The problem with Liverpool is Ambition !

[Sir X]

It has nothing to do with rotation or formation ! Rafa record speaks for itself , what raises my eye brow is the nail pace which they have conducted the Maschi signing.

Does it make sense that a club with such stature finding it hard to shell out 17 million for Maschi ? 17 million is chicken feed for a big club , liverpool owners ambition is that of a mid table club , I dont think they understand the market they are in, Look the two richest club in englnad are in the prem(Chel$ki) and championship(QPR).QPR owners mek Abramovich money look like pocket change.We should have stuck with DUBAI!

I dont see , chel$ki, Man U, Arsenal even spurs crying about the price of any player that thier managers view as necessary to sustain any campaign why liverpool?

Maschi is crying for Gillet & Hick to buy him , Manu , Jeventus , Real & Barca ave dem cheque book open.Its ridiculous what is going on, if it is so hard to sign Maschi then whom else.

Hick & Gillet have to go , dem nuh ave de dollars fe compete with the Big 4 , include Man City in that.

[Lazie]

It has nothing to do with rotation or formation ! Rafa record speaks for itself , what raises my eye brow is the nail pace which they have conducted the Maschi signing.

Does it make sense that a club with such stature finding it hard to shell out 17 million for Maschi ? 17 million is chicken feed for a big club , liverpool owners ambition is that of a mid table club , I dont think they understand the market they are in, Look the two richest club in englnad are in the prem(Chel$ki) and championship(QPR).QPR owners mek Abramovich money look like pocket change.We should have stuck with DUBAI!

I dont see , chel$ki, Man U, Arsenal even spurs crying about the price of any player that thier managers view as necessary to sustain any campaign why liverpool?

Maschi is crying for Gillet & Hick to buy him , Manu , Jeventus , Real & Barca ave dem cheque book open.Its ridiculous what is going on, if it is so hard to sign Maschi then whom else.

Hick & Gillet have to go , dem nuh ave de dollars fe compete with the Big 4 , include Man City in that.

yuh figet one thing ... Liverpool is no longer a big club. No wonder Maschie begging to join Tevez at the Empire. Tell him something fi mi ...

Hit it bands man .. ~too much too little too late to sign agaion fi wi~

[Sir X]

Its embarrasing what we have come to financially , Big Big coach and player a beg fe funds fe get sign , I dont hear it from arsenal , man u ,Chel$ki, spurs and Man city.

Rafa should walk to QPR

[Sir X]

The sad part is we the fans have to live with it.Dem tek man fe fool , sell man fe buy man ?Big Club nuh move suh dem leggo man because dem a surpluss fe requirements.

Livapool a move like mid table club.Iyah BRING BACK DUBAIIIIII! RUN WHEY DE IDIAT DEM !

X HAS REVOLTED AGAINST THE OWNERS ! NOT THE CLUB AND ME KNOW ME NUH WALK ALONE!

[OJ]

the problem with liverpool is that they are not arsenal or manu!

[Sir X]

Yuh right ! Nuff money man waan walk wid we.Dem boy de soon leggo.Nuh multimillionare caan walk wid we, dem man deh, affi legoo funds or juss legoo dem selves...idiat dem!


Dubai International Capital is one of half a dozen private equity firms buying up investments around the world on behalf of Dubai Holdings, which is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.

Racing enthusiast Sheikh Mohammed became Dubai's 10th ruler upon his older brother's death in January. He is credited with transforming the tiny emirate into an aviation, business and tourist hub and helping to expand its gross domestic product to about $40 billion this year from $8 billion in 1994.

Dubai International Capital recently bought London's Tussauds Group, a stake in DaimlerChrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people ) and aerospace company Doncasters, plus real estate in the U.S. Its purchase of P&O Group and consequent bid to manage six key U.S. ports sparked controversy in the United States and forced Dubai to back away from the U.S. port portion of the deal in March. It is estimated that a substantial portion of Sheikh Mohammed's fortune, which he shares with two brothers, comes from the government's stakes in banks, aluminum and real estate companies.

Sameer al-Ansari, Dubai International Capital's chief executive, said in a statement: "Liverpool's investment requirements are well publicized. We hope we can agree a deal that will provide us with the opportunity to fund its needs both on and off the pitch."

