Fabio Capello Calls For England Support To Back Jamie Carragher

England boss Fabio Capello hopes England fans will get behind Jamie Carragher as he returns to international competition.

The Liverpool star retired from international duty back in 2007 and has since downplayed the honour of playing for his country, maintaining he would rather win with Liverpool than with England.

With the England boss fearing a backlash if Carragher features for the Three Lions, Capello has proclaimed he hopes fans will show respect to the 34-time capped defender.

“Carragher is one of the England players and the fans must support him,” Capello told the Daily Telegraph. “You have to support all the players. I think during the World Cup all the fans will help us.”

Capello admitted it took some convincing to get Carragher to return to the England fold.

“He had to think about it,” Capello said. “We tried to convince him more or less five times. He said 'no, no, no, no’. And now he said 'yes’. He is focused and a leader on the pitch.”

Reds Mourn Idrizaj

Liverpool Football Club have been shocked and saddened by the death of former striker Besian Idrizaj.

The 22-year-old Austrian is thought to have died in his sleep at his family home on Friday evening.

Idrizaj joined the Reds from LASK Linz in the summer of 2005 but despite spending three years at Anfield, he did not make a competitive appearance for the club.

His best moment in a Liverpool shirt came in a 2007 pre-season clash at Wrexham, in which he netted a first-half hat-trick to secure a 3-2 victory.

Everyone at Liverpool Football Club would like to pass on their condolences to Besian's family and friends at this very sad time.

Rafa Benitez 'Could Replace Jose Mourinho At Inter Milan'

The Spaniard's future at Liverpool is unclear, as he is known to have an uneasy relationship with the club's American owners.

It had been thought he would quit Anfield at the end of the Premier League season and accept a big-money offer to take charge at Juventus.

According to the Sun, Juventus are not the only Italian club interested in securing Benitez's services.

Inter Milan have also been in touch with his agent to find out whether he will be available this summer.

The Serie A champions are currently managed by Jose Mourinho, who has guided them to the Champions League final.

They are keen to retain Mourinho's services, but are aware that the ex-Chelsea boss is a target for Real Madrid and fear they cannot compete with the salary package and transfer war chest the Spanish club can offer.

Should Mourinho choose Real Madrid, it appears Benitez will be high on the list of potential successors at the San Siro.

Meanwhile, Juventus are also reported to be considering abandoning their bid for Benitez and making a move for Fulham boss Roy Hodgson instead.

Hodgson is well known in Italy, having previously managed both Inter Milan and Udinese.

Barcelona Presidential Candidate Sandro Rosell Working On Deal For Fernando Torres

Barcelona president-elect Sandro Rosell has reportedly contacted Fernando Torres' representatives to enquire about the possibility of taking the Liverpool striker to the Camp Nou in the future.

The Daily Mail reports that Rosell, who is one of the leading candidates to replace Joan Laporta as Barca president this summer, has enquired about the chances of Torres being keen on a move to the Catalans and supposedly received a favourable response.

Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City are also said to be in the race for Torres' signature as reports continue to link the Spain international with an Anfield exit.

Various rumours have suggested that Torres is looking for a way out of the club after a disappointing season and is seemingly unwilling to commit his future to the Reds with so much uncertainty surrounding boss Rafael Benitez and whether he will remain as manager next term.

The report goes on to suggest that the deal could hinge on Barca landing Valencia's David Villa, with Laporta supposedly hoping to seal a deal for the Los Che striker before the World Cup.

With the La Liga giants likely to be required to part with at least £35 million to acquire the services of Spain star Villa, the necessary funds to secure the signing of Torres would seemingly be unavailable if a deal was to be struck.

Premier League Chief Backs Liverpool's Spirit of Shankly Campaign

Liverpool fans group Spirit of Shankly claim the Premier League has given its blessing to Liverpool fans to continue their campaign against the club’s owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Members of SOS, the Liverpool supporters union, met with Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore at the league’s Gloucester Place headquarters in London yesterday to air their concerns about the way in which the club is being run.

And while the Premier League reportedly backed the ongoing protests, they claim the debts amassed by Hicks and Gillett are currently sustainable.

Liverpool is currently £237million in the red. Concerns grew stronger recently with the revelation the Anfield club registered record annual losses of £55m for the year ending July 2009 and is paying £110,000 a day in interest payments.

SOS spokesman, Jay McKenna, said: “Richard Scudamore suggested we keep on campaigning. He understood the fans are unhappy and want some answers. That was a positive to come from the meeting.”

The four-man delegation from the SOS executive committee met with Scudamore and the Premier League’s head of communications, Dan Johnson, and head of supporter relations, Cathy Long.

Although the Premier League admitted there is little they can do at present to help worried fans, Scudamore revealed steps have been taken to encourage responsible ownership of clubs in the future.

Added McKenna: “They were quite receptive to our concerns but it was clear that, as things stand, the Premier League’s powers are limited.

“The fit and proper persons test they apply to prospective owners isn’t subjective. What Tom Hicks and George Gillett are like as people doesn’t come into it.

“But they told us they have looked into some of the issues affecting, not only Liverpool, but other clubs in the league. They have come up with proposals to change the fit and proper persons test, which are to be heard at the league’s summer AGM.

“We told them we see the level of debt at the club as unsustainable. The Premier League response was that the future of the club is currently safe and they’re satisfied that Liverpool can fulfil its obligations to the league.

“That’s based on the current value of the club and the fact that, although we’re losing money, we are sustainable by the value of our assets such as players who can be sold down the line. This idea of sustainability it somewhat different from ours.”

Hicks and Gillett officially put Liverpool up for sale last month with British Airways chairman Martin Broughton being drafted in to help speed up the process.

While SOS are committed to the removal of the Americans they also requested guarantees from the Premier League that a similar situation will not be allowed to occur with new owners or investors.

“We want to make sure this situation wouldn’t happen again,” explained McKenna. “The Premier League have tried to give us assurances. But at the moment club chairmen have to agree to the changes the league would like to implement.

“It’s dependent on those who own football clubs to agree to the changes or not.

“Our plans now are to keep up the pressure on Hicks and Gillett to make sure we are listened to. We also want to make sure the Premier League take action to prevent this happening again.”

John Aldridge: I Fear Fernando Torres Will Be Sold

There is a sense of relief that the season is over but also a fear for the future.

It all got a bit monotonous towards the end. By our standards, it was horrendous.

Throughout it all it’s been quite apparent which players care and those who don’t.

Now is the time to get rid of any deadwood and bring in some of the young lads who have been brought up in the traditions of the club.

I reckon we could raise about £30million by selling off those who I would deem surplus to requirements.

We should use that money to bring in a couple of quality players and combine them with the rest of the squad and the likes of Jay Spearing, Martin Kelly and Stephen Darby; good, young players who care.

It’s not like there will be loads of transfer cash at the manager’s disposal – whoever that is.

Rafa Benitez’s situation is still up in the air. Either way it needs to be sorted sooner rather than later so we can move on and plan for next season.

My biggest concern, though, is that Fernando Torres will be forced out.

I’ve got a horrible feeling about it.

The Americans aren’t too concerned about matters on the pitch. So with spiralling debts and no sign of selling the club any time soon, cashing in on Torres is their quickest way of easing the burden of debt they’ve placed on the club.

You could apply the same logic to Steven Gerrard but it’s Torres who seems the most likely to be put up for auction.

Of course, the player would be totally blameless if it came to that but I fear that little, if any, of the funds raised by a sale would be used for squad strengthening.

I hope I’m wrong.

The best case scenario would be to start the new season with the squad we’ve got now – minus the deadwood and plus one or two new additions – while the banks force the owners into a quick sale.

Here’s hoping.

Liverpool FC Record Breaker Jack Robinson Provides A Ray Of Sunshine

IT has been a hugely testing season for everyone at Anfield so, with that in mind, it is vital to seize upon any possible source of good news that becomes public.

For those who ventured to Hull last Sunday, the good news arrived in the 86th minute when Jack Robinson became the youngest player in Liverpool’s history.

Given that he is only 16 – and 256 days, to be precise – it would be unfair to burden him with expectation.

All that can be said, then, is that it is hoped that appearance will be the first of many for Robinson, who understandably was beaming from ear to ear as he left the KC Stadium.

Should he remain focused, there is no reason why he can’t figure again next year.

Liverpool Need Stabilising To Avoid Repeat Of Dismal Season

The end of a truly dismal season should provide Liverpool fans with some much-needed relief.
The Anfield club’s season came to a whimpering end with a goalless draw at Hull City last Sunday. Alberto Aquilani and Nabil El Zhar came close to unlocking an unreliable Tiger’s defence but fittingly the match ended in frustration for the Reds, in line with the reoccurring theme of the whole season.

It has been a campaign riddled with disappointment.

