Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread [mod warning #11145, #32140 (see OP)]

Mister Gooey

We will be selling players this summer before we can buy any players. And of course they need a manager to decide what players we need or can get with the €4.50 he will be allowed spend. If Hodgson is the new Messiah, expect the former Liverpool giant Danny Murphy to return along with him. Wow!

Kess73

SlickRic wrote: »

nope.

it seems Spurs are the only ones out of the blocks so far.

they're trying to take Kjaer away from his destiny - a decade with Agger as his partner in Liverpool's central defence.

Yeah saw that earlier.

Kjaer and Dawson in the centre of defence would be a tasty pairing. Would much prefer to see him in the red of Liverpool alongside Agger. Quality player.

dogbert27

Mister Gooey wrote: »

We will be selling players this summer before we can buy any players. And of course they need a manager to decide what players we need or can get with the €4.50 he will be allowed spend. If Hodgson is the new Messiah, expect the former Liverpool giant Danny Murphy to return along with him. Wow!

Wow indeed.

Mascherano Out - Danny Murphy In
Gerrard Out - Zoltan Gera In
Torres Out - Bobby Zamora In

mike65

Okay here is the article about the Iberian Heskey

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jun/28/world-cup-2010-fernando-torres-spain

SlickRic

pathetic excuse to sell a few extra papers because it's 'controversial'.

utter horsesh*t.

i like one lad's comment...

'Torres could be in a diabetic coma, and he'd still be more likely to score than Heskey'.

noodler

Omg..

So he accepts the club comparison is not going to work for him, then he notes the vastly contrasting international scoring record and he still manages to puke out an argument in favour of his little theory.

mike65

Did you bother to read the article?

noodler

mike65 wrote: »

Did you bother to read the article?

Yes.

Sir Gallagher

dogbert27 wrote: »

Wow indeed.

Mascherano Out - Danny Murphy In
Gerrard Out - Zoltan Gera In
Torres Out - Bobby Zamora In

I'm tired of reading sh1te like this, the chap hasn't even got the job yet and some fans are already throwing around thick accusations. Let the chap put pen to paper at least ffs.

dogbert27

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

I'm tired of reading sh1te like this, the chap hasn't even got the job yet and some fans are already throwing around thick accusations. Let the chap put pen to paper at least ffs.

It's more a dig at the owners/board and the underwhelming expectancy that we're now left with.

stumpypeeps

I see most places are reporting Hodgson will be appointed sooner rather than later.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with the squad of players he has.

I dare say he'll get more from them than Benitez managed last season. Thats not a criticism of Benitez, just the way things went. A new manager usually gets a bump in performance.

I could live without Gerrard and Torres. As long as the money is reinvested.

Thats the big if.

missingtime

PaulieC wrote: »

Right who'd like to see this fella at LB next season?? He'd been outstanding for Portugal imo

Is it just me or does that video still look like something very gay is going on

SlickRic

stumpypeeps wrote: »

I could live without Torres.

blasphemy!!!

we're f*cked without Torres.

he's the only thing stopping us from sliding to mid-table mediocrity right now, and we won't get anyone of the same calibre to replace him.

stumpypeeps

SlickRic wrote: »

blasphemy!!!

we're f*cked without Torres.

he's the only thing stopping us from sliding to mid-table mediocrity right now, and we won't get anyone of the same calibre to replace him.

Could you blame him for wanting to leave?

The downside is his injury record which seems to be getting worse and worse.

D'Agger

missingtime wrote: »

Is it just me or does that video still look like something very gay is going on

I don't see why you'd think that I mean I got the link from pornhu.....Ohhhhhhhh....yeah I guess there is

Handsome Bob

SlickRic wrote: »

blasphemy!!!

we're f*cked without Torres.

he's the only thing stopping us from sliding to mid-table mediocrity right now, and we won't get anyone of the same calibre to replace him.

I could live with the downgrade from Rafa to Woy.

I could live with Mascherano leaving.

I could live with us not being able to sign any players this Summer.

If it all meant that Fernando Torres would stay ****ing injury free next season.

SlickRic

stumpypeeps wrote: »

Could you blame him for wanting to leave?

not at all.

i'd be pleasantly surprised at this stage if he did stay.

it doesn't mean we're any less f*cked if he goes though!

The downside is his injury record which seems to be getting worse and worse.[/QUOTE]

very true.

he says he needs games now, but he needs a rest IMO, or i'd fear us seeing the same injury-plagued Torres next season.

missingtime

PaulieC wrote: »

I don't see why you'd think that I mean I got the link from pornhu.....Ohhhhhhhh....yeah I guess there is

Ahem...it appears I have a filthy mind.

stumpypeeps

I wonder will we see any Fulham players join?

