Clint Dempsey Seemed Destined For Liverpool, Until Tottenham Swooped In At The Last Minute

After months of rumors that Clint Dempsey was headed to Liverpool, it turns out that he went to Tottenham only a few hours before the end of today's transfer window for European soccer.

The American midfielder signed a three-year deal worth $9.5 million, ending his 6+ years at Fulham. Without a doubt, Dempsey's transfer represents the biggest move in terms of an American-born men's soccer player in Europe. That's what happens when you score 23 goals for an English Premier League club in one season (2011/12).

From espnsoccernet.com
"I'm very excited and looking forward to the challenge," Dempsey told Tottenham's official website. "To play under this head coach and play for this club is a dream come true. I want to make the most of it and work as hard as I can to get onto the field and do well. There are a lot of great players here, I'm looking forward to training and playing with them and trying to fight for a spot in the team."

Apparently, Tottenham beat out Liverpool not to mention Sunderland and Aston Villa in their bid for the U.S. men's national team's top field player.

"Clint was a very influential player for Fulham over a number of seasons and the club thanks him for his contribution and wishes him well for the future," a statement on the Fulham website read.

Liverpool has spent much of the summer chasing Dempsey, sparking an angry reaction from Fulham manager Martin Jol after the player went on strike on the eve of the new season.

"A lot was said and written ahead of me leaving Fulham," Dempsey told Spurs' website. "It wasn't how it was portrayed, but that's in the past now and we move on. I want to thank the fans for everything, some of the best memories I've had in football and thank the chairman for giving me the opportunity to come from the MLS and compete over here. All I can say is thank you and now I'm looking forward to the next challenge."

At 29, he still has plenty of top-level soccer left in him since he only started playing for the New England Revolution (MLS) at age 21. Plus, he's durable and consistent, he scored 60 goals in 224 career appearances at Fulham. His objective of playing for a team that can compete in the Champions League should be fulfilled with the Hotspurs. They would have made the Champions League last season (they finished 4th) but were bounced out by Chelsea's improbable run to the title.

Don't be surprised to see Dempsey coming off the bench since Tottenham's midfield is already loaded with Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart not to mention forwards like Jermain Defoe and Emmanuel Adebayor. After being the man the last few seasons for Fulham, it will be interesting to see how Dempsey adjusts to having an auxiliary role. Former US goalkeeper Brad Friedel (41 years old!) is Tottenham's starter so Dempsey at least has one close friend on the team.

Deuce wasn't the only American on the move as Maurice Edu officially completed his transfer to Stoke that I already wrote about. Carlos Bocanegra left Rangers for a season-long loan at Racing Santander, a Spanish club that was relegated from La Liga last season. Finally, Oguchi Onyewu (remember him?) was loaned from Sporting Lisbon to Malaga, a Spanish club that finished fourth in La Liga last season and by virtue of that, is in this year's Champions League.

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U.S. Star Michael Bradley Tallies His 1st Goal For AS Roma As They Beat Liverpool 2-1 At Fenway

New AS Roma and U.S. men's national team midfielder Michael Bradley picked a good time to bag his first goal for the Italian side.

In the States for their preseason tour of Chicago, Boston and New York, Bob Bradley's son scored the first goal of the night as AS Roma beat Liverpool 2-1 tonight in Football at Fenway 2012.

There was plenty to like about his performance since he played the entire way and scored a highlight reel goal for Roma. After a back-and-forth scoreless first half, the attacking was turned up a notch on both sides in the second half.

Bradley was able to break the deadlock in the 63rd minute as he was first to a loose ball on the right side of Liverpool's defensive box. With goalkeeper Brad Jones coming out to cut down the angle, Bradley hit a low, hard shot that bounced off the inside of the post and into the goal. That set off a huge celebration with his teammates and separately, the legion of Roma fans in the crowd.

Roma added another goal six minutes later before Liverpool pulled one back in the 80th minute for the final margin. Make no mistake though, Roma was the better side this evening. They could have won by two or three goals easily.

AS Roma manager Zdenek Zeman, who is renown for his attacking style, praised the American. He said, "Bradley played well, he's a hard-working guy."

That sentiment was also echoed by Roma midfielder Alessandro Florenzi who subbed in during the second half and scored what turned out to be the game-winner. He called Bradley "a great person with proper conduct off the pitch that always gives his best effort." Florenzi also noted that he liked watching Bradley at Chievo Verona (his last club in Seria A).

If tonight was any indication, one of the United States' top players appearrs destined to become a star overseas in Italy. He did not look out of place at all tonight at Fenway Park against some of the world's top players like Liverpool's Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Martin Skrtel, etc. Like Clint Dempsey at Fulham (England), Bradley is set to make his mark on European football which in turn will earn more respect for U.S. men's soccer globally.

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After Way Too Long, U.S. Men's Midfielder Michael Bradley Finally Signs With AS Roma

I can't tell you how much time I've wasted in the last few weeks frantically checking Twitter, espnsoccernet.com and cnnsi.com for any news about Michael Bradley going to AS Roma.

I had begun to worry that the transfer of the U.S. men's national team's best midfielder might not take place for some reason when I didn't read any new developments for way too long. Thankfully, I returned to my semi-sanity today as I found that it's finally official: Bradley signed a four-year deal worth 3.75 million Euros.

