LIVERPOOL UK NEWS


	LIVERPOOL UK NEWS
	Stevie: I'm ready news UPDATE: 10-JUN-2010 Steven Gerrard admits it was with mixed emotions he inherited the England captaincy - but the Liverpool star is now relishing the opportunity to lead his country into battle at the World Cup finals. The 30-year-old was handed the armband on Friday after Rio Ferdinand was ruled out of the tournament due to injury and while disappointed for his international colleague, Gerrard insists he is ready to spearhead the Three Lions' trophy charge. "I'm honoured to be leading the lads out in a couple of days," he said. "The first I heard of Rio's injury and that I would be captain, I had mixed emotions. "I was sick in the stomach for Rio, who's a great player, a massive player for us and it's deeply disappointing that he will not be available, but it's now my responsibility to lead the boys out. "It's a massive responsibility and I'm looking forward to it. "I won't change at all. Managers see I am a good captain and like the way I do things on the pitch. "I will do exactly the same as I do for my club. I think I have the respect of the players on the pitch and I will use the captaincy as a positive rather than a negative, with experienced people like Rio, David Beckham, John Terry and Stuart Pearce to lean on." England kick-off their Group C campaign against the USA on Saturday evening, and Gerrard stressed the importance of retaining a cool head throughout the tournament to his teammates. He said: "Every player has been warned by the manager and the coaching staff about how important it is to channel your frustrations in the right way and not be getting involved with referees and making silly challenges because we have experienced losing men at big times. "The thing is not to swear at them. In this day and age it is important to show referees respect. If you use bad language towards them you are going to be booked and the team suffers. Everyone has to be on their guard and not slip into it." Wayne Rooney's booking for swearing at a referee during a warm-up game on Monday has been a media talking point over recent days. However, Gerrard is confident the striker's temperament can stand up to the pressure of competing in the World Cup. "I'm not sure whether he'll be targeted, we'll wait and see," said the Reds No.8. "Wayne's experienced enough now to deal with it if he is. "I think Wayne understands. He is a fantastic player and we don't want to take any fire away from him. "He always plays on the edge but Wayne has to control his emotions and take it out on opposition teams rather than referees." Should England prevail in South Africa this summer, it will be their first trophy since becoming world champions on home soil in 1966. Gerrard admits it would be a dream to lift the trophy for Fabio Capello's men, but knows there is plenty of sturdy competition in the tournament. "I've certainly dreamt of lifting the World Cup - it's what dreams are made of," he said. "It will be difficult as there are some very good teams in the tournament, but looking at the squad I'm surrounded by gives me a lot of confidence it can happen. "The USA are a strong team and it's very important we stamp our authority on the tournament and let everyone know what we're about and what we want to do going forward." The World Cup fever that has gripped the nation for the past month or so is expected to intensify with Friday's big kick-off - and Gerrard insists the Three Lions can be galvanised by the support they are receiving back home. He added: "All the players are aware or the support we are getting from back home, and we watched a DVD from the boys in Afghanistan, which was very inspiring. "Now it's time for the players to deliver. Everyone is behind us, The FA have provided us with a superb base camp and the preparation is going well. "Now the players are firing and ready to go."