Zamora might be the only one who could offer something, Hangeland too. Thats about it.

mike65

Spud. Gerrard and Carra apparently approve the new management (if it happens).

SlickRic

stumpypeeps wrote: »

I wonder will we see any Fulham players join?

Zamora might be the only one who could offer something, Hangeland too. Thats about it.

Duffer could offer us something for a year or 2.

he's not in the top bracket of player anymore, obviously, but i honestly wouldn't say no to signing him if the opportunity came about. he's having a bit of an Indian Summer in a lot of ways under Woy.

he can provide us with the width Riera did, assuming Albert is a goner.

stumpypeeps

SlickRic wrote: »

Duffer could offer us something for a year or 2.

he's not in the top bracket of player anymore, obviously, but i honestly wouldn't say no to signing him if the opportunity came about. he's having a bit of an Indian Summer in a lot of ways under Woy.

he can provide us with the width Riera did, assuming Albert is a goner.

I hope Hodgson can reinvigorate Riera. He is quality on top form.
Likewise if he can work with Aquilani. His grasp of Italian might help. They'd be like new signings. Its a fresh start for all these guys, hopefull Hodgson's man management gets the best from them.

101001

if Hodgson is in does that mean Dalglish is gone?

Mr Alan

i really hope Riera never gets another second gametime for Liverpool, and if he does i hope the kop let them know exactly what they think of him.

stumpypeeps

As Roy Hodgson attempted to give his nomadic career new direction with a spell in the United Arab Emirates earlier this decade, the notion of Liverpool and England fighting for his services seemed a distant prospect.

And yet, while Liverpool close in on Hodgson as Rafael Benitez's successor and the Football Association debates Fabio Capello's future as England coach, the 62-year-old Londoner has emerged as the prime candidate for two of the biggest posts in football.

Hodgson, barring a late FA intervention, is expected to be confirmed as Liverpool boss in the next 48 hours, mainly as a result of his outstanding work at Fulham, where a rescue from relegation months after his appointment in December 2007 was followed by a dream run to last season's Europa League final.

Fulham's defeat by Atletico Madrid looks to have been his farewell to the banks of the Thames as he now prepares to move to Merseyside.

And while Hodgson's arrival may get a muted response in some quarters, Liverpool's current reality makes him the perfect appointment.

There may be disquiet among some Liverpool fans that the romantic option of Kenny Dalglish's return has not been explored, particularly after one of Anfield's iconic figures made it clear he wanted to resume the job he left in 1991.

Roy Hodgson has been working for the BBC during the World Cup in South Africa. Photo: Reuters

Hodgson and Dalglish have been friends from the days when Liverpool used to warm up for title-winning campaigns by playing Hodgson's Malmo side in Sweden, so the suggestion the Scot will sulk in the background as some malign influence after missing out is unlikely.

It has been a long road from Carshalton Athletic to Anfield for Hodgson, taking in Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the UAE - plus a spell at Blackburn Rovers - before reviving Fulham.

He may not be the stellar name many on the Kop will have wanted when Benitez ended his six-year reign earlier in June, but Liverpool's reduced circumstances call for the sort of common sense management Hodgson can apply.

The Reds can offer any manager a rich history but what they cannot put on the table is Champions League football or vast riches to rebuild a troubled team. The idea someone of Jose Mourinho's status may have been tempted to Liverpool originated in dreamland, even before the former Chelsea manager won the Champions League at Inter Milan and moved to Real Madrid.

Boring as it might sound to some, Liverpool need a pair of safe hands that will restore dignity and credibility to Anfield after times of turbulence on and off the field.

Hodgson is a deep thinker about football and other things besides, as an avid reader of Milan Kundera, John Updike and Philip Roth. Liverpool will hope he can apply the intelligence gleaned throughout a long career to rebuild one of the fallen giants of the game.

A close study of his work at Craven Cottage confirms he fulfils all requirements at Liverpool. Listen to Anfield old boy Danny Murphy, speaking in Hamburg on the night before the Europa League final.

"The manager doesn't sprinkle magic dust on us," said Murphy. "The manager and his staff work damn hard to make sure the lads know their jobs. He does his research on players and the mentality of players who come into the club. He is a manager who organises his team well."

There are other facets of Hodgson's character that will have appealed to Liverpool's power brokers as they drew up their shortlist.

If he had any difficulties behind the scenes with Fulham's flamboyant chairman Mohamed Al Fayed, he never chose to air them in public. In contrast, Benitez's tiresome politicking added to Anfield's instability at a time when there was more than enough to go around.

Hodgson will arrive at a delicate period for Liverpool, with the search for new owners ongoing and yet to bear fruit, leaving the dysfunctional tenure of Tom Hicks and George Gillett still in place.

As someone with vast experience, Hodgson will know the obstacles that may await him at Anfield but his measured approach will suit the situation.