At only 24-years-old, the son of former U.S. men's head coach Bob Bradley and New Jersey native, has become one of the best American players of his generation. This move shows what people in Europe think about him as he should step in and start right away for a team that's not far removed from regular trips to the Champions League.

After bouncing around from Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany) and a loan spell at Aston Villa (England), Bradley found a true home at Chievo Verona (Italy, Serie A) last season where he made 34 league starts. He was clearly ready to take the next step in his development so that meant finding a better Italian club. I believe he stayed in Italy since that style of game (long possessions, controlled by the midfield, many passes and free kicks) best suited his improving skill set.

As a U.S. fan foremost, I'm happy to see Bradley go to a very solid club in one of the better leagues in the world. That can only be a good thing as he continues to strive for his peak form.

On a personal level, I'm extremely happy that he's going to Roma specifically since they play Liverpool a week from Wednesday night at Fenway Park-home of the Boston Red Sox-in a friendly. It looks like I will be able to cover that game too so I'm psyched to see one of my favorite U.S. men's players in action in my backyard.

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Liverpool Hires Brendan Rogers To Be Their New Manager

After rightfully blasting Liverpool a few weeks ago, I have to give its owners John Henry and Tom Werner credit today: they hired Swansea's Brendan Rogers as their new manager and I think it could be a great move.

I'll be honest that I didn't know much about Rogers but reading more about his background, it sounds like he's the right guy for the monumental task of turning Liverpool around. Rogers beat out Wigan's Roberto Martinez for the job despite only coaching one season in the English Premier League.

I like the move because Rogers is young (39), he wasn't a top player and he sounds open to new ideas and styles. It's clear that clinging to the past with a former legendary player like Dalglish wasn't helping Liverpool become one of the top teams in England.

From CNNSI.com
That year, however, proved to be a highly successful one, with Swansea finishing 11th in its first season in the Premier League and earning plenty of admirers because of the Welsh team's attractive, possession-based style of play.

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said Rodgers was a "forward-thinking coach at the forefront of a generation of young managers and will bring to Liverpool attacking, relentless football."

The Northern Irishman had a limited player career at home before embarking on a coaching career, becoming manager of the Reading academy at just 22.
"I was never the big player ... I had to go down a different route which was on the coaching field and earning my respect that way," Rodgers said.

"Hopefully over time I'll earn ... respect (at Liverpool)," he added.

Rodgers will be charged with improving Liverpool's fortunes in the league after a disappointing eighth-place finish that was sealed by a 1-0 loss to Swansea on the final day of the season.

The 18-time English champions' lowest league placing in 18 years saw them finish 17 points shy of qualifying for a Champions League spot, the minimum goal of the club's American owners.

That led to the firing of club great Kenny Dalglish, who won the League Cup to end a six-year trophy drought at Anfield.

Fenway Sports Group targeted the hiring of a young manager to replace Dalglish and also held talks with Martinez. But it decided on Rodgers, who was once a youth-team manager at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and has also managed second-tier clubs Watford and Reading.

"My pathway as a young coach has been different to most managers," Rodgers said. "I have actually been coaching and working in football for 20 years. At Chelsea I had experience of working with big players. I look at Kenny Dalglish, he was the manager (of Liverpool in 1985) at 34 and resigned at 39. I arrive here at 39."
Rodgers said his soccer philosophy "has been a fusion between the British and the European."

"The single biggest influence would be Jose Mourinho, purely because he gave me the opportunity," he said. "I learned many things from Jose. He is a great man and the biggest thing he did for me is give me an opportunity and show belief in me, and give me that chance to work with top players."

There are few clubs in European soccer with more history of winning than Liverpool but other than an incredible run to the Champions League Final in 2005, they hadn't done much of note in the last two decades when it really matters.

Qualifying Liverpool for the Champions League will be Rodgers' first task, with the ultimate aim being a 19th English title to match the record haul of bitter rival Manchester United.

"It's an aim for every manager at a top club," he said. "That's the holy grail, but also, in time, we want to be challenging for the title. For me, and it's not going to be straight away because that's not realistic, winning the title is something we want to achieve. It's not just aiming for fourth place.
"The Champions League is fantastic and that's where this club wants to be. ... I'm very much a realist. It's certainly going to be a few years in relation to where the team is at now. It will need some investment and it will need time for me to work."

Liverpool ruled English soccer in the 1970s and 1980s, but hasn't won a league title since 1990. It remains one of the world's most famous and successful clubs, having won the European Cup/Champions League five times - behind only Real Madrid (9) and AC Milan (5).

"This is a club that's based on fast, attacking, offensive football," Rodgers said. "But I'll repeat, it's very important to have tactical discipline within that. Your philosophy and your principles will always be governed by the players.

"There is a fantastic squad here, some terrific players, but there is no doubt I'll need to make maybe two, three or four additions to try and get that flow - and it will take time to put that in place."

Liverpool will have to pay compensation to Swansea - reported to be in the region of 4 million pounds ($6.2 million) - because Rodgers had three years left on his contract.

If Liverpool falters next season, it will be interesting to see how long Fenway Sports Group sticks with Rogers. Being a no-name guy, it would be easier to dump him. He is an underdog so even though I'm not a huge fan of the Red Sox/Liverpool owners at all, I appreciate Rogers' story and I wish him the best of luck in this very difficult new position.