	World Cup 2010: The media view news UPDATE: 10-JUN-2010 On the eve of the 2010 World Cup finals we spoke to seven of Her Majesty's finest press ahead of the big tournament to get their views on who will triumph in South Africa. We gauged the thoughts of Sky Sports' Guillem Balague, Henry Winter from The Telegraph, Paul Joyce from the Daily Express, Tony Barrett from The Times, David Maddock from The Mirror, Dominic King from the Liverpool Echo and Oliver Kay from The Times. Who do you think will win the World Cup and why? Balague (Sky Sports): I'd like to say Spain because they have everything they need for winning it. They have the best squad in the tournament and the only things that could go against them are if they had a man sent off or if they faced a penalty shoot-out. I can also see Argentina start slowly but finish strongly, so for me it will be either Spain or Argentina to win. Joyce (Daily Express): It is difficult to see past Spain. They have the best squad, players at their peak in the likes of Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres and David Villa and now know how to win a tournament after Euro 2008. They will have to cope with the pressure, which they've not had before, so that could be factor against them. Barrett (The Times): I saw Spain beat France 2-0 in Paris a few months back and they won with ease without ever needing to get out of second gear. It was a consummate performance, the kind you would expect of a team carrying the status of reigning European champions and if they reach anything approaching those levels in South Africa then I can't see anyone stopping them from winning the World Cup. If you look at their squad it is clearly the strongest. They have two of the best forwards in the world, a wealth of top class options in midfield and Pepe Reina can't even get in the side. Their only weakness is a lack of genuine pace in defence but that will only be a problem if teams can get the ball off them and with Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta bossing things in central areas it is hard to imagine them being loose in possession. Brazil will be harder to beat than most but lack Spain's overall quality, while Argentina could be the biggest threat to Spain's chances if the players' influence is greater than their manager's. But when it comes down to it I can't see past Spain. They won't ever have a better chance of winning the World Cup, that's for sure. Kay (The Times): Brazil. This is not the most technically gifted team they have had, but they do have players like Kaka, Nilmar and Robinho. Beyond that, they are powerful, organised, experienced and very strong defenisvely. I would have said Argentina if I had the slightest confidence in their coach. Winter (The Telegraph): Brazil. A good balance between experienced defenders like Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, through to the destructive central midfield and flair of Kaka, Robinho and Fabiano. Maddock (The Mirror): Spain. They have the depth of quality required to win it. King (Liverpool Echo): Spain. They are the best team on the planet at the minute, the draw looks good for them and they have so much strength in depth. Winning Euro 2008 has transformed them from perennial underachievers to finished article and I expect them to complete an incredible major tournament double. Dark horses and why? Balague: Argentina in a way. People say they are not strong in defence and that could be their downfall, but I think they could go all the way to the final. Joyce: After England, Holland remain the great underachievers on the world stage. But you only have to look at their attacking armoury to know where their strengths lie - van Persie, Robben if he's fit, Sneijder, van der Vaart. If they click they could be dangerous. Barrett: Serbia. They could go either way - they might be brilliant but they could also be awful. Technically, there will be few superior teams in South Africa and if they are in the mood then they could go a long, long way in the competition. Kay: Before the draw, I would have said Serbia, Ghana or Ivory Coast, but all of them have been placed in tough groups. If one of the African teams is to make a big impact, as I hope they will, I've a feeling it could be one of those old World Cup favourites, Cameroon or Nigeria. Winter: Holland, though their defence is not great and they could miss Robben. Van Persie is a class act in attack. Maddock: Uruguay.They were very strong in the qualifiers and no-one has noticed them. They also have a man in form in Diego Forlan and they could meet England. King: If Didier Drogba hadn't cracked his arm, I would have been tempted to say Ivory Coast. I think they have got some terrific players, Sven-Goran Eriksson will get them organised and they could easily get to the quarter-finals. After that anything is possible. However, I have got a sneaky feeling Holland might just go a long way. If there is no squabbling in the camp, they have the talent to beat anyone. Who will be the star of the World Cup? Balague: If Argentina do well then Di Maria could be the star. I would also say David Villa. Joyce: It would be great to see Lionel Messi do well after the season he's had with Barcelona. Argentina could be either brilliant or terrible under Maradona and I hope for Messi's sake it is the former. Barrett: Sorry to be predictable but I've got to go for Lionel Messi. There are those who believe he still has something to prove on the big stage, which is quite a strange criticism of a player who has not only scored and performed with magnificent elegance in a Champions League final, he has absolutely dominated La Liga for the past couple of years. His biggest problem will be Diego Maradona - not only is he Messi's manager, he is also the ghost of Argentina's Copa Mondial past whose standards the diminutive forward will be charged with living up to. That is the tallest of orders and it is unlikely to happen, but that doesn't mean Messi will not be the best player on show. He is good enough to take Argentina to the final and his individual