Official Premier League 2009/10 thread

[stokeriño]

I can't tell whether you're being sarcastic...but it's pretty obvious, isn't it?

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

[Szumi]

I'm surprised this hasn't been posted yet:

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have confirmed that they are looking to sell the club after appointing British Airways chief Martin Broughton as chairman on Friday.

Hicks and Gillett have been at the club since their 2007 takeover but have come under plenty of scrutiny throughout that time, notably from fans disappointed by their apparent reluctance to invest heavily in the squad. They also promised to move the club into a brand new ground in Stanley Park as part of their purchase three years ago, but a lack of funding meant the building work never began.

With Rafael Benitez's side unlikely to qualify for the Champions League next season, Hicks and Gillett have decided to officially put the club up for sale, though the loss of potential revenue from not participating in Europe's premier club competition could make the club a less attractive proposition to potential buyers.

A statement on Liverpool's official website from Gillett and Hicks read: "Owning Liverpool Football Club over these past three years has been a rewarding and exciting experience for us and our families.

"Having grown the Club this far we have now decided together to look to sell the Club to owners committed to take the Club through its next level of growth and development.

"We are delighted that Martin Broughton has agreed to take the position of Chairman, working alongside the club's excellent senior management team.

"Martin is a distinguished business leader of excellent judgment and with a great reputation. He is a genuine football supporter and will seek to oversee the sales process in the best interests of the Club and its supporters."

Barclays Capital have been engaged by Liverpool to advise on the sale process and Broughton, who is currently chairman of British Airways PLC, will oversee the club's operation as the new chairman, alongside existing managing director Christian Purslow.

"I am excited and honoured to be taking up this position. Liverpool is a great club with a fantastic history," Broughton said. "I will run this sale process in the right way, for the benefit of the Club and its fans.

"Liverpool is one of the world's greatest clubs and my aim is to try and ensure that we find new owners who are able to build on the Club's recent improved financial performance in order to help deliver sporting success."

Prospective buyers of the club - reported to be valued at around £500 million by Hicks and Gillett - are expected to wait until the end of the season to begin negotiations and it is thought that any new owners will continue with plans to move to a new stadium.

Reds boss Rafa Benitez gave the news a typically guarded welcome, and admitted he has yet to speak to Broughton to discuss his ideas for the future.

"We have a new chairman and he is in charge of these issues,'' Benitez said. "At this moment, for me as a manager, I have to concentrate on the West Ham game (on Monday). I think the club is moving forward and that is positive. It is important for the club to move forward. It could be good news.''

-Soccernet

So yeah, thoughts? I'm sure many were expecting it, and I know quite a few here are probably pleased with it (I don't know about you, rockbox, but I know certainly am).

[stokeriño]

I find it utterly hilarious if I choose to perceive Broughton as simply a special undercover agent for the Chelsea fans' ever-strong "Save Rafa" campaign.

[DavidMarrio]

About time to be honest. It's been a joke of an ownership but it'd be interesting to see who will take us over as i feel the clubs been pretty damaged by the effects of Hicks/Gillett we've got a bit of debt and you've got to earn the trust of us again, then you got a pretty poor season and a highly likely chance of not playing Champions League football.

just curious now as to who wants to take us over, what they can bring and will they keep their word

[stokeriño]

Sky Sports' use of a Star Wars gimmick for hyping the United/City match = awesome.

[Scott McFly]

Really? I thought it was typical Sky being twats and blowing everything completely out of proportion as usual. They had Mancini walking down the corridor to the Darth Vader music for crying out loud. It's a football match, not a sci-fi movie.

[stokeriño]

Then you're taking it way too seriously. If you accept it's what they do for nearly every game (United/Chelsea had a boxing motif, for example), then just have a laugh and enjoy it.

[Sam]

Old Guard start = City win. Trying not to be too pesimistic but I can't see a win when we have those 3 out all at the same time anymore.

[stokeriño]

What I really, really, really hope doesn't happen is that City/United draw. The Chelsea players step onto the pitch at WHL thinking "Yes, United dropped points!"...then lose. They haven't done well with that kind of psychology lately, so it seems all too possible to me.

[Scott McFly]

Then you're taking it way too seriously. If you accept it's what they do for nearly every game (United/Chelsea had a boxing motif, for example), then just have a laugh and enjoy it.

Yeah maybe I am. Got a suspected kidney infection just now so am in constant pain and therefore constantly grumpy. >_>

Hopefully the footy will cheer me up.

[Dynamite]

Don't like the team we've put out today. Nani should be starting, maybe even Park too. I just think we're too slow with the players we've chosen and the pace of City's attack. If they double-mark Valencia and close down Scholes quickly then I really do think we're gonna have a tough time today.

[Crybaby Bunting]

On the plus side, you have the favourable referee.

Clairely the dust cloud was a conspiracy for United to prevent a neutral ref from participating

[Lineker]

Yeah, Steve Bennett, the original ref, is stuck in Romania. Ha.

Fully expecting Bellamy to rape old man Neville today. Hope Utd pull this one out of the bag though.

[DavidMarrio]

yeh i could see Ratboy having a problem today against Bellamy. It's difficult for who i want to shout for. I don't want Man.U to win the league and overtake us on Leagues won but i don't want City to get further ahead of us

[Crybaby Bunting]

Someone needs to tell the ref that this match is in Eastlands not Old Trafford

Rooney kicking De Jong and getting away with it RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FUCKING REFEREE?

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

What game are you fucking watching? Referee has been absolutley shocking, more so for us, given that he's waved away about four free kicks we should of had. Nice to see De Jong collapse like Rooney had hit him with a sledge hammer, despite the fact he basically brushed him.

I also feel sorry for any American people who have to sit through ESPN. The commentators are horrendous. Quite happy with the first half though, bar Giggs being shocking and Rooney looking nowhere near fit.

[Baddar]

Oh fuck off General. Barry elbowed Veda and got away with it, and Tevez had a FK that he should never have been given.

Not to mention Ade being attended to meaning play was stopped for two minutes, yet one is added on when it should've been three. No moaning about time added at the end, please, you anti-United bint.

[Lineker]

I also feel sorry for any American people who have to sit through ESPN. The commentators are horrendous. Quite happy with the first half though, bar Giggs being shocking and Rooney looking nowhere near fit.

Australia. Mark Bosnich. Robbie Slater. 'nuff said.

[Lineker]

SCHOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a way to celebrate a new contract for him!

Part one done; City lose. Now we need to topple Chelsea ¬_¬