Just four days after dramatically snatching the FA Cup from Arsenal’s grasp in Cardiff, and with the Worthington Cup already safely tucked away in the Anfield trophy cabinet, Liverpool’s class of 2001 completed an unprecedented cup treble on the never-to-be-forgotten night of Wednesday 16 May.

The Spanish minnows of Alaves were the Reds victims as an exciting UEFA Cup campaign that included memorable victories over Roma, Porto and Barcelona, reached a sensational climax at Borussia Dortmund’s impressive Westfalenstadion…

Gerard Houllier (LFC manager 1998-2004): I think the players played for history, played for immortality really because I don’t think any club ANYWHERE, not only in England, had managed to win three cups in one year.

Liverpudlians converged on Dortmund in their thousands, vastly outnumbering those who made the trip from Spain. The flags and banners were again out in force and an estimated 30,000 travelling Kopites gave the Reds a tremendous welcome as Sami Hyypia led the team out on to the pitch. But no one could have foreseen the thrilling, nail-biting spectacle that was to unfold.

Phil Thompson (LFC assistant manager 1998-2004): Again, the pundits were labelling us as boring and that it was going to be a 0-0 game, with it going to penalties or whatever. As it happens we gave one of the best European finals since a certain 7-3 game involving Real Madrid in the sixties.
Liverpool got off to a dream start when Markus Babbel headed home after just three minutes. The Reds were awarded a free kick close to the right hand touchline following a foul on Heskey. McAllister delivered the set piece and Babbel, back in his homeland, nodded past Herrera in the Alaves goal.

It was to get even better on 15 minutes when Steven Gerrard increased the lead. Michael Owen slid an inch perfect pass through to Gerrard, who found himself unmarked after exploiting a gaping hole in the Alaves defence. He only had the keeper to beat and he made no mistake, rifling his shot past Herrera with the minimum of fuss from inside the area.

Gary McAllister (LFC player 2000-02): It was a game in which we started off very comfortably and it was a case of how many were we going to score in those early stages. But all credit to Alaves, they came storming back.

The joyous mood in the Liverpool camp changed slightly when substitute Ivan Alonso pulled a goal back for Alaves in the 26th minutes. From a Cosmin Contra cross on the right Alonso rose highest and placed his header beyond Westerveld to reduce the deficit.

Phil Thompson: It was unbelievable because we started so well and everyone thought that it was going to be great. Then they made a change, which meant they had to come out after us, and they showed what great qualities they have in their team.

LFC fan: Well, when it was 2-0, I thought they looked very poor, because they were losing the ball and that. But as soon as they got into the game I began to worry because I could see the signs creeping in there and I had to go out of the ground, I had to go to the toilet, I had to make an excuse to get out of the ground for a little bit.

A Gary Mac penalty, after Michael Owen had been brought down in the box, restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage five minutes before the interval but two minutes after the restart another Alaves goal, this time by Moreno, set Liverpudlian hearts fluttering again.

An LFC fan: I thought then that perhaps we were not going to win it

Gary McAllister: It was just one of those games where I didn’t want it to end because it was so enjoyable to play in. It was attack versus attack. Big flowing attacks from both sides.

Liverpool fans breathed a huge sigh of relief when the dangerous Moreno was surprisingly taken off in the 64th minute and at the same time Robbie Fowler was summonsed from the bench. It was to prove an inspired switch. McAllister, driving forward from midfield, supplied Fowler, who took the ball on a few yards before picking his spot and placing the ball into the bottom corner to restore the lead once again.

LFC fan: I remember when Robbie scored, I was very, very happy. It was excellent.

Robbie Fowler (LFC player 1993-2001): To get on in a UEFA Cup final and score a goal like that, for me, it was unbelievable.

But Liverpool were just two minutes from glory when the game took an other dramatic twist. Pablo took a corner from the right and Red hearts sank when Jordi Cruyff sensationally headed home to make it 4-4.
Robbie Fowler: I think everyone thought, including me, that my goal would turn out to be the winner. I think it was about 5 seconds before the whistle had gone they actually scored.

