Liverpool Sign Record Deal with Warrior Sports – How will the jerseys look like?

The Daily Mail has reported that Liverpool have agreed a £25 million-a-year kit deal with Boston-based company Warrior Sports in April. The deal is a record for English football surpassing Manchester United’s £23.5 million-a-year Nike deal.

The £25 million-a-year kit deal is twice as much as what Liverpool were getting from Adidas, my biggest concern is whether Warrior Sports can create a professional and aesthetically pleasing soccer kit. The first new Liverpool kit designed and manufactured by Warrior Sports will debut in the 2012-13 season, so they will have plenty of time to perfect the design.

Who are Warrior Sports?

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Warrior Sports is recognized as one of the sporting goods industry’s premier manufacturers of innovative, high performance, cutting-edge equipment, footwear and apparel for lacrosse and hockey athletes of all ages and abilities. Founded in 1992 by former champion lacrosse player David Morrow, Warrior was acquired by privately-held New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. in February 2004. The 2007 acquisition of Boston-based Brine Sporting Goods further established Warrior Sports as the dominant force in the lacrosse world.

Warrior is dedicated to a core set of philosophies and strengths: technical superiority, grassroots marketing, original and creative youthful expression, and strong partnerships with retailers and suppliers. Since creating the first titanium shafts in 1992, Warrior has constantly pushed the envelope in the evolution of the game. By taking a fresh, energetic approach to the game, and employing young, enthusiastic lacrosse players like Jesse Hubbard and Mark Millon, Warrior set out to change the game – the best gear in the world,developed by the best players in the World.

The record deal with Liverpool sees the company entering the football world seeing it specializes in the lacrosse sporting equipment and apparel.

Until then, take a look at the future Liverpool FC kits from Warrior Sports.

Let us know what do you think of the new kits design on the comment box below.

This story has been reproduced from the media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

Source: WakeFieldReds

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Liverpool 0-2 Tottenham: Lose but all smiles

Liverpool's hopes of Europa League qualification have been dealt a blow after Tottenham Hotspur claimed a 2-0 win at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

Rafael van der Vaart put Spurs into the lead inside 10 minutes, seeing his volley take a slight deflection and sail into the top corner to cap an impressive opening by the visitors.

Luka Modric made it 2-0 from the penalty spot early in the second half after John Flanagan was harshly adjudged to have fouled Steven Pienaar with a shoulder barge just inside the box - though TV replays proved initial contact occurred outside of the area.

The result means the Reds must now better Tottenham's result against Birmingham at White Hart Lane next Sunday when they travel to Aston Villa if they're to finish fifth in the Barclays Premier League and qualify for Europe.

Despite a heavy pre-match downpour, a carnival atmosphere greeted kick-off inside Anfield following Thursday's news Kenny Dalglish had signed a three-year contract to remain as the club's manager on a permanent basis.

The legendary Scot has helped mastermind a complete turnaround of Liverpool's fortunes since returning to the helm in January and headed into the contest knowing victory over the Londoners would assure his side of a fifth-place finish in the Barclays Premier League and entry into the Europa League next season.

Dalglish made just one change to the side that had dismantled Fulham on Monday with Andy Carroll replacing the injured Raul Meireles.

However, it was the visitors who made the more promising start as they looked to revive their own hopes of securing a Europa berth.

And their early pressure told when Van der Vaart fired them into a ninth-minute lead. Collecting a half-cleared Spurs corner on the edge of the box, the Dutchman controlled on his chest before dispatching a sublime volley beyond Pepe Reina via the aid of a nick off Glen Johnson.

Liverpool were struggling to get out of first gear and it took until the 23^rd minute for them to conjure up an attack of note, but Carroll mis-kicked on the edge of the box when attempting to connect with Maxi's lay off.

Soon after, only a spectacular diving header from Michael Dawson deep inside his own box prevented a Reds chance from Dirk Kuyt's dangerous centre. [Read more…]

Source: LiverpoolFC.tv

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Where Do We Go From Here?

Much has been said about Liverpool Football Club’s record 18 league titles won during its 119-year history. The undeniable fact had always been that those titles in addition to our 7 FA Cups and record 7 League Cups (known for now as the Carling Cup) has established us as English football’s most successful club of all time. It’s given us unending pride as fans of the club, and has been the biggest consolation throughout the last 20 years of not winning the title. The ability to say that no other club in England had been able to overtake us despite being unable to win it for 20 years had inspired such strong feelings of great self-esteem and comfort in us, that it was almost intoxicating.

