"Koptalk Outsider" - koptalk.outsider @ gmail.com
"Insider Insider" - Koptalk.Insider @ gmail.com
Duncan Oldham has no “insider” contacts, so KopTalk is always behind the free LFC forums and the mainstream media when the big stories break:
2006
March 29th 2006 – “If there’s no finance secured by the opening day of the season, I’m going to hang up my keyboard and close KOPTALK down“ (here and here). No finance is secured by the opening day of the season. Oldham does not close KopTalk down. His excuse? The immortal: “I never said which season.”
Didi Hamann
June 9th – KopTalk is way behind other LFC sites (YNWA, TLW, Shankly Gates) with the news that Didi Hamann is in talks with Bolton about a move.
July – Oldham claims to have recruited a Melwood gateman and that Rick Parry wants a meeting with him. The blog then reprints an email from LFC Head of Press Ian Cotton stating that Oldham has never even met Rick Parry.
Jermaine Pennant
July 26th – KopTalk is way behind other LFC sites and the mainstream media with news about the Jermaine Pennant transfer. YNWA had reported the deal as long ago as June 30th, while David Maddock confirmed the transfer in The Mirror on July 25th.
In a KopTalk classic, “Wallet” (ie Oldham himself) then claims that he knew about it all along but had been locked out of KopTalk for three days: (Also here)
wallet
Silver Member
Latest update..
Wed Jul 26 2006 04:30 PM
Hi
Sorry, I found myself “locked out” for the last 3 days. Steve, if you’re reading this, thanks for sorting that out.
Pennant, Rafas second choice will sign instead / too!!
Dirk Kuyt
Aug 18th – KopTalk is way behind other LFC sites, the nationals, the press agencies and even the Official Newcastle Utd site with the news of Kuyt signing. The story breaks on KT when a poster says Dave Usher has announced on TLW that Dirk has passed his medical.
One KT member complains: “Shame we didn’t get any inside info on this one as it appears the nationals got it before KT.” Once again, Oldham later pretends he knew about the signing all along.
Nabil El Zhar
Aug 25th – KopTalk is way behind other LFC forums with the news that Nabil El Zhar has signed. The story appears on KT when a member says he has read the news on other LFC sites:
the_khl
Apparently laods of youngster are on trial these days (up to six it is reported in several forums) and one of them should be the Zhar and he is now signed.
Aug 30th – Oldham is at Melwood. Strangely, he doesn’t hang out with the LFC players he has claimed for years to socialise with most weekends. After all, he said he’d been speaking at length to the Liverpool captain himself about our transfer targets only a few months earlier.
No, instead he stands outside the gates with a bunch of kids, looking like the liar and fool he is. And how do we know this? Because the imbecile posted a video of the whole sorry escapade on YouTube.
And when the Liverpool manager – the man who in December 2005 Oldham alleged had confided in him that he would not be leaving LFC to manage Real Madrid – drove out, he clearly had no idea who Oldham was. Who’d have thought it?
Craig Bellamy
Sep 9th – Oldham makes bullshit claims of a pre-derby bust-up at Melwood involving Bellamy. This was a genuine “KopTalk exclusive”, because Oldham had made it all up himself.
Sep 23rd – Steve claims Oldham has had an early morning meeting in a Liverpool hotel with “key figures” in the LFC investment saga.
Noel White
October – a Liverpool FC director has been quoted anonymously in The Mirror newspaper making derogatory comments about Rafa Benitez. The prime suspect is Noel White. On October 27th, Oldham says that White is not the culprit:
“I think you’re all way of with NW.”
On October 31st, Noel White admits he was the director who had been quoted in The Mirror and resigns.
2006 KopTalk summary:
Despite pretending to have had long chats with Steven Gerrard, to have recruited a Melwood gateman and to be meeting with Rick Parry…
Didi Hamann story: way behind YNWA, TLW, Shankly Gates et al
Jermaine Pennant story: way behind other LFC sites and the mainstream media (YNWA, The Mirror, PA et al)
Dirk Kuyt story: way behind other LFC sites, the national press and even the Official Newcastle Utd Site
Nabil El Zhar story: way behind other LFC sites
Noel White story: Oldham gets the identity of the LFC director wrong
2007
Plans for an 18,000-seater Kop
April 13th – Chris Bascombe reports on plans for an 18,000-seater Kop in the proposed new stadium. Oldham had failed to hint at anything of the kind, despite his claims of a two-hour meeting with Tom Hicks.
