Liverpool reward Dalglish with new contract

LONDON: Kenny Dalglish was yesterday appointed permament manager of Liverpool, having previously been in caretaker charge, after signing a three-year contract, the English Premier League club announced.

Dalglish, widely regarded as the club’s greatest player, has breathed new life into the club since he replaced Roy Hodgson as Liverpool manager on a temporary basis in January and the Reds could finish the season as high as fifth place.

Coach Steve Clarke, who arrived not long after Dalglish in January, has also signed a three-year contract.

John Henry, whose US-based Fenway Sports Group owns Liverpool, had been in contract talks with Dalglish in recent weeks and he said there was no-one else they wanted for the job.

“Kenny is a legendary Liverpool figure both as a supremely gifted footballer and successful manager,” Henry said in a statement. “Since returning in January he has shown extraordinary leadership and the ability to bring the best out of so many people associated with the club.

“It was obvious to us very early on that the atmosphere surrounding the club had been transformed by his presence.

“No-one else could have produced such a response. Therefore, I’m delighted we have agreed to a new contract. We didn’t need nor want to look elsewhere for the right man to manage the team.”

Scotland great Dalglish added: “I said when I took the job on in January that I was just happy to help the club out for the remainder of the season.

“Now the owners have decided in their wisdom that they want me to stay a little longer and it’s fantastic news for both myself and Steve Clarke that we have signed these contracts.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help build something special here again. I want to salute the efforts of all the players as they have been fantastic and thank everyone at the club for the welcome they have given me since I returned in January.

“I also want to pay tribute to Steve Clarke’s input since we started working together as he has brought great experience and knowledge to the role. The players enjoy the training sessions, understand their relevance to our actual football games and have responded brilliantly.” — AFP

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Petikan Akhbar HMetro 11/05/2011: Maxi terus gegar

LONDON: Maxi Rodriguez meledak hatrik keduanya dalam tiga perlawanan untuk membantu Liverpool menumpaskan Fulham 5-2 di Craven Cottage, semalam, bagi mencerahkan peluang mereka untuk layak ke Liga Europa.

Maxi meraih gol pertamanya seawal 31 saat dalam aksi Liga Perdana Ingegris itu sebelum penyerang Argentina itu meledak lagi pada minit ketujuh. Dirk Kuyt kemudian menjadikan kedudukan 3-0 jaringan gol dalam lima perlawanan berturut-turut.

Fulham yang tersentak, merapatkan kedudukan menerusi Moussa Dembele m-57 namun Maxi yang turut meledak tiga gol ketika menentang Birmingham City pada 23 April lalu, melepaskan rembatan jarak jauh 13 minit kemudian sebelum Luis Suarez menambah gol kelima Liverpool.

Steve Sidwell menjaringkan gol lewat untuk Fulham namun ia tidak memberi kesan kepada Liverpool yang kini mengumpul 58 mata.

“Ia adalah hari cemerlang buat kami,” kata pemain pertahanan Liverpool, Jamie Carragher kepada Sky Sports.

“Kami bermain dengan baik sejak kebelakangan ini, tahap keyakinan cukup tinggi dan kami tidak sabar untuk aksi seterusnya.” Ketika Suarez menjadi nadi serangan Liverpool dengan larian pantas dan gerakan licik, penjaga gol Fulham dari Australia, Mark Schwarzer terpaksa bekerja keras apabila pelawat mendahului tiga gol selepas perlawanan memasuki 16 minit.

Schwarzer melakukan sepakan untuk mengeluarkan bola hantaran silang Suarez yang terkena pemain pertahanan namun bola menuju terus ke arah Maxi yang meledak gol pembukaan.

Dia gagal mengawal gawangnya dengan baik untuk membolehkan Liverpool menambah gol kedua namun kesilapan besarnya adalah gol ketiga dengan membiarkan rembatan lemah Kuyt melepasinya.

Schwarzer tidak boleh melakukan apa-apa dengan gol ketiga Maxi yang melepaskan rembatan dari jarak 25 meter sebelum jaringan sagu hati Sidwell ke penjuru gol Liverpool mengubat kehampaan.

