The usual rumours, lies & innuendo with a light sprinkling of the truth
Roy Hodgson has confirmed Liverpool have been interested in Nice striker Loic Remy since before his arrival, but is not sure if he will make a move for the Frenchman.
The 23-year-old forward is regarded by many as one of Europe's best emerging talents and has also been linked with a switch to London clubs Tottenham and West Ham. Liverpool are thought to be keen on bolstering their attacking options, while the future of star striker Fernando Torres remains in doubt. As reported by skysports.com, Liverpool have firmed up their interest in the player with a bid, although Hodgson revealed there is no definite agreement as yet.
He said: "He's a player who was mentioned to me by the scouting department and a player the club were following before I came. "He's a player I know very little about. If I am going to be interested in a player I am going to have to watch him playing, study him and make judgments which I have not been able to."
Liverpool have reportedly been tracking Remy for five years, while Hodgson has only been at the club a matter of weeks after taking the reins from Rafa Benitez.
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Reports in the German and Croatian press are gathering pace regarding a move to Liverpool for Danijel Pranjic this summer. The Bayern Munich star was a reported target for the Reds last summer prior to his move to the Bundesliga but after struggling for a game, Roy Hodgson is expected to test the Champions League runners-up resolve to keep the Croatian international.
The former Heerenveen star spoke out before his move to Bayern Munich regarding the increased speculation over interest from Liverpool and his comments suggest he would welcome a move to Anfield. The Croat told Omroep Friesland when questioned about Liverpool interest, “I still don’t know, that is a difficult question to answer.†“I have to wait until the transfer period and then I will see. “In every newspaper they called me and I was live on television and they heard something about Liverpool but I cannot say anything about it. “It was in the newspaper that is all I know. Yes of course [it would be a dream club].â€
Despite Bayern Munich’s fantastic 2009/10 season, Pranjic was not a first choice in the side and lost his place at left-back to German World Cup star Holger Badstuber for much of the campaign. The Croatian made 20 league appearances but only started 14 games, he is thought to be frustrated but knows that after Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua’s departure from Liverpool, he would be first choice to fill in at left-back.
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Olympiakos are determined to prise Liverpool winger Albert Riera away from Anfield, according to skysports.com. The Spaniard’s future with the north west club has been uncertain ever since he fell out with former Reds manager Rafael Benitez.
Riera has since been linked with the likes of Spartak Moscow but Olympiakos have seemingly emerged as the favourites for the Spaniard's signature with reports suggesting vice-president Sokrates Kominakis is in England for talks. Liverpool are said to be asking for around £4.2 million for the Spanish winger but reports imply the Greek outfit are only planning to offer £3.4m.
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Liverpool are on the verge of signing French striker Loic Remy on a five-year contract for a fee of around £12.5 million [€15m], Goal.com UK understands.
The 23-year-old is expected to travel to Merseyside in the next few days to undergo a medical before joining Roy Hodgson’s squad at its training camp in Switzerland, according to sources at Remy’s club, Nice. Remy had been tempted by offers from Tottenham and West Ham, whose directors, David Sullivan and Karen Brady flew to the south of France in an attempt to negotiate a deal, but it was Liverpool’s history that tipped the balance and a deal has agreed in principle.
“Liverpool is a legendary club,†Remy told Nice Matin today. “I am very excited by the thought of playing there. It has a magnificent stadium and a fantastic public.†Liverpool are expected to pay Nice £7.5 million [€9m] upfront with the rest to follow in installments.
The Nice president, Gilberto Stellado, is believed to have sought reassurances about Liverpool’s financial situation before agreeing to the move. Nice paid Olympique Lyonnais a club record €8m for Remy, although after two seasons and 25 goals they have accepted they can no longer hold on to a striker who but for an ankle injury might have gone to Arsenal in the January transfer window.
"I absolutely rely on him but we have resigned ourselves to his leaving," said the Nice coach, Eric Roy. "We had a verbal agreement that he would spend two seasons at Nice so it was always likely he would leave if an offer came along that matched what the club expected."
