retired_calliecan

Speaking to Rob's wife

retired_pdostie

Rise of the Roma Empire!

Roma Chairman Franco Sensi has today released a statement to the press today announcing that former England international and current Roma Youth team coach will take charge of the first team with immediate effect after strong allegations linking former coach Luciano Spalletti with the match fixing ring that has shamed Italian football.


Sensi said:
‘In these time where allegations are so strong there is no way a club like ours with it’s proud history can be linked with any body who is caught mixing with people who are trying to spoil a great game for financial gain.

Talking to the press about his reasons for the sacking and the fast and shock replacement
Sensi said:

‘In these time where allegations are so strong there is no way a club like ours with it’s proud history can be linked with any body who is caught mixing with people who are trying to spoil a great game for financial gain.

Jenkinson also made a short statement about his appointment as Manager of one of the top teams in Italy:

‘I have been with Roma for 4 years now after my injury ended my playing career I moved to Italy hoping to pass on my playing experience on to the young Italian players. I was delighted when the chance came to join Roma’s coaching staff and progressed from fitness coach to Youth coach and helping out the first team on match days. But now being given the great opportunity to manage a club that means so much to me and my family is a dream come true. I always hope of going into management but to be given my first opportunity at such a big club is a dream come true.

Curvature

thanks lads
glad to be back home if anyone is around tomorrow night and wants to get pre season out the way Id be more that happy to put the game up if not we go on tuesday at normal times

retired_kotikaka

Rob, just to check is the game on on tuesday?

Curvature

yes of course why wouldnt it be ?

retired_kotikaka

Hadnt seen you on msn at all that was all

retired_abubaker

Lads, won't be on tomorrow night, got something on. See you all Thursday I hope if I survive tomorrow night.

retired_kotikaka

Transfer News !

Sandy Pettigrew today started the transfer business at Anfield today with the signing of Antonio Barraghan for 475k from Deportivo with Zenden leaving for PSV on the same day for 1.6 million. A few days later it was pure madness at Liverpool with the signing of Eddie Johnson fron Kansas City for 1.9 million and also Xabi Alonso joining Arsenal for 20 million. The players who signed that day were midfielders Tim Borowski from Werder Bremn for 17.5 million and also Alberto Aquliani from Roma for 10 million and also youngster Andres Guardado for 2.9 million.With all these players coming in Peter Crouch was unhappy at the competition for places and up sticks and left to sign for Hamburg for 8.25 million. Pettigrew used his extencive contacts in spain and got his friend Rob Perry sending new signing Fernando Gago on loan for 5 months due to the injury to Steven Gerrard. Liverpool also struck up a deal with Inverness Caley thistle and sent numerous players on loan to to the team from up north.



The Games commence

European Qualifiers

Liverpool 4 - 0 Red Star Belgrade

With Craig Bellamy injured Eddie Johnson made his debut and it was an absolute stormer with him scoring the opening goal after just 1 minute from a Dirk Kuyt pass. Johnson then went on to score two more goals in the space of 10 minutes with assists from Kuyt and Gonzalez. It was 3-0 for a very long time and then in the 88th minute Dirk Kuyt finished Belgrade off with an outstanding finish from the edge of the area.

Community Charity Shield

Liverpool 1 - 0 Chelsea

It was a nervy start with the first half being goaless but it wasnt without any chances with Riise hitting the woodwork for Liverpool and Michael Ballack going close on several occasions. In the second half Pettigrew had told the players to do it for the fans and get the trophy in the bag. Dirk Kuyt took this to heart and scored right away in the 47th minute with an easy tap in. The game ended 1-0 and Liverpool were victorious.

English Premier League

Chelsea 1 - 2 Liverpool

Yet again it was Liverpool versus Chelsea, Mourinho versus Pettigrew. Pettigrew basically lined up with the same team as the Charity Shield and had the players fired up for this one saying that if they can get off to a good start in the league they have a chance of winning the league. Once again because Bellamy was still injured Eddie Johnson took his place and scored 2 very important goals in the first half with Dirk Kuyt and Tim Borowski getting the assists. In the second half the Liverpool players tired but Pettigrew brough on Fernando Gago, Andres Guardado and Sammi Hyppia to freshen things up. Arjen robben scored what was to be a consolation goal for Chelsea as Liverpool got off to a great start by beating the reigning champions 2-1.

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Pre Season Games
Tour of England
Bedford Town 0-11 win
Bishop Stortford 0-9 win
Castilla 2-0 win
Tour of America
Chivas USA 0-1 win
Salt Lake 0-0
Academica 1-0 win
Elche 0-2 win
Inter Milan 3-1 loss

Transfer News
Perry decided it was time for some new faces at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and he went out and found some joining first would be young french defender Didier Digard for 500k from Le Havre, He would then be joined by another youngster this time from Belgium Sebastien Pocognoli from Genk for 250k and that was it until a few more sessions with the lads on the training pitch to see what was needed.

