The Official Liverpool Football Club Thread

[Haukur Gudnason]

I'm on a hot streak or so they say

Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has been given the green light to begin recruiting several new faces for next year's campaign subject to Champions League qualification. The manager can not officially enter into the transfer market until the final day of the season but we understand several players have already been "sounded out" about a possible future at Anfield and that the first "formal" bid will be made on Monday all been well.

Numerous players have been linked with the Reds which include the likes of Rafael van der Vaart and Alan Smith. Insider sources claim that Mario Melchiot's personal terms could prove to be a problem due to the signing on fee that his agent is looking for and Mateja Kezman has fallen down the pecking order due to the availability of Smith. Bayern Munich's Michael Ballack and Owen Hargreaves have also emerged as possible candidates but one of them is almost certainly a smokescreen for the other or indeed someone else.

With the Reds set to move on Monday hacks will be doing their best to find out who for in time for Sunday's nationals so they will be worth monitoring - especially The Sunday People. It's worth pointing out that if Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League, that could throw a spanner in the works and there has still been no official confirmation that Gerard Houllier will be in charge next season.

The transfer window opens on the last day of the season and closes again at 1700hrs on August 31st.

 

[Jimbob]

Check out this auction i want it!!

 

[The Kop Kid]

Van der Vaart! Now there's a lad I'd like to see in the red shirt. Fingers crossed.

 

[lplover2k2]

yeps Van Der Vaart;i want him(doubt he will come as many big clubs are after him). Don't Ballack,too slow and not good at all now.

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

What upsets me the most though about all this is that LFC is bending over a table for a Prime Ministers electoral campaign, which will require LFC's board to come out with the 'we can't make any comment about that' type statements. Kerching! Problem solved - lots of $£$ with hands clasped over their ears. If Ireland's President was super rich and decided that the non-smoking order wasn't working and needed a bit of a boost by say, posting snipers outside pubs, I doubt we'd be talking - in fact, we might be just a tad upset. But Thailand's far away so hey. Another problem of course is having snipers at the ground while I puff happily on my 8" Thai stick.

Thaksin is using LFC. His interest in the club is an empty one

 

[The Kop Kid]

Originally posted by Haukur Gudnason

Thaksin is using LFC. His interest in the club is an empty one

No offence, but who gives a ****. I don't care if he likes to watch Liverpool in his spare time or shove a hampster up his arse, tape the little bugger in and go out trampolining. The human rights factor is worrying as you mentioned, but as far as the 'how interested in the club is he' question goes, well, I really don't see that it should bother us as it doesn't really change anything in real terms or detract from what we can do with the money. Just as long as he doesn't try to do anything silly like sell Stevie G then I don't care. If that happened, well, then there might be one more sniper on the rooftops.

 

[The Kop Kid]

Sorry about the double post lads, but.. "Yay for us!!" Champions League football next season after Newcastle drew 3-3 with Southampton. I know it's not like winning the league but at least we'll be playing amongst the best in Europe next season. Finances aside, that has got to be good for player development, not to mention the fun we'll have watching the games. Now, for Christ's sake, someone give bloody Mellor a run in the side next year.

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

hoorah! now let's twat 'em magpies come satdee la

hmm...i hope welshie, otsemobor, le talent and pongolle will feature this weekend

 

[lplover2k2]

Newcastle and Aston Villa were more favourites than Liverpool for the cl place but we proved that we still have the resources to "save" our deceiving season. Yep.hope to see young talents on Saturday. Southampton played with lots of new young players yesterday and they played very well specially Blaney although he let 3 goals but he made 3 super saves.

 

[thechulloran]

I'm scared Villa will win by 7 and we'll lose by 6.

I aint counting my chickens before they've been hatched!

Anyways if you havent seen it yet...

He can shove his money up Fergie's arse!

 

[Rob]

Another season of Houllier... HAHA

 

[Ebonix]

Originally posted by Rob
Another season of Houllier... HAHA

And another season of people playing for money and not for love of the club for you Rob

 

[Rob]

But Houllier?

 

[Virgo]

Originally posted by Ebonix
And another season of people playing for money and not for love of the club for you Rob

I'd take that over Houllier any day of the week

 

[pool4ever]

We just march on and on.. hmm.. maybe giv a Houllier a chance???