It comes after Remy's agent Frederic Guerra revealed he was in talks with Liverpool. "Yes, Liverpool are interested in Loic and Loic is interested in Liverpool," he told Sky Sports. "There has also been interest from West Ham and Tottenham and it is now up to Nice. Loic has always said he is keen to play in England and Liverpool are a massive club."
He added: "I believe if Loic comes to England he will be a massive success. He is like Thierry Henry, but I believe if he comes to England he could be even better than Henry. He is a sensational player, he is very strong, very quick and two-footed. He is the complete player and Liverpool would love him."
Liverpool's new manager Roy Hodgson has made bolstering his team's forward line a priority, amid uncertainty over whether Fernando Torres will stay at the club.
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Hodgson has an open mind as to what to expect against Al Hilal – who are managed by Eric Gerets and have already played two friendlies – but the one thing he does want to see is players scraping, fighting and stretching every sinew to show they can play a part in the future.
A game in the Europa League, after all, is just around the corner and as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt et al, will not be match fit for the first leg on July 29, some of these young men could find themselves involved against either FC Rabotnicki or Mika. Hodgson said: “I would love to start off with a win but it might be too much to ask.
“If I wanted my first game as Liverpool manager to be a winning one, I would not have chosen to play a team of Al Hilal’s quality with what is basically a Liverpool reserve team. “I have got to be realistic. “I am not going to make any statements that people think I should be making. I will only expect to start winning games when I think the Liverpool team resembles something like it should be.
“The game against Al Hilal is an opportunity for some of those players who have probably never been given a chance before. They might find it hard to get another chance when the top players come back. “But, at the same time, it is a chance for them to try and do something. I will be very interested to see how it unfolds. I will be very happy if we win but if we don’t, I won’t be in a position where I will be losing sleep.â€
That might be true but, clearly, Hodgson would be a little more relaxed had just a little bit longer to prepare for that first competitive fixture 12 days from now; with that in mind, the fixtures against Al Hilal, FC Grasshopper and Kaiserslautern assume a different dimension.
“What has made things problematic is the fact we have to play competitive football on July 29,†said Hodgson. “The draw has not been kind to us in terms of the opponents we will face and where we have got to travel to. “But we will get a team out and we will do the best that we can. And this is a chance for them to stake a claim – that’s what these games are for. I’m sure these players won’t let the club down and they will work very hard.
“They will give their all to show they deserve to wear this Liverpool shirt. Our fans can rest assured that these players won’t let them down but, at the same time, you can’t set a barrier that you know people won’t be able to jump over.
“That’s what we are tending to do with these three matches. We are setting the barrier so high with the quality of the opposition we are playing, it would be unfair to ask a 17-year-old, like Thomas Ince, to do.†But I have been impressed with him. He is a talented young man; in an ideal world, you wouldn’t be thrusting him into matches of this calibre but, who knows? It might be very good for him.â€
____________________________
Lucas Leiva
What are your early impressions of our new manager?
Really good. He seems to be very good as a coach, good with the tactical side of the game. We just want to make sure we have a better season. If everyone gets their fitness as soon as possible and the players on holiday come back and get themselves ready, then I think we will have a big chance.
Roy is obviously very experienced in the game, how much do you feel he can help a youngster like yourself to develop?
He will help everyone but for me he has a lot of experience, he has worked with big players at big clubs so his experience will help in giving me advice to help improve my game. I am feeling better every season and I hope that this season will be better again.
How different is he compared to other managers you have worked for?
I have only had three managers as a professional but I think he is similar to my first manager in Brazil. He likes to work on the shape of the team a lot, he is aware of all the small details, so we have to listen to the information he gives us and do what he wants us to do. Hopefully it will be successful.