brilliance might even help them overcome Maradona's glaring deficiencies a a coach. Kay: I really hope Lionel Messi gets the opportunity to showcase his talent. He has struggled to reproduce his best form in the Argentina team over the last year or so, which is as much to do with the chaos that comes from having Diego Maradona as coach, but if he's given the freedom to play, with others around him to do some of his leg-work, he will be sensational. I just feel that, with Maradona in charge, Messi might not be around come the semi-final stage. Winter: Maicon. Maddock: If he is fit and plays then Iniesta of Spain. He is the most talented and complete player in world football. King: I'm really hoping it's going to be Lionel Messi. He has been breathtaking for Barcelona in the past 12 months and if Diego Maradona just lets him play, Messi could have the same kind of impact as his manager did in 1986. Saying that, any one of Spain's attacking players could flourish. Which LFC player will have the best World Cup? Balague: Gerrard. I feel England will do well in the tournament and Gerrard will be pivotal to that. He is ready to have a great World Cup and this will be his year. Joyce: I think Javier Mascherano will do well because the pressure of captaining Argentina will bring the best out of him, but I get the feeling that Steven Gerrard is ready to make his presence felt too. He's had disappointments at the previous World Cups, not going in 2002 and missing the penalty in 2006, and you can just see in him that he wants to make the most of this opportunity. Barrett: If Steven Gerrard was not English I would choose him without hesitation. This could be the tournament when the Liverpool captain takes the international stage by storm and I believe it would be, if he wasn't English. I just can't see England lighting up this World Cup, the squad has too many weaknesses and there are far too many question marks in key positions for that to happen so, unfortunately, I can't see how Gerrard will be able to perform to his potential, although I hope I'm wrong. If it's not going to be Gerrard, I will have to go for Fernando Torres who has the obvious advantage of being a key part of the best squad in the tournament. If Spain play well, which they surely will, Torres will score goals and his star will shine brightest of all the Liverpool players in South Africa. It would be great to see all of the Liverpool players do well as it would mean they have shaken off the disappointment of last season and will return to Merseyside in fine fettle by the the time the club is preparing for the next campaign. Kay: I think and hope Steven Gerrard has a great tournament. I'm not saying that in a patriotic, English way but I would love to see him show the world what he is capable of. He hasn't had the best of luck when it has come to World Cups and European Championships and, after what he would admit was a difficult season at Anfield, it would be great to see him playing at his best. I'm expecting big things from Fernando Torres too. Winter: Mascherano. Vital for Argentina. Gerrard will also be important as a leader for Liverpool. Maddock: Torres will probably win it for Spain, but I also believe Gerrard will have a brilliant World Cup. Now he is England captain he will be on top of his game. He thrives on responsibility and this is his time. King: Patriotism would have you say Steven Gerrard and I do think, having watched him in England's two friendlies, that he is primed to enjoy his best ever tournament. However, as I've tipped Spain, I'm going to say Fernando Torres. He'll be desperate to get as many goals as he possibly can to show his injury problems are behind him. How far will England get? Balague: I can see England getting to the semi-final and then who knows? Gerrard will be pivotal if England go all the way. Joyce: I can see England progressing to the semi-finals when, in all probability, they would meet Brazil. Then it's down to a moment of magic from someone. I do think in Fabio Capello, they have a coach who can make a difference. He's someone who spots problems and solves them and has the total trust of his players. That's something England haven't had in recent tournaments. Barrett: As soon as they meet a good team in the knock-out rounds they will go out and that could be as early as the last 16, given they could meet the likes of Germany, Serbia, Ghana or Australia at that stage. When you think of the reasons why a team could win a World Cup then you think first of their key players and with England it is hard to see beyond Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney being classed as such - and that's nowhere near enough. The fact that they have only kept six clean sheets under Fabio Capello has to be a major concern, and the fact that they still do not have a regular first choice goalkeeper has contributed greatly to this statistic. I might be biased but England's defensive organisation would improve greatly if Jamie Carragher started. The left side of midfield remains a problem and if Gerrard is asked to fill that role it will limit his ability to dominate matches in the manner in which Liverpool supporters know that he can. I just don't see how England can win it. But then at the start of last season I said there was no chance of Chelsea winning the league title so maybe people should back England! Kay: Tough question. Their warm-up performances have been poor and I have doubts about the strength of the squad. But they do have a useful knack of winning games under Fabio Capello. They have also been given a fairly favourable draw - a winnable group and, if they manage to do that, potentially a slightly clearer route to the semi-finals. But I don't see them winning it. Quarter-finals, semi-finals - no more than that. Winter: Quarter-final then penalties. Maddock: Semi-final then lose to Holland on penalties. King: They are strong enough to get to the final but I honestly think getting to the last four would be a fabulous achievement. Provided they do their best, nobody can have any complaints.

