The Official Pre-Season Thread.

Super G Ted'inho · Jul 10, 2012

MITO...

If the 'new guy' is Borini then it won't be 'new guy' playing as he will be on holiday just like Gerrard and co, afterward, Italy clearer got further than England

If the 'new guy' is Dempsey then 'new guy' will certainly be playing

Chris. · Jul 14, 2012

Better late than never, here is the press conference previewing our tour to North America.

[video=youtube;e2ORtvI3zM0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2ORtvI3zM0[/video]

Sharpe* · Jul 14, 2012

Have to say they are real tough group of fixtures. Exactly what we need to hit the ground running for the season.

Would love to see us vs Roma. Totti is one of my fav players. Legend! Him and Gerrard on the same pitch would be great.

Noblelox · Jul 14, 2012

See the under 18s battered Exeter 8-1.....

Super G Ted'inho · Jul 14, 2012

Noblelox said: ↑

See the under 18s battered Exeter 8-1.....
Click to expand...

Joao Carlos Teixeira made his debut too...

Noblelox · Jul 14, 2012

Can't seem to find ticket info for the Leverkusen game, would like to go to that one.

Noblelox · Jul 16, 2012

Charlie Adam, Daniel Agger, Alberto Aquilani, Jamie Carragher, Joe Cole, Jon Flanagan, Adam Morgan, Stephen Sama, Brad Smith, Suso, Andy Carroll, Peter Gulacsi, Brad Jones, Glen Johnson, Daniel Pacheco, Lucas Leiva, Jose Enrique, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Jonjo Shelvey, Martin Skrtel, Jay Spearing, Raheem Sterling, Danny Wilson, Martin Kelly, Krisztian Adorjan, Fabio Borini, Nathan Eccleston, Jordon Ibe, Ryan McLaughlin, Andre Wisdom, Danny Ward, Jack Robinson.

Read More http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/live...ws/2012/07/16/100252-31403400/?#ixzz20mqRqIbb

Rubadub · Jul 16, 2012

totsfan said: ↑

Mexico is in Central America,geography was'nt your best subject at school.
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Trying to be smart failure.

Enricky. · Jul 16, 2012

They've just said on SSN that Andy Carroll wont be on the plane??

luvgonzo · Jul 16, 2012

Wigger said: ↑

They've just said on SSN that Andy Carroll wont be on the plane??
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Where the hell did they get that from?

BCR · Jul 16, 2012

luvgonzo said: ↑

Where the hell did they get that from?
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He's in a helicopter to Malaga.

luvgonzo · Jul 16, 2012

Bluff-The American Dream said: ↑

He's in a helicopter to Malaga.
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I thought he had already been on holiday?

Zingy · Jul 16, 2012

Bluff-The American Dream said: ↑

He's in a helicopter to Malaga.
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Or is he dangling from a rope?????

BCR · Jul 16, 2012

Zingy said: ↑

Or is he dangling from a rope?????
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like Stevan Segal

Chris. · Jul 16, 2012

Good mix of the senior players & younger players going on the tour.

Would say that we aren't too strong in the goalkeeping department with both Reina & Doni not involved. Anyone know why?

BCR · Jul 16, 2012

Reina probably vacation ( not that he played much but just not having one yet) but Doni not sure on that one?

Chris. · Jul 16, 2012

Bluff-The American Dream said: ↑

Reina probably vacation ( not that he played much but just not having one yet) but Doni not sure on that one?
Click to expand...

Fair point on Reina, hadn't thought of that.

Doni is strange... As far as i'm aware, he still has a year left on his contract and he wasn't on the released list at the end of the season. The only thing I can think of is injury but there has been nothing from the club on that.

Chris. · Jul 16, 2012

Ian Ayre on the tour and the benefits that come with it.

First of all Ian, how much you are looking forward to this tour of North America?

It's going to be very exciting. I think whenever we go on tour, it's always first and foremost about football. It's about preparing the players for the season ahead, but it's also a great opportunity for us to put something back for our fans in different countries. We're going to North America this year and that brings a different opportunity. The facilities there are second to none - there's a growing fan base in football in that market, so it's a chance for Liverpool. We haven't been there for many years and it's a great chance for us to go and for our US fans to come and enjoy a bit of Liverpool up close and personal.

What are the objectives over there both from a football club point of view and from an on-the-pitch perspective?

On the pitch, for Brendan and his team - and particularly because we've got a new manager - a lot of it will be about trying to implement their training methods and their playing philosophy and style, about which there has been a lot written about. This will be an opportunity to see that in practise. Also, it's great for the fans who are lucky enough to go and watch those games because they will hopefully be able to see the shoots of the first elements of this particular style of football being played at those games.

Secondly, on the football side, it's a real opportunity to prepare the players physically for the season ahead. We're based at Harvard University, at their sports centre, which I was lucky enough to go out and see earlier in the year and I have to tell you it's one of the most awesome training places you've ever seen in your life.

It has full-size indoor running tracks, three Olympic pools and the facilities they have are just staggering. I think they have a 36,000 seater stadium in the grounds as well. So in terms of that part of the preparation, there are some fantastic opportunities there.

And the other side is a mix for fans and for sponsors. Obviously sponsorship is a very important part of our revenue generation at the club and this is an opportunity for our sponsors to showcase with their customers or their staff, and to bring people to those types of games in markets where they have other business.