In recent weeks Rafael Benítez has defended his side claiming the expectations were too high last August. However a second place finish in the previous season coupled with a club record Premier League points tally, the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford and an in-form Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard were inevitably going to sweep optimism across Merseyside.

The sale of Xabi Alonso, a host of poor acquisitions, disputes with the hierarchy at the club have all been cited as factors which have led to the culmination of an abysmal season. The hefty charge that the owners have placed hovering over the club has only added to the sense of impending doom.

This summer will be vital for Liverpool. The willingness of George Gillette and Tom Hicks to sell the club means that club will be facing a potential overhaul in the coming months. Martin Broughton, the newly installed chairman, has warned that the process of finding investors could take the best part of 12 months.

But it does provide the supporters with at least some hope that the current financial uncertainty at the club can be stabilised.

The debate is raging over whether Benítez should remain on as Liverpool manager. Juventus had entered the fray as potential suitors to the Spanish manager but in recent days the 50-year-old seems to have rebuked their advances.

“I want to stay it would never be easy to leave this club,” he said after the Hull match. “I had a meeting with the chairman the other day and it was positive, hopefully we will have another meeting this week and see if it gets done and dusted.”

So will the powers that be at Anfield be willing to delve into the already-stretched coffers and provide Benítez with funds for much needed investment in playing staff? The former Valencia manager has been widely criticised for his signings during his five year tenure.

For every Pepe Reina, Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, there have been three or four hapless flops. Names like Josemi, Jan Kromkamp and Andrea Dossena make the illustrious list. The futures of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard are far from secured with the departure of Liverpool’s prized jewels a real possibility.

According to The Guardian, the financial situation is perilous at Anfield and the Premier League has sought assurances that Liverpool will be able to fulfil their fixtures next season and not go bust. Recent figures suggest the five-time European champions are £350 million in debt.

Clearly then a new investor in urgently needed to steady the club. Liverpool must be stabilised over the summer in order to avoid another dysfunctional season.

Burglars Told Steven Gerrard's Wife They Would Take Her Kids'

The wife of the footballer Steven Gerrard was told by burglars they would ''take her kids'' in a terrifying raid on their home, a court heard.

Alex Curran confronted the masked gang, who demanded she hand over jewellery and the contents of a safe, Liverpool Crown Court was told.

Details of the ordeal emerged after Martin Wilson, 22, changed his plea and admitted the burglary following legal arguments.

Graham Pickavance, for the prosecution, told the court the robbery took place in December 2007 as the Reds captain led his team to victory in a Champions League game against Marseille.

Ms Curran, 27, had remained at the home in Formby, Merseyside, with their two children, Lilly-Ella and Lexie, now aged six and four, and their nanny Lyndsey Johnston.

Mr Pickavance described the mansion as secured by high walls, a fence and electronically-controlled gates.

He said the two women and the children were in their bedrooms when, at about 9.30pm, a loud smash was heard from downstairs.

He said: ''Alexandra Curran left her bedroom and met Lyndsey Johnston at the top of the stairs.

''Miss Johnston said she thought somebody had got into the house and as they looked they saw a group of men walking into the hallway.''

The barrister said Miss Curran shouted to the men ''leave now''.

But the thieves raced up the stairs and one of them demanded ''Where's the ------- safe?'' and ''Where's the ------- jewellery?''.

Ms Curran told the men there was no safe and jewellery was not kept at the house.

One of the gang then directed another to ''get the blade out of the car'', before telling Ms Curran: ''If you don't tell us where the safe is, we'll take the kids.''

Mr. Pickavance said Miss Curran told the men the safe was in a cupboard downstairs so they then "dragged" her with them to look.

They also forced her to hand over the silver Rolex watch she was wearing.

He added: "The men attempted to take the safe but they could not move it very far because it was too heavy. So they began to ransack the room."

He said Miss Johnston picked up a telephone but was caught before she was able to get through to the emergency services.

She told the raiders she had made contact with the police so they demanded access to the CCTV system at the house.

Miss Curran, the court heard, told them she did not know how to access the system.

The gang then ran out of the house through French windows to the patio which had been smashed when they gained entry.

Police caught up with Wilson by analysing the use of his mobile phone, the court heard.

The defendant is serving six years and eight months in jail after admitting conspiracy to burgle at Liverpool Crown Court last June.

A mobile phone he used during one of those robberies, in which he and five others targeted the homes of wealthy Merseyside families, was also used close to the Gerrard home on the night it was raided, technical evidence showed.

Are ‘Senior Sources’ Undermining Rafael Benitez At Anfield?

Rafa Benitez often apologises for a faltering command of the English language. Utterly unnecessarily. Because his use of rhetorical irony in a cutting post-match press conference at Hull City last Sunday was almost Shakespearean.

Six times the Reds boss used the phrase ‘senior sources’.

That’s one more than Mark Antony used in turning a Roman crowd against the noble Brutus – his buzz phrase was “an honourable man” – and it was enough to give Reds fans even more cause for concern.

Despite dispensing with one chief executive he couldn’t work with, Rafa still appears unable to form an open, trusting relationship with the Reds board.

That was painfully transparent at the KC Stadium last Sunday.

“If I stay, I am not thinking about selling Gerrard and Torres – just in case ‘senior sources’ say different things,” he muttered.

He went on: “It depends. ‘Senior sources’ maybe will say different, but it has been the same in the history of football.”

And there was more.

Six separate references to ‘senior sources’ in fact, all of them heavily ironic.

The inference is clear. The Liverpool manager thinks ‘senior sources’ at Liverpool are briefing the media against him.

So is Rafa paranoid?

Does he see shadows on grassy knolls?

Or are there ‘senior sources’ out to get him?

Of course Rafa himself could be the problem.

His track record for falling out with senior executives at football clubs is impressive.

Jesus Pitarch at Valencia, Rick Parry at Liverpool, George Gillett (although few would criticise him for picking that particular fight), and now un-named ‘senior sources.’

Maybe he’s a manager who thrives on creative tension.

Or perhaps he is being undermined.

As Rafa might say, let’s examine the ‘facts’.

A story was ‘broken’ by the BBC on Tuesday May 4.

“Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has cancelled two scheduled face-to-face meetings with the club’s new chairman, Martin Broughton,” ran the report.

It inferred that Benitez was stalling for time while Juventus courted him.

It certainly painted the Reds boss in a poor light.

If Benitez was irritated so were we, because it appeared we’d ‘missed’ a juicy tale. Except it seems there was no ‘story’ to miss.

A first meeting, scheduled for April 20, was called off because an unexpected cloud of volcanic ash spreading across Europe meant that Rafa Benitez had to spend 48 hours on a train with his players rather than two hours on a plane.

No problem. No-one could have foreseen Mount Eyjafjallajökull erupting.

The next meeting was scheduled for 24 hours before the visit of Chelsea – until Martin Broughton decided he wouldn’t be coming back to Merseyside for the Chelsea game because of his already publicised footballing allegiances.

So no opportunity to squeeze a meeting in there then.

Still no major problem, until the story on the BBC website, which spread in this internet age like a particularly vicious virus.

Forgive me if I’m seeing shadows on grassy knolls now, but it looks like someone was briefing the Beeb against the Liverpool manager.

And further scrutiny of the article shows it was someone inside the Anfield boardroom.

“There is some surprise inside the Anfield boardroom at the timing of Benitez’s call on Tuesday for an urgent meeting with Broughton to discuss the future,” added the BBC story.

There have been other ‘leaks.’

“It is known around Anfield that Christian Purslow has talked to Benítez about his style of management, notably his cold detachment from the players,” wrote the Daily Telegraph last November, adding: “Liverpool can afford to sack Benítez. Compensation would be less than £5 million under the ‘mitigating the loss’ principle if he found employment.”

It doesn’t take a huge leap to work out where the Telegraph might have got their compensation figure from.

That story and the BBC ‘revelation’ may not be linked. Liverpool board members have always spoken to the media – and even after foul-mouthed Tom junior’s resignation there are still several board members remaining.

But board members who brief against a manager should beware.

Remember Noel White?

He spent 21 years at Anfield before falling on his sword for criticising Benitez in a newspaper article.

At the time Benitez said: “The important thing is the club, and such things as this do not normally happen here. This is a big club and there is a way of doing things here.”

That was four years ago. Has that way of doing things gone for good?

It was Bill Shankly who effectively labelled Anfield directors as simply men who sign the cheques.

Rightly or wrongly, that’s an image which has persisted.

Even those Reds fans who want Rafa Benitez out have a huge well of emotion for the man, largely inspired by one emotional night in Istanbul.

Any ‘senior sources’ inside Anfield who try to take him on will do so at their peril.

Javier Mascherano's Liverpool Contract Talks Delayed Until After 2010 World Cup

Javier Mascherano's contract negotiations with Liverpool have been delayed until after he returns from the World Cup, according to a report from Press Association.

