Football Focus

[murphy]

I think Rogers is a good choice for Liverpool even if it comes with a bit of risk. He should be able to do what any good coach can, that is get get more out of the players and the team. If Liverpool had gone for a big name you can be sure they would have wanted guarantees of money to spend and am not sure Liverpool have that luxury. Not sure if Carroll will fit into the Rogers way though, a decent Euros and maybe he will be sold to fund other purchases.

[maxxi]

I think the fans will get behind him. With Hodgson they all wanted the return of King Kenny - well they've had that now so - apart from thereturnofRafa.org - there's nowhere else to go.

A lot depends, though, on what KK will do now - and how much (if at all?) he interferes/comments from the sidelines.

[jim_the_chin]

Lampard out of Euros - I reckon if expectations for the squad get any lower we'll be the bookies favourites.

[Otta]

Chuffed that Rogers has signed up, and I think the match going faithful will get behind him. Poor old Roy was seen as Hicks & Gillett's man, and that was never going to work, but to be fair to them, they did greet him warmly. They never gave him much chance when results were bad though.

I think all Liverpool fans realise that there is a lot of work to be done to build a new team with a good style of play.

I for one hope Rogers can build Liverlona!

[Otta]

Also, Joe Cole and Alberto Aquilani, both of whom I actually like, may find a way back under Rogers, and apparently even Kuyt was thinking of leaving after limited chances last season, so hopefully he'll rethink.

Exciting times, and expectations not too high for once... Although that won't last.

[Jah Lush]

Word is the great Ledley King is retiring from football and has been released by Tottenham Hotspur. A great servant to THFC. On his day one of the best centre-backs of his generation in the world, even with only one knee. We shall miss him.

[bon3yard]

How he managed to eke out another couple of seasons on that husk of a knee is admirable but I think it all caught up with him towards the tail end of last season. Cheers for the service Ledders.

[Jah Lush]

That's because he carried on playing while injured.

Ledley King statement

[Jah Lush]

Respect to the King of White Hart Lane. Now that's what I call a tackle.

[????]

Joe Cole will be back with the Irons next year :)

[maxxi]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Joe Cole will be back with the Irons next year :)

Yeah - hoping Rodgers doesn't want Cole back but think he will - played really well for Lille with their fans giving him the 'Hey Jude' chant so he's hot again - which makes the chances of a prodigal's return slim (crosses digits and things) - don't understand why he hasn't been called up by Hodgson...

[red devil]

Looking forward to the Belgium game, especially seeing how Young, Welbeck and Ox-C gel up front.

Will also be interesting to see Hazard in action, and whether supposed Utd target Dembele is any good at this level...

[Jah Lush]

Yup! Me too. Worth having a look at Spurs target Jan Vertonghen too. Playing at left back today but normally a centre-back. Has a great left foot.

[Otta]

Just heard Green to leave West Ham on a free. That's a bit of a blow.

[maxxi]

Yep - another out-of-contract player moving on. Well, I don't have to fret about him making a rickett in the Euros now... And at least Jaaskelainen is experienced.

[Otta]

And Dirk Kuyt has left Liverpool. Gutted about that.

[Alan Medic]

11,500

[Laddy Muck]

boooooooooooo(6)

[Bluerevolution]

Jermain Defoe on way home due to his father passing away last night (RIP Defoe snr) but he will return in due course

[red devil]

Only 47 too...

[Parkdrive]

I haven't been a fan of the Euro's over the years, and this year is no exception, but what the fcuk is going on with the FA, and Hodgson, and what are the footballing reasons he refers to for Ferdinands exclusion. Wouldn't be better for all concerned if he just came out and said what these "reasons" are?

[woodrot]

wrong thread

[Parkdrive]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jun/07/euro-2012-boycott-ukraine-uk-government?CMP=twt_gu

So the UK government is boycotting Euro 2012, but fans are being told there are no issues to worry about over there. "Do as I say and not do as I do" or what?

[Otta]

Parkdrive, there is a new thread specifically about Euro '12. You'll get more response there probably.

[Mick Mac]

Former Captain Richard Gough comments on Rangers liquidation:

Sympathy is thin on the ground amongst the Rangers support for those who ?chased the dream? with Gough blunt and to the point with his anger.

?Lock them up and throw the key away,? he told The Sun. ?The club I gave blood, sweat and tears for is dead. Whose fault is it? I don?t care.

?All I care about is the people who brought Rangers to their knees are punished. Tax evasion is a crime, everyone knows that. If you don?t pay your taxes you go to jail.

?It?s a white-collar crime that must have consequences so if HMRC are really serious about liquidation giving them the best chance to investigate why Rangers failed, I want to see it done properly.

?I want to see the people who are responsible for running Rangers into the ground brought to book. I don?t know if it?s Craig Whyte or whoever but I do know the culprit ? or culprits ? should be locked up.?

Gough added: ?I?m still numb by the news 140 years of history has been wiped out in one fell swoop. It?s like a death in the family you know has been coming for a while.

?When it happens it still knocks you for six. It?s difficult to know what to make of it all. Too big to fail, that?s what I always thought. Or maybe it was more to do with not believing a club could be so badly mismanaged.

?This whole sorry episode has been one rat?s nest of corruption. So much of it stinks. It would take someone a long time to start piecing together all the rotten bits of this jigsaw but time might be something HMRC have if they are so determined to clamp down on tax evasion in football.

?When that happens I hope they show no mercy to the people who have destroyed Rangers