JERMAINE DISAPPOINTED BY ENGLAND SNUB

Jermaine Pennant has revealed his frustration after being overlooked for a place in the England squad.
Pennant had been hoping an improved second half of the season and an excellent display in the Champions League final could help him force his way into Steve McClaren's plans, but the England coach instead opted to hand David Beckham an international recall for the double header with Brazil and Estonia next week. "I'd have hoped I was knocking on the England door because if you are not knocking on the door after playing in a Champions League final for Liverpool then there must be something wrong," he said. "The Champions League has been good for me as a player and I wasn't at all fazed to have played in the final. It would have been a great pick up to be selected by England so I'm desperately disappointed. "After a few problems, the last season was a real turnaround and to have played in the Champions League final and finish third in the Premiership I couldn't have expected anymore. Being picked for the England games would have been a good way to end the season."

REDS AGREE DOUBLE HUNGARIAN SWOOP

Liverpool have moved swiftly to bolster their reserve ranks by agreeing deals to sign Hungarian pair Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon from MTK Hungaria.
Nemeth, 18, and Simon, 17, appeared for Hungary in last year's UEFA Under-17 Championships. The duo are both strikers, although Nemeth also plays in midfield.

DEFEAT WILL MAKE US STRONGER

Jamie Carragher could not contain his disappointment after losing the Champions League final to AC Milan but insisted the team has a burning desire to come back stronger next season and challenge for more honours.
The Reds centre half felt there wasn't much between the teams on the night but admitted the disappointment of losing the match was hard to take. "We are devastated but hopefully the defeat will make us stronger and we will be back next season," said Carragher. "While it's hard to take losing a final, at the same time we've got to hold our hands up and give great credit to AC Milan who are a great side. "We enjoyed the celebrations of winning it two years ago so we have a lot of respect for Milan and we will move on from this. "Their first goal was a bit fortuitous and I should have cleared the ball better than what I did and it then put Xabi Alonso under pressure to clear the ball. At this level the smallest detail counts. "I didn't think there was much in the game and we had a good chance with Stevie but unfortunately we couldn't score. "I didn't think Milan had a lot of chances and I thought we played very well in the second half but no-one will remember that and it's Milan's night. "I thought we handled Kaka as well as any team has done in this tournament and Mascherano put in a few great challenges on him. He set up their second goal but he is always going to cause any team problems because he is the best player in the world. "Our fans were probably the man of the match again and full credit to them. We are just devastated we couldn't bring the cup back for them."

GONZALEZ SET TO LEAVE REDS

Mark Gonzalez is set to leave Liverpool for Real Betis after one season at the club.
Rafa Benitez today confirmed the two sides had "almost" reached an agreement over the Chilean winger. Bolo Zenden, whose contract expires in the summer, has also been told he can talk to other clubs. Benitez said: "I was talking with him before and I said he could talk with other teams. He knows the situation. "It's clear some players will leave. We almost have an agreement with Real Betis for Mark Gonzalez."

RUTHLESS RAFA STARTS PURGE

Less than 24 hours after Liverpool's Champions League final failure, boss Rafael Benitez is already planning his clear-out.
The Liverpool boss has told midfielder Bolo Zenden he is free to talk to other clubs with his contract due to expire, while Chile winger Mark Gonzalez is on the brink of a £5m move to Real Betis.
And with offers likely to be on the table for striker Craig Bellamy, who could not even get off the bench in Wednesday night's 2-1 defeat here by AC Milan, the Welsh forward could also have played his last game for the club.
With Robbie Fowler and Jerzy Dudek already released, this is just the start of a major overhaul of Benitez's squad.
More will soon follow with the Spanish manager having told the club's new owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett that it will need £100million-plus to revamp a squad that finished third in the Premiership, but were 21 points behind champions Manchester United.
Benitez has already outlined his plans to the new regime, and he was brutally frank in outlining Liverpool's future this morning at the team hotel ahead of the flight back to Merseyside.
He said: "We must not waste this moment. We must move quickly to sign our number-one targets.
"If we wait we will be chasing the players who are second and third on our list. We need to change the structure of the club on and off the pitch.
"We must make progress, and make it now to take us up two or three levels straight away."
Benitez has his scouting department working overtime, despite the fact that the club's chief scout Frank McParland is joining Bolton and former Liverpool coach Sammy Lee.
But Benitez will not want to mark time in the wake of the Athens defeat, and he said: "There will be several players leaving. We will wait for offers.
"I have been told by the new owners that they will back my plans. But when you look at the champions Manchester United spending £20million on a midfield player, and we have been paying just £8-to-£9million for our strikers, you know what must be done.
"We must spend big and spend now. Our fans know what we need to do and so do I. We need to pay the price needed for each position.
"We have a deal nearly completed for Gonzalez and I have told Bolo (Zenden) that he can talk to other clubs. We know the situation we have now.
"We have finished 21 points behind United and 15 behind Chelsea.
"They will both spend big money again and we will just be marking time. If we continue the way we are we will be fighting for fourth spot again at the end of the season, and we cannot have that all the time."
He added: "Everybody can see what we must do to compete at the top level and we must move as quickly as possible not to lose this opportunity.
"Two seasons ago we got 82 points, a club record, and we could not get into the top two. If we do not improve now we will always be fighting for fourth spot.
"It is obvious we do not have enough players for nine months competing in four competitions."

