The Daily Diatribe: Dissent in the ranks?, Gattuso’s brainless rants, Seeing red, Contract negotiations for Gerrard, & Holloway’s on our side

By: Brian | May 4th, 2007

* ESPNsoccernet has reported that Steve Heighway, who I’m not sure is still the Academy Director since he announced his intentions of retiring after leading the youth squad to it’s second consecutive FA Youth Cup, thinks that Rafa’s plan to assume more control of the development of the youth players is ‘crazy’. I’m not sure what the point is of him coming out and saying: ‘Rafa is a terrific manager, tactically astute with qualities I really admire, but in my view I’m the best coach of 17 and 18-year-old players in this club. But I no longer get the chance to do that. That’s crazy, that’s mad; it’s to the detriment of the young players at this club.’ I don’t see him completely cutting ties from the club, especially after being backed to stay on in some form by Steven Gerrard and Rick Parry. If Rafa wants to play a bigger part in developing our Academy players, I don’t see how it can be a bad thing. He knows what he wants and expects and the earlier he can instill his influence the better off everyone will be.

* Hopefully, Milan will do about as much research in their approach to the Champion’s League final as Gattuso. Saying we are ‘long ball dinosaurs’ and ‘like an Italian team of 10 years ago.’ Brilliant analysis. Here’s another gem: ‘All they try to do is defend together, with everybody behind the ball and just one striker. Every ball is a long ball.’ He is right, I mean, we do like to play team defense, but everyone behind the ball? Just one striker? Every ball is a long ball? Please, please, please believe that. Try and spread us out by bringing Oddo down the wing and attempting some of the worse crossing I have ever seen like he tried against Man U. You guys beat the Mancs by going straight up the middle, good luck trying that against us. I feel sorry for Milan and their fans, they are a worse side this time and we are a better one. It seems like the majority of people think Milan will roll over us, mostly in the name of revenge. What a joke. Liverpool will not lose this match.

* To make matters worse for Milan, we will be wearing red in the final. They had first choice and chose the white. Not sure what the hell they were thinking. Maybe they take losses better in white.

* Gerrard is in contract negotiations with the club. As are Xabi, Carra, Pepe, and Finnan. Stevie-G should easily be one of the highest paid players in the world, especially if we win in Athens. Hicks has already assured our Captain that he and his teammate will be duly compensated for their efforts.

* Finally, Ian Holloway, manager extraordinaire for Plymouth Argyle, has given us some love in his latest BBC column. He also speaks his mind about the Kate Moss collection and makes reference to a Rod Stewart wig. Brilliant.

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