The Woolster

I'm guessing here, but perhaps they had to go on gardening leave? I reckon that managers, perhaps some coaches, and players are generally regarded as contractors. They have a fixed term contract that can be bought out. Support staff will be full time employees, like the majority of people, and if you quit you may be required to work your notice period or to go on gardening leave before you start your new post if your old employer insists on it. Like I say, just a guess.

Ha. I had to take a phonecall half way through writing my post. Honestly.

Whilst it is a decent blog, it makes out that it is only a 'recent' thing to hear such chants, but I'm not sure if it is. How long have opposing team's fans, including those from industrial cities or towns whose economy was based around the dockyards or mines been singing the "sign on" or "In your Liverpool slums" chants for instance?

Whilst I agree that the journos know very little very little about our business at the moment, that's not actually true. About a week week before hand he was saying that Spurs had come in with a bigger offer and that unless something changed he'd be signing for Spurs.

As mentioned in the Summer Transfers thread, my mate's mate's dad was the actor who says "Eccellente" in the famous Ferrero Roche advert. I saw him putting out the bins once when I went round. That same mate (as in mate number 1), was the son of famous British artist Patrick Caulfield. My aunt is Beverley Martyn, a singer from the 60s/70s (well, still is). She dated Paul Simon and later married (and divorced) John Martyn, another famous musician who was one of musics biggest ever wildmen (which is really saying something!), who was made OBE but was unable to collect it as he died shortly after it was announced. Another mates aunt is Lulu. I met her once when my mate had a spare ticket for a Michael Jackson concert at the old Wembley in the royal box. It was a last minute thing and it was before my mum had a phone, so I had to go home first to let her know (was a young teen), but she wasn't in, so I left her a note saying I had gone to see Michael Jackson. My mum was actually out on the piss with her boyfriend of the time and got home late in the evening to find I wasn't in and was worried. Her fella found the note and read it out, and my mum punched him. I've been round Lulu's house as well since. One of my best mate's dad was an MD at a record label, amongst others, he signed Paul Weller (he also signed my uncle John and they became good friends, small world again!). My mate went to dinner at his dad's when Paul Weller was there, and after dinner Weller played a few songs on the piano. Jude Law used to live across the road from my mum. I was getting out of a taxi there once, and Jude was outside and asked me if cab was now free. My dad used to share a room with Robert Plant from Led Zepplin, and used to know Ozzy Osbourne. We was walking through Birmingham once visiting my Gran when I was a teenager and he pointed up at a block of flats and said "I went to a party there once hosted by Black Sabbath where everyone had to be naked" That wasn't an image I wanted to think of! I bounced on Robbie Coltrane's bed at a party when I was a toddler. I was in the year above Rachel Yankey at school, who has just equalled the record number of caps for the England Ladies football team. I was better than her. At my old work, a few lads in a different dept won a competition to play a 5-a-side match against some ex pros. A call went out for a keeper, and even though I'm not really a kepper, I am alright in small goals and offered my services to get a game. Clive Allen took a pen and gave me the eyes and casually sent me the wrong way. Just found an article about it. Legends In Your Lunchtime - The Result The photos aren't showing on my work PC, are they working for anyone else?

6 degrees of seperation. My Mum is friends of Minnie Weisz, who is the sister of Rachel Weisz, who is married to Daniel Craig (the new one), who is a distant relative of Lucky Pierre's Mrs. Small world eh!

I did think about posting in that, but I've got so many I could be writing all day...

No, I'm claiming my mate to be the progeny of him. Well, more of a mate of a mate when I was a teenager really. I did see him putting out the rubbish when I went round his house once though.

My mates dad was the "Eccellente" bloke in the advert. True story.

To be fair, I think that quote about him agreeing terms with regards to signing for Swansea. I think he should have been offered more than what Swansea offered, as a Liverpool player is expected to do more than a Swansea player, but if Rodgers believes that to be his true value and no more, then so be it.

I've discussed it recently, although I think it was probably on the MF, but I think we need a wide attacker, a CM who can play both alongside as well cover Lucas, and another forward. I am not sure that we can afford top quality in all 3 positions, so I would like us to go for someone like Loic Remy or Daniel Sturridge who can play as a wide forward and as a central striker. Sigurdsson of course would not have been able to cover for Lucas, and whilst Stevie would have the role alongside Lucas, he would not be the one to cover him either, so whilst I think Sigurdsson would have improved the first XI, I think we would still have had a weakness in the squad with only Spearing to cover Lucas. For that reason, I'd like some one like M'vila or Jordie Clasie who could play in either position (although I confess I am going more on what I have read about the type of player they are rather than seen). Whether we get players like that, I don't know, but even if we were to sign no one, I think there would still be an improvement on last season as I think players underperformed what they are capable of last season and should improve, and we should also have a little more 'luck' next season as well. Whether that would be enough for a challenge for the top 4, I don't know, but I think that the players that do come in (without knowing who they are!) as well as the improvement from the ones we already have will see us challenge.

