New Study Highlights How Liverpool FC Was Ahead Of Its Game

A new study by a University of Leicester sociologist has highlighted how Liverpool football club became the first British club to truly internationalize the game – many decades before the supposed globalization of football talent.

The football manager is also presumed to be a largely modern invention, associated especially on Merseyside with the popular ‘socialism’ and media-friendly charismatic leadership of Bill Shankly from the late 1950s. But the first great Liverpool manager actually came much earlier, says John Williams of the Department of Sociology.

In a new book, Red Men: Liverpool Football Club: the Biography, Bootle-born Williams describes how Liverpool recruited footballers liberally from colonial South Africa in the 20s and 30s.

He also profiles the media-savvy and astute Tom Watson who piloted the club to its first League championships in 1901 and 1906, before taking his team to the FA Cup final in 1914 – the first attended by the King, as war loomed.

Said Williams: “The role of Watson and the Liverpool club at this time is analyzed in some depth. This was a moment when the Merseyside area precariously balanced the Victorian legacy of self-improvement and cosmopolitanism with almost unimaginable problems of social division and poverty, as the role of the docks in Liverpool gradually began to diminish.

“Red Men is the definitive history of a remarkable football club from its formation in 1892 to the present day, told against the sociological backcloth of the cultural and economic development of the city of Liverpool and the ambitions of its people.

“Football clubs are much more than just local centres for entertainment. They have their own identities and cultures, which are layered and painstakingly constructed over time. I wanted to examine the relationship between football and the city of Liverpool as well as exploring the emergence of local supporter cultures and the role of recent tragedies in establishing Liverpool FC as ‘more than just a football club.”

The research offers a rich sociological context for the discussion of the football club and its players and fans, and the professional game in the wider sense, by providing accounts of associated cultural and social developments in the city and beyond over the past century. It examines the early role of civic and ethnic elites in both sport and politics in the early years of the professionalization of football and deals with issues of gender, race and sport in Liverpool. It also explores the ‘clerical tyranny’ in Liverpool that restricted weekend play for local men and women for many years.

The book offers incredible ‘colour’ and unique data drawn from the Liverpool club’s official Minute Books which reveal evidence of the early commercialization of the game, hard-working but chaotic directors, discussions about stadium development and relations with supporters, players and sponsors, and (in hard times) whether the club could manage to pay for repairs to the club captain’s false teeth, cruelly damaged in football action!

The recent stadium tragedies at Heysel and Hillsborough that have shaped the modern British game and the club and the city’s contemporary identity are also covered, as are the new Continental influences at Liverpool and, of course, the glory of Istanbul in 2005 when Liverpool won the European Cup for a record fifth time.

New Deal Could Earn Liverpool Football Club Millions In Lost Revenue

Liverpool Football Club has succeeded in its long-held ambition to trademark the Liver bird, the symbol of the city of Liverpool.

Liverpool FC's plan was met with some resistance when the English Premier League (EPL) club announced their intentions some two years ago. And, after talks with Liverpool Council, the club initially agreed to abandon their bid.

Now, however, Liverpool FC have worked a deal with the city council and successfully won a trademark for the famous symbol through the Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union (TMDREU) having applied in January of this year.

Council leader, Joe Anderson, said, “When Liverpool FC first raised the issue of registering the Liver bird logo, it caused a lot of concern that charities and other organizations which used the Liver bird on their literature and promotional material would be unable to do so in the future."

However, instead of limiting legitimate use of the symbol, the new deal between Liverpool Football Club and the city is intended to allow both organizations to crack down on the unlicensed use of the symbol in fake memorabilia, counterfeit shirt sales and other unofficial Liverpool merchandise.

"We are happy to help them in these aims and the agreement we reached means the club can protect its Liver Bird logo, other organizations can continue to use the Liver Bird and the council will be able to protect its design of the image. The Liver Bird belongs to the people of Liverpool and the council is committed to doing all it can to make sure it remains that way," Alderson added.

A spokesperson for Liverpool Football Club said, "Our position was always to solely seek to protect our specific version of the Liver bird to stop its use in counterfeit Liverpool FC merchandise. We never intended to challenge the usage by the council or other charity or community groups of their version of the Liver bird, and were delighted to work with the local authority on this matter.”

The trademark, granted in July, is valid until 2020 and covers a range of products from clothing to key rings with the potential to significantly boost Liverpool's income from licensing and merchandise sales by helping to put an end to a major counterfeit revenue stream.

"Licensing is a very sizeable contribution and it’s one that’s transformed over the last few years," Liverpool FC commercial director Ian Ayre told SportsPro. "We have a team that manages IP protection, trademarks, and they work with a series of individuals and organizations so, yes, we protect it as a football club, but we also work with the Premier League who work on behalf of all Premier League clubs, we work with Uefa who work on behalf of all European clubs, and we work with Adidas who work on behalf of all the people they make kit for. It's a constant battle but it's one we'll always fight, obviously because we want to protect our own revenue but also we want to protect the quality. In some cases it's easy to know the difference between a fake and a real one, but not always, and we don’t want people buying what they believe is quality product and it ends up being counterfeit."