BENITEZ QUICK TO SEEK MORE CASH

Rafael Benitez has warned new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks they will need to spend some serious money if Liverpool are to stand a realistic chance of meaningful silverware next season.
Whether the Merseyside giants won or lost the Champions League final, Benitez always knew it would be a summer of rebuilding at Anfield.
But the 2-1 defeat by AC Milan in the Olympic Stadium has only strengthened his resolve ahead of a key strategy meeting with Gillett and Hicks to pinpoint Liverpool's plans for the future.
"If we want to be contenders next season and back in the Champions League final, we need to improve the squad," he said.
"When you see the quality of some of the other teams, it is clear.
"It is not easy to find the right players.
"Manchester United just spent £20million on Owen Hargreaves, so we know what the market situation is.
"But if we want to be close to United and Chelsea and to have another chance in the Champions League, we need to go two steps at a time. I hope I get the backing to do that."
So minor were the differences in Wednesday night's encounter it could be argued Benitez does not have that much work to do.
Had Steven Gerrard or Jermaine Pennant taken the chances which fell their way before Filippo Inzaghi's fortuitous opener, when he deflected Andrea Pirlo's free-kick past Pepe Reina, Liverpool could easily have landed their sixth European Cup.
But once the Reds adopted a more offensive approach as they chased the game in the latter stages, Milan were able to find the gaps to cut them open a second time, Kaka feeding Inzaghi for a fine second.
Benitez brought on Peter Crouch for Javier Mascherano and admitted: "It allowed us to take more risks in attack but then we lost control of the midfield.
"Unfortunately, when you do that against a side like Milan, they can kill you with one opportunity. It only takes one pass from Kaka and that is what happened."
Dirk Kuyt's close-range header in the final minute did raise hopes of a comeback equally as unlikely as the one Liverpool produced against Milan in Istanbul two years ago.
This time Benitez's side were thwarted, not helped by German referee Herbert Fandel, who failed to play the full three minutes of injury time even though Milan made a substitution which should have added another 30 seconds on.
Clearly unhappy, Benitez made his feelings known to Fandel and the new UEFA president Michel Platini as he went up to collect his loser's medal.
"It is not an excuse but I am disappointed," said Benitez.
"After Dirk scored, we were confident we could get another but I was surprised by the lack of time we were given.
"It could have made a difference but in the end, I suppose you need to score in the 90 minutes."

