Anfield Red

The waiting game is over for Roy Hodgson. The club and all of Merseyside had been waiting with bated breath for Fernando Torres’ decision to stay or move on next season, and on Tuesday night they received the news: Liverpool’s No.9 will be staying on at the club for the foreseeable future.

Radio 5 broke the news in the past couple of hours that Torres met with Hodgson and confirmed that he will be returning to the club with the intentions of playing next season for the Reds. He expects to return to training on Monday.

Whilst that’s all the information I have at the moment it is a great bit of news, and caps what surely has been a fantastic fortnight for the club. Gerrard and Torres confirming their commitments to the club, as well as the signing of Joe Cole, has things looking up at the moment.

First off, an apology to everyone here on the site for going MIA for the last month. I’ve been working away and taking a break from the mess going on with the club. You can talk all you want about it, but sometimes it just makes sense to step away, take a breath and then pick yourself up and continue. The break was much needed – although it still looks like there’s plenty to talk about after yesterday’s announcement.

There are very few people I trust when it comes to real, legitimate news on our club. One look at the tripe that’s plastered across every rag in the country is more than enough reason for any sane person to treat every story and rumour surrounding the goings-on at Liverpool as false from the start.

But if there is one person I actually do trust more than most, it’s Tony Barrett. Say what you will about the Times journalist, but he’s usually one with real news and answers when it comes to the pulse of the club. I’d implore all of you with questions to read Barrett’s recent live chat, where he took the time to answer a host of questions.

While I’ll leave the transcript reading up to you, I did want to point out some of the more interesting questions and responses, and also give my take on what I think about his response:

Benfica today in the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals is almost certainly the most important story of the day, but that doesn’t mean stories about the new Liverpool kit should be kicked to the curb!

The club unveiled their new kit for the upcoming season yesterday with a new look and sponsor for the upcoming campaign. Next year could be the first time Liverpool has played in a European competition other than the Champions League, and if that’s that case, they’ll be doing so with Standard Chartered splashed across their chest.

The financial group is taking over for brewer, Carlsberg, after the club decided to swap loyalty with a long-time sponsor for a massive payday. In the end, that new kit sponsor deal is looking better and better given our current financial position.

We all know the likes of Gerrard and Torres are absolutely vital to the squad every time Rafa sends a squad onto the pitch. Like many of you, I’ve been waiting for Rafa to add a third piece to the puzzle in an effort to take some of the pressure off both of the players.

It’s impossible to compare Alberto Aquilani to either at this time, but I’m hoping he brings something to the table. The Italian midfielder has been given clearance to play in his first match tonight, when the reserve squad takes on Sunderland.

Let’s all hope things go according to plan. Goodness knows we needs player of his calibre on the pitch right now given how stagnant the offense has been of late.

Liverpool’s longtime relationship with Carlsberg appears to be over after it was announced earlier today that a new sponsor will be taking over the reigns in July of next year. The “largest commercial deal” in club history will be with Standard Chartered Bank for an astounding £80m over four years.

Here’s the announcement via ESPN.com

Liverpool have announced the “largest ever commercial deal” in the history of the club with Standard Chartered Bank sealing a four-year sponsorship deal.

“It is a real sign of the progress we have made at Liverpool that we have been able to secure the largest ever commercial deal in our history.”

Whilst I did enjoy the partnership with Carlsberg, in the end it just didn’t make financial sense to stay with the brewer. Back in 2007, the club signed a three-year £22m contract that lasted until the end of this year. The current contract with Carlsberg paid the club almost the equivalent of what Liverpool will now be making in just a year of their new sponsorship deal with the bank. This was the right decision.

Hopefully some of those funds will be injected into the transfer kitty for Rafa to use in the summer of next year. All in all, this should be a historic day for the club that should make supporters proud. It’s the first feather in the cap for new managing director Christian Purslow.

Well it looks like Rafa’s comments regarding the officials in the Tottenham match could come back to bite him in the arse.

The FA has charge Benitez with improper conduct, meaning he has until September 15th to give a formal response to the governing body, or risk the fine and a possible ban from the touchline.

