Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

~Rebel~

Mr Alan wrote: »

one more thing, maybe Aguero is laying the groundwork for another conspiracy theory too Boggles

aye there were rumours at the time that we had first dibs if we'd stump up the cash.

mayordenis

Boggles wrote: »

Yeah tis a nice little story alright, he was so desperate to get away from the club he was born into he took a huge pay cut.

I believe he waived his slice of the transfer fee for the love of Madrid, but the very notion he took a pay cut is in my opinion a fairy tell.

It is an excellent piece of PR to endear him immediately to the scouse faithful, but alas thats all it is.

---

Why did he "love" Liverpool so much anyways?

your trolling is boring, you are tedious.

Karmafaerie

Boogles, just admit that you're wrong when you're wrong.
Everyone is wrong sometimes.

Here you are clearly wrong.
There is tonnes of proof that Torres took a paycut.
He has said it, Liverpool have said it, the media have said it.

Nobody (bar you;)), have said it isn't true.

Show me the articles that state he didn't take a cut?

As for the arm-band.

Nando was given it as a birthday present, which means he was given it on the 20th of March.
It was spotted in a match in April.
He signed for us on 4th July.

No duplicity involved.

Constantly refuting the obvious is just enhancing the trolling stereotype you have.
It was a small thing, you made an assumption (based on your dislike of the fact that Torres is a nice guy), you were wrong.

Just admit it and move on.

We all know you don't like that Torres is a genuinly nice person.

If I'm not mistaken, was it not you who again, who wanted proof that Torres was paying for sangria for Liverpool fans watching the EC final, to thank them for their support of him and Spain?!

The guy's a genuine nice lad.
He loves Liverpool.
Simple.


This is my team, my city and Anfield is my pitch. -Fernando Torres.

Melion

Stop replying to him, we've all proven countless times that he doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

Dont be at yourself

Lets all make a pledge right now to put him on our ignore lists. He adds absolutely nothing to thread, and if everyone is ignoring him, the thread isn't been dragged off topic all the time.

Peyton Manning

As a United fan who doesnt really like Liverpool, I think Torres is a fantastic player and a model pro. He said he would never move to another Spanish club out of respect for Atletico, and has always been vocal about his love for Liverpool. Top bloke.

Boggles, just leave it. Your entitled to your opinion and everyone else vice versa. No one will convince anyone otherwise here. End of discussion, yes?

Karmafaerie

Melion wrote: »

Stop replying to him, we've all proven countless times that he doesnt have a clue what he is talking about.

I like Boogles.
This thread wouldn't be the same without him, and would be a hell of a lot slower and more boring.

Melion

Karmafaerie wrote: »

I like Boogles.
This thread wouldn't be the same without him, and would be a hell of a lot slower and more boring.

Id rather it be slower with relevant posts instead of the tripe he continuously posts.

Boggles

Karmafaerie wrote: »

If I'm not mistaken, was it not you who again, who wanted proof that Torres was paying for sangria for Liverpool fans watching the EC final, to thank them for their support of him and Spain?!

No I didn't, I said he could have stumped up and bought something a bit more expensive, but considering the fact he took a savage pay cut he probably couldn't afford to.

Karmafaerie

Melion wrote: »

Id rather it be slower with relevant posts instead of the tripe he continuously posts.

We all post tripe from time to time.

Boogles is funny, cause I genuinely believe that he thinks he's doing nothing wrong, and is right all the time.

Nothing unites the bickering Liverpool supporters more than Boogles coming in and banding us all together to refute his obviously wrong claims.

Karmafaerie

Boggles wrote: »

No I didn't, I said he could have stumped up and bought something a bit more expensive, but considering the fact he took a savage pay cut he probably couldn't afford to.

It's the credit crunch you know!

