Sammy on Arsenal, Kenny and title race

Journalist: Sammy, Arsenal are here on Tuesday night and Liverpool have had a free weekend, which has perhaps given the lads a bit of time to recuperate from the exertions against Chelsea. Has a small part of you enjoyed the fact your opponents on Tuesday and your title rivals had great exertions in the FA Cup semi-finals over the weekend?

No because we'd be rather have been playing in the semi-finals too, this football club likes to play in every game. We train to try and make sure we're involved in every game and we're never pleased to go out of any tournament. We know whatever team Arsenal put out on Tuesday will present us with a very difficult task.

Journalist: There was a suggestion earlier in the season that Arsenal were maybe not the team they once were. Was that a bit of silly talk?

One thing I will say to you is that you never heard anyone here say that, whether it was silly talk or not. That's the type of talk we don't use here at Liverpool Football Club. We have a healthy respect for all of our opponents. We know on Tuesday it's going to be a very difficult game.

Journalist: All tough games now until the end of the season, but that Arsenal game is probably one of the toughest. Is that a fair assumption?

Yes because it's the next game. You've heard me say on many occasions that each and every game has its own degree of difficulty. We have a healthy respect for our opponents and it sounds clichéd, but we haven't played any easy games this season. You'll have to point them out to me if there has been any.

Journalist: There must be many elements of the Chelsea performance you want your team to adopt from here on in?

We try to adopt something from nearly all of our performances. We tried to take the performance against Blackburn into the next game, which was Chelsea. That's what we're looking for with this team - we want to progress. We work hard each and every day and hopefully that will transmit itself onto the pitch.

Journalist: Does it help that we're at the stage of the season now where a victory will take you two points clear? Is that 'you can't afford to lose' mentality starting to kick in?

I think it's always nice when you know what you've got to do, but if we'd have been talking about this before the first game of the season we'd have been saying the same things. We prepare to try and win every game. If that sounds like arrogance, I want to stop that there. What I'm saying is we never prepare for failure. We prepare to go out and try to get maximum points. We know what we need to get out of every game we play, none more so than in these last six games. We can't afford to look at anyone else and see what they're doing or look for favours; we've just got to do our own job.

Journalist: You mention that word 'arrogance' and you've spoken about having a healthy respect for your opponents, but it seems Liverpool, and in particular your manager, have come in for a bit of flak...

This is Liverpool Football Club and when you're successful, people will always try to knock you down. We know what we've done and if anyone else wants to view that in a different light then that is up to them. When we go out on the park, we only try to affect what we can and that's our own team. So if anyone sees something else in any of the gestures we do they are mistaken.

Journalist: Are you surprised at what's happened since those gestures that followed the second goal against Blackburn? You know Sam Allardyce well don't you?

I thought so. I am very surprised because the gestures were directed at a member of our team. Also, nothing was said to me when I was sat down with Sam after the game. I'm sure if he felt that strongly about it he would have mentioned something to me. I can't speak for what other people think or what they read into things. All I can say is whenever we gesticulate on the line, it is to try and affect our players and game, not other teams.

Journalist: Is this talk of mind games, as it's been labelled, something that's always been around or is it the special preserve of Sir Alex Ferguson?

I haven't got a clue because everything goes over my head. I think football is a quite a simple game, but people seem to want to complicate things and put their little slant on it. Thankfully it does go over my head because there is enough to worry about in football without worrying about 'mind games'.

Journalist: As you say, Arsenal is the next game and it has to be the priority. Although we're led to believe Steven Gerrard is still struggling with injury, in the last two games without him you've managed to score eight goals...

If I agree to that then it sounds like a criticism of Stevie! On many occasions in the past we've been asked about team selection and what I always say is whatever team we put out will be our best team to go out and try to get the maximum out of the game. Again, other people may view things differently, but I can't legislate for that. Whoever we put out will do their best for Liverpool Football Club. Obviously if one of your star players is absent then it will be a big miss, but all credit to these lads and this football club because we are a squad and we're all working for each other.

Journalist: What are some of the attributes you can see amongst the players and the backroom staff that lead you to believe you can cross the finishing line in first?

