Are Liverpool's pre-season friendlies a coded cry for financial help?

By Brian Reade

Published 23:00 16/07/10

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I get the feeling that Liverpool’s opening two friendlies are a coded cry for help to anyone with money.

There’s no logic to tonight’s trip to the Austrian town of Altach to play Saudi champions Al Hilal.

Until you realise it’s in the Cashpoint Arena.

And even less logic to playing Grasshopper of Zurich on Wednesday in the small Swiss town of Zug.

Until you realise it has the lowest rate of income tax in Switzerland, making it a haven for the super-rich.

Here’s hoping they find some rich pickings.

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Lovely to see Sepp Blatter leave Howard Webb hanging in the wind in such stunning style.

After trying his best to keep 22 players on the pitch so he wouldn’t spoil the “greatest show on earth” it would have been nice of Blatter to come out and tell the whinging Dutch that Webb didn’t destroy that final, they did.

He may also want to reflect on why the only memorable images the last two World Cup finals are a player butting an opponent’s chest and a player kicking an opponent’s chest.

Then ask what message it’s sending out to the younger members of his beloved FIFA family.

P.S. Getting Fabio Cannavaro to carry the World Cup on to the pitch inside a Luis Vuitton case proves there is nothing you wouldn’t sell to the highest-bidding corporate pimp.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next time it’s presented, the trophy has a Dolce and Gabbana logo inscribed on it.

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