LIVERPOOL part company with Rafael Benitez

Liverpool FC today confirmed that Rafael Benitez is to leave the club by mutual consent.

Mr Benitez relinquishes his position as team manager after six years and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their grateful thanks for his services and wish him all the best in his future career.

The Board has now asked Managing Director Christian Purslow, with the assistance of Club Ambassador Kenny Dalglish, to begin a formal search to identify and assess potential candidates for the managerial position.

No timescale has been placed on the process and Liverpool FC will make no further statement until a new manager is appointed.

LFC Chairman Martin Broughton said: "Rafa will forever be part of Liverpool folklore after bringing home the Champions League following the epic final in Istanbul but after a disappointing season both parties felt a fresh start would be best for all concerned.''

Rafael Benitez said: "It is very sad for me to announce that I will no longer be manager of Liverpool FC. I would like to thank all of the staff and players for their efforts.

"I'll always keep in my heart the good times I've had here, the strong and loyal support of the fans in the tough times and the love from Liverpool. I have no words to thank you enough for all these years and I am very proud to say that I was your manager.

"Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone."

-liverpoolfc.tv

Cristiano Ronaldo's new girlfriend

Irina is Cristiano Ronaldo's new muse.

Yes, the player in Cristiano Ronaldo is hard at work again. This time, he's nabbed himself a super sexy lingerie model from Russia, Irina Sheik.

Apparently, sparks flew when the gorgeous twosome first met each other during the photo shoot for Armani, which both are modelling for.

Just for his lady love, the Portuguese football superstar took a five-day escapade with her and flew her to Italy in his private jet.

The paps have managed to take sexy photos of the couple frolicking on his private yacht - he was in tiny shorts and she was in a tiny bikini.

Neither Cristiano nor Irina has confirmed the status of their relationship.

-dailychilli.com

NBA Playoff 2009/2010

Liverpool Rafael Benitez has been offered a £3m to leave immediately

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has been offered a £3m severance deal to leave immediately, BBC Sport understands.

Benitez led the Anfield club to Champions League glory in 2005 but guided the Reds to only seventh place in the Premier League last season.

The 50-year-old has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, with the Italian giants looking for a coach following Jose Mourinho's move to Real Madrid.

Benitez's agent has said he will speak with the Spaniard on Thursday.

BBC Sports News correspondent Dan Roan said: "Members of Liverpool's board were locked in meetings as late as 2330 BST on Wednesday night.

"Benitez is currently on holiday but if he decides to accept their offer he could be out by the weekend."

The manager's agent Manuel Garcia Quilon said: "We don't know anything more than what's being said.

"We're not saying anything."

Liverpool declined to comment on the rumours on Wednesday.

It has been reported that it would cost the club about £16m to pay off Benitez, who joined Liverpool in June 2004. But they are currently pursuing a compromise compensation package worth £3m.

As well as the Champions League triumph, Benitez also steered Liverpool to the European Super Cup in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006.

They enjoyed an impressive Premier League campaign in 2008-09, finishing as runners-up, four points behind champions Manchester United having lost only two games all season.

But they were hugely inconsistent last season, losing 11 times in the league and exiting the Champions League in the group stages. They dropped into the Europa League and reached the semi-finals where they lost to Atletico Madrid.

Several of Benitez's first-team squad have recently been linked with summer moves, including captain Steven Gerrard, Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano and star forward Fernando Torres.

Benitez had suggested he would require in excess of £50m to put the club back in contention for the Champions League places, never mind the Premier League title.

Co-owner Tom Hicks recently said Benitez would have a "substantial" transfer budget this summer despite he and fellow owner George Gillett trying to sell the club, a process which could take 18 months.

It has since been reported that the funds available to Benitez could be as little as £5m, before selling players.
Liverpool were put up for sale in April, with an asking price of between £600m and £800m, and Hicks had claimed there is a large number of "interested buyers".

Parent company Kop Holdings were £351m in the red last summer with annual loan repayments of £40m.
Speaking last week, Benitez told the Liverpool Echo: "I am very happy here in Liverpool. I have always been happy and I want to stay here for a long time - if it is possible."