Rafael Benitez is in hot water with the Football Association after comments made following his side’s defeat at Tottenham on the opening weekend of the season.

Benitez was irritated when referee Dowd did not point to the spot after substitute Andriy Voronin appeared to be blocked by Assou-Ekotto, and also when further appeals for a handball against the same defender during the closing stages were dismissed. (ESPN.com)

I’ll be honest, Rafa’s comments were surely going to get him an improper conduct charge. Whilst the match was utterly shambolic from the officials standpoint, I do wish Rafa would have kept some of his comments to himself. The one especially about Stuart Attwell being too young was probably the one that took the whole press conference over the edge.

I’d imagine he’ll see a ban from the touchline in his future with a hefty fine attached as well. The FA isn’t in the mood to play around any longer when it comes to negative comments about the officials.

What do you make of the whole situation?

He was know as “Skippy” during his long spell at Liverpool, and for those of us who were lucky enough to watch him play, we can all agree that there’s only one Craig Johnston. Whilst he never truly made his mark like many legends before and after him, Craig made his impact at the club in another way: opening doors for Aussies after him to have a shot in the Premier League. For those of us who saw him play, we all know he always gave a complete performance whenever he stepped foot on the pitch.

After retiring from football, Johnston went into the business of designing football boots. He and Simon Skirrow set about designing a revolutionary new football boot that would change the game. In the end they came up with a boot we all know: the adidas Predator.

Johnston is launching the Football Boot Awards for 2009 over at footy-boots.com. Take a minute to go over and vote for the Football Boot of the Year, Safest Football Boot of the Year, as well as other awards.

Johnston also took some time during the announcement of the Football Boot Awards to discuss a major injury problem in the world of football today: the safety (or lack thereof) of today’s football boots.

We all know the stories regarding Rooney, Owen, and Beckham, to name a few. And whilse Johnston believes today’s boot technology has improved, he feels the biggest problem is that today’s boots are “too safe”:

“A lot of players have been injured over the last four or five years because of their equipment and because of the quality of the pitches.”

“There’s been David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and even Michael Owen, just to name three.”

“People say that the boots don’t provide enough protection. In fact the opposite is true. The problem is that the boots are so well made there is no give at all in the materials – especially the cheaper synthetics.”

“The pitches are now so well maintained and even woven with synthetic materials that the players’ studs engage like they should do but they don’t release enough, causing injury.”

“Also, the studs are far too long and give far too much grip.”

“Something has to give and in this day and age it is the ligaments and the metatarsals that are giving way – not the boots, the studs or the grass of the new-generation pitches.”

“I would make a call to the big brands and manufacturers and just say to them: please, for the safety and well-being of all footballers of all abilities, put a bit of research and development money behind the
concept of stud release.”

I’d have to agree with Criag’s assessment of today’s boot technology. There’s just not enough give in the boots. Whilst I under the need to create cheaper boots with the use of synthetic products, I think we can all agree that leather boots are best for a reason. Here’s hoping boot manufacturers consider shortening the studs and making the boot material a bit more pliable.

Roger Federer stopped by Liverpool’s training yesterday in Switzerland to spend some time with the lads. Carra looks to really be enjoying himself! Based on the report via .tv, Fed took time to get photos with every player on the squad. He’s a Legend in my book – even if he is an FC Basel supporter!

(photo credit: Liverpoolfc.tv)

In the wake of Manchester United’s £80 million four-year agreement shirt sponsorship agreement with American insurance giant, Aon, Liverpool could well be on their way to the similar lucrative deal next summer — but don’t count on it being with current sponsor Carlsberg.

Liverpool’s main shirt sponsor since 1992 appears to be on the outside looking in with regards to extending their current agreement after next year. The Danish brewer is said to be offering somewhere in the neighbourhood of £40 million, which is half of United’s current deal. At the moment that’s a number that just won’t cut it for a club as big as Liverpool.

Liverpool’s current ownership renewed their contract with the brewer in 2007 when they took over the club. The contract was worth £7.2 million a year for the club, which pales in comparison to the current deal between Aon and Manchester United.

