Monthly Archives: March 2014

Reina would consider future MLS move

The former Liverpool shot-stopper says the possibility of returning to England is slim and admits that a move to a team in the United States could happen

Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina says he is unlikely to return to England but is open to the possibility of moving to the United States towards the end of his career.

The Spaniard is currently in Naples on a season-long loan from Liverpool, and is enjoying a strong season under Rafael Benitez.

Napoli are currently lying third in the Serie A table, with a place in the Coppa Italia final assured, while Thursday sees them take on Porto in the last 16 of the Europa League.

However, with a permanent switch to the San Paolo yet to be agreed, Reina is not ruling out any options for his future.

“I would like to try to do something different in the future,” he told Diario de la Roja. “Maybe America or something like that.

“My idea is to have three or four good years somewhere and then, after that, go somewhere else for a couple more years.

“I think I have five or six years left.

“Nothing has been confirmed yet but I’ve got the feeling that Napoli are happy with me and I think they will talk to Liverpool to see what the situation is.

“It would be hard for me to go back to England.

“Liverpool have signed a 26-year-old goalkeeper [Simon Mignolet], they have got rid of me for economic reasons apparently and it is difficult to see that situation changing.”

For the 31-year-old, life in southern Italy seems to be a better fit than life on Merseyside.

“I have returned to having fun, with a coach with whom I love to work,” he said.

“Every day is much easier than it was before. I am happy, I am very well adapted and so is my family.

“The affection of the people is awesome. And then there’s a life which is quite different to Liverpool. In Liverpool we did much at home.

“Here we go out a lot more because the weather allows that. There are more opportunities to do things.

“Napoli fits in with my character. My way of being, of living, of thinking, I identify with the way the Neapolitans are.”

Liverpool striving for perfection in title chase, says Allen

The Gunners were blown away inside 20 minutes by Brendan Rodgers’ men in February, and the Welshman believes that this is the level his team should always aspire to reach

Joe Allen has called on Liverpool to reproduce the kind of form that saw them hammer Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield in February for the rest of the season.

The Reds were in irresistible form in the opening 20 minutes of that match, scoring four goals as Brendan Rodgers’ men demolished Arsene Wenger’s side and sent a clear signal of their title-winning intent.

Allen hailed the brilliance of that spell and the midfielder has urged his side to strive for that level of performance in every match.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a better performance in 20 minutes of football from the first whistle,” the midfielder told Liverpool’s official magazine. “Our target now is to make sure we do that in every game.

“Obviously it’s difficult to play to that level all the time, but that’s our dream and what we’re aiming to do. How clinical we were with the ball and how many chances we created was one thing.

“But with Arsenal being such a great footballing team as well, the way we stopped them playing and won the ball back and pressed them hard was equally as pleasing.

“That’s probably the best way to approach any match – to have an aggressive stance from start to finish.”

Liverpool are second in the Premier League, seven points behind leaders Chelsea but with a game in hand on Jose Mourinho’s men.

Mourinho in coded jibe at ‘king of penalties’ Suarez

The Chelsea boss took aim at Liverpool’s star striker following Saturday’s 4-0 win over Tottenham while praising Eden Hazard’s refusal to “attack” Hugo Lloris

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, attacking the Premier League’s “kings of the penalties”.
 
The Blues manager saw his side defeat Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Saturday, with one of the goals coming, controversially, from the penalty spot.

Samuel Eto’o went down in the box under the challenge of Younes Kaboul and, despite there appearing to be minimal contact, the French defender was promptly sent off by referee Michael Oliver before Eden Hazard stepped up to score from 12 yards.

When questioned after the game Mourinho claimed he did not see the incident, but did point to a moment in the second minute when Hazard rounded Hugo Lloris and stayed on his feet instead of attempting to win a penalty – something he suggested the league’s “kings of the penalties” would not have done.
 
“We had a big opportunity in the second minute of the game, when other players with other shirts would go for a penalty and a red card for the keeper”, he said.

“Hazard doesn’t do that. He tries to go away from the keeper and he misses from a difficult angle. But other players in this league, in that situation, they attack the keeper.

“I did not see a video of Eto’o and the penalty but I want to. But you know the kings of the penalties, you know where they are – and they’re not here.”

Chelsea’s win over Spurs lifted them seven points clear of second-placed Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and Mourinho believes his side’s composure will serve them well in the title run-in.
 
“We cope well with the difficult moments in the game”, he added.

“We are team that doesn’t panic when the opponent has the ball, don’t panic when we miss two or three passes and the crowd boo a little bit.

“So we are not panicky. We are stable in our game and that’s a very good quality, especially for a team with a lot of young people like we have. And when the chance arrived Eto’o killed the game.”