Liverpool at it AGAIN!

[malcd1]

Surely this is tantamount to 'tapping up'. Or will Liverpool come out and say we would never tap up and unsettle a player already under contract at another club. Tossers.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 82,00.html

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is 'desperate' for Gareth Barry to move to Anfield this summer.

Aston Villa skipper Barry is a £12million-rated target of Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez as the Spaniard looks to bolster his squad for a Premier League title tilt next season.

Benitez has already had one £10m bid for Barry, who has two years to run on his Villa contract, turned down by Midlands boss Martin O'Neill.

However, Gerrard - who has a long-standing friendship with Barry since the pair roomed together at Euro 2000 - has urged Benitez to continue his pursuit of the midfielder.

"Gareth Barry is someone who will improve Liverpool," said Gerrard, who is expected to line-up alongside Barry when England face Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain on Sunday.

Respect

"I know all about Gareth, I am good friends with him off the pitch and I am desperate for us to sign him.

"We can't be disrespectful to Villa. He is still their player and we will see what happens.

"Naturally, they are going to try and keep hold of him, and rightly so because he is one of their star men. He has been a fantastic servant for them over many years.

"But, from a biased point of view, I want Gareth Barry to become a Liverpool player.

"He is a good player. But I want Liverpool to be as strong as possible and Gareth Barry will certainly make us stronger.

Fantastic

"You talk about improving the team, the starting XI and the squad, and Gareth will certainly help Liverpool to become a better team."

Gerrard, though, accepts it would be a wrench for Barry - who is understood to be keen to sample UEFA Champions League football - to leave Villa after 11 years with the club.

"I am sure Gareth will find it hard to leave Villa," added Gerrard. "He has been fantastic for them but, in football, sometimes opportunities come along where you can better your career.

"I think Gareth is 27 now and he needs to play Champions League football. In my opinion, he needs that now."

Meanwhile, Gerrard is keen for England to build momentum against Trinidad & Tabago telling Sky Sports News: "It is all about taking steps to become a better team. We are not going to become World Cup winners over night."

[Batman]

sshhh, 96 of them died once.

[Lord Kangana]

"We are not going to become World Cup winners overnight"

42 years Stevie, 42 years....

[Worthy4England]

"We are not going to become World Cup winners overnight"

42 years Stevie, 42 years....

He's just warming up for the statement he'll need to make around the middle of August that goes

"We're a new squad, we don't expect to gel and be at the top of the Premiership immediately"

18 years Stevie, 18 years....

On the main topic, I can't really get all excited about this - it's hardly been a secret that they're after Barry, now has it?

[fozzy]

Gerrard is a c*nt - top player, but a c*nt.

He should really keep his mouth shut. Or, alternatively, ring his 'good friend' Barry and tell him personally instead of bleating on about in the national press. As I said, c*nt.

[CrazyHorse]

Gerrard is a c*nt - top player, but a c*nt.

He should really keep his mouth shut. Or, alternatively, ring his 'good friend' Barry and tell him personally instead of bleating on about in the national press. As I said, c*nt.

I think fozzy has pretty much summed it up for me here too.

[Lord Kangana]

Does that mean his manager is a pr*ck?

[CrazyHorse]

I'm afraid so.

[jmjhb]

Really hope Benitez fails - sick of people saying he's a 'legend' of the modern game

[Lord Kangana]

Really hope Benitez fails - sick of people saying he's a 'legend' of the modern game

When you say 'people' do you mean 'scousers'?

[FD]

I assumed he meant "c*nts"...

[jmjhb]

Really hope Benitez fails - sick of people saying he's a 'legend' of the modern game

When you say 'people' do you mean 'scousers'?

Yep, and my Belgian friend in particular (not a Liverpool fan) - but as he thinks Kuyt and Voronin have been successes for Liverpool, I just take his other misguided 'ideas' on football with a pinch of salt...this was his latest 'quote'. Oh, and whilst Benitez was busy creating teams that could beat the best in the world, Allardyce was a two bit manager who had one lucky club apparently...

[FD]

Voronin is fecking AWFUL!

[blurred]

Gerrard is asked by the papers if he'd like Liverpool to sign his bessie mate and current England international. He says 'yes, of course I'd love him to come, but Villa won't want to sell so it'll be difficult, but hopefully we'll sign him.'

Not exactly tapping up, is it, when it's done in the form of an interview with the country's leading sports broadcaster?

I'm sure there's been much more going on behind the scenes in the last week or so with the England squad.

[malcd1]

Gerrard is asked by the papers if he'd like Liverpool to sign his bessie mate and current England international. He says 'yes, of course I'd love him to come, but Villa won't want to sell so it'll be difficult, but hopefully we'll sign him.'

