently upon the arrival of a real striker at Liverpool.

Davei141

No harm in keeping him about.

ianomccabe

We couldnt ask much more of Rafa, He's come out immediately and responded to the speculation that we were all worried about. Now if only our senior players of years gone by would have done the same!

redspider

Good to hear that Rafa is committing to the cause.

In terms of Robbie, he will never be the same as what he was but he deserves some play time this season given that we are lumbered with Crouch and Morientes mis-firing. He is no worse than they are. It will be interesting to see what happens up front against Benfica tonight. We need goals.
We could use Crouch as the target man (object!) which would allow Gerrard and others to do their runs. Big games are needed from a lot of players.

el rabitos wrote:

i wonder whats stopping an expansion of anfield as it is. the surrounding housing estates are largely empty, and the area is majorly run down. plenty of buildings around the stadium could be knocked down

I dont know the details so I'm assuming that they have looked at expanding on the current site, which is the obvious option, but are not allowed to for some planning reasons. Maybe Traffic/Access is not suitable.

Football stadiums can be developed in pieces, like they have done at Old Trafford over the years, and at Chelsea, re-developing one section at a time. From an engineering perspective, I am sure that they could add 5,000 extra spaces for each new section in the same footprint, and thereby easily increase the capacity to 60.000 plus.

Its then up to the Liverpool fans to support their cause and help pay for the team and fill that stadium week-in, week-out, even for Carling Cup matches.

A couple of teams I didnt mention in terms of Matchday revenues:

Newcastle 52.2m (euro)
Celtic 46.5m
Spurs 31.2
Everton 27.7
Man C 22.3


redspider

ianomccabe

word is both Anderson and Barragan on the bench tonight for Liverpool

micks

el rabitos wrote:

i wonder whats stopping an expansion of anfield as it is. the surrounding housing estates are largely empty, and the area is majorly run down. plenty of buildings around the stadium could be knocked down

as previously answered i dont know the whole history ,but remember hearing its to do with a number of residents point blank refusing to sell up,as far as i know the club owns almost all the land/houses surrounding it.But because of the blockers the only option is a move.

el rabitos

as previously answered i dont know the whole history ,but remember hearing its to do with a number of residents point blank refusing to sell up,as far as i know the club owns almost all the land/houses surrounding it.But because of the blockers the only option is a move.

that would be the only explanation i can see. i was over for a match there in august, and the houses around the ground on the kop end are all abandoned and boarded up.

bit of a pain though. a new stadium is the top priority, the gap in match day income is becoming too great

Thanx 4 The Fish

Scott Carson has made a move to the owls. Should be a good move for him, will be nice to get a regular game and he will at least get a good workout with such a poor team he should be kept v busy.

Big Nelly

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote:

Scott Carson has made a move to the owls. Should be a good move for him, will be nice to get a regular game and he will at least get a good workout with such a poor team he should be kept v busy.

Was waiting for this to be reported, got Carson and a yougn defender off Man City. Carson will be in goals because our other keeper is out with an injury problem. Hopefully he will play well for us.

Not sure about the poor statement? we are staying above the relagation zone and had terrible injury problems all season. Finally getting a few players back now and we where very unlucky to lose against Cardiff last week. Nice dig anayway at the owls:eek:

mike65

Sissoko back in training and back in the squad within the month shock!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4793768.stm

Mike.

RE*AC*TOR

Big Nelly wrote:

Not sure about the poor statement? we are staying above the relagation zone

a sign of a great team....

Big Nelly

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

a sign of a great team....

Yes, because if you knew what you are talking about then you would know we are over 20 million in dept so buying players is very hard for the club. These 2 loan signing the Chairman is paying with his own cash because the club has none. We have just returned to the Championship and from day one our aim was to stay in the division with a young team. They where in mid-table till a few players had injury problems and we slipped back down, these players will be back soon so we can look towards moving up the table.

RE*AC*TOR

Big Nelly wrote:

Yes, because if you knew what you are talking about then you would know we are over 20 million in dept so buying players is very hard for the club. These 2 loan signing the Chairman is paying with his own cash because the club has none. We have just returned to the Championship and from day one our aim was to stay in the division with a young team. They where in mid-table till a few players had injury problems and we slipped back down, these players will be back soon so we can look towards moving up the table.