And, crucially in Liverpool's financial state, Hodgson has shown a sure touch when working the markets without the aid of a plentiful budget and without complaint.

He mastered the art of renewing careers at Fulham, with Murphy, Damien Duff, Zoltan Gera and Bobby Zamora prime examples. Hodgson's eye for a bargain enabled him to sign Brede Hangeland relatively cheaply and turn him into one of the most coveted defenders in the Premier League.

Hodgson consoles his players after Fulham's defeat in the Europa League final. Photo: Getty

He has earned huge respect - and not only from those inside football. When Fulham beat Hamburg to reach the Europa League final, his arrival at his after-match press conference was greeted with the rare accolade of spontaneous applause from assembled journalists, such was the scale of his achievement.

And Liverpool will embrace Hodgson's ability to do his job without fuss and fanfare, just like old times at Anfield.

One of my abiding memories of last season was watching Hodgson stroll across Craven Cottage with his hand in his pocket as the old place went crazy after the victory over Hamburg. He navigated his way through the throng of players, celebrating or otherwise, lying on the turf, stopping only to console Hamburg's stars on his way off.

He will work with a small backroom staff, which Liverpool's hierarchy will find a refreshing change from the entire community that appeared to have been assembled by Benitez in his latter days at Anfield.

When Hodgson is appointed, he will need to work quickly to make changes to his squad. Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are seen as easy targets, with Liverpool lacking in financial resources and the appeal of the Champions League.

Persuading them to stay will be top of his list of priorities - or, if not, ensuring the best deal is done to allow him to fashion a new-look team to prepare for life without them.

Liverpool's hierarchy have been lampooned with relish amid their recent traumas but they have restored a measure of their tattered reputation with the swiftness of Benitez's departure and the good sense shown by installing Hodgson.

It ranks alongside Inter Milan as the biggest job in Hodgson's career - but his work at Fulham alone suggests he is up to the task.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/06/hodgson_perfect_for_liverpool.html?

101001

stumpypeeps wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/06/hodgson_perfect_for_liverpool.html?

Great! Now I have romantic feelings for Hodgson

doc_17

stumpypeeps wrote: »

Boring as it might sound to some, Liverpool need a pair of safe hands that will restore dignity and credibility to Anfield after times of turbulence on and off the field.

Dignity and credibilty will be restored to Anfield when those beepin beepers do the right thing and sell the club to someone who cares about it. They are the ones who took that dignity away

Mr Alan

Roy is a very decent manger, but that article is fawning ****e. nice of the BBC to put up such an article about BBC employee Roy Hodgson.

stumpypeeps

Mr Alan wrote: »

Roy is a very decent manger, but that article is fawning ****e. nice of the BBC to put up such an article about BBC employee Roy Hodgson.

Not any more he isn't. He's going to be our next manager, lets get behind him.

I'm sure you got right behind Rafa.

Mr Alan

i'll be right behind him, long as he isn't happy to let the owners go about selling our prized assets.

ilovelamp2000

Mr Alan wrote: »

i'll be right behind him, long as he isn't happy to let the owners go about selling our prized assets.

1. The owners currently don't have the power to sell our "prized assests." Any decision on them has to be taken by the 6 man board, and they only have one seat each on the Board.

2. The manager has absolutely zero power to stop any sale.

joe123

Getting in Hodgson just strikes as a "steady the ship" sort of thing. As long as we can keep ourselves in or around 5th wel be happy sort of thing.

If we had appointed a Deschamp type I would of been alot more excited and could of pointed that there was expected investment on the way.

As it is, it just seems all very depressing. Id be shocked if we still have Mascherano next season. But if we loose Torres it will be a ****ing disaster.

Mr Alan

he has the power to leave, or not take the job in the first place, and if he's a good man (which i think he is), he won't stand by while they rape the club.

kingshankly

Mr Alan wrote: »

i really hope Riera never gets another second gametime for Liverpool, and if he does i hope the kop let them know exactly what they think of him.

couldn't give a sihte what he has said or who he has hit if he can perform for us on the pitch that's what counts.played gaa for 20 years and if a lad had to leave after every punch up we would have no team.
nobody knows exatly what went on with riera but all I know is he's a quality player and were in no position to be getting rid of good players

doc_17

I enjoy the talk about Roy being able to get the best out of players. We'll see how good he is when he meets Ryan Babel!! That'll test him. For all those that rate Babel, I don't, and think Roy is the man to turn us around then they will be interested to see what happens in that particular situation.

mike65

Mr Alan is a bit of an incurable angry romantic I think, the Byron or Blake of football.

In the real world compromises are made and the making best of a bad lot is the order of the day. Liverpool had no more chance of landing a Capello/Hiddink type figure than they did of allowing me to do the job. Regardless of who's bought/sold the club ploughs on regardless.