Kemenangan Liverpool hadir sehari selepas seteru tradisi, Manchester United memerlukan satu mata lagi untuk memenangi liga serta memecahkan rekod yang dikongsi kelab Anfield itu dengan meraih 18 gelaran liga utama Inggeris.

Sejak Kenny Dalglish mengambil alih kelab lamanya itu pada Januari lalu, nasib Liverpool berubah agak mendadak dan bulan lalu mencatatkan dua kemenangan dengan jaringan 3-0 dan satu kemenangan 5-0.

“Kami sudah melakukan yang terbaik sejak Januari lalu, tahniah kepada pemain dan staf,” kata Dalglish. “Kami akan teruskannya dan lihat apa berlaku.” Reuters

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Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish not thinking about European football - ESPN Soccernet

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish not thinking about European football - ESPN Soccernet

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish insists he is not even thinking about the prospect of European football despite the fact they are closer to qualifying for it than they have been all season.

GettyImagesKenny Dalglish is keeping his focus on the game against Fulham

After last weekend's win over Newcastle lifted the Reds into fifth place, their highest position of the campaign, the debate began to intensify about whether the Europa League would be a good thing for a club trying to win back their place in the top four.

Sixth-placed Tottenham have a match in hand and, by the time Liverpool play Fulham on Monday, they could have been overtaken by Harry Redknapp's side.

Even with three games to play Dalglish knows there are still many variables which could affect the final outcome.

Liverpool's long-term planning will continue regardless but the Reds boss is confident the "problem" of Europa League football is something they will deal with if it becomes a reality.

"I find it very difficult to predict the future," he said. "We've always said we would get our reward at the end of the season - we never set ourselves any target.

"We don't have that [Europa League] problem yet and so until it arises we don't have to solve anything - the biggest problem I have is Fulham on Monday night.

"There will be problems to be solved at the end of the season and if we get the Europa League that will be one of the problems. Planning for next season started a good while ago - that [Europa League] is just one thing which has to be taken into consideration but you cannot predict what is going to happen so there is no point in worrying about that."

Although highly ambitious, even Dalglish could not have expected the turnaround in fortunes which has taken place under his guidance. The major concern when he replaced Roy Hodgson in early January appeared to be preventing a slide back into the lower reaches of the table.

From 12th place, though, they have steadily risen and, the odd result excepted, appear to have peaked at the right time.

It is a transformation which has ensured Dalglish and coach Steve Clarke, brought in at the same time to help out on the training ground, will see their temporary positions become permanent - although confirmation will probably not come until the end of the season now.

The players have responded to the return of the club icon for a second spell in charge and Dalglish has been fortunate at least one of his January signings - Luis Suarez, a £22.8 million buy from Ajax - has settled in well and provided much-needed impetus.

Fellow deadline day arrival, Andy Carroll's start has been less eye-catching but his progress has been curtailed by injury and it will be next season before he really finds his place in the team.

Dalglish once again played down his influence over proceedings, insisting he was not aware of a huge change in the way things worked.

"I have just noticed the players being really enthusiastic in training and in the way they've worked and they've had their reward for it on the pitch," he said.

"We've not been disappointed with any single player's attitude since we came in. On Thursday night a few of the lads [Joe Cole, Christian Poulsen, David Ngog and Jonjo Shelvey] played for the reserves and they had a great attitude towards the game, were fully committed and got a great deal out of it.

"That will do us no harm whatsoever, and neither will it do the players any harm either."

In regard to Suarez, the manager added: "With his personality and approach to the games you get a reward and for us it is a really exciting player who has made a contribution to our recent games.

"He enjoys playing football and being here. He has got himself really involved in the Liverpool way and he has got his reward for that. It's a help when he gets a goal but he makes a few as well and we have been delighted with what he has done so far."

