It’s getting closer: Liverpool could be back in action soon enough. The conversations might be a bit mad at times, but a resolution to resume the Premier League is approaching.
Project Restart protocols
Players and managers throughout the Premier League will be given a dossier relating to medical protocols within the next week.
It’s a key factor for everyone to be on board with and agree on, and which must be well-prepared and thought-out enough to keep everyone involved safe, from players to coaches, referees to stadium workers.
As usual there are still many other difficult decisions to make and problems to overcome, some of which are documented here.
But we continue to see signs of the governing bodies doing everything possible to get top-flight football in England back up and running in the safest possible environment.
Let’s hope the talks progress well and the protocols are sensible and effective.
Kewell details 2005 injury hell
There’s no question Liverpool fans got rather irate with Harry Kewell’s injury issues, particularly when they kept cropping up during major finals.
The Aussie forward has now revealed that even before the Champions League final against Milan in 2005 kicked off, he was already set for groin surgery the next day—and doctors had told him it “could snap at any time.”
Kewell departed early and his replacement, Vladi Smicer, was a big part of the comeback—but there are no hard feelings from the No. 7’s end, who says being at Liverpool was just as incredible as that evening’s comeback itself.
“I still don’t know what happened that night for Liverpool to come back but I think it just shows the pride of Scousers and that city.
“They have that never say die attitude – the five years I was there I absolutely loved it.”
Support from the sidelines
Our boys are still doing their bit—and more besides—to help those in need through the current crisis.
- Van Dijk has donated a shirt worn in the win over Roma to help raise funds for an Italian hospital
- Captains and leaders among men, Hendo and Robbo have helped organise donations through their respective international teams
- And in a quick look at the transfer scene, the Reds are linked with a pair of teenagers from Belgium and Brazil
Leagues restart news update
Football is officially back!
The German Bundesliga has been given the go-ahead to resume (as have shops and the like) by the chancellor Angela Merkel.
League organisers will set the dates and games later this week, but the top two flights will be resuming from mid-May. All games are behind closed doors.
The Turkish SuperLig will also resume from 12 June and hope to finish by the end of July—as well as hosting the Champions League final in Istanbul as planned.
Croatian football will also resume with cup fixtures on 30 May and league games from 6 June, pending a final government approval.
Quickfire LFC news
- Our old mate Damien Comolli believes clubs like Liverpool could hoover up half a dozen talents for £100m this summer to rebuild the team for five or six years to come (Mail)
- Steven Gerrard and Jurgen Klopp have crossed paths (metaphorically, still a two-metre distance apart) while exercising during lockdown and we’d love to know what they really spoke about (TS)
- With talk of reduced length halves, an investigation has looked at the league table if games lasted 60 or 75 minutes all season. Liverpool still win both! (Mail)
- Wales boss Ryan Giggs tried to get his attack to play like Liverpool—using Harry Wilson as the false nine, interestingly. It failed (ES)
Around the Prem
- Mbappe wants an agreement to leave PSG for a set fee before he signs a new contract (Mirror)
- Willian is to join up with Mourinho again, moving on a free to Spurs (ES)
- Four doctors have concerns over Project Restart proposals (Sky Sports)
- And Man City would rather keep Sane and lose him for free than sell him to Bayern on the cheap. Who saw that one coming?! (BBC Sport)
Stupid rumour of the day
Juve and United are ready to do a swap deal for Aaron Ramsey and Paul Pogba, apparently. Let’s be honest: they’re not, are they? How many more of these absurd exchange rumours are we going to get over the next few months?
Tweet of the day
We've picked out some of Jürgen Klopp's funniest lines during his time as Liverpool boss ??
"BOOOM!"
"That's a very erotic voice!"
"ADRIAAANN!"
Don't miss him on tonight's #UCLThrowbacks show ?pic.twitter.com/iEhiQTSFuj
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 6, 2020
Love Jurgen!!
What we’re reading
A former Schalke youth player was reported as dead four years ago. This week, he was found alive and well. Here’s the shocking story, by Oliver Brown for the Telegraph.
And here’s a pretty hilarious look back at a major international tournament, Panini stickers, an unknown Hungarian defender and more from Paul Doyle for the Guardian.
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