Liverpool Chief Executive Rick Parry said: "This is the latest step on the road of finding the long-term investment that the club needs."

Several names have also been bandied about over the last couple of years in connection with Liverpool, including U.K. building magnate Steve Morgan, the recently deposed Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, Hollywood-based film producer Mike Jefferies and U.S. billionaire and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

[Sir X]

This is how big clubs/managers move..Fergie Talk! liverpool balk... Get me Berbatov: United boss Ferguson poised to pip Chelsea for Spurs striker

By BOB CASS - More by this author » Last updated at 23:58pm on 5th January 2008
Comments
Sir Alex Ferguson has made Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov his No 1 transfer target and the Manchester United manager is determined to beat off competition from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City.


But although Ferguson knows he may have to go close to the British transfer record of £31 million to land the Bulgarian international, he is adamant that he will not inflate the transfer market to absurd levels to accommodate Tottenham's demands.


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Berbatov scored twice yesterday as Spurs drew their FA Cup third-round tie with Reading 2-2.
Ferguson's admiration for the player whose 27th birthday is on the penultimate day of the transfer window is long-standing, but previous inquiries about his availability have been met with a uncompromising 'hands off' response from White Hart Lane. tough regime under new Dutch coach Ronald Koeman and is ready to move.
Chelsea's imminent £10m signing of Nicolas Anelka will not stop them pursuing Berbatov, particularly given Didier Drogba's equivocal expressions of commitment beyond the summer.
Manager Avram Grant will be backed by Roman Abramovich, with the Russian owner having set the previous British transfer record in paying £31m for Andriy Shevchenko in 2006.
Real Madrid have also expressed an interest in Berbatov, whose value is increased by his availability to play in the Champions League.
There is also genuine interest from Manchester City, whose manager Sven Goran Eriksson will be supported by Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra in a bid to secure a Champions League spot in the second half of the season.
But with Real hoping to offer players such as full-back Royston Drenthe and striker Roberto Soldado as makeweights in the deal and with City unable to guarantee trophies and Champions League football, it is likely to come down to a straight fight between Chelsea and United.
Once Ferguson sets his stall out to go for Berbatov, there is only one likely outcome, even if he has to wait until the summer.
The Scot has a reputation for getting his man, in recent years landing players such as Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney, Owen Hargreaves and Carlos Tevez. The arrival of the supremely talented Berbatov would strengthen an already powerful dressing room, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Louis Saha and the Bulgarian making a fearsome set of strikers, ready to challenge for the Champions League.

[Sir X]

Rafael Benitez on the defensive as expectations weigh heavily



Oliver Kay


Rafael BenÍtez painted a picture of a club moving forward harmoniously yesterday when he suggested that he and Liverpool’s American owners had a shared vision of the future. But, as he defended his record and his team’s disappointing performance in the Barclays Premier League, the message appeared to be directed towards Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr rather than the supporters, who tend to be more sympathetic to his plight.
Barring a dramatic softening of the owners’ stance, BenÍtez will not be in charge at Anfield next season, his strained relationship with the board deemed untenable even before a series of adverse results in the Premier League. But, as he prepares to take his team to Luton Town in the FA Cup third round tomorrow, the Liverpool manager urged his critics to look at the progress made by his regime and to take into account the difficulties in competing at a time when the bar is continually being raised by Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
“Expectation is a problem,” BenÍtez said. “When we started this season, everybody was talking about how we can be title contenders this year. I think so too, but with the other teams also improving their squads, you never know. It is not easy.”
BenÍtez is frustrated by the perception - aired by Hicks – that the money he spent on Fernando Torres, Ryan Babel and others in the summer put Liverpool on an even playing field with United, who finished 21 points clear of them last season.
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• Liverpool refuse Luton's financial plea

“Arsenal, United and Chelsea have very good teams and are also spending big money,” BenÍtez said. “We are progressing, but they are also.”
BenÍtez feels it is essential for Liverpool’s long-term future that they sign Javier Mascherano on a permanent basis, but the Argentina midfield player, whose “economic rights” are owned by two investment companies, is attracting interest from Juventus and Barcelona. “We will do our best to keep him here,” the manager said.





