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It's the last group game of the Next Gen Series tonight. Coverage on the offal channels from 19:00. Kick off at 20:00.

Well, we haven't quite seen the end of the transfer window, but I suspect we aren't going to see any more significant arrivals. So Benitez has spent, and spent big, with £40m splashed out on two key players, Purple Aqui and Glenjo. And we've lost one of our finest midfielders, albeit for a very decent fee. Last season we came second, a great performance, but still four points short of the Champions United. And that meant we haven't won a trophy under Benitez since the FA cup in 2006. So what is the requirement this year? A trophy? The Premiership? What are you expecting? I'm usually pretty optimistic, but while I do really like Johnson and think he is a big improvement at RB, Aquilani's injury worries are a concern, and I am properly dreading the Spurs line-up. I have a nasty feeling that we are going to have a quite terrible start to the season. Don't know quite why I'm so pessimistic, just a gut-feel. And Lucas.

MCPARLAND OUTLINES ACADEMY DIRECTION Newly appointed Academy director Frank McParland outlines some of the changes he is overseeing as a new and exciting era begins down in Kirkby: There has been much speculation recently on the future direction of the Academy. I was asked by Rafa Benitez to conduct a strategic review of the Academy earlier this year. The conclusions of that review have been fully accepted and agreed by Rafa and his technical team and will now be implemented under my direction. I will continue to report directly to Rafa. Clearly, there are going to be changes in both personnel and the way we do things at the Academy, but uppermost in our minds is need to provide the best possible environment for the future development of all our young footballers. It has been decided that separate branding for the Academy will no longer be used - including the sign on top of our building. The Academy is an integral part of the club and will now be badged accordingly. It has a hugely important part to play in the future success of Liverpool FC and the change reflects that fact. There will be much closer liaison between Melwood and the Academy, and Rafa himself has been hugely supportive of the direction in which we want to move forward. We will examine every part of the Academy's operation and will be looking to make improvements not just in the coaching set-up, but also in areas such as medical, physio and fitness work. One new initiative will see the appointment of a head of sports science, who will tailor specific programmes for individual age groups to help them progress more quickly. We will also assess the current facilities and where necessary invest in upgrading these. We have already committed to renewing both of the astro-turf pitches and work on this project will begin shortly. I spoke before of changes in the staffing structure and our first appointment has been Jose Segura, who took up his role as Academy technical manager on June 1. Jose brings huge experience to the role, having worked at Barcelona for both their youth system and Barca B team, where he helped develop world class players such as Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Victor Valdes, Bojan Krkic, Mikel Arteta and Cesc Fabregas. He has also had great success in Greece, at both AEK Athens and later as manager at Olympiakos where he led the side to a Greek League and Cup double. Jose is a great appointment and the first of several key positions which we need to fill. Work continues to identify the best possible people to get the Academy working properly again and producing players that can progress through to the first team. I hope to be able to confirm other additions to our team within the next month. Jose will bring with him experience and ideas from working in other countries and it's important going forward that we combine the best influences from abroad with what I see as the English mentality. This to me embodies passion, aggression and desire. We want players who are hungry to play football and achieve success with Liverpool. We need to return to the philosophy of passing and moving quickly. We have to develop a winning mentality in every one of our players.