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Liverpool Manager Kenny Dalglish Fired

What a mess the last year has been for the Fenway Sports Group, namely John Henry and Tom Werner. Besides presiding over a Red Sox team that finished in third-place (for the second straight season) last year and began this season just as poorly, Liverpool finished in eighth place in the English Premier League.

Their solution in both cases has been to fire the manager: Red Sox manager Terry Francona was let go in October and today, they dumped Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish, who was in his second stint in charge of the club he was a star player for back in the day.

Liverpool ended a six-year trophy drought with a League Cup in February (giving them a Europa League berth) but they lost in the FA Cup to Chelsea a few weeks ago and were a mediocre 14-14-10, 17 points behind fourth-place Tottenham. Just as bad for Liverpool fans, their beloved team was behind Everton in the standings for the first time since 2005 and only the second time since 1987.

"Results in the Premier League have been disappointing and we believe to build on the progress that has already been made, we need to make a change," Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said.

That decision was taken after Dalglish flew to Boston this week for an end-of-season review with the Boston Red Sox ownership group, which owns Liverpool.

"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I can say that the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honorable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved," Dalglish said.

"I said when first approached about coming back as manager that I would always be of help if I can at any time and that offer remains the same," he added.

Dalglish first left Liverpool in 1991 due to stress, less than a year after delivering the team's 18th -- and most recent -- top-flight title triumph in 1990.

He was brought back to Anfield after a 20-year absence to replace Roy Hodgson in January 2011, when the club was in danger of being relegated from the top flight after being bought by the Fenway Sports Group.

After lifting Liverpool from its perilous position to fifth place, Dalglish was given a three-year contract at the end of the season.

"Kenny came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Liverpool Football Club really needed him," Werner said. "He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him. He did more than anyone else to stabilize Liverpool over the past year and a half and to get us once again looking forward. We owe him a great debt of gratitude."

Owner John Henry also paid tribute to Dalglish.

"Kenny will always be more than a championship-winning manager, more than a championship-winning star player," Henry said. "He is in many ways the heart and soul of the club. He personifies everything that is good about Liverpool Football Club. He has always put the Club and its supporters first. Kenny will always be a part of the family at Anfield.

"Our job now is to identify and recruit the right person to take this club forward and build on the strong foundations put in place during the last 18 months."

The Red Sox and Liverpool have both faltered in part due to inattentive owners who split their time between these two very important franchises that deserve way more attention and energy. The fact that they flew Dalglish all the way across the world to Boston last week, only to fire him today shows a little glimpse of how inconsiderate Werner and Henry have become. If you're a fan of either of these teams, the only hope is that they sell off their shares in them. Sadly, that far-fetched dream is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

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Mark Your Calendars: Liverpool vs. AS Roma, July 25 At Fenway Park

After knowing about this for months, Liverpool officially announced today that they will face AS Roma on Wednesday, July 25 at Fenway Park.

As any Boston Red Sox fan knows, the Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner have owned Liverpool since 2010. With this year's 100th anniversary of Fenway, what better time to bring their two cash cows together for one night only.

Liverpool will be in the United States for 12 days this summer and they've already been slated for two exhibition matches. Big time European clubs often take U.S. tours (to improve the brand abroad) and Liverpool last appeared in North America in 2004 (NJ, CT and Toronto).

A group of four Boston executives closed a deal for Roma in August to become the first foreign majority owners of a Serie A club. New Roma president Thomas DiBenedetto is also a limited partner in the Fenway group.

"During its 100-year history, Fenway Park has hosted some of the best in athletic competition, and a match between Liverpool and Roma -- two of the world's most well-known and respected clubs -- is an appropriate way to ... showcase our ballpark to an international audience," Liverpool owner John Henry said.

The match also features the two teams that contested the 1984 European Cup final, which Liverpool won in a penalty shootout.

Liverpool is the fourth Premier League team to announce a preseason tour of the United States, following Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa.

Boston will serve as Liverpool's base throughout the tour, and the team will train at Harvard University.

"Our goal is to create an unforgettable experience for our North American fans while building a lasting legacy for Liverpool here in the States," Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said.

I was lucky enough to get to cover Sporting vs. Celtic at Fenway two summers ago so I'm really hoping that I can get a credential for this one too. That first match was nice but admittedly, there aren't a ton of Portuguese or Scottish people in New England. However, Liverpool is a huge draw anywhere in the world and there are plenty of Italians (and wannabe guidos) in the immediate area-the North End might shut down for a few hours.

It couldn't come at a better time in the summer since by then, only Major League Baseball will be going on and the weather should be perfect. The Champions League, London Olympics (no U.S. men) and Euro 2012 will have all concluded by the time these squads make their way to Boston. Picturing Steven Gerrard, Pepe Reina, Luis Suarez and Co. at Fenway is pretty cool, this is going to be a can't miss event for local soccer fans who want a taste of European soccer and crowds.

UPDATE 3/30: Liverpool will play Tottenham on July 28 in Baltimore at M&T Bank Stadium. Tottenham plays the LA Galaxy on July 24 and the New York Red Bulls on July 31.

