Alan Nixon is an experienced Manchester-based freelance who has extensive contacts throughout the game. Agents, players and managers (Souness has given him umpteen leads over the past few years) who wish to get stories in the papers (for whatever reason) supply him with information. His forte is breaking potential transfer stories, the type of stuff that the Sunday red-tops thrive on. Unfortunately, many of them turn out not to be true, which has given him a somewhat dubious reputation in the trade. I believe he was on the Daily Mail staff for a while but he did not last long. Quite why a respectable broadsheet such as the Independent uses him I do not know.

Disappointing to hear about the board's financial difficulties. Where's philip when you need him to sort out the accounts? I'm happy to sign up with a standing order. One question: is there a reduced rate for us cash-strapped OAPs?

Typical Merseyside, living in the past with a chip on its shoulder. Scousers Against The World is their motto; no wonder Liverpool has been in decline for years and its population leaving in droves.

He's also a 21-year-old sprog. If we had a whole team of young players there would be no need to worry over hunger and desire. Matteo is a reasonable signing (injury provided) but I am concerned that Souness has recruited yet another player in his thirties. Jack Walker's advice to Dalglish when he went on his spending spree was to try to buy "young and British" but by and large Souness seems to rely on experience. Assuming Rovers line against West Brom something like this, Friedel (age 33) Neill (26) Short (36)/Amoruso (33) Matteo (30) Gray (30 next month) Thompson (26)/Emerton (25) Ferguson (26) Flitcroft (31)/Tugay (34 next month) De Pedro (29?) Stead (21) Cole (32)/Dickov (31) ...... I would say it's a good job Thompson and Ferguson are available for selection again otherwise the line-up would look distinctly aged.

How about: Dominic Matteo, ra, ra, ra (repeat) as we twirl our scarves above our head?

Flitcroft is one of my favourite players but his days at the club looked numbered. It sounds as if he has had a barney with our esteemed manager, so nothing new there then. Now, now Simon. You should know better than to upset the unemployed former master brewer, expecially when he's out of his tree (again) after spending what's left of his redundancy money in yet another pub!

Greece think they have won Euro 2004 but back in the Fatherland, Rehhagel is seen as the real hero. So there you have it: Germany have conquered Europe, again. I agree that, as a supposed leading football nation, England have underachieved over the years. We did not even qualify for the World Cups of 1974 and 1978, which was inexcusable considering the quality of players that were around at that time, while we also missed out on USA 94. Our record in the European Championships is lamentable. I believe that we have had some outstanding players in England since we won the 1966 World Cup but they have been badly managed and coached. For that I blame the FA, who have made some very poor appointments for the manager's job. They sacked Sir Alf, the only man to have won anything for England, and appointed Revie, who was a crook and a disaster as manager. Greenwood steadied the ship for a while and Robson did well to get us to the World Cup semi-finals in 1990 but since then, with the exception of Venables at Euro 96, it has been all downhill. Next came Graham Taylor, who turned out to be an embarrassment and out of his depth at international level, and then Glenn Hoddle, of whom the least said the better, and Kevin Keegan, who admitted after he walked out on England that he "did not have a clue about tactics". Now we have Eriksson, whose one-dimensional approach (defend deep and try to score on the counter-attack) has been exposed in Japan in 2002 and in Portugal. I do not hold out much hope for 2006, assuming we get there.

Five Live has been reporting a bid of £5m for Jeremy and J Cole - seems cheap? Is that Jeremy Paxman the broadcaster or Geremi the footballer?

And others think that living thousands of miles away in the US is an excuse not to attend home matches too! Get on that plane lad, flying the Atlantic's never been cheaper.

Excellent. Stored away for future use.

Errr, no?? We had to let him speak to other clubs but why were we compelled to sell him? You are missing the point as usual. Gerrard showed loyalty to his club, Duff took the money and ran. End of story.