However, the time soon approaches where we can no longer roost proudly on this lofty pedestal. Manchester United - fiercest rivals for the longest time, fellow Lancashire residents and perennial claimants to being the most famous club in the world - will overtake Liverpool’s glorious tally of 18 league titles for the first time in history this season, if they secure at least a draw against Blackburn this weekend. I won’t need to go into much detail as to how this makes me feel - losing the right to claim be England’s most successful football club is heartbreaking, especially since we have taunted United for decades about our superiority thus far. United supporters now love to point out how Liverpool fans had told them in 1994, to come back when they had won 18 titles too. Now they have, and are almost about to overtake us. To think that in 21 years we have never made the feat any harder for them is a hard pill to swallow and a tougher thing to swallow in the days ahead will be our considerable and decades-old pride. That Man United can win twelve titles in the years since our last title is an appalling fact that surely rankles with the most die-hard of Reds.

In a way, this is a small test of supporters’ faith in the club. United winning their 19th title ahead of us tests the foundations of our faith in the club in each of our hearts. Having faith and belief in a football club is like constructing and expanding a building - the stronger the foundations, the more unshakeable the faith; the older the architecture, the more valuable and cherished it is. As such, those of us whose hearts have buildings that are proud monuments with well-placed foundations that have been strengthened over time, will suffer little from this earthquake; whereas the weaker architectures in some fans’ hearts will make them question their allegiance to Dalglish’s army. But one of the few advantages to dark times is that the faint of heart can be separated from the strong-willed, with greater ease. Personally, I prefer to have fewer of these yellow bellied fans supporting our club and it helps ensure the “purity” of our fan base. Liverpool fans are the best in the world - it’s been said before by the likes of Maradona and Cruyff - and the best fans must have the best spirit. One true measure of a fan is how much they would support the club during its fruitless times, not just the glory days. And in the days ahead where United could have more titles than us, we must stand by the club and uphold its values as much as we have for the decades past where we have been the emperors of English football. If our fans were to consist of glory hunters alone, we’d have been defunct as a club by now. The fact that we haven’t won a title in 21 years but are still one of the most followed clubs in the world means that while we won’t have as many fans as Man United (whose incredible number of glory hunting fans continues to appals me), we can be confident of the fact that the many million fans we do have are proud to walk on through the wind and the rain though their dreams be tossed and blown.

It’s time to look ahead. Nothing can be done about United overtaking us. The past is set in stone - unchangeable and undeniable. We have relied on this deniability to throw our brilliance of days gone by into the faces of our rivals; and we must similarly utilise it to help us realise that while we cannot change the past, we can definitely add on to the past’s triumphs. And the future, right now, looks bright. As I started writing this article, news broke out that the Anfield boardroom have (FINALLY!!!!) signed Kenny Dalglish to a 3-year deal as manager of the squad. The King has returned to the throne, in a fashion as dramatic as Viggo Mortensen in The Return Of The King. Dalglish’s second kick at the management ball has been talked about and discussed at great length - and the reason for this, is that is has been an incredibly successful one, with only Chelsea picking up more points in the league since Dalglish took charge in the first weekend of January. This run has seen us hand Man United their most convincing defeat of the season, beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, beat Man City more comprehensively than when they beat us under Hodgson, thrash our bogey team Birmingham by a resounding 5-0 score line and end the season unbeaten against Arsenal. That’s positive results obtained against each of the top 4 and if we beat Tottenham on Sunday, we will have gotten points off each of the 5 teams above us in the table - four of which were unquestionable victories.

Results aside, what is exciting the Kop more than these aforementioned results (if that is possible) is the swashbuckling style in which Dalglish has had us obtaining them. We have been scoring goals for fun, keeping clean-sheets with ease, and we seem to be able to bring players in and take some out without affecting our final results. Additionally, we’ve flirted with different formations - and within each formation, every offensive player has been given a freedom to express themselves and rotate positions in a way that hasn’t been seen at Liverpool since the days of John Barnes, Steve Heighway, John Aldridge and Ian Rush. And most importantly, the players seem much more motivated to perform well and there is a deliberation and intensity to their approach that had been missing under Roy Hodgson and (sadly) the last few months of Rafael Benitez’s reign. Credit must go to Steve Clarke here as much as it does to Kenny Dalglish. The former Mourinho right hand man at Chelsea was signed by Dalglish as a first team head coach immediately after Kenny himself had signed on. In all my years as a fan, I’ve never seen Liverpool players mention in interviews a coach’s contribution to training as much as they have done for Clarke. Dalglish himself was eager to give as much credit to Clarke as himself, in the press conference made to announce the 3-year deals (which Clarke had signed as well). Clearly, Steve Clarke has been instrumental in the breathtaking football Liverpool have been playing lately.