Chelsea and Aston Villa also have U.S. tours. The 2012-13 EPL season starts on August 18.

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John Terry Is Still A Piece Of Trash

In case you forgot, John Terry would like to remind you that he is one of the biggest scumbags in all of professional soccer.

The Chelsea defender and mainstay of England's national team was stripped of his captaincy today with his country due to allegations of racism against Queens Park defender Anton Ferdinand.

I used to love Chelsea and Terry was my favorite player along with Frank Lampard but I have a hard time rooting for them and him while he's still a Blue.

England head coach Fabio Capello will reportedly try a rotation of captains, including Steven Gerrard of Liverpool, Lampard, Manchester City's Gareth Barry, Liverpool's Glen Johnson and Tottenham's Scott Parker.

The source says the Italian tactician will implement a system of rotating captains for England's games leading up to Euro2012. He will start with the current vice-captain, Gerrard, when England plays the Netherlands on Feb. 29.

"An England squad will be selected next week and is sure to include Steven Gerrard, which means he is most likely to be named captain for that game but, of course, there is no guarantee that he will be fit at the end of the month when the game is played," the report says.

Gerrard has played 89 times for England, and served as its captain at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He has been left out of the England squad since Nov. 2010, as he battled injuries for much of the next 13 months.

Capello re-installed Terry as captain in March 2011 -- he had been stripped of the role in Feb. 2010 after his alleged affair with a teammate's made headlines -- to lead England through Euro2012 qualification.

As we said when the first drama with Terry sprung up in 2010, before the World Cup, nobody does soap operas like England. The team is always supremely talented but either through bad management, chemistry or poor performance, they routinely come up short in international competitions. I expect Euro 2012 to be no different with the Three Lions doing down in flames well before the final.

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Steven Gerrard Will Apparently Be On Liverpool For The Rest Of His Career

I have always been a proponent of keeping legends on your club for their entire careers, if that's possible and also assuming that they don't become a distraction or unruly as their skills diminish.

Liverpool midfielder and captain Steven Gerrard has always been one of my favorite players so I was psyched today when I read that he'll be there for the foreseeable future after signing a new contract.

Premier League side Liverpool confirmed the news on Thursday, stating Gerrard, 31, has "committed his long-term future" to the Reds, while he will also take up an ambassadorial role when he retires.

The deal caps an excellent 24 hours for the midfielder after he scored from the penalty spot on Wednesday night to help his side to a 1-0 Carling Cup semi-final first leg with over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

After emerging through the youth ranks at Anfield, Gerrard has gone on to make 561 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool, winning both the FA Cup and League Cup twice as well as claiming Champions League glory in 2005.

The England international has recently endured a torrid time with injuries, but he made his comeback in September and has since steadily returned to form and fitness.

Of his contract extension, Gerrard told the club's official website: "I'm very happy. It's a very proud day for myself and my family.

"It comes on the back of a fantastic team performance last night when we got the result we were looking for. Hopefully we can finish the job off in two weeks time and take all of our magnificent fans down to Wembley for a day out.

"The contract extension coming the day after has been the icing on the cake so it has been a perfect 24 hours. This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy. I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.

"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world. To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want.

"There will be more highs and lows, there's no doubt about it as that's part and parcel of being a football player at a top club. The important thing is that you react well to the lows and experience more of the highs.

"I'm confident moving forward that the club is going in the right direction. We've got a fantastic team, we've got the right owners in place and the right team behind our team, so I'm really confident we'll have more good experiences in the future."

Reading those quotes from Gerrard, what more can you ask for? It's not just smart PR, you can tell the guy truly loves his club and playing professional soccer for a living. Plus, he's still energized and looking forward to the future rather than sitting back and resting on his laurels and impressive resume. This all makes me love him even more and root for the Reds to do well for the rest of his career.

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Clint Dempsey Is Setting Records, Winning Games At Fulham

U.S. soccer fans were treated to an excellent (minus a bogus red card) Fulham vs. Liverpool match on ESPN2 this afternoon.

It was particularly notable to U.S. fans since one of our country's greatest ever exports-Clint Dempsey-broke Brian McBride's English Premier League record with 37 career goals abroad. Oh and by the way, it was the game's lone goal as Fulham got a big 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.

I missed the game since my cable went out (not happy at all) but let's read Soccer By Ives' account (an excellent soccer blog): Clint Dempsey's legend at Fulham continues to grow with every goal he scores.

The Texas native did it again on Monday, scoring an 85th-minute winner for Fulham in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool. Minutes after hitting the crossbar with a bending effort from the top of the area, Dempsey found himself in perfect position to slot home a spilled rebound by Pepe Reina from close range.

With the goal, Dempsey set a new standard for Americans in the Premier League. He entered the match tied with Brian McBride with 36 Premiership goals but now owns that record for his own.

I tried to find a highlight of the goal, a rebound from right on the goalmouth but the YouTube police were out in full force taking them down. My best advice is to watch Fox Soccer Channel or maybe they'll show it on Sportscenter.

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Gerrard done for the rest of the season

Liverpool star and English national team standout Steven Gerrard will be shelved for the res of the English Premier League season with a groin injury.

It was confirmed on Friday that the midfielder would not play again this term after suffering a setback in his recovery from the problem that has kept him out since early March, and tests revealed that the 30-year-old required an operation.

