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Thursday Kickoff: Liverpool convinced Suarez will stay, Chepo plays down Honduras match, and more

LuisSuarez2 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

As is customary with being one of the top players in the Premier League, transfer rumors have swirled over the head of Liverpool forward Luis Suarez all season long.

But Liverpool’s chief executive Ian Ayre has unequivocally stated that he was “100 percent” sure that Suarez would still be a member of the team come next season. The Uruguayan, currently on national team duty, has been subject to transfer rumors from Bayern Munich, all the way to other teams in the Champions League in England.

Ayre though has re-iterated that Suarez has a four-year contract with the club, and the Reds hope he can see it through.

Here are some other stories to get your Thursday started:

DE LA TORRE LOWERS PRESSURE ON MEXICO

Heading into a difficult atmosphere in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Mexico National Team coach Jose Manuel de la Torre has given his side a boost, saying that the upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Honduras isn’t a “live or die” match.

De la Torre looks to become the first coach of El Tri since 1993 to beat Honduras on the road in a qualifying match. The team, which includes European based players Javier Hernandez, Andres Guardado, and Giovani Dos Santos is confident of finding a way to win, before they face the U.S. in Mexico City next Tuesday.

Mexico comes into the match on one point, after a scoreless draw with Jamaica in February.

GERRARD RUES MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, speaking ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Montenegro, has lamented the missed chances of England’s golden generation of soccer players to win a title.

The 32-year-old Liverpool native first debuted with the Three Lions in 2000, playing in every major tournament that England qualified for except for the 2002 World Cup. Also joining the fray around that time for England were the likes of Michael Owen, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Joe Cole, yet there is a big chance that they will all end their spectacular club careers without any international silverware.

Gerrard has now called the 2014 World Cup qualification goal a personal mission for himself, desperate to lead England to glory for the first time since 1966. The Liverpool and England captain has played every minute of his club’s 30 matches this season, scoring eight goals and chipping in nine assists.

BAYERN’S HOENESS REVEALS HOW HE SIGNED GUARDIOLA

Bayern Munich stunned the soccer world when they announced in mid-January that they had signed the world’s most-wanted man, Pep Guardiola, to become their next manager.

The German club’s President, Uli Hoeness has now revealed his successful methods for signing the Spaniard in an interview with European Sport Media. Hoeness said that the two met last December in near Central Park, New York City, and after a two hour conversation, Guardiola signed the contract right in his apartment nearby.

Hoeness also fired some shots towards Spain, saying that only one or two players from each Barcelona and Madrid would be first team players at Bayern.

QUICK KICKS

Malaga star Isco is unsure of what his future holds, due to Malaga’s financial situation this season. (REPORT)

Celta Vigo’s Iago Aspas has been given a four-match suspension for a headbutt on Carlos Marchena during a match last Friday. (REPORT)

Italy and Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini has left the Italian National Team ahead of their match against Brazil in Geneva due to an ankle injury. (REPORT)

UEFA President Michel Platini has hit back at FIFA President Sepp Blatter after the latter’s remarks on the Euro 2020 plan. (REPORT)

Chelsea have confirmed that their second-leg match against Rubin Kazan will take place in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, instead of in Kazan. (REPORT)

Brazilian club Vasco De Gama are ready to sell centerback Dede, with Juventus, Manchester United, and others reportedly in tow. (REPORT)

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What do you think of these reports? See Suarez staying at Liverpool? Do you believe Gerrard can help England win in Brazil? Should de la Torre be more worried about a potentially poor Honduras result?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “Hoeness also fired some shots towards Spain, saying that only one or two players from each Barcelona and Madrid would be first team players at Bayern”
    Major overstatement and very amuzing. This from a neutral as i prefer the EPL over LaLiga or Bundesliga.

    Reply
    • Well, if he’s right about that, then Bayern is less than the sum of its parts, whereas the Spanish sides would be greater than the sum of their parts….because they’re both better teams than Bayern.

      Reply
  2. But back to the main point I came for.

    Sorry Stevie G. England had world class players from 2002-2008. And yet they always flopped when placed together on a team. that being said they’re a top 10 nation but play like a top 20.

    Maybe blame the primadonna players or the overtly critical media or the coaches who have a disdain for foreign tactics

    Reply
  3. I’m surprised Suarez wants to stay at Liverpool. He’s one of the best strikers in the world. He could definatley be playing Champions League and winning titles. Message to Gerrard: England is not that good.

    Reply
    • Went to a match this January and to see how he reacts to the fans and the fans to him at Anfield you realize why he likes it so much. Always applauding the fans before the match, the entire time we are singing you’ll never walk alone, and always after the match. When people travel from all over the world to go to Anfield and he just spends that extra 30 seconds to show the fans that appreciation it means a lot…. for me and my family anyway.

      Reply
    • Haven’t we gone through this before? Player says they want to stay, management says it’s a 100% certainty that the player will stay, player is sold to the highest bidder.

      Reply
    • Take that back sir. Liverpool is just around the block from success. Man U may have the recent success but they suck and so many of their fans are bandwagon jumpers

      Reply
    • Historically Liverpool has been as highly regarded as Man U currently is. Have they slipped some….yes…but the Club and Team are not all that far away from cracking into the EPL Top 4 again. With a couple good signings to replace players who are underperforming (strenghten the D) and add some improved depth; this team will again be in the running for silverware.

      Reply

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