Torres: Why I Love Beating Man United

Fernando Torres claims he is desperate to beat Manchester United on Sunday to repay the fans who support him through thick and thin.

The 26-year-old counts our 4-1 triumph at Old Trafford in 2009 as one of his best days in a Liverpool shirt - and he knows securing three points in Manchester again on Sunday would mean so much to supporters.

"Liverpool fans are great, when you play well they are behind you and when you are not playing the best they are still behind you," Torres said.

"I walk my dogs round the city and before matches like United the fans will tell you good luck and things like that.

"It's clear how much the Manchester United games mean to them, we have been rivals a lot of years. Beating United means everything to them.

"We are the two most successful teams in England but it has not been nice for the Liverpool fans to watch Manchester United have so much success over recent years."

Torres has scored on Liverpool's last two visits to Old Trafford, including a 4-1 win that counts among our greatest ever league results.

"Hardly anybody ever wins at Old Trafford and beating Manchester United 4-1 on their own ground is practically unheard of," said the World Cup winner.

"We went 1-0 down as well which made the victory that much more impressive.

"I scored the equalizer and to this day I think that has to be one of my favourite days wearing the Liverpool shirt.

"We have a great squad and a great manager, and we really hope to give the fans a trophy this season, as well as beating Manchester United for them."

Torres is looking forward to his lunchtime contest with opposite number Wayne Rooney.

"They have some amazing players but Wayne Rooney is their standout player," he said.

"I really like him. He is a great player and a funny guy, so we usually have a little chat at the end of the game.

"Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs have had great starts to the season though, and if they were still in the 20s then I don't think my decision would be quite so easy."

Dalglish Wanted Reds Job

Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish has admitted he wanted to replace Rafa Benitez at Anfield before the appointment of Roy Hodgson.

Dalglish was player-manager at Anfield between 1985 and 1991 and he was the last man to bring the championship to the club.

The 59-year-old felt the time was right for Benitez to leave and he revealed he put himself forward to replace the Spaniard at the helm.

However, Liverpool rejected Dalglish's overtures and moved instead for former Fulham chief Hodgson to take charge at Anfield and the Scot admits he was disappointed to be overlooked for the job.

Dalglish writing in his new book - 'Dalglish in his own words' - said: "It was right for everybody that Rafa Benitez left - for him and for Liverpool Football Club.

"There just comes a stage in every manager's career when the board says, 'You've been good for the club but we feel it would be best if you go'.

"Sometimes it works the same way for a manager - 'I've done my time. There's no animosity but it's time to have a go somewhere else'.

"When it was clear Rafa was going, Christian Purslow asked me to get involved in the selection process for the next manager.

"I had to let them (the board) know my real views. I wanted the job. I couldn't miss the opportunity.

"One day, I was in a meeting with Christian and the chairman, Martin Broughton, and I formally put my name forward.

"'We don't want you, Kenny', came the reply from Christian and the chairman. Fine. That's their prerogative. They explained they had different plans for me, a position with greater longevity."

Roy Hodgson To Rest Torres And Gerrard For Europa League Tie

Roy Hodgson is reportedly set to rest some of Liverpool's big name stars for their Europa League clash against Steaua Bucharest at Anfield on Thursday.

Even at this early stage of the season, the fixtures are coming thick and fast with Liverpool facing arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday.

As a result, the Daily Mirror claims that Hodgson will rest some of his big-name players including striker Fernando Torres and skipper Steven Gerrard.

Hodgson hinted as much last week when he said, "It is unfeasible to ask them to play so many games over what is going to be a long campaign, and unrealistic to believe they can sustain it over a whole season."

The Daily Mirror claims that Hodgson is set to give new signing Raul Meireles his full Liverpool debut while Joe Cole is set to play a part. Paul Konchesky should shake off a hamstring injury to play against Steaua at Anfield too

Amoo Brace Tames Wolves

David Amoo struck a clinical double as Liverpool Reserves claimed their first win of the season with a 2-0 success over Wolves on Tuesday night.

The 19-year-old was on hand to finish off two incisive first-half counter attacks and ensure John McMahon's men capped an impressive showing with three richly deserved points.

The Reds had gone into the clash having drawn their opening two encounters of the new Barclays Premier Reserve League Northern Group B campaign but always looked in control against what was a relatively experienced Wolves outfit.

Indeed, the hosts had a real hunger about their play from the off and took the lead with their first attack of the match on two minutes.

A sublime move started with Danny Wilson's clever pass into the feet of Tom Ince. The winger turned well before spreading the ball out to Suso on the left flank. The diminutive Spaniard then showed superb vision to weigh up his options and deliver a perfect low cross into the path of Amoo who made no mistake from eight yards.

The visitors had barely had a chance to adjust to their surroundings when Liverpool piled forward again, with Ince collecting Suso's pass and firing straight at Wayne Hennessey before both Steven Irwin and Jonjo Shelvey saw their follow up efforts blocked by some desperate defending.

The warning signs were there for Wolves and despite the fact it was still early on in the encounter it was no surprise when the Reds doubled their advantage on eight minutes.

Another whirlwind attack ended with Amoo touching home at the second attempt after his initial effort from Irwin's cross was well saved by Hennessey.