 

[Ebonix]

I didn't say I supported Houllier, I just wanted Rob to feel bad for making me feel bad

 

[The Kop Kid]

I noticed this picture which thechulloran posted. Little known fact: The number 52 on the shirt represents how many people he has had killed so far this week. Also coincidentally it is the number of bad signings that Houllier had made over the past three years.

As for Haukur's comment. Yep, it would be nice to see some of the young lads given a run against the Geordies.

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

Originally posted by The Kop Kid
No offence, but who gives a ****. I don't care if he likes to watch Liverpool in his spare time or shove a hampster up his arse, tape the little bugger in and go out trampolining. The human rights factor is worrying as you mentioned, but as far as the 'how interested in the club is he' question goes, well, I really don't see that it should bother us as it doesn't really change anything in real terms or detract from what we can do with the money. Just as long as he doesn't try to do anything silly like sell Stevie G then I don't care. If that happened, well, then there might be one more sniper on the rooftops.

First of all: @ hamster anal-ogy

There's my concern in yer very post mate. We do realize that financially, we need all the help we can get to compete and have any chance of challenging for any title, but we should never let it blind us from the fact that ultimately, we must be thinking towards the good of the club, not just in the foreseeable future but also in the much longer run. Let me clarify that I do see the pros and cons of both their offers but I leave it to the collective sense of the board to decide what they think is best.

Why I harp on the point of 'interest' in the club is because without the passion for Liverpool, when(and I say when and not if) times are less than pleasant for us, we will need someone who will stick with us 'through the wind and the rain' if you may, and not be basing their decisions on their interests alone. As you had brought it up yourself, if his interest in us is purely financially motivated, what is to stop him from cashing in on our most precious assets as and when the russians come a-bidding? Thaksin himself has said recently that if bid isnt accepted, he will just accept it and move on to the next team, and I remember very clearly him stating that he's already got the alternatives lined up. At least with Morgan, everyone knows where he stands with LFC.(aight so his ultimate aim is the chairmanship, but every fan who has his money will desire the same too)

That said, I just wish we would WAIT and not accept either man's offer so soon.

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

Article from The Echo today... Stevie G = LFC from bone to skin.... Interesting the part where he talks about new playes... (in bold below):

I'm delighted we've done it. Now the real work must start
May 13 2004
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

THERE were yells of delight in the Gerrard household when Southampton secured Liverpool's place in next season's Champions League.

But within minutes of celebrating the result which has saved an otherwise disappointing season at Anfield, the Reds skipper was already thinking ahead.

The midfielder's authority doesn't merely extend to his towering performances.

His words also carry a weight which will make supporters and directors, present and future, stand up and take note.

The message from Steven Gerrard today is Champions League qualification is a prize worth cherishing, but when the transfer window opens on Sunday morning, the hard work begins to ensure Liverpool aren't fighting with the also rans again.

Gerrard's played his role as leader on the pitch. Now it's time for others to show the same leadership off it.

As a fan as much as star player, Gerrard is watching events off the pitch closely.

"The next two months are probably the most important in the recent history of the club, so far as I'm concerned," said Gerrard today.

"There are a lot of things happening and it's vital we bring the right players in so we're challenging next season. Personally, I will be very disappointed if we don't sign more than three top class players in the summer.

"There's no doubt we need more players. Over the season we've shown we've got a squad that can beat anyone on its day. But on the day isn't enough. We've got to produce week in, week out, and we haven't done it. Challenging for the title is about performing throughout the season from start to finish.

"My view is it's important we've finished in the Champions League place, we can have a little celebration and hopefully put on a good show in the last game against Newcastle, but let's not forget the bigger picture. Fourth place is not good enough for this football club.

"Don't get me wrong, it's a massive thing we are in the Champions League next year and I'm as delighted as anyone by that.

"After we were knocked out of the cups, our priority was get something from the season and by finish fourth we've done that.

"I was watching the Newcastle versus Southampton match and was really nervous at the end. The last 10 minutes seemed to last forever and I was doing plenty of shouting at the television because it means so much for us to be in the Champions League.

"It's massive for me and the rest of the team. But now we're there, we know there are things which need to be sorted over the summer. If I was going to sum it up, I'd say I feel delight and relief.

