Liverpool FC Forum

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:25 pm

I'd prefer us to go in for Chimbonda

by **madred** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:30 am

Im very dubious about this source but thought i'd post it from Adelaide now..

AUSTRALIA star Lucas Neill is poised to team with close friend Harry Kewell after a $100,000-a-week dream move to English Premier League club Liverpool - the team he idolised as a child.

Neill, 28, was the stand-out performer for the Socceroos at the World Cup finals, and Anfield's incumbent Aussie, the defender's roommate in Germany, is a big fan of the gifted Blackburn Rovers player.

"Lucas makes defending look easy, he's so assured and reads the game well," Kewell said during the World Cup.

"He's one of our most important players."

Neill will become the third Australian after Craig Johnston and Kewell to sign for the five-time European champion, if the switch from Rovers, where he is out of contract in a year, is ratified later this week.

With the transfer window set to close at the end of the month, Neill was tipped to go to Tottenham Hotspur until Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez made his interest known.

The conundrum for Neill, 28, remains whether to opt for a club at which he will face stiff competition for a first-team place, with the likes of England international Jamie Carrahger, Sami Hyypia and Dane Daniel Agger also on the Anfield books, or head to White Hart Lane, where a starting place is guaranteed.

Neill would expect to earn $125,000 a week at Spurs, money is not a consideration for a player more concerned with perfecting his craft than purely boosting his bank balance.

Neill was Australia's trojan under former coach Guus Hiddink at the World Cup, elevating his game to uncharted heights in a switch from right-back to the centre of the defence.

His father Ed, a former amateur goalkeeper in his native Northern Ireland, could not confirm last night whether Neill was about to live the dream, but he did reveal: "Lucas has been a dyed in the wool Liverpool fan since he was a kid.

"His heroes were players like Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness and, of course, if this move comes off, it will be a dream come true for him.

"But any decision he makes will be made purely on football grounds, not on sentiment.

"He'd assess any situation on its merits whether it was Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Real Madrid.

"It's all about Lucas going somewhere where he can continue to progress.

"Whether he goes to Liverpool or not is still unclear. He hasn't said anything to (his parents) over the past few days.

"If it happens, that's great but nothing is certain in football until it's signed and sealed.

"Like a lot of the Australian players, Lucas stepped up to another level. He never ceases to surprise me with the quality of his performances."

Those performances won Neill a host a new admirers, even if he did begin the new Premier League season with Blackburn by being sent off, for the 10th time in his career, against Portsmouth last weekend.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:55 am

Go to spurs .... PLEASE

by **HacksawJimDuggin** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:29 am

Maybe Rafa is trying to create his own little BAD LADS ARMY.......Bellamy, Pennant, Neill!!!

What next.....? Big Dunc the drunk making a Merseyside comeback on the red side?!?!

by **igorbiscuit** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 5:02 pm

some worrying stats about lucas compared to our defenders

lucas neill

2006-2007: 1 red card

2005-2006: 11 yellow - 1 red

*** fouls committed - 52

2004-2005: 9 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 45

2005-2006

carragher: 5 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 22

finnan: 2 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 17

hyypia: 3 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 28

2004-2005

carragher: 4 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 28

finnan: 3 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 13

hyypia: 2 yellow cards - 0 red

*** fouls committed - 31

by **DonnieDarko** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 8:14 pm

He is really not as bad as some of you are making him out to be. Easily better than kromkamp, the late traore, and Warnock(solid 3rd choice fullback though). I just hate how he gives up so many free kicks.

by **neilE** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 9:50 pm

He might be a competent player but he's the nastiest player in the league - even Ben Thatcher is 2nd to that dirty bastrad. So far Benitez has based his transfers on skill and flair, and it would be a major step back for LFC to give that kind of player a chance at a top club. Send him to Everton, or anywhere where physical violence is the norm but please please please not Liverpool..............

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 6:41 am

I dont think he is good enough for Liverpool and would be a liability if played in European matches.

by **Mannyk** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:25 am

Sorry guys I find this thread funny.

I am an aussie and think he is an Ok player . Not sure if he fits the Liverpool mould but maybe Rafa is trying to make the side a little nastier. Who knows.

My question is .To the people of Liverpool. If there is a player who is not wanted by the club's supporters but is signed.What do you do when he runs on for the first team? Do you make him feel welcome or just tell him to :censored:

off?

by **matrix** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 8:42 am

cant believe we will buy this guy

by **igorbiscuit** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:38 am

matrix wrote:cant believe we will buy this guy

hasn't been anything solid in the english press (no rumours either in the english press)

what i've read is an article from fox sports australia which says lucas neill supports liverpool with stories from his parents & kewell praising him - but nothing about any medical/terms of deal (e.g. 3-5 years etc.)/quotes from rafa or parry

so far its just a rumour

by **igorbiscuit** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:49 am

Ciggy wrote:Feck nooooooooo, he'd break all our players legs in trainin no tar.
Could'nt believe Barca where interested in him after the WC

not entirely correct

he was not persued by barcelona. it was a rumour which circulated when the dutch assistant to hiddink signed for barcelona as assistant to frank r. and said that he would be a good signing for barcelona

by **igorbiscuit** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 9:52 am

Mannyk wrote:If there is a player who is not wanted by the club's supporters but is signed.What do you do when he runs on for the first team? Do you make him feel welcome or just tell him to off?

well we have to support him with gritted teeth if someone signs that we don't really think is right

by **shanks** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:57 am

he is not a liverpool player dose not fit into rafa's style of play myself i think that it is just rumours he would cost us a game if he was sent off and a chance of a lot of money if it was in the champions league we as liverpool fc can not take risk in signing :censored:

like Lucas neill when there are better players out they who would be better benifit to the club and team of liverpool fc

by **Lionheart** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:27 pm

If Bellamy & Pennant can be signed by this club Lucas Neil will not be the least bit out of place...IF, he was as bad as many make him out to be, and he isn't.

Under a decent manager Lucas Neil could fill a very important role in this squad. By way of an example, under Hiddink (and Australia) Neil's behaviour at the World Cup was beyond reproach.

Correct me if I'm wrong but he played every minute of every game if I remeber correctly and picked up one, maybe two yellow cards for the tournament.

But Guus had him working well and focussed. Rafa could do exactly the same. Let's face it in comparison to Rafa & Guus Mark Hughes is not even a coaches boot lace.

I'd give the lad a shot...

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