McMahon's side were clearly enjoying their first Wirral outing of the new campaign and could have extended their lead further on 15 minutes when Nathan Eccleston saw a devilish cross drop just shy of the far post.

Amoo then burst down the right flank and centred for Eccleston but the forward saw his classy volley on the turn whistle just past the far post with Hennessey rooted to the spot.

It was proving to be a busy first period for the Wales stopper and he had to be at his best to deny Suso's arcing free-kick before beating away Irwin's magnificent volley after Shelvey had picked him out on the edge of the box from the resulting corner.

Liverpool continued to ask all the questions and Amoo could well have had his hat-trick on 38 minutes but he smashed well wide of the near post after Ince's well crafted pass had put him in on the right side of the box.

There was even time for Ince to go close himself, curling just wide of the top corner after a dazzling run left two Wolves defenders in his wake.

The visitors would have been delighted to have gone in at the interval just the two goals behind and there was an immediate improvement in their play following the restart with both Ashley Hemmings and Louis Harris going close.

Liverpool were struggling to recapture the flow that had seen them create chance after chance early on and Peter Gulacsi was finally called into action on the hour mark when he reacted smartly to keep out Nenad Milijas's header.

The opportunity forced the Reds to respond and Suso tested Hennessey's handling with a rasping shot from the left edge of the box before Eccleston was left frustrated by a deflection that denied him a simple tap-in from Irwin's centre.

As the clock ticked down the away side continued to search for a way back into it and they could have set up a barnstorming finish had substitute Geoffrey Mujanji-Bia's 35 yard drive not crashed back off the crossbar.

Ryan Babel Aims To Win Respect Of Liverpool FC Fans

Ryan Babel has pledged to make the most of his opportunities up front this season as he bids to win over the Liverpool fans.

The Dutchman has revealed manager Roy Hodgson wants him to lead the line under his reign with 23-year-old Babel likely to be handed a starting role in tomorrow’s Europa League tie at home to Steaua Bucharest.

Babel has vowed to prove his worth to the new man in charge at Anfield by working hard in training and then seizing his chances on the pitch. The former Ajax man admits he still has many doubters amongst the Liverpool faithful but promises to establish himself as a Kop favourite with consistent performances.

“I aim to be a striker,” he said. “The manager has told me that me that up front is where he wants to use me. That’s positive.

“Now I have to show him in training sessions that I can do the job. If I do that I will get chances to play in that position.

“A lot of people still doubt my quality or whether I’m good enough to play for Liverpool. I hope, finally, with a little bit of help from everyone here, that I can give something back to fans and to the club.

“For me, consistency is the key. I need to start regularly and then play well on a consistent basis. When the boss trusts me by playing me I aim to reward that trust.”

Meireles: The First Interview

Raul Meireles today revealed how his first taste of Anfield left him in awe - and now he can't wait to run out in front of the Kop as a Liverpool player.

The Portuguese midfielder made his Reds debut as a second-half substitute at Birmingham City on Sunday following his transfer from FC Porto last month and is in contention to feature in Thursday's Europa League encounter with Steaua Bucharest.

Meireles harvested a wealth of Champions League experience while at Porto, but he endured a disappointing night on his first visit to Anfield in November 2007 - though it did leave a lasting impression.

He explained to Liverpoolfc.tv: "I played at Anfield with Porto and I lost 4-1 - but I remember the supporters were great. Everybody in Portugal says the Liverpool fans are the best supporters in England.

"I have also played at Chelsea and Manchester United, but I can say the Liverpool fans are the best. Of course, I am excited about playing at Anfield as a Liverpool player.

"I feel very good (to have played at Birmingham), but I was not happy at the end because it wasn't a victory. But the Premier League is fantastic.

"I am looking forward to playing with Gerrard and Torres. Stevie, for me, is one of the best midfielders in the world and Torres is a fantastic striker. I am excited about playing with them."

Meireles's transfer to Liverpool means the dynamic midfielder will play his football outside of Portugal's second-largest city for the first time in his career having turned out for Boavista and Porto.

He admits it was a difficult decision to uproot from his hometown, but the lure of representing the Reds was too difficult to resist - and he is confident he and his family will have no problem adjusting to their new surroundings.

"When I knew the coach wanted me, I could only say yes because Liverpool are a big club and I am excited to play here," said Meireles.

"It was difficult to leave Porto because they are my team.

"Like Gerrard and Carragher, I had only played in my city, for Boavista and FC Porto. But now it is a new adventure for me and I am happy and excited.

"The players here have helped me to understand the coach because my English is not the best. Lucas, Maxi, Pacheco and Aurelio have helped me most because they speak Portuguese.

"I like the city. I've found a house for myself, my wife and my daughter and the city centre is beautiful.

"It reminds me of my town, Porto. People like music here, which I also enjoy and I like the Beatles. I think I am going to be happy in this city.

"My wife is very happy too and my daughter studied at a British school in Porto. I think she understands the language a little bit, so I don't think she will have problems starting school here.

"My wife has been learning about the history of Liverpool since we came here and I have been reading about the story of the club on the internet - but I want to learn the whole history."