I worry for Liverpool. The have the makings of a good team but not a great team yet. To do that they will need to add a couple of players of top class and not to ever be depending on the likes of Sissoko, Kuyt, or Crouch. The Americans need a reality call if they think their present behaviour and spending is going to take them to the top. Look at Chelsea, Man U - that is the reality of todays game. If they can't afford to play in that league then they should get out but in a way that puts an end to all this projection of blame on to Benitez, who arguably is the clubs best manager in several decades. If they make life so unbearable for him , that he leaves then they will rue that day.

Ian Johnston, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Can G & H really think 1 big money buy, 1 moderate money buy and a few small deals can make Liverpool competitive against the top 3? If so then they need to educate themselves rapidly. If there is truth in the allegation that G & H would not the pursue Tevez despite Benitez's wish (not sure if this was in addition to Torres, or instead of) then they have a lot to answer for as it has been clear to any supporters how limited we have been upfront since Owen left. Torres is only part of the answer. If G & H do get rid of Benitez, they will eventually discover that further progress depends not just on the manager, but also on their willingness to stump up to substantially improve the first XI.

S.Dissanayake, London,

If Benitez wins the Champions League again, there's no way that he'll be sacked. Everybody talks about the league, and after 19 years, rightly so. But I'm certain that the prospect of winning the Champions League (not the Premier League) convinced Torres to come to Anfield. Liverpool is feared in Europe again, and it's because of Rafa. Long live the Rafalution!!!!

jim, brussels, belgium

[Assasin]

Liverpool unlike Manu, Arsenal and Manu who have players coming through there academy, Liverpool have none. You have players at the top three who can step up and play a game or two but pool have no youngster that to step in an can only depend on who they can buy. Pool need more young talent and to develop some for themselves.

[Sir X]

Stick to being a fan of football tek yuh mind offa liverpool, you have proven one thing, you have no understanding that football is a business, in others words you,hicks& Gillet mek good company.

[Assasin]

I will stick to it while you continue to be disappointed. Not many owners have the money to spend that liverpool need to improve.

Look at Aston Villa how they have improved over the last year under Martin Oniel and you nuh hear him a cry fi big money to spend. Rafa have to prove he can improve the club first. Look at Manu last year how Fergie improved the players he had without buying a lot of player afther looking horrible the year before. Look how Wenger improve his team this year after not a good year last year without adding any big names and huge spending.

[Sir X]

1st we are not Aston Villa , 2nd Arse & Fergie are part of the fabric of thier respective clubs and have a history with thier clubs , the notion of sacking your most succesfull manager in 19 years or undermining him at the expense of your club is proof of psychosis on G&H part or anyother that supports them.

one thing that you must understand no coach of quality will come to liverpool with penny pinchers running the club, we have to be able to compete with the Big 5 count QPR in that in this new football world.

stop thinking in a black and white setting , think grey.

[Sir X]

What does rafa have to prove assasin ? a C.L title a runners up f.A cup etc ?

Improve what , how im can carry wata inna basket ? Yuh nuh see de market im a deal wid ? Fergie sey get me a 31 million player a nuh nothing , rafa say get me a 17 million dollar player dem waan fiyah de man ?

Improve wha , yuh understand the market , boss nuh get me bringle pan yah.

[Lazie]

What does rafa have to prove assasin ? a C.L title a runners up f.A cup etc ?

Improve what , how im can carry wata inna basket ? Yuh nuh see de market im a deal wid ? Fergie sey get me a 31 million player a nuh nothing , rafa say get me a 17 million dollar player dem waan fiyah de man ?

Improve wha , yuh understand the market , boss nuh get me bringle pan yah.

Xcuse, stop wid the xcuses .... how many players in this Liverpool team was purchased by Rafa? Not every player Fergie want ... Fergie get ...

[Sir X]

How many fergie purchased that cost over 10 million , and how many Rafa purchased that cost said amount , yuh ever ear yuh get wha yuh pay fah?

To answer your question I will say all, like Fergie purchased all , and Rafa didnt get all he wanted like fergie. but one thing is sure , they both got what they paid for, now you answer my question.