The procedure has been declared a success and Liverpool expect their talismanic leader to be available for pre-season training.

A statement on the Liverpool website read: "Liverpool FC today [Saturday] confirmed that Steven Gerrard has undergone successful surgery on his groin.

"The decision was taken after consultation with leading specialists. The player will now begin a rehabilitation programme and is expected to return for pre-season training.''

Currently in sixth place with 45 points (10 points behind Chelsea in fourth place), this injury doesn't really mean that Liverpool will miss out on the Champions League. Even with Gerrard, they probably wouldn't have made it. Similarly, they are nowhere near the relegation zone (West Ham in 18th with 32 points). Still, you never want to see a great player hurt in his prime and this is one of those cases. Get well soon Gerrard, you have always been one of our favorites.

Hodgson resurfaces at West Brom

There is truly nothing like being in the inner circle for coaching in professional soccer. Now matter how bad you've done at your last job, your next gig is always one call away.

Former Fulham manager and most recently Liverpool failure Roy Hodgson was named coach at West Brom, signing a deal that will keep him with the Hawthorns through the summer of 2012.

Far be it from me to question the motives of a team that's in serious danger of being relegated but wouldn't you try for some new blood to shake it up? How does bringing in a guy that already ran one team into the ground this season in the same league (EPL) help your chances? I don't get it.

West Brom confirmed the news on their official website, revealing that caretaker manager Michael Appleton will take charge of the team for their clash with West Ham on Saturday.

"The Club are now channelling all of their efforts into supporting Appleton, his assistants Keith Downing and Dean Kiely and the players as they prepare for tomorrow's vital game," a statement on the Baggies website read.

Hodgson will be at the helm for the first time for the derby clash with Wolves at The Hawthorns next weekend, but admitted he was shocked by the speed of how things developed.

He said: ''It was not my intention to return to Premier League football this quickly. But I was so impressed by the way the chairman (Jeremy Peace) and the sporting and technical director (Dan Ashworth) sold the project to me that I was very happy to accept the offer.

''I am delighted that a club of West Bromwich Albion's stature has given me the opportunity to help them in their quest to retain their Premier League status and to build for the future.

''I hear that Michael has done a terrific job looking after the players this week and preparing them for tomorrow's game. I know from my previous visits to The Hawthorns the kind of atmosphere the fans can generate and I am sure they will get right behind Michael and the team.''

Peace insisted Hodgson was always Albion's first choice.

He said: ''At such a vital stage of the season, we felt it was important we identified and appointed the right man as quickly as possible. Roy emerged as the outstanding and unanimous choice of the football club board and we are delighted to have appointed our number one target.

''We believe his vast experience and knowledge of the game is exactly what we need for the challenge we face, both in the short and long term.

''However, as Roy has stated, the club's immediate focus is offering Michael, Keith Downing, Dean Kiely (club coaches) and the players all the support they need as they prepare to face West Ham. We're very grateful for the way Michael has taken over the reins this week. He has fully justified our faith in him.''

Hodgson will undoubtedly have one eye on April 2, when West Brom welcome Liverpool to the Hawthorns. He endured a disastrous six-month tenure with the Reds, which saw the club suffer their worst start to a top-flight season in 57 years.

And to add insult to Hodgson's injured pride, Liverpool have enjoyed an impressive revival in fortunes since Kenny Dalglish replaced him in the Anfield hotseat.

But Hodgson still boasts an impressive managerial CV that has taken in two spells in charge of Inter Milan, as well as international positions with Switzerland and Finland. And the Englishman was named Manager of the Year by the League Managers' Association last season after guiding Fulham to the Europa League final.

West Brom are currently languishing just above the Premier League relegation zone and Hodgson has been hired with a view to saving the Baggies from the drop, as he did when he was first appointed Fulham boss.

Perhaps the only thing I can shed some light on is the fact that Roy Hodgson looks exactly like the actor that played Duncan (owner of Duncan's Toy Chest) in Home Alone 2. Haha, seriously look at a couple Google images of Hodgson. He could be his twin brother.

Carragher out for three months

Just when it looked like Liverpool was out of the woods a bit - to borrow an English phrase - playing decent soccer and getting out of the relegation zone, they're hit with another huge injury.

Defender Jamie Carragher will be out three months after dislocating his shoulder in Sunday's 2-1 loss at Tottenham.

After being assessed on Monday and Tuesday, the club informed the player he would have to have an operation on the problem.

Carragher told the club's official website: "I'll be having surgery at the end of the week. The average is about 12 weeks. I'd like to come back before that but I've got to make sure it's right.

"It will probably be late February or early March when I'm looking to come back. It's difficult for me when I'm injured. It hasn't happened very often, and I'm very lucky with that I suppose, but maybe it's caught up with me a little bit now.

"I've been here before with a broken leg which put me out this length of time. It's not easy but you've got to get on with it, and it makes you more determined to get back.

"I'm sure towards the end of the season when people are maybe feeling a little bit tired I'll be raring to go."

Liverpool expects to get Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole and Daniel Agger back soon which is good news for the Red Sox and new Liverpool owners Tom Warner and John Henry.