ANGEL OF THE NORTH

JERMAINE PENNANT believes that a Champions League Final appearance is his reward for becoming an "angel".
The Liverpool winger has made a determined effort this season to clean up his act, after controversy blighted his career.
Pennant was kicked out of Arsenal for his wild lifestyle and was sent to prison while with Birmingham on a drink driving charge. But he has changed his ways since arriving at Anfield last summer for £6million.
And now he wants to enjoy a change in fortunes that has brought about the first major final appearance of his career.
"It's been a big year for me. I arrived here with a question mark hanging over my head and probably a reputation as someone who gets into trouble - but I've been like an angel," Pennant said.
"I've not had one bit of bother in my Liverpool career and I'm proud of that. I've had a lot to prove to people here since July and I think I've done it.
"I seemed to be getting a better press in the second half of the season and I'd say it's because I've answered a lot of my critics."
Pennant has found his form and is pushing for a starting place in the final against AC Milan on May 23, despite the manager's liking of Steven Gerrard on the right.
Pennant explained that Rafael Benitez tested him throughout the season and he is confident that he has come through the trial to establish himself as a player who can be relied on.
"Even within the club I feel like I've been tested," he said. "The manager likes to keep you on your toes and make sure you don't get too comfortable or ahead of yourself.
"I felt earlier on in the season that in some games I'd played I'd done well enough to keep my place in the side. But I would be on the bench in the next game. "The manager likes rotation but I believe they were tests of what I was made of.
"I'm sure the manager was warned about what type of person I was and I think he was looking to see how I'd react.
"I kept my head down and just worked harder in training and games. I think that's why I'm hitting form now. The boss knows he can trust me on and off the field."
Skipper Gerrard, meanwhile, has revealed the hunger that drives everyone at Anfield.
He said: "The Champions League is the biggest and we want to succeed. Istanbul was the best night of my footballing life and I want to match it in Athens. I don't care how we do it, even if it's a boring 1-0 win."
Benitez has appointed former Liverpool great Phil Neal to the role of new academy supremo at Anfield.

Gerrard set to sign new contract

Steven Gerrard is set to sign a new four-year contract with Liverpool.
The 26-year-old has two years left on his current deal but the Reds are keen to tie him down to a new one.
"Talks are progressing and I am ready to sign a new contract any time now. As soon as the contract is put in front of me I will sign it," he said.
New owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are also willing to agree a £120,000 weekly wage for the England midfielder, who is also captain at Anfield.
The contract will give Gerrard the chance to help Liverpool launch a challenge for the Premiership title and he added: "We can't escape the fact that, in the league, this season we haven't been good enough.
With investment in the summer, and the squad here staying together, we can promise to push Chelsea and Manchester United all the way next year
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
"You ask the manager, or me, or indeed any of the players in our dressing room and they will all say exactly the same thing.
"We had bigger ambitions for this season than the Champions League.
"We always had one eye on Europe because it is so prestigious and a tournament that has always served us well but we also wanted the league flag flying back at Anfield and felt we were in a good position to have a real go.
Gerrard, whose side face AC Milan in the Champions League final on 23 May, added: "The league is always your bread and butter as a Liverpool player and we are not far away.
"With investment in the summer, and the squad here staying together, we can promise to push Chelsea and Manchester United all the way next year."

Mascherano Delighted Hammers Avoided Drop

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano says he was happy to see his former club West Ham avoid relegation at the weekend.

The Argentinian moved to Upton Park in a controversial deal with Carlos Tevez, but failed to shine in the little playing time he was given.
He has since cut an impressive figure in a Liverpool shirt and is getting ready to turn out against Milan in the Champions League final next week.
He said: "No matter what happened there (at West Ham), I’m pleased, content and happy they survived, because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have had the chance to play in a Champions League final.
"They helped me. By bringing me to England they gave me this opportunity and, of course, Carlos Tevez is my great friend so I am happy for him.
"I don’t know about the politics and I don’t want to talk about the rights and wrongs of whether they should be docked points but I do know we didn’t do anything wrong. We just went to play and, though I didn’t play much, they still gave me my chance.
"They all helped — staff, players, fans, everyone. For that I am grateful. They are a great club — too good to be out of the top flight — so I am happy."

LEIVA: IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY NO TO LFC

Latest Reds acquisition Lucas Leiva has spoken of his imminent move to Anfield and revealed it was too good an opportunity to turn down.
It was confirmed on Friday that Brazilian midfielder Leiva will join the club from Gremio in time for the start of next season. Before moving to Merseyside the highly-rated 20-year old will is hoping to help his current club win the South American equivalent of the Champions League but he's excited at the prospect of becoming a Liverpool player. "Regarding my transfer to Liverpool, to tell you the truth, I really didn't expect to leave Brazil so soon but what I have been offered and the team from which it came from made it impossible to say no," said the Brazil under-20 captain. "Liverpool made me an excellent proposal in the financial and professional part. "In addition I know that my departure is going to give a big hand to Gremio for resolving some financial problems so that makes me happy and makes me calm with the decision that I took of accepting the transfer. "I wish to travel to England in July taking in my suitcase the Copa Libertadores title. 'I am very happy and thankful that I have been given the chance to remain at Gremio until the end of the Copa Libertadores because playing this competition and having the chance to win it is something that I have been waiting for since I was a child."