_______________________________
THE local school kids watching Everton train in Brisbane’s Suncorp stadium could run even Scouse youngsters close in the cheek stakes. When Everton officials dished out some mementoes to the crowd, one young lad beckoned them over for extra key rings and stickers. Upon hearing they’d all gone, he shouted back: “Right that’s it, I’m a Liverpool fan now.â€
___________________________
ROY HODGSON today confirmed Sammy Lee's place in on Liverpool's backroom staff is secure – as he spoke of the peril that awaits the Reds in the Europa League.
With men such as first team coach Mauricio Pelligrino and goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero following former boss Rafa Benitez out of Anfield last month, Hodgson is expected to make a number of new appointments.
But one man he is not thinking of replacing is Anfield stalwart Lee, who has played a key role in helping Hodgson settle into his new role during the early days of his reign.
It remains to be seen what position Lee will fill but Hodgson recognises both the passion he has for the club, as well as the respect he has from the players, and is anxious to keep tapping into the 51-year-old's knowledge.
“Sammy will stay here for the foreseeable future, absolutely – as long as he wants to be here,†said Hodgson, who takes charge of his first game as Liverpool manager against Al Hilal tonight.
“I have no intention of letting him go and if he wants to stay with us, he is more than welcome. I haven't made decisions on any (other positions) yet.â€
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Brede Hangeland has urged his Fulham teammates to stick with the club. He told fulhamfc.com: “I’d love to see all the players stay – and even one or two more coming in – and then we’ll look even stronger.
______________________________
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed he was twice offered the chance to manage England but turned down the "terrible" job because it is a poisoned chalice - especially for a Scot.
Sir Alex Ferguson couldn't bear to think of being England boss
The Manchester United boss told a Canadian television station he was never interested in the job, but was approached on two occasions. He did not give details, but it is thought Ferguson was considered as a replacement for Terry Venables in 1996 and Glenn Hoddle three years later.
Ferguson said: "I was offered the chance to manage the England team on a couple of occasions but, of course, it was just out of the question. It's a poisoned chalice anyway. I think it's a terrible job, plus the fact that I would have had a tremendous handicap being Scottish; no matter which way you look it, that's important.''
_________________________
Roy Hodgson has confirmed Liverpool have been interested in Nice striker Loic Remy since before his arrival, but is not sure if he will make a move for the Frenchman.
The 23-year-old forward is regarded by many as one of Europe's best emerging talents and has also been linked with a switch to London clubs Tottenham and West Ham. Liverpool are thought to be keen on bolstering their attacking options, while the future of star striker Fernando Torres remains in doubt. As reported by skysports.com, Liverpool have firmed up their interest in the player with a bid, although Hodgson revealed there is no definite agreement as yet.
He said: "He's a player who was mentioned to me by the scouting department and a player the club were following before I came. "He's a player I know very little about. If I am going to be interested in a player I am going to have to watch him playing, study him and make judgments which I have not been able to."
Liverpool have reportedly been tracking Remy for five years, while Hodgson has only been at the club a matter of weeks after taking the reins from Rafa Benitez.
_________________________________
Reports in the German and Croatian press are gathering pace regarding a move to Liverpool for Danijel Pranjic this summer. The Bayern Munich star was a reported target for the Reds last summer prior to his move to the Bundesliga but after struggling for a game, Roy Hodgson is expected to test the Champions League runners-up resolve to keep the Croatian international.
The former Heerenveen star spoke out before his move to Bayern Munich regarding the increased speculation over interest from Liverpool and his comments suggest he would welcome a move to Anfield. The Croat told Omroep Friesland when questioned about Liverpool interest, “I still don’t know, that is a difficult question to answer.†“I have to wait until the transfer period and then I will see. “In every newspaper they called me and I was live on television and they heard something about Liverpool but I cannot say anything about it. “It was in the newspaper that is all I know. Yes of course [it would be a dream club].â€
Despite Bayern Munich’s fantastic 2009/10 season, Pranjic was not a first choice in the side and lost his place at left-back to German World Cup star Holger Badstuber for much of the campaign. The Croatian made 20 league appearances but only started 14 games, he is thought to be frustrated but knows that after Fabio Aurelio and Emiliano Insua’s departure from Liverpool, he would be first choice to fill in at left-back.