No Diggler for a month, sorry ladies

More bad news for one of our favorites here at Red, White and Blue Army: Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt will be out for three to four weeks with the ankle injury he suffered playing for Holland against Sweden on Tuesday.

In a further blow for Roy Hodgson, defender Daniel Agger had to come off in the first half of Denmark's clash with Cyprus, throwing his comeback from a groin problem in doubt ahead of the weekend's crucial Merseyside derby against Everton.

Dutch forward Kuyt was taken to hospital in an ambulance after landing awkwardly following an aerial challenge in the first half. Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said he feared the injury was "serious" and that initial predictions forecasted a long time on the sidelines for Kuyt. However, the news is better for Liverpool.

"The initial rumours coming out of Holland were that it was going to be a really long injury, maybe months," Hodgson told Liverpoolfc.tv. "But our Doctor and our sports science people are much more optimistic. They think it is more likely to be one month - or if we are lucky three weeks.

"He seriously twisted his ankle with ligament damage and we are going to miss him for some matches that's for sure."

He added: "He does recover very quickly and the thing about Dirk is that he is always anxious to get back on the football field. If it can done in three weeks it will be three. If it can be two he'll do it in two - but we are looking at a lay-off.

"It's disappointing because it is the second time he has gone away with the national team and come back and missed weeks for us."

I can only imagine how crazy Kuyt goes when he's injured and can't get on the field for a prolonged period of time. He's such a cartoonish character when he's playing that he must be a mess right now. Godspeed Dirk!

Red Sox owners taking over Liverpool any day now

Big news coming out of the EPL as Liverpool has reportedly been sold to the Boston Red Sox' ownership group.

At first blush, I can't decide if this is a good thing or not since I'm a fan of both teams. The Red Sox are clearly in need of some player changes after they missed the playoffs this season so I'd love to see the ownership to devote their full attention to improving that product.

However, they're billionaires and I'm not stupid enough to think that billionaires get their bankrolls by just sitting around and letting their money accumulate (that comes much later).

The owners of the Boston Red Sox got approval from Liverpool's board Wednesday to buy the storied but struggling Premier League club, pledging to wipe out the team's debts if their bid withstands a court challenge.

Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton said the Red Sox owners have offered to pay $477 million, which is likely to cover the debts and bank charges stemming from the leveraged 2007 takeover by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr. but no more.

Despite the opposition of Hicks and Gillett, who own all the shares in Liverpool, Boston's offer was accepted by the three non-owner board members: Broughton -- who was hired by Hicks and Gillett in April to sell the club -- plus managing director Christian Purslow and commercial director Ian Ayre.

The Premier League said in a statement it should be ready to approve the takeover by Friday.

John Henry, Tom Warner and Larry Lucchino clearly could sense that there's plenty of money to be made in soccer worldwide, hence why they had the Football at Fenway match this summer (Sporting vs. Celtic which I attended).

Broughton is set to go to court next week to reinforce his authority over the sale and challenge the owners' attempts to remove Purslow and Ayre from the board. Broughton said he expects the sale to be completed in about a week.

Hicks and Gillett say the Red Sox group's offer "dramatically undervalues" the 18-time English champions.

The prospective Boston owners, meanwhile, already are planning for the future of a team languishing in the relegation zone.

"NESV wants to create a long-term financially solid foundation for Liverpool FC and is dedicated to ensuring that the club has the resources to build for the future, including the removal of all acquisition debt," the company said in a statement. "Our objective is to stabilize the club and ultimately return Liverpool FC to its rightful place in English and European football, successfully competing for and winning trophies."

The turmoil comes after Liverpool lost to Blackpool on Sunday, continuing the club's worst start to a league season since 1953. Liverpool hasn't won in five matches in all competitions and is currently near the bottom of the Premier League's standings. The team also was recently knocked out of the League Cup by Northampton, a club struggling in the fourth tier of English football.

"NESV wants to help bring back the culture of winning to Liverpool," the company statement said. "We have a proven track record, shown clearly with the Boston Red Sox. The team has won two World Series championships over the past six years. We will bring the same kind of openness, passion, dedication and professionalism to Liverpool FC."

Liverpool is one of four Premier League clubs under American ownership, along with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Sunderland. Most prominent are Malcolm Glazer and his sons, owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who took over Manchester United in 2005 in a leveraged buyout worth $1.4 billion.

Hicks is the former owner of the Texas Rangers and currently owns the NHL's Dallas Stars.

The Red Sox ownership signaled its soccer interest last summer by hosting an exhibition match between Celtic and Sporting Lisbon at Boston's Fenway Park.

The ownership group is headed by financial trader John Henry, with two other principals: Tom Werner, who made his money producing hit shows on U.S. television, and Larry Lucchino, a longtime baseball executive.

Reached late Tuesday night, Lucchino declined comment. Henry has not responded to e-mail messages left by The Associated Press.

Hicks wants to sell for about $951 million, a figure that has forced several investors to end their interest. The owners bought the club for $275 million, taking on $71 million of liabilities.

"The owners have invested more than $270 million in cash into the club. And during their tenure, revenues have nearly doubled, investment in players has increased and the club is one of the most profitable in the [Premier League]," Hicks and Gillett said in a statement. "As such, the board has been presented with offers that we believe dramatically undervalue the club.