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BBC Sport - Jay Spearing earns new Liverpool contract

BBC Sport - Jay Spearing earns new Liverpool contract

Jay Spearing earns new Liverpool contract

Spearing's dynamism has been a feature of his play for the Reds

Liverpool midfielder Jay Spearing has extended his contract with the club.

The 22-year-old, who has started his side's last six games, has been

rewarded at the end of a season in which he has begun to establish
himself in the first team.

"It is great news for us, great for wee Jay and for everybody concerned," said Reds boss Kenny Dalglish. "It's just reward for the performances he's put in and he thoroughly deserves what he's got."

The tigerish Spearing has come through the ranks at Anfield since joining
the club as a seven-year-old but has had to be patient in his wait for
first-team action.

"He has started the last few games for us, so that is progress in itself as he was never one of the starting XI unless there were injuries or suspensions," added Dalglish.

"Now I'm getting that run [in the side] I've been able to show my desire and commitment to the club." Jay Spearing

"But he's in there now and he's in there on merit. I think that's progress. "He's certainly reached a higher level than he has done before. We're delighted with what he's done and he's a great asset for us to have." Spearing made his Liverpool debut as a substitute in a 3-1 win at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League in December 2008 before his first Premier League start in a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland in October 2009.

He also spent a spell on loan at Championship club Leicester at the end of the 2009-10 campaign. "I am buzzing," he told the Liverpool website. "I'm pleased to have finally put pen to paper and got everything sorted.

"I've been here for a long time and playing for Liverpool is all I have ever wanted to do, so hopefully I can keep going now.

"It has been a long time coming. I've been in the background and in and around the first team and maybe not had a run in the team, but now I'm getting that run I've been able to show my desire and commitment to the club.

"I owe a lot to the boss and hopefully I am repaying him with the games I am playing. He put me into the derby [against Everton in January] straight away and that gave me a lot of confidence. "Any player who has the belief of the manager always wants to go on and show what he can do."With the new boss coming in and the way we have been playing and with me

getting some game time, it has been a good couple of months and this
has topped it off for me."

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Newcastle United defender Jose Enrique insists he is happy at St James’ Park despite rumours of Liverpool move - Telegraph

Newcastle United defender Jose Enrique insists he is happy at St James’ Park despite rumours of Liverpool move - Telegraph

Newcastle defender Jose Enrique has insisted that he would be happy to stay at
St James’ Park amid speculation that he is destined to join Liverpool this
summer.

Staying put: but Jose Enrique has been liked with a summer move to Liverpool Photo: EPA

By Rob Stewart

2:59PM BST 03 May 2011

The Spanish left-back’s current deal runs until the end of next season and his
long-term future will become clear when he opens contract talks with his
current club at the end of this season.

With former Liverpool
captain Phil Thompson has publicly claiming a move to Anfield is a “done
deal” and Enrique refusing to begin contract talks with Newcastle for the
time being, his future has been the source of much uncertainty.

However, for now Enrique, 25, is refusing to become distracted by the
speculation over his future.

“I’m just concentrating on playing for Newcastle
United,” Enrique said. “We haven’t spoken about contracts yet – I
don’t want to say more about that.

“I’m happy with that and I’m very happy here. I know there are a few difficult
things at Newcastle, but we the players don’t have to think about that.

“If I have to continue here [at Newcastle], I’m happy. If I have to go to
another club, I’m happy in England. If I have to go to another league, I’m
happy. I just want to play football – it’s my life and it’s best for me.”

The former Spain Under-21 international joined Newcastle from Villarreal in
August 2007 in a £6.3-million deal and after a shaky start on Tyneside he
has won plenty of plaudits for his endeavours that have helped his club
recover from relegation two years ago.

“This team has fight,” said Enrique. “It’s hard for players like me, Jonas
[Gutiérrez], Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan – we’ve played with big names
before.

“But a lot has changed. Before, we had players like Mark Viduka, and now we
have players like Williamson and Perch – players who have played in the
Championship and they fight to play in the Premier League.

“We’re doing well, we had Michael Owen and players like that and we were
relegated, but with this team we will stay in the division.”

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