Sorry about this. Today's column was intended to be a little more uplifting, more on the theme of a season of surprises. Liverpool for the title was the tag and it went west the moment the owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr, decided that they knew more about a footballer's worth to his club than their manager, Rafael Benítez. It is hard to fancy Liverpool to overturn Manchester United and Chelsea now, yet when the summer began, Gareth Barry was set to be Benítez's missing link and, had the club bought him, this could have been their season to evolve from a team capable of impressing in set-piece matches in Europe to one capable of emerging triumphant from the slog of the domestic season. Instead, the way the move failed reveals much about the parlous state of the clubs under new ownership. At the weekend, Rick Parry, the Liverpool chief executive, said that Aston Villa's asking price of £18 million for Barry was too high. It is not. It is the going rate for an England central midfield player, as indicated by the fees paid by Manchester United for Michael Carrick (between £14 million and £18.6 million depending on success) and Owen Hargreaves (£17 million). Indeed, Barry is an England regular at present; Hargreaves and Carrick are not. Nor is age an issue, because Carrick, Barry and Hargreaves were all born in 1981. Barry is 34 days younger than Hargreaves and 155 days older than Carrick and Villa's valuation, for a player under contract, the captain and an important member of their team, is entirely reasonable. Yet, privately, what is said to concern Liverpool's owners is Barry's resale value if he signs a four or five-year contract. And there is the key; if a player could be the difference between winning the championship and falling short, why should the eventual return matter? His cost would be reimbursed instantly if the trophy was installed at Anfield, and while that is a big if, so is every transfer of substance. The resale issue with Barry confirms that there are serious financial concerns at Liverpool, despite the costly purchase of Robbie Keane from Tottenham Hotspur this summer. It has been well documented that Gillett would sell his half of the club at the right price, while Hicks wants to stay in the game. In the City, the word is that an American bank is ready to offer Hicks the funds to buy out Gillett, but not at the figure his partner wants because Gillett is insisting on a 30 per cent profit on the purchase price. Whether a Hicks buyout could resurrect the Barry deal, however, is questionable. If he plays for Villa against FH Hafnarfjördur, of Iceland, in the Uefa Cup tomorrow, and is cup-tied in Europe, Benítez may well give up hope. Despite Parry's protestations to the contrary, the attitude of Liverpool's owners must greatly frustrate Benítez and threaten his commitment to the club. Funnily enough, in the paddock at Epsom, one rarely sees John Magnier, the head of the Coolmore Stud, overruling his trainer, Aidan O'Brien, so that he can pass instructions to Johnny Murtagh, the jockey; and Magnier knows a hell of a lot more about horses than Hicks and Gillett know of football. It seems bizarre to have an authority, a manager of experience and consistent success, and then ignore his expertise. Benítez must surely have impressed upon his employers the difference Barry would make to Liverpool: he would complete the starting XI. Benítez is strong in most areas but requires a left-footed partner for Javier Mascherano in front of the back four. Barry is a perfect fit. With him, Liverpool could play the 4-2-3-1 formation that is all the rage right now, with Mascherano and Barry holding, Ryan Babel starting on one flank, Robbie Keane playing the Dirk Kuyt role on the other and Steven Gerrard behind Fernando Torres, with free range. Even the reserve options, Kuyt, Martin Skrtel, Sami Hyypia, perhaps Xabi Alonso, are good. The last piece of the jigsaw is an overused phrase, because even the best teams are in a permanent state of evolution, but Barry, potentially, was the most significant signing of the summer. To be so close, and then to be distracted by talk of resale values, can only suggest a club perilously close to financial breaking point. Last season, it was believed that Liverpool's owners would struggle to service loan repayments if Champions League football was not secured and with Michel Platini, the Uefa president, intent on reducing the number of fourth-placed qualifiers from the leading countries, this precarious existence will not go away. The team who finish fourth in the Barclays Premier League will have to play another non-champion from a leading European nation next season. Instead of FC Twente and Standard Liège, this season's opponents for Arsenal and Liverpool, the fourth-placed English team could be up against the likes of Fiorentina or Atlético Madrid, a far greater test. General concern over the financial future of the club is likely to trouble Liverpool's owners more than the specific long-term worth of one player. At the weekend it was suggested that Benítez would now bid £18 million for David Silva, of Valencia, who plays on the left or as a playmaker behind the front two, the inference being that he has Barry's transfer fee available, but not for Barry. That would be madness. One of the positions Silva plays is already occupied by Gerrard, in the other Benítez has tactical options. Why would any clear-thinking football business make a sum of money available, have the manager identify a target within that range and then tell him he cannot have the player, but can buy another instead? A year from now, Silva could be an excellent signing, as Liverpool move on, but right now, give Benítez what he wants. Martin Samuel wrote this column, he's a man who normally spouts shite but this time he has hit the nail on the head.

yqnKbdqjh2I&feature=related Dear ff, Here is a song for you to explain our current situation. I hope the lyrics explain things. Monty.