Samba ace Lucas' £8m Kop deal

BRAZILIAN wonderkid Lucas Leiva is joining Liverpool after they made him an offer he could not refuse.
The 20-year-old holding midfielder has agreed personal terms on an £8million move from Gremio.
He admitted: “I didn’t expect to leave Brazil so soon but what I have been offered and the team from which it came made it impossible to say no.
“Liverpool have made me an excellent proposal in the financial and professional aspects.
“I also realise my departure will be a huge help to Gremio in resolving some of their financial difficulties. That makes me happy with the decision.”
Lucas, skipper of the national Under-20 team, will move to Liverpool in July after the end of the Brazilian season.

Pardew : I hope Javier isn't angry

ALAN PARDEW hopes Javier Mascherano holds no hard feelings.
Pards was boss of West Ham when Argentine stars Mascherano and Carlos Tevez signed in August.
But midfielder Mascherano made only seven appearances before joining Liverpool in January — and promptly helped the Kop outfit to the Champions League final.
Pards, now in charge at relegated Charlton, said: “I am hoping his feelings are not dented by the fact I didn’t give him many chances.
“Javier needed to find the pace of the Premiership.
"Unfortunately for him, and perhaps me, in his first involvements in games for West Ham we didn’t win.
“I feel you get the best out of Javier in a team that retains the ball at a greater technical level.
“Liverpool is well-suited to him and I’m very pleased for the success he has enjoyed there.”

Fowler to leave Anfield in summer

Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler has confirmed his contract will not be extended at the end of this season.
The popular striker's deal runs out in the summer and he has been told by Reds manager Rafael Benitez he is free to leave Anfield.
"I have not even thought about my future beyond Liverpool," the 32-year-old told the Liverpool Echo.
"The manager explained the situation to me this week and I wasn't a bit surprised to be honest."
Fowler will play against Charlton on Sunday in his last match at Anfield in a red shirt and could feature in the Champions League final on 23 May.
He said: "Obviously it will be an emotional day for me but I want everyone to know I am still completely focused on what I see as two very important games ahead for the club.
I just hope I can finish with a few goals and a Champions League final win
Robbie Fowler
"Firstly I want to play well and win against Charlton to help us finish third, and then there is the preparation for and hopefully playing a part in the Champions League final.
"I will think about everything else after that because I don't want anything to interfere with such an important match.
"But everyone knows I've treated every game back at Liverpool in exactly the same way and given all I could for the team, and that's going to be the case in the last two matches as well."
Fowler is in his second spell at the club, having first left Anfield under a cloud to join Leeds when Gerard Houllier was Reds manager.
He made his debut for the Reds as an 18-year-old in 1993, scoring 171 goals in 330 games before joining Leeds for £11m in 2001 and then Man City for £6m in 2003.
He rejoined Liverpool in January 2006 and has netted seven goals this season.
606: DEBATE
I can't see him being happy at any other English club
ML
He added: "At least this time I will get a chance to say goodbye properly because I was gutted the way it happened last time.
"Since I've been back the support I have had from the fans has been tremendous, it's been even better than it was first time around.
"Maybe you appreciate it even more when you've been away and missed it so much, but I'll never forget the reception they gave me and will always be thankful for it.
"I just hope I can finish with a few goals and a Champions League final win. That will be the perfect way to end the season for me."

REDS TO SIGN BRAZILIAN MIDFIELDER

Liverpool are set to sign Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva from Gremio, manager Rafael Benitez has confirmed.
The 20-year old midfielder will join the Reds at the start of next season after Benitez beat a host of European clubs for his signature. "The deal with the player and his club is almost done and I am really pleased he is coming to us," said Benitez. "He is the captain of the Brazil under-20 side and won the Golden Boot in his country last year so we know he has quality and we also believe he has the mentality and the character you need to do well in England. "He can play as a holding midfielder but he can also get from box to box and so I am looking forward to seeing him score goals for Liverpool in the future. "A lot of clubs in England and Spain were asking about him but our scouting department has again been working really hard and it's good that he's coming to us. "He will arrive in the summer and then will start adapting to football in this country. We know it can take time but I think he has the quality to be putting pressure on Gerrard, Mascherano, Xabi and Sissoko next season." "He will arrive in the summer and then will start adapting to football in this country. We know it can take time but I think he has the quality to be putting pressure on Gerrard, Mascherano, Xabi and Sissoko next season."