The Argentinian midfielder has been in talks with the club for three months over a new deal, with progress believed to have been encouraging. But with the club having released players for the summer and Mascherano scheduled to join the Albicelestes' World Cup preparations, the club have been forced to suspend further negotiations until after he returns from the tournament in South Africa.

Last summer Mascherano was heavily linked with a move to Spanish side Barcelona, with the enforcer seemingly receptive to the rumours. But after re-affirming his commitment to the club this season Liverpool were hopeful that he would follow in the footsteps of goalkeeper Jose Reina — who signed a new six-year deal at Anfield last month — and secure his long-term future at the club. Now they are set for an anxious wait for Mascherano to return to the bargaining table ahead of next season.

The news will be another blow to manager Rafael Benitez, who is already concerned that his squad will struggle at the beginning of next season. Liverpool's seventh place finish in the Premier League means they will be entered in the third qualifying round of the Europa League next season, which kicks off at the end of July — just 18 days of the World Cup final, which might involve one or more Reds players.

"We have to prepare. We have pre-season more or less organised and we now have to analyse carefully the schedule and see if we can organise the fixtures properly," Benitez said.

"Last year we had too many players away with the Confederations Cup (also in South Africa) so the teams are suffering with these tournaments and every year it is more and more so it is not easy."

Liverpool Ready Move for £8m Bundesliga Starlet: Rafa Shows Interest In Mesut Ozil

Liverpool are hoping to make a successful move for German international starlet Mesut Ozil this summer. Rafa Benitez is a big fan of the Werder Bremen attacker and hopes that he can convince the Bundesliga club to accept an offer in the region of £8m for the 21 year old.

The former Schalke man reportedly has just one year left on his contract and may well be interested in a move to the Premier League and would no doubt be excited by interest shown in him by the Anfield outfit.

Rafa Benitez is looking for more creativity in his midfield and is apparently most interested in Ozil’s ability to play in a number of different positions. The well built Bremen man can play across the midfield as well as effectively on both wings but perhaps most interestingly can be used in the hole behind the strikers.

A number of sides are reportedly interested in Ozil with Arsenal being one side who has repeatedly linked with a move for his services and has been in sparkling form this term weighing in with nine goals and 17 assists which have helped his side to a third placed finish and a coveted Champions League spot.

Roma Like Yossi Benayoun, But He Has A Contract With Liverpool

Yossi Benayoun is likely to stay at Liverpool, despite growing interest from Roma, says agent Ronen Katzav.

Reports have linked the Israeli midfielder with an end of season move to the Scudetto hopefuls. And while the agent is aware of Roma's interest, he says a move there is not in the offing.

"We have not been contacted by Roma," Katzav told forzaromainfo.

"We know about an interest from Roma, and there has been plenty of talk about this, but we have not had any contact with the directors.

"Roma would be nice, but my client has a contract with Liverpool and he is fine in England."

Real Madrid And Inter To Battle It Out For Steven Gerrard

Real Madrid and Inter are hot on the trail of Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, according to El Mundo Deportivo.

Inter are keen to bring in the English international as Nerazzurri boss coach Jose Mourinho has reportedly been a long time admirer of the Reds star and he could be a good fit alongside the likes of Wesley Sneijder and Esteban Cambiasso.

Meanwhile, the report suggests that Real Madrid have already set aside a bid of €26 million for the 29-year-old after their disappointing Champions League campaign.

Should he join Real Madrid it would throw Kaka's future at the Santiago Bernabeu in doubt, but also give Gerrard the chance to link up with former team-mate Xabi Alonso in the centre of the pitch.

Whether the England star will indeed be leaving Anfield is another question, but several members of the press feel that it is a possibility after the team's disappointing season.

Liverpool Close On Deal To Sign Rangers Defender Danny Wilson

Liverpool are closing in on a £2.5million deal for Danny Wilson - and his Rangers defensive partner Madjid Bougherra hopes to follow him to Anfield

Wilson, 18, has only one year remaining on his contract with the Scottish Premier League champions. Rangers boss Walter Smith has admitted defeat in getting the centre-back to put pen to paper and has sanctioned his sale which will go through in June, The Liverpool Echo has reported.

Wilson has enjoyed a breakthrough season and recently claimed both the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association and Football Writers' Association Young Player awards.

Bougherra enjoyed a spell in the Premier League with Charlton Athletic and has targeted Liverpool as the outfit he wants to return to. He is currently training with Algeria's World Cup squad in Switzerland.

His agent Farid Raayad claims Liverpool have expressed an interest in his services.

Bougherra added: “If a big team comes in and Rangers accept an offer for me that is destiny."

Dalla Valle Scoops Award

Lauri Dalla Valle's Sunderland stunner has been named as the Reserves' Goal of the Season following a fans' vote on Liverpoolfc.tv.

The Finnish starlet netted our second-string's final strike of 2009-10 with the only goal of the game against the Black Cats earlier this month.

His effort claimed 31 per cent of the vote to secure the accolade.

Dalla Valle saw off competition from Daniel Pacheco, whose perfectly executed free-kick against Burnley clinched second with 14 per cent.

The Spaniard's Manchester City volley came joint third along with Nathan Eccleston's curler against Blackburn on the opening day of the campaign. Both goals claimed 11 per cent of the vote.

‘No-one Is Bigger Than Liverpool FC' - Robbie Fowler's Message To Rafa Benitez

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler has warned Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez that “no-one is bigger than the club.”

Benitez brought Fowler back to Anfield for an emotional second spell four years ago, but his own position has come under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks.

And Fowler, now playing for Perth Glory in Australia, said: “I was always grateful to him (Benitez) for bringing me back, so I always have a bit of a soft spot for him, but at the end of the day it’s a big club and no one is bigger than the club.

“First and foremost we want to be winning trophies and to be the top dogs. It’s a tricky situation. I don’t want to be sat here saying he has got to go, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

“I just want Liverpool to do well, whether it’s Rafa there or someone else there I don’t really mind.

“First and foremost Liverpool is Liverpool and I think we deserve to be top of the table every year. Whoever is in charge has a big job on their hands.”

With his own playing days coming to a close, Fowler revealed he is looking to turn to coaching himself and has ambitiously pointed to the top job at Anfield as his dream appointment.

The 35-year-old striker is currently playing in Australia’s domestic league where he is contracted for at least one more season with Perth Glory, so any move into coaching is still some way off.

Fowler is also yet to earn his coaching badges and while he admits his dream to manage Liverpool is “a million miles away” should it one day happen it would not be the first time he has made a shock return to a club where he is revered.

World Cup 2010 Betting

The first World Cup Tournament was held in Uruguay in 1930 and was won by the hosts and since then there has been some great tournaments. Brazil hold the record for the most wins with five having won first in 1958 and most recently in 2002.

With the 2010 South Africa World Cup fast approaching we are only too aware that all you football punters out there are looking for those little tips that might help you make your 2010 summer that bit more lucrative. We are going to be trying to give you those little pointers right here over the coming months that may well give you the upper hand over the bookies when you are ready to try some World Cup Betting.

The 2010 World Cup is slightly different as this is the first World Cup that has been played on African soil so there is no history to judge the winner on. The weather may well play a key part as teams like England, Germany and France may benefit as the tournament will take place in the South African winter which should give cooler temperatures.

One good pointer to keep in mind when making your World Cup selection is the astonishing fact that no European team has ever won the World Cup when the tournament has been hosted outside of Europe. For instance, when the World Cup was hosted by United States in 1994 and South Korea/Japan in 2002, Brazil was the eventual winner on both occasions.

This is a stat that is reeled out every time the tournament comes around but it is unlikely to be a coincidence as it is constantly proved over and over again. The old adage is that the European teams do not travel well and if the trend continues then punters need to be looking outside of the European teams in South Africa and this may in turn affect the odds provided by online betting web sites.

Tommy Smith: Jamie Carragher Deserves To Be In England's 2010 World Cup Squad

I couldn’t be more delighted to see Jamie Carragher called up into the England World Cup squad. And the rest of the country should be celebrating with me too.

Jamie’s no big head, that’s for sure. But he is a great player full of self belief and confidence in his abilities and when ex-England boss Steve McLaren repeatedly snubbed him, Jamie’s self-respect and his desire to devote himself totally to Liverpool FC told him he should quit international football.

But now Fabio Capello has made it crystal clear he knows exactly how good a player he is and barring a cruel injury or a major U-turn from the England coach, I’m sure Anfield’s vice captain with be on that plane to South Africa now.

If there’s one thing the Italians can spot it is a top international quality defender. And that’s exactly what Jamie is.

In a dreadful season for Liverpool, he’s given everything he’s got – once again.

He’s a superb tackler, can head the ball well and isn’t afraid to get rid of it unceremoni- ously when required, rather than play fancy football in dangerous areas near his own goal.

