Bogman

Tom Hicks' Sports Group defaults on loans 09:25 AM CDT on Tuesday, April 7, 2009 By GARY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News gjacobson@dallasnews.com Tom Hicks' sports holding company, Hicks Sports Group, which owns the Texas Rangers and the Dallas Stars, officially went into default Monday on $525 million of loans. Hicks stopped making interest-only payments March 31 as he renegotiates the teams' debt with about 40 lenders. The loan agreements mature in December 2010 and December 2011, according to lending data available on Bloomberg. Tom Hicks' Sports Group defaults on loans | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Dallas Business News

Agreed. He doesn't need to stand out to be having a great season, that just shows how well the team as a whole has been playing. Superb defender, and taking my rose tinted glasses off, for a second, is a better defender, than anything the English team has at the moment. Is one of the first names on the teamsheet, along side Stevie, Nando and Pepe.

Doddle. Only a mere £175 million.

Just joshing. You never know though.

Good news day. 7pm they'll announce Fabio's signed an extension too.

GERRARD AGREES NEW CONTRACT Paul Eaton 03 April 2009 Liverpool Football Club today confirmed Steven Gerrard has agreed a two-year extension to his current contract. The Liverpool skipper, who has two years to run on his current deal, will soon put pen to paper on a new agreement to keep him at Anfield until at least 2013. With manager Rafa Benitez and key members of his backroom team signing new contracts over the past two weeks, Gerrard's deal is another timely boost as the Reds look to end the season on a high. Speaking exclusively to Liverpoolfc.tv this morning, Benitez said: "This is fantastic news for the club. "Steven has once again shown his commitment and it was an easy deal to agree. As soon as we offered him the option he said yes. There were no problems at all. He wants to stay for life. "This deal sends out another clear message that we are moving forward as a club. To know we have a player of Steven's quality with us for many more years is a great boost for the club and the fans. "He is clearly a player who inspires those around him and even though he is playing very well at the moment, I still think his best years are ahead of him."

That's more manicured

02/04/2009 Will Liverpool be signing David Silva? The transfer rumour section of the site has been inundated with the same question over the past week “Will Liverpool be signing David Silva”… I wrote last week that the stories claiming Rafa Benitez had been allocated a fixed transfer budget were false and I also explained, in the same article, that as a consequence, it is far too soon to start talking about players who Liverpool will definitely be signing or even bidding for once the transfer window opens. Nothing has really changed on that front despite a sudden flurry of stories linking several players with a summer move to Anfield. To start talking about the players who will be signing in the summer is getting in to the realms of speculation and I`m afraid that all the questions asking for a definitive answer simply cannot be answered honestly at the moment. WIN A SPAIN SHIRT SIGNED BY XABI ALONSO With regards to David Silva, I can say that yes, it is true that Rafa Benitez is keen on the Valencia player and he was very upset that the La Liga side leaked his interest to the press. It is clear that, taking in to account their current financial plight, Valencia must act in their own interest to ensure they get the maximum possible return on selling any players and that means generating a bidding war by going public. Juventus are also very keen on him. Of course, the rumours about him signing for Liverpool have died down ever since Rafa announced at last Fridays press conference that he was not interested at the €20 million price being touted. However this all ties in with our earlier discussion: that the Liverpool boss is not yet certain how much he will have to spend and therefore how to allocate his funds. This does not mean that Rafa is now not interested in David Silva, as it has been interpreted elsewhere; and I wonder if it is not part of some strategy. Players were offered to Valencia in exchange – surely Voronin and possibly even Benayoun – and the Spanish side would certainly be happy to do that kind of a deal if their valuation of Silva is met. With regards to funding, this is where Liverpool and Benitez are handicapped in relation to some of their competitors at the top level. €20 million is not an extortionate amount for a player of David Silva`s calibre – but if, as usual, it turns out to be a substantial part of Rafa`s budget, it leaves little in reserve for other re-enforcements, and Benitez must get it absolutely right: there is no margin for error. I believe that if it were possible to sign David Silva for between €15 – 18 million, then Benitez would do so. Would Silva make a good signing for Liverpool? Well, there is no doubting that Silva certainly possesses the technical ability – and on that score he would be an upgrade on Benayoun – or Luis Garcia – to play on the left and complement Gerrard and Torres, particularly at Anfield where visiting teams close down more often than not. However, despite the fact that Eduardo Macia, who signed him for Valencia, is his biggest fan, there are doubts about Silva`s personality (a similar situation exists with Albiol, who is also fancied by Rafa, but there are concerns over his mental strength). David Silva has been a little unfocused lately and playing below par. Of course, circumstances at Valencia are difficult at the moment, but these are the times that reveal a players real character. Silva comes across as someone who may struggle to adapt to a new country, culture and language: more Reyes than Reina in that sense. However, if surrounded by the right people, and with the strong Spanish influence at Anfield, who knows. I do know that because of that, he would prefer a move to Liverpool over a move to Juventus. Of course, everyone has been asking: will he or won`t he sign? That has not been answered, nor can it be. It is still too early to start making predictions and between now and the summer, anything can happen. There is little point in guessing and much depends on appealing alternatives in Spain – like Barcelona. At this point, we are really only talking about a potential transfer, however, Benitez is still interested and who knows, depending on the summer budget, the deal may still be on the table even at €20 million. With regard to all other questions about David Villa and Samuel Eto`o: there has been no approach for David Villa from Liverpool; while on the subject of the Barcelona forward, I suspect we will be revisiting that subject fairly soon. Oooooooo Gulliem, you cock-tease.

