Football Focus

[matthew123]

I'm trembling with fear after that breaking news.............

Is this the same betting firm who made Liverpool favourite to sign Frank Ribery last summer by any chance..

http://www.empireofthekop.com/anfield/?p=1541

[Sandperson]

Matt, I'm not on a wind-up here, just genuinely interested in yours and others thoughts on Torres staying if a) European football is on the cards and b) if Rafa goes over the summer?

He seems to love the club and be loyal but would either of these occurences cause him to go?

[ruffers]

He'd be off like a shot I reckon. Liverpool's problem is they've picked a very bad time to be poor with Spurs being good and City on the way by buying to being better than that. Liverpool may well have played their last Champion's League game for a few years, and the players know it.

[matthew123]

No I don't think Torres would leave if Rafa left, in fact I'd say players are more likely to stay if a new Manager arrived (as long as it wasn't someone like Ian Dowie). Besides that who exactly is Torres going to join as it's not going to be an English Club or Real Madrid which leaves only Barcelona.. but are they going to spend ?60/70m+ (assuming Reds would be willing to offload their prize asset with 3 years left on his contract) ?

BTW, we're talking Liverpool here and players at the big boys never walk out... not Spurs, Villa, West Ham or Citeh ;-)

[Annasfield]

Can't find the article, but Torres came out and said himself the other week that no CL football wouldn't make him leave. I know players often say things, so I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

[????]

COME ON VILLA!

[????]

Thank you.

[red devil]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> red devil Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

>

> Bale looks the business...Evra's eventual

> replacement Jah ;-)

>

> Feck off. You can't afford him.

Not that I believe a word the Express prints, but... Fergie, Fergie, Sign Him Up...

[matthew123]

Does that mean he is going to sign for Man City then?

[Sandperson]

No European football for Pompey. Bit of a shame I think.

[ruffers]

Much as I like the idea of the romance of Pompey being in Europe I don't see why they should be. The rules are clear and they didn't follow them, end of.

Pleased for West Ham as well. What I'd be extra pleased to see is them safe before the last game so City can beat them while they relax..

[matthew123]

UEFA may step in if Pompey win FA Cup, they did much the same thing when they said Cardiff would be able to compete in Europe if they won FA Cup in 2008 and when CL winners Liverpool finished outside top 4 in 2005.

[ratty]

As things stand we are ubnlikely to even be playing next season. However, the cynic in me thinks the FA made this decision as Liverpool are likely to finish 7th!

[Jah Lush]

After that lingering kiss last week at the end of the Manchester derby. It had to happen and the Daily Mash delivers.

Neville & Scholes To Go Camping Together

[kpc]

Surely the real shock is that the FA and PL have actually made a decision.

[Sandperson]

I'm not sure Ruffers. It's the businessmen who put the club out of business not the players anf the fans.

[matthew123]

Personally ratty I'd rather Liverpool pulled out of Europa League next season if it's a case of us stopping Pompey from playing in Europe (and of course playing on a bloody Sunday every other week!! :X ) - assuming of course we don't automatically qualify by winning it in May.

[Mick Mac]

No worries there matt. Hamburg have their name on the cup. They beat celtic so they must be good, eh?

[ratty]

WHHHOOOAAAHHHH!!

Naughty Stevie Gerrard.

Looks like that's the end of him in the UK!

Think Graham Rix!

[Sandperson]

Links Ratty?

[ratty]

nothing concrete and any web links on forums are quickly being taken down by administrators. I am saying nothing more!

[Jah Lush]

Aha! Must be similar to the case in France with the French players. Underage totty.

[matthew123]

Utter garbage

[Bluerevolution]

not quite, 16 allegedly

[ruffers]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> I'm not sure Ruffers. It's the businessmen who put

> the club out of business not the players anf the

> fans.

My heart agrees with you but where do you draw the line? Once rules get bent you have problems..

It's an unfortunate fact of life that football clubs have fans, and when the clubs misbehave the fans suffer eg Calciopoli in Italy. I think it becomes an interesting point when you stop calling companies Football Clubs, and substitute it with the word Football Company - that's what they are. Now, if a company breaks rules, it's much clearer. The word Club clouds our thinking, and the concept of fans as opposed to loyal customers doesn't help.

That was my head writing btw.