His passing, long and short, is far better than he ever gets credit for and he’s also one of the best readers of the game I’ve ever seen, as well as one of the best footballers ever to have played for Liverpool.

On top of all that, plus his vast experience, Jamie is an extra captain on the pitch and can play right across the back four.

So to me, taking him to the South Africa is a no brainer and I’m made up he has jumped at the chance to get involved again.

I never made a final World Cup Squad – so I hope Jamie now savours every moment if he gets out there.

In fact, I remember being in Alf Ramsey’s initial 30 man squad for Mexico in 1970 – and only found out I hadn’t made the final cut when I walked into a shop and read it in the Echo!

It was a huge blow – but Shanks picked me up and told me we’d win far more at Anfield than England and Ramsey ever would.

Jamie’s been brilliant in a rotten season for the Reds. I’m chuffed for you, Jamie lad!

Pepe Reina deserves to be Spain’s number one

Another player who’s never been in any doubt that he was heading to South Africa is Pepe Reina.

But unless injury befalls Iker Casillas, it looks like Pepe will spend most of his time on the bench for Spain.

Casillas is a great keeper but I think he’s slipped from the standards he set earlier in his career, whereas Pepe just keeps getting better and better.

If he gets a chance, not only will he take it, but I believe he could hang on to the shirt.

Pepe, like Jamie Carragher, has been superb for Liverpool in this awful season and has stood out with his passion and commitment to the club.

He fully deserves his player of the season honour at Anfield.

On top of that, Pepe has now come out and told the owners to do one – and do it quickly – which is just what every Liverpool fan is demanding of the Americans.

That takes bottle for a player to say. But Pepe clearly loves the club and, rain or shine, is determined to speak his mind and commit his future to what will hopefully be brighter days ahead.

Like Jamie he too fully deserves to be out there on the world stage.

Kuyt Sets Reds Target

Dirk Kuyt admits it is crucial Liverpool get themselves back in the UEFA Champions League next season.

The Reds missed out on Europe's premier competition this season after finishing in seventh spot in their worst finish in 11 years.

It is feared Liverpool's failure to qualify for next season's Champions League could see a number of top stars depart Anfield, while it could hamper their chances of landing transfer targets.

However, Kuyt feels Liverpool are still an attractive proposition providing they make a swift return to the Premier League's top four next season.

"Liverpool is a massive club. It's very disappointing that we don't have the Champions League because, up until last season, we had done so well in the competition," said Kuyt.

"But this is what has happened. We have just got to make sure that we will be right back in it next year.

"Players who want to play in the Champions League would like Liverpool.

"We just have to make sure that we will back in it within one year."

Kuyt believes with a few quality additions and keeping Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard Liverpool can be back challenging for honours next term.

"If we can buy a few more players, I think we will be really close to winning trophies again," added Kuyt.

"There were times this season when we didn't play well and conceded last-minute goals but we were also really unlucky, when you think of the beach ball (which contributed to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland) and the injuries we had.

"Fernando was a huge miss in particular. Last season, it was the opposite and we were the ones scoring the last-minute goals. Everything was going our way then.

"We just need a little bit more luck and a bit more quality in the team. Everyone knows that.

"In the meantime, everyone who is here needs to work really hard to improve."

Martin Skrtel Battling To Be Fit For Slovakia's World Cup 2010 'Dream'

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel is keeping his fingers crossed that the hard work he has put into his rehabilitation from a broken metatarsal will mean that he is fit enough to play in Slovakia's World Cup campaign.

The Slovaks begin their tournament with a group game against New Zealand on June 15 and Skrtel has been putting in the hours at Liverpool's Melwood training ground in order to ensure that he makes the fixture.

"It is a proud moment for my country to have qualified and I hope to be there with them," Skrtel told the Reds' official website.

"It has been a very frustrating time for me being injured and not being available for Liverpool but all I can do is wait and see.

"I've had great support from the medical staff at Liverpool and my family, so I will do everything I can to be fit for the World Cup."

The fact that their team has managed to qualify for the World Cup for the first time means that the players will be even more motivated to do well, according to Skrtel.

"It's a big thing for Slovakia to have qualified for our first finals. It's a dream for everyone to get to South Africa," the centre-back added.

"We have achieved this dream as a country and now we have to show what we are all about and give our best."

Ever Banega Close To £8.5m Liverpool Switch With Four-Year Contract On The Table

Valencia midfielder Ever Banega is keen on securing a summer move to Liverpool, Goal.com has learned.

It appears that Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is set to raid his former club to fill the void left by the departure of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid last summer, with Alberto Aquilani having not been an adequate replacement.

Now it is believed that Banega is fully in favour of a move to Anfield, despite the lack of UEFA Champions League football on Merseyside next season.

Sources close to the 21-year-old central midfielder have told Goal.com Spain that the Reds have put on the table a four-year contract, which has delighted the midfielder, paving the way for a move which would see him link up with fellow Argentinians Javier Mascherano and Emiliano Insua.

It is understood that Liverpool have made a bid of around £8.5 million [€10m], Banega's buyout clause, but is considerably less than the £15m [€18m] los Che paid Boca Juniors to take him from the Bombonera two years ago.

Since leaving his home country, Banega has endured an up-and-down time in Spain, struggling to settle at first and being the subject of a fairly embarrassing 'video scandal'.

He was loaned out to Atletico Madrid and monitored by Everton, but was eventually recalled by coach Unai Emery and realised his potential this season. Alongside David Villa and Silva, Banega was hailed as one of the key components in Valencia's team, who have secured third place in La Liga behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Valencia's financial problems are well publicised and despite talk of potential big-money departures from the Mestalla, such as David Villa, Silva and Juan Mata, the transfer income from such sales would not be sufficient to get anywhere near clearing their debt, which is now in excess of £511m [€600m]. As a result, every player is unofficially for sale this summer in what could be another make-or-break transfer window for the club.

Tottenham Consider Sending Roman Pavlyuchenko To Liverpool In Swap Deal For Yossi Benayoun

Tottenham Hotspur could make a move that would send striker Roman Pavlyuchenko to Liverpool in exchange for midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

The Reds were looking to bring the Russian international to Anfield in the winter but Spurs asking price of Benayoun and £2million was too high for Liverpool.

Liverpool could decide to just sell the Israel international in a money deal and could get up to £10m from Spurs, Aston Villa, Roma, Sevilla or Dynamo Moscow, who have shown interest in Benayoun.

Spurs were close to selling Pavlyuchenko to Russian Premier League side Lokomotiv Moscow for £10m in the winter but with the striker returning to Harry Redknapp’s starting line-up Lokomotiv manager Yuri Semin fears that a move for the Russian will be tough.

“The situation has changed,” Semin told the Daily Mail.

“I'm afraid it will be difficult to get Pavlyuchenko.

“His team qualified for the Champions League and he regained the coach's confidence.”

Liverpool And Espanyol Join Chase For Turkish Winger Erkin

IMScouting sources understand that Liverpool and Espanyol have registered their interest in 21 year-old left-sided midfielder Caner Erkin.

The Turkish international has spent the season on loan at Turkish giants Galatasaray from his parent club CSKA Moscow. Erkin has performed well in Turkey, alerting both Liverpool and Spanish club Espanyol who have been monitoring him closely.

Erkin has spent three seasons at CSKA Moscow, but the quick and technically gifted midfielder was allowed to go to Galatasaray on loan with a view to a permanent move. However, transfer negotiations between CSKA Moscow and Galatasaray appear to be stalling and so Liverpool and Espanyol are considering taking advantage of the Turkish side's hesitancy.

Although Liverpool's financial future is uncertain, Erkin would provide a relatively inexpensive addition to Rafa Benitez's squad, as it is believed he would be available from CSKA Moscow for around 3-4 million Euros. With Albert Rieira's Liverpool career all but over and speculation over Yossi Benayoun's Anfield future, there could well be room for a midfielder.

Meanwhile, Spanish side Espanyol sit comfortably in mid-table in La Liga. However, they have a lack of left-sided attacking options and with Javi Marquez having been linked to several clubs including Tottenham, a move for Erkin could be on the cards.

Erkin already has seven international caps for Turkey to his name.

Hicks-Gillett Rift At Liverpool ‘Had Roots In Differences Over Benitez’

As the Spirit of Shankly group of Liverpool fans confirmed today that they will meet with Premier League officials on Friday to discuss ownership and governance issues at their club, sportingintelligence can reveal the historic rift between Tom Hicks and George Gillett was fueled by their contrasting views on Rafa Benitez.

Sources with intimate knowledge of the Hicks-Gillett relationship during the Americans’ time at Anfield tell us it was Hicks who “made all the running” in sounding out Jurgen Klinsmann as an “insurance policy” management option at the end of 2007.