A truly wonderful thing to see lately has been Dalglish’s introduction of the club’s youngsters into the first team this season. Martin Kelly, Jay Spearing, Jonjo Shelvey, John Flanagan and Jack Robinson have all been great beneficiaries of Dalglish’s placement of faith in the Academy players. It is worthy to note that they are all English players, with all but one of them from Merseyside. Jay has featured in nearly all of Dalglish’s games for which he had been fit and has looked a brilliant player alongside Lucas at the heart of the midfield. Jonjo, Flanno and Robbo are the younger of the set; but whenever Jonjo has been called to action he has shown desire, commitment and quality passing.  Flanno has been composed and slotted in well on the right side of defence, and has even shown quality at left back in the last two games. And Robbo has done at least as good a job as Flanno has in his two appearances for the club this season. In fact, the impact made by Robbo and Flanno in defence has made us almost forget about the best one of them all, Martin Kelly. To be fair, it was Rafael Benitez and Roy Hodgson who gave Kells his first true opportunities in the first team, against Lyon and Chelsea at Anfield - but it can also be said that Kelly’s best showings came under Dalglish, most particularly at Stamford Bridge when he played a bit further forward. But all in all, these 5 youngsters have been a strong testament to the work being done at the Academy, and we can all look forward to seeing them and hopefully a few others (Conor Coady, Raheem Sterling, Suso, Brad Smith and hit-man Adam Morgan come to mind) in the first team in the near future.

Another positive sign for the future is Andy Carroll. The big Geordie has played only 4 league games for the club, but the 2 goals he scored for us in that time have demonstrated the sheer quality and potential we now have at Anfield. His first goal was a sublime strike which is fast becoming a trademark of his and he has scored similar goals for England and Newcastle (remember his goal against us on December 11th?), and his second goal was a clear indication of the impressive aerial threat his physique provides. We haven’t had an aerial threat that imposing since Peter Crouch (Kyrgiakos aside, as he’s a defender). The fact that Big Andy is only 22 years old this year makes him a signing of such immense potential that the prospects are mouth watering. Another aspect of signing Carroll has been the size of his transfer fee. Big Andy is now our record signing at 35 million pounds, and this is important because it shows that the new owners John W. Henry and FSG were willing to break the bank to sign quality players for the club - which is what every Liverpool supporter had wanted to see from the Americans. Whether they will do it again this summer, we shall see.

Saving the best for last, the best thing to look forward to next season (now that Dalglish has signed on for the long term) is the astute, speedy, hard working and simply incredible Luis Suarez. I will not spend any time talking about his controversies with Ajax and the Uruguay national side, because the only controversy he’s caused at Liverpool thus far has been about why he was not signed earlier. If ever the word “selfless” could be used to define an international-level world class striker, it would be used to define Luis Suarez. Hat-tricks for Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez (2) came about largely because of Suarez’s assists and efforts, and the scorers themselves credited Suarez for his set-ups. No better example of this exists than when he set up Kuyt’s opener against United; in a series of moves, dribbles and sidesteps that flummoxed the entire United defence and goalkeeper for Kuyt to simply just tap it in. When Suarez sets off, nothing can stop him except a petulant foul or a poor finish. His pace is electrifying (ask Fulham’s defence), his movements dumbfounding (ask Manchester United’s defence), his work rate tireless (ask Newcastle’s defence) and his selflessness heart-warming (ask any Liverpool fan). Purists would hate to admit it, but Suarez was bought as a replacement for Fernando Torres. How unfair has that been to Luis? For instead of replacing him, he’s gone and outshone him completely. Torres was never selfish, but he was not selfless like Suarez; Torres’ work rate does not compare to Suarez’s; Torres’ ball control and sharp movements are lethal, but still inferior to Suarez’s; and Suarez is most definitely faster than Torres ever was. Torres moved to another club within the league and scored just one goal in 12 league appearances, whereas Suarez came in from a far inferior league to notch up 4 goals in his first 11 appearances and neutrals everywhere will agree that Luis deserved plenty more. Many people said that replacing Kevin Keegan had seemed impossible, but it had been done immediately with Kenny Dalglish in a manner that made Kopites forget about Keegan. It seems like Liverpool Football Club have managed to do that again with Luis Suarez. Fernando who?

