Yearly Archives: 2024

Remembering the Miracle of Istanbul: 20 Seasons On from One of Liverpool FC’s Most Incredible Nights

- - Matches

Football Against Flag of Turkey MapLiverpool will return to the Champions League for the revamped 2024/25 edition of the continental showpiece.

It’s somewhat fitting that the Reds will be in the draw for the competition during this particular season, as it comes 20 years on from one the club’s most famous – or infamous – nights.

The culmination of the 2004/05 campaign saw Liverpool reach the final of the Champions League against AC Milan; setting into motion the most extraordinary contests you’re likely to see at any level of the beautiful game.

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Crossing the Divide: Players That Have Played for Both Liverpool and Everton

- - Players

Red and Blue Footballer SilhouettesIt’s generally accepted that if you have a personal allegiance to a football club, you don’t then go and get involved with their bitter rivals in either a playing or coaching capacity.

But, occasionally, those rules go out of the window, with the fierce rivalry between Liverpool and Everton put to the test this summer.

John Heitinga, the Dutch defender turned coach, is the latest to cross the Merseyside divide. He played 140 times for the Toffees, and after hanging up his boots has forged a successful career as a backroom staff member – his stint with West Ham coming to an end when David Moyes was sacked at the end of the season.

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Listing All of the Liverpool Players That have Captained England

- - Players

England Flag Football PitchHas any English club provided more than three captains for a single international tournament?

The closest possible rival would be Chelsea in 2007/08, who at the time had seven international skippers in the midst – however, only two of them (Michael Ballack and Petr Cech) actually played at EURO 2008 after England, captained by John Terry, famously failed to qualify.

There was a time when Real Madrid had Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale and Sergio Ramos on their books, and each captained their respective countries at one point or another.

But Liverpool’s current crop surely goes close to being the ‘most captained’ at a single international tournament, with a trio of Reds men taking the helm at EURO 2024. Virgil van Dijk is the long-term leader of the Netherlands, while Andy Robertson has taken the armband for Scotland.

They were joined in the leadership stakes by Dominik Szoboszlai, who was tasked with leading Hungary into battle with Germany.

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The Long Goodbye: How Have Liverpool Fared the Season After a Managerial Change?

- - Managers

Red Welcome BannerBy the time you’re reading this, it will almost be over.

Jurgen Klopp’s near nine-year reign as Liverpool head coach is coming to an end. There’s talk of statues, commemorating a manager that has brought Premier League and Champions League glory to Anfield, but the German’s connection to the club and its fans runs so deep that mere stone and marble alone aren’t enough to do it justice.

The worst-kept secret in football is that Feyenoord boss Arne Slot will be Klopp’s successor, and the Dutchman has almighty shoes to fill – sadly, managing a club after a legend has departed has not, historically, gone all that well for the replacement over the years.

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The Best Transfer Signings of Richard Hughes: Liverpool’s Sporting Director

- - Players

Red Handshake LogoFour of Liverpool’s most favourite sons, The Beatles, wrote and recorded a famous song about revolution back in 1968.

Fast forward the best part of 60 years and there’s very much revolution in the air at Liverpool FC, too.

Jurgen Klopp will depart the club, leaving an almighty void to be filled. One thing that the Reds hierarchy seems very keen to do is present the new head coach, whoever that may be, with a young, hungry and progressive squad to work with.

To that end, Michael Edwards – the club’s CEO – has managed to persuade Richard Hughes to leave his beloved Bournemouth and take up the position of sporting director at Anfield.

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How Good is Liverpool FC’s Record in Cup Finals?

- - Trophies

Two Red Trophies IconLiverpool’s trip to Wembley Stadium for the Carabao Cup final will be the 14th time that they have contested the trophy game of the League Cup in its various guises.

The good news for Reds fans is that they have a pretty good record in the final of this particular competition – experiencing the joy of the trophy lift more often than the agony of defeat and the long trip home up the M1 and M6.

They are 1-1 in the League Cup final under Jurgen Klopp’s guidance, so can they break out and make it 2-1 in his final season in charge?

And how good has Liverpool’s record been in finals over the years?

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The Most Underrated Players and Managers in Liverpool FC History

- - Managers, Players

Red Speech Bubble Question MarkJanuary 1964. Roy Evans joins Liverpool FC as a 16-year-old defender after Bill Shankly personally visited the family’s Bootle home to talk to his mum and dad.

In truth, Evans’ playing career at Liverpool never really bore fruit, but it was on the coaching staff – he took up the position of reserve team manager aged just 25 under Shankly’s successor Bob Paisley – that his love affair with the club really began.

He became a member of the infamous Boot Room of coaches, playing his part in planning some of the club’s most famous days on home and international soil, before his qualities as a coach were rewarded with promotion to the first-team manager’s role in 1994.

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