Whilst I will say that Carlsberg have been a loyal sponsor this whole time, I don’t feel that just because they’ve been here for so long that Liverpool should give them a serious discount. If they’re only willing to pay the club £40 million, I’d like to see us say thanks but no thanks to the offer and search for another sponsor.

It appears that ownership is willing to do just that if Carlsberg don’t up the price. The company has until the end of July to strike a new agreement with the club before Liverpool starts looking elsewhere.

Who would you want as a shirt sponsor if we didn’t renew with Carlsberg?

You might as well call it Liverpool news day considering the number of stories that’ve come out regarding transfer targets, ownership, and new appointment. But what do they all mean for the club? Let’s take a quick look and see…

Johnson and Saez both set to make Liverpool moves

Glen Johnson’s £18million move from Pompey to Liverpool appears to be signed, sealed and delivered based on the announcement made by Liverpoolfc.tv this afternoon. The move would add England’s first-option right back to the club for a price that many feel is an over-inflated fee.

Jesus Fernandez Saez joins Liverpool from Cadiz for an unspecified fee. The 16 year old youngster was being courted by Real Madrid and Barcelona before Rafa secured his signature.

Verdict: It’s still too early to say if Saez will be a Spanish sensation or not; Johnson on the otherhand will be asked to do everything he did at Pompey from the start.

If you really thought we’d get Johnson for a discounted price, then you really are thick. He’s English and he’s currently in the senior squad. I don’t know how he’d go for anything less than £16-18m. Regardless, there’s a part of me that hopes we get a couple big names so Johnson’s insertion into the starting XI comes with less pomp and circumstance.

I’d imagine he’ll be a solid signing at the end of the day. But an £18million “solid”? We’ll have to wait and see on that.

Gillett sells stake in NHL club; Hicks could be next

George Gillett’s days as the majority owner of the NHL’s Montreal Canadians is officially over after he sold his 80.1% stake in the club to Molson brewing for an estimated £330m. The move frees up funds that hopefully (I say that with trepidation in my voice) will go towards the £350m loan he and Hicks currently have with RBS and Wachovia.

Hicks is also rumoured to be in the midst of selling his majority stake in the Texas Rangers (Major League Baseball) to a group headed by current team president, Nolan Ryan, or to the owner of one of the largest car dealerships in Texas.

Verdict: This really is good news. Hicks and Gillett are downsizing their stakes in other sports teams with the intent of hopefully taking a large chunk out of their current interest payment. The economy has forced them into this position, but to be honest, I think the economic crisis could be a blessing in disguise.

This about it: They had their hands in multiple cookie jars, and now they’ll have their hands in one for the majority of the time. If we’re stuck with these two clowns for the future, I’d at least like to know that they’re putting all their chips in Liverpool’s court.

I’d reckon the sales could help us in the financial long-term. I wouldn’t put money on a new stadium anytime soon, though.

Christian Purslow is appointed as Liverpool’s new managing director

This could be the biggest news of all. I was wondering when Hicks and Gillett would bring someone in to replace Rick Parry. I guess this announcement settles the when part of the question. He’s got all the credentials to be a big player in the future.

Take a look at this via the Liverpool Echo: “Purslow is a Cambridge University and Harvard graduate and a fluent Spanish speaker whose family hail from Wirral. His father worked for Littlewoods in the 1960s.”

Not only is he well educated and fluent in Spanish, but he’s also a Liverpool season ticket holder. Plus he’s friends with King Kenny and was a major piece in getting Fernando Torres’s new contract. All of these points are gold with me.

He’ll essentially be the bridge between Benitez and the ownership in the future. I for one can’t wait to have one of our own who understands the club being the middleman between both sides. I have a feeling he’ll go to bat for Rafa when it comes to transfer decisions. Plus, he was picked by Hicks himself.

Verdict: Brought a smile to my face this morning when I read this. Rick Parry was never close with Rafa or the ownership. I for one blame him for a lot of the messes that went public over the last couple of years.

I see Purslow being a pillar in the whole process going forward.