Upon arriving at Anfield, Meireles took possession of the No.4 jersey - despite favouring the No.16 shirt for country, while wearing No.3 for Porto last term.

However, there was significance behind the 27-year-old's decision.

He revealed: "I knew the number No.4 once belonged to Sami Hyypia and the supporters liked him because he was a great player for Liverpool. So I have to be great with this number - and I will try to do what I have to do to be great.

"I want to win (trophies) because in Porto I won a lot and I have many titles. But I want to win titles at Liverpool - and we have a chance because we have the players."

Meireles was deployed in a role just off Fernando Torres when he was introduced into the action at St Andrews on Sunday - but he believes he is capable of operating in any of the three central positions in midfield.

"I like the three positions in midfield and I feel comfortable," he said. "As a player I am a team worker, not a star or an individual player.

"My message (to the fans) is I will work a lot to win titles at this club. All the supporters want to win trophies and I want to help this team - and this team can help me."

John Aldridge: Why I Was Always In The Hunt For Goals

Numbers have always been important to John Aldridge. Every one of the 476 career goals that made the former Liverpool striker the most prolific marksman of English football’s post-war era are cherished possessions.

They are dusted off, polished and cross-categorized into a variety of lists and tables that punctuate the pages of Aldridge’s new book ‘Alright Aldo Sound As A Pound’.

All of the stats reinforce the point is that here was a footballer with the supreme talent to score goals in any company, in any environment, no matter how strange or hostile. From the fourth division to the top flight in England, from Spain’s Primera Liga to the World Cup finals, Aldridge delivered for every team he played for.

Today, more than a decade after his retirement as a player, Aldridge enjoys a high media profile, particularly on Merseyside, ensuring his deeds will not be forgotten or overlooked with the passage of time. That’s the fate he suspects has befallen his own goalscoring hero, Roger Hunt.

He thinks so highly of the former England World Cup winner that he sought out the number eight shirt Hunt wore for Liverpool wherever his own football journey took him.

Aldridge said: “Being a striker it was only natural and inevitable that a Liverpool player in the same position would become my favourite. It was Roger Hunt. I simply loved him. His record was unbelievable too, 286 goals in 492 appearances is brilliant. Sadly it is rarely talked about now. He did amazing things for Liverpool and was one of the club’s best ever players.

“He was a World Cup winner but some people don’t seem to even realize that. He was the quiet man of the 1966 national side. The likes of Geoff Hurst, Alan Ball and Bobby Moore seem to get all the attention.

“I eventually met Roger and couldn’t speak highly enough of him. He was a reason why I wanted to wear the number eight.

“People suggested I didn’t want to wear nine at Liverpool because it had been Ian Rush’s number and I wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure that came with it. That was rubbish. I wore number eight whenever I could. I always wanted to be number eight because of Roger Hunt. He was my idol.”

‘The cover of ‘Alright Aldo’ (£14.99 Trinity Mirror Sport Media) invites the reader to accept a lift from Aldridge to the match and listen to him talk about his life in football along the way. By the end you realize that taking a journey with Aldo can be as dangerous as it is exciting. Your mum wouldn’t advise against getting into a car with a man who gets into so many arguments and fights. Your dad might say: “go for it.”

He recounts, in plain language, a succession of disputes, disagreements and brawls over football issues. He recalls the insults traded with other personalities from the game as vividly as the moments of triumph. And there are many of each. Old scores and grievances are raked over, the most painful of which was Liverpool’s decision to sell Aldridge to Real Sociedad in 1989.

Aldridge said: “I’ll never understand Kenny Dalglish’s decision to sell me in 1989. When I signed for Liverpool it was like getting the best Christmas present ever. Taking it away was like a kick in the stomach and I’ll never get over it.

“A lot of people told me since, and I agree, that he was wrong. After I left I went on to score another 220 goals.”

A whole chapter entitled ‘Losing It’ is dedicated to those many moments when Aldridge admits he lost his temper over football.

After a 3-1 defeat for Real Sociedad at Valencia Aldridge recalled: “I was in a bad mood and a team-mate called Dave Villabona was really getting on my nerves. I told him I’d give him a smack if he didn’t shut up. ‘Go on then’, he replied so I hit him in the face. I regretted it straight away because he was a cracking lad and a good friend.”

“I also got into a fight after a Tranmere game at Derby County. Some people were giving me stick in the players lounge and I asked them to step outside. It ended up in a free-for-all with five of them.”

Aldridge admits his behaviour did not change after he moved into management with Tranmere. “After a game against Norwich City, in the tunnel afterwards a 22-man brawl took place. Gary Jones lamped one of their players and it all went off. As a manager I ended up getting involved to. It was mayhem.”

Then there’s the drinking. You doubt that any book by a professional sportsman has included accounts of so many nights out that turned into boozing sessions of an epic scale. The statistical section even includes a list of Aldo’s favourite drinks, in which beer comes only second.

Yet Aldridge was still in fine physical shape, playing and scoring goals at Championship level in his 40th year.

Perhaps it is a mixture of modesty and machismo that keeps Aldridge from revealing as much about the warmer side of his personality, the side I witnessed in his capacity to find time for every young autograph hunter who approached him at the height of his fame.