After the Klinsmann talks were made public in January 2008 – when it became evident the owners had doubted Benitez – Hicks fell firmly into the pro-Rafa camp. Our sources add it was also Hicks who was the driving force in giving Benitez a five-year deal last year.

Gillett, on the other hand, although supportive of the Spaniard, felt Benitez worked best under the supervision of a “moderating” executive, specifically the former chief executive, Rick Parry.

Parry left in the summer of last year, after it became clear that, according to one source, “it was obviously going to be a dysfunctional situation going forward.” Hicks was aligned to Benitez, who had been given more powers in his new deal, while Gillett was aligned to Parry, who Gillett believed “kept Rafa in control”. Except Benitez didn’t want to be kept in control, and would not be.

Fast-forward one extremely disappointing season, and Hicks and Gillett are much closer now in mindset. The club is up for sale and Barclays Capital are actively talking to potential bidders, one of whom we reported on earlier this week.

The Americans still privately insist the club is in great financial shape, despite losses for the parent company of £55m last year, mainly due to interest payments of £40m on debt. They are also prepared to inject more money for transfers this summer “for one last time”, a source says.

The rationale is that they need an asset in good shape to make it attractive for a decent bid, but the Americans harbour “grave doubts” that Benitez should be the man to spend the money to keep the asset in good shape.

Figures acquired from inside the club by sportingintelligence show Benitez has spent more than £244m on transfers in the past four years. Hicks and Gillett do not trust Benitez to spend any more of their money. [NB late addition to piece: that £244m is a gross figure, not net, as the debate in the comments below elaborates on].

They will not sack him because his £16m pay-off is too expensive, and thus hope he leaves of his own volition. If he doesn’t leave – for Juventus or elsewhere – then they will only spend in the summer if the club’s chairman, Martin Broughton, oversees any deals.

Benitez wants cash and the freedom to spend it. All this is understood to have been part of a series of recent discussions (to be continued) between Benitez and Broughton.

The SoS group, meanwhile, will meet the Premier League, including chief executive Richard Scudamore, on Friday, to discuss issues they raised last month about Hicks and Gillett’s ownership.

SoS will ask a series of questions and will tell the League: “We do not want another Tom and George, we want ‘fit and proper’ owners. After all, it’s our football club, it’s our game, and on behalf of our members we are going to have our say.”

James McKenna, spokesperson for SoS, said “The Premier League have a duty to run the game properly, to regulate it and make sure it is protected. However, they don’t seem to take this duty seriously, allowing the debts at Liverpool to pile up, with owners who are far from fit and proper. Sadly, we aren’t the only club this is happening to, it is happening to many others, and the fans are the ones left to fight for their clubs.

“We would like to the Premier League to better protect clubs and put in place regulation that stops what has happened with Hicks and Gillett from happening all over again. It isn’t right or proper that a club should pay for its owners to actually own them, and it isn’t proper for the future and the finances of a club to be put in jeopardy for the sake of business and making a profit. Those in charge need to act, and they need to act now, before it’s all too late.”

Scudamore has been a sympathetic listener as Portsmouth fans have kept him updated on the dreadful declining state of their financially decrepit club this season. Lessons learned at Portsmouth have partly led to new rules that will be adopted this summer to lower the chances of new anonymous owners will no proof of funds and no business plans.

(The mysterious Ali Al Faraj – a former owner of Pompey who has never been seen in Britain and who never had an active role – falls into this category.)

SoS are sure to get tea and sympathy. But it will probably also be pointed out that both Gillett and Hicks had respectable references from major sports bodies in the USA, arguably the most highly-screened environment in the world in terms of sports ownership.

They passed the ‘Fit and Proper Persons’ test, which effectively amounts to having no convictions that bar them being directors in British companies. They would have shown proof of funds, albeit borrowed, but leveraging is not disallowed in English football.

They would also have shown a business plan, including the building of a new stadium. It’s just they didn’t manage to execute it.

Spirit of Shankly Set For Showdown Talks With Premier League

A leading Liverpool fans’ group is to demand answers when holding talks with the Premier League tomorrow.

The Spirit of Shankly have managed to secure a meeting with League officials in hope of finding resolutions to the ongoing off-field problems that are blighting the Reds..

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore is the highest profile member of the League delegation set for the face-to-face talks with SOS on Friday.

The supporters’ union says thousands of concerned fans have already e-mailed and written to the League asking what action they are going to take to help a club which has developed severe financial problems.

SOS have expressed their deep concern at how the club has been allowed to “deteriorate” and say Scudamore and the League’s hierarchy must not allow such issues, which have plagued the Tom Hicks and George Gillett ownership reign, to happen again.

James McKenna, spokesperson for SOS said: “The Premier League has a duty to run the game properly, to regulate it and make sure it is protected. However, they don’t seem to take this duty seriously, allowing the debts at Liverpool to pile up, with owners who are far from fit and proper.

“We would like to the Premier League to better protect clubs and put in place regulation that stops what has happened with Hicks and Gillett from happening all over again. It isn’t right or proper that a club should pay for it’s owners to actually own them, and it isn’t proper for the future and the finances of a club to be put in jeopardy for the sake of business and making a profit.

“Those in charge need to act, and they need to act now, before its all too late.”

SOS, established in backlash to the American owners, will have the chance to hammer home their fears for the future having already sent the Premier League a letter.

The furious Anfield supporters’ group believes lack of regulations on the behalf of League chiefs is in part to blame for the Reds’ spiral into danger.

An exert from the letter to the Premier League reads: “It is Liverpool FC’s current predicament and the Premier League's criminal silence on these issues that has prompted me to contact you. Liverpool Football Club now finds itself being 'touted' around looking for someone to come in and pay down the debt with a £100 million investment. So far one bid has been submitted from the Rhone group and with the deadline for offers fast approaching. We may find ourselves forced into inappropriate investment, rather than finding suitable investment.

“I demand that the Premier League conduct a vigorous 'fit and proper' person’s test of any new investor, considering they are expected to take a controlling stake. I demand that subsequently you regulate in a much more vigorous way to ensure that any future investor keep any promises to protect all football clubs and the game that you regulate through binding undertakings to be given to the Premier League.”

SOS also claim in their letter to have sent questions to Reds managing director Christian Purslow - but say they have yet to receive answers.

Sean McGuire: Profits Don’t Matter When Bottom Line Is So Poor

Liverpool FC must persuade every one of its season ticket holders to part with an extra £1,900 just to break even.

That is the magnitude of the mammoth £54.9m pre-tax loss for the 2008-09 season that the club’s accounts revealed when they were published last week.

Talk of an operating profit of £27.4m is misleading as it doesn’t take into account the £42.6m cost of “player amortisation and trading” or the interest payments on the club’s huge loans.

Interest payments alone account for more than £40m – with £8.1m going to the parent company based in the Cayman Islands owned by the club’s co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

Only salesmen are happy with operating profits. To everyone else it’s the bottom line which is critical.

It’s like saying your household is in a healthy financial position, if only you didn’t have to pay your mortgage or tax on your wages.

The trouble is that Liverpool face reduced income due to their seventh-placed finish and poor European performance this year – and if you were in charge of Liverpool’s finances, would you budget for higher performance-related pay next season or not?

The accounts also showed the club’s costs soared again, with its wage bill increasing by more than £12m to nearly £103m. Its number of full-time staff shot up from 386 to 474.

However the increase in turnover – up £161.8m to £184.8m – was largely attributed to broadcasting revenue and prize money, which was not the result of any endeavour by Liverpool’s commercial team.

While the £20m-a-season sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered will make a sizable difference, which will only boost the bottom line if costs don’t continue to rise.

The club’s owners want to sell but probably have an unrealistic price in mind and have brought in a temporary chairman to join an unsettled manager at a time some of the club’s most illustrious players are entering the veterans’ stage of their careers.

The fans are angry and in rebellious mood at what they see as the near ruination of their great club and at the slow and very painful public weakening of that incomparable spirit which, in all its different manifestations, made Liverpool one of the really very few great sports clubs in Europe.

But someone in a position of influence at the club is going to have to have the guts and the vision and the courage to explain to the fans of Liverpool what the plan for the rebuilding of the club involves and they need to do that very soon.

No one believes that next season will be much better than the ignominy of this season. Only someone who is blind to reality – both financial and playing reality – can look forward to 2010-11 with any confidence.

There is only one thing to do. Accept that the rebuilding process will take some time and that the club’s finances need to be sorted out as a priority.

Only when the club is under the control, and then the direct management of a group of people with a plan for its future success, based on the harsh truths of its current predicament will fans have the faith and belief to rally round the team, stick together for a few tough years and then look with real confidence to a much better future.

Whatever now happens, the status quo is not an option.