So where do we go from here? Onward. We have a bright future ahead of us, but we must remember that it is a bright potential future. We must grab the bull by the horns and take the initiative like never before to finally win ourselves the title again or at least secure a Champions League spot. We must tap that burgeoning potential. We have plenty of encouraging signs and good omens, but we must compound that with effective football and positive results. If we do, then with the resources already at our disposal (and a few more class signings), we shall be back amongst the silverware soon enough.

Written by Govind Nayar, who blog at http://govindnayar.tumblr.com/

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All hails the King: Kenny Dalglish kops three year deal

Anfield legend confirmed as permanent Liverpool manager.

Kenny Dalglish has signed a new three-year contract as Liverpool manager.

The Scot has been rewarded with an extended deal having taken over in January in a caretaker role after Roy Hodgson was sacked in January.

Dalglish and assistant manager Steve Clarke, who has also been handed a three-year deal, have lifted the club from the lower reaches of the table to their current position in fifth.

Dalglish, who was initially given the job until the end of the current campaign, has signed a three year deal with the Reds. It was also announced that First Team Coach Steve Clarke has put pen to paper on a three year contract.

   “Kenny is a legendary Liverpool figure both as a supremely gifted footballer and successful manager. Since returning in January he has shown extraordinary leadership and the ability to bring the best out of so many people associated with the Club. It was obvious to us very early on that the atmosphere surrounding the Club had been transformed by his presence. No one else could have produced such a response. Therefore, I'm delighted we have agreed to a new contract. We didn't need nor want to look elsewhere for the right man to manage the team.

“Working closely with him, we've seen first-hand his love for the Club and his determination to do whatever is necessary to produce a winning side again. He has a unique relationship with our supporters and embodies everything that is special about the Liverpool way of doing things. Liverpool enjoys a global standing within the sport, but having Kenny in the dug-out will help us in our efforts to bring the best available talent to the Club as we continue to move the club forward.

“I'm also pleased we have reached an agreement with Steve Clarke, as his contribution to Kenny's backroom team has been significant over the past four months.” - Principal Owner John Henry.

He has overseen a dramatic improvement in results, with the Merseysiders climbing to fifth in the Premier League from mid-table mediocrity having strung together some impressive performances.

While people outside of the game may have doubted Dalglish's credentials having spent a decade out of management, FSG insists to always had faith the Scot would work his magic and transform the fortunes of the Reds.

   “It was extremely important that we enjoyed a period of stability after some difficult times and Kenny has done a tremendous job over the last three months in bringing the whole Club back together. It's clear how much the players have responded to his leadership, his man management skills and knowledge of the game and that sense of optimism now runs throughout the Club. We have a clear vision of the way a Liverpool team should play and the way the Club should be run and Kenny's inspirational effect on the senior squad and his keenness to involve and feature the younger players from our Academy set-up sits perfectly with that way of thinking.” - Chairman Tom Werner.

The Reds have enjoyed a rapid rise up the league table since Dalglish's return back in January, with only Chelsea sitting above them in the form table over the second half of the campaign.

   “I think we are most pleased for the fans. Bill Shankly once said 'Liverpool was made for me and I was made for Liverpool' and although it's not very often you can compare anything about Shankly with anyone else, I think in this case it is befitting of Kenny.” - Managing Director Ian Ayre.

As well as enjoying much-improved results over recent months, the style of football and attacking intent to win games has also pleased Reds' fans, all of whom will be thrilled with Kenny's permanent appointment.

But Comolli is keen to stress this isn't a decision merely to appease the fans' clamour for the return of King Kenny.

   “It is definitely the right decision and is based on what's happening on the pitch and not taking anything else into consideration.

“The game on Monday was just the perfect example of what we want. It was a perfect evening of great football, great movement, great attacking and five goals.

“This is the tradition of the club. When you're talking about the playing and coaching philosophy, this is what we want. If you see us from U13 through to the first team, it's the same idea and same way of thinking.

“Sometimes games are so tight at the top level that the manager has to make the right decision, the right substitution or the right tactical decision which is going to win the game. Players know each other so well that the intensity of the game and the concentration is so high that sometimes the change you make can make the difference. Kenny has shown several times since he came back that he is able to do that.” – Director of Football Damien Comolli.

Enough said. Now everybody, please rise and all hails the King!

Source: LiverpoolFC.tv

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The King’s Confirmation

At last the news that every Liverpool supporter had been waiting for, Kenny Dalglish today signed a three year contract to manage Liverpool Football Club. To be honest it had to happen, there would have been a lynching of the new owners if they chose somebody else for the job.