LFC fan: When it went to 4-4 I thought we were going to tire out.
What was left of normal time saw Alaves pressing forward in search of a winning goal and Liverpool were relieved to hear the whistle sound. Tension gripped the stadium as extra time got underway. Alonso had the ball in the back of Liverpool’s net shortly afterwards but was clearly offside and in the 98th minute Alaves were reduced to ten men Magno received his second yellow card for a late and reckless lunge on Babbel. The first half of extra time ended with Fowler having a goal disallowed, also for offside.

Gerard Houllier: If you look at what happened after the equaliser, which came about two minutes before the end of the game, you could have thought we would have collapsed. We could have, but we didn’t. We stood up and as soon as the extra-time started we got back into the job and tried to score a goal.

Gary McAllister: When they went down to ten men you could see that they were flagging a little bit and we were pressing and pressing and pressing.

Alaves suffered a further blow when Karmona became their second player to receive his marching orders, following a foul on Smicer.

LFC fan: When they had the two men sent off, I thought perhaps we are going to get it, all I was worried about was if they’d have enough men left to take the penalties. I thought we’d probably win it on penalties.

Seconds later their world was to collapse when Geli turned McAllister’s free kick into his own net and handed the cup to Liverpool, courtesy of the golden goal rule.
Gary McAllister: The free kick was awarded after a good run by Vladimir Smicer, who was cutting in towards the goal and my initial thoughts were, as usual with a free-kick in that sort of area, to get the ball into the danger zone and hope that one of our players get a touch. Unfortunately for Alaves it was one of their players who got a touch. It went in at the far post and it was all smiles from us.

LFC fan: The best part of that was I wasn’t aware that it was golden goal. I thought if we get that goal, well at least we’ll get to penalties, but when I saw them all running on the pitch I was ecstatic.

Gary McAllister: My initial feeling was just to go and hug all the other players coming towards me and then getting to the fans and I still to this day think that there were maybe two or three of our players didn’t realise it was golden goal. I know they won’t admit it, but I think there were two or three of our guys who didn’t really know that the game was over and that we had won.

Jamie Carragher (LFC player 1996-present): After what had gone on through the game, I think we were getting a bit tired. We’d played 60-odd games then I think and the last couple of games showed that. I think we made Alaves look a very good team. They were a good team, but they shouldn’t have really been competing with us, but in the end we ground it out.

The goal sparked wild celebrations and this thrilling final was over. The delight and relief was overwhelming. Liverpool fans danced in the stands and the entire squad, including backroom staff, danced in a huddle on the pitch.
Phil Thompson: I don’t think anyone could have predicted the outcome of that game. To win it on a golden goal was unbelievable. And the jubilant on-the-field scenes after the game, were so special. The celebrations with the fans, with the players and with the staff, it was wonderful.

Rick Parry (LFC Chief Executive): The singing of You’ll Never Walk Alone and everybody joining in epitomised Liverpool for me really. That’s what this club is all about. It was obviously special and it was obviously something that will live in people’s memories forever, and nobody will ever forget being there, ever. And again, to me it was absolutely fantastic because this bond with the supporters is really what separates us from other clubs. You couldn’t imagine that happening readily with too many other clubs in quite the same way.

Phil Thompson: It’s things that just come about so spontaneously that happens and gathering the players together to sing together was unbelievable.

Amid the wild celebrations Robbie Fowler and Sami Hyypia found time to hoist the giant silver vase aloft before a victorious lap of honour began. Liverpool teams of recent years had been forced to live under the shadow of the club’s rich and illustrious past but on this never-to-be-forgotten night in the Westfalenstadion the ghost of past glories was well and truly exorcised.

Chelsea last night completed the signing of Sevilla defender Daniel Alves for £21.4 million.

Alves, whose fee could rise by £2.7m based on performance-related factors, is equally comfortable in defence or midfield and should be available for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Liverpool.
The arrival of the 24-year-old Brazil defender, who is free to play in the Champions League, is likely to signal Arjen Robben’s move to Real Madrid after the Spaniards opted to pull out of the race for Alves in return for Chelsea agreeing to a fee of about £22m for the Holland winger.

Chelsea meet Reading at the Madejski Stadium tonight but rival bosses Jose Mourinho and Steve Coppell expect no fall-out from last season’s incidentpacked game there.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech suffered a fractured skull when he was clipped inadvertently by Steve Hunt’s knee.

