So the saga with Xabi Alonso continues, before I make my feelings clear on the whole situation let me first post what I feel to be a very good comment that I read on Sky Sports website then I will come back to my point..

Adam Stonier (Liverpool fan) says…

“The problem is quite simple, through a long chain of events dating back to last year, where both the owners and the manager must take responsibility. Firstly the owners forced through a 20m deal to sign keane when he wasn’t the manager’s choice as a major signing. This then denied the manager the necessary funds to sign his major target Gareth Barry at the over inflated amount villa were quoting. Unfortunately the manager had to raise funds in his pursuit of Barry and tried to offload Alonso on the cheap. That was the big mistake and has resulted in Alonso hoping for a move to Madrid as he may have felt not wanted at Liverpool (not too dissimilar to the way Gerrard may have felt a few yrs back when Liverpool weren’t decisive enough in sorting out a new contract!!). He was our 2nd best player behind Gerrard last season so the fee being quoted now is justifiable in the current transfer climate. But for Madrid to say they wont pay over the odds is a little rich considering the amount they have already spent this summer. You pay big money for big players and Alonso is certainly in that bracket for Liverpool.”

Posted 13:49 28th July 2009 on Sky Sports Website

I agree with most things said about the Alonso situation and think what Adam Stonier (above) said was bang on the money. The problem with Alonso was not last season but the season before because even though his passing ability is second to none his defensive qualities were poor and the amount of costly free kicks he gave away in the wrong half of the pitch came to Liverpool’s undoing in major games which is why I belive Rafa wanted to replace him with the better defensive player in Barry. One other point which i agree on and have said this for the last 15yrs is when it comes to selling players Liverpool must be the worst team in Europe for losing out on cash for major players. I could start a list but it would be never-ending, also Benitez moaning about fergie spending more cash is stupid as we have spent just as much and if we were marketed as good as utd are then maybe we could compete more in the transfer window no matter were you are you can get utd merchandise, yet trying to get Liverpool kits etc etc is like trying to find gold dust sometimes, the club on a whole need to fix up from directors to players and we need another top forward 100% but as usual were dragging our feet in the transfer market.. I thought Rafa was holding out on signing a new contract unless he had total control over transfers, well he has signed his contract so what’s he waiting for? Always supported Liverpool since 7yrs old now 31 and my family (Dad, Spurs ha ha) all support  Man utd so please please please fix up sharp!!!!!!!!

In terms of ambition, Bolivian schoolboy Mauricio Baldivieso, 13, is no different from millions of other soccer-playing kids around the world. Baldivieso made his pro debut on Sunday for Aurora, a first division club in the Bolivian league.

“There’s no age for football. I am determined to make it, 200%,” Baldivieso said from Cochabamba, in Bolivia.

“He’s a very mature and down-to- earth lad. He’s definitely ready,” said his father, Aurora coach and former Bolivia international Julio Cesar, who gave him a run in the final eight minutes of a 1-0 loss to La Paz.
Baldivieso has been deluged by his local media since donning the sky-blue of Aurora . Now he has set his sights high.

“My father is my hero. But one day I want to play in Spain or England — for Real Madrid or Manchester United. I’m really dreaming about that,” he said .

Julio Cesar rejects any idea that he is blooding Mauricio too soon. “My lad has talent. Psychologically, he is very strong, despite his tender years,” insisted the 37-year-old, who made his own club debut at 15 for city rivals Wilstermann.
A Bolivian Football Federation spokesman said Baldivieso was free to play professionally. “The Bolivian league does not have a minimum or a maximum age in its regulations, so if he is fit to play then there is no obstacle,” said the spokesman. Fifa regulations have no specific provisions regarding the age a player must be to compete in a national competition.
If Bolivia make it to the 2014 World Cup, in Brazil, with Baldivieso junior in the side, he would be a month shy of being 18 .
Pele remains the youngest World Cup winner, scoring twice at 17 and 249 days in the 1958 final success over Sweden.
In England, Reuben Noble- Lazarus, of Barnsley, became the youngest player to appear in a league match last year at 15 years and 45 days.
But Matthew Briggs is the England Premiership record holder after turning out at 16 years and 65 days in May 2007 for Fulham.