Rafael Benítez Holds Second Round Of Talks On His Liverpool Future

Rafael Benitez has held a second round of talks with the Liverpool chairman, Martin Broughton, as he seeks assurances that money will be available to revitalise the squad and challenge for a Champions League place next season.

The Liverpool manager met the British Airways chairman, who has been installed to sell the club on behalf of its co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, at Anfield today.

Both parties have agreed to keep their discussions confidential, although Benítez has said he wishes to continue as Liverpool manager providing the club can compete in the transfer market this summer.

He wants guarantees that any money raised through player sales will be reinvested in the squad, even if those sums are inflated by the potential loss of their prize asset Fernando Torres.

Juventus are still awaiting a definitive answer from Benítez having courted the Spaniard all year and have now turned their attentions towards Luigi Del Neri of Sampdoria and the Fiorentina coach, Cesare Prandelli.

Chinese Tycoon Quiet On Reds

Chinese internet gaming tycoon Zhu Jun has refused to deny claims he is interested in buying Liverpool.

Reports have claimed that Zhu, chairman of Nasdaq-listed online game company The9 Limited, has held provisional talks about purchasing the Premier League club.

Zhu, who already owns Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, is said to have met with Barclays Capital, the investment bank hired to handle the sale of the Reds, in Hong Kong in late April and more recently in Shanghai.

Officials at Shanghai-based The9 would not confirm the talks had taken place, with company spokeswoman Phyllis Sai saying: "So far we have no comment on this."

Zhou Liang, Zhu's assistant, also gave an enigmatic response about whether the 44-year-old had held discussions with Liverpool about making a bid for the 18-time league champions.

"I cannot tell you any information at this moment," Zhou added.

"(The report) was information from the English side. Information moves very fast but there are some entities that need vehicles to travel. As soon as they arrive in China, we will let you know."

Lucas Wins Young Player Award

Lucas Leiva, often the butt of many Liverpool supporters’ jokes in the past, has ended a successful season for him personally, if not us as a club, by being named the Young Player of the Season.

The Reds midfielder collected 48 percent of the votes on Liverpoolfc.tv to win this award.

A meteoric rise from a bit part player to a first team regular has seen the 23 year old feature in all but three of our Premier League matches with only Dirk Kuyt, Pepe Reina and Jamie Carragher making more first team appearances than the Brazilian this season.

Lucas most likely wouldn't have played as much for the Reds if our situation off the pitch had been different however he's taken his opportunity well to become one of the few successes of a poor season.

In my honest opinion I'd still like to see him play further forward of the withdrawn role he is often played in though.

Emiliano Insua, who has also been a regular and made his Argentina debut, was the runner up with 20 per cent of the vote.

Torres In World Cup Fitness Race

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres remains a major doubt for Spain's World Cup opener against Switzerland - but is putting in the hours in a bid to be fit.

The 26-year-old underwent an operation on his right knee last month and is now working six hours a day in a bid to face the Swiss on June 16.

"Right now, we cannot say whether Fernando will be ready in time for the first match against Switzerland," said Spain team doctor Juan Jose Garcia Cota.

"He has started to work outside and is still doing gym work to improve the muscle tone around the knee.

"It takes a long time but the process we are following is still very good. We cannot say for sure but we are optimistic.

"There are still many days and the injury evolves day to day."

Torres, who netted the winning goal for his country in the Euro 2008 final against Germany, was yesterday named in Vicente del Bosque's preliminary 30-man squad.

After tackling Switzerland in South Africa, Spain will play further Group H games against Honduras and Chile.

Liverpool Keeper David Martin Joins MK Dons

Karl Robinson has made Liverpool goalkeeper David Martin his first signing as MK Dons manager.

The 24-year-old, who began his career with the Dons, will return when his Anfield contract ends on 1 July.

Martin, who had loan spells with Tranmere, Leeds and Derby this season, has agreed a three-year contract.

Robinson said: "He left the club as a boy but he's come back a man and I think he has all the qualities to be a future England goalkeeper."

Martin made 25 appearances for the Dons before joining Liverpool in December 2006.

He said: "It's a dream come true to be back here and I'm grateful to the manager and chairman for giving me the opportunity."

Aquilani Exit Talk Quashed

Alberto Aquilani's agent has laughed off speculation the Liverpool midfielder will return to Italy in the summer after just one season on Merseyside.

Reports in England have linked the 25-year-old with a speedy return to Serie A after joining the Reds in the summer from Roma for £20million.

After a disappointing year at Anfield, some have suggested Rafa Benitez is willing to offload the injury-prone Italian in a cut-price deal, with Juventus and Fiorentina said to be interested.

But Aquilani's representative Franco Zavaglia has shunned claims his client will leave the Premier League underachievers.

"A return to Italy? It seems a journalistic shot of the British tabloids," Zavaglia told Tuttomercatoweb.com. "I don't know anything, because Alberto is well in Liverpool.

"There is talk of Juventus and Fiorentina but the Bianconeri have to define the structure of the club before thinking about the market.

"Equally, Fiorentina has the issue of Cesare Prandelli to resolve.

"Aquilani has recovered well from his ankle injury and for this reason I think Liverpool won't get rid of him."

Liverpool Plan £8m Raid To Sign “Argentine Alonso”

Rafa Benitez has set his sights on snaring Valencia’s impressive young Argentine midfielder Ever Banega. The former Boca Juniors man has previously been targeted by fellow Merseysiders Everton but the Liverpool boss believes he can persuade his former club to sell to the Anfield side this summer.

The Mestalla outfit are continuing to experience significant financial worries and will have to sell some of their star performers this summer but could well opt to offload some of their ‘lesser’ lights rather than having to lose the likes of David Silva or David Villa.

Banega has a great season at Valencia but has had issues with the La Liga side in the past and was almost forced to join the Toffees when he returned from his season long loan at Atletico Madrid last term. The 21 year old Argentine international has been likened to former Reds favourite Xabi Alonso.

The youngster is an excellent distributor of possession and has a great eye for a raking pass and would no doubt be keen on a move to join his fellow countrymen Javier Mascherano and Emiliano Insua at Anfield.

Sevilla Tracking Liverpool Winger Yossi Benayoun

Primera Division outfit Sevilla are closely monitoring the situation of versatile Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, according to a report in The Guardian.

The Nervionenses are eager to add some fresh blood to their squad in the summer transfer window and they've supposedly made Benayoun one of their primary targets on the transfer market.

Benayoun joined Liverpool from West Ham United in the summer of 2007 and has since made over 90 Premier League appearances for the Reds. The 30-year-old has never been an undisputed first team player though and could therefore decide to leave the club this summer.

The attacking midfielder appeared to be on his way to Dynamo Moscow last winter, but the transfer eventually collapsed for unknown reasons.

Sevilla face stiff competition from Premier League outfit Aston Villa in the race for Benayoun's signature.

Liverpool Set To Sell Alberto Aquilani At Cut-Price £10m To Juventus

Liverpool are set to unload midfielder Alberto Aquilani to Juventus, according to a report from The Sun, and could sell him for £10 million.

The midfielder cost a reported £20m to bring to Anfield from Roma in the summer. However, he arrived shortly after undergoing surgery on an ankle injury and struggled to regain full match fitness throughout the campaign.

Aquilani made only 13 starts all season, showing his quality only in flashes. Now it looks as though he will lead something of a summer clear-out at Liverpool, with the future of manager Rafael Benitez still in some doubt.

Fiorentina are also interested in the player, but are not prepared to pay more than £7m for his services, according to a further report in The Daily Mirror.

Liverpool's Youngest Ever Player Jack Robinson Describes Debut As A 'Dream Come True'

Liverpool left-back Jack Robinson became the club's youngest ever player at 16 years and 250 days when he came on as a substitute for Ryan Babel against Hull City on Sunday as the Reds drew their final game of the Premier League season 0-0.

The 16-year-old played just two minutes - his only contribution was sliding a ball infield to captain Steven Gerrard, a move which lead to the England international hitting the woodwork - but described the brief moments as a dream come true.

"It was an amazing feeling to get on and a very exciting moment," Robinson told Liverpool’s official website.

"I only found out for certain that I was in the squad on Saturday morning but it was completely unexpected.

"It's a dream come true.

"Sammy Lee called me on Saturday and when he told me that I was going to be in the squad, I just went into shock.

"I knew it was going to be a great experience and just sitting on the bench would have been good enough but it became even better to get on.

"It was the first time that I have ever travelled with the squad and I'll never forget it; I still can't believe that I've made a little bit of history."

Rafa Benitez May Need To Go, Says Liverpool FC Legend Robbie Fowler

Anfield legend Robbie Fowler says the time may be right for Liverpool FC boss Rafa Benitez to leave the club.

The future of Benitez has been the subject of much speculation in recent months following a below-par campaign that saw Liverpool FC finish seventh in the Barclays Premier League and miss out on a Champions League place.

With owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks also now searching for a new buyer there is much uncertainty surrounding the club and Fowler - who was brought back to Anfield by Benitez four years ago - thinks the time may be right for him to move on.

"With Rafa, what you see is what you get. I think he’s quite shrewd and keeps everything to himself," Fowler said.

"I was always grateful to him for bringing me back, so I always have a bit of a soft spot for him, but at the end of the day it’s a big club and no one is bigger than the club.

"First and foremost we want to be winning trophies and to be the top dogs. It’s a tricky situation. I don’t want to be sat here saying he has got to go - everyone is entitled to their opinion.

"I just want Liverpool to do well, whether it’s Rafa there or someone else there I don’t really mind. First and foremost Liverpool is Liverpool and I think we deserve to be top of the table every year.

"Whoever is in charge has a big job on their hands."

With his own playing days coming to a close, Fowler revealed he is looking to turn to coaching himself and has ambitiously pointed to the top job at Anfield as his dream appointment.

The 35-year-old striker is currently playing in Australia’s domestic league where he is contracted for at least one more season with Perth Glory, so any move into coaching is still some way off.

Fowler is also yet to earn his coaching badges and while he admits his dream to manage Liverpool FC is "a million miles away" should it one day happen it would not be the first time he has made a shock return to a club where he is revered.

"When I do finish playing, the coaching side and the management side is something I would probably go down," he said.

"I would like to go down that route and in an ideal world I would go back to Liverpool.

"I’m a local lad and I’ve played for the club. I’m not saying for a second that I’m going to be the next manager, but it would be nice.

"I’m not kidding myself, I’m a million miles away from managing Liverpool.

"I’m still playing. Maybe in the future I’ll do all my badges and go through the lower leagues and become a manager that way.

"As a player you always aspire to be the best and as a manager you probably need to start at the bottom. Once you start on that little ladder then you can aspire to be the best and in terms of management you really can’t get higher than Liverpool."

Syrian's £400m Liverpool Takeover Edges Closer

According to representatives of Yahya Kirdi, the Syrian is moving closer to agreeing a deal to take over Liverpool.

Liverpool's unpopular American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett recently put the Anfield club up for sale. The Daily Mirror reports that Kirdi, who is fronting a Gulf-based bid, is looking to buy the club for £400m, which will more than wipe out the club's £350m debt.

Kirdi himself is a former Syrian international and is also an international Unicef representative. Former Celtic captain, Andy Lynch is working alongside Kirdi to make the deal happen.

Lynch confirmed that Kirdi met with Liverpool owner Gillett and new chairman Martin Broughton in London last week. He said and that talks between the parties were positive.

Lynch commented, "Mr. Kirdi confirmed to me that he had encouraging discussions with both Martin Broughton and George Gillett.

"He is hopeful that the deal could be done very soon."

Hurry Up And Sell Liverpool FC, Urges Pepe Reina

Pepe Reina has urged co-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to ensure a swift sale of the club to aid Liverpool’s hopes of recovery next season.

The ongoing problems both on and off the field at Anfield were brought into sharp focus during the past few days with the release of the latest accounts and the conclusion of the Premier League campaign.

It emerged on Friday that Liverpool had posted a record pre-tax loss of £54.9m for the year 2008-09 while the debt of the club’s parent company Kop Holdings had risen to £351m.

The goalless draw at Hull City that followed two days later consigned Rafael Benitez’s side to seventh place – the Anfield outfit’s lowest league finish since 1999 – and a July start to their Europa League challenge next season.

Benitez, who expressed his desire to stay at Liverpool given the right reassurances, will meet with new chairman Martin Broughton again this week to discuss the direction of the club.

Liverpool’s poor showing has underlined the need for squad strengthening, with Benitez keen for significant funds to be released ahead of the summer transfer window.

Broughton hopes the club will be sold “in a matter of months” and a concerned Reina admits the ownership situation must be resolved as soon as possible.

“Of course we worry,” said the goalkeeper. “It is a little bit of a concern and we need to sort out these kind of things, like the sale of the club and the thing with the owners.

“Once we settle all this then we can begin to look forward and improve the squad.

“It is vital we have a quick sale of the club. It would be simple as it would mean we could start planning for next season earlier.

“All that I would ask is that if it is going to happen, then it happens as soon as possible to help the club itself.”

Reina added: “It has been a really disappointing season. The only thing we can do is look forward and try to improve and build a competitive squad.

“We need to spend some money on the squad to be competitive again so we can fight for a place in the top four.

“How many players do we need? I don’t know. It is not about quantity, it is about quality. We don’t want to bring anyone in just for the sake of bringing.

“We need to bring in the proper ones and improve on the players we already have.

“It is not cheap but I am sure that the manager and his technical staff will be working hard to change that.”

Despite the boardroom distractions, Reina admits the buck ultimately rests with Liverpool’s players for their campaign of chronic under-achievement.

“We cannot avoid our responsibilities,” he said. “We are the ones who play, so there are no excuses about that. Of course it did not help all the issues with owners and the situations with the ups and downs with the money. But we are just players and we have to play.

“It is up to us to show our quality on the pitch. We have tried to give our best all the time but clearly we didn’t get to the levels that we should have done this year. We have got to improve massively next season.”

At least the season ended on a positive personal note for Reina, whose clean sheet at Hull was his 18th of the top-flight campaign and means he shares the Barclays Golden Gloves award with Chelsea’s Petr Cech.

“It was all down to the lads in front of me,” said the Spain international.

“I am really thankful for that. In the second half of the season, we defended really well. Thanks to them it is always nice to be able to win this kind of trophy.”

Jamie Carragher Is No Guarantee To Make World Cup, Says Fabio Capello

Fabio Capello refused to guarantee Jamie Carragher a place in his final World Cup squad of 23 despite the Liverpool defender showing his willingness to come out of international retirement by agreeing to be part of the England coach's 30-man provisional party.

As he has persuaded Carragher to make himself available after he retired from international duty in 2007, it is hard to see Capello not selecting the Liverpool veteran in his final squad when it is announced after the friendly with Japan in Graz on 30 May.

However, the Italian would not give Carragher any guarantees he would be on the plane to South Africa. Capello said: "He is one of the 30 players. During the training camp I will evaluate the performance of each player, after that I will decide."

Detailing how Carragher's return to the international fold came about, Capello said: "We started two months ago, we spoke with him, [Capello's assistant] Franco Baldini met him two weeks ago and he was happy to stay with us and we decided to select him. I selected him because he is a really, really good player."

Another player to make it into the 30-man squad is the Tottenham Hotspur defender Ledley King. Capello called King into his squad for the games against Slovakia and Ukraine in April last year, but once it was discovered the Tottenham man's chronic knee condition prevented him from training he was quickly returned to his club.

However, with the long-time squad members Wes Brown and Joleon Lescott ruled out by injury and doubts remaining over the first-choice central defenders, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, Capello has decided it is worth checking out the experienced Carragher and King once more.

Capello has no concerns about King's long-standing knee injuries. "We were monitoring him for a long time," the Italian said. "He is one of the best defenders in England. In the last 15 days he has played four games, I spoke with him about the knee problems and he said this season the knee was really good. The reason I selected him is that he's good, a really good defender."

Capello said he asked the Manchester United veteran Paul Scholes to consider a comeback but, unlike Carragher, the midfielder turned down the request. "Yes [I spoke to him] but it was up to him," Capello confirmed. "He said no, he preferred to stay with the family. But I tried, yes."

Capello has several possible injury headaches with question marks over the fitness of King, Gareth Barry and Wayne Rooney while Owen Hargreaves missed out due to a long-term problem. Asked about Barry, Capello said: "I decided this morning after meeting with Franco Baldini and the doctor. I decided to put him in the 30 because the next medical check will be 24 May and after this medical check we will decide what we can do. I hope after this he will be ready to start training. You have to wait."

On Hargreaves, Capello added: "I spoke to Owen twice in Manchester and he's not fit, not ready to play. He didn't play for 18 months and for that reason, I can't select him. He's a really important player when he is fit."

Capello insisted that, despite question marks over the fitness of several players, Barry is the only current doubt. "I am not concerned about these players," he said. "Yesterday I spoke for a long time to Sir Alex Ferguson and he told me Rio is fit, he can play, no problems.

"King is really good, I'm not concerned. We have to wait about the Barry situation but it is only this player."

The Italian said Bobby Zamora was unlucky to miss out. "It was one of the last decisions that I took," he revealed. "I spoke to him and it was up to him because he can't train every day, he plays always with injections and probably he needs an operation [on his achilles]."

One of Capello's wild cards is the Manchester City winger Adam Johnson. "He is a really interesting player," Capello said. "He played very well in the second part of the season with Manchester City [after his January transfer from Middlesbrough]. He's one of the younger players most interesting in the Premier League and I want to check him out during the training camp."