I know its more nonsense to go with the whole Ronaldo saga, but this quote from the Beeb just seemed too incredible not to comment on... "We can't be blamed if nearly every player wants to come to Real Madrid. If I was Manchester United I'd be happy and proud to be able to negotiate such a transfer for one of my players," he said. Do you think this guy is just a serial wind up merchant or does he really beleive the things he says?

there seems to be this burning hatred for this player, who is neither first or second choice, seriously why is he hated so much? for my point of view I'm indifferent to the player as he isn't a first teamer.

Has anyone any idea when issue 64 will be out please?

Just went out for lunch and on my travels I saw a little lad thumping his mum on the back, repeatidly. He was about 9 years old. She then moved away from him and said "Leave me alone I don't want to be near you". He replied "come here mum". You couldn't make this up... As she moved away he went for her again and started punching at her chest. He was a right butch little Geordie who looked fucking evil for a child. I think we should have child prisons, I seriously do.

I was walking to work before and spotted the shittest piece of graffiti I'd seen in a long time. "Faggoots" in this crapola font. It was a spraypainted piece of mong art. I wonder what a faggoot is? Is it an homosexual Liverpool supporter that isn't from Merseyside?

"Nazi's, I hate those guys." "Make it so."

Like Quaresma or like Queresma?!!! :lol::lol::lol::dunno::dunno::party::party::drool::sick::sick:

I'll start this one off - I know for a fact that Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Griff Rhys Jones are 3 of the most unpleasant people you could wish to meet.

He says that there is so much slavery in football today so gayboy should leave if he wants to. Slavery ?? They get paid silly money for playing football, its not carpetmaking 18 ours a day ffs. To have Blatter talking about an ongoing prosess like this is for me wrong. Sky Sports

Everton fans' anger at new kit delay Jul 8 2008 by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo EVERTON fans today voiced their frustration after it emerged they must wait another two weeks for the club's new home kit. The launch of the Blues’ new strip was put back until Thursday, July 24 – something the club today said was due to circumstances beyond its control. Any customer who has pre-ordered their 2008 home shirt or kit online, via the mail order service or in store will now receive their order on Wednesday July 23 – 24 hours ahead of the official release date. Club spokesman Ian Ross said: “We have been working closely with supplier JJB and manufacturer Umbro to attempt to minimise the disruption since being made aware of the issue. “It is deeply unfortunate that this situation has occurred but the distribution issues have simply meant the merchandise would not be in the UK in time for its original launch date. “Umbro have apologised to the Club for the inconvenience this causes our supporters and together with JJB and Everton will be doing all in their power to ensure the kit launch does not experience any further problems.” All customers who have pre-ordered online or via the mail order service will be contacted shortly. Any supporter who has pre-ordered in store will be contacted by the store management. Ian MacDonald, from Everton independent supporters, said: “This is a big deal. Everton is a big name and it needs to be shown off around Europe. “It is a big thing for kids to go on holiday with their families and show off their club colours. “Liverpool, on the other side of the city, have had their kit since the beginning of summer. “We finished fifth in the league. Why can’t we have our new colours in summer? We should have got this right five years ago.”

Peter Reid has just been given a four year deal as Thailand Manager. He better hope they don't eat monkeys in that part of the World or he could find himself in satay sauce.

