Liverpool Thread

[Bulld0g]

An insight into the treatment and attitudes that for decades have surrounded Liverpool’s England heroes from COS’s latest writing recruit Michael Williams.

Since the mid 1980’s there has been a distance between Scousers and England. In the depression years of the decade Liverpool became a target for the Government and the Southern based media joined in with Thatcher’s persecution of the city. Still to this day the divide between the city and the country remains and never is it more so than with the football teams of the countries third largest city.

At the 2007 Champions League semi final first leg at Chelsea, Liverpool fans walking to the ground from Fulham Broadway were heard singing, “We’re not English, We’re Scouse!” as home fans and surrounding policeman gave them an unconvincing look of approval.
Liverpool fans have for some time felt that the journalists down in Fleet Street have failed to give their side the respect and credit they deserve. Ever since the days when their team became the first English club to defend the European Cup Kopites have felt an injustice from the cockney media that still fail to show affection to Liverpool players who swap the Liver Bird for the Three Lions.

The career of John Barnes, one of the finest wingers and rappers to grace this country, will always be judged on his below par England performances, at least by those South of Watford. As for the many that saw him at Anfield rip apart every full back in the old First Division the memories of the winger will be nothing but positive. After all, Barnes’s goals against QPR and Brentford certainly outweigh that run in the Maracana.

Had then England managers followed Kenny Dalglish’s example by giving Barnes the freedom to roam then maybe the national side would have had a better track record in the late eighties and early nineties. As it was the Three Lions continued to fail in their attempts for an International honour.

Still to this day the form Liverpool players show week in week out is disparaged by the media who focus on a performance slightly below their club form when they turn out at Wembley. Steven Gerrard, regarded by most as the most complete midfielder in Europe, still fails to receive appropriate recognition for his England performances. When Jamie Carragher committed treason in 2007 and retired from International football, the local press guys near Wembley stadium accused him of being unpatriotic and that he had never been concerned with the England team. The point that the defender had had too much of travelling to all corners of the world only to sit on the bench when he had been performing heroics at Anfield never became a factor in the headline writers around Greater London.

The only Liverpool player to receive adulation from the rest of the nation was Michael Owen after his heroics in France ‘98. However, the praise given to Owen meant he was never really given the same affection the likes of Robbie Fowler and Steven Gerrard received by the Kop who saw him as an England player first and a Liverpool player second.

The flak given to Glen Johnson following Slovenia’s consolation goal at Wembley on Saturday is another example of the media failing to take into account excellent club form for a minor International error. Johnson has made an electric start to his Liverpool career giving the Reds the impetus they’ve been lacking on the right side of defence that was missing from their title bid last season. In their opening four games, including the two defeats, Johnson has shone scoring two goals leading many fans to compare their new signing to legendary full backs Phil Neal and Steve Nicol.

One minor mistake will not let the people who see him week in week out allow their opinion of an impressive new signing to diminish. They haven’t let it change their opinion before and it is unlikely to change it now.

[Bulld0g]

Reports are emerging from the Middle East this morning that suggest that a Saudi Arabian prince is ready to make a substantial investment in Liverpool Football Club.

The financial difficulties being experienced by the Reds' owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been well documented and the American duo are reportedly willing to negotiate the sale of a significant percentage of shares in the the club.

Arabian newspaper reports are now claiming that Fahd bin Abdullah, chairman of F6, a Saudi-based marketing and investment company, is close to securing 50 per cent of the shares in the unnamed club, largely understood to be Liverpool after being seen in the directors box at yesterday's g ame against Hull City at Anfield.

"We are currently seeking to buy 50 per cent of the shares in the club which is now suffering with debts worth £245 million," Abdullah is quoted as saying by Saudi newspaper Al-Riyadh.

"The transaction, upon which a decision is close to be reached, will be worth 200 to 350 million pounds."

[opsmonkey]

sweet.. hope its true.. sounds like step 1 to getting the yanks right the **** out of Anfield

[Bulld0g]

A Saudi Arabian prince is looking to buy up to half of Premier League football club Liverpool, reports say.

Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud was quoted by the Saudi Al-Riyadh newspaper on Sunday as saying "we are seeking... to own a 50% stake".

The reported price of £200m to £350m for the 50% stake would be in excess of the £174m US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett paid for the whole club.

Liverpool recently signed a sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered bank.

That deal, which begins next July and runs to the end of the 2013-14 season, should lead to an increase in the club's commercial revenues.

Debt burden

Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett have been looking to reduce Liverpool's £245m debt and paid off £60m in July.

That was when the loan used taken out to buy the club in February 2007 ran out and was renegotiated with banks RBS and Wachovia.

Considering what Hicks and Gillett paid it is a huge increase in the club's value
Harry Philp, Hermes Sports Partners

"We are currently seeking to buy 50% of the shares in the club which is now suffering with debts worth £245m," the prince was quoted in Al-Riyadh paper.

The Saudi interest comes after a document was leaked showing that since March 2009 the club has been seeking to attract new investors in return for a stake in the Anfield club.

