Liverpool FC: Amaran Steven Gerard

liverpoolfc.tv

GERRARD: WE FEAR NO-ONE

James Carroll 18 March 2009

Steven Gerrard is relishing Friday's draw for the Champions League quarter-final and insists Liverpool fear none of the teams left in the tournament.

After dumping Real Madrid out of the competition, the Reds will discover their opponents for the last eight when the draw is made in Nyon and Gerrard believes Rafael Benitez's side will be confident of progressing into the semi-finals, regardless of which club they are paired with.

"We're not running scared of anyone," the Anfield skipper told LFC Magazine. "We'll take who we get and believe that we're going to go through.

"If we could hand-pick an opponent then maybe we'd want someone like Villarreal or Porto but at this stage of the competition there are no easy games. It might be a cliché, but it's true.

"Everyone who's got to this stage of the competition has done well. They'll all believe in themselves.

"But we've shown - the players, the manager and the fans - that we're a force to be reckoned with when we pull it all together.

"So we'll sit down on Friday and see who we get and take it from there."

Gerrard scored twice in last week's breathtaking 4-0 demolition of Real Madrid at Anfield and the 28-year-old is at pains to recall a better performance from the Reds since he broke into the first-team.

"I honestly can't remember us playing as well as we did in the first half of the Real Madrid game," he said. "I don't just mean in the Champions League or in Europe - I mean in any competition in all of the time I've been playing for Liverpool.

"I don't think we've controlled a game like that from the very first minute, dictated it and bossed it that way before or for so long.

"Playing like that I don't think there's a team in Europe that could have lived with us."

Liverpool FC: Benitez kekal di Anfield hingga 2014

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EXCLUSIVE: RAFA SIGNS NEW CONTRACT

Paul Rogers 18 March 2009

Rafa Benitez has signed a contract extension with Liverpool FC, keeping him at the club until 2014.

The Liverpool manager has extended his current deal, which took him to the end of next season, by a further four years.

"My heart is with Liverpool Football Club, so I'm delighted to sign this new deal," said Rafa.

"I love the club, the fans and the city and with a club like this and supporters like this, I could never say no to staying. I always made clear I wanted to be here for a long time and when I complete my new contract it will mean I have spent over a decade in Liverpool.

"The club is greatly respected around the world due to its incredible history and tremendous heritage. It is my aim to uphold those values and help create a new chapter in our history.

"Throughout this process, I would like to thank the owners for their hard work in finalising the deal. All of us at the club want the same thing, which is to be successful by winning major trophies."

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The completion of contract talks with Rafa is the third major boost for Liverpool fans in recent days, coming after fabulous wins against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Manchester United in the Premier League.

The 4-1 win at Old Trafford saw Rafa achieve 100 league wins in the third fastest period of time for a Liverpool manager, surpassing Bill Shankly.

Liverpool Co-Chairman Tom Hicks said:

"It is wonderful news that Rafa has made a long-term commitment to the football club. Since he became manager in 2004, he has been responsible for the great progress we have made. I know he will continue to build on his achievements as he has a tremendous hunger and desire to bring more success to the club - success our fans and everyone connected with the club deserves."

Co-Chairman George Gillett added:

"With Rafa continuing to manage the team, we can look forward to more great football and success on the pitch. He has special abilities and qualities which are admired here at the club and around the world. Coming after our excellent wins over Real Madrid and Manchester United, this gives us great momentum going into the final stages of the season."

Rafa joined the Reds in 2004 following a successful period in charge of Spanish club Valencia, who he guided to two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup success.

While he has been at the helm, Liverpool won the UEFA Champions League in Istanbul in 2005, the FA Cup the following year and reached another Champions League final in Athens in 2007.

He has also overseen success in both the UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield.

The club are currently the number one team in Europe according to UEFA's co-efficient ranking system, based on results over the past five years in European competition.

Kesan pelaksanaan PPSMI

malaysiakini

Kajian: Hanya 4% kuasai BI melalui PPSMI

Jimadie Shah Othman Mar 18, 09 12:13pm

Kajian mendapati dasar Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) hanya berjaya meningkatkan empat peratus penguasaan bahasa asing itu, dan sebaliknya mengurangkan minat untuk mempelajari dua subjek tersebut.

"Sumbangan PPSMI hanya mampu menyumbang pada tahap paling minimum, iaitu kurang empat peratus kepada peningkatan pencapaian Bahasa Inggeris secara keseluruhannya," laporan bertajuk 'Tahap Kompetensi Guru dalam PPSMI serta Implikasinya terhadap Pembangunan Modal Insan Murid' dipetik.

Menurut kajian 53 pakar bahasa itu, dasar kontroversi tersebut juga "menimbulkan kerugian berganda kepada kepada murid, terutama kepada 75 peratus murid yang tergolong dalam kategori (pencapaian) sederhana dan lemah dalam tiga mata pelajaran terbabit, Bahasa Inggeris, Sains dan Matematik.

"PPSMI telah dan akan membunuh minat, semangat dan keghairahan murid-murid untuk belajar Sains dan Matematik sejak di peringkat sekolah rendah lagi.

"Kajian yang melibatkan tujuh universiti awam itu dijalankan antara Jun hingga Disember tahun lalu oleh Permuafakatan Badan Ilmiah Nasional (Pembina). Universiti terlibat termasuklah Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris, Universiti Sains Malaysia dan Universiti Teknologi Mara.