Ronaldo could only buy 400 mirrors to look at himself in last week!;)

missingtime

And for no reason here is Alison Stokke

Karmafaerie

missingtime wrote: »

And for no reason here is Alison Stokke

The Interweb wrote:

Allison Stokke is an 18 year old pole vaulter who’s reaching celebrity status online for being American, active, and decent looking

.

copacetic

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

Lets all make a pledge right now to put him on our ignore lists. He adds absolutely nothing to thread, and if everyone is ignoring him, the thread isn't been dragged off topic all the time.

agreed, would never know what his latest farcical attempt was except that people keep quoting and feeding him

Boggles

Archimedes wrote: »

Boggles, just leave it. Your entitled to your opinion and everyone else vice versa. No one will convince anyone otherwise here. End of discussion, yes?

I did about 40 posts ago.



Quality

copacetic wrote: »

agreed, would never know what his latest farcical attempt was except that people keep quoting and feeding him

Your only contribution to this thread today was giving out about me. Brilliant.:D:D

~Rebel~

Boggles wrote: »

Quality

My God, I cant believe it, but, Boggles - I Agree. Allison Stokke ftw

missingtime

Damit when are we gonna start charging boggles for the entertainment he gets out of rising certain liverpool fans?

Boggles

missingtime wrote: »

Damit when are we gonna start charging boggles for the entertainment he gets out of rising certain liverpool fans?

I should be charging them, Copcetic would have nothing to post at all if it weren't for me.

Tusky

What boggles me even more than boggles himself, is that people still argue with boggles. It boggles the mind.

missingtime

Boggles wrote: »

I should be charging them, Copcetic would have nothing to post at all if it weren't for me.

Nah a Boggles Jar would suffice...



NYOM!!

~Rebel~

Tusky wrote: »

What boggles me even more than boggles himself, is that people still argue with boggles. It boggles the mind.

Boggles

Tusky wrote: »

What boggles me even more than boggles himself, is that people still argue with boggles. It boggles the mind.

That's brilliant Tusky, well done.

I'm out the gap, kinda upset over jesus_thats_great calling me names, but I know he didn't mean it and he was just angry. Enjoy the Friday evening ladies.

Karmafaerie

There was talk before about making a thread of all of Dunphys ridiculous statements and gaffs.
I really think we should do one for Boogles.

Left = Right
Torres = Cheapskate
Torres = No Paycut

And that's just off the top of my head.

colly10

~Rebel~ wrote: »

aye there were rumours at the time that we had first dibs if we'd stump up the cash.

I thought we put in an offer at the time but we were a million or 2 short? Pity, he looks class and still young

mike65

Dubai move for Charlton!

Looks like we may have missed the boat.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/oct/10/charltonathletic-liverpool

The Maktoum family had been involved in fruitless negotiations with the Anfield club's owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, and also turned down the opportunity to purchase Newcastle United. Hicks recently travelled to Dubai with a view to offloading his 50% stake in the club but the talks were inconclusive. Then Mike Ashley and Dennis Wise also paid a visit in an attempt to generate interest in Newcastle but according to sources familiar with the discussions the sums the pair demanded were considered unrealistic.

Their attention then turned to Charlton. Superficially there would seem to be few motives for taking over a club who lie only 14th in the Championship today. But there was an influential link with Liverpool in that Rothschilds, the investment bank, had represented the five-times European champions and also worked for Charlton.

Mike

~Rebel~

oh dear god no!
*closes eyes, crosses fingers and chants "please be a bluff, please be a bluff"*

monkey9

But that's not the same group who were after Liverpool originally though. They're still waiting in the wings, i'm sure. With the credit crunch, that wait may not be long!

griffdaddy

That pole-vault chick is not that hot at all, i like my post-internet argument eye candy a bit hotter than that, thank you very much gentlemen.

missingtime

griffdaddy wrote: »

That pole-vault chick is not that hot at all

Post Reported.

sweetie

how did stevie g get on against the kazerbijanies tonight?

mike65

Poor performace to be honest.

Just remembered, he put in a couple of decent corners.

