The most expensive drawing in history...

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/index.php?topic=260381.0

This angers me so much. £55 million spent on designing a new stadium. £55 million into the pockets of Tom Hick's best mate.

Please read full details on the RAWK thread posted above. It's just terrible.

GET OUT OF OUR CLUB!

Spain Progress into Final

Last night, Spain beat Germany 1-0 in the semi final. The way Spain had been playing recently, not many expected they would go through. Germany beating England and Argentina - 8 goals in 2 games. Spain just shrugging off Paraguay & Portugal 1-0.

The goal came from the head of Spainish captain, Carlos Puyol.  Liverpool's Fernando Torres was left on the bench, after a loss of form, but it was surprising to see the tournaments top scorer David Villa not on the score sheet. But three 1-0's in a row was enough to see the Euro 08 Champions through to the final to face the men in orange - Holland.

A good final for Liverpool fans, with Kuyt, Babel, Torres and Reina on show. It's difficult to choose one to support, but I'll be cheering for Espana!

Expecto Patronum!

Looking at the latest twitter 'trending topic', I have realised how much the likes of Tom Hicks, George Gillett and Christian Purslow are like Dementors.


A Dementor is a foul creature from the Harry Potter series. They are the guardians of Azkaban prison (where the worst of criminals - including death eaters - are kept). They seek out people who have very bad memories and suck the life, the soul out of them.

So why am I making this odd comparison I hear you scream? Well, if you think about it, Hicks and Gillett have sucked the soul out of this football club. The soul being the pride, the Liverpool way, the money... and lots of it.

So how do you get rid of a Dementor? You have to think of your happiest memories and use the spell 'Expecto Patronum'. After this, a patronus (in the shape of an animal) bursts out of your wand sending the dementors away.

But we don't have wands or magical powers do we?

What we do have is spirit, and lots of it. Liverpool fans need to keep fighting and show these people they aren't wanted at Liverpool Football Club.

On Sunday 4th July, at 12 noon, the Spirit of Shankly are hosting an event outside St. Georges Hall. A free event encouraging families to come and listen to what the SOS has to say, what you can do. There will also be special guest appearances and music. This is Our Independence Day.

I urge all Liverpool fans to attend this event.

Details are here: http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/Our-Independence-Day-_-Sunday-4th-July-2010-12-noon.html

The Next Liverpool Manager.

The departure of Rafa Benitez was very upsetting, in more ways than one. Firstly, Rafa is a man that I greatly admire both on and off the field (donating £96,000 to the Hillsborough Justice fund for one). Another reason being that Rafa had to put up with a lot; the hounding media and our American owners being liars and not having any transfer funds for the manager to improve different areas of the squad.

So... Who's in the running?

Well there are three favourites for the top job at Anfield; Kenny Dalglish, Roy Hodgson and Manuel Pellegrini.

I'm no expert in choosing a manager, I'm just a fan, so these are my opinions.

Pellegrini was Real Madrid manager last season and brought in Alonso, Kaka and Ronaldo to the club (an obvious difference in finances though). But his 1 season at Madrid did not fair well, getting knocked out of the Champions League again and not winning La Liga.

Roy Hodgson has come far with Fulham since 2007, guiding them into the Europa Cup final. Hodgson also had a spell as the Switzerland manager, leading them into the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup, with qualification for Euro 96.

Kenny Dalglish - do I need to say anything? Liverpool Legend and my favourite for the job. He loves the club and the club loves him. Any player would be inspired under him.

England V Algeria

Kick off: 19.30 Friday 18th June
This will be England's 2nd game in the 2010 World Cup. The 1st game ended in a disappointing draw against USA with a red faced Robert Green taking the brunt of the media after his goalkeeping blunder to allow the americans to equalise.

Fabio Capello will have the tough decision on whether to drop Green as keeper and replace him with either the experienced David James or the young Joe Hart, or give Green a vote of confidence and keep him in the starting XI.

Another decision has to be made up front, should Capello keep the striking partnership of Rooney and Heskey, or should he bring Crouch and Defoe into the mix alongside Rooney?

Ledley King will not feature meaning the reds' Jamie Carragher would fill in, as Capello would prefer experience over Dawson.

I would personally like Jermaine Defoe to play up front with Rooney, or maybe a 5-man midfield with Gerrard playing off the main striker.

Only Capello knows his starting 11 despite BBC televising the rumoured team which included James, Carragher and Heskey. Time will tell I presume.