Not exactly tapping up, is it, when it's done in the form of an interview with the country's leading sports broadcaster?

I'm sure there's been much more going on behind the scenes in the last week or so with the England squad.

Or was it Benitez instructing Gerrard to unsettle Barry by suggesting he signs for Liverpool. I guarantee Gerrard has not been reprimanded by Benitez for speaking to the press about it.

Why is it OK for players to say they would like a player at their club (That their manager would like to sign) but not for a manager to say it. Dirty tactics by a dirty manager. If the shoe was on the other foot then I'm pretty sure Benitez would be moaning like fuk.

[boltonboris]

Gerrard is asked by the papers if he'd like Liverpool to sign his bessie mate and current England international. He says 'yes, of course I'd love him to come, but Villa won't want to sell so it'll be difficult, but hopefully we'll sign him.'

Not exactly tapping up, is it, when it's done in the form of an interview with the country's leading sports broadcaster?

I'm sure there's been much more going on behind the scenes in the last week or so with the England squad.

Or was it Benitez instructing Gerrard to unsettle Barry by suggesting he signs for Liverpool. I guarantee Gerrard has not been reprimanded by Benitez for speaking to the press about it.

Why is it OK for players to say they would like a player at their club (That their manager would like to sign) but not for a manager to say it. Dirty tactics by a dirty manager. If the shoe was on the other foot then I'm pretty sure Benitez would be moaning like fuk.

See Sir Alex for that one, taps up Jaap Stam (Probably more, but this is the one that springs to mind) then goes on about reporting Real Madrid to FIFA... Nice one Fergie, you pissy pants, red faced barsteward

Class manager though

[blurred]

Or was it Benitez instructing Gerrard to unsettle Barry by suggesting he signs for Liverpool. I guarantee Gerrard has not been reprimanded by Benitez for speaking to the press about it.

Why is it OK for players to say they would like a player at their club (That their manager would like to sign) but not for a manager to say it. Dirty tactics by a dirty manager. If the shoe was on the other foot then I'm pretty sure Benitez would be moaning like fuk.

If he was, wouldn't he get him to do it in private, for feck's sake? I'm sure Gerrard and Barry have spoken about this in the past week - they'd be mad not to have, seeing as they're good mates and used to room together on England duty.

'Tapping up' has always happened and will always happen, and anyone stupid enough to be caught doing it deserves whatever they get. Agents will talk to clubs before fees are agreed or permissions granted, managers will talk up players they want to sign, players will be asked their opinions on potential transfers, and the media circus will report as much as they can in their glorious 24 hour rolling coverage style. It's the way of the world.

Such as you asked, I'd be incredibly surprised if Benitez was directing what Gerrard said to the media, given that he's not seen him for a couple of weeks - Gerrard was just (very predictably) answering the questions put to him by the media.

[Hoboh]

Or was it Benitez instructing Gerrard to unsettle Barry by suggesting he signs for Liverpool. I guarantee Gerrard has not been reprimanded by Benitez for speaking to the press about it.

Why is it OK for players to say they would like a player at their club (That their manager would like to sign) but not for a manager to say it. Dirty tactics by a dirty manager. If the shoe was on the other foot then I'm pretty sure Benitez would be moaning like fuk.

If he was, wouldn't he get him to do it in private, for feck's sake? I'm sure Gerrard and Barry have spoken about this in the past week - they'd be mad not to have, seeing as they're good mates and used to room together on England duty.

'Tapping up' has always happened and will always happen, and anyone stupid enough to be caught doing it deserves whatever they get. Agents will talk to clubs before fees are agreed or permissions granted, managers will talk up players they want to sign, players will be asked their opinions on potential transfers, and the media circus will report as much as they can in their glorious 24 hour rolling coverage style. It's the way of the world.

Such as you asked, I'd be incredibly surprised if Benitez was directing what Gerrard said to the media, given that he's not seen him for a couple of weeks - Gerrard was just (very predictably) answering the questions put to him by the media.

So the club Captain and manager don't know each others moblie numbers then

[communistworkethic]

look everyone, just stop it, you're just adding to the oppression of the Capital of Culture which is rife in not just this nation but the world. Wherever they may be, peacable scousers, just going about their every day business are being victimised and any suggestion that Stevie Gerrard is out of order is just adding to that. They're arrested without anything but the flimsiest of 30 witnesses statements, filmed rioting and admit to jumping turnstiles to get in to footy matches without a ticket, but that's just all part of their great sense of community spirit, they don't mean any harm, after all nobody like the bizzies, do dey dont de do? Oh and don't forget Liverpool is the greatest comedy (stan boardman), sporting ( football and er..) and musical city (ignore detroit and manchester) in the world, and they gave us Roger McGough too.

[villafan]

hmmm not happy