Mike

Dub13

I just got sent this its a class clip,only about 2 min but well worth a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2QEm028lKA

Ardent

Dub13 wrote: »

I just got sent this its a class clip,only about 2 min but well worth a look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2QEm028lKA

Haha that's brilliant. His Gerrard impersonation is perfect!

Thanx 4 The Fish

Dub13 wrote: »

I just got sent this its a class clip,only about 2 min but well worth a look.

superb:)

In other news, rafa praises Kuyt for doing the ugly work, no better man for the job

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N161657081012-0912.htm

Mr Alan

Good interview with Carra from the times.

He’s in the main part of his restaurant, in the city centre, amid the lunch time crowd. Jamie Carragher is not being flash, the opposite applies. Liverpool is different. Flash would entail a private dining room. In few places is football so much part of life, and being seen to be part of the place’s life is important.

“Go on, lad,” smiles Carragher when a customer wants a photograph. A favourite motto comes from the former Anfield chairman Sir John Smith: “We’re a very, very modest club at Liverpool. We don’t talk. We don’t boast. But we’re very professional.” Carragher’s personal translation? “Actions speak louder than words.” Accordingly, his actions characterise him. Extra-time in Istanbul, when he threw a body burning with cramp into tackle after block, tells of the sportsman; paying £1,700 to fly home a supporter who lost his passport attending the Club World Championship in Tokyo tells of the man. But his words are also worth experiencing.

Carragher has just written one of the best player autobiographies you could read, typically a product of honesty and dedication, every chapter redrafted “four or five times”. The Kop dreams of a “team of Carraghers”. Journalists – providing they understand Scouse – wouldn’t mind a game full of them.

The Book of Carragher, Part I: Roots

Today will end in Blundellsands, by Crosby Beach, where Carragher, his wife Nicola and their children James and Mia live. It is an exclusive location but not far from Bootle, where he grew up and might still be found on (nowadays rare) nights out. The interview is running on and when his dad calls, Carragher asks if he can walk the kids home from school. There was hardly any media at his book launch, just family and friends. “People say, ‘You don’t forget where you’re from’ but to be honest it’s not a conscious thing. If I preferred something else I’d do that instead, but the way I am I’d rather mix with people I know and in a place I know,” Carragher says. “It’s not done deliberately, for praise.”

Now retired from international football, a controversial revelation in the autobiography was that after missing a World Cup penalty his consolation was thinking at least it wasn’t for Liverpool. “One of the reasons I came out with the stuff about England was . . . in Liverpool we probably see ourselves as an island,” he begins. “It’s hard to explain but we want to fight the world and stuff like that. I know we get criticism for that ‘self-pity’ thing but we’re just a very close community, you fight for your own and families are very important.”

Even when watching England play on television, the Mersey streams in front of his eyes. “I wouldn’t say we like the negative image others give Liverpool but it gives us something to rally against,” he says. “People here have got a bit of life, haven’t they? That’s what I think when I look at the England team. The two best players are Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. They can put in a tackle and look after themselves but also have the creative spark. People from Liverpool can be . . . in the nicest possible way . . . little f****** and Stevie and Wayne have that devilment.”

Mersey pride is at the heart of a major concern. Carragher and Gerrard, heart and soul of the team, preserve Liverpool’s Scouse personality on the pitch but no lad from the club’s academy has established himself since Gerrard’s emergence a decade ago. Now there are 30 overseas youngsters on Liverpool’s books. “The foreign player issue has to be addressed. At all clubs,” says Carragher.

“Don’t get me wrong, good foreigners are great for the Premier League but what worries me is when we get foreign kids in at 16, 17. There has to be something to stop that, to help clubs keep their identities. I think about when I was that age. If I’d been 18 and Liverpool had brought the Spain Under18 captain into my position it would have been deflating. I always thank my stars I came in just as the foreign invasion was starting. I wasn’t Stevie at 18. I was a very good player and would have always had the mental strength to take my opportunity, but I wonder whether I’d have been given it.