That would be a valid comparison if, firstly, Duff was a Blackburn lad like Gerarrd was a Liverpool fan and a local lad. Secondly, if Rovers could offer the same kind of competitive football as Chelsea did at the time. Liverpool can offer Stevie Champions League football just like Chelsea. Rovers couldn't offer that to Duff a year ago...which is why it isn't a fair comparison. As for Duff himself... he made us £17 million. It isn't his fault if we didn't spend it as well as we could. The guy made us a fortune. It's then up to us to use it appropriately. We weren't in the Champions League but we were in the Uefa Cup. Duff isn't a Blackburn lad but, as he admitted, he was very happy in the area and had no wish to leave. That is all irrelevant however. He showed no loyalty to Rovers once his head had been turned by the vast wages on offer at Stamford Bridge. Like Gerrard, he could have turned them down and stayed at Ewood on his (still very comfortable salary), but he chose to follow the smell of money. No wonder he kisses the Chelsea badge at every opportunity while his Mum (who looks after his finances) counts up the noughts on his monthly paycheck. Gerrard's decision is a triumph for old-fashioned virtues. All power to his considerable elbow. I look forward to more players following his example.

The more I think about it the more I admire Gerrard. It was reported that by joining Chelsea he had the chance to double his (admittedly exorbitant) salary from £65,000 to £130,000 a week. There are not many people, when given the chance to double their wages, in whatever walk of life, who would do that. His quotes today also demonstrated his deep feelings for his club, the love of the community in which he lives and his sense of loyalty to the Liverpool supporters. Contrast his attitude with that of the treasonable Duff, who sold his soul for laundered Russian roubles without a backward glance to the club that made his name and the supporters who worshipped him.

Yup, it's everyone else's but fault but our own. And in case there is any doubt, blame the poor old ref. Nothing to do with England's poor finishing, poor penalty taking, poor tactics, poor defending or (in certain cases) poor players then?

Good to see Gerrard turn down the Abramovich shilling and pledge his loyalty to Liverpool. There's not much fealty in football these days but some players are not motivated solely by money and still have principles it seems. Pity the same cannot be said of the treacherous Duff.

Beaten by two France goals in the last two minutes; the agony and drama of another penalty shoot-out. How much gut-wrenching emotion do you want? Looking back over the years, I've had far more kick-the-cat moments with England than I have with Rovers. The problem with England is the hope, because it always promises to be fulfilled but never is. With Rovers, I do not expect to reach the promised land, so I am never disappointed.

Again? First time in six matches actually. For someone born in Blackburn, a Lancastrian and an Englishman, you are are a disgrace to your country.

For once, Revidge is way off beam on this thread. Perhaps in his own little cocooned RoverWorld, the concept of patriotism and the country desperate for England success after 40 barren years has not reached his consciousness.

Pardon? It's certainly headline news if sales have slumped. Or is it a case that the club only likes to report "good" news.

France have not looked in good order since the championship began. It's history now I know, but if Beckham had put away that penalty we would have beaten them too. Shame.

Bill Shankley Bill Shankly. Coming from an era when goalkeepers were not the "untouchables" that they are today, the great man would no doubt have had a robust view of last night's events. With regard to Swiss referee Urst Maier's performance, it is worth recalling one of his other classic quotes: "The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game."

Very odd point of view Revidge. This is our national team, after all, playing in a major tournament, so I would be very disappointed if the country were not getting excited. Even the carers in my residential home, none of whom are real footy fans, have been glued to the telly over the past fortnight. Generally, I don't take alot of interest in England friendly matches but for the big tournaments I get as wound up as if I were watching Rovers. I even put my best teeth in so that I can shout at the TV properly.

Perhaps there is more passionate support for England because the players look as if they take pride in their shirt and care about playing for their country. By contrast, remember the number of passionless and uncommitted performances we had to witness by Rovers last season. If the players give the appearance of not caring, neither will the fans.

Flippin' giblets, if I were Liverpool I would snap Chelsea's hand off.

Mods ganging up on a rocker. This is just like the 1960s all over again. Let's hear it for lofty. Hurrah!