The Irish take Aldridge as close to their hearts as his fellow Scousers. They know a man who wears his heart on his sleeve and they ensured he won celebrity talent show ‘Charity You’re a Star’ on Irish TV in 2006 without being able to sing a note.

“It was similar to the situation with John Sergeant in Strictly Come Dancing,” Aldridge explained. “He was rubbish and everyone loved him. His dancing was better than my signing, but everyone seemed to like me.”

Aldridge helped to raise around £160,000 for charity and even recorded a version of his unique interpretation of the Johnny Cash song ‘Ring Of Fire’ for a CD. Visiting the children he helped in hospital later, he admitted to being almost in tears.

‘Alright Aldo’ is not the kind of book you can curl up with at bedtime for a long, contemplative read. It’s broken into small, bite-sized nuggets of recollections and opinions, best washed down with a six pack or two of beer. With Aldo, you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth flow.

Fernando Torres' Faith Is Being Tested By The Ongoing Liverpool Ownership Saga

Once again, Fernando Torres left St Andrews on Sunday trailing confusion and consternation in his wake.

Last season, Steven Gerrard was not alone in scratching his head in bafflement as to why Rafael Benítez did not allow Torres to finish Liverpool’s game with Birmingham. This weekend, he would have been forgiven for asking why the 26 year-old seemingly failed to start it.

To Jamie Redknapp, pontificating in Sky’s studio, the reason was obvious: Torres has simply lost the sprinkling of stardust which, for three years, has helped lift Liverpool above the ordinary. After a poor World Cup, the striker is shorn of confidence. His performance, said Redknapp, was “diabolical”.

An exaggeration, of course, and one dismissed out of hand by Roy Hodgson. The Liverpool manager, adamant that he is “not at all concerned” by Torres’s early-season displays, blames the Spaniard’s physical conditioning, insisting his travails are explained by his late return to pre-season training.

Neither rationale, though, captures the fears of Liverpool fans over the man viewed by the Kop as the club’s talisman. Torres is lacking form and fitness. The lingering doubt is whether he is beginning to lose faith, too.

It would be easy to assume that Torres, despite his pledge of allegiance to Liverpool this summer, is present at Anfield in body, if not in spirit, that the club’s inability to compete has affected his desire.

The Spaniard has made no secret of the fact he hoped to see at least four high-calibre arrivals this summer and two significant departures. Yet the arrival of Hodgson has hardly heralded a new dawn on the pitch and, off it, the men identified by Torres – and Pepe Reina – as the primary obstacles to Liverpool’s rebirth remain in situ.

“We did not spend much money in the summer,” said Reina. “We are just asking for a little bit. Unfortunately it is going to be like this for a little while until we sort out the [ownership].”

Torres, it is fair to assume, shares his disillusionment. The two Spaniards know Liverpool will not compete for trophies until Tom Hicks and George Gillett are gone. The longer they cling on, the longer the wait. Torres, certainly, does not possess infinite patience.

However, the most rational explanation for his poor displays is the one proffered by Hodgson – that he is, essentially, a month behind his team-mates in his preparations for the campaign – and supported by Kenny Dalglish recently.

“He has been through a lot,” said the former Liverpool manager. “He had a lot of injuries last year and even in the World Cup final he was injured. He has come back and only played two or three games, but still scored the winner against West Brom. He might have had a bad day, but he is not a bad player.”

There remains a question, though, over whether Torres will be in any position to prove that this season. His summer in South Africa was his third in a row featuring an international tournament and he has not been granted an extended rest since 2007. It is no surprise the injuries are not only mounting, but beginning to take their toll.

The Spaniard’s struggle says more about his team than it does about him. Liverpool’s midfield remains static, their full-backs tethered. Gerrard finds himself starved of the ball. They no longer press the opposition when not in possession, but retreat to their own box. The long passes from defence are aimless.

Hodgson, then, may well be right to suggest that he has weightier concerns than Torres. The Liverpool manager knows he must right the wrongs the Spaniard sees all around him if he is not to lose faith.

John Aldridge: Liverpool FC Must Take Europa League Seriously

It is widely recognized that finishing fourth is more important than winning the Europa League but Liverpool can't afford to treat the opportunity of lifting some silverware lightly.

So even though Thursday night's game with Steaua Bucharest does not capture the imagination, Liverpool have got to send out the right message and make a positive start to life in Group K.

I've no doubt Roy Hodgson will make some changes and he has enough options at the back to be able to give his first choice back four a bit of time off to recharge the batteries.

You wouldn't be surprised if Fabio Aurelio, Daniel Agger, Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Martin Kelly started and I'd expect David Ngog to take over from Fernando Torres up front.

Equally, the manager might be thinking of giving Brad Jones his first taste of playing for Liverpool and let Pepe Reina recover from his heroics at Birmingham City.

Reina was outstanding at St Andrews and those saves from Cameron Jerome and James McFadden will have done wonders for his confidence.

But, if we could get two or three goals up with 20 minutes left, what I would really like to see is a few of the young kids we are hearing so much about have a little run out.