In March 2009 a prospectus drawn up by investment banks Rothschild and Merrill Lynch told potential investors that for £50m they could get a minority stake in "one of the world's most successful football clubs".

Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, who was at Anfield on Saturday for the 6-1 win over Hull, now appears to be seeking to invest much more than £50m.

He is chairman of Saudi holding company FAMA Group and the F6 sports investment firm, which said at the weekend that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with George Gillett and Richard Petty Motorsports.

That envisions setting up sports academies in Saudi Arabia, and could also see the Liverpool brand, and that of US motorsport Nascar, promoted heavily in the Middle East.

Stadium on hold

"Considering what Hicks and Gillett paid it is a huge increase in the club's value to somewhere between £400m and £700m," Harry Philp, managing director at sports financers and advisers Hermes Sports Partners, told the BBC.

"They had to refinance their debt with their banks recently. Despite paying off £60m of their debt recently as part of that refinancing it is still surprising, particularly considering that plans for a new stadium are on hold."

However, a number of questions remain over any possible investment, should the Saudis take a stake.

"The Saudis will have to take 25% of the club from each of Hicks and Gillett if they want half the club, but whether they both would be willing to sell any more of their holdings is unknown," added Mr Philp.

Mr Hicks has promised that a new stadium will be built when the current global financial turmoil settles down.

[dctyper]

all you sad people saying babel should leave eh? he is a good player and i stand by the bloke

[Bulld0g]

all you sad people saying babel should leave eh? he is a good player and i stand by the bloke

I don't. He's not good enough for Liverpool. If you were given millions of pounds to buy a team , would you buy him ? He flatters to deceive. Shows a glimpse of what he can do on the odd occassion , but is generally poor. very similar to Collymore in showing his ability. Has talent but you wont see it often enough.

[dctyper]

im afraid we havent seen enough of him, if he goes up for sale, all top clubs will offer for him. people said the same about kuyt a couple of seasons ago, now he is solid in the team

[maca]

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has aimed a swipe back at Jermaine Pennant following the former Reds winger's criticism of his methods.
Pennant hit out Benitez's man-management skills, accusing the Spaniard of turning him into a 'robot' during his time at Anfield.
The Real Zaragoza new-boy also criticised Dirk Kuyt, who took Pennant's place in Benitez's side, labelling the Dutchman as a failed forward who was accommodated in the team because of his high transfer fee.
Benitez has jumped to Kuyt's defence, hailing the Dutchman's team ethic in not complaining when being reverted from a striker to a winger and also suggesting Kuyt would be willing to play anywhere for the Liverpool cause
"I saw what he [Pennant] had to say, but I don't intend saying too much about him," said Benitez.
"Kuyt's record is there for everyone to see and he doesn't need me to defend him. You only need to look at the impact he has made to see he is picked on merit and has become an extremely important member of our squad.
"He speaks out on the pitch and doesn't have to say a single word to justify his place. He is a striker who is as effective on the wing or as second striker, and, as you can see from his record, he scores goals as well as working hard.
"He is the sort of player who would be good for any manager. We signed him then extended his contract because we knew he was an excellent player and outstanding professional. I could put him in central defence and he would be as good as anyone."
Kuyt's importance to Liverpool is illustrated in that he is only two goals away from equalling Reds legend Ian Rush's tally of 14 European Cup goals.
The former Feyenoord man admits it would be an honour to join the likes of Rush in the Liverpool record boos and he is at a loss to explain why he is so prolific in Europe compared to the Premier League.
"To have the chance to maybe draw level with someone like Ian Rush is unbelievable," said Kuyt.
"He is one of the biggest names in the history of Liverpool and it would give me a great feeling if I could manage to do that."
"The milestones are nice but, if you don't have anything to go with them like a trophy, then it is not the same.
"I'm not sure why it has gone so well for me.
"I don't try and do anything different from in the Premier League but I do feel confident going into big Champions League games."

[wongers]

i had to laugh at pennants words myself in the whole time he was at liverpool he played about three decent games because he's had a decent start at zaragoza he now thinks he's worthy of a place in the england squad, the deluded tosser,i'll bet within 12 months of me writing this he'll be struggling to get a place in zaragoza's team if he is as good as he thinks he is how come portsmouth didnt take the option up of making his loan stay permanant

[dctyper]

anyone watching this? shite

[martin-f]

yes 2.0 down atm

[dctyper]

they are just wanting the ball more than us

[martin-f]

your right m8 i do not support liverpool but it was my choice of game to watch 3 mins left

[Bulld0g]

im afraid we havent seen enough of him, if he goes up for sale, all top clubs will offer for him. people said the same about kuyt a couple of seasons ago, now he is solid in the team

TBH m8 i don't think Chelsea Man utd or Arsenal will be interested in him . If he goes abroad i don't think Barca, Milan, Madrid or the likes will be bidding for him neither.

[Bulld0g]

I thought we deserved a draw tonight. We should have had a pen off Torres. Torres, Gerrard, Benny and Lucas could all have scored. 10 minutes lack of concentration in the first half cost us the game.