I think you are describing making the best of a bad (or poor) situation.

Which is fine. Doesn't mean they aren't rubbish. Same way you'd say Liverpool may have won the CL - doesn't make them the best team in Europe.

Thanx 4 The Fish

What dig. The owls are rubbish at the moment. They have scored less goals than anybody in the league and have conceded 47 in 37 (more than a goal a game on average) they have lost more than half of the games they have played and they are doing well ??

Two points off relegation and they are doing well, you and I have a different understanding of that phrase.

mike65

and this relates to Liverpool signinga nd rumours how?

Mike

Mark

You complain on page 83 of an extra post or two?

mike65

Keep it on topic!

Mike.

Thanx 4 The Fish

This is on topic, it is about how Sheffield wednesdays defence will be improved by Scott Carson.

mike65

Nothing will improve Wednesdays defence. Case closed, your honour.

Mike.

ps actually Pool should have loaned them Djimmi.

eyerer

he was offered, but they refused on the grounds that they only wanted to borrow players that would improve their team

cruiserweight

David Villa has signed a new deal with Valencia so I guess he won't be playing for us next year! Damn!

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=international_feed/06/03/14/SOCCER_Spa-Valencia_Villa.html&TEAMHD=soccer

el rabitos

With the best part of the season over and most players in the current squad having shown what their capable of, i was wondering what kind if squad people were looking at liverpool to (realisticly)have in place for next season?

i've no idea if rafa can realisticly sell off 2 strikers (cisse & morientes) and bring in 2 more (maybe only 1 will be required if he sees a future at the club for pongolle?)


................................Reina/Carson

finnan/kronkamp...Carra/Agger...Hyypia/Palletta...Aurelio/Riise

?/Garcia.....Gerrard/Hamman...alonso/sissoko.....Kewell/Gonzalez

.................Crouch/Pongolle.........Fowler/Kuyt

players to leave:-

Kirkland - 2.5 million
Le Tallec - 1 million
Traore - 1 million
Warnock - 1million
Cisse - 7million (wishfull thinking)
Morientes - 2.5 (someone else might take a chance on him)
Dudek - 2 million

total: 17 million?

Players in:-

Fabio Aurelio? (out of contract, so he'd be free)
Kuyt? (cant see any other decent striker in liverpools price range)
Owen? (assuming newcastle will sell and if liverpool can sell off some of the above players to raise funds)
Mark Gonzalez (confirmed)
Palletta (confirmed)
Right Winger?

thats my guess or hope for next season, i just want this season to end tbh, its painfull watching the team control games, maul the other teams goal and then lose or draw

RE*AC*TOR

Don't see Kuyt coming in. I think he was more of a red-herring in the Crouch deal.

Would newcastle sell Owen for less than they bought him for 6 months later? I doubt it.. Liverpool won't pay £15m+ for him.
I'd say for the right wing, there's still a chance we might land Simao. Don't see SWP happening. Mourinho wouldn't like to be seen doing Liverpool any favours. Victor is obviously a possiblity, seeing as how we came so close in January.

I'd say Morientes will go. Probably back to Spain, where he'll probably score a load of goals :rolleyes: Cissé will head back to France, where he'll probably score a load of goals :rolleyes:

yom 1

Thats an interesting looking team
Plenty of cover throughout the team aswell

For me there is only one winger I want Rafa to chase and that's SWP and he should be a priority break the bank buy.

Strikers - well it could be interesting this summer with transfers involving strikers. Chelsea will of course kick start the whole merry-go-round. I think Rafa will already have his eye on a few - Ronaldo has been mentioned - Defoe seems to be on his way out at spurs and we could very well get him too. I would like to see us take a chance on Darren Bent. Scoring goals for fun in an average at best side - I doubt he would cost too much either

my 2 cents

el rabitos

Scoring goals for fun in an average at best side - I doubt he would cost too much either

i'm sure those were the words going around the anfield boardroom during the summer about peter crouch

liverpool cant afford (litterally) to be taking chances on players like bent and crouch. if money is going to be spent, then spend it on somone proven *insert morientes joke here*

if enough money can be raised from player sales then i would be happy to do bad business and pay 15 million for owen.

swp wont be joining. pool cant afford him even if chelsea were willing to sell, which i doubt they are.

victor would be free, but he's not exactly the best player around. he'd fill a gap alright, but nothing special.