Kenny as we all know has legendary status at Liverpool but not even his greatest fan could have anticipated the impact and improvement in such a short space of time with him in charge. It was a tremendous decision at the time by the new owners to bring him back as the club was floundering under the leadership of Hodgson, they gave Hodgson time but things were not working and he had to go and Kenny was the only man that could have steadied the ship.

Dalglish has lifted the whole club, supporters and most importantly the players since his arrival. So many supporters myself included thought our squad of players was not good enough and needed a major overhaul in the summer, but a few months down the line and I'm not so sure that we need to bring in as many players as I thought.

The style of play Dalglish has installed into the team with the famous pass and move style which every player seems so confident to play is like a breath of fresh air. The work rate Dalglish demands of his players to press high up the park is respected by the Anfield faithful as we the supporters want to see our team give 100%.

Kenny is integrating the youngsters into the first team which we have not seen for a few years now. There are so many positives in Dalglish's short time back in charge that for the first time in a while we believe we could actually challenge once again for honours.

I like the way the new owners work they were always going to give Kenny the job on a permanent basis but they were not going to be rushed into any announcement or decision until they were ready. Even with the constant demands from the supporters and the media to give Dalglish the job they waited until the time was right and that was today.

Its so good to finally hear the confirmation today and I don't think we could have a better man to lead us back to the glory days and knock Manchester United off their perch. Kenny has proved that although he has been out of the game for a while that he hasn't lost it. We can all look forward to next season with a renewed optimism.

YNWA

Written by Jamie McLaughlin, who blog at http://theliverword.blogspot.com/

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Kenny Dalglish contract talk was long overdue

First and foremost, the report on The S*n was utterly bullshit, saying Kenny Dalglish demands full control of transfer in his contract talk. While ESPN Soccernet do a rip-off from The S*n article – which quotes, “I don’t know. I've never asked - maybe goal-line technology will be in first!”

Why today’s media never bother to check for facts before publishing an article? If you recalled an interview by LiverpoolFC.tv on Kenny Dalglish back in January, that piece of misleading articles will never get to published.

   “I will stick to what I said from the beginning: if Kenny is not happy with a player we think could make the team better then it's always down to the manager. That hasn't changed.” – quotes Damien Comolli.

Well, back then Comolli was the Director of Football Strategy for Liverpool Football Club. He got promoted to Director of Football in March and we are not sure what are his level of control over the transfer policy for the club? But it got to be make sense and logical to the public and the football club, any person on the board of director will have the power to decides or approved a transfer for any manager and vice-versa.

When Kenny Dalglish mentioned about working together with Damien Comolli on securing a transfer target in his interview. It strike sense that in the modern football, a manager role can get quite stressful and demand a lot of the manager’s time.

   “Forget transfers and talk about the position Damien has,”

“There is so much demand on a manager's time that it is important to have someone actively organising people, going to see other teams for reports on matches or individual players.

“Having conversations daily with people in the game and seeing what the movement of players are and then reporting back to the manager so the two of them can make a decision.

“I think it is a fantastic help and I don't have a problem with Damien.” – quotes Kenny Dalglish.

The speculation of Kenny Dalglish demanding a full control over the club’s transfer policy in his contract talk with FSG doesn’t make any sense at all. So what is held up on handing Kenny Dalglish the permanent role?

From my point of view, FSG has offered Dalglish a very short-term contract. Possible a two-years offer – in term, Dalglish was not appeased or maybe additional clauses are to be discussed for a longer contract negotiation. No one in this world who understand deeply and so passionately about Liverpool Football Club other than Kenny Dalglish himself.

Managing Liverpool Football Club is a long term project. If a manager has given a certain period of time to organized his team and with the support from the owners, it would be a waste of time and stubborn decision for not giving Kenny Dalglish the full-time job next season.

What’s your view on FSG handling of Kenny Dalglish’s contract talk? Leave your thought in the comment box below.

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LeBron James joins Liverpool FC

United States basketball star LeBron James has become a minority stakeholder in Liverpool after signing a representation deal with club owners Fenway Sports Group.

The Wall Street Journal claims that FSG has struck a deal to partner the Miami Heat player's sports-marketing firm, LRMR Branding & Marketing, to become his exclusive worldwide representative.

The newspaper said Maverick Carter, chief executive of LRMR, had expressed his desire to build James' portfolio internationally and find opportunities for him to gain equity in companies throughout the world as his commercial interests have largely been limited to sponsorship and endorsement deals.

The report also said James received an undisclosed minority stake in Liverpool as part of the deal.

