Steven Gerrard insists Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez are better for Liverpool than Fernando Torres

By Sportsmail Reporter
Last updated at 2:15 PM on 27th March 2011

Steven Gerrard believes Liverpool are better off having sold Fernando Torres to Chelsea and brought in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez.

Many felt the Reds had got the raw end of the deal when Torres joined the Blues in a ?50million deal on transfer deadline day, while Kenny Dalglish moved to bring in Suarez from Ajax and Carroll from Newcastle for a British record fee of ?35m.

But Torres has yet to score for Chelsea since his big money move, while Suarez and Carroll have made promising starts to life at Anfield, with the former turning in an outstanding performance in the 3-1 win over Manchester United.

Good deal: For the money they raised from selling Fernando Torres, Liverpool got Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez

And Gerrard said: 'Suarez has only played a few games but we know he will be a top player. Training and playing with him in his first few games he has been strong and technically good, but Fernando in his first year with us was frightening as well.

'But I think Liverpool are in a better position having two top forwards instead of one. I enjoyed playing behind Fernando but if you said I could have Fernando on form or Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez on form, I would take the two over one.'

In the interview with Sky Sports Gerrard revealed the Liverpool players had felt let down by Torres' decision to leave.

top of the flops: Torres has failed to score since joining Chelsea

'We felt slightly let down, like the supporters we wanted him to stay as he is a top player. But he made his decision and we have to respect that,' he said.

The Reds skipper also claimed the club were right to part company with Roy Hodgson following a difficult start to the former Fulham boss' tenure at Anfield.

'When the Liverpool fans turn against you you have to listen,' said Gerrard. 'They are Liverpool Football Club.'

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Jeremy Hunt issues warning to BOA over financial disagreement

By Sportsmail Reporter Last updated at 11:44 AM on 27th March 2011

Culture Minister Jeremy Hunt has told the British Olympic Association to sort out their financial squabbles, declaring: 'There is no more money.'

The BOA are in dispute with the 2012 organising committee (LOCOG) over how any profits from the enterprise will be divvied up.

Making his point: Hunt has told the BOA to sort out their financial squabble

As it stands, the BOA would be entitled to a cut of any surplus after 2012, but with Paralympic losses expected to cancel out any Olympic gains, this would likely be a negligible figure.

Instead, the BOA want to take a share before the Paralympic results are taken into account and, despite the IOC ruling against them, are taking their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Should they be successful, it would require either LOCOG somehow to generate more money, or for the cash to be shifted from the wider sport budget, affecting other projects.

Hunt, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, is also worried the conflict could cause the bodies to take their eyes off the ball in other areas.

The clock is ticking: The London Olympics kick-off in just over a year

He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: 'It's an extraordinary thing just over a year before the games that we're getting into this sort of dispute which, frankly, isn't going to benefit anyone. It's just going to line the pockets of lawyers.

'The BOA is fantastically important to the success of 2012. 'They have got to look after 550 athletes, it's a massive logistical operation to run that village...and they've got to run the holding camp. 'Everyone in that organisation needs to be focused on that logistical challenge.

'The second thing is I can't really see how anyone's going to be a winner from this because there is no more money. 'Sport got a very good settlement in the comprehensive spending review.

Eyes on the prize: London's 2012 chief Lord Sebastian Coe (right)

'No-one's going to be able to go back to the Treasury and ask for more money so even if the BOA win, the money's going to have to come out of another part of the sports budget or the Olympics budget. 'So I really hope everyone involved will settle this as quickly as possible and focus on what the country wants, which is 2012.'

The situation has led to speculation over the future of BOA chairman Lord Moynihan, whose position many feel would be untenable should his organisation lose. He and his chief executive, Andy Hunt, have already been excluded from LOCOG board meetings.

Asked to comment on Moynihan's position, Jeremy Hunt said: 'The BOA rightly operates at arm's length from the Government so who they have is up to them.

'But what I would say as the Culture Secretary is this is not the right argument for us to be having so close to having the Olympics in our country and we need to sort it out very quickly.'

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Tiger Woods in Masters mood after 'very good' week finishing 24th

Tiger Woods has put himself into 'Masters mode', ending weeks of introspective analysis to state confidently that he can win the Augusta major for a fifth time next month.

