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Hodgson is Not Confident of Liverpool’s Debut

jaya — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:21:18 +0000

Roy Hodgson

The handful of Liverpool fans congregating at Skopje’s Alexander the Great airport wore increasingly puzzled expressions as a series of red-tracksuited figures ambled through arrivals and out into the afternoon sunshine.

With Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Glen Johnson and Joe Cole left behind in England at a time when Fernando Torres, José Reina and Dirk Kuyt have still to return to pre-season training, there are few familiar faces on Europa League qualifying duty here in Macedonia.

Roy Hodgson seems hardly to have put a foot wrong during his first month at Anfield but Liverpool’s new manager appeared slightly terse, his refusal to answer questions about anything other than the game against FW Rabotnicki perhaps betraying a certain tension.

Deep down he must wonder whether a scratch XI comprising reserves and academy players can avoid dissipating the considerable feelgood factor engendered by Cole’s signing and the decisions of Gerrard and Torres to remain on Merseyside.

Defeating a battle-hardened Macedonian team sprinkled with gifted Brazilians in this gateway to the Europa League proper is unlikely to be straightforward. “We are obliged to put our fate in the hands of many inexperienced players,” Hodgson said.

“We can only hope they come through against a side well versed in European football. I couldn’t have envisaged a more difficult situation at the start of my Liverpool career than the one I find myself in: playing a European qualifier against a good opponent without 10 senior players. I’m hoping we’ll be able to win but I’m far from confident that will be the case.

“It’s especially hard to play qualifiers on 29 July in World Cup years. Everyone, most of all Uefa, knows you can’t bring people off the beach, give them three days’ training and throw them into a top-class match. I’m relatively confident tomorrow’s team won’t let Liverpool down but we’ll have to be very good to survive.”

If there was an ominous sense of a honeymoon about to come to an abrupt end, at least Hodgson had not entirely lost his sense of humour.

Reminded that three years ago Rabotnicki drew 1-1 here in a Uefa Cup tie against a Bolton Wanderers team then managed by Liverpool’s current assistant manager, Sammy Lee, he said: “Sammy hasn’t been able to tell me much; I think he’s erased Bolton from his mind but he does remember they got through with some difficulty.”

Liverpool’s manager had earlier said he would discuss with his board the Europa League’s position in the club’s pecking order of priorities but, asked whether that chat had happened, he merely replied: “All we ever seem to do is have discussions so I’m pretty sure they’ll have taken place. But this is a very important game.”

Whatever this season’s European policy, this game at a ground in the process of being rebuilt – both ends of the Phillip II Stadium are largely rubble and, of the two functioning stands, one was surrounded by cranes yesterday as final building blocks were lowered into place – could be the opportunity Alberto Aquilani needs finally to begin demonstrating why Rafael Benítez paid £17m for him.

Just as Skopje is a mishmash of communist-period architectural atrocities and Ottoman era gems, Hodgson’s teamsheet promises to be a mix of delicate talent – Aquilani, Daniel Agger and Milan Jovanovic, a newly arrived Serbia winger once coveted by Real Madrid – and raw youth such as David Amoo.

“Most people will not have heard of the players here, they won’t recognise them,” acknowledged Hodgson who is privately well aware that Anfield’s youth production line declined on Benítez’s watch. “But if you’re going to be a top player at Liverpool you need to be able to handle a game like this. We’ll find out if they can. It’s an opportunity to swim.”

He did not contemplate throwing seniors in at the deep end here. “Gerrard and the others never came close to playing, they’ve only been training four days. It would have been complete folly to play them in difficult conditions,” said Hodgson it was also too late to parachute any new buys into a club boasting only five of the eight homegrown players aged over 21 now mandatory in all Premier League squads.

Asked whether he was poised to sign Luke Young from Aston Villa, Hodgson typically straight-batted: “Well he’s not playing tomorrow.”

He must trust Liverpool’s imitation defence proves similarly unforthcoming this evening.

FW Rabotnicki (4-3-3, possible): Bogatinov; Dimovski, Fernando, Belica, Sevlovski; Tunevski, Grigorov, Todorovski; Ze Carlos, Vandair, Fabio

Liverpool (4-5-1, possible): Cavalieri; Kelly, Skrtel, Krygiakos, Agger; Amoo, Spearing, Lucas, Aquilani, Jovanovic; Ngog

Courtesy of The Guardian

Hodgson Admits Torres Transfer Possibility

gareth rosslee — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:10:33 +0000

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson's admission that Fernando Torres is unsettles at Liverpool could spark a bidding war between Chelsea and Manchester City.

Roy Hodgson says he has done all he can to keep Fernando Torres at Liverpool, admitting the Spaniard is in dispute with the club.

Hodgson replaced Rafa Benitez as Anfield manager last month, and believes if Torres leaves the damage will have been done before he arrived.