“100 million transfer budget for Benitez”
April 21st – Oldham claims Benitez can have a £100 million transfer budget this summer if he wants it. This was another “KopTalk exclusive” ie it was another bare-faced lie. When KT members later pull Oldham up on it, he lies again and pretends he never made the claim.
Fernando Torres
July 2nd – everyone knows we’re going to sign Torres, but Oldham still manages to make himself look like a lying fool. KopTalk claims Torres has passed his medical, 24 hours before it actually takes place.
July 3rd – realising he’s made a complete fool of himself, Oldham goes on to claim a second medical, in addition to the one for Torres, is planned at Melwood today. There is no second medical – it’s another embarrassing lie.
Ryan Babel
July 9th – a real KopTalk classic, as Oldham doesn’t report the Babel story hours after it appears in the Echo, but still claims “insider” knowledge of the deal. Just how thick does he think his members are?
The Echo publishes the news online at 11.33am and Sky’s report of the same story appears on NewsNow at 12.49pm.
Oldham finally comes out with this gem at 12.57pm:
“As hinted at by the editor earlier today, major news was due to be broke by the local (written) media either this afternoon or tomorrow, and as expected, local hack Chris Bascombe has put out such a report.
Our source told us by email today: ‘Expect big news in the [Liverpool] Echo on Merseyside either today or tomorrow as they are waiting to run something about Ryan Babel.’”
So he knew all along but couldn’t report it until the story had broken in the Echo. Priceless.
Pako Ayesteran
Aug 30th – KopTalk members hear about the Ayesteran story from other LFC sites.
Reports of a serious rift between Pako Ayesteran and Rafa Benitez first appeared on RAWK and TLW on September 13th. But KopTalk members didn’t hear about it until more than two weeks later. This was how they learned about the Ayesteran story:
30/08/07 08:47 PM Pako to leave?
Dave69 Loc: Alcatraz
From another site….
Sorry to report this but I have it from a very good source that the great man is on his way out.
Hicks/AS Roma story
Nov 11th – despite Oldham’s claims of regular email contact with Tom Hicks, KopTalk knows nothing about Hicks’s interest in buying AS Roma until it is reported in the national press.
Rift between Benitez and the owners
22/11/07 04:01 PM What is happening with Rafa? (England job quotes)
Lathom46
Just got in to see end of interview with that blue nose vinnie jones on Sky sports. Suggesting that Rafa was in a very bad mood and even slipped in suggestion he may one day be Englands manager. Apparently Rafa answered almost every question with the same answer. Jones wondered if it was something to do with the Mascherano deal and not being backed.
Had a quick scout round on internet and Echo is reporting almost the same thing saying it appeared Rafa seems to be saying “back me or sack me”!!!
Oldham’s response was another KT classic: “We’ll confirm all of this once the mainstream reports start coming out etc.”
Well worth £30 a year.
2007 KopTalk summary:
Proposed 18,000-seater Kop story: well behind the local and national press
“100 million transfer budget for Benitez”: quickly shown to be a fantasy of Oldham’s – he then pretends he never made the claim
Fernando Torres story: gets the date of the medical wrong
Ryan Babel story: well behind the local and national press
Pako Ayesteran story: weeks behind other free LFC sites
Hicks/AS Roma story: well behind the national press
Rift between Benitez and the owners story: well behind the national press
2008
(The blog was on semi-hiatus at the start of 2008, so we’ve no idea what happened with the Skrtel signing in January and Mascherano’s deal being made permanent in February. But going by Oldham’s past and future form, we’d opt for a pick’n’mix of: KOPTALK SOURCES HAVE EXCLUSIVELY REVEALED that [insert some information that had appeared in the national press over the previous week]; a Melwood medical may have been arranged for today, or tomorrow, or perhaps some other time, or it might not have been, and it could take place but then again it may not; “we knew about this all along but we couldn’t tell you because [insert ludicrous excuse here]; the story appearing on KopTalk via a member who had seen it on another LFC site/News Now/Sky Sports News.)
Philipp Degen
April 15th – KopTalkers learn about the Degen transfer from a member who heard the news on Irish radio:
Cyrus
KopTalk VIP
i heard last night on irish radio that a deal has been agreed for the swiss right back at dortmund degen
Albert Riera
Renewed DIC bid
April 30th – in another deranged fantasy, Oldham says on KopTalk that “both owners have access this website as members. Tom Hicks is the more active of the two”.