_______________________________
Olympiakos are determined to prise Liverpool winger Albert Riera away from Anfield, according to skysports.com. The Spaniard’s future with the north west club has been uncertain ever since he fell out with former Reds manager Rafael Benitez.
Riera has since been linked with the likes of Spartak Moscow but Olympiakos have seemingly emerged as the favourites for the Spaniard's signature with reports suggesting vice-president Sokrates Kominakis is in England for talks. Liverpool are said to be asking for around £4.2 million for the Spanish winger but reports imply the Greek outfit are only planning to offer £3.4m.
____________________________________
Liverpool are on the verge of signing French striker Loic Remy on a five-year contract for a fee of around £12.5 million [€15m], Goal.com UK understands.
The 23-year-old is expected to travel to Merseyside in the next few days to undergo a medical before joining Roy Hodgson’s squad at its training camp in Switzerland, according to sources at Remy’s club, Nice. Remy had been tempted by offers from Tottenham and West Ham, whose directors, David Sullivan and Karen Brady flew to the south of France in an attempt to negotiate a deal, but it was Liverpool’s history that tipped the balance and a deal has agreed in principle.
“Liverpool is a legendary club,†Remy told Nice Matin today. “I am very excited by the thought of playing there. It has a magnificent stadium and a fantastic public.†Liverpool are expected to pay Nice £7.5 million [€9m] upfront with the rest to follow in installments.
The Nice president, Gilberto Stellado, is believed to have sought reassurances about Liverpool’s financial situation before agreeing to the move. Nice paid Olympique Lyonnais a club record €8m for Remy, although after two seasons and 25 goals they have accepted they can no longer hold on to a striker who but for an ankle injury might have gone to Arsenal in the January transfer window.
"I absolutely rely on him but we have resigned ourselves to his leaving," said the Nice coach, Eric Roy. "We had a verbal agreement that he would spend two seasons at Nice so it was always likely he would leave if an offer came along that matched what the club expected."
It comes after Remy's agent Frederic Guerra revealed he was in talks with Liverpool. "Yes, Liverpool are interested in Loic and Loic is interested in Liverpool," he told Sky Sports. "There has also been interest from West Ham and Tottenham and it is now up to Nice. Loic has always said he is keen to play in England and Liverpool are a massive club."
He added: "I believe if Loic comes to England he will be a massive success. He is like Thierry Henry, but I believe if he comes to England he could be even better than Henry. He is a sensational player, he is very strong, very quick and two-footed. He is the complete player and Liverpool would love him."
Liverpool's new manager Roy Hodgson has made bolstering his team's forward line a priority, amid uncertainty over whether Fernando Torres will stay at the club.
______________________________
Hodgson has an open mind as to what to expect against Al Hilal – who are managed by Eric Gerets and have already played two friendlies – but the one thing he does want to see is players scraping, fighting and stretching every sinew to show they can play a part in the future.
A game in the Europa League, after all, is just around the corner and as Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Dirk Kuyt et al, will not be match fit for the first leg on July 29, some of these young men could find themselves involved against either FC Rabotnicki or Mika. Hodgson said: “I would love to start off with a win but it might be too much to ask.
“If I wanted my first game as Liverpool manager to be a winning one, I would not have chosen to play a team of Al Hilal’s quality with what is basically a Liverpool reserve team. “I have got to be realistic. “I am not going to make any statements that people think I should be making. I will only expect to start winning games when I think the Liverpool team resembles something like it should be.
“The game against Al Hilal is an opportunity for some of those players who have probably never been given a chance before. They might find it hard to get another chance when the top players come back. “But, at the same time, it is a chance for them to try and do something. I will be very interested to see how it unfolds. I will be very happy if we win but if we don’t, I won’t be in a position where I will be losing sleep.â€
That might be true but, clearly, Hodgson would be a little more relaxed had just a little bit longer to prepare for that first competitive fixture 12 days from now; with that in mind, the fixtures against Al Hilal, FC Grasshopper and Kaiserslautern assume a different dimension.