Lets see if we can manage a thread without the "don't quote him" and other such bollocks and try and have a discussion about what is going on this summer. I am trying to work out what is going on this summer with regards to the players we are going for. Let's look at the solid links... James Milner I know for a FACT that we offered Pennant plus money for Milner and Pennant said no. Arguments aside I don't think either player is much of an improvement on the other. A pointless exchange. Gareth Barry The one area if you asked all fans in May where we didn't need to strengthen is in this area. Forgetting all the bullshit arguments about Xabi being shite in the Premieriship - we all fear that Barry will probably cost more than we sell Xabi for with the improvement in quality negligible. We are selling a player who loves it here and epitomises what a Liverpool player should be. Again baffling. Robbie Keane Absolute superb footballer and a good partner for Torres. Taking aside my own opinion that we should move Gerrard back into the centre and get a link player in, there is an argument that Gerrard is Torres' best partner and it would be madness to split them up. If Keane plays out wide he would be half the player he is for Spurs. Do we need Keane more than we need say a David Silva? Andrea Dossena The "best right back in Italy" couldn't even get into a poor Italian squad. However, we needed a replacement for John Riise and let's hope Dossena is a rabit out of the hat in defence like Agger and Skrtel were. Philipp Degen We already have two reasonable quality right backs in Arbeloa and Finnan with Carragher also likely to play there this season, so I don't get this signing. I'd be annoyed if we play him right midfield too. Good luck to the lad though, you just never know it will turn out. _____________________________________________________ If our strategy was to buy attacking wing backs to play the 4-3-3 then I'd question the quality of the fullbacks we have bought given their importance in the system. Signing Keane and Barry won't significantly improve the areas they will be playing (Xabi's and Gerrard's positions) but I feel they will bring greater consistency - whether that is £35m worth improvement remains to be seen. The one area that I feel we need top class players is in Kuyt's position and competition for Babel on the left as Kewell has left. We may still buy these players and we may not. However, I remain confused by the links of this summer but let's see how it pans out, next season is crucial for Rafa and he knows it. It might be clever for people to argue night and day about the merits of the players we are signing, but whether they are the 'right players in the right positons' remains questionable and I'd challenge anyone to suggest they wanted these players 4 months ago.

Roman Abramovich admits paying out billions on political favours - Times Online Roman Abramovich admits paying out billions on political favours Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea Football Club, has admitted agreeing to pay billions of dollars for political favours and protection fees to get his hands on the former Soviet Union's mineral wealth. The puzzle of how the penniless street trader rose to amass an £11.4 billion fortune is explained for the first time in his own words in court papers seen by The Times. Mr Abramovich paid older oligarchs so that he could obtain a big share of Russia's oil and aluminium assets and to escape unscathed from the deadly post-communist carve-up. He famously emerged triumphant after the “aluminium wars”, in which more than 100 people believed to have been killed in gangland feuds over control of the lucrative smelters. He avoided the fate of a rival oligarch who annoyed the Kremlin and ended up being transported to jail in Siberia for ten years. Mr Abramovich, 41, has been forced to tell his story because he is being sued for $4 billion by his mentor Boris Berezovsky, 62, a refugee in Britain, at the London Commercial Court. The exile claims that Mr Abramovich became an enforcer-type figure for Vladimir Putin, passing on alleged threats of confiscation - and the jailing of a friend - to pressure him into selling shares in former state assets cheaply. Mr Abramovich has retorted with a 53-page defence that accuses Mr Berezovsky and a Georgian oligarch of demanding huge sums for helping him to rise from obscurity. The man from Georgia, Arkady “Badri” Patarkatsishvili, emerges as the key intermediary, passing messages between the former friends. Mr Patarkatsishvili was offered $500 million by Mr Abramovich, the defence papers admit, for protecting him in the aluminium wars. The Georgian was found dead in the bedroom of his country house in Leatherhead, Surrey, five months ago. Tests showed that he had advanced heart disease. He was 52. Mr Abramovich launches his defence with an icy riposte to his old pal. Mr Berezovsky's signed particulars of claim state that the football boss was formerly his “trusted friend and close business associate”. Mr Abramovich is loath to accept that there was any trust. “Save that it is admitted that the defendant and Mr Berezovsky were friends, no admissions are made,” he states. Mr Abramovich's vast wealth is founded on the Siberian oil company Sibneft, which was privatised by President Yeltsin in 1995 in an auction that some experts suspect of having been rigged. The Chelsea owner now admits paying Mr Berezovsky, then nicknamed “Godfather of the Kremlin” because of his influence over President Yeltsin, to secure the oil business. “Prior to the August 1995 decree, the defendant informed Mr Berezovsky that he wished to acquire a controlling interest in Sibneft on its creation,” the defence states. “In return for the defendant agreeing to provide Mr Berezovsky with funds he required in connection with the cash flow of [his TV company] ORT, Mr Berezovsky agreed he would use his personal and political influence to support the project and assist in the passage of the necessary legislative steps leading to the creation of Sibneft.” The Chelsea owner's next target was the aluminium industry. After privatisation, smelter managers, metals traders and journalists were reported to have been killed as groups battled for control. Mr Abramovich now admits that he owed his success to the late Georgian oligarch. “Mr Patarkatsishvili did ... provide assistance to the defendant in the defendant's acquisition of assets in the Russian aluminium industry,” he states. The Georgian had a reputation as a go-between with organised crime. He was employed by a car business to ensure debt repayment and provide protection against gangsters, according to a former head of the Russian Presidential Security Service. Aleksandr Korzhakov is quoted in the book Godfather of the Kremlin saying: “Badri has an alias, like any gangster. In the criminal underworld he is known as "Badar". Mr Berezovsky's legal action accuses Mr Abramovich of being “close to President Vladimir Putin”. In Mr Abramovich's first public declaration of his relationship with the former president, he states that he “has had, and continues to have, a good working relationship with Mr Putin”. He formally denies, however, that they were close. Mr Berezovsky escaped Russia after criticising President Putin. Mr Abramovich says that Mr Berezovsky asked him to buy his interests in ORT for $150 million. “The defendant agreed to do so, although the amount increased to approximately $175 million, which was greater than the value of those interests.” No explanation is given why he paid so much over the odds. Mr Abramovich discloses that there was a showdown at St Moritz airport in Switzerland in 2001 when Mr Patarkatsishvili asked him to pay $1.3 billion to Mr Berezovsky. “The defendant agreed to pay this amount on the basis that it would be the final request for payment by Mr Berezovsky and that he and Mr Patarkatsishvili would cease to associate themselves publicly with him and his business interests.” The payment was duly made. Mr Abramovich was also willing to pay off Mr Patarkatsishvili. He states that he agreed to pay $585 million “by way of final payment”. Mr Abramovich denies that he helped himself to Mr Berezovsky's interests in Sibneft and aluminium or that he threatened a friend of the exile. “It is denied that Mr Abramovich made or was party to the alleged explicit or implicit coercive threats or intimidation,” he states.