"We're in the Champions League, but the season hasn't gone the way we wanted it to go.

"I think we've all got to go away over the summer and take a long, hard look at ourselves and put it right for next season.

"This club is too big to be settling for fourth. I know the players, manager and Rick Parry will be delighted we've taken that fourth spot, but none of us will accept it's good enough. The fans want more and so do we."

Until this week, where the money would come from to fund the purchase of the calibre of player Gerrard wants at Anfield was unclear.

To some extent, it still is. Liverpool must release details of the Thai proposal while Steve Morgan's plan is awaiting closer examination in a board meeting today.

Gerrard hopes whatever the outcome, it must be good news for the club.

"These are very interesting times," he said.

"I've been reading every single quote about Liverpool Football Club over the last few days and tried to take it all in. I think it's great for the club that there are people who want to invest so much money because that's exactly what we need to get the right players to move forward.

"I trust the chairman to make the right decision in the interests of the club. Whether it's money from Thailand or Steve Morgan, it's not for me to say.

"What I will say is I'm delighted we've finished fourth for the chairman's sake though because he gave the impression he might step down if we didn't finish in the Champions League. I think the lads will be happy for his sake he's not been put in that difficult position now.

"I'm just sorry we didn't do better in the cups and challenged for the title. As captain, it would have been great to lift a trophy and for the chairman to celebrate that.

"I hope next year we'll give him and the fans much more to cheer about."

For now, academic as it is, there's one final Premiership game to overcome and a chance for Liverpool to do what they haven't done all year. Win four league games on the trot.

Gerrard hopes a carnival atmosphere at Anfield will at least provide one good memory from the campaign.

But even the prospect of ending the season on top form provokes frustration rather than contentment.

He said: "No disrespect, but I can't believe the way some people have gone overboard by the way we've played in the last three games. I'm thinking to myself, we're Liverpool Football Club, it shouldn't be a big deal or a shock that we've won three games, played really well and kept three clean sheets.

"If we'd performed like we have in the last three games, we wouldn't have been in a situation where we have finished fourth, but we'd have been challenging for the title with Arsenal and Chelsea.

That's where we should be."

The message to those in, or soon to be in power at Liverpool couldn't be clearer. It's not only the fans demanding action this summer.

Your captain expects...

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

Now get off our backs May 13 2004
By David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

GERARD HOULLIER hit back defiantly today at criticism of his Anfield managerial record.

The Reds boss saw his side guaranteed Champions League football next season after Newcastle failed to beat Southampton last night, then woke up to newspaper headlines suggesting his reign is under threat from Steve Morgan's investment proposal.

Houllier said: "I want to pay a huge tribute to the players.

"It has been a year of tribulations with the injuries we have suffered.

"To me it's a massive achievement to have overcome that and I want to publicly acknowledge those players and the fans who have followed the team, especially away from home.

"I'm very pleased - as is everyone who loves the club."

Houllier then hit back at criticism of his own record.

"It has been written that Steve Morgan wants a new manager and I have also read that I'm in the sixth of a five-year plan. That is mischievous because I have only been in charge for five years.

"In those five years we have qualified for the UEFA Cup in the first year and last year and for the Champions League the other years. I was asked to qualify for the Champions League only every three years and we have done more than that. ????!!

"The boys here have played more than 50 European games and have not lost very many. We have also managed to get six trophies and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League. To win those trophies we have beaten Manchester United twice and Arsenal.

"The signings have been criticised and yes we have signed a lot of players, but if a club like Liverpool cannot spend £8m or £9m a year to invest in the future it is difficult to understand because some clubs have done more than that.

"You say that signing Diouf was a mistake, but we won a major trophy with him. And what about the players we have signed who have increased the value of the squad when I took over. As for not introducing players from the youth academy, do people think I'm stupid?

"I'm not going to send out a team which is not good enough to represent Liverpool.

"I feel very sorry for Bobby Robson because there is a fine line between winning and losing and he is suffering from the problems we endured at the beginning of the season when we had Henchoz and Hamann missing, then Michael Owen for four months, Baros and Carragher, not to mention injuries for Kewell and Steven Gerrard.

"That is why I want to play special tribute to the players who have achieved Champions League qualification."