“I don’t know when the next Liverpool lad will break into our first team and I don’t think the academy system is what it should be. The kids don’t have jobs now, don’t play Sunday boys’ football, and those things toughen you up. I don’t see as many little f****** as in my day. There’s a lot of nice lads but football’s not for nice lads.”

He loves local players, one-club men, everywhere. “It’s why I was made up that Stevie stayed,” he says. “He’s the symbol of Liverpool. You think of AC Milan and Maldini; Real Madrid and Raul; Juventus and Del Piero; Scholes and Giggs, who deep down every Liverpool fan respects. Tony Adams – he only played for Arsenal – I love that. For someone to ask, ‘Who did you play for?’ and to be able to answer a single name, ‘Liverpool’, that would be brilliant. I don’t think I’ll ever leave . . . though to be honest I’ve never picked up the Sunday papers and seen, ‘Jamie Carragher is wanted by X’. That’d be nice, you know, just for a little ego boost . . . could it be arranged? I see other players, ‘Real Madrid want so and so’ and you think, ‘He’s f****** crap! Him?!”

The Book of Carragher, Part II: Rafa

Today featured a lecture from the gaffer on a technical point of defending. Though Carragher believes the Liverpool reigns of Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier are underrated, Rafael Benitez is “the biggest influence on my career. Even this morning he took me aside after training. Robbie Keane was saying, ‘Jeez, he talked to you like you’re a YTS player . . .’ You get used to it. Rafa is always on your back. Some players can’t handle that. Me, I don’t like it but I’m the sort of person who responds. You’ve always got that thing in the back of your mind with Rafa, ‘Does he actually think I’m any good?’ You’re always wanting to prove yourself. He hasn’t got much good to say about anyone, Rafa. . . even other managers.”

He and his mentor had a false start. At Euro 2004 Benitez, newly appointed by Liverpool, visited the England camp to meet Carragher, Gerrard and Michael Owen. The trio thought it was nice he would go to such lengths. The ego-stroking they expected did not materialise. Benitez sketched out an XI that, to Carragher’s dismay, had him at right-back and told Gerrard he should stop running about so much “and said to Michael you’ve got to get back to the way you were in 2001!”

In his book, Carragher jokes that Benitez is like a pub bore. “I hope people understood I was being light-hearted,” he says. “I meant that he’s always got to have the last word. Whatever your opinion is, he always has a better one. He’s the person who always thinks he knows best for you – and is usually right. There are times you want to tell him to . . . but later you think, ‘That was good for me’.

“The job he’s done is sometimes overlooked. Don’t forget that within a week of walking in the door he lost Michael [Owen] and had just been given Djibril Cisse. He stayed with the team in Tokyo when his dad had just died, which was an unbelievable gesture towards the players and the club. He’s taken defence to another level. He goes into every detail, tiny little things like body positions, how to react when the opposition use different formations. Basically, he’s trying to copy the AC Milan of Franco Baresi. He can change systems five times in a game. In Robbie’s first match he ended up on the left wing because Rafa noticed something about Lazio which made him want three in the middle – and that was just a friendly.

"To be honest, British players find that [flexibility] more difficult than foreign ones and maybe that’s why some he’s bought did not do so well. But another strength is he recognises his transfer mistakes. Every manager makes them and there’s nothing worse than the manager playing players to justify himself. That’s disrespectful to the rest of the squad. When Rafa picks you, it’s because you’re in the best XI to play that game.” There’s a surprising someone else Carragher admires. “I don’t have heroes outside football and my family,” he says. “If I had to pick a nonLiverpool or nonEverton person . . . to be honest I just love them managers. Alex Ferguson’s brilliant. I know it’s mad because he’s the Man U manager but if you asked who I’d like to spend two hours with, have a meal with and talk about football, it would have to be him. I love the way he tells everyone to f*** off.”

The Book of Carragher, Part III: Realising the dream

Today began with an odd breakfast conversation with James Carragher Jr, aged five. “I’ve been obsessed with football since I was three or four and my son’s getting worryingly like that. He remembers things from the Euros, games, goals. He was talking about last year’s Champions League semi-final, just brought it up, ‘Dad, did John Terry play in the game you lost 3-2?’ And I was thinking, ‘What made you think of that?’”