Source: ESPNSoccernet

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Liverpool owner dismissed contract offer to Dalglish

Liverpool owner John W Henry has revealed the club have not started contract discussions with Kenny Dalglish, but have set a date to discuss the Scot's future as manager.

The takeover of Liverpool Football Club by New England Sports Ventures has prompted a return to old ways at Anfield, with the club now making a sustained effort to conduct its business behind closed doors until any formal announcements can be made. Such demeanour was employed over the failed Charlie Adam approach in the January transfer window, and now a similar approach will be taken over the future of Dalglish.

A Kop idol from his previous years as player and manager, Dalglish has inspired a turnaround in fortunes since taking over from Roy Hodgson earlier in the season, leading Liverpool to sixth in the table.

Victories over Chelsea and Manchester United, produced largely without the aid of £35 million signing Andy Carroll, have provided hope for the future, while fellow new capture Luis Suarez is already looking like a shrewd purchase.

Liverpool's owners have always said they will take time to ensure they pick the best man to lead the club forward in the future, with Dalglish's current deal only keeping him in the manager's job until the end of the current campaign. Henry would not confirm if the Scot had done enough to earn a permanent contract and rejected claims that a deal had already been offered.

"The only discussion we've had has been with Kenny and that was solely concerning when we should begin discussions," Henry said in the Telegraph.

"I wouldn't anticipate any further comments until such discussions have commenced and we have something to announce. Any reports until then are purely speculation."

Jurgen Klopp of Borussia Dortmund, Porto's Andre Villas-Boas and Didier Deschamps of Marseille have all been linked as alternative options for the Anfield role.

Source: ESPN

Cast your vote on the poll, “Can LIVERPOOL FC finish in the top four this season?”.

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Liverpool owner wants Premier League title

Liverpool may have just sold Fernando Torres to Chelsea, but John Henry and the Fenway Group have taken over the running of Liverpool Football club with just one aim; to bring the Premiership title back to Anfield after a 20 years drought.

Henry admits that football is all new to Fenway, but that doesn’t change the business model. He said last night: “We have a unique skill-set at Fenway, and it is perfectly suited to breaking what they call curses – we had an 86 years drought at Boston for winning a World Series,” .

“We did that, and we have a 20 years drought for winning the first division at Liverpool. Liverpool has never won a Premier League.

“There was a very strong feeling amongst us that we were uniquely qualified to break the ‘curse’. Even though we didn’t know the sport, we knew the sports business and knew what it takes to put together a sports organisation.

“It gives me goose bumps to think we could deliver a Premier League title to Liverpool – it’s what we are there for, we have no other agenda than that.”

This could be great for the Premiership and make it even more competitive.

With Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and perhaps even Tottenham, going for the title in a big way, the Premier League will remain the best in the world for a long time to come.

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Liverpool smashed two club record transfer fees on one day

Andy Carroll has completed his transfer from Newcastle United to Liverpool FC and signed a five and a half-year-deal that will keep him at Anfield until 2016.

The club agreed a record transfer fee of £35million with Newcastle earlier yesterday for the transfer of the England international striker.

The deal was subject to the completion of a medical, which the player has now passed.

Andy Carroll will wear the No.9 shirt for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Luis Suarez has also completed his transfer from Ajax to Liverpool FC and signed a five and a half-year-deal.

The club has also agreed a record transfer fee of up to £22.8million with Ajax for the transfer of the Uruguayan international on Friday.

Luis Suarez will wear the No.7 shirt for Liverpool.

In other transfer deadline story, Daniel Ayala will not be joining Derby County.

It was thought the defender would be heading to Pride Park on an emergency loan, and the player was in Derby this morning to complete his move.

But following further discussions between both clubs and the player it has been decided that Ayala, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury, will continue his rehabilitation at Melwood with a view to signing for the Rams on emergency loan when the window reopens.

What a dramatic January transfer window deadline for Liverpool Football Club. Fernando Torres are now out of sights, the Reds has signed to new young strikers in Carroll and Suarez. The future at Anfield looks brighter than ever.

Source: LiverpoolFC.tv

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Torres will be a Blues by the end of the day

The Fernando Torres transfer saga is expected to go to the wire but will end with him as a Chelsea player, according to reports in this morning’s British press.

Liverpool have lined up a remarkable £50million worth of transfers for deadline day as they prepare for life without Fernando Torres. The plan includes moves for Ashley Young and Charlie Adam.