	Rafa makes HFSG donation news UPDATE: 10-JUN-2010 Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez today donated £96,000 to the Hillsborough Family Support Group. The Spaniard, who has been confirmed as Inter Milan's new boss, met with representatives of the HFSG at their Anfield Sports and Community Centre offices before handing a cheque over to the organisation's chairwoman Margaret Aspinall. Mrs Aspinall said: "The gesture was he wanted to do something for the fans and he knows Hillsborough is part of that. "He handed a cheque over and wished us all the best in the quest for the truth."

	Rafael Benitez timeline news UPDATE: 05-JUN-2010 Following the departure of Rafael Bentez, Liverpoolfc.tv casts a look back over the Spaniard's six-year Anfield tenure. June 16, 2004 Liverpool appoint Valencia coach Rafael Benitez as the 17th manager in their history. July 26, 2004 First signing as boss, bringing in Josemi from Malaga for £2m. August 10, 2004 Takes charge of his first competitive game, leading Liverpool to a 2-0 win over Grazer AK in the Champions League third qualifying round. August 14, 2004 Endures his first difficult moment in the Anfield hot-seat, as Michael Owen departs for Real Madrid. August 20, 2004 Makes one of the most significant double signings of his tenure with Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia arriving from Real Sociedad and Barcelona respectively. December 12, 2004 Masterminds a remarkable second-half fightback as Liverpool come from behind to beat Olympiacos 3-1 and thus qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. January 13, 2005 Swoops to attain the services of Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes for £6.3 million. January 18, 2005 Suffers one of the most embarrassing results of his Liverpool career as Djimi Traore's bizarre own goal gives Championship side Burnley a 1-0 victory in the FA Cup third round. February 27, 2005 Leads Liverpool to a 3-2 extra-time defeat to champions-elect Chelsea in the Carling Cup final at the Millennium Stadium. April 5, 2005 Savours a moment to remember as Liverpool defeat a much-fancied Juventus team to secure a 2-1 advantage in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final at Anfield - a victory that would eventually see them progress to the last four. May 3, 2005 Anfield enjoys one of its greatest ever nights as Liverpool see off Chelsea by a 1-0 scoreline to clinch a place in the Champions League final in Istanbul. May 25, 2005 Immortalises himself in Liverpool folklore by steering the Reds to a penalty shoot-out triumph over Ac Milan after trailing 3-0 at the interval. July 4, 2005 Signs Pepe Reina from Villarreal for £6m. July 7, 2005 Signs Peter Crouch from Southampton for £7m and keeps faith with the forward as he endures a barren run of 18 matches without finding the back of the net. December 15, 2005 Liverpool secure a club record 11th clean sheet in a row in the World Club Championship semi-final against Deportivo Saprissa. December 18, 2005 The Reds miss out on a first ever World Club title as they lose 1-0 to Sao Paolo in Tokyo. January 27, 2006 Delights the club's supporters by re-signing Robbie Fowler on a free transfer from Manchester City. March 21, 2006 Liverpool book a place in the semi-final of the FA Cup with a 7-0 demolition of Birmingham City at St Andrews. April 22, 2006 Once again outwits Jose Mourinho in a semi-final as the Reds see off Chelsea 2-1 to book a place in the FA Cup final. May 13, 2006 The Reds claim a seventh FA Cup success with another thrilling victory over West Ham. Benitez sees his side secure a trophy on penalties following a 3-3 draw for the second time in 12 months. August 13, 2006 Liverpool win the Community Shield courtesy of a 2-1 triumph over Chelsea. August 18, 2006 Signs Dirk Kuyt from Feyenoord for £9m. January 9, 2007 Liverpool suffer an embarrassing 6-3 reversal at home to Arsenal in the Carling Cup. It comes just three days after the Gunners had knocked the Reds out of the FA Cup with a 3-1 victory. February 20, 2007 Signs Javier Mascherano on loan. February 21, 2007 Liverpool secure one of the finest victories in their rich European history, defeating reigning champions Barcelona 2-1 at the Nou Camp. May 1, 2007 Benitez leads Liverpool to a second Champions League final in just three years in charge. The Reds once again beat Chelsea in the semi-final second leg at Anfield courtesy of a penalty shoot-out success. May 23, 2007 Liverpool are beaten 2-1 by AC Milan in the Champions League final in Athens. July 4, 2007 The Reds smash their transfer record to secure the signature of Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres. August 30, 2007 Pako Ayesteran leaves Liverpool. September 1, 2007 The Reds beat Derby County 6-0 to top the Barclays Premier League for the first time since 2002-03. November 6, 2007 Liverpool defeat Besiktas by an 8-0 scoreline to notch up the highest margin of victory in Champions League history. December 11, 2007 Liverpool triumph 4-0 in Marseille to pull off mission improbable and qualify for the knockout stage of the Champions League. February 19, 2008 Just three days after the ignominy of losing to Barnsley in the FA Cup, Benitez masterminds a 2-0 Champions League success over Italian giants Inter Milan. February 29, 2008 Liverpool sign Javier Mascherano on a long-term deal. April 8, 2008 The Reds overcome Arsenal in a breathtaking all-English Champions League quarter-final at Anfield. April 30, 2008 Liverpool's run of semi-final triumphs over Chelsea comes to an end with a 3-2 extra-time defeat to the Blues in the second leg of their Champions League showdown at Stamford Bridge. May 16, 2008 Sammy Lee returns to Liverpool as Assistant Manager. He fills the void left by Alex Miller. July 28, 2008 Benitez swoops to sign Robbie Keane in a big money move from Tottenham. August 8, 2008 The much-protracted move for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry collapses. September 13, 2008 Benitez claims his first league victory over Manchester United as Liverpool triumph 2-1 at Anfield. December 28, 2008 Liverpool finish the year top of the table following a 5-1 rout of Newcastle at St James' Park. January 9, 2009 Benitez stuns his pre-Stoke Press Conference with a 'Facts' rant aimed at Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson. February 2, 2009 Liverpool sell Robbie Keane back to Tottenham. March 14, 2009 Liverpool re-invigorate their title challenge with a 4-1 drubbing of leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford. It follows hot on the heels of a 4-0 success over European giants Real Madrid. April 14, 2009 The Reds' Champions League dream is brought to an end following an incredible 4-4 draw at Chelsea in the second leg of their last eight meeting. May 24, 2009 Liverpool beat Tottenham 3-1 to end the season with their highest points tally since the inception of the Barclays Premier League. They finish the season as runners-up. June 26, 2009 Glen Johnson arrives from Portsmouth to become the most expensive defender in our history. August 5, 2009 Xabi Alonso joins Real Madrid. August 7, 2009 Alberto Aquilani arrives from AS Roma. October 17, 2009 Liverpool are beaten 1-0 at Sunderland in a game that is now infamous for the red beach ball. November 4, 2009 Liverpool crash out of the Champions League at the group stage after being held to a 1-1 draw in Lyon. December 15, 2009 Benitez guarantees Liverpool will finish in the top four. January 13, 2010 The Reds' season takes another turn for the worse as they are beaten 2-1 after extra-time in an FA Cup third round replay at home to Reading. April 8, 2010 Fernando Torres hits a brace on his last appearance of the season as Liverpool defeat Benfica 4-1 to march into the last four of the Europa League. April 29, 2010 Diego Forlan scores a priceless away goal as Atletico Madrid progress to the final of the Europa League following a 2-2 draw in the last four second leg at Anfield. May 2, 2010 Liverpool lose 2-0 at home to Chelsea, a result that ends our hopes of a top four finish. May 9, 2010 The Reds are held to a goalless draw by Hull City. The game proves to be Benitez's last match in charge. Liverpool finish the season in seventh. June 3, 2010 Liverpool announce that Rafael Benitez has left the club.

