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Champions League or bust! Liverpool chief Henry lays down the target for free-spending Dalglish
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 2:10 PM on 1st August 2011
Liverpool owner John W Henry has left Kenny Dalglish in no doubt as to what the club have to achieve in the coming season: they must qualify for the Champions League.
The club's pre-season hasn't gone to plan so far. They have conceded three goals in each of their four friendlies, hardly the kind of preparation for breaking into the top four.
And the Reds have not qualified for Europe's elite competition since 2009 after they finished second in the Barclays Premier League, four points behind Manchester United.
Champions challenge: Dalglish must hit the heights this season
'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment,' said Henry.
The club hope this season will put an end to the doom and gloom which had engulfed Anfield at the end of Rafa Benitez's tenure, followed by Roy Hodgson's fractious spell in charge.
Henry has sanctioned a number of high-profile additions to the team with Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing (£20million), Jordan Henderson (£16m) and Charlie Adam (£9m) all joining this summer.
They join Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll who arrived in January from Ajax and Newcastle respectively for a combined total of £58m.
Splashing the cash: Liverpool started their squad improvements earlier this year with the arrival of Carroll and Suarez
However, the Liverpool chief, speaking in Norway ahead of Liverpool’s friendly with Valerenga, admitted the league title was probably out of their reach for another season, at least.
'It’s too early for us to start talking about winning the league,' said Henry. 'In my opinion Manchester United are the ones to beat. They have a good squad, and look really good.
'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment.'
Meanwhile Henry took to Twitter today to express his condolences to those who were killed in the recent massacre.
Solidarity: A young Liverpool fan visits the memorial in Oslo
The squad are in Oslo ahead of the friendly with Valerenga and the Liverpool owner took time to travel to the memorial to those who lost their lives.
Henry tweeted: 'Here in the square...the flowers, emotions, overwhelming sadness, silence, innocent kids. Overwhelming sadness.'
They were joined by managing director Ian Ayre who laid a large bouquet of flowers with an accompanying message.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1ToIh3Y4j
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 2:10 PM on 1st August 2011
Liverpool owner John W Henry has left Kenny Dalglish in no doubt as to what the club have to achieve in the coming season: they must qualify for the Champions League.
The club's pre-season hasn't gone to plan so far. They have conceded three goals in each of their four friendlies, hardly the kind of preparation for breaking into the top four.
And the Reds have not qualified for Europe's elite competition since 2009 after they finished second in the Barclays Premier League, four points behind Manchester United.
Champions challenge: Dalglish must hit the heights this season'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment,' said Henry.
The club hope this season will put an end to the doom and gloom which had engulfed Anfield at the end of Rafa Benitez's tenure, followed by Roy Hodgson's fractious spell in charge.
Henry has sanctioned a number of high-profile additions to the team with Jordan Henderson, Stewart Downing (£20million), Jordan Henderson (£16m) and Charlie Adam (£9m) all joining this summer.
They join Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll who arrived in January from Ajax and Newcastle respectively for a combined total of £58m.
Splashing the cash: Liverpool started their squad improvements earlier this year with the arrival of Carroll and Suarez
However, the Liverpool chief, speaking in Norway ahead of Liverpool’s friendly with Valerenga, admitted the league title was probably out of their reach for another season, at least.
'It’s too early for us to start talking about winning the league,' said Henry. 'In my opinion Manchester United are the ones to beat. They have a good squad, and look really good.
'Our main goal is to qualify for the Champions League. If we don’t it would be a major disappointment.'
Meanwhile Henry took to Twitter today to express his condolences to those who were killed in the recent massacre.
Solidarity: A young Liverpool fan visits the memorial in OsloThe squad are in Oslo ahead of the friendly with Valerenga and the Liverpool owner took time to travel to the memorial to those who lost their lives.
Henry tweeted: 'Here in the square...the flowers, emotions, overwhelming sadness, silence, innocent kids. Overwhelming sadness.'
They were joined by managing director Ian Ayre who laid a large bouquet of flowers with an accompanying message.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz1ToIh3Y4j
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