Kajian merumuskan PPSMI harus ditamatkan dan mengembalikan sistem pengajaran sebelum dasar itu diperkenalkan pada 2003.

"Dari segi perkiraan analisis kos-faedah dalam konteks pelaburan jangka panjang, amalan PPSMI tidak menguntungkan, sebaliknya membantut tahap kecerdasan murid serta merugikan generasi akan datang.

"Dengan ini, disarankan supaya dasar PPSMI diberhentikan," laporan eksekutif setebal sepuluh halaman itu dipetik.

Menurut kajian, analisis keputusan peperiksaan terhadap 5,595 sampel pelajar tahun lima daripada 56 sekolah kebangsaan mendapati pencapaian pelajar makin merosot dan merudum mendadak apabila berpindah ke tahun enam.

Kajian menjelaskan, kemerosotan berlaku akibat kegagalan pelajar memahami konsep sains dan matematik kerana tidak mampu berinteraksi dengan guru atau murid lain menggunakan bahasa Inggeris.

Pola yang sama didakwa turut ditemui daripada kajian Kementerian Pelajaran dan Pejabat Daerah dan sekolah tertentu.

Pengerusi eksekutif Pembina, Datuk Abdul Raof Hussin yang menaungi kajian itu mengesahkan kajian tersebut kepada Malaysiakini hari ini.

Laporan eksekutif kajian itu diedarkan buat pertama kali kepada umum semalam di hujung Kongres Kebudayaan Melayu Kedua anjuran Gabungan Persatuan Penulis Nasianal Malaysia (Gapena), Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia, Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Keseniaan Negara dan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) di ibu negara.

Kongres itu turut meluluskan resolusi yang membawa akibat pemansuhan PPSMI apabila mendesak hanya satu bahasa kebangsaan tunggal dilaksanakan dalam seluruh sistem pendidikan dari tahap rendah hingga universiti.

Hasil kajian yang sama pernah dibentangkan dalam mesyuarat meja bulat membahaskan dasar tersebut anjuran Kementerian Pelajaran tahun lepas.Menjelaskan latar belakang kajian, Abdul Raof berkata, walapun pakar bahasa yang terlibat hanya diberikan saguhati minimum, namun kajian tujuh bulan itu tetap melibatkan kos besar kira-kira RM470,000.

Beliau berharap kajian itu mampu memberikan gambaran sebenar pelaksanaan PPSMI kerana, sampelnya besar dan luas, melibatkan 15,089 orang daripada pelbagai jenis dan aliran sekolah dari pelbagai kawasan perbandaran seluruh negara.

Seramai 553 guru – termasuk pengetua, guru besar dan penolong kanan sekolah – turut dipilih sebagai sampel.

Abdul Rauf menegaskan, kajian itu dilakukan secara bebas dan tidak dibuat berdasarkan kepentingan tertentu.

"Kami hanya mengemukakan hasil kajian. Kalau positif, positiflah, kalau negatif, negatiflah," katanya.

Kerajaan perpaduan: Pandangan Tok Guru

HarakahDaily.Net

Keputusan muktamar perkukuh Pakatan Rakyat perlu dipertahan - Nik Aziz

Salmah Mat Husain Foto Rizal Tahir Wed Mar 18, 09 3:30:17 pm MYT

KOTA BHARU, 18 Mac (Hrkh) - Mursyidul Am PAS, Tuan Guru Dato' Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat mahu keputusan yang dicapai pada muktamar PAS di Ipoh tahun lepas untuk memperkukuhkan hubungan Pakatan Rakyat perlu dihormati.

Beliau berkata, sekiranya ingin membuat keputusan lain daripada apa yang dipersetujui pada muktamar itu, satu perjumpaan khas perlu diadakan untuk membincangkan perkara tersebut.

"Saya tidak suka meminda keputusan yang telah dipersetujui dalam mesyuarat secara bersama dan kemudian hendak pinda semula di luar.

"Sekiranya sudah pasti untuk melakukan sesuatu perkara selain daripada apa yang diputuskan dalam muktamar tahun lalu, mesyuarat khas mengenainya perlu diadakan," ujarnya ketika ditemui pemberita selepas menerima rombongan pelabur daripada Taiwan di pejabatnya hari ini.

Sebelum ini Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang mencadangkan diwujudkan kerajaan perpaduan yang melibatkan semua parti seperti berlaku di Indonesia semasa di bawah B J Habibie.

Beliau yang juga Menteri Besar Kelantan berkata, sekiranya semua ahli parti bersetuju dengan cadangan mewujudkan kerajaan perpaduan beliau akan akur.

"Saya boleh bersetuju dengan cadangan kerajaan perpaduan sekiranya diputuskan ahli parti dalam muktamar akan datang apabila ada usul mengenainya," katanya.

Menurutnya juga pada muktamar tahun lalu telah diputuskan sekiranya mahu berbincang dengan pemimpin Umno atau Barisan Nasional biarlah berkaitan isu lain dan bukannya membentuk kerajaan bersama.

Ditanya mengenai perbezaan pendapatnya dengan Presiden PAS katanya, perbezaan pendapat perkara kedua kerana ia lumrah berlaku di kalangan sesama anggota parti.

"Namun apa yang penting perkara diputus dalam muktamar tahun lalu perlu dijaga.

"Sebab itulah perlu kepada mesyuarat khas membincangkan perkara tersebut bagi menjaga kestabilan parti dan mencerminkan disiplin perjuangan parti yang berlandas Islam," tambahnya.