Fingers crossed and all that jazz. Ta m0e.

fuck me, some people would moan just for the sake of moaning. Rafa wants his men around him, and if Franks the man Rafa wants, it ain't gonna affect the likes of you and me. Now quit bitching and go and worry about something more important in life, like where you'll be when the sun implodes. Geeez, no pleasing people.

would do for starters. all the omens for a better quality of player coming in from now on, are looking good.

I'd concur with that. So, there you are, concured.

Silly cunt.;)

As the saying goes, you don't know what you've got, until it's gone. If Rafa was to leave, I think alot of the doubters would be quoting that. Spot on with your rant Chris, sums up everything for me. Whatever you think about the man, he has us in his heart. If he was out for his own gains, and his own ego, he would have pissed off years ago. He has up with alot for us, and for me, he gets my respect.

Yeah, look where Franny "foxy in the boxy" Jeffers is now

Basil Brush. Daft we're even discussing getting rid of the old fella. Some people need to remember what we achieved in the 19 years or so before him. He's put us back on the pedestal.

Cheers cock ;) Getting a tad boring now all this. Any idea how to put a fruit pastel in your mouth without chewing?

well, I think this thread has covered just about everything. can't remember if we've discussed to death whether our nett spend is more or less than manure's, or come to think of it, whether we've discussed the finer points of pancake tossing. round and round we go, where we stop, nobody knows.

Benítez to hold talks next week on Liverpool future :- Guardian Rafael Benítez has reiterated his desire to remain at Liverpool and will meet the club's owners to discuss his future next week, with a final decision to be made within a fortnight. Benítez's position has been the subject of recent speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid and he has been quick to take advantage of Liverpool's win over the Spanish champions on Tuesday to defend his record. "Next week I am going to study my present and my future with my bosses," said Benítez, who was also quick to dismiss suggestions that he could leave ­Merseyside. "I have to decide on my future in the next two weeks. "People who see me leaving for Madrid are wrong. I have a contract with Liverpool, I owe Liverpool and I am only thinking about Liverpool. I am happy here and there is a project under way. I have been here for five years and [if I was to stay] from now on things would be easier." For the first time, though, there was the hint that he is considering other alternatives should Liverpool not allow him to lead a stable project on his terms. There was a hint too of irritation at those who have jumped on the Benítez bandwagon now but did not back him before. "I want a medium- or long-term project. I don't want to be working day to day, always hanging on the latest result, without a programme to follow or an idea to develop over a period of time," he said. "What I want is hard to find in Spain. Long-term projects do not exist [in Spain], like they do in England. I am young as coaches go and I can't predict my future. Real Madrid are a great club, a very great club, but I am at another wonderful club – one that really motivates me. I will work where I feel I can develop a project." Benítez defended his record at Anfield on what he insisted were limited resources. He also responded to those who criticised his team's style and admitted that the words of Vicente Boluda, the Real Madrid president who said that the Spaniards would "take the mickey out of Liverpool"‚ gave his team added motivation. "Competing with Manchester United and Chelsea is very difficult," he said. "I am not a cry-baby but they have enough money to sign five £20m players and, if one or two of them doesn't succeed, they have three more. I can sign two of them and, if one doesn't succeed or I make a mistake with one, then you really notice it." "I have been given a tag that I do not deserve and is not true," Benítez added. "I keep saying so but it doesn't do any good. Last season we scored 119 goals – more than anyone else in England. Liverpool don't just hoof the ball, as I keep reading and hearing. We have produced some very good performances to get to two Champions League finals and a semi-final in the last four years. We are the best team in Europe over the last five years. "With our full team against Madrid in the second leg we showed that we are aggressive and ambitious. We went for them. We could have scored more, too. Liverpool are a good team – despite the fact that people have showed us a lack of respect during this tie. I reminded my players of what Boluda said and that reinforced the need to win." The Liverpool manager also paid tribute to his Spanish World Cup striker Fernando Torres, who played through an injury at Anfield and worked hard to score the opening goal. "I didn't want to push him considering we have the game with Manchester United at Old Trafford coming up and we have no choice but to win that to keep our chances of winning the league alive," he said. "However, he insisted and insisted and insisted on playing, he fought against the pain, he took injections, they almost had to plaster his ankle – and the miracle worked with the first goal. That's Torres for you: a real great." That bit's quite interesting.

I'm hoping the RBS get to know about this, and force their hand.

Snores and moans normally, like "why did you wake me up for, likes" Then rolls over and goes back to sleep. I thought that happened in every relationship, except those in those films, like? No. Oh, and our fan base at the moment is fucking atrocious, needs fucking sorted. Booing? We ain't Newcastle, FFS.

And bears do shit in the woods.

hehe Christ on a bike mate take a valium, please.

Guillem Balague Football Website | Benítez Rumour Not True 25/02/2009 Benítez Rumour Not True In the last few hours the site has been inundated with emails asking if I can shed any light on the rumour that Rafa Benítez is on the brink of being sacked by Liverpool Football Club this evening. There are reports that betting has been suspended on this particular market and the rumour that Benítez will be gone by the morning has spread like wildfire around the Liverpool supporters out here in Madrid and on the internet. If I am honst, I am not entirely comfortable indulging in these stories at the moment as there is so much mis-information being spread around that it is impossible to respond accurately to every single report or rumour. However, because of the number of people who are getting in touch with us today, I feel I should respond. I can say with absolute certainty, categorically, that Rafa Benítez will not be sacked as manager of Liverpool this evening and that these rumours are not true. At the moment, the situation is delicate - and there have been developments with regard to the ongoing contractual negotiations at Anfield – and this is something that we will discuss here, on the website, once the Real Madrid fixture has been concluded in a couple of weeks time.