Prediction: 3-0

Gerrard Photos

Click for large versions:

 

Torres Photos

Torres Returns: Photos

Last night, Fernando Torres played 35 minutes of Spain's 6-0 victory over Poland. Torres scored Spains' 5th goal. 

Source: DayLife

Gerrard to Captain England

Rio Ferdinand clashed with Emile Heskey in training today and Ferdinand was seen leaving hospital on crutches.
This also means that Jamie Carragher could be in contention for centre back.

Steven Gerrard is set to captain England at the World Cup after Rio Ferdinand was ruled out with a knee injury.

Reports coming from the Three Lions camp in Rustenburg say Ferdinand will miss out on South Africa altogether after suffering ligament damage to his left knee in training.

It means vice-captain Gerrard will take the armband - while Jamie Carragher could also feature more heavily as a result.

Though Gerrard will be gutted for his international teammate, he will no doubt be relishing the opportunity to become only the second England skipper to lift the World Cup after Bobby Moore in 1966.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/gerrard-to-get-england-armband

Rafa leaves Liverpool

Well, there we have it. The club have confirmed that Rafa is to leave as manager of Liverpool by 'mutual consent'.
For the past 6 years, many have questioned his position as manager, but I for one have always shown support in him. The troubles at Liverpool run an awful lot deeper than Rafa Benitez and I am now afraid of what is to happen over the coming months. Will we have a temporary manager until the club is sold? Who would want to manage a club with no transfer kitty? These questions need to be answered quickly by Purslow and Kenny Dalglish who in charge of recruiting the next LFC manager.

But for now, all I can do is to thank Rafael Benitez of the amazing memories he has given me over the last few years. Top of the list was Istanbul - completely orchestrated by Benitez, which to this day remains the best night of my football-supporting life. Also countless European nights at Anfield, beating the giants of football and making Liverpool fans proud to sing YNWA.

Rafa, Good Luck for you and your family, wherever you may end up next. You Will Never Walk Alone.

Reds in final 23-man world cup squads

England Squad:
Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham).

Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City).

Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

Spain Squad:
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel 'Pepe' Reina (Liverpool), Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Xabier Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Javier Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona).

Forwards: Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia).

Argentina Squad:
Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar), Mariano Andujar (Catania), Diego Pozo (Colon)

Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Roma), Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich), Walter Samuel (Inter Milan), Gabriel Heinze (Marseille), Nicolas Otamendi (Vélez Sarsfield), Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes), Ariel Garce (Colon)

Midfielders: Javier Mascherano (Liverpool), Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes), Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool), Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina), Angel Di Maria (Benfica), Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle), Javier Pastore (Palermo)

Strikers: Sergio Aguero (Atlético Madrid), Diego Milito (Internazionale), Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors), Carlos Tevez (Manchester City), Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Holland Squad:

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht);

Defenders: Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (HSV), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax), Andre Ooijer (PSV);

Midfielders: Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich),  Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Stijn Schaars (AZ), Wesley Sneijder (Inter), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Ibrahim Afellay (PSV); 

Forwards: Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (HSV), Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich). 

Denmark squad:
Goalkeepers: Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City), Stephan Andersen (Brondby), Jesper Christiansen (FC Copenhagen).

Defenders: William Kvist (FC Copenhagen), Simon Kjaer (Palermo), Lars Jacobsen (Blackburn Rovers), Per Kroldup (Fiorentina), Daniel Agger (Liverpool), Patrick Mtigliga (Malaga), Simon Poulsen (AZ Alkmaar).

Midfielders: Martin Jorgensen (AGF Aarhus), Christian Poulsen (Juventus), Jakob Poulsen (AGF Aarhus), Dennis Rommedahl (Ajax Amsterdam), Thomas Kahlenberg (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Enevoldsen (FC Groningen), Christian Eriksen (Ajax Amsterdam), Mikkel Beckmann (Randers), Daniel Jensen (Werder Bremen), Jesper Gronkjaer (FC Copenhagen).

Forwards: Jon Dahl Tomasson (Feyenoord), Soren Larsen (Toulouse), Nicklas Bendtner (Arsenal).

Slovakia Squad:

Goalkeepers: Jan Mucha (Legia Warsaw), Dusan Kuciak (Vaslui), Dusan Pernis (Dundee United);

Defenders: Peter Pekarik (Wolfsburg), Martin Petras (Cesena), Martin Skrtel (Liverpool), Jan Durica (Hannover), Radoslav Zabavnik (Mainz), Marek Cech (West Brom), Kornel Salate (Slovan Bratislava).