Warrior is probably the best example as our new kit supplier; they have a head office in Boston. New Balance are based in Boston, so it will be very exciting for them as a new partner to be able to showcase their relationship with Liverpool in their home town.

For fans, for people who have never been fortunate enough to come to Anfield, what better than the next best thing, which is to come and watch the players up close and personal at Fenway Park or in Toronto or in Baltimore?

I was talking to some of the guys at Fenway Sports Group and we've allocated certain sections of the crowd to be the Liverpool home end, so hopefully some of those fans will get the opportunity to experience what it's like to stand and sing. As always, which is great, we'll have a travelling band of Scousers no doubt and other Liverpool fans who are used to making the journey because that's what they do. That adds to it as well because having Liverpool fans from Merseyside on tour with the team is always a big part of the fun and it adds to the atmosphere.

How different is this year then to last year's tour of Asia?

It will be very similar in terms of its structure and how we'll go about it. But it will be a different offering because culturally you'll do different things in different markets. We can always expect a bit more razzmatazz over in the USA but I think most importantly what we will see is a different team and a different style of football because that's what we have talked about a lot.

The fans will enjoy that; the fans will all be excited about seeing the new manager and the new player (Fabio Borini) that we have signed as recently as Friday. So having the players there that have just arrived, but also seeing the existing squad perform, is all part of the excitement.

We all remember the first time we saw Liverpool footballers for the first time, in our first game. This tour is very much an opportunity for a new generation across the Atlantic to experience that and perhaps come with Liverpool on a journey for the rest of their lives...

Absolutely, and I think one of the things we found in Asia last year was that people often talk about it being a long time since we've won the league for example and that we have an ageing fanbase. In order to attract new fans, you've got to have that experience. One of the things we are fortunate to have is that although we do have an ageing fanbase there's that sort of hereditary process where you get your kids and you tell them they don't have a choice but to support Liverpool! What better way for our US fans and our established fans to be able to bring their kids along to these games to see the excitement a game involving Liverpool creates? Hopefully that will allow us to capture some more young fans for the future.

I guess the owners are feeling as excited aren't they about seeing their team play at Fenway Park?

Very much so. I think if you make the commitment and the investment, and then all the hard work they have quite clearly put into Liverpool Football Club since they brought it, this is a small reward for that. It must be very proud for them to have this big global asset football club come visit Boston particularly, which is obviously their home. I think that will be a very special moment for them and one they thoroughly deserve. It will be a great day.

Robbie Fowler and Ian Rush go with you on the tour as well. What has the decision process been like to take two legends and why are they going with the team specifically?

We did that on the tour last year when we took former players with us. Robbie and Ian are two of the - if not the - greatest goalscorers for this football club, and what they also do is help us in terms of giving fans a little bit more access. It's always difficult because, as we've said, as much as it's about rewarding fans it's also about preparing the team, so the players will be doing a lot of double training sessions.

They also need to rest and recover in order to prepare and build up their fitness levels. So where we lose players and player appearances at certain times, having people who are equally as iconic and equally fantastic for fans to meet is fantastic. They will also contribute to things like our big community programmes. There is a lot of community activity while we are there, so they will play a key part in that.

It'll be exciting to see Brendan Rodgers in charge of the team for the first time as well...

Yes, and he's had a fantastic time settling in. I have spent a lot of time with him and I speak to him every day. I spoke to him at the weekend and he was extremely excited about the tour. I remember last year when we were in Asia and when some of the new players arrived, I was talking with Charlie Adam and he said the tour gave him something of a sense of the size of this football club.

Walking out into that stadium in Malaysia where we had 80,000 people watching us - all Liverpool fans screaming and shouting - I think that was one of those defining moments where a player who hadn't been at this football club before suddenly realised the size, the reach and the power of this club. Charlie saw that and I'm sure Brendan has very much a sense of the size of this club, but there's nothing like experiencing it when you are away from home and that adds to the size of it really.

You've spoken about the time you have spent with the manager - is he as infectious to you as he's been to Liverpool fans in those early exchanges?

Very much so. I think one of the key things that attracted everyone to Brendan as the manager was his personality and philosophy that he has. He's very much a very positive person and positive people are infectious and they breed positivity from other people. He's a great person to be around and I've seen at first hand the affect he's having on players and staff. He and I talked on Friday actually to make sure we do all we can to embody that across the club. It's a great start and he's a great person.

You've got to pay testimony to him as well because for a new footballer coming in to a club the settling in process can be quite tough, but for a manager he has to implement all these new strategies at the same time...

When we had the press conference to unveil Brendan one of the things he said was people would be questioning him whether he has the experience, but you only need to spend some time with him to know he is super confident but confident in the right way. He is confident in his own ability and confident that he will do his best and achieve what he needs to achieve. Over time people will see him more and hear him more, meet him more, and people will start to get the type of person he is and what he is about. He doesn't seem daunted by any challenge and I think that's a great asset for anyone to have and it's a great asset for Liverpool to now have.
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Zingy · Jul 16, 2012

Bluff-The American Dream said: ↑

like Stevan Segal
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So he falls to his death? Who plays Kurt Russell?

luvgonzo · Jul 16, 2012

Just been reading some of MFG's recent posts. He really lets rip into people, he makes me think if I have a sound argument or not pefore posting.

Wrong thread, supposed to in the pub thread.

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The Official Pre-Season Thread.

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