Tevez questions West Ham future

West Ham forward Carlos Tevez has admitted he does not know where he will be next season.
The Argentina international, 23, could be playing his final game for the relegation-threatened Hammers when they travel to Manchester United on Sunday.
"I have stopped learning English as I don't know where I am going to end up next season," he told the Times.
The Hammers will stay up if they get at least a point at Manchester United, or if Wigan fail to beat Sheffield United.
Speculation continues as to where he will play next season with clubs in England and overseas supposedly interested.
And should the Hammers stay up they could face legal action from Charlton, Sheffield United and Wigan over the signing of Tevez.
In my opinion, it's the most difficult competition in the world
Carlos Tevez
The Hammers were fined a record £5.5m on Friday for breaching Premier League rules over the signings of Tevez and fellow Argentine Javier Mascherano, who has since joined Liverpool.
After a tough start to life in England, Tevez has inspired a run of form that has seen them win six of their last eight matches.
He added: "It was hard to settle. The language is an issue - and I will learn English if I stay in this league.
"The football here is different compared to Brazil or Argentina.
"In my opinion, it's the most difficult competition in the world. That may be why so few people make it over here.
"Every Saturday you get kicked and you end up going home with marks all over your body. They hit you hard, they hit you everywhere - Premiership defenders are very strong individuals.
"And the referees allow a lot. They don't interrupt the game as much as they do elsewhere. But you know what? I don't mind all that, it makes me a better player, a stronger player."

Liverpool Bag Lucas From Grêmio

The player has been the hottest property to come out of the southern Brazilian Tricolor Gaúcho since FC Porto number 10 Anderson and Barça number 10 Ronaldinho.
Lucas is the Captain of the Uner-20 Brazilian seleção and is said to be in Liverpool already undergoing medical exams for a potential unveiling on Friday.

Grêmio exec Paulo Pelaipe has said that the deal will only see the player leave the Olímpico after Grêmio have finished their participation in the current Libertadores 2007.

"The President is dealing with the issue personally in England, but the player will only leave after we have either won or been knocked out of the Libertadores", he explained.

Although the numbers have yet to be released, Brazilian sports sites are estimating the value to hover around the 10 million Euro mark.

Lucas was injured and out of last nights Grêmio victory over São Paulo that put the Gaúchos through to the quarter-finals to face Uruguayan underdogs Defensor.

How do you 'go' in space?

A tour of a space facility in the US apparently prompted Prince Philip to ask how astronauts deal with "natural functions" in space. So how exactly do they go to the toilet (or should that be the loo)?
It's all to do with air flow. On earth, in the West at least, your standard toilet is a water-flush affair, that takes waste and washes it down a pipe.
THE ANSWER

Space toilets use air flow as water flushes have drawbacks in zero gravity
Adult nappies are used on space walks and during take-off and landingThe lack of gravity on the shuttle and the space station mean a water-flush system is not an option. You don't need a particularly vivid imagination to see the potential problems.
Instead, on the shuttle, urine and faeces are carried away by rapid flow of air.
The unisex toilet resembles a conventional loo, but with straps over the feet and bars over the thighs to make sure that the astronauts don't drift off mid-go. The seat is designed so the astronaut's bottom can be perfectly flush to make a good seal.
The good news for fans of convenience is that, on the shuttle at least, urinating standing up is possible. A funnel-on-a-hose contraption is included so that astronauts - both male and female - can urinate standing up. Or sitting down if they prefer. They just attach it to the toilet using a pivoting bracket.
I would wait for 10 hours and then once back inside get someone to help me off with the suit and rush to the bathroom
British astronaut Piers Sellers to Prince PhilipThe system separates solid and liquid waste. Solids are compressed and remain on-board to be unloaded after landing. Liquids are released into space. Nasa hopes one day to recycle waste productively.
Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada have said such recycling will be key to tackling any future mission to Mars in order to feed the astronauts.
The air used in the space shuttle's toilet system has to be filtered to get rid of the smell and bacteria before it is returned to the living area.
Incinerated waste
On the International Space Station, the fundamental principle is similar. The fan-powered air-flow toilet system stores. Urine is sucked up and stored in 20 litre containers which are dumped into the Progress resupply craft. The ship is dumped into the atmosphere where it burns up.
WHO, WHAT, WHY?