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani says Chelsea have made an "astronomical" bid for Brazilian Kaka. The Blues have long been linked with a move for 26-year-old World Player of the Year and their boss is now ex-Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Galliani told Italian newspaper La Stampa: "We received an astronomical offer from Chelsea for Kaka." Galliani also revealed the club have had interest in 29-year-old Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo. Pirlo's agent has been reported as saying in the Italian press he wants his client to be given the same wage as Kaka. 606: DEBATE Why not go for Messi instead of Kaka? They cost pretty much equal Chelsea_Alan But Galliani added: "For Pirlo, there have been many requests. But neither Pirlo nor his agent have come into my office and asked me for an improvement in salary." Galliani says selling Kaka and Pirlo would immediately stabilise Milan's finances, with the club having missed out on a place in next season's Champions League. "All we would need to do in order to wipe out our debts is sell Kaka and Pirlo," he said. AC Milan technical director Leonardo told BBC Sport last month it was "impossible" for Chelsea to sign Kaka. Kaka himself revealed to BBC Sport in April he would not rule out the possibility of one day playing for one of the big clubs in the Premier League. Just how damn difficult it is to win the league these days.

Adebayor es del Barça por 27 millones - Marca.com 27 million euros- 21.3 mil in real money.

WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU NOW YOU CUNTS And yes i have had a drink

Thanks Thants x

Wonder if the creative trust on this site could give me some suggestions? I did some work for a small company and now the directors are trying to shaft me over payment knowing I'll have to go to court. I actually want to go around and take a baseball bat to the twats but know I will lose if I do that. Any ideas something that might cause intense irritation and fuck up their working day but probably wouldn't be illegal would be great. PS: This falls under employment law and I have ben advised they are in breach of contract.