Earlier this month, Real landed Kaka from AC Milan in a £56m deal, breaking the record that they’d held since 2001, when they signed Zinedine Zidane from Juventus for what now seems like a paltry £45.62m. While the previous record last nearly eight years, that one stood for only a few weeks, as Real blew it out of the water when they completed the long-awaited and highly-anticipated signing of Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo for a whopping £80m.

Before this summer, Real held the top two spots in the list of the world’s most expensive transfers, and now they hold the top four spots for most expensive purchases.

Top 10 Overall Transfers

1. Cristiano Ronaldo: Manchester United to Real Madrid – £80m (2009)
2. Kaka: AC Milan to Real Madrid – £56m (2009)
3. Zinedine Zidane: Juventus to Real Madrid – £45.62m (2001)
4. Luis Figo: Barcelona to Real Madrid – £37m (2000)
5. Hernan Crespo: Parma to Lazio – £35.5m (2000)
6. Gianluigi Buffon: Parma to Juventus – £32.6m (2001)
7. Robinho: Real Madrid to Manchester City – £32.5m (2008)
8. Christian Vieri: Lazio to Inter – £32m (1999)
9. Dimitar Berbatov: Tottenham to Manchester United – £30.75m (2008)
10. Andriy Shevchenko: AC Milan to Chelsea – £30m (2006)

Top 10 Premier League Transfers

1. Robinho
2. Berbatov
3. Shevchenko
4. Rio Ferdinand: Leeds to Manchester United – £29.1m (2002)
5. Juan Sebastian Veron: Lazio to Manchester United – £28.1m (2001)
6. Michael Essien: Lyon to Chelsea – £24.43m (2005)
7. Didier Drogba: Marseille to Chelsea – £24m (2004)
8. Wayne Rooney: Everton to Manchester United - £23m initially (2004)
9. Shaun Wright-Phillips: Manchester City to Chelsea – £21m (2005)
10. Fernando Torres: Atletico Madrid to Liverpool – £20m (2007)

Liverpool F.C

• In (signed): Chris Mavinga (PSG); Glen Johnson (Portsmouth, £18.5m); Aaron King (Rushden and Diamonds, free)
• In (rumours): Alan Dzagoev (CSKA Moscow); Brede Hangeland (Fulham); Alvaro Negredo (Almeria via Real Madrid); Kleber (Cruzeiro); Gabriel Heinze (Real Madrid); Paolo De Ceglie (Juventus); Goran Pandev (Lazio); Mathew Upson (West Ham); Micah Richards (Manchester City); Leandro Fernandes (Dynamo Moscow); Tuncay Sanli (Middlesbrough); Nikolaj Kohlert (Esbjerg)
• Out (signed): Sami Hyypia (Bayer Leverkusen); Jack Hobbs (Leicester City, undisclosed); Paul Anderson (Nottingham Forest, £250,000); Jermaine Pennant (Real Zaragoza, free); Sebastian Leto (Panathinaikos, undisclosed)
• Out (rumours): Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid); Javier Mascherano (Barcelona, Real Madrid); Andrea Dossena (Juventus); Andriy Voronin (Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen); Dan Agger (Milan); Jermaine PennantSunderland); Sebastian Leto ( (Panathinaikos); Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid)

Arsenal F.C

• In (signed): Thomas Vermaelen (Ajax, £10m)
• In (rumours): Dentinho (Corinthians); Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart); Mesut Oezil (Bremen); Yaya Toure (Barcelona); Brede Hangeland (Fulham); Cristian Zapata (Udinese); Obafemi Martins and Sebastien Bassong (both Newcastle); Goran Pandev (Lazio); Lorik Cana (Marseille); Blaise Matuidi (Saint Etienne); Ever Banega (Valencia)
• Out (signed): Amaury Bischoff (released); Rui Fonte (released)
• Out (rumours): Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona); Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City, Internazionale, Milan); Mikael Silvestre (Bordeaux); Kolo Toure (Manchester City); Emmanuel Eboue (Internazionale); William Gallas (Internazionale); Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna (both Real Madrid); Nicklas Bendtner (Roma); Armand Traore (Birmingham); Philippe Senderos (Fiorentina)

A work permit for Emmanuel Adebayor appears to be the only thing standing between Manchester City and yet another jaw-dropping £25million signing.