A regular feature in the BBC News Magazine - aiming to answer some of the questions behind the headlinesFor solid waste, a plastic bag covered in holes is placed inside the toilet. Air is sucked through the holes so everything ends up in the bag. The elasticised top closes and the bag is pushed into a metal container. A new bag is popped in for the next visitor. Again the waste heads off to Progress.
Space toilets have come a long way since the early days. In the novel the Right Stuff and its film adaptation, an astronaut on an early mission feels the need to urinate during a massively delayed take-off. With no facilities provided - and no adult nappies, as used today during take-off and landing - he is eventually allowed to urinate in his suit, causing his sensors to go haywire.
And Prince Philip is among good company in wondering how astronauts attend to their bodily functions.
A spokesman for Nasa confirms it is a question much asked by children and journalists alike.

Chelsea and Kop hunt Tevez

WEST HAM face losing Carlos Tevez even if they beat the drop on Sunday.
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley is eager to thrash out a permanent deal for the Argentine striker.
But Tevez’s magnificent recent displays have alerted Chelsea and Liverpool.
The player is still partly owned by Kia Joorabchian’s and is only on loan at Upton Park until the season ends.
Joorabchian is far from happy with the way he has been treated by West Ham since his efforts to buy the club failed last year.
A Chelsea bid of around £15million would persuade Joorabchian to cash in.
Liverpool, who have already taken Tevez’s pal Javier Mascherano from West Ham, are also keen.

Dough-dough power raiders

OVERPAYMENT on direct debit payments for gas and electricity have left power companies sitting on £1billion of our cash.
With 13.5million households currently paying their power bills by direct debit the average household is in credit for £100.
And falling energy costs increase our monthly overpayments - providing a huge interest windfall for greedy power suppliers.
Unlike most services, where you only pay for what you use, many people find it easier to budget for a set monthly amount for their utilities.
But where companies are all too keen to point out if you are underpaying, when the meter isn’t ticking so fast they are happy to keep hold of your cash.
Mark Todd, director of energy services at energyhelpline.com, said:
“It is outrageous that utility companies are sitting on money that is rightfully owed to their customers.”
“Many energy suppliers are slow to give the money back to the customer and will often reduce monthly direct debits rather then give back a lump sum.“The best way to get hold of all the money owed is to switch supplier. Not only will the consumer receive a rebate but switching suppliers will also save them on average £200.”
Four ways to keep your cash
Stop paying direct debit and read the meter. Free phone your supplier and pay the correct amount.
Ask for refund if you’ve been overpaying. They have ten working days to pay the money back to you.
Complain to the Energy Supply Ombudsman at energy-ombudsman.org.uk
Switch to a cheaper supplier. You’ll not only receive a rebate from your current supplier, but you’ll be on a better deal.