"To be clear, there is no change in our commitment to finding a buyer for Liverpool Football Club at a fair price that reflects the very significant investment we've made. We will, however, resist any attempt to sell the club without due process or agreement by the owners."

Broughton is encouraged by how the Red Sox ownership group revived the baseball club's fortunes after buying it in 2002 for $660 million.

The Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 and 2007 -- their first since 1918. Liverpool won its 18th English championship crown in 1990 and its fifth European Cup in 2005.

One of the priorities at Liverpool will be to replace the 45,000-capacity Anfield with a newer and bigger stadium, but Broughton says the Merseyside club could emulate the Red Sox by refurbishing an existing ground.

"At Fenway they chose not to build a new stadium -- they will want to make sure that they do the right thing, [but] we will have a stadium which holds 60-odd thousand," Broughton said. "Whether that is the new stadium as designed or not, that is not a commitment, but will we have stadium development? Yes."

Broughton acknowledged the ownership turmoil has affected the squad.

"You can see one or two of the players playing with the world on their shoulder -- there will be money for investment in the squad," Broughton said. "There has been this huge amount of negativity around Liverpool -- the fans demonstrating against the owners."

Those protests have been led by the Spirit of Shankly, a fan group named after legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly, who won three league titles, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup from 1959-1974.

"It's just another part of the ongoing soap opera at Liverpool," Shankly spokesman James McKenna said. "We just want a resolution to it sooner rather than later. It leaves fans wondering what's going to happen next."


Stay tuned, we'll have more thoughts when this gets official and the court case is settled which hopefully will be in a short amount of time.

Get well soon Diggler

As self-proclaimed members of the Dirk Kuyt fan club it pains us to tell you that our boy hurt his shoulder in practice with the Netherlands and his club coach, Roy Hodgson of Liverpool, think's Kuyt could be out for longer than four weeks.

Kuyt sustained the injury during training with the Netherlands national side this week and was immediately ruled out for four weeks by Liverpool's medical staff.

While Kuyt said earlier on Wednesday he hopes to be fit to face his former side FC Utrecht in the Europa League on Septemer 30, Hodgson is concerned that the Dutchman may be unavailable for a prolonged period of time.

"It could be more than four weeks," Hodgson said. "It's one of those injuries where it's very difficult for the doctor to say and I think four weeks is a very conservative estimate. If we're lucky it could be earlier, but it could be longer. We have to be very careful because it's the type of injury that has to be treated with a lot of respect.

"It's a great blow for us because Dirk is an important member of our first team. He does a job which is not easy to replace because he has all the qualities required for that role on the field.

"I was very sad to see such a thing happen, especially in a training session. It would have been bad enough to happen playing for the national team in a competitive match, but for it to happen in training was even more of a blow.

"He's a quick mender and he has a great mentality and attitude towards recovery, so he will be back as quick as is humanly possible. But we're looking at least a month and possibly longer."

PS. Have you ever heard any pro athlete described as a slow healer? Haha, to hear coaches and managers tell it, every pro athlete that ever lived is a fast healer and ahead of schedule every time they get injured.

Torres and Gerrard want to stay at Liverpool, Mascherano not so much

One of the most persistent rumors since Liverpool crapped out last season in the EPL and failed to qualify for the Champions League was that they would have a massive overhaul.

For now, I'm happy to say that Fernando Torres was quoted as saying he's happy to be "stay at the best club in the world." The Spanish striker was back at training after winning the 2010 World Cup with Spain and he said all the right things.

"My commitment and loyalty to the club and to the fans is the same as it was on my first day when I signed. I am looking forward to the challenge ahead," Torres said. "I am really happy to be back, really happy to stay with all my team-mates.

"This is the best club in the country so the targets and expectations are always high. At Liverpool the aim is to fight for every title. It was difficult last season, but we are sure we can improve this season."

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson always maintained that he wanted to keep the Reds' record-signing at the club and Torres said he was impressed to have been paid a personal visit.

"I really appreciated the fact that Roy came out to see me while I was on my holidays," Torres said. "He told me about his plans for the club and what he wanted from me and I appreciated that.

"I hope he will be the right man to reach the targets of Liverpool Football Club and I am really looking forward to working with him. At the moment I am training just on my own but as soon as I can I will train with the team and with the new manager."

Coach Rafael Benitez left after last season but his time was up anyways and that was expected. Hodgson has replaced him (from Fulham) and he also has captain Steven Gerrard back in the fold after Captain Fantastic pledged his commitment to Liverpool after the World Cup with England.

The only player looking to get out of Anfield is midfielder Javier Mascherano, who wants to get back with Benitez at Inter Milan. However, Hodgson won't let the Argentine leave without receiving around 25 million pounds in return.

Joe Cole will never walk alone, alone

While I'm bummed to see Joe Cole, one of my favorite Chelsea players, leave to go to Liverpool, I'm excited to see what he can bring to Anfield.

After leaving Chelsea three weeks ago as a free transfer, Cole is primed to sign with Liverpool pending a physical.

Of the Big Four, Liverpool is my second favorite (mostly because of Steven Gerrard), slightly ahead of Arsenal (for no real reason). It was probably time for Cole to get a fresh start with a new club anyways. He's a big time player, who is supremely talented but he's also very injury-prone.