Mourinho hit out at Reading’s emergency procedures and the efficiency of the ambulance service but Reading boss Coppell yesterday said: “We don’t want to make an issue of the situation, there will be no special effort. It is something that has happened that we regretted at the time. The welcome is there if Jose wants to come in for a drink.”

Mourinho added: “For us it is just a game, a difficult game, but only a game, nothing else.”

The possible return in Chelsea’s midfield of former Reading favourite Steve Sidwell adds further spice.

Coppell said: “I would like to think he’ll get a good reception. Even though he knew he was going, he played his heart out last season.”

It appears there will be no place for Glen Johnson after one game back following his loan to Portsmouth. Mourinho has brought Paulo Ferreira into the squad while Brazil defender Alexwas also unveiled yesterday.

well as i am moving on..my pt’s are not putting money into my account as my study is only for three years..haha..good job..i went looking for a part time job guess what i found?..a pizza hut operator=p taking order for the delivery in every inch of malaysia(i think)..now i have worked for a week..it is a tiring work where you must be a very talkative person..i think i am gonna improve my english as i takes english and malay order.huhu..next two weeks i will only work for weekends.this week and next week gonna a blasphemy for me=p tires..thirsty..network-DOWN..

something is worrying me..my father is not looking pretty well..my bro called me and told me that my father is sick just like the first time he got the symptoms.Hope my father is recovering well..you know, old people doesn’t like getting in the way of their children..my father hide his pain for 2-3 month you see..we all know when he told mother he cannot sleep well…my father have a heart problem..long live my father!!!!!AMIN..

My FYP aka final year project is all about security.I’m gonna develop a system which encrypt a file(whatever type of file).Then it will check what type of file it is,the size of it and the system will analyze which encryption algorithm it gonna use.Looks like easy but there’s more than meet the eye.haha…if someone have the same project like me don’t be shy to tell me about it.i would be glad if i find someone who already develope this kind of thing.i am not gonna copyCat..i think i will build the system using java.

Java is another problem for me as i never learned how to used this language.If someone just drop by this blog and read this thing and know about my FYP don’t hesitate okay..arious.

The iraqi football squad won the asia cup by defeating the saudi’s 1-0 thanks to the skipper,younis score the only goal for the final match.the match are really exciting as both of the team played really2 well.

This win surely will make a wake up call for the iraqi region which are in chaos after the invasion of US and Brit’s army.after the semi’s when iraq beat korean in penalty shootout,the people around baghdad celebrate with gun fire and bom(i think..)..the sad thing is when there was an incident when a boy death after an explosion.the mother of the boy didn’t mourned the death of her son but she said it was the sacrifice for the iraqi squad to win the asia cup.

the iraqi player wear the black armband to honor the death of the iraqi people who died in the blast..May Allah bless them all.the iraqi squad make the politician can’t do..which bringing SMILE to the iraqi people..

Who do you think Rafa gonna line up in the first match against Aston Villa?!..i think rafa will used the rotation just like the last season so that everyone is statisfied..haha..this is one of the most creative idea of rafa but but it was a slow start last season.I think this season gonna we(the liverpudian) will manage to catch up with Man U and Chelsea..With the arrival of El-Nino, Yossi, voronin and all the rising star of the FA youth cup winner such as Nabil el Zhar,Paul Anderson..

Forza Liverpool FC!!!!!my first XI should be :
Finnan (RB)
Riise (LB)
Carra(CB)
Agger(CB)
Gerrard MBE (CM)
Mash(DM)
Babel(LW)
Bennayoun(RW)
Torres(ST)
Voronin(CF)

The red one is of course the the obsolete home kit=) The white one is for the away game in English Premier League..Then finally the euro away kit is the black one..to honest..it’s looks like the away kit for Man U for a couple of season later..huhu..any way..hope this jersey will bring the EPL title for THE KOP.