	Pepe responds to Rafa departure news UPDATE: 05-JUN-2010 Pepe Reina has reaffirmed his commitment to Liverpool Football Club despite the departure of Rafael Benitez. The goalkeeper - one of Benitez's finest signings - admitted to feelings of sadness after his compatriot left Anfield by mutual consent on Thursday. However, Reina remains as desperate as ever to help Liverpool challenge for major honours. "Something like this is always sad," he said. "Rafa is the one who has always trusted me. I can only give my utmost gratitude for all that he's done for me. I wish him the very best. "But this changes nothing. I still have a six-year contract with Liverpool." Meanwhile, Reina played 45 minutes for Spain as they beat South Korea 1-0 on Thursday night. The Spanish now face Poland in another friendly on June 8 before opening their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on June 16.

	Photos: LFC stars ready for WC news UPDATE: 03-JUN-2010 Here's a selection of photos showing Liverpool players preparing for the World Cup with their countries. WATCH VIDEO>>>>>>>

	Liverpool FC Statement news UPDATE: 03-JUN-2010 Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent. Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career. The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position. No timescale has been placed on the process and Liverpool FC will make no further statement until a new manager is appointed. LFC Chairman Martin Broughton said: "Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.'' Rafael Benitez said: "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts. "I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager. "Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."

	Torres is back: Photo special news UPDATE: 02-JUN-2010 Fernando Torres is back in training sporting a new haircut ahead of this summer's World Cup. Here are some photos of our superstar striker with his international teammates. These pictures show El Nino back on the training pitch for the first time since undergoing knee surgery in April. The man himself is confident of being ready for his country's World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 16 despite watching from the sidelines as Spain beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 in Austria at the weekend.