“What has made things problematic is the fact we have to play competitive football on July 29,†said Hodgson. “The draw has not been kind to us in terms of the opponents we will face and where we have got to travel to. “But we will get a team out and we will do the best that we can. And this is a chance for them to stake a claim – that’s what these games are for. I’m sure these players won’t let the club down and they will work very hard.
“They will give their all to show they deserve to wear this Liverpool shirt. Our fans can rest assured that these players won’t let them down but, at the same time, you can’t set a barrier that you know people won’t be able to jump over.
“That’s what we are tending to do with these three matches. We are setting the barrier so high with the quality of the opposition we are playing, it would be unfair to ask a 17-year-old, like Thomas Ince, to do.†But I have been impressed with him. He is a talented young man; in an ideal world, you wouldn’t be thrusting him into matches of this calibre but, who knows? It might be very good for him.â€
____________________________
Lucas Leiva
What are your early impressions of our new manager?
Really good. He seems to be very good as a coach, good with the tactical side of the game. We just want to make sure we have a better season. If everyone gets their fitness as soon as possible and the players on holiday come back and get themselves ready, then I think we will have a big chance.
Roy is obviously very experienced in the game, how much do you feel he can help a youngster like yourself to develop?
He will help everyone but for me he has a lot of experience, he has worked with big players at big clubs so his experience will help in giving me advice to help improve my game. I am feeling better every season and I hope that this season will be better again.
How different is he compared to other managers you have worked for?
I have only had three managers as a professional but I think he is similar to my first manager in Brazil. He likes to work on the shape of the team a lot, he is aware of all the small details, so we have to listen to the information he gives us and do what he wants us to do. Hopefully it will be successful.
_______________________________
THE local school kids watching Everton train in Brisbane’s Suncorp stadium could run even Scouse youngsters close in the cheek stakes. When Everton officials dished out some mementoes to the crowd, one young lad beckoned them over for extra key rings and stickers. Upon hearing they’d all gone, he shouted back: “Right that’s it, I’m a Liverpool fan now.â€
___________________________
ROY HODGSON today confirmed Sammy Lee's place in on Liverpool's backroom staff is secure – as he spoke of the peril that awaits the Reds in the Europa League.
With men such as first team coach Mauricio Pelligrino and goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero following former boss Rafa Benitez out of Anfield last month, Hodgson is expected to make a number of new appointments.
But one man he is not thinking of replacing is Anfield stalwart Lee, who has played a key role in helping Hodgson settle into his new role during the early days of his reign.
It remains to be seen what position Lee will fill but Hodgson recognises both the passion he has for the club, as well as the respect he has from the players, and is anxious to keep tapping into the 51-year-old's knowledge.
“Sammy will stay here for the foreseeable future, absolutely – as long as he wants to be here,†said Hodgson, who takes charge of his first game as Liverpool manager against Al Hilal tonight.
“I have no intention of letting him go and if he wants to stay with us, he is more than welcome. I haven't made decisions on any (other positions) yet.â€
_____________________________
Brede Hangeland has urged his Fulham teammates to stick with the club. He told fulhamfc.com: “I’d love to see all the players stay – and even one or two more coming in – and then we’ll look even stronger.
______________________________
Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed he was twice offered the chance to manage England but turned down the "terrible" job because it is a poisoned chalice - especially for a Scot.
Sir Alex Ferguson couldn't bear to think of being England boss
The Manchester United boss told a Canadian television station he was never interested in the job, but was approached on two occasions. He did not give details, but it is thought Ferguson was considered as a replacement for Terry Venables in 1996 and Glenn Hoddle three years later.
Ferguson said: "I was offered the chance to manage the England team on a couple of occasions but, of course, it was just out of the question. It's a poisoned chalice anyway. I think it's a terrible job, plus the fact that I would have had a tremendous handicap being Scottish; no matter which way you look it, that's important.''
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