Even before Carlos Tevez put the finishing touches to a five-year deal, rumours were circulating that Adebayor was undergoing a medical after a fee had been agreed with Arsenal.

Then it emerged he will attempt to secure a work permit – which should be nothing more than a formality – before heading off to South Africa, via Abu Dhabi for a brief meeting with the Blues owners.

City officials remained silent on the prospect of the transfer being speeded through, although Hughes, given his general reluctance to discuss possible new recruits, rather gave the game away by first confirming talks had taken place, then suggesting they were at quite an advanced stage.

“There has been discussions between ourselves and Arsenal,” he said. “It is not the right time or place to discuss it but yes, there has been contact and possibly there is a deal to be done.

“It has not been concluded as we speak. Until it happens, it is not the time or the place to talk about it.”

Benitez holds transfer talks with Barcelona

Rafa Benitez held transfer talks with Barcelona officials yesterday to discuss Javier Mascherano’s future.

Sporting Director Txiki Begiristain held a conference call with the Liverpool boss and formally registered Barcelona’s interest in the midfielder despite being told that the player is unavailable. An official bid will now follow.

Alonso clause – new information

The latest gossip is that Real Madrid are holding off making their bid for Xabi Alonso official until after July 1st because of a sell-on clause in the player’s contract that would see his former club receive a 20 percent cut of any transfer fee that Real pay us, fresh claims now state that the clause expires on July 18th and not July 1st.

I am not sure if that claim is accurate but I do know that it continues to explain why the Spanish giants have been holding back with their formal bid.

Liverpool confirm sale of winger

Liverpool Football Club have agreed to sell Sebastian Leto to Greek side Panathinaikos for an undisclosed fee due to work permit problems.

The deal has been confirmed at Anfield.

Liverpool owners tipped to secure refinancing

George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been tipped to secure refinancing of their huge debts before the July deadline.

One of football’s top takeover experts believes the American duo will be given cash to extend their stay at Anfield despite suggestions that at least one of the two banks – RBS and Wachovia – won’t agree a deal.

Former Football League chairman Keith Harris, who helped broker takeovers of Chelsea and Manchester City, said: “I think there will be a negotiated settlement.

“The only way banks can make money is to start lending again. The two banks RBS and Wachovia, have said they don’t want to be involved in this kind of business and RBS are quite stretched.

“But it’s amazing how things look like they’re about to fall apart and people come together.”

Harris has also warned the duo that if they’re still prepared to sell that they will have to lower their asking price by as much as 20%.

He added: “There is some renewed interest now (in Premier League clubs). There’s been a shocking fallow period but just like you are seeing investors putting money into property companies and banks, people are investing again in football clubs.

“Generally, asset values have fallen – so 10 to 20 per cent is a decent estimate.”

Harris also said that he would be surprised if Stephen Hester, the new chief executive of RBS, refused a deal.

Liverpool Pre-season friendly’s

15 Jul, 2009 – St Gallen - Away game

19 Jul, 2009 – Rapid Vienna - Away game

22 Jul, 2009 – Thailand – Away game

26 Jul, 2009 – Singapore - Away game

02 Aug, 2009 – Espanyol - Away game

05 Aug, 2009 - FC Lyn – Away game

08 Aug, 2009 – Atletico Madrid – Home game

Well done to Scots Grey F.C, I had the pleasure of playing against this team for their local rivals ‘Poets Corner’ last season, we lost the early league game but I could tell from the amount of players they had in the squad and the standard of players that this was going to be the team to beat for the next couple of years.. please enjoy the match report below and once again well done ‘Scots Grey’ for putting Nottingham ballers back on the map..

Juree Staples soars above the Martyrs defence to head Scots’ 92nd minute leveller

Scots Grey 4 – 3 Oyster Martyrs

It’s official; Scots Grey are the best Sunday football team in England. This was earned after a pulsating Carlsberg FA Sunday Trophy final at Anfield against Oyster Martyrs.
The Bulwell outfit travelled to the backyard of the Merseyside based club and came away with a fantastic 4-3 victory, after extra-time.
Scots started well and Allan Jefferies fired over in the first minute. However, Martyrs struck back and Graham Rooney (brother of Wayne) saw a freekick deflected just wide, before Jefferies had a close range effort tipped over.