	Carra makes final England cut news UPDATE: 02-JUN-2010 Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson are all heading to South Africa after being confirmed in Fabio Capello's final World Cup squad. Seven players were left heartbroken when the England boss cut his group to 23 today - but all three Liverpool stars survived the cull. They join clubmates Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel (Holland), Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina (Spain), Martin Skrtel (Slovakia), Javier Mascherano and Maxi Rodriguez (Argentina), Sotirios Kyrgiakos (Greece) and Daniel Agger (Denmark) in being guaranteed a place in South Africa. Those who missed out for England were: Darren Bent, Theo Walcott, Adam Johnson, Leighton Baines, Tom Huddlestone, Scott Parker and Michael Dawson. Capello's squad in full is: Goalkeepers: Joe Hart (Manchester City), David James (Portsmouth), Robert Green (West Ham). Defenders: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Ledley King (Tottenham), John Terry (Chelsea), Matthew Upson (West Ham), Stephen Warnock (Aston Villa). Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), James Milner (Aston Villa), Shaun Wright-Phillips (Manchester City). Forwards: Peter Crouch (Tottenham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Emile Heskey (Aston Villa), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

	Carra: Why I'll play anywhere news UPDATE: 28-may-2010 Jamie Carragher has revealed how he is prepared to play anywhere in order to aid England's World Cup charge this summer. The Liverpool vice-captain's versatility is one of the primary reasons coach Fabio Capello was so eager to force the defender to rethink his decision to retire from Three Lions duty - and Carra insists he is happy to fill in wherever deemed necessary by the Italian. "Centre-back is my best position. I think everyone is aware of that," said Carragher. "But if you look at the squad maybe the manager does see me playing a different position, which is something I will have to adapt to. "Basically, I will just do whatever the manager says." Carragher is being strongly tipped to make the cut when Capello names his final 23-man squad for the South Africa finals on June 1 - although he's taking nothing for granted. "It's up to the manager," he said. "There is another game against Japan and another week's training. After that we will see." Carragher made his return to the England fold as a second-half substitute during Monday's 3-1 Wembley win against Mexico - three years on from announcing his retirement from international football. The Liverpool star was given a warm reception by the home fans inside the stadium, and he added: "I thank the crowd for their reception. "As I said before the game I could understand it if they weren't too happy with my situation but I think they just wanted to get behind the team before the World Cup and send the squad out in good spirits." Under the guidance of Capello, many believe England head into the tournament with their strongest chance of lifting the trophy for the first time since 1966 - sentiments Carragher can appreciate. "Every manager has his own ideas and different ways of doing things," continued Carra. "But Fabio's track record speaks for itself. Whatever the manager has done through his career it has proved successful. "Hopefully it will be that way again."

	Babel makes World Cup cut news UPDATE: 28-may-2010 Ryan Babel has won his battle to be fit for the World Cup after being named in Holland's 23-man squad for the tournament. Babel is joined by Anfield teammate Dirk Kuyt in the Dutch party, despite fears he would miss out after injuring his hamstring last week. Initial reports suggested the Liverpool midfielder would be "touch and go" for the big kick-off next month, but coach Bert van Marjiwk has preferred the 23-year old to AZ Alkmaar forward Jeremain Lens. Holland will play in Group E along with Denmark, Japan and Cameroon.