Chelsea are willing to pay cash to bring the disaffected Torres to Stamford Bridge in what would be a record transfer between two British clubs, although not the £50million that Liverpool are seeking, which equates to the release clause in the 26-year-old contract should the Anfield club fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

Torres returned to Liverpool's training ground today following a short break in Spain and he spent over seven hours at Melwood, accompanied by his representatives. He also trained for the first time since stunning Kenny Dalglish and the Liverpool squad with the timing of his transfer request, but he did so alone.

Chelsea have yet to agree a fee with Liverpool over the player whom Roman Abramovich hopes will revitalise their title defence and enhance his chances of bringing the Champions League trophy to London. Negotiations will continue on deadline day, with Chelsea hopeful that Liverpool's asking price will drop to as low as £37million as 11pm approaches, although that appears unlikely. A £35million bid was rejected out of hand by FSG on Thursday and Liverpool's owner views the signing of Suarez as a way to provide support for Torres, not to name his replacement.

   “Chelsea are prepared to meet Liverpool’s £50million valuation of Fernando Torres before the transfer window closes at 11pm” report The Independent.

“Chelsea are planning to make a £45million cash offer for Fernando Torres” according to The Telegraph.

“Chelsea are willing to pay cash to bring Torres to Stamford Bridge in what would be a record between two British clubs” say The Guardian.

Whatever happens over the next 20 hours, Torres has sullied the memories Liverpool fans held of him. He's pulled a knife, stabbed deep and it's hard to see those wounds healed quickly, stay or go.

In 2007, The Times interviewed Dalglish and Torres together. Both had kind words for the other, the mutual appreciation clear.

Torres said: “I’m very proud that I’ve been able to spend time with him. And I’m honoured that he took the time to talk to me. Seeing someone like him makes me even more hungry to continue to work hard and, perhaps, some day, reach his level.”

You'll never make it now, Fernando. Not after this.

And what does Dalglish make of it all? We'll probably never know. But it's a fair bet his opinion has changed from that day four years ago.

Kenny concluded that interview speaking directly to Torres: “Fernando, this is a special club with special fans. They love people who love to wear their shirt. But they’re not daft, they know when it’s real and when it’s just for show, kissing the badge and all that. They love to identify with people on the pitch. And I think they will identify with you very, very easily.”

We did. We don't any more.

Let’s hear your thoughts on Fernando Torres leaving Liverpool FC for Chelsea on the comment box below.

Sources: This Is Anfield, Well Red

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Liverpool signs Luis Suarez for £23million

Liverpool Football Club announced on Friday afternoon that they had agreed a fee of up to 26.5million Euros with Ajax for the transfer of Luis Suarez, subject to the completion of a medical.

The Club have now been given permission by Ajax to discuss personal terms with the player and his representatives.

It has been speculated that Fernando Torres' rejected transfer request in the wake of Chelsea's £35million initial attempt to sign the Spaniard could have deterred Suarez from moving to Anfield.

But, in an interview prior to travelling to England on Saturday, the 24-year-old remained keen to sign for underachieving Liverpool and continued to rank the 18-time champions of England as a top-four club.

It remains to be seen whether Suarez partners Torres in attack, as Liverpool had planned, against Stoke at Anfield on Wednesday.

Torres is involved in an ugly standoff with his club after submitting a written transfer request late on Friday night, which overshadowed the agreed deal for Suarez.

Sources: LiverpoolFC.tv, SKY SPORTS

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Steve Clarke appointed as Liverpool first team coach

Liverpool have appointed former Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke as first team coach.

Clarke, who played over 500 senior matches for St Mirren and Chelsea, is the first addition to new manager Kenny Dalglish's backroom staff following the departure of Roy Hodgson on Saturday.

"Steve is a great addition to our backroom team and I'm delighted we've been able to bring him into the club," the Scot said.

"I am looking forward to working with Steve alongside Sammy Lee (assistant manager) and our other technical staff."

The appointment of the well-respected Clarke will go some way to silencing the critics who claimed Dalglish, who has not managed for more than a decade, had been out for too long and was not equipped to deal with the modern-day demands of the game.

Clarke, who was at the club's Melwood training ground this morning, was a part of the coaching set-up at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho when the Blues won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and two Carling Cups over three seasons.

Mike Kelly, who Hodgson brought with him from Fulham as coach in the summer, was not involved with the team in their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday and his departure from Liverpool will be confirmed in due course.

Source: Premier League.com

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King Kenny is officially unveiled at Anfield

Kenny Dalglish’s first full day back in charge of Liverpool FC, overseeing training at Melwood on Monday morning and being officially presented to the media in the afternoon.