DUDEK: I HAVE 40,000 GOODBYES TO SAY

When Liverpool walk back into the dressing room after the final home game of the season on Saturday, a lone figure will remain standing on Anfield's hallowed turf.
For the match is not only the fans' opportunity to wave goodbye to our Athens-bound heroes, it's also their last chance to bid farewell to an Anfield legend. It is with a heavy heart that Jerzy Dudek will leave the club in the summer, and the Pole has a little bit of unfinished business before he departs. "I have 40,000 thank-yous to say, so it will take me a while," the 34-year-old told LFC Magazine. "It would be nice to play in the last game against Charlton. I would get to walk around the pitch and take it all in. I could hear the fans singing again. I don't know if it will be possible, it's up to the manager when he picks the team. "I just want to say goodbye. If it is not possible then I will be the last person left on the pitch after the Charlton game." Dudek's decision to leave is a result not of any personal differences, nor any ill-feeling towards the club. In fact, he insists he would have been happy to remain at Melwood for the rest of his career had he been selected to represent Poland in last year's World Cup. He explains: "I was watching TV at home, just with Sky Sports News on in the background while I was doing some things and waiting for something else to come on – as you do. "I actually saw a breaking news story come along the bottom of the screen: Jerzy Dudek is not going to the World Cup. I froze. "At first I thought it was a joke from the Polish manager, but then I saw that our star striker was not going, and two other senior players were already out. It wasn't a joke. "Something changed in me after that snub. From being happy to play here and press Pepe, I knew I had to go somewhere to play every week." It is a sign of Dudek's loyalty to the club that he postponed his decision to leave at the request of Rafa Benitez. "The needs of the team were more important to me than my own needs. Scott Carson was going to Charlton and the manager could not get any cover, so I stayed. "Now I am going this summer. I am out of contract and I need to play football. I am still hungry to play and put the disappointment of the World Cup behind me. "I know I will not move somewhere and find a nicer club than Liverpool. I love this city and love this club. If I had gone to the World Cup then I would have stayed here forever. I told Rafa that too. I would have done everything I wanted to do in my career. "I will not play with better players or make more friends than I have here. Wherever I go from here will be a definite step down in my career." So, what's next for one of our heroes of 2005? Well, one thing's for sure: he won't ever be coming back to Anfield as an opposition keeper. He said: "I just can't imagine walking into Anfield on matchday, walking out of the tunnel and going down to the Kop end – and then hoping to see Liverpool lose. "This club has been my life for five years. I have become much more than an employee – I am a fan. "I don't know how I will feel when I walk out of this place for the last time, but I imagine it will be very emotional and I can see tears in my eyes. I am not looking forward to it at all."

Senior Wolfowitz aide steps down

Paul Wolfowitz is mired in a scandal regarding payments to his girlfriendA senior aide to embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has announced his resignation.
Kevin Kellems said an ongoing scandal surrounding his boss made it difficult for him to remain effective in his role at the Washington-based institution.
Mr Wolfowitz has been mired in a controversy involving his handling of a pay package for his girlfriend.
Mr Kellems, who had also worked with Mr Wolfowitz at the Pentagon, is expected to leave his post next week.
"Given the current environment surrounding the leadership of the World Bank, it is very difficult to be effective in helping to advance the mission of the institution," Mr Kellems said.
"I have tremendous respect and admiration for the Bank staff and management," he added.
Conflict of interest
Mr Kellems' sudden departure comes at a critical point in the investigation into whether Mr Wolfowitz acted properly over the authorisation of his girlfriend's promotion and pay increase in 2005.
The lingering controversy over the potential conflict of interest involving Shaha Riza, who is on the payroll of the World Bank, has prompted a growing chorus of voices calling for his resignation.
Critics argue the scandal is damaging the credibility of the global lender, amid a recently launched anti-corruption campaign.
Kevin is known among his colleagues for his emphasis on team-building and mentoring
Marwan Muasher, World Bank
A special World Bank panel of directors has been looking into whether Mr Wolfowitz abused his powers and is expected to report its findings imminently to the wider 24-member board.
The Bank's shareholder governments will then decide on the president's fate.
The committee is also believed to be examining other controversial employment arrangements amid claims Mr Wolfowitz gave senior posts to trusted former colleagues, who did not have much relevant experience.
Mr Kellems was an adviser to the World Bank boss when he was Deputy Defence Secretary in the Bush administration and supported him in the run-up to the Iraq war.
"Kevin is known among his colleagues for his emphasis on team-building and mentoring, and for his work ethic and grace under pressure," said Marwan Muasher, senior vice president, external affairs at the World Bank. "My colleagues and I enjoyed working with him and will miss him."

Stars out for Shrek film premiere

The stars of Shrek came out in force for the premiere of the third film in the animated franchise.
Among those walking the green carpet in Los Angeles were Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake, who were dating while filming but have since split up.
Mike Myers, who plays the ogre Shrek, and Eddie Murphy, who plays Donkey, were also at the screening.
Shrek 2, released in 2004, became the highest-grossing animated film of all-time.
Shrek the Third is one of a number of film sequels hitting cinemas this summer, with other anticipated releases including Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and the fifth Harry Potter film.
Spider-Man 3 has already broken the box office record for weekend takings, making $148m (£74m) in the US this weekend alone.