Here's hoping his career gets back on track and Liverpool wakes up from last season's debacle.

Not a surprise at all

If you watched the 2010 World Cup and wondered why there was all the fuss about Spanish forward Fernando Torres, hopefully today's news will clear some things up.

Torres had a miserable tournament, ultimately getting benched and leaving the final with an injury that has now been diagnosed as a ruptured thigh muscle in his left leg.

It turns out that Spain didn't even need Torres which is a shame because you have to believe us when we tell you this guy is one of the best strikers in the world. Watching him play for Liverpool is one of my favorite parts about the EPL.

Head of Sports Science and Medicine Peter Brukner told the club's official website: "The initial assessment was he had a mild adductor tear and the Spanish medial staff didn't consider it to be too serious at the time.

"He had an MRI scan yesterday [Tuesday] which confirmed a small tear. He should be able to resume training within two to three weeks and be able to play again within three to four weeks."

Boss Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, is taking encouragement from the image of Torres wearing a Liverpool scarf after the World Cup victory.

"As Liverpool manager, I take great pride in the fact that two of our players can call themselves World Cup winners this summer," he said.

"Unfortunately, one team had to lose that final and, while my commiserations go out to the Dutch lads, I have to say congratulations to Fernando and Pepe (Reina). Winning the World Cup is the ultimate honour any player can have in international football and you could see what it meant to both players as soon as the celebrations started.

"I think it's safe to say the pictures of Fernando in the dressing room with the World Cup certainly went down well with our fans but the club can be proud of all the players who went away to the World Cup.

"To have four players reach the final is an incredible achievement and I look forward to working with them when they return to Melwood after their holidays."

Ironically the opening day of the 2010-2011 EPL season is exactly one month from today: Saturday, August 14 (really). The world needs a healthy Torres, we missed out on that for the past month so hopefully he can fully recover for another incredible club season.



I'm not enough of a fanboy to know the reason but maybe Torres should go back to the blond hair. I don't think the dark shade suits him well.

Benitez done in Liverpool but he'll never walk alone

Shimer has been hinting at some big shakeups in Liverpool since they finished seventh in the EPL and missed out on the next Champions League. This was one year after finishing second behind Manchester United.

The first domino to fall was coach Rafael Benitez, who bid adieu to Liverpool today by mutual consent.

Rafael Benitez told the club's official website: "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts.

"I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.

"Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."

For us, more intriguing than Benitez leaving is what will happen to stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres? The club will lose a ridiculous amount of money so it's been floated out there that they could be sold off to balance the books.

Benitez, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and also reached the final 2007, is now the odds-on favorite to take over at Inter Milan following Jose Mourinho's exit for Real Madrid and Capello's decision to stay with England.

"We really like Rafa Benitez and he is in our favour since the Champions League final in Istanbul [when Liverpool beat rivals AC Milan in 2005]," Inter director Gabriele Oriali told Corriere dello Sport.

So don't feel too bad for Benitez, he has the Champions League title from 2005 in his backpocket, one of the greatest matches in soccer history and it looks like he'll be going to Inter Milan next.

Like any other pro sport, the coaching fraternity in soccer is a tight one and that's why the same coaches keep getting vacant jobs. That's not to say that Benitez doesn't deserve another high-profile job, he does, it was just time to go in another direction for Liverpool.

Update: The drama queen is fine

What had initially been feared as another metatarsal fracture for an England international in the closing months prior to the World Cup appears only to be strained ligaments in the foot of John Terry.

With the FA Cup final on Saturday versus Portsmouth, Chelsea's only remaining game this season, the London club decided to take the precautionary route and put a protective boot on Terry's foot. Now it appears as if not only will Terry definitely still be fit for the World Cup, he looks to still be ready to play in this weekend's big match at Wembley Stadium.

In other Chelsea news the rumor mill is already starting to churn at Stamford Bridge.

There will sure to be plenty of summer splashes from many of the big boys, but one club that may be looking to dump players is Liverpool. Losing out on the Champions League and the extra millions of Euros the club had counted on, Liverpool is in dire financial condition at the moment and may need to sell off players to make up for the difference or at least give themselves some breathing room.

Additionally it had been long rumored that had the Merseyside club failed to qualify for the UCL, Spanish forward Fernando Torres would ask for a transfer to a club that was in the competition. Although Manchester City also failed to qualify for the UCL, they have been one talked about destination for Torres talking about making him one of the highest paid forwards of all time while also offering a potential record transfer bid.

However, the latest club to be mentioned in the same breath as Torres is Chelsea. Apparently Carlo Ancelotti will have plenty of money to play around with this summer, and the Blues are talking about a £70 bid for Torres, a move that would be welcomed by both Didier Drogba and Terry.

"I have heard the talk about Torres maybe coming in and I would welcome it, of course,'' Drogba said. "Every time there is a new player coming here it's making the club bigger and giving us a lot of strength. If there is a chance for him to come he will be welcome because any help is welcome!"

Drogba and semi-bozo Nicolas Anelka put up 51 combined goals this season at Chelsea, as Drogba won the golden boot with 29 goals in the English Premier League in 2009-10. But can you imagine a lineup that featured two of the top three forwards in the world. That would be an amazing tandem and something I would love to see even though I am a much bigger Arsenal fan.