Midfielders: Kamil Kopunek (Spartak Trnava), Jan Kozak (Timisoara), Juraj Kucka (Sparta Prague), Marek Sapara (Ankaragucu), Marek Hamsik (Napoli), Vladimir Weiss (Manchester City), Miroslav Stoch (Chelsea), Zdeno Strba (Xanthi);

Forwards: Erik Jendrisek (Schalke), Robert Vittek (Ankaragucu), Martin Jakubko (Saturn Moscow), Filip Holosko (Besiktas), Stanislav Sestak (Bochum).

Greece squad:

Goalkeepers: Michalis Sifakis (Aris Salonika), Alexandros Tzorvas (Panathinaikos), Kostas Chalkias (PAOK Salonika).

Defenders: Giorgos Seitaridis (Panathinaikos), Loukas Vintra (Panathinaikos), Evangelos Moras (Bologna), Socrates Papastathopoulos (Genoa), Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Liverpool), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiakos), Vasilis Torosidis (Olympiakos), Nikos Spiropoulos (Panathinaikos), Stelios Malezas (PAOK Salonika).

Midfielders: Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos), Alexandros Tziolis (Siena), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos), Christos Patsatzoglou (Omonia), Sakis Prittas (Aris Salonika).

Forwards: Angelos Charisteas (Nuremberg), Dimitris Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Pantelis Kapetanos (Steaua Bucharest), Theofanis Gekas (Hertha Berlin), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic).

Latest Photo's from the Spain Camp

(click for bigger versions)

 

 

Reds in final 23-man world cup squads

Holland's World Cup squad: Sander Boschker (FC Twente), Maarten Stekelenburg (Ajax), Michel Vorm (FC Utrecht); Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Edson Braafheid (Celtic), John Heitinga (Everton), Joris Mathijsen (Hamburg), Andre Ooijer (PSV Eindhoven), Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Gregory van der Wiel (Ajax); Ibrahim Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Demy de Zeeuw (Ajax), Stijn Schaars (AZ Alkmaar), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Mark van Bommel (Bayern Munich), Rafael van der Vaart (Real Madrid); Ryan Babel (Liverpool), Eljero Elia (Hamburg), Klaas Jan Huntelaar (AC Milan), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Robin van Persie (Arsenal)

Holland 2 - 1 Mexico - both goals Van Persie

Official Team Photos

(click for bigger versions)

Argentina:

Spain:

Torres Press Conference

Fernando Torres is focussing on the World Cup as Spain trains in Madrid. The press were keen to question the frontman over his Anfield future, but Torres refused to talk about that at the moment. He said:

"The most important thing for me now is the World Cup. My future is the World Cup and then we'll see later.

"For now and hopefully for the next two months the only thing I am thinking about and talking about is the World Cup."

He said he know what is happening behind the scenes, and will no doubt want to make sure the club is stable (as does any Liverpool fan) before he commits his long term future to the club.

"That is one of the ways we need to improve," said the Spain international.

"I know the situation, I speak to the chief executive (Christian Purslow) and Rafa (Benitez) every week and I am aware of what is going on.

"I have tried to stay apart from them and re-focus on the national team so when the World Cup ends, we'll see what happens."

Torres & Reina with Spain Squad

Torres and Reina are pictured in the new Spanish Kit, before posing for the official team photograph

Reds Warm up for World Cup

Liverpool players have been taking part in pre-World Cup International friendlies. Here's how they got on..

Argentina 5 - 0 Canada

Javier Mascherano captained Maradona's side. Maxi Rodriguez nets twice in the first half followed up by goals from Di Maria, Tevez and Sergio Aguero. Lionel Messi was left on the bench.

England 3 - 1 Mexico

This game saw Gerrard, Johnson and Jamie Carragher take part at Wembley. Gerrard clashed heads in the first half, resulting in him wearing a bandage around his head. Glen Johnson scored a stunner with his left-foot in the second half to make it 3-1. The other goals came from Ledley King and Peter Crouch.

Fixtures:
Wednesday 26th May
Netherlands v Mexico, 19:00

Thursday 27th May
Denmark v Senegal, 19:15

Saturday 29th May
Slovakia v Cameroon, 13:00
Spain v Saudi Arabia, 17:00

Sunday 30th May
Japan v England, 13:15

Spain Photo's

Spain squad meet to pose for photographs with Spanish Prince Felipe. 

Pictures from day life