Kenny Dalglish insists he will have no problem stepping aside this summer 'if someone better comes along'.

The man christened The King by Liverpool fans has been placed in charge of team affairs until the end of the season after Roy Hodgson left on Saturday.

Here’s a selection of videos from the day.

 

Read more on what Kenny Dalglish has to say about the future and transfer.

Sources: LiverpoolFC.tv, all video credits to IndySportsNewsTV

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Hodgson’s Tribute: Premier League managers’ view

Kenny Dalglish has paid tribute to former Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson and expressed his delight at returning to the Anfield hot seat nearly 20 years after he left the job.

Hodgson was replaced by Dalglish on Saturday morning, having won just seven of 20 league games during his tenure. Relations with the club's fans grew strained as Hodgson questioned their support following a defeat to Wolves, and Liverpool's owners claim the former Inter Milan coach left by "mutual consent".

Dalglish flew into Manchester on Saturday evening ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third round tie at Manchester United, and he will take immediate control of the first team for the game.

"It's a great honour to be asked to come back," Dalglish told Sky Sports News. "It's under horrible circumstances because a very good man with great dignity and integrity has lost his job."

Asked how he will approach the United fixture, Dalglish replied: "We'll do our best. I'll have a kip and we'll go from there. I've just come off a plane!"

Liverpool's decision to axe Hodgson just six months after appointing him has not been welcomed by fellow Premier League managers, who claim the 63-year-old was not given enough time at Anfield.

"I am shocked because I rate Roy Hodgson as a great manager," Arsene Wenger said on Saturday. "It puts our job into perspective because he was Manager of the Year in July. It shows you how quickly we lose our qualities because he had to go six months later. Of course it is a shock and I feel our job suffers today."

Former Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier, himself stumbling across hard times at Aston Villa, also had sympathy for Hodgson, who managed just one away league win during his time as Liverpool manager.

"Roy got Manager of the Year last season so he was a great manager then and he still is today," Houllier said. "He's a fantastic person, I know him well but this world has become brutal, I mean it - if you lose two games you are in the firing line. I feel for him but Kenny has been a friend for a long time too."

Mark Hughes, who replaced Hodgson at Fulham, has backed his predecessor to bounce back from his latest disappointment, insisting he deserved longer to prove he was worthy of the job.

"It's very, very disappointing when you see a fellow manager lose his job," Hughes said. "But it's a league that thrusts focus on you every minute of the day and, at the end of the day, we're always judged on results. I'm sorry for Roy because he obviously was fantastic for Fulham for two years and deserved his chance to manage a top club. He's a good manager and I'm sure he'll come back.

"There's always that thinking that people who take over a club will always try to appoint their own man and there's many examples of that. There's a little bit of that in the Liverpool situation, I would suggest. But, listen, we're all grown men, we understand what happens. Sometimes, even when it's a little bit unfair, you've just got to get on with it."

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Hodgson out, Dalglish in

Roy Hodgson's miserable six-month reign ended with former title-winning player and boss Kenny Dalglish put in charge until the end of the season.

Since taking over from Rafael Benitez in the off-season, Hodgson presided over Liverpool's worst start to a season for more than 50 years — a dismal run of results that coincided with financial instability and a bitter court battle to oust unpopular American owners.

But even the arrival of Boston Red Sox owner John Henry in October 2010 couldn't halt the dire form on the pitch.

The club finally lost patience with the 63-year-old Hodgson after Wednesday's 3-1 loss at Blackburn. Liverpool are languishing in 12th spot in the Premier League and are sitting just four points above the drop zone.

The 63-year-old refused to answer questions on his future following the defeat at Ewood Park and speculation over his future intensified after his pre-match media briefing on Friday was cancelled.

Hodgson went to Anfield from 2010 Europa League finalist Fulham in July on a three-year contract. He left Anfield by mutual consent, a club statement said Saturday on the eve of an FA Cup match at archrival Manchester United.

Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have reportedly been looking at their possible options for a managerial change for over a week and they have now decided to act.

They had intended to see out the season with Hodgson before reassessing the situation but recent results - defeats to Blackburn and Wolves - and the deteriorating relationship with fans and associated falling attendances have prompted a rethink.

The club have turned to former player and manager Dalglish to take up the reins for the rest of the campaign and try and rescue a wretched campaign for the Merseyside titans.

   "We are grateful for Roy's efforts over the past six months, but both parties thought it in the best interests of the club that he stand down from his position as team manager. We wish him all the best for the future." said Principal Owner John Henry.

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