Woods shot an even-par 72 in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Sunday to end the week one-under, seven shots behind the winner Martin Laird, of Scotland, in joint 24th.

The numbers were not great but Woods was happy with his hitting throughout a round which was damaged by a bogey on the 17th and then a double bogey on the final hole where he found water.

Afterwards Woods was asked about his driving, his putting and his comfort level.

The 14-times major winner has been willing to share his problems of late but this time the message was that he was getting better in all those areas and that crucially, for those who wonder whether he still has that formidable confidence, he had no doubt about whether he can triumph at Augusta.

Woods had a one-word answer to the question of whether he could win: "Absolutely."

It was old-school Tiger, a sign that with just over a week to prepare for the Masters he is now in the zone and no longer focusing on the doubts and what he has called "the process".

"It was a very good week and a week I need to see. I really hit the ball well and the things that we have been working on for the last couple of weeks really, really felt comfortable today, I felt I was able to control just about every shot today," he told reporters.

His driving? "Much better. Every day has gotten a little bit tighter which is good. I have to keep working, keep staying the course, each day is progressing. Today was really nice," he said.

"I need to keep progressing and hopefully it will peak two more Thursdays from now. Early in the year was disappointing because the conditions showed some signs of weakness that I had to work on – now it's feeling very, very good".

That positive talk was, however, made against the backdrop of a messy end to his round.

"I played well all day and the best shot I hit was on 17th but it didn't come out. On 18 I was caught between clubs, went with the lower one and didn't luck out.

"I hit three water balls this week and had a few missed putts here and there and I'm not that far behind. Add all that together, you can't afford to make those mistakes."

Woods is missing next week's tour event in Houston and instead he heads early to Augusta to start practice. Last year Woods went into Augusta without playing any tour events and finished tied fourth.

"It is nice to have some tournaments under my belt and be more in tournament shape going in. They have made a couple of changes at Augusta. I'll take a look at those and develop a game plan," he said.

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John Lloyd: Andy Murray needs help if he is to achieve his potential

By Malcolm Folley Last updated at 2:08 AM on 27th March 2011

Troubled tennis star Andy Murray was urged by former Davis Cup captain John Lloyd last night to add an experienced coach to his back-up team or risk failing to fulfil his potential.

After Murray's latest setback, a humiliating defeat at the hands of American journeyman Alex Bogomolov Jnr in Miami on Friday night, Lloyd said Murray should consider appointing a coach from a shortlist of Australians Darren Cahill and Bob Brett, Sweden's former world No 1 Mats Wilander or American superstar Jimmy Connors.

Lloyd said: 'Cahill and Brett are proven coaches, having between them masterminded success for Andre Agassi, Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt and Goran Ivanisevic.

In need of help: Andy Murray's form has been woeful

'Wilander and Connors are great champions with undeniable knowledge of what it takes to win majors.

'Andy has to ask himself how badly he wants to fulfil his dream. If he is as determined to win a Grand Slam as we believe him to be, then he has to hire a coach with experience and maturity to ensure that his undoubted talent is rewarded.

'Men like Cahill, Brett, Wilander and Connors come with a price-tag, but with Andy's income running into millions, surely he can see the positive benefits of spending $400,000 a year on a coach. He has to be bold and make someone an offer he cannot refuse.

'He clearly needs someone around him to drive him. Of course, Andy is his own boss but, from the outside, you can't see how his camp is right.'

During his alarming decline since he appeared in the Australian Open final two months ago, Murray has been reliant on coaching advice from his friend, Dani Vallverdu, who has no experience in the cauldron of professional tennis, and Spaniard Alex Corretja, a runner-up twice in the French Open who works with Murray part-time.

Humiliated: Murray was left with plenty to ponder after losing to Alex Bogmolov Jnr (right)

Murray's defeat was his third pitiful performance since he left Melbourne. If he does not treat it as an alarm call for change, he risks being accused of being blind to the mounting evidence of a looming crisis.

He has now lost nine sets in a row, being beaten in succession by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, Marcos Baghdatis and two American qualifiers, Donald Young and Bogomolov, on the hard courts he likes the most.

Last week, he hailed the return of Vallverdu, who played collegiate tennis in America and Davis Cup for Venezuela, after five weeks away from him, as the panacea to his problems.