What's remained consistent is the sweetness: a sweet little message in the back, and what's in the front is very, very funny and inventive
Eddie Murphy
Shrek producer Aron Warner said: "I think the success of Spider-Man only bodes well for us. For me, it means people are dying to go to the movies. And the more the better."
'Funny stuff'
The latest film sees Shrek and Princess Fiona, played by Diaz, living a fairytale life before Shrek is asked to take the throne following the death of the king.
But he is reluctant to take up his duty, while the evil Prince Charming, played by Rupert Everett, is eager to get his hands on the crown.
"I think they've incorporated all the characters more," said Eddie Murphy.
"The story isn't so much Shrek and Donkey and Fiona. It's everybody, everybody's got funny stuff to do.
"But what's remained consistent is the sweetness: a sweet little message in the back, and what's in the front is very, very funny and inventive.
Others stars of the film who attended the premiere included Antonio Banderas and Dame Julie Andrews.
The film opens in the US on 18 May and in the UK on 29 June

Star dies in brightest supernova

A massive star around 150 times the size of the Sun has exploded in what is the brightest supernova ever seen, Nasa scientists have said.
Supernovae occur when huge, mature stars effectively run out of fuel and collapse in on themselves.
But scientists believe this one was obliterated in an explosion which blasted all its material into space.
And astronomers say a star in our own Milky Way galaxy could be about to perform the same celestial fireworks.
The supernova star, called SN 2006gy, was originally discovered in September last year.
The explosion peaked for about 70 days, during which it is thought to have shone about five times more brightly than any supernova seen in the past.
"Of all exploding stars ever observed, this was the king," Alex Filippenko, one of the Nasa-backed astronomers observing the phenomenon, said.
'Monstrous explosion'
Nathan Smith, who led a joint team from the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Texas in Austin, said it was a "truly monstrous explosion, a hundred times more energetic than a typical supernova".
"That means the star that exploded might have been as massive as a star can get, about 150 times that of our sun. We've never seen that before."
Eta Carinae's explosion could be the best star-show in the history of modern civilization
Mario Livio
He said the star, which is 240 million light years away, polluted the surrounding environment with metals and elements that are needed for life.
Scientists say that the star which exploded is similar to Eta Carinae, an enormous star in our own Milky Way.
They say that before the supernova SN 2006gy expelled a large amount of material, similar in mass to Eta Carinae, prompting speculation that a similar fate awaits Eta Carinae.
Dave Pooley, at the University of California at Berkeley, said if Eta Carinae were to explode "it would be so bright that you would see it during the day, and you could even read a book by its light at night."
He added there has not been a supernova in the Earth's Milky Way galaxy for more than 400 years.
Mario Livio, of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, said that Eta Carinae could explode at any time.
"This could happen tomorrow, it could happen 1,000 years from now," he told the Reuters news agency.
"Eta Carinae's explosion could be the best star-show in the history of modern civilization," he said.

Voronin off to Anfield

Liverpool are set to sign Ukraine international Andriy Voronin in the summer from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
The striker is out of contract at the end of the season, and it was widely reported that he would leave on a Bosman, with Celtic said to be one of the sides chasing him.
However, after Leverkusen's 1-0 defeat to Hannover on Saturday it was revealed that Voronin would sign for Liverpool instead.
The 27-year-old has scored six league goals this season, and was a key member of the Ukraine team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup.
He has reportedly agreed a four-year deal with the Anfield club, and his signing looks set to be the first confirmed move under Liverpool's new American own

Argentine Starlet Leto Relishing Liverpool Chance

The young Atletico Lanus winger is relishing the prospect of playing for Liverpool, who have reportedly struck a deal with the Argentine club.

Liverpool have reportedly signed the prodigious winger from Lanus for just under $4 million, and loaned him back to the club for the rest of the season.
While any action alongside Gerrard and company will have to wait for next season, the starlet was confident about the prospect of representing the Reds.
"I am calm," said Leto. "Liverpool are a club with a lot of history, but I do not fear the challenge.
"I have not spoken with Benitez, but I have seen a lot of Premiership games on television.
"I'm a winger who likes to counter-attack. I don't anticipate struggling to adapt to life in England."
The 20-year-old Argentine is rated as one of the best young wingers in Argentina at the moment, and Benitez, who is looking for quality width on the pitch, jumped at the opportunity of landing him on the cheap.
Leto has played 34 games for Lanus since breaking into the first team, scoring six times.