“Unfortunately, I cannot do much more,” Hodgson said. “His beef is with the club and not me.

“Fernando’s situation has nothing to do with me, he made that perfectly clear over the phone during the World Cup and when I met him face-to-face.

“He knows what I would like to do with the club. He knows how much I value him.

“But his issues are with what has gone on in the past rather than the future.

“If he has problems with the club for things in the past, it is difficult for me to dismiss that.”

Torres was part of Spain’s victorious World Cup squad, although he failed to score in South Africa and was dropped from the team.

He has scored 72 goals in 116 games over three injury-hit seasons for Liverpool.

Courtesy of Eurosport

No Silva Lining For Unwanted Bellamy

jaya — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:21:37 +0000

David Silva

Manchester City have decided Craig Bellamy can be sold after completing the €35 million (R341 m) transfer of David Silva to fill his position on the left side of attack.

Bellamy was one of City’s more impressive players last season but has not convinced Roberto Mancini he merits a place in a team that aspires to be regarded as authentic title challengers, and his inability to get on with the former Internazionale manager has counted against him.

The two men clashed on several occasions after Mancini’s appointment last December, and the club held an internal investigation after Bellamy was overheard allegedly saying something detrimental about the Italian after the 2-0 home defeat against Everton in March.

Nothing was proven but their relationship has been fractious and potential buyers will not be discouraged from bidding now Silva is officially a City player.

The Spain international passed his medical examination after flying into Manchester yesterday.

That leaves Bellamy facing a decision about whether to stay and fight for his place, having effectively won a similar battle with Robinho, or leave a club where he is not expected to feature prominently.

If the latter is the case, he might also have to consider taking a pay cut to help engineer a move. Bellamy, who turned 31 this week, earns €115,000 a week and when the Tottenham Hotspur manager, Harry Redknapp, was asked about his admiration for the Wales international he suggested it would be out of the London club’s price range.

“City bought him for €14.2m (R138 m) and the player must be on considerably high wages,” he said. “I just don’t see it happening.”

City have also signed Jerome Boateng and Yaya Toure and are trying to put in place deals for Aston Villa’s James Milner and two more attackers, Mario Balotelli of Internazionale and Edin Dzeko of Wolfsburg.

Roque Santa Cruz, the injury-plagued Paraguayan, does not feature in Mancini’s plans, while Robinho and Stephen Ireland have asked to leave and the club will also listen to offers for Nedum Onuoha.

However, City have no intention of selling Micah Richards, rumoured to be a target for Liverpool’s new manager, Roy Hodgson, and are not looking to move on Shaun Wright-Phillips despite his erratic form during an unresolved contract dispute last season.

At Liverpool, Fernando Torres could be fit for the start of the season, as the thigh injury that ended his involvement in the World Cup final is not as serious as first feared.

Torres suffered only a small tear to his left thigh and has been told to have three weeks off before undergoing a rehabilitation programme aimed at getting him fit for Liverpool’s opening game, against Arsenal on August 15th – if he decides to stay at Anfield in the face of interest from Chelsea.

Liverpool’s head of sports science and medicine, Peter Brukner, said: “He had an MRI scan which confirmed a small tear. He should be able to resume training within two to three weeks and play within three to four weeks.”

Courtesy of The Irish Times

Roy Hodgson’s Must Do At Liverpool List

jaya — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:59:07 +0000

Roy Hodgson

From keeping his top stars to signing some new ones and dealing with boardroom uncertainties, the new Liverpool manager has plenty in his in-tray.

1. Convince Gerrard, Carragher, Torres and Mascherano to stay at Anfield

Hodgson showed where the next priority lies by heading off to meet Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as soon as his public unveiling at Anfield was over. Calls to Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano will soon follow. Hodgson injected refreshing honesty, reason and a keen sense of Liverpool’s history and potential into his first press conference as manager, all of which should appeal to the stellar names who have grown tired not only at the lack of investment in top players, but the broken promises from the Anfield hierarchy.

What he cannot offer to Gerrard, Torres et al, however, is the assurance that the club has the means to compete for major prizes.

“It is not words Stevie wants; it’s actions,” he said. “He wants to see other players of his quality being signed by the club and, of course, he is wise enough to know that I cannot give him that guarantee and he wouldn’t respect me if I was trying to give him some line of bullshit that he would see through.”

2. Reconstruct the squad by making at least 5 signings

Hodgson may want Brede Hangeland at Anfield and, as Liverpool’s defending at set pieces last season testified, he does need a defender who is commanding in the air, but he discounted talk of exploiting any fallout at his old club bysigning the Norwegian.

A left-back, centre-half, wide midfielders and quality support and/or cover for Torres are needed to improve the seventh best team in the Premier League last season. There is plenty of excess in an overblown Liverpool squad to improve Hodgson’s modest transfer budget, although there are no guarantees he will get every penny should he manage to sell the likes of Albert Riera, Ryan Babel and Philipp Degen this summer.