Reina - Injuries No Excuse

Liverpool goalkeeper Jose Reina admits the club's "hell of a year" is no excuse for ending the season with their worst league finish in 11 years.

The Reds ended their Premier League campaign with a goalless draw against Hull City to finish seventh in the table - their lowest league finish since 1999 - to compound untimely early exits from both the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup.

Reina, who was voted Anfield's player of the season on Tuesday, cited injuries to key players as one of the reasons Liverpool suffered 11 league defeats in their domestic campaign but the Spanish shot-stopper concedes the Merseysiders should have done better.

"I feel a bit mixed because when a goalkeeper wins this kind of award, it's never a good thing," said the 27-year-old, who also won his fourth golden glove for the most clean sheets, sharing it this season with Chelsea's Petr Cech.

"I am happy with the things I have done, but not one of us can be happy because of the season we've had.

"No matter what you do, it's about the team. All of us are really disappointed.

"It's been a hell of a year with injuries. Fernando, Stevie, Glen, the centre-backs - we've been in a lot of trouble with injuries, so it's always difficult to prepare for a season like that.

"But it's no excuse - we should have done better and we didn't."

Inter Deny Benitez Talks

Inter Milan have rubbished reports they have approached Rafa Benitez or any other coach in view of Jose Mourinho's possible departure.

Mourinho has yet to confirm whether he will remain at the helm of Inter next season, with the Portuguese coach a reported target of Real Madrid.

Reports in the Italian media on Tuesday claimed Inter had joined Juventus in the race to tempt Liverpool boss Benitez to Serie A this summer.

But Inter have denied the rumours, stressing that Mourinho is under contract for a further two years.

The club said in a statement: "With regards to what has been reported today by several Italian media, FC Internazionale underlines that absolutely no contact has been made with coaches - of other clubs or national teams - given that the club has a contract with Jose Mourinho until 2012, and that everybody is focused exclusively on the team's important upcoming commitments."

Jamie Carragher: Liverpool's Champions League Failure Persuaded Me To Make Myself Available For England

Jamie Carragher has revealed that his England U-turn was accelerated by Liverpool's failure to qualify for next season's Champions League.

The 32-year-old was named in Fabio Capello's provisional World Cup squad on Tuesday, having agreed to end his self-imposed exile from international football that began in 2007.

And Carragher has admitted that, when his country came calling, it was the fear of missing out on more big occasions during the twilight of his career that encouraged him to be considered for selection.

"The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems. I said I would make myself available," said Carragher, according to Sky Sports.

"The World Cup and Champions League are the highest levels of football.

"I'm not getting any younger, we have no Champions League football next season and I am keen to work under Fabio Capello."

Capello names his final 23-man squad for the tournament in South Africa on June 1 and Carragher is widely expected to make the cut.

Rafael Benitez: Liverpool Fans Made Right Choice In Voting Pepe Reina Their Player Of The Season

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is sure that the club's supporters made the right decision in voting goalkeeper Pepe Reina their player of the season.

The glovesman's performances have attracted plaudits from many observers and have been one of the few highlights of an otherwise disappointing campaign.

"Yes. 100 per cent," Benitez told the club's official website when asked if he felt that the fans had made the right choice voting for Reina.

"Pepe was a very good signing. He was a player we needed to bring in because we wanted to improve in goal.

"He has been fantastic not only in terms of his performances this season, but also for three or four years in a row.

"Also his mentality and advice for other players mean he is an inspiration. Like Kuyt, he is always positive and happy."

"Pepe is a 'keeper for a top side because he can not be involved in a game, but then can still make great saves because he is always focused and concentrated.

"If there are one or two situations in a game, he is ready."

Benitez was also delighted that Reina recently committed his long-term future to the Reds by signing a new six-year contract.

"It was really important. He is a modern goalkeeper who can play outside of the box too," he explained.

"He is more of a sweeper than a keeper - but if you need him to be a keeper, he is one of the best."

Chinese Gaming Tycoon Holds Takeover Talks With Liverpool

A chinese multi-millionaire internet gaming tycoon from Shanghai has held provisional talks about buying Liverpool, The Independent can reveal. No offer has been tabled yet but Zhu Jun, 44, the founder chairman and chief executive of The9 Ltd – one of China's leading online gaming firms – is described by local sources as "sincerely interested" in the club.

When Zhu's gaming firm floated on America's Nasdaq stock exchange in 2004, Zhu pocketed around £60m and his personal fortune has expanded considerably since. Zhu has a long-term active interest in football and is the chairman and majority owner of Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League.

An informed source in Shanghai says Zhu has already had two exploratory meetings about buying Liverpool with Barclays Capital (BarCap), the global investment bank. BarCap was hired by the club's new chairman, Martin Broughton, to find a buyer after the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, formally put the club on the market last month.

One of Zhu's meetings with BarCap took place in Hong Kong at the end of April and a second was in Shanghai in the past week, according to a business source in China. A spokesman for BarCap declined to comment.

Broughton wants a "leak-free" media strategy until a deal is done with whoever eventually buys the club. This is understandable given the attention likely to be given to any potential buyer. But the revelation of Zhu's interest and meetings is significant in that it suggests BarCap is now actively engaging with bidders.

Before Broughton and BarCap were brought on board, Liverpool's owners had struggled to attract any interest from would-be partner investors that was satisfactory to Hicks and Gillett. "There is certainly a mood change now," one insider said. "But we're not close to any done deal yet."

Zhu is one of dozens of parties contacted across the world by BarCap already, as the firm chases up previous interest in the club and explores new leads. Zhu proposes to head a consortium of businessmen, perhaps including one or more other owners of Chinese Super League clubs, to make a bid. It is known, however, that he feels the owners' nominal asking price of £800m is double a realistic valuation.

Price will be a sticking point but is acknowledged on all sides as negotiable. A swift sale is clearly in Liverpool's best interests because it would allow a new owner to take decisive action over whether to keep Rafa Benitez in charge before the summer transfer window closes.

Hicks and Gillett will not sack Benitez; The Independent has been told by a senior club insider that there is "no chance at all" of that happening because a £16m pay-off would be necessary to facilitate it and the Americans will not spend that cash. The Spaniard's position remains in the balance, as does the club's transfer policy.

The £800m price tag has been circulated in China as a starting point for negotiations among potential bidders. Sources say the price tag has deterred many potential investors from even coming to the negotiating table. However the verbal "prospectus" that BarCap has been touting highlights Liverpool's potential growth, and Zhu is among those willing to explore the possibilities of buying at a "decent" price.

BarCap is looking for a buyer committed to the new stadium, and is stressing to would-be buyers that it is integral to Liverpool's long-term stability and growth as an investment. Zhu is confident he can raise or borrow funds to build it, if the purchase price is right.

Zhu's background has been romanticised on his firm's own website, with a description of his early business life talking about how he graduated from a delivery man who used a tricycle to do his rounds in the 1980s to someone who sold clothing and then cars before moving into non-specific "international trade". The last 12 years are easier to track: he started a gaming company in 1998, moving into online virtual communities in the early Noughties as the internet boomed, and then floating The9 six years ago.

If Chelsea Can Turn It Around, So Can Liverpool - Rafael Benitez

At the conclusion of one of the most disappointing campaigns in the club's recent memory, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez hopes he gets the chance to ensure next season sees a Red renaissance.

The Anfield club finished seventh in the final Premier League standings with 23 points adrift of winners Chelsea. Benitez's future has been under huge scrutiny in recent weeks, with a move to Italian strugglers Juventus strongly linked, but the Spaniard insisted after Sunday's disappointing 0-0 draw with Hull City that he was willing and capable of turning things around.

Benitez won the Champions League and FA Cup in his first two seasons at the club, yet in the past four campaigns has failed to add to his tally. But in the wake of seeing Chelsea grab their first title since 2006, Benitez was quick to draw parallels with the London club.

"For any manager, when you have a bad season, you want to improve and change things and I think it has to be this way," Benitez told reporters.

"I think all the managers, especially when they are in England and are at a club for a long time, will have good moments and bad moments.

"In football every year you cannot win and win and win. You can see Chelsea winning [the Premier League], not winning and now winning again so it can happen."

Asked if he deserved the chance to revitalise Liverpool's fortunes, Benitez phrased his answer to rally against what he perceives to be a negative media campaign against him, with certain outlets using anonymous sources in articles to push their own agenda.

"It depends.’Senior sources' maybe will say different but it has been the same in the history of football," he said, before outlining what he hopes will be achieved in his latest meeting with the club's chairman, Martin Broughton.

"Every meeting helps, in one way or another, and at this moment we have to talk about everything," said the Reds boss.

"Hopefully the second meeting will be as positive as the first one, but the press continues with the same agenda.

"I think for the stability of the club it is important because we have to move forward on everything.

"Hopefully we can progress with our next meeting."