- BBC Sport

Final 23, ENGLAND Team to World Cup 2010

DAVID JAMES
Caps: 50 Age: 39
Debut: 1997
Club: Portsmouth
Car: Chrysler 300 Pay £50,000 a week Most famous for being very old
Most infamous: for his wacky array of haircuts in many shapes and colours; his habit of panicking at corners
Sound clever: by admiring his collection of Raleigh Choppers

JOE HART
Caps: 3 Age: 23
Debut: 2008
Club: Man City
Pay: £30,000 a week
Most famous: for crucial role helping his loan club Birmingham City to record a 15-match unbeaten run this season
Most infamous: for frustrating opposition strikers. That is about as exciting as it gets
Sound clever: by telling everyone that his real name is Charles

ROBERT GREEN
Caps: 10 Age: 30
Debut: 2005
Club: West Ham
Pay: £20,000 a week
Most famous: for giving Fabio Capello a managerial headache over whom to play in goal
Most infamous: for being the first England goalkeeper to be sent off, in a match against Ukraine last year
Sound clever: by wondering if he will follow Gianfranco Zola by leaving West Ham in the summer

STEPHEN WARNOCK
Caps: 1 Age: 28
Debut: 2008
Club: Aston Villa
Pay: £35,000 a week
Most famous: for being unassuming and hard-working as a full back
Most infamous: for having only 8 minutes’ England experience
Sound clever: by knowing that he was briefly picked for Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League Final squad — in error

ASHLEY COLE
Caps: 78 Age: 29
Debut: 2001
Club: Chelsea
Pay: £120,000 a week
Car: Audi TT, which he donated to charity
WAG: Separated from Cheryl Cole
Most famous: for being one of the best left backs in the world
Most infamous: for the breakdown of marriage after infidelity claims
Sound clever: by suggesting he may follow Mourinho to Madrid

JAMIE CARRAGHER
Caps: 36 Age: 32
Debut: 1999
Club: Liverpool
Pay: £80,000 a week
Most famous: for coming out of international retirement after a call from the manager to go to South Africa
Most infamous: for missing a penalty in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final; more own goals than goals
Sound clever: by casually mentioning that he has no belly button

JOHN TERRY
Caps: 60 Age: 29
Debut: 2003
Club: Chelsea
Car: Bentley
Pay: £160,000 a week
WAG: Married to Toni Poole
Most famous: for leading Chelsea to three Premier League titles
Most infamous: for alleged infidelity with a former team-mate’s girlfriend, and loss of the England captaincy
Sound clever: by knowing that his brother plays for Rushden & Diamonds

GLEN JOHNSON
Caps: 22 Age: 25
Debut: 2003
Club: Liverpool
Pay: £139,000 a week
Most famous: for inheriting Gary Neville’s right-back position for England
Most infamous: for being fined £80 for trying to steal a lavatory seat from B&Q
Sound clever: by saying he might be better going forward than defending

LEDLEY KING
Caps: 20 Age: 29
Debut: 2002
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Pay: £60,000 a week
Most famous: for being the promising Spurs defender who did not break fans’ hearts by moving to Arsenal
Most infamous: for being the “man with no knees”
Sound clever: by wondering if his injury record means that he is a good choice as a back-up defender

RIO FERDINAND
Caps: 78 Age: 31
Debut: 1997
Club: Manchester United
Pay: £120,000 a week
Most famous: for being a stalwart at the heart of the Manchester United defence
Most infamous: for an eight-month ban after failing to show up for a routine drug test
Sound clever: by knowing that his brother Anton is also a Premier League defender

MATTHEW UPSON
Caps: 19 Age: 31
Debut: 2003
Club: West Ham
Pay: £70,000 a week
WAG: Ellie Darby
Most famous: for helping to save West Ham from relegation
Most infamous: for suffering a long list of injuries throughout his career
Sound clever: by knowing that Upson’s No 6 shirt at West Ham was retired in honour of Bobby Moore, who led England to World Cup glory

JAMES MILNER
Caps: 8 Age: 24
Debut: 2009
Club: Aston Villa
Pay: £45,000 a week
Most famous: for becoming the youngest player to score in the Premier League at the age of 16
Most infamous: for being at centre of £25 million battle as Manchester City tried to lure him from Villa
Sound clever: by pretending to be as clever as Milner, who has 11 GCSEs

