The OFFICIAL Liverpool Supporters thread

[Mentalman]

mmmm

From Liverpools website:

Liverpool co-Chairmen Tom Hicks and George Gillett have today released the following statement.
"We made a significant investment in the playing squad during the summer and desperately want this team to succeed.

"There are some very important games coming up in the next couple of weeks and all of us need to focus on winning those games and getting the best out of the players we already have at the club.

"We will leave any talk of buying or selling players until we come across to Liverpool in December and sit down with the Manager then."


and at the same time from Sky Sports interview with Benitez:
And having been quizzed on any interest in replacing McClaren, the Spaniard admits he is keen to become an international coach in the future.

Benitez continued: "In the future, you never know what can happen. If I improve my English, maybe!"

or maybe learning German....

probably nothing

Unusual timing, definitely threatening to apply the Chinese burns I reckon...I wonder is that the way owners behave in American sport though? Do they see giving the manager a "gee-up" as fair game?

[FermGael]

Taken from   http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7108721.stm

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has said he may be interested in the England job after an apparent disagreement with the club's owners over transfer targets.
Benitez described his week as "not the best" after arriving late for a news conference following a conversation with George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

"Maybe I could be Steve McClaren's replacement if I improve my English," said the 47-year-old Spaniard.

"I was being serious. You never know what can happen in the future."


During his news conference, Benitez used the answer "I am focused on training and coaching my team" a number of times in response to a series of questions on various issues.

Despite a huge transfer outlay in the summer on players like Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel, Liverpool are fifth in the Premier League and in danger of failing to get beyond the group stage of the Champions League.

Benitez is thought to have already started making plans for the January transfer window, but the club's American owners have issued a statement suggesting that they are not thinking that far ahead at the moment.

"There are some very important games coming up in the next couple of weeks and all of us need to focus on winning those games and getting the best out of the players we already had at the club," said the statement.

"We will leave any talk of buying or selling players until we come across to Liverpool in December and sit down with the manager then."

[Carmen Stateside]

How didTorres miss Good half but

[Carmen Stateside]

2 - 0 kuyt

[FermPundit]

How poor are Newcastle? Awful performance

[Carmen Stateside]

all to easy at the toon! 3 - 0 babbel

[Carmen Stateside]

Torres should have 5!! Whats happening with Newcastle but!!

[Mack the finger]

The coaching and training of the team has certainly paid off this week.

Traffic cones would be more effective than Newcastles defence.

Big Sam for England!!

[GalwayBayBoy]

Newcastle getting a bit of a chasing here. Could easily have been 7 or 8.

[Carmen Stateside]

Good win but Newcastle were terrible.  Hope Torres isnt as wasteful during the week.  What did you all think of Lucas? seemed to play ok Sissoko played well.

[GalwayBayBoy]

http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf-8pELTkiQ

[stiffler]

I thought Sissoko was rubbish today, although Harry Kewell impressed me!!

[GalwayBayBoy]

I thought Sissoko was rubbish today, although Harry Kewell impressed me!!

Yeah Momo is a bombscare when he has the ball. He's great when he has to chase possession and is brilliant in winning the ball back but once he has it he's a liability.

Kewell had a decent game. He had a shot blocked at one point that I think was going in. Torres missed a fair few chances today but we are a completely different team when he's in the side. He scares the shite out of defenders and is capable of making chances for himself out of nothing. Lucas was quite tidy in midfield as well I thought. Very efficient in possession.

[FermGael]

looks like this row is getting serious
taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7108721.stm

Benitez renews attack on owners

Benitez has refused to back down in his dispute with the owners
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has again risked the wrath of the club's American owners by openly questioning their transfer policy.
The Spaniard was told by club co-owner Tom Hicks to "quit talking about new players" after suggesting they were holding up his transfer plans.
But Benitez ignored that plea, saying: "They don't understand what the transfer window means in Europe.
"They need to understand how difficult it is to sign players."
The rift between Benitez and Liverpool's American owners is now considered to be so deep that a report in Sunday's News of the World suggests the Spaniard will be sacked imminently, with Jose Mourinho in line to replace him.
We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets
Benitez himself admitted that the relationship had soured since a meeting after the draw with Arsenal on 28 October.
"We had a meeting which was really positive. After this something changed," he said.
"They told me to be focused on coaching and training because Rick Parry will be looking after signing players."
In a bizarre press conference ahead of Saturday's win over Newcastle, Benitez answered a series of questions with the words: "I am focused on training and coaching my team."
He even went as far as suggesting he could be a candidate for the England post.
That led Hicks to tell the Liverpool Echo: "We told him to concentrate on the games coming up. I guess he didn't like it.
"We will come over in December. That is the time to talk about other issues."
But Benitez insists December will be too late to discuss plans for the January transfer window.
"It's clear Mr Hicks wants the best for the club. So do I," he said.
"It's not a draft system. We have free players available now. I'm not talking about players that cost money.
"We need to talk to the agents now, if not we will lose targets.
"In the summer, the players will be more expensive. I have not been talking about spending but doing the opposite.
"We have brought money back. We brought in £26m this year and you can see the value of the squad."
Benitez made a similar plea to the owners after the Champions League final in May.
The owners responded by spending close to £45m on the likes of Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and Yossi Benayoun.
Benitez is now keen to tie up a £17m permanent deal for Javier Mascherano.
But his position could be further weakened if Liverpool fail to beat Porto on Wednesday - a result which would see them almost certainly eliminated from the Champions League.

[deiseach]

Looks like Rafa is going to have to swallow his pride or walk the plank