Carragher says “it’s very likely” he’ll end up a manager but worries that the difficulty he already has in switching off from the game would be exacerbated. He remembers a squad meal after losing a Merseyside derby when Gerrard, from the other end of the table, was texting him to cheer up “because my face was in my bowl of soup”. Liverpool’s comeback at Manchester City stirred every red, except one. “We conceded two goals and even now it’s nagging at the back of my mind.”

This brings Carragher to his biggest obsession. “I think about the title every day, more than once. Easily. To do it with Liverpool would mean so much more, that was my argument with Stevie when Chelsea wanted him.” In the City game, Liverpool looked like contenders. “We scored the winning goal after Martin Skrtel went off and it was 10 v 10. We had no centre-back, it was just me. We could easily have dropped Xabi Alonso back but a few lads – it wasn’t even the manager – said, ‘No, we’ll keep men forward and go for it. We’re aware, now, you’ve got to go for wins in this league. Draws kill you.

“People should stop saying we’ve made a great start, though. I’m thinking, ‘We’ve only played seven games and we’re Liverpool. Shouldn’t we be up there? Am I missing something?’ We’re not Hull. If we’re still up there in March we can talk about it, until then focus on doing our best in every game. Actions speak louder than words.”

Three questions for Carragher

Who is the best player you’ve played against?

‘Thierry Henry. He was probably the best player in the world and I was playing at right-back when I started playing against him. Everyone knows that playing at full-back against Arsenal in those days was tough, what with Robert Pires going inside, Henry coming wide, Ashley Cole bombing on. Henry gave me a few good chasings over the years. Sheer class and pace’

What is your favourite place in the world?

‘Apart from Istanbul? Probably Marsh Lane. It’s where it all started for me. In Bootle. The Brunny [Brunswick] boys’ club, my dad owned the pub along the road, my wife comes from a street just opposite the Brunny.

‘When I see that little road sign I get a real lift inside. When I finish playing I’ll try and do things for the area. There’s the boxing club, my junior school, the boys’ clubs and so many problems going on . . . it’s very important to me’

You say that Liverpool is a ‘village’ and mention its hyperactive rumour mill. There was one going round that you were having elocution lessons. Is that true?

‘Me?! I tell you what lessons I’m getting. I am having computer lessons. I go to the local Apple shop for a couple of hours a week. It might sound a bit shabby but I’ve never really been on the internet, I’ve only just learnt how to download music and put pictures on my computer. You talk the way you talk. Elocution? F*** off’

mike65

heh! His Owen and Crouch are actually better, the scouse accent may be full of potential phlem incident but not that much.

Mike

Mr Alan

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/Follow-up-meeting-with-Rick-Parry.html

minutes of latest meeting with Parry.

Does anybody else find it terrifying that Parry as the man running Liverpool, the msot succesful club in the history of English football says this re: Sky and fixtures.

Rick Parry said that there is no point in arguing with Sky.

lets hope Setanta continues to ease the stranglehold Sky has over the Premier League over the coming years. It really is quiet scary how much power they have.

Dub13

Dub13 wrote: »

I just got sent this its a class clip,only about 2 min but well worth a look.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C2QEm028lKA

ROFL THAT IS BRILLIANT

mike65

This brings Carragher to his biggest obsession. “I think about the title every day, more than once. Easily. To do it with Liverpool would mean so much more, that was my argument with Stevie when Chelsea wanted him.” In the City game, Liverpool looked like contenders. “We scored the winning goal after Martin Skrtel went off and it was 10 v 10. We had no centre-back, it was just me. We could easily have dropped Xabi Alonso back but a few lads – it wasn’t even the manager – said, ‘No, we’ll keep men forward and go for it. We’re aware, now, you’ve got to go for wins in this league. Draws kill you.

I like this bit.