Nothing would give fans more pleasure than to see a glimpse of Raheem Sterling, Fernando Suso or if Dani Pacheco was given 90 minutes.

The only way these kids will develop and learn is if they mix with better, seasoned players; Manchester United do it, as have others, so why don't we?

Why Fernando Torres Must Leave Liverpool

Former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Jamie Redknapp launched a scathing attack on Fernando Torres after another inept performance on Sunday against Birmingham City.

"Terrible," "diabolical," "sloppy" and "lethargic" were some of the words used by the Sky pundit, but a critique that must have had many football fans nodding in agreement with was that the Spaniard looked "fed up."

He struck a forlorn figure lying on the ground in agony at the end of Spain's triumphant World Cup final, and the pain of his adductor injury was likely exacerbated by the realization that had been so sorely below the level of his teammates in South Africa.

And although Torres hit the winner against West Bromwich Albion last week, he is still looking desperately out of sorts.

There is no doubting that Torres is an exceptional talent. His record of 57 goals in 82 games for Liverpool, 26 goals in 81 games for Spain and 82 in 214 for Atletico Madrid speaks for itself.

And it his natural goal-scoring ability that attracted the attentions of the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea in a summer rife with transfer speculation about his future.

When Torres opted to stay at Liverpool, the relief of Reds players, coaches and fans alike was palpable.

Upon reflection, though, Torres may not have made the wisest decision for himself, and Liverpool could soon well realize that, particularly in their current financial predicament, they would have been better off cashing in on the marksman for a handsome sum.

But can a player go from being magnificent to mediocre in such a short time?

Well actually, he can.

The life of a footballer is short. And while natural ability doesn't disappear, many a player has found out that when rust sets in to his game, the road to decline can be remarkably steep.

They say a change is as good as a rest, and that is particularly pertinent for footballers.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe is a good example of how a change at the right time can help restore a footballer's confidence and set his career back on track.

In the 2007/2008 season, Defoe was extremely frustrated at being behind Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov in the Spurs pecking order. And while many Tottenham fans were livid when he was sold to Portsmouth in the January transfer window, (and even more livid when he scored against Spurs at Fratton Park) he reaped the benefits of a move away, and he has returned to Tottenham a far more accomplished player (although it still sometimes appears like he was born offside.)

Another Tottenham player also provides the opposite example - of what not to do when your career starts to wobble.

Darren Anderton was a phenomenal right winger, and after joining Spurs from Portsmouth in 1992, he soon became a vital player for the north Londoners and cemented his place in the England team.

Granted, persistent injuries were a huge factor in his slide, which began in 1995, but staying at Spurs for 12 years certainly didn't help him, despite managing to win a surprising amount of England caps (30).

Anderton needed to turn his back on White Hart Lane. He was linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United, and a move could have done wonders for his career.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger recently offloaded one of the biggest talents he has bought in his time at the club.

And while the sale of Eduardo was sad for many Gunners fans, the managerial maestro surely realized that whether he liked it or not, the Croatian's horrific injury had for all intents and purposes ended his Arsenal career, due to timing rather than any frailties in his game, and he needed to move for the sake of his football.

And two goals in five games for Shakhtar Donetsk seems to be vindicating Eduardo’s and Wenger's decision.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson came to similar conclusions regarding Diego Forlan and Gerard Pique. Although the pair didn't suffer any serious injuries, Ferguson realized that while both players were excellent prospects, they would quite probably thrive at a different destination in ways they wouldn't do at Old Trafford – just how much they would thrive was surely even beyond Ferguson's wildest dreams.

It might be more psychological than anything else, but a simple change can rejuvenate a player's career, particularly those injury-prone talents.

Different surroundings could do a world of good for Torres, and help him rediscover some of that class with which he was he was turning everything he touched into gold not so long ago.

And El Nino should think long and hard about whether he wants to do a Defoe or Eduardo, or be another Darren 'Shaggy-turned-Shoddy' Anderton.

January isn't too far away.

Liverpool Legend Dalglish Tips Torres To Bounce Back Against Manchester United

Kenny Dalglish has sprung to the defence of Liverpool's under-fire striker Fernando Torres, following his disappointing performance at Birmingham City.

Liverpool drew a blank at St Andrews on Sunday, drawing 0-0 with Birmingham in an uninspiring display by the Reds.

Spanish striker Fernando Torres has come in for particular criticism with former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp branding his display "diabolical" and Ray Clemence calling 'El Nino' "a shadow of his former self."

However, Anfield legend Dalglish, now a club ambassador, told Talksport that although Torres had suffered a bad day at the office against Birmingham, he is likely to bounce back against arch-rivals Manchester United at the weekend.

Dalglish said, “I don't think Fernando would think it was one of his better games but certainly he came as close as anybody in the Liverpool team to score a goal.

"He's been through a lot, he had a lot of injuries last year and even in the World Cup final he was injured. He's come back this year and I think he's only played two or three games but he scored one against West Brom.

"He might have a bad day but he's not a bad player. There's no one anywhere who wouldn't have him in the side.

"It might have been a bad day at the office for Fernando but he's a really good guy, he’s a real quality player and I'm sure he'll be looking forward already to Manchester United on Sunday. He's not got a bad record there."