I never said that. One word that I always try to use at this football club is 'humility'. We are a humble club and we have a healthy respect for everyone. We have a healthy respect for what we have to do and the job in hand. Win, lose or draw, we have humility about ourselves and that will provide us with a strong platform for the business end of the campaign.

Journalist: There's some talk at the moment that Kenny Dalglish might have an involvement in the future development of the club, both on the youth set-up and here at Melwood. Can you shed any light on that?

Kenny's had a development on this club over the years and if there is any future involvement, then it can only be good for the football club. I think everybody here would welcome him, most of all me because he's got a worse accent than me!

Journalist: You talk about welcoming him back. What impact would he have if he were to return?

I think he's already had an impact because you're talking about it! He's never really been away. He's always here watching games and is terrific to have around. The impact he'd have here would be very positive because he's a great character and has terrific knowledge of the game. I think it could only be a great addition to an already very good staff.

Journalist: Is it that he hasn't been able to stay away? Is it the pull of Liverpool?

That was certainly the situation for me, but you would have to ask him about that. For me, there is something special about this football club.

Journalist: Can I ask Sammy, how do you ensure the players enjoy these remaining games and don't start to feel the pressure from the fans, who, let's face it, are desperate for the Premier League title?

Only time will tell. We have a great bunch of lads and a level-headed group of players who keep their feet on the ground. A lot has been said about them, good and bad, but they've stuck to their task and the fact we are talking like this with six games to go shows the improvement that this football club has made this year. We always look to improve each and every day in every training session and match.

Journalist: You've been involved in title winning sides before. Do you have a gut feeling?

We have six games left that we need make sure we get maximum points out of. We'll be putting our maximum effort in to make sure we achieve that.

Journalist: You mentioned you don't like to be out of any competition, but it's just the Premier League remaining for you now. Does having one sole focus galvanise you as a squad and a team?

Only time will tell. I was gutted we were not playing at Wembley over the weekend because this football club prepares itself to be involved in all competitions. The Premier League is a terrific competition and it would be nice if we could get maximum points from these six games. Then we'll see what happens.

Journalist: Can you just give us a thought on possible developments regarding Hillsborough and the news that new documents may be released?

It's superb for the families and the campaigners because this is what they've been fighting for. We were all there last week, it was an emotional occasion and the turnout was unbelievable. I wish it hadn't happened and we didn't have to have these get-togethers every year, but we do because of the tragedy. I think this news is some light for the people who have tirelessly campaigned for their families over the last twenty years.

Journalist: Can I just briefly ask about Michael Thomas' goal for Arsenal in 1989, which obviously gutted a lot of Liverpool supporters. What are your own memories of that?

You asked about gut feelings earlier and I was completely gutted when that went in! But that's in the past and we have to look forward and not back. That's why we like to make sure when we score goals, we make gestures to make sure we keep it tight at the back, remain disciplined and don't become disorganised. Thomas' goal was a mind-numbing moment to be totally honest, but that's football. It can happen and that's why you have to try and cover yourself for every eventuality.

Journalist: Coming into these last six games, are the memories of the heartbreak, the delight and the glory that come with a title race the sort of things you remind your current squad of players about?

I don't remind them of that goal! All we say to them is 'keep your feet on the ground'. There have been a lot of ups and downs this year - more ups than downs - and we've got to ensure there are more positives than negatives in the next six games.

Journalist: Just going back to those comments about Rafa, were you surprised at how personal they got?

I was surprised that it came out, but I cannot legislate for what other people say. We know what we're about and there is not an ounce of arrogance in Rafa. If other people want to try and read into gestures that we make then that is entirely up to them. You'll have to ask them why they thought those gestures were made in that manner. I know full well they were made in response to what we wanted one of our players to do. It certainly had nothing to do with any other football team. It was also surprising because I was sat with Sam Allardyce after the Blackburn game and if he felt that strongly about it, then I am surprised he did not say something to me, considering I was his assistant manager for a period of time at Bolton. He didn't and he decided to talk about it somewhere else at a different time, which is up to him. I cannot legislate for what other people think.

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