	LFC unveil Heysel plaque news UPDATE: 27-MAY-2010 Liverpool players will notice big changes to training next season as the club's new sports science guru gets to work. Dr Peter Brukner hopes he can reduce the number of stars visiting the treatment room by introducing methods used in other sports. The likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres will be asked to complete 15 minutes of injury prevention before every training session from next season. Another innovation coming to Melwood is the increased use of "GPS systems" to monitor each player's fitness. "The players will notice an immediate difference come the start of the 2010-11 season," said Dr Brukner, who takes up his role as Head of Sports Medicine and Sports Science after travelling with Australia to the World Cup. "Liverpool's set-up is already the equal of any Premier League club. I want to now take it to the next level and make it the benchmark in world football for sports medicine and sports science. I'm quite confident we'll do that. "Our plan is for the players to do a 15-minute session before they start training. This will be purely on injury prevention - working on hamstrings, groins, thighs, calves and so on. "The other thing we'll be doing more of is monitoring their general well-being, their general health and their workload. "There's a lot of GPS systems now and they're not just for cars. It'll be like having a sat nav on every player! We'll be able to modify their programmes depending on how much they play and how quickly they recover. "It's our responsibility to sell that to the players and I don't think that will be difficult because they don't want to be injured." On top of all this, the squad will be divided into groups depending on their injury history. Extra work will then be done on specific body areas within each group. The question supporters will want to know is whether Dr Brukner's techniques - which have earned him a reputation as one of the world's leading sports physicians - will prevent the kind of injury crisis which undermined 2009-10. "You can't stop all injuries," he said. "There are certain injuries which are inevitable - like when someone gets a kick or something. "But I think we can certainly reduce the amount of injuries - particularly what we call soft tissue injuries. Things like hamstring muscle, groin muscle, calf muscle and tears." Australia is seen by many as the world leader in sports science and medicine. Dr Brukner has been key in carving out this reputation over the last 25 years, establishing the country's largest sports medicine clinic. His CV includes spells with the national swimming, hockey and Olympic teams - and he believes football can learn from these sports. "Football is probably a little bit behind the cutting edge that's out there in other parts of the world," said Dr Brukner. "Maybe that's a cultural thing with football clubs - the traditional set-up has been the same for many years. Other sports in other countries have maybe gone ahead a bit. The idea now is to get the best of what's out there around the world and bring it to Liverpool." Dr Brukner's appointment followed a worldwide search by Liverpool officials. "It came out of the blue," he said. "I was approached by someone doing the headhunting for Liverpool. They somehow finished up in Melbourne and I got a phone call to ask if I was interested. "Initially I said, 'Thanks, but it's probably a bit early from my family's point of view.' My son is still at school and I thought maybe in a couple of years. "But Liverpool were persistent and it's a very attractive job, a real challenge. Eventually we sat down as a family, had a meeting about it and decided to give it a crack." Dr Brukner spent a month at Melwood at the back end of 2009-10 to acclimatise to his new surroundings. He added: "This was Liverpool's suggestion and I think it's proved a really good one. I've seen the procedures and the structures and met everyone. Now when I arrive in pre-season I can hit the ground running. "It's an amazing place, there's no doubt about that. I've always followed football and I lived in England for three years many years ago. "There are not many clubs in the world bigger than Liverpool Football Club and I'm honoured to be here." First up for Dr Brukner is a trip to South Africa as head doctor for the Socceroos. And our new appointment is relishing the prospect of facing England should one team finish first and the other second in their respective groups. "That's a tantalising prospect. It will be the football version of The Ashes," he said. "But no, we've got a really tough group - Germany, Serbia and Ghana. "If we can get through the group we've done really, really well. We haven't got a star-studied team but we've got a great work ethic. There's a great team spirit."

	'LFC players will see big changes news UPDATE: 27-MAY-2010 Liverpool Football Club today unveiled a permanent tribute at Anfield to the 39 football fans who lost their lives in the Heysel Stadium disaster. Senior club officials and dignitaries were joined by representatives of Juventus at a ceremony in which a commemorative plaque was unveiled on the Centenary Stand ahead of Saturday's 25th anniversary. LFC Managing Director Christian Purslow, Chief Financial Officer Philip Nash, Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish and assistant manager Sammy Lee joined Juventus' Director of Youth Development Gianluca Pessotto at the presentation as former players Phil Neal and Sergio Brio unveiled the plaque. Also in attendance were Italian Consul Mrs Nunzia Bertali, Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Hazel Williams, Young Lord Mayor Lauren Cragg, Liverpool Schools Parliament coordinator Jeff Dunn, Leader of Liverpool City Council Joe Anderson and Walton District MP Steve Rotheram. Club Chaplain Bill Bygroves delivered an emotional address ahead of the unveiling. He said: "We can't change our history or dry up all our tears. We cannot solve the mysteries still unanswered down these years. "But we can, for all our children's sake and for the 39, build a monument of friendship that will stand the test of time. "It is estimated the average person can live 40 days without food, five days without water, eight minutes without air, but only one second without hope. "The anthem of this club is 'walk on with hope in your heart'. We would ask you to express to those who continue to walk many miles with sorrow that they should walk on with hope in their heart. "And from this club, to your club, to our friends in Italy, please say 'You do not stand alone, you do not grieve alone and you do not walk alone.'"