The arrival of record signings EL-Nino aka Fernando Torres hope to bring more attacking option which Liverpool are lack of..Forza Liverpool FC!!!!

hello and welcome to my new name blog..hehe..during the last week of my holiday,my friend and i agree to join a futsal tournament in my village organize by one of my friend.well..first i need to gather at least 7 players..first my team only three members including me..am and wak pan..then wak pan cancel because he got work to do.then i ask all of my friend but some of them already got a team.finally i get 4 more recruit..tahir,midad,husin and yan..hehe..the night before the tournament were held we agreed on practising at next village futsal centre..although the futsal centre suppose to be build in my village but thanks to the head village,it was cancel and built else where..when we reach the centre,there were the other 3 teams that we will compete next morning..so we join them so practice..the court that we’re playing were totally different from the tournament court.the pitch in the centre are really2 nice and comfortable but the tournament pitch is something like the road only the surface is smooth..once you fall,99% you will get cut or bruises.

during the practice my team win all the game including with the team that have better player than my team..the most funniest team is when our team score or close on scoring, the other team will gave us cheers and noise but when the superior team score…silence..the other funny thing is one of the moment when my team launch a counter attack to the superior team..once it is launch, my team in offense position are 4 but the superior team defence only one..them my friend,Ali shout ‘lauk!!!’ then we didn’t manage to score but burst into laugh..i dunno why because we are the underdog but we are attacking in 4 but the other team defence in 1..stupid ali..haha…we finished practicing late about 3am..the tournament start at 9..how does we get enough rest?!!…’belasah je la’..we play for fun.then the tournament begin and we recruit one more,Ali..haha..he was suppose to have a team but last minute problem so we ask him to join us..hee..

my team name is ‘Cap Ayam’ aka Chicken Brand..there are 5 team registered.my team lost first two game although we were the first to score..we were beaten by Lauk Ayam 2-1,KMJ(superior team) 5-1 i think..haha..then we draw with Sea food(one of my village restaurant) 3-3 i think and finally we win against Makjun 5-1 i think..then we are qualified for the semi’s.the semi’s were held after zohor which was raining cats and dogs..the court is slippery but it’s ok..during the semi’s i got some bruises on my leg in order to score a much needed goal..the ball is 50-50 with the keeper so i decided to gamble on sliding on the pitch(you know the pitch right?!..)luckily i manage to score and the impact after scoring is i got some map of asia i think..

but sadly we lost 4-3..we were leading 3-1 but the lack of experience playing on that kind of pitch cost us..
that was my last exiting week of my holiday huh?!..sort of..i think that’s all..got to search my final year project title..see ya..

During my holiday in three weeks..the 1st and the 2nd week is the boring week until the 3rd week..hehe..there are good and bad things happened during the 3rd week..in the weekend of the 3rd week on saturday..my friend and i was supposed to represent my village which is felda air tawar 5 in futsal..the story begin like this….at my village i like to playing football in the evening but the football field looks like a forest where the bush are really tall..luckily there was a futsal court near the football field which was officially open by Dato’ Azalina.everyday i played there with my friends.then one of my friend told me if i am free on saturday(the last week of my holiday).of course i am free as i went back to KL on Monday.

My friend told me that Felda are organizing a tournament between all the felda village in Johor.I said i am on..then then time came for us to go to the tournament which was held in Felda Kledang.It takes about 30minutes from Air Tawar 5 to Kledang.When we arrive there at 8.45am, we register at the booth..then the nightmare begin.after we got the t-shirt for the tournament.the organizer call upon us to the registering booth.the problem starts when the organizer tells us that our village suppose to register futsal for lady not men.

What the hell is going on?!..as we are all confuse with the situation..our driver aka the manager called our “Pengurus Felda”.Did you know what does “Pengurus Felda” said?!..he said something like this..”Biase nye Air tawar 5 hantar futsal perempuan..”.The fault is you all must already know who right…There was an appointment before the tournament between “Pengurus Felda” which they will register what will their felda gonna played in and what gender..our “Pengurus Felda” registered the lady futsal but in the meeting with the air tawar 5 commitee “Pengurus Felda” mention nothing about the gender..idiot!!!!..I felt really2 down that time.We tried to convince the organizer to let us in but it didn’t work..they said that it gonna really cause lots of work..fuck Bureaucracy!!!

we tried all we can so that we can played in the tournament..but it was all wasting our time.huh..finally we decided to went back…only god know how does it felt like..i was really excited about this tournament but somehow i wasn’t able to played..so(infinity times) saddddddd…….after we reach our village,we went to my primary school because there were “gotong-royong” held..its been a long times since i took a visit to my childhood school..sweet memory huh!…

although i didn’t manage to played futsal, i manage to clear up my mind with the scenery of my childhood school..huhu…my story about futsal doesn’t here ok..next i will tell about futsal at night..arious amigos..