So Messi once again wins the Ballon D'or, proving he is the best player in the world and thankfully, the choker didnt even make the top 3. It would have been a sad day for football, had that preening, greasy, overated showboat come anywhere near true great players like Messi, Iniesta and the best pure central midfielder of the last decade, Xavi.

However, looking at the voting there are some questions to be asked, like, the captain of columbia voting Xabi Alonso as number 1. Hes obviously a scouser or Alonso gave him a brown envelope.

If he does well theres no reason why he shouldn't stay.





Maybe its because under Hodgson we would of folded big time? bit like at Blackburn.

Why do you care so much? if we want to think its improved we can and will.

Whats everyones thoughts on Ian Holloway's comments about Kenny and Liverpool? would love to hear the Mancs and Blues views on it.

might be handy if you let people know what exactly you wanted their opinion on.

Here you go mate.

[urlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/blackpool/9355857.stm[/url

ta.

I think several people, including myself have said on this thread his standing as a player is without question, wouldn't go so far as Holloway in terms of best in my life time. He'd be up there in terms of best british players in my lifetime though.

Couldn't work out what he was trying to say about player manager, goals in the double, european cup? Daglish scored the superbly crafted and taken winner against Bruges, but that was 1978?

Still think he's going to find it very very tough as manager, he is going to be under the microscope massively which he doesn't seem to like, the media intrusion is going to be huge, and his record away from Liverpool isn;t that good.

Depends what the plan is, i don't think he is the long term solution, if he is keeping the seat warm for Benitez until the summer and they are talking about transfer targets it may be a good short term move.

Wembley against Bruges in 1978 your right wasn't player/manager that wasn't until 85/86 I think.

Been interesting reading the stories of the past again and how different football was when he left in terms of the Mancs not having won the title for 24 years when Kenny stood down, also how he always wanted to come back in the 90s but Peter Robinson asked him but would never offer it.

tell me about it, I was there through the painful years, that was a long long period, the 21 years since liverpool won it have flown by, and long may they continue

Its hurts but I will be honest I would settle for what we have done in 2001 to 2010 over the next 9 years though that will be very hard to do sadly.

Great player and great manager. Not alot are doubting that. All people are questioning is his time away from the game. I actually find him interesting. It'd be like Fergie returning to us to an extent.

Its funny really because only time will tell if his time away from the game has been too long.

His one liners are class, he's a very interesting man he's seen and done it all.

Did Fergie and him shake hands on Sunday?

looked fairly harmonious in the tunnel before the game, and cursory handshake after the game from what i saw.

Yeah, walked out side by side as well. Chatting and laughing. Massive mutual respect. It's probably no coincidence that our success started in 1990 and your's started to disappear.

I'm just confused as too why people are saying it's the best performance of the season when you've beaten Chelsea 2-0. I don't care but it's a discussion forum and United v Liverpool is the biggest debate on here but as usual you just turn it into an Everton v Liverpool argument.

Everton? who cares about them.

It was 2-0 against Chelsea BTW.

That's what I said

The appointment of Clarke is an interesting one in that respect. Worked under Mourinho, was credited as being the driving force at Chelsea when Scolari was there by Drogba and at West Ham under Zola. He's worked under some world class managers and is bang up to date with the state of the game. IMO Ferguson has only survived this long by bringing in good assistants and being willing to adapt and take on their ideas, whilst still being the figurehead and bringing the best performances out of his players. There's no reason to suggest Dalglish wouldn't be open to ideas, his first game showed a willingness to change tactics that stopped working consistently 10 years ago, something Hodgson seemed to have a problem with.

Is he only at the club for 6 months though?

It's Rafael, not Raphael.

He's not an assistant at Liverpool though. He's been brought in as 1st Team Coach. He should be the assistant manager though and let Sammy Lee do the coaching.

Anybody in need of a laugh should go and pick up today's Liverpool Echo and have a quick read of John Aldridge's weekly column.

All the usual waffle you'd expect from an ex-player, but he does give a small mention to an Everton fan who apparently bad mouthed him from a passing car, whilst he was being interviewed live on Sky Sports News.

Aldridge claims that this foul mouthed yob has stained the city and the good people of Liverpool......The amusing thing is, that this is coming from the mild mannered, quietly spoken Aldridge, a man who pops up regularly on World Cup clips programmes, verbally abusing a match official in his best Scouse accent during the '94 World Cup....

Nothing wrong with Aldridge, good player and speaks some sense, him and Steve Hothersall are a good combination on Radio City.

Yes, he seems a decent bloke, if a little Rent-a-Scouser, but its a tad ironic and slightly amusing with him getting upset over a little foul language....

It was the 90 degree heat's fault