'It's important to have a constant figure who is there all the time,' said Murray.

Tim Henman, who carried the expectations of the British public before Murray, said last week: 'I feel Andy needs support, but should he get a full-time coach? It's horses for courses. With Andy's personality, there's no point employing a coach just for the hell of it if he's not going to listen.'

Lloyd added: 'Andy needs to think hard about his future as we know he has the talent.'

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Scotland 0-2 Brazil | International friendly match report

As Brazil began their farewells to a former hero, further proof that a new star has been born arrived in London.

Comparisons between Ronaldo and Neymar begin and end at the fact both are Brazilian and both know exactly where the goal is. The recently retired Ronaldo appeared on the Emirates pitch before kick-off to take a bow before followers who still adore him. The 34-year-old was never famed for being lean during his career but unlearned observers would now take some convincing to believe he was the best player in the world not so long ago.

Neymar, conversely, has a frame so slight and face so boyish that you could fear for his safety against rugged Scottish defenders. He is the epitome of appearances being deceptive, as was illustrated for the latest occasion here.

The 19-year-old, already courted by at least Chelsea and Real Madrid, will generate a serious amount of money when he is eventually coaxed away from Santos. From a position on the left side of Brazil's front three, Neymar proved Scotland's tormentor-in-chief by scoring the goals which endorsed the dominance of the Brazilians.

Elements of Scotland's support understandably over-indulge with alcohol as a means to forget about defeat. Those who stayed sober for this friendly should have only appreciated the skill of someone who is only just old enough to imbibe.

Afterwards, Neymar's national manager was posed with what will become ever-more frequent questions regarding where the player's future will lie. Far from discourage Neymar regarding a life-changing move to England, the Brazil manager Mano Menezes virtually advocated such a transfer.

"I think that could only be good for Neymar," said Menezes when asked directly about the prospect of Chelsea acquiring the youngster's services. "Going to England would give him more physical strength, to enable him to escape strong marking. If he got that, he would be a more complete player to of course it would be good for him.

"Of course, if young players leave Brazilian football when they are young then it is bad for us. It deprives us of the opportunity to watch them play but I understand the personal ambitions of each one of them and the financial benefits available to them."

Brazil's football federation benefitted in monetary terms from the latest round of their world tour. This could be regarded, then, as the perfect exercise with Scotland essentially unable to trouble their illustrious opposition.

Craig Levein and his players, in fact, readily discovered that Brazilians have little trouble indulging in the less glamorous side of the game at which the Scots have been forced to master.

For long periods, it looked as if those in blue and white were being restricted to one touch per minute.

Neymar was eventually withdrawn 60 seconds before the end of stoppage time, allowing the forward to earn the ovation he deserved from one half of the ground at least. Menezes could reasonably have substituted his star man on humanitarian grounds a lot earlier.

The opening goal is worthy of more credit than some may give it. Albeit Scotland - and Scott Brown, bizarrely given he had spent the preceding minutes arguing with the Brazil midfielder - were slack in allowing Andre Santos to cavort down his left flank, Neymar's finish was exquisite. A curling but not fierce shot ended up in virtually the one corner of the goal where the Scotland goalkeeper Allan McGregor had no chance of covering.

There rarely seemed much likelihood of Scotland recovering. Their sole striker, Kenny Miller, was so marginal he had cause to place a Lonely Hearts advert.

Neymar clipped McGregor's crossbar with an effort within seconds of the second-half getting underway. It was from the penalty spot, though, that he rightly emphasised Brazil's superiority.

Charlie Adam found himself on the wrong side of Neymar inside the area, with a tired - and illegal, in the view of the referee Howard Webb - challenge following. The moment rather summed up the afternoon of Adam, for whom high hopes are now routinely held.

"Charlie told me afterwards that he was disappointed with the way he played," said Levein. "I told him that shows how far he has come in the last year, that he has that disappointment. It was refreshing to hear him speak like that; some people had spoken before the game about Charlie being as good as anyone on the pitch."

There was never any doubt that Neymar would dispatch from 12 yards. McGregor, who had kept the scoreline respectable with a string of smart saves, was left feeling as helpless as his team-mates. The Scots can take solace from the fact they won't be the last team to suffer on account of a fresh-faced kid from Sao Paulo.

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