Torres has been an enormous success at Liverpool since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2007 and has scored an average of more than a goal every two games during his time at Anfield so far. Last season Torres scored an impressive 22 goals, despite injuries restricting him to only 32 appearances for Liverpool.

Pepe Reina Calls For Patience From Supporters

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has requested patience from supporters as the club settles after a summer of financial worries.

Debt-ridden owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks failed to flog the side after they fell £351.4 million into the red. With the financial situation curtailing manager Roy Hodgson's plans to bolster a squad missing Javier Mascherano, their goalkeeper has called for a conservative outlook.

Reina said: "We have to make sure that people don't think of winning the league or being in the top four already at this moment.

"It is going to take a while. We have got to get used to the new players and then the system.

"There are many good teams and our target is to be up there but we have to be realistic.

"Is a Champions League spot realistic this season? I don't know. We will find out at the end of the season what we can achieve.

"Of course, we have to challenge for being up there. Maybe it will take a while."

He added: "No-one has patience nowadays. We are just asking for a little bit.

"We did not spend much money and in football to compete with the others sometimes it is important to do it.

"We couldn't. We sold some players and we used the money for buying some others.

"It's going to be like this for a little while until we sort out the (owners) situation.

"All we believe is that we have to win the next game and game and after game and don't think about the end of the season.

"We just have to concentrate on the next game and take it from there.

"April and May is the time to talk about targets."

Agent Rejects Benzema Rumours

Karim Benzema's agent has played down speculation linking his client with a move away from Real Madrid.

Having found first-team football hard to come by since moving to Spain last summer, reports have suggested the striker could soon be leaving Real.

Rumours throughout the summer claimed he was attracting interest from England, with the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City said to be keen.

Benzema eventually saw out the transfer window at the Bernabeu, though, in the hope that he could force his way into Jose Mourinho's plans.

That remains his stance at present, with no thought given to a possible switch elsewhere in the January transfer window.

With that in mind, his representative has sought to bring about an end to the ongoing speculation.

"The future of Karim Benzema will be at Real Madrid," Karim Djaziri told calciomercato.com.

"Are Juventus, Manchester United and Liverpool close to a deal? I categorically deny these rumours.

"He is a Real Madrid player and will remain a Real Madrid player."

Liverpool FC’s Liver Bird Trademark Challenged

A businessman has launched a bid to reverse a decision by European authorities to give Liverpool FC a trademark on the Liver Bird.

Alfie Hincks, who runs a maritime training company, has applied to have the Anfield club’s claim on the famous symbol struck out.

The 45-year-old, who lives in Fazakerley, said the symbol belongs to the city and should not be allowed to be “privatized”.

Mr. Hincks has amassed more than 100 pages of evidence showing how the famous symbol is in “common use” across the city.

Liverpool have always maintained they wanted the trademark to help clamp down on counterfeit football merchandise.

Earlier this month, the Post revealed how the Anfield club was successful in its bid to get the trademark, when it did a deal with Liverpool council so both could apply for different trademarks.

The club was granted a trademark by the Trade Marks and Designs Registration Office of the European Union (TMDREU).

The council is seeking its own trademark through the UK’s Intellectual Property Office.

Town hall officials said the deal would mean the club could crack down on bootleggers.

But Mr Hincks said: “The Liver Bird is used by a whole array of companies, shops, community groups and schools.

“It is in common use and belongs to the people of Liverpool, and has done since the city was given its coat of arms in 1797.

“No one should be allowed to privatize it.”

Mr. Hincks’s application to the TMDREU to have the club’s trademark cancelled will cost him 700 euros. A Liverpool spokesman said: “Our position was always to solely seek to protect our specific version of the Liver Bird and stop its use in counterfeit merchandise.

“We never intended to challenge the usage by the council or other charity or community groups of their version of the Liver Bird.”

The club filed its registration with TMDREU in January and the trademark, covering Europe, was granted in July.

The trademark covers a whole host of materials from clothing and kits to keyrings, and is valid until 2020.

Krisztian Adorjan Seals Liverpool Under-18s Victory Over Derby

Krisztian Adorjan proved the match-winner as his goal was enough to see Liverpool fight back to beat Derby County 3-2 at the Kirkby Academy on Saturday.

Rodolfo Borrell’s youngsters kept up their unbeaten start to the FA Premier Academy League season with goals from Toni Silva, Matty Regan and Adorjan helping them edge an exciting contest.

Liverpool have started the season playing some good football with their attacking talent to the fore.

England under-19s striker Michael Ngoo had another while Silva and Hungarian forward Adorjan capped fine performances with goals and Raheem Sterling also played his part in the victory.

Derby took the lead after 12 minutes with a superb 25-yard effort from Alex Witham flying past Liverpool keeper Jamie Stephens.

Silva could only find the side-netting after going round goalkeeper Mats Morch as Liverpool pressed for an equaliser.

Liverpool finally made the breakthrough 10 minutes before half-time.

Ngoo won possession on the right and from his cross Silva coolly slotted home into an empty net.

Liverpool went ahead in injury time at the end of the first. Captain Conor Coady was superbly denied as Morch pushed his long-range effort over the bar. But from the corner Regan headed home despite screams from the visitors that the ball didn’t cross the line.