I like this bit more though

Mike

Boggles

Confidence should be up for Agger next week, he scored a penno against Malta last night. Denmark won 3-0.

Dont be at yourself

I never knew Agger was Denmark's penalty taker.

whatawaster

mike65 wrote: »

I like this bit more though

Mike

that's all well and good, but they'll almost certainly be disallowed from doing so by the premier league and FA. can't own two clubs.

zing

whatawaster wrote: »

can't own two clubs.

Indeed and that's where it all gets a bit grey. From what I've seen Zabeel is owned or part owned by the Crown Prince rather than the Sheikh whereas we've been led to believe (how true or false it is we don't know) that the interest in LFC is coming directly from the Sheikh himself. Just how tightly defined are the rules on this - anything preventing the entirely bizarre situation of a father owning one club and a son owning another ? Not that it matters much unless/until Al Maktoum tries again to get his feet under the boardroom table in Anfield - although I'd much prefer to see his feet (or almost anyone elses for that matter) under G&H's arses as they get kicked out of the club.

Mr Alan

bump for xavi.

The Rooster

Mr Alan wrote: »

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/Follow-up-meeting-with-Rick-Parry.html

minutes of latest meeting with Parry.

Does anybody else find it terrifying that Parry as the man running Liverpool, the msot succesful club in the history of English football says this re: Sky and fixtures.

"Rick Parry said that there is no point in arguing with Sky."

lets hope Setanta continues to ease the stranglehold Sky has over the Premier League over the coming years. It really is quiet scary how much power they have.

Thanks for the minutes.

While I've a strong dislike for Parry, there is nothing he can do re Sky changing fixtures and times. Sky pays Liverpool millions for that privilege.

sweetie

Daily mail sport has us linked with january moves for Bordeaux striker
Cavenaghi (4 goals in 7 league games this year and 22/35 last year)
and a cut price bid for david bentley! Paper never refuses ink eh!

Chardee MacDennis

sweetie wrote: »

Daily mail sport has us linked with january moves for Bordeaux striker
Cavenaghi (4 goals in 7 league games this year and 22/35 last year)

good goal to game ratio but its from Ligue 1 so means little tbh...

Melion

I remember him being bandied around as the next big thing in Argentina a few years ago, he moved to Spartak Moscow(IIRC) and got a serious injury which slowed down his career. I seen him for Bordeaux last year and he looked very good. Not sure where he'd fit in with us though

mike65

Not very helpful Xabi

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article4935252.ece

And Stephane Henchoz retires. He, Hyypia and Westerveld at thier best were nearly unbeatable, just 22 goals conceeded in thier best season I think.

Mike

Malice

mike65 wrote: »

And Stephane Henchoz retires. He, Hyypia and Westerveld at thier best were nearly unbeatable, just 22 goals conceeded in thier best season I think.

I have just seen this myself here

Former Liverpool and Blackburn defender Stephane Henchoz has announced his retirement from football with immediate effect.

The 34-year-old has been without a club since his contract with Barclays Premier League side Blackburn expired.

He told Swiss television channel TSR he now intends to study for his coaching badge.

Henchoz, who began his career in 1992 with Neuchatel Xamax, represented Switzerland on 72 occasions and enjoyed a successful period with Liverpool, whom he joined from Blackburn in 1999.

He won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup in 2001, going on to make 205 appearances for the Reds.

Spells with Celtic and Wigan followed before a return to Blackburn, his final club as a professional footballer.

It's funny to think that he's actually younger than Sami Hyypia. As you said Mike, they had a pretty solid backline back around 2001 when combined with Markus Babbel (at his peak) and John Arne Riise (when he was able to play) and of course Jamie Carragher deputising as needed.

When I think of Henchoz, 2 things immediately come to mind. The first is his superb goalkeeping against Arsenal in the FA Cup Final of 2001. The second is the way that, without fail, he always looked shattered after about 15 minutes of a game. The camera would focus on him after a throw in or corner or something and there he'd be - red cheeks and puffing away like a 40 a day smoker who's just after running around the block.