MICHAEL CARRICK
Caps: 22 Age: 28
Debut: 2001
Club: Man Utd
Pay: £70,000 a week
WAG: Married to Lisa Roughead
Most famous: for graduating with Frank Lampard and Joe Cole from the West Ham academy
Most infamous: for disappointing Spurs fans by leaving for Man United
Sound clever: by knowing that he got married on same day as Gerrard

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
Caps: 31 Age: 28
Debut: 2004
Club: Man City
Pay: £60,000 a week
Most famous: for the lowest centre of gravity in football
Most infamous: for going to Chelsea
Sound clever: by saying he has flair to rival Ian Wright, his adoptive father

STEVEN GERRARD
Caps: 80 Age: 30
Debut: 2000
Club: Liverpool
WAG: Married to Alex Curran
Salary: £125,000 a week
Most famous: for being, at times, a one-man team at Liverpool and, at other times, for his partnerships with Michael Owen and Fernando Torres
Most infamous: for making court appearances on charges of assault and affray, though he was acquitted
Sound clever: by wondering if he will stay at ’Pool after a disastrous season

FRANK LAMPARD
Caps: 78 Age: 31
Debut: 1999
Club: Chelsea
Pay: £125,000 a week
Most famous: for hatfuls of goals
Most infamous: for being “Big Fat Frank”, but hugely fit
Sound clever: by pointing out that Jamie Redknapp is his cousin

JOE COLE
Caps: 54 Age: 28
Debut: 2001
Club: Chelsea
Pay: £80,000 a week
WAG: Married to Carly Zucker, a fitness instructor
Most famous: for superb goal against Sweden in last World Cup
Most infamous: for never being satisfied with a simple pass when an over-elaborate piece of skill would do
Sound clever: by mentioning he has been linked with a move to Arsenal

AARON LENNON
Caps: 17 Age: 23
Debut: 2006
Club: Tottenham
Pay: £45,000 a week
Most famous: for his cheetah-like speed
Most infamous: for his awful hairstyle
Sound clever: by saying Walcott was left out because of his similar style

GARETH BARRY
Caps: 36 Age: 29
Debut: 2000
Club: Man City
Pay: £120,000 a week
Most famous: for working very hard
Most infamous: for moving to City
Sound clever: by sounding thankful that he passed a late fitness test

WAYNE ROONEY
Caps: 60 Age: 24
Debut: 2003
Club: Manchester United
Pay: £110,000 a week
WAG: Married to his childhood sweetheart, Coleen
Most famous: for his arrival at 16 with a superb goal against Arsenal
Most infamous: for breaking his foot before the 2006 World Cup; a stamp with his other foot that got him sent off in the quarter-final
Sound clever: by asking if he can bear to be the only on-form striker

JERMAIN DEFOE
Caps: 40 Age: 27
Debut: 2004
Club: Tottenham
Pay: £80,000 a week
WAG: Formerly dated the glamour model Danielle Lloyd
Car: Black Ferrari Cabriolet
Most famous: for a deadly eye for goal if there is space to shoot from distance
Sound clever: by knowing he played for Senrab, the same Sunday league team as John Terry and Ashley Cole

EMILE HESKEY
Caps: 58 Age: 32
Debut: 1999
Club: Aston Villa
Pay: £80,000 a week
Most famous: for scoring in England’s 5-1 demolition of Germany in 2001, and using his size to create opportunities for fellow strikers
Most infamous: for his poor scoring record for club and country
Sound clever: by pointing out that his middle name is Ivanhoe

PETER CROUCH
Caps: 38 Age: 29
Debut: 2005
Club: Tottenham
Pay: £80,000 a week
WAG: The lingerie model Abbey Clancy
Most famous: for being 6ft 7in
Most infamous: for his goal against Trinidad in last World Cup when he held defender’s ponytail as he jumped
Sound clever: by quoting him. When asked: “What would you be if not a footballer?”, he replied: “A virgin.”

The 'Unlucky' Seven :
Theo Walcott, Darren Bent, Scott Parker, Leighton Baines, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson and Michael Dawson.

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