Greys went ahead after sixteen minutes as skipper; Mark Green’s cross was mishit by Jefferies but fell invitingly for Phil Bignall, who fired home from ten yards. It was almost one-all, two minutes later but Ross Whalin superbly palmed over Latham’s volley. Martyrs were applying pressure and only a brilliant last gasp goal line clearance by Luke Humphries denied Latham again.
The prompting Mick Galloway put Andy Frawley in to the left of goal but the long server fired over and soon after the scores were level, with Greys conceding a soft goal.
Martyrs won a freekick, twenty five yards from goal and Whalin was left rooted as Latham’s poorly struck shot rolled agonisingly past him.
Phil Bignall then saw the Martyrs’ keeper hold his close range header, before Whalin redeemed himself by tipping Thomas Rooney’s fiercely struck effort over the bar.

The second period started in similar fashion to the first with the Martyrs keeper making a fine save to thwart Jefferies, followed by an equally fine save by Whalin as Murdoch’s strike was heading for the top corner.
Fifty five minutes had elapsed when Graham Rooney nodded home from close range as he met Austin’s header back across goal from Smith’s deeply flighted free kick.
This inspired the Merseysiders and they enjoyed a period of supremacy as Scots struggled to get back on equal terms.
With the clock showing two minutes of five added for stoppages, Bulwell’s finest won a corner on the right and Juree Staples rose majestically to steer through a header from Mark Green’s well directed kick.

The game went into extra time, of which seven minutes had passed when Phil Bignall was hauled down in the area and the referee awarded a penalty. Alan Jefferies kept his head and steered the resultant kick beyond the diving keeper.
Martyrs again applied pressure but their efforts left gaps at the back and with four minutes remaining Scots exploited this to give themselves a two goal cushion.
Bignall was the instigator, steering a pass into the path of Jefferies, who advanced on goal and again showed a cool approach as he fired past the advancing Cannon and into the net.
However, the game was far from over and with two minutes remaining Lipson reduced the arrears with a fine drive from the edge of the box. The remaining time was nerve-racking but as the referee signalled full-time, the celebrations erupted from the sizable travelling contingent from Nottingham, who had lifted their side with constant rousing support from the famous Kop.

Young Lions crushed in final

Goals from Castro, Ozil and Wagner seal 4-0 Germany win

Germany U21s: European champions

Goals from Gonzalo Castro, Mesut Ozil and a Sandro Wagner brace saw Germany Under 21s easily beat Stuart Pearce’s England 4-0 to lift the European Championship trophy.

Castro - who had scored against the young Lions in the group stages – found the net in the 23rd minute in Malmo, lifting his effort over the advancing Scott Loach into the bottom right hand corner.

Ozil then doubled soon after the re-start when Loach horribly misjudged his swerving long-range free-kick.

But England refused to give up and Lee Cattermole hit the cross-bar with a long range effort before Andreas Beck twice cleared off the line from Adam Johnson and Cattermole.

Wagner then missed a sitter at the other end for Germany before atoning with a quick-fire brace (79 & 84) to seal the win and continue Pearce’s jinx against Germany, after losing to them twice as a player in major tournaments.

Just as well senior boss Fabio Capello could not get a connecting flight to get to Sweden from the Confederations Cup in South Africa – this had too many reminders of past failures.

At senior level, England’s clashes against Germany have created so many memories – World Cup victory for Sir Alf Ramsey’s men, Paul Gascoigne’s tears, penalties and that famous night in Munich when it ended 5-1.

This clash for England’s youngsters was defined by the fact that Pearce had Gabriel Agbonlahor and Fraizer Campbell suspended, meaning Theo Walcott was the lone striker and had no support.

Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer did not make a save throughout the one-sided match, leaving Pearce to rue leaving Daniel Sturridge with the Under 20s.

Germany landed the first psychological punch when they opted to play in red despite being the “home” team, meaning England would not be wearing the colours of their finest hour when Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Pearce, in any case, urged his youngsters to forget the past and make a new history, one where England would hold their nerve to the end unlike Italy ’90 and Euro ’96 when the Under 21 coach was a player.

By defeating Sweden on penalties on Friday they got over their spot-kick hoodoo in semi-finals – but facing Germany at the business end of a tournament is something different altogether.