The referee took exception to Derby’s protests and sent off Aaron Cole for dissent.

On 51 minutes Adorjan sealed the points with a fine left footed strike.

The visitors gave themselves a chance of a point when Callum Ball beat Stephens after the keeper’s clearance fell to him but Liverpool held on.

Liverpool FC Ladies Aim For Big Time With Women’s Super League

The Liverpool FC Ladies’ hotel on the edge of Madrid was an apt location for their pre-season trip to the Spanish capital because for the moment they are on the periphery of the global game.

However with the creation of a new domestic league, the female Reds and women’s football are hoping to move closer to centre stage than ever before.

Financially backed by the Football Association and broadcaster ESPN, hope is the Women’s FA Super League provides a watershed moment for a side of the sport which has to fight for exposure and shrug off stigma in equal measure.

Liverpool are one of eight clubs who successfully bid for a two-year license to be in the elite division and will carry the aspirations of all of those involved in the game as the two-year funding from football’s governing body, matched by each parent club to the tune of up to £70,000 per season, drives the dream from March next year.

The loss Robbie Johnson’s ladies suffered at the hands of their Atletico Madrid counterparts in a friendly on Saturday will be of little significance to the Anfield side if they can ultimately make the Super League a success.

Anything less than a positive return for the engaging Johnson, his side and the band of enthusiastic and dedicated backroom staff, as well as all clubs involved in the venture, would be nothing short of cruel.

But regardless of their ambitions the project needs support and in defeat to the Feminas of Atletico, whose new campaign is only a couple of weeks away, there emerged a core group of players talented and skilful enough to entice fans to part with their cash to watch the ladies in Red regularly.

A reported crowd of near 1,700 lined the stands at the Campo Municipal de Deportes Alberto Ruiz over the weekend to witness Liverpool remain in contention for an hour before perishing in the unforgiving early evening heat, 5-2.

The lure of a visiting side from Anfield certainly played its part in the healthy crowd and gathering of local TV crews but the Spanish have clearly taken to the women’s game faster than on these shores with the approach to the national sport no doubt a factor.

English fans are fed on the power and pace of the Premier League, but as Liverpool striker Cheryl Foster explains, the women’s approach is based on technique and patient passing, aspects of the game which feature prominently in La Liga.

“I think the most important thing is people don’t approach the women’s game with a mindset that we are like the men”, she said.

“The comparison of men’s and women’s tennis often gets used in our case because the game is maybe a little slower but we are perhaps more tactical. But there’s still going to be goals, chances and mistakes.”

Johnson, who spent 15 years as a coach with Liverpool’s youth teams and helped nurture the talents of Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher, added: “There’s a lot less of an ability to play the ball long. Many of the girls can’t drive the ball long so they have a tendency to keep the ball tighter.

“But because I’ve been ingrained in the Liverpool Way, if you like, then teaching the girls to play in a certain manner comes automatically to me.”

Johnson admits his move away from schooling the potential stars of the men’s senior side to building the women’s team, along with Andy Williams as his assistant, was an essentially smooth transition based purely on the game, not gender.

“It was one of football mentalities”, he said.

“When I came I said to the girls I was going to coach them as players, not as girls. It was a learning experience for me and I’m sure it was for them. I’ve always worked with players who have the ethos of running as fast as they can because otherwise someone would run past them.

“The biggest problem for me was understanding where the girls were in the pyramid and how much they knew about the game. There were very common football terms the girls did not understand. We are certainly improving every season. Last year we won the league by 10 clear points but this season we are effectively moving up from the Championship, straight into the Champions League if you like. Arsenal and Everton have been the dominant force for so many years in the Premier League but being in their shadow is not something I worry about. If we improve our stock and they stand still then we get closer to them, that is all we’ve been concentrating on.”

Unfortunately dedicating themselves full-time to the cause is not an option for the side with the players balancing studies or jobs with their playing duties at present.

Foster, a PE teacher in Chester, believes their part-time status warrants the same level of respect they have when representing Liverpool FC.

“At the end of the day, everyone here is either working or a student who trains on top of that. People need to respect that fact and the immense commitment in the women’s game.

“Wearing the badge does bring great expectations with it, whether it’s the senior men, youth teams or the women, Liverpool has a great history you always making sure we are doing our best and doing the shirt proud. It’s a fantastic club and we are very grateful for all their support. We feel more and more part of the club each year as women’s football develops.”

Foster, the club’s leading scorer last season with 22, is Wales’ all time leading appearance holder and agrees for the Super League to truly find that crossover appeal, a star must be unearthed.

England international Kelly Smith would have been that high profile player the league could have used, says 29-year-old Foster, but she has been drawn to the professional set-up in America.

“Kelly Smith has gone to America, she would’ve been that icon the Super League is looking for. But there will be someone who emerges from this new division as that star who can hopefully raise the profile of the game beyond where it is now. A player who sets the world alight, but the rollercoaster has already started.”

The eight teams who make up the Women’s Super League are Arsenal, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Chelsea, Doncaster Rovers, Everton, Lincoln and Liverpool.