No frills, no spills will do me.

Mr Alan

i'm just not foolish enough to ignore why we're in bad situation in the first place.

Chucky the tree

Mr Alan wrote: »

i really hope Riera never gets another second gametime for Liverpool, and if he does i hope the kop let them know exactly what they think of him.

I dunno, not sure I'd be to upset if he got a run out and broke his leg tbh.

noodler

Mr Alan wrote: »

i'm just not foolish enough to ignore why we're in bad situation in the first place.

Rafa has moved on to greener pastures - it is time to let go......

*Waits*

SlickRic

mike65 wrote: »

Mr Alan is a bit of an incurable angry romantic I think, the Byron or Blake of football.

In the real world compromises are made and the making best of a bad lot is the order of the day. Liverpool had no more chance of landing a Capello/Hiddink type figure than they did of allowing me to do the job. Regardless of who's bought/sold the club ploughs on regardless.

No frills, no spills will do me.

i can't help but think that this attitude is the reason why Fianna Fáil are still running this country.

noodler

stumpypeeps wrote: »

I see most places are reporting Hodgson will be appointed sooner rather than later.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do with the squad of players he has.

I dare say he'll get more from them than Benitez managed last season. Thats not a criticism of Benitez, just the way things went. A new manager usually gets a bump in performance.

I could live without Gerrard and Torres. As long as the money is reinvested.

Thats the big if.

I could live without Gerrard.

Torres is our cutting edge though - we are toothless without him.

mike65

So what are you proposing Slick, storming the Anfield Gates and taking Christian Purslow hostage until he appoints a name prestigious enough to satisfy you?

101001

kingshankly wrote: »

couldn't give a sihte what he has said or who he has hit if he can perform for us on the pitch that's what counts

Dont agree with you here... To me there are things in life more important than the ability to kick a ball and i wouldn't want whom i would consider to be an unprofessional @sshole playing for my club. Maybe Im being a little nieve here but one of the main reasons I love LFC is that there is a certain standard a morality (maybe not the right word to use). The club has certain standards and away of conducting itself. The devolution of these standards is what depresses me most of all about the shenanigans surrounding the club.

Someone as disrespectful and mouthy as Riera does not deserve to be there. There is a way of conducting yourself professionally, he didnt. Players might be doing it at an increasing rate but because everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right.

I hope if Roy is gonna be our manager it's finalised asap.

We need to get a few new players for next season and sort out what's going on with Torres/Gerrard/Mash etc.

Pre-season probably starts soon enough and a manager must to be in place before then.

Roy + current squad (and a few small additions) and I'd be happy enough.

Mr Alan

i agree with 101001

SlickRic

mike65 wrote: »

So what are you proposing Slick, storming the Anfield Gates and taking Christian Purslow hostage until he appoints a name prestigious enough to satisfy you?

yes, that's exactly what i'm saying :rolleyes:

no, the worry some have is that Roy might have to sit back and watch the prized playing assets get stripped by an ownership who are slowly raping the club for all it's worth.

we should look for, and demand the best possible.

it's well known that Rafa didn't like the owners, partly for this very reason. this is also a big reason why many Liverpool fans still have a huge affection for what Rafa did at our club.

i just hope Roy can come in, steady things on the playing side, while not standing by and watching are best players be sold to the highest bidder to line the Yanks' pockets.

stumpypeeps

Whatever happens with players being sold, I'm sure Roy will conduct himself with dignity. I really don't want a repeat of the dirty washing we had over the last few years.

That does the club no favours.

Mr Alan

actually, rafa's pre-newcastle press conference a couple of seasons ago kinda did us a favour in letting us all know the kinda ***** we were dealing with. And if they try and sell our top players, i hope to god roy screams blue murder in the press

~Rebel~

kingshankly wrote: »

couldn't give a sihte what he has said or who he has hit if he can perform for us on the pitch that's what counts.played gaa for 20 years and if a lad had to leave after every punch up we would have no team.
nobody knows exatly what went on with riera but all I know is he's a quality player and were in no position to be getting rid of good players

First of all, it was a punch up between a man and a child.

Secondly, this isn't GAA. He's paid, and paid incredibly well.

Thirdly, and most importantly for me, is the sheer disrespect he showed for the manager, the board and the club.

He can go fuck himself imo.

stumpypeeps

I can't remember the punch up incident.

But I just re-read some of his comments that got him in trouble.

Benitez doesn't listen to any of the players. Probably true given the unrest amongst players that untimately cost him his job.

Liverpool don't play attractive football. Thats pretty accurate.

Liverpool are a sinking ship. Again spot on.

I like this Riera guy, he's like Liverpools Roy Keane.;)