More Changes
Vincenzo Chiarenza joined the coaching staff from Juventus as a 1st team coach
Giuseppe Carrubba joined Real as fitness coach from Palermo
Fabio D'Errico joined as new head physio from Parma

After looking at what was needed on the pitch Real Madrid set out signing some more new players, Real worked hard over the next few days securing quite a few deals.
Aaron Niguez decided he wanted to leave Valencia after talks with Real and did just that for 925k, he knew he probably wouldnt play many games in the first season but just to be attached to such a great club was good enough for him.
next up Anthony Vanden Borre came to Madrid for talks on a move and signed for 5m,Cesar Delgado who was tipped to go to England with Tottenham left Mexican side Cruz Azul to sign for Real for 7.25m over 24months.
Young chinese keeper Dalei Wang who has been tipped by Zico to go onto great things is next to sign but he wont be around long as hes already looking to be loaned out and to learn spanish as fast as possible, Probably the biggest deal so far for Real Madrid sees David Trezeguet sign from Juventus for a reported 19.25m.
Ryan Babel is next to sign he joins from Ajax after long negotiations he signed a 5yr deal for 10.25m and lastly Augusto Renato signs from Flamengo in Brazil for 9.25m
3 players left the club also in this time Raul Bravo was sold to Espanyol for 2.1m,Alvaro Mejia went to West Ham for 2.5m and Roma manager Gareth Jenkinson decided to offer a deal I couldnt refuse for Ruud Van Nistelrooy 12m and he was off to Italy.

27 August 08

Recreativo 0 Real Madrid 1
Attendance 19850
David Trezeguet wasted little time in becoming a fan favourite for his new side when he struck a lovely 30yard strike past the outcoming Bizzarri in the Recreativo goal after only 13mins to secure the first win of Perry's reign in Spain.
MOM Fabio Cannavaro 8

30 August 2008

Real Madrid 0 Sevilla 0
Attendance 73583
With almost a capacity crowd on hand neither side could break down the other in this and it ended in a 0-0 stalemate giving Barcelona the chance to get a lead in the table early on
MOM Robinho 8

Deadline Day Deals

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar joined from Ajax for 23.5m over 24months
Gabriel Obertan signed from Bordeaux for 875k
Gonzalo Higuain was sold to Liverpool for 14m

Champions League Odds

Champions League Group B
Real Madrid
Standard Liege
Sporting Lisbon

10th September 2008

Real Madrid 4 Villarreal 0
Attendance 73106
Real Madrid came out firing on all cylinders in this one Robinho opening the scoring with just 10mins on the clock, Trezeguet then made it 2-0 on 23mins and 3-0 on 40mins he would then seal his hatrick a minute into the second half as Real kicked off he ran past 2 defenders and scooped it over a outrushing Viera in the Villarreal goal
MOM David Trezeguet 10

13th September 2008

Champions League Group B

Standard Liege 1 Real Madrid 2
Attendance 30015
Diarra got Real off to a flying start opening the scoring after 37mins and it would stay that way into the second half when David Beckham scored a trademark freekick from 25yards out beating the stranded Standard keeper De Meyer to make it 2-0, Standard then got one back through Luc Luys but it wasnt enough and it ended 2-1 to Real, in the other game in the group PSV beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 with a goal through Farfan on 63mins
MOM Dante 8

Champions League Group B Table

17th September 2008

Barcelona 1 Real Madrid 0
Attendance 97968
32 fans short of a full house, and what a game they had Saviola broke the deadlock on 61mins when Casillas and the Real defence seemed to switch off Ronaldinho started the move down the left wing passing it to Eto'o in acres of space slipped it through to Saviola who smashed it home to earn Barca a 1-0 win in the El Classico
MOM Iker Casillas 8

So there we have it a bad loss to rivals Barcelona so early on in the season could it all be over for Real already stay tuned to find out

retired_pjscott64

Transfer Activity

With the new season fast approaching the new manager has assessed his squad and identified the areas that need some improving, unfortunately, he has then discovered that he only has a budget of 10 million and is also hampered by the one non EU player rule! This somewhat limited the activity in the market. The sad thing is that Rouch demonstrated his managerial rookieness by splashing out £220k on promising 14 year old Nicolas Millan from Colo Colo before realising the one non EU rule was in effect! Doh! Another youngster and one for the future was Veli Kaviak purchased from Rapid Wien for £325k the remainder of the budget was blown bringin in Roma legend Francesco Totti with Massimo Abbrosini and Filippo Inzaghi going the other way as makeweights in the deal.

Preseason Friendlies

Randers FC (A) 2-2 Draw
Visborg (A) 1-1 Draw
Esjberg fB(A) 1-2 Loss
Visborg (A) 0-0 Draw
Milan Reserves 3-0 Win
Milan U20’s 8-0 Win
Juventus Reserves (H) 2-0 Win

A pretty mixed bag of results but finishing with 3 straight wins should have boosted the confidence. The opening competitive fixture is a 3rd round qualifier against Scottish Club, Hearts, which the Italians would be expecting to win. Read the next report to see how they fare!