3. Deal with financial and ownership problems

Just about every facet of life at Liverpool since Tom Hicks and George Gillett saddled the club with mountainous debt, is shaped by the Americans’ dysfunctional ownership. There is, as Hodgson appeared surprised to discover, no escape from that depressing reality.

“It’s disappointing when, on your first day as Liverpool manager, financial matters take precedence over football matters,” said. There was grist to the mill of those who argue Hodgson has been appointed to spare the Liverpool hierarchy the scrutiny and criticism that was such a part of Rafael Benítez’s final years in charge.

“The ownership issue will be above my head at all times and is not something that particularly bothers me,” he said. While chairman Martin Broughton admitted: “We need somebody to steady the ship at this stage.” Hodgson accepted he could lose his job in the event of a takeover, but believes his abilities should render a change unnecessary.

4. Establish a working relationship with Dalglish and decide on his staff

Kenny Dalglish told the Liverpool board he wanted the manager’s job, having been asked to oversee the process with the managing director, Christian Purslow, on the basis that he was the best qualified man for the post. Broughton issued what, to a man of Dalglish’s standing, appeared a public rebuke.

“Kenny wanted the job but he was never a candidate,” the chairman said. Hodgson had no problems with the fans’ favourite working in the background and offering him a new title of Head of Football Development, and Dalglish has publicly backed the manager.

“I look very favourably on the appointment,” he told the Daily Mail. “I have known Roy a long time and have a great respect for him. We’ve not had detailed conversations yet but my interests are in Liverpool.” Hodgson was unable to provide assurances that Sammy Lee, the assistant manager under Benítez, would remain. “The backroom staff is something we will think about over the next few days,” he said, although there was confirmation that the chief scout, Eduardo Maciá, will stay.

5. Keep the supporters onside and by building a successful team

Liverpool supporters are, roughly speaking, divided between those who fear Hodgson will say nothing while the club is asset-stripped and those who believe his calm, dignified stature makes him the ideal appointment in troubled times.

All, however, will give the new man their support when Arsenal arrive at Anfield on the opening day of the season. “I don’t know what the reaction will be,” Hodgson said. “But the Liverpool fans have always backed the manager, the club and the team and I don’t see why I shouldn’t expect a good reception.” Supporters’ ire is currently directed at Purslow. The man Benítez identified as being behind his departure was the subject of graffiti found on Anfield’s walls this morning. Reaction to Hodgson’s press conference yesterday has been overwhelmingly positive but, as he said himself of Gerrard’s situation, it is actions, not words, that count.

Courtesy of The Guardian

Barca’s Money Woes Good News?

jane smith — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:22:21 +0000

Barcelona's cash problems might put an end to the club's bid for Liverpool's Fernando Torres.

Barcelona’s financial woes – the club failed to pay player wages for the month of June – might just put a hold on big-money offers for Liverpool’s Fernando Torres and Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas.

Barcelona are suffering a financial crisis that threatens to wreck their pursuit of Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Javier Mascherano.

New Barca president Sandro Rosell has even been forced to deny they are bankrupt, after borrowing almost £120million to pay players’ wages this week. Spiralling costs and a slump in revenue are the problem, with the latest blow a potential loss of TV money, after Mediaproduccion SL, which owns the Spanish rights, sought protection against bankruptcy.

Barca have just sold Dmytro Chygrynskiy back to Shakhtar Donetsk for around £12m – £10m less than they paid for him a year ago – to raise cash.

Team boss Pep Guardiola admitted: “I still believe in the player, but he had no chance to stay due to financial problems.”

Rosell said: “We have a short-term problem and need the loans to finance our short-term obligations such as wages, but supporters and members can relax, we are not bankrupt.”

But clearly the cash crisis puts their ability to enter this summer’s transfer market in doubt.

Barca have pursued Fabregas since the end of the season and most Arsenal fans had resigned themselves to seeing their star midfielder leaving for Catalonia.

But Gunners boss Arsene Wenger always maintained Fabregas was under contract and only a massive bid could prise him away. Rosell himself poured doubt on the transfer now happening, when he admitted Barca could not pay Arsenal’s asking price.

He said: “There is no possibility of us paying 50-60million euros for Fabregas. The worst possible thing that could have happened is there was publicity over the possible deal, because it makes it very hard under these circumstances.”

Barca have a seven-year £800m contract with Mediaproduccion but with no guarantees over payments that are now due. Rivals Real Madrid have their own financial headaches but have bank guarantees supporting their TV deal.

This lack of cash in Spain means that Liverpool’s Torres and Mascherano will also probably stay put at Anfield.

Courtesy www.dailymirror.co.uk