Watch Liverpool

Posts Tagged ‘liverpool’

• Paula Carragher to visit stadium for only second time
• Defender leads Liverpool XI v Everton to mark 14-year career

Jamie Carragher may have played 634 times for Liverpool in his 14-year professional career but the most significant appearance among the gallery of stars present at Anfield for his testimonial tomorrow will be his mother’s.

Paula Carragher has only once before visited the ground, and even then it was very early in his career when the now 32-year-old was still a youth team player. But she will make an exception to watch her son’ as he captains a Liverpool XI against a side from Everton, the club Carragher supported as a boy.

“My mum has only been to Anfield once, when we won the youth cup,” said Carragher. “She’ll be in the directors box for her second outing but football has always been for the boys in our house.

“I am looking forward to enjoying the game. It will be a family day and I’m sure my kids will go on the pitch at some point for a kickabout.”

Carragher has been keen to stress the testimonial, which will raise funds for his 23 Foundation supporting groups and charities in Liverpool, does not signal the end of his career. He does admit it is a time for reflection, though.

“The obvious highlight is Istanbul in 2005,” he said. “But I think my first full league game when I scored against Aston Villa [was significant] because without that who knows what I would have achieved?”

Asked to pick a low point he said: “There have been plenty of those – the more you play the more bad ones you have. I remember losing 3-0 to Everton and having a nightmare, I didn’t sleep for a week afterwards!”

Liverpoolguardian.co.uk

• Mascherano took pay cut to join Barcelona
• Decision to leave had nothing to do with his family

Javier Mascherano’s desperation to leave Liverpool led the Argentina captain to take a pay cut to complete his £20m move to Barcelona. The midfielder has claimed broken promises – and not his family’s failure to settle on Merseyside – prompted his decision to force a move from Anfield.

The 26-year-old finally joined the Spanish champions on Monday night following a 12-month transfer pursuit plus a bitter end to his Anfield career, amid suggestions he refused to play in Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City to secure an exit. Mascherano rejects that allegation and has denied that his main motivation for leaving Liverpool was to be reunited with his wife and young children, who have lived in Buenos Aires for most of his time on Merseyside.

Instead Mascherano, who was refused a move to Barcelona last summer but promised he could leave if Liverpool received an acceptable offer this year, and who was offered a new contract at Anfield last season, has blamed his former club for the split.

“When they started to involve my family and to say things that didn’t make sense, I obviously suffered,” he said. “They’d promised me something for a whole year and they never fulfilled their promise. And that didn’t have anything to do with my family or anything else. When you read or hear lies, you obviously get angry.”

In announcing their agreement with Liverpool last week Barcelona praised “the intensive efforts made by the club in the final hours and through the player himself in the negotiations”, and it is understood Mascherano accepted less than his £70,000-a-week wage at Anfield to secure a four-year contract at the Camp Nou. The midfielder said today: “I’d also like to thank the club for their efforts. They’ve spent a lot of money and it was my duty to give way a bit to make this dream come true. When this chance came up I didn’t hesitate. I’ve joined the best club in the world and the best team in the world.”

Mascherano expressed his gratitude to the former Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez for rescuing him from a miserable spell at West Ham United in 2007. He said: “Rafa taught me tactics. He’s one of the coaches who have taught me the most in my career and I’m very grateful to him. He was fundamental. He gave me the chance to join Liverpool. He had confidence in me at a time when, perhaps, nobody would have dreamed of giving me an opportunity. I’ll be grateful to him all my life.”

Liverpool’s new £3.5m signing Paul Konchesky is to make his debut in Jamie Carragher’s testimonial against an Everton XI at Anfield on Saturday.

BarcelonaLiverpoolTransfer windowAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk

• Forward says Liverpool risk falling behind main rivals
• Club needs owners ‘who can make us a competitive side’

Fernando Torres says it is imperative that Liverpool find new owners quickly if they are to avoid falling further behind the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Torres, who last month pledged his future to the club amid speculation linking him with a move away, also confirmed more than one team had a bid turned down for him this summer.

Reiterating his commitment to Liverpool, where he is contracted until 2013, the 26-year-old said he is desperate to help bring success back to Anfield. For that to happen, Torres believes the club’s owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, must complete their proposed sale of the club as soon as possible.

“It’s fundamental new owners arrive who can make us a competitive side,” he told the Spanish radio station Cadena Cope. “We’re not that far behind. We had an appalling season last time around, but the year before we were just four points from Manchester United.

“Hopefully, we can find a consortium that buys the club and can make Liverpool able to fight financially with Chelsea and United. Then let’s see what we’re capable of doing this season.”

Like Torres the club’s captain, Steven Gerrard, was linked with a move away from Anfield in the transfer window and his retention was thought to be a crucial factor behind his team-mate’s decision to stay.

“Liverpool kept Steven Gerrard, which was fundamental. It’s still a great team. It’s a delicate situation because we’re not in the Champions League but it’s still the biggest club in England and to play at Anfield every week is a privilege,” Torres said.

“That’s how I see it. I like to have targets and to be able to help bring Liverpool back where they deserve to be is a beautiful target. It’s always complicated when you start with a new manager and new players, but we’ll see what we’re capable of.”

Chelsea and Manchester City were both linked with moves for Torres this summer.

“The club received offers and decided to reject them,” said Torres without identifying the clubs in question. “That’s where it ends. Everyone thought I was leaving for Spain during the World Cup when there was nothing in it. I said the day I returned to train that my future was at Liverpool. I have a contract until 2013.

“This year, our target has to be the top four. Like every team-mate, we all want to improve and win titles and, for that, it’s fundamental we get new owners.”

Fernando TorresLiverpoolTransfer windowguardian.co.uk