What about that tosser Skrtel? He got married a couple of weeks ago, but isn't getting back into Liverpool until tomorrow, he must be having an extended honeymoon or something. What a wanker! Seriously though, is there no chance that it was arranged a long time ago, and that he thought that he either might have a chance of getting in the Euro 2012 squad, or perhaps more likely, that he might now be an AC Milan player, whose season, and their pre season presumably, start much later?

I agree with much of this in terms of what our priorities are, although I am still disappointed because I think there is a good chance he will turn out to be top class and his price is pretty cheap. And what I think would have happened if the transfer had gone though is that Gerrard would have moved back alongside Lucas, and we'd have played both of them, which I think is better than the Lucas alongside Henderson or Adam option we have at the mo. So I do think there would have been an improvement to the first XI. But yes, that right forward/winger position is key for us this transfer window in my view.

I think if Swansea would have gone anywhere near Spurs' wage offer, they would have been smashing their own wage structure, and would not have been able to afford the demands for increases form the rest of their squad. Its not very good for morale to have 1 player earning significantly more than anyone else, especially at a small club like Swansea. He signed for Reading's academy in 2005. They sold him 5 years later for a club record sale fee. As a 20 year old playing for a team not in the top division, I think the £6.5m+ was a bit too much for them to turn down.

Err, where the fuck do I say it will be easy, and where do I say we will be able to play like Spain? I basically say we should write off the next 6 to 8 years and concentrate on bringing our youngsters through, and then you say we should basically "start from scratch" and have an 8 year plan, yet you somehow seem to be disagreeing with me!

I think there is talent coming through, its just that we would need to start from scratch with a different style of play, and Hodgson is clearly not the manager to do that. Oxlade-Chamberlain is an 18 year old who has played 16 Prem games so far, but harsh to criticise him. But there are some good, young players coming through for us, Chelsea, Utd, Spurs and Arsenal. Its just they are just 6 to 8 years away from being competitive on the international stage.

Mot trying to split haris but... From what I read, Roma do not want to pay the €7m for the 50% that they don't own, so a touch over £5.5m. So I think that perhaps we could do a deal for somewhere between £10-12m. Not exactly sure who we would be doing the deal with though. Parma-Roma row over Borini | Football Italia

It is excellent, pretty much the only thing I can stand to read on there though. Photoshop thread can be quite funny sometimes too, but I'll only have a look if I am really really bored.

I've seen this one posted on here before, and whilst it may not be the best, its one of the funniest

This Juve one is pretty bad

My favourite Liverpool kits are probably the 86 double winning shirt (my first), the first Champions league special by Reebok, and the one the collar that Bellamy used to cut off This Boca one from 2001 is one of my favourites from other teams Unfortunately for me I got it when I was there in 2002, which was the same kit, but they changed their sponsor from the biggest selling beer in South America to Pepsi Liked the Barce Turquiose one too And being half Jamaican, I love this one, although the problem I have with this one is that basically I am so light skinned, I look white, so have had a few funny looks. I was out wearing it years back and decided to go to the cinema to see the Ali G film, in which Ali G also wears one, have to say I felt a bit embarrassed when I left!

I did say he could still be of use, but I think it would be better for his development at this stage in his career, and thus better for us in the long term, to play more games more regularly. We've already got Spearing, Henderson and Adam to play those games, and who will need to play themselves if they are not first choice, and we can promote from the reserves to cover them, it would be good for Coady or Suso to get a game for instance. I would perhaps keep Shelvey for the qualifying stages of the Europa League, then send him off.

Although he could still be useful for us, I would like Shelvey to go on loan and get the benefit of a full season playing more regularly. Perhaps Swansea or West Brom might be interested as we now have good contacts there, otherwise I reckon Blackpool would have him back, he could go there until the New Year and then see if he could get the 2nd half of the season at a Prem team.

Only need to press when we don't have the ball, and if we have it for 55-60%of the game, then he only needs to press for 35-40mins...

Read a few articles about him the week after a dubious source linked us, sounds class and would be a good foil to Lucas, but could perhaps cover for him as well if his defensive side is as good as the reports said (I can't open Youtube at work, so not seen him yet). Also sounds like he might not want to leave just yet. World Soccer Talent Scout: Jordy Clasie | World Soccer Jordy Clasie – Xavi in De Kuip - Netherlands The ‘Dutch Xavi’ Jordy Clasie – from 'physically too weak’ to Euro 2012 candidate within six months - Goal.com