	Media Watch news UPDATE: 24-MAY-2010 Reds on alert as Pienaar rejects deal 24 May 2010 Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar has alerted Tottenham, Liverpool and Manchester United to the fact he has rejected the Goodison cl… Milner would snub City in favour of LFC 24 May 2010 James Milner has reportedly claimed he would snub advances from both Manchester City and Manchester United in favour of a move to Liverpool. Liverpool consider £9.5m La Liga giant 24 May 2010 Rafa Benitez is reportedly interested in signing Valencia's towering forward Nikola Zigic this summer. Reds enquiry for City left-back 23 May 2010 Liverpool are set to make an enquiry for Manchester City left-back Sylvinho before he signs a new deal at Eastlands, we understand. Carragher braces himself for a hostile Wembley 23 May 2010 Jamie Carragher says he will understand if he receives a hostile reception from England fans in the friendly against Mexico at Wembl… Reina: Torres will stay with Liverpool 23 May 2010 Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has warned suitors Chelsea and Manchester City that teammate Fernando Torres will stay at Anfield ne… Liverpool starlet set for permanent switch 23 May 2010 Leicester have opened talks with Liverpool about keeping Jay Spearing permanently. 'Torres will stay at Anfield' 23 May 2010 Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has indicated that striker Fernando Torres will stay at Anfield. LFC to bring Adriano back to Europe? 22 May 2010 Reports coming out of Italy say that Liverpool have joined Arsenal and Roma in trying to bring former Inter striker Adriano back to Europe. Reds want City defender 22 May 2010 Rafa Benitez is looking to make a summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Jovanovic has no regrets over Liverpool 22 May 2010 Milan Jovanovic insists he has no regrets over his imminent move to Liverpool FC despite the uncertainty that continues to envelop the club. Babel injury scare threatens World Cup 22 May 2010 Ryan Babel will discover today whether his World Cup dreams have been shattered at the last moment. Agent: Forlan can leave this summer 21 May 2010 The agent of former Manchester United star Diego Forlan has opened the door for the Uruguayan to quit Atletico Madrid by admitting t… Liverpool eye former Spurs defender 21 May 2010 Reto Ziegler has been tipped for a shock return to the Barclays Premier League with Liverpool said to be in the hunt for the former … Rafa targets West Ham pair 21 May 2010 Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hoping to land West Ham pair Valon Behrami and Matthew Upson. READ MORE>>>>>>>>>

	Media Watch news UPDATE: 21-MAY-2010 Agent: Forlan can leave this summer 21 May 2010 The agent of former Manchester United star Diego Forlan has opened the door for the Uruguayan to quit Atletico Madrid by admitting t… Liverpool eye former Spurs defender 21 May 2010 Reto Ziegler has been tipped for a shock return to the Barclays Premier League with Liverpool said to be in the hunt for the former … Rafa targets West Ham pair 21 May 2010 Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is hoping to land West Ham pair Valon Behrami and Matthew Upson. Reds target Valencia star 20 May 2010 Liverpool are looking to make a hopeful bid to bring Valencia attacker Juan Mata to Anfield. Agent - Rossi a wanted man 20 May 2010 Giuseppe Rossi is being chased by a host of clubs in Italy and England according to his agent. Liverpool and Everton to fight it out for Ajax ace 20 May 2010 Everton and Liverpool are competing to sign Ajax centre-back Jan Vertonghen. Reds prepare swoop for duo 19 May 2010 Rafa Benitez is keen on Manchester City's Steven Ireland and Chelsea's Joe Cole. Reds linked with £15m winger swoop 19 May 2010 Liverpool are considering a shock move for Tottenham misfit David Bentley this summer. Liverpool join Bentley race 19 May 2010 Liverpool and Everton are battling it out with Aston Villa for the signature of Tottenham winger David Bentley according to reports. Benitez expects quality arrivals 18 May 2010 Rafael Benitez is confident Liverpool will still be able to attract high-class signings this summer despite the absence of Champions… Honesty best policy in Carra's comeback 18 May 2010 Nobody should have any reservations about Jamie Carragher going to the World Cup, writes Mark Lawrenson. Rafa eyes Sevilla winger 18 May 2010 Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is believed to have identified Sevilla winger Jesus Navas as a summer transfer target, according to… Race on for Reds starlet 17 May 2010 Skysports.com understands a number of clubs are eyeing Liverpool defender Robbie Threlfall. Cole battle hots up 17 May 2010 Liverpool and Aston Villa have joined the race for Carlton Cole after it