Jazzy

hmmm
good question.

Id imagine seeing something like this:

---

Reina/Carson

---

-Finnan/Kromkamp

---

Carra/Agger

---

Hyypia/Palleta

---

Riise/Warnock-



-Garcia/Joaquin

---

Gerrard/Hamman----Alonso/Sissoko

---

Kewell/Zenden/Gonzales

---

Crouch/Pongolle

---

Defoe/Morientes

---

We need to get rid of cisse as he is lamer then moro, + ud get a better price for cisse. need to buy a quality, proven premier league striker (owen or defoe, but more then likely defoe could be gotten before owen imo). Joaquin i put there as I think he is the ultimate solution to the right wing problem and tho he would be expensive, hed deffo be worth it. + pool need to actually buy a world class player... not just a good one.

players leaving... im pretty much in agreement with el rabitos

yom 1

el rabitos wrote:

i'm sure those were the words going around the anfield boardroom during the summer about peter crouch

Fair point but Liverpool do not have the money to out and get the 2 world class strikers and a world class winger which we need. So IMO Darren Bent is worth a chance at least providing we aren't paying silly money for him.

I also would like to see Mellor return. I just think mellor has something none of our strikers have and thats a pouchers instinct in front of goal.

jesus_thats_gre

yom 1 wrote:

just think mellor has something none of our strikers have and thats a pouchers instinct in front of goal.

I would be inclined to think Fowler has this instinct.. No?

el rabitos

Fair point but Liverpool do not have the money to out and get the 2 world class strikers and a world class winger which we need. So IMO Darren Bent is worth a chance at least providing we aren't paying silly money for him.

i hear what ur saying man, i think the 7 million spent on crouch left a bad taste in everyones mouth, not because he isnt a good player to have in any squad, but i think everyone agrees that he's not worth anywhere near 7 million, especially given that his arrival was at the expence of milan baros (a better player than cisse imo) bent would be worth the risk as long as his value isnt inflated by liverpools obvious need for a good striker

Joaquin i put there as I think he is the ultimate solution to the right wing problem and tho he would be expensive, hed deffo be worth it. + pool need to actually buy a world class player... not just a good one.

he's a player i've liked for a couple of years now, but rafa came out and said back earliar in the season that he wasnt interested in signing him
apparantly he doesnt see him as a team player. personally i'd love to see him join ahead of any other right winger, but rafa knows the spanish market better than most.

fabio aurelio is the player i'd like to see join. he's on a bosman and a left back is badly needed. risse isnt good enough and warnock never will be imo. considering the clubs finances, a free top class left back would be a good option.

ullu

el rabitos wrote:

Cisse - 7million (wishfull thinking)

You never know, I wouldn't be surprised if Houllier took him back to the French league. He played well there and as the standard isn't the best, perhaps he could prosper there again. Also, a decent World Cup could do him wonders if it's decided to sell him on or keep him, either way.

Surely Morientes could easily be used in an exchange plus cash deal for a player Benitez would be interested in from La Liga, he's obviously far better suited to that league and has a couple of good years left in him.

mike65

For some strange reason I'd nearly bet my Current Account on Owen returning in the summer. Did anyone read Gerrards interview with Joe Lovejoy in the Sunday Times?

Mike.

yom 1

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

I would be inclined to think Fowler has this instinct.. No?

To me Fowler was/still is(to a degree) a clincal finisher - when I say a poucher I mean a RVN - sniffs anything within six yards of the goal. Like what he did last season in the game against Olympiakos - then set Gerrard's winner up. I just think he is a decent player prob ever only a squad player though

mike65

More on Fabio Aurelio, the injury to Riise has exposed Pools shortcomings at LB and he'd auguebly be first choice.

Mike.

eyerer

looks interesting, a LB is needed
traore is woeful and should be shipped out

on a free that would possibly be a good move