April 30th – Oldham says of Tom Hicks that “it’s a matter of when, not if, he will be forced to sell” and goes on to state that “one things for sure, now that Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum is involved, there can only be one winner”.
April 30th – Oldham says he believes DIC and Rick Parry, in addition to Hicks and Gillett, also browse KopTalk’s forums.
May 1st – Oldham claims on KopTalk that “DIC WILL have *100% control, that I am confident. I would be prepared to take a £1000 bet with anyone that says it will NOT happen. I am extremely confident.” and that “DIC WILL dispose of Hicks. I cannot reveal how.”
DIC do not dispose of Hicks, DIC do not gain 100% control and Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum does not win the battle to own LFC. Oldham is again shown to be a liar.
Andrea Dossena
May 6th – KopTalkers learn about the Dossena transfer from a Tribal Football article which a member copies and pastes onto the site.
Diego Cavalieri
July 3rd – KopTalkers learn about the Cavalieri transfer from a link to an article on the Setanta Sports website which a member posts.
David Ngog
July 20th – KopTalkers learn about the Ngog transfer from another Setanta Sports news article which is copied and pasted onto the site by a KT member.
Robbie Keane
The only two KopTalk posts during the entire summer which contained genuine “insider” information were made not by Dunk or his notorious aliases, but by two KT members who were passing on info they had stumbled across themselves.
This raises a crucial point about KopTalk – almost everything that has ever been good about the site has been down to the passion, wit, knowledge and intelligence of its posters. KT’s members have always, in effect, been charged for content they create themselves.
The first direct link came from the poster “dbyrne”, who had heard the rumour about our interest in Keane in his local:
April 20, 2008 15:06 Re: English speaking foreign player.. [Re: poppadom_rap]
dbyrne
Robbie Keane drinks in my local when he’s home and this story has been doing the rounds for a few weeks down there, so maybe we’ve put the feelers out on him.
Ironically for one of only two posts on the site during the window which actually contained “insider” info, it made no impact at all and there were no replies to dbyrne’s anecdote.
The title of that KT thread, “English speaking foreign player”, is a direct quote from one of the few genuine LFC “insiders” on the web – Elisha Scott on YNWA, who is a mate of Steven Gerrard. He had used these words as a cryptic clue as to the identity of one of the major signings we would make.
Next up was “Trampoline”, who heard a similar rumour a month later:
May 22, 2008 07:14 Robbie Keane
Trampoline
Anyone heard any links to Robbie Keane lately? I’ve heard a “strong rumour” but can’t verify the source, it’s 3rd-hand information – a friend of a friend says it’s a done deal!!
I’d take him though. If I were to choose purely from the “proven premiership” strikers that have been linked, I’d prefer Berbatov but Keane would be an acceptable second choice for me.
He scores goals, and Rafa would sort out his attitude quick-fast.
Any thoughts?
–Dean.
The infamous KT “insiders” never replied to this post to confirm or deny our interest. Why? Because they had no clue as to whether the stories were true.
After this is it all went quiet on the Keane front, and there was no mention of the player whatsoever until Chris Bascombe broke the news of our interest in June.
Unfortunately for the members of KopTalk, that’s as good as things have gotten over the past four years.
2009
Rick Parry
Feb 27th – KopTalkers hear about Parry’s announcement that he will leave LFC in the summer from members posting what they have seen on Sky Sports News and read in the Echo:
27/02/09 07:44 AM PARRY GONE AT END OF SEASON
Tim 17
Rick PARRY will leave LFC at end of season according to Echo
Rafa’s new contract
March 18th – Rafa agrees a new five-year deal. The first anyone on KopTalk hears about it is from a member who has read something on “the multi-coloured site” (ie RAWK):
18/03/09 08:58 PM Rafa signs new five year contract???
drogred
All over the multi-coloured site from a few respected insiders, five year deal signed
Obviously remains a rumour at the minute.
Dont shoot the messenger ;\)
Sami Hyypia
May 4th – KopTalkers hear about Hyypia’s exit from a member who has seen a report on another LFC site that that there will be a “Big story at 3PM on LFC.TV”. Oldham has no idea what it will be and replies: “They’ve had a stock delivery?”
04/05/09 01:28 PM Big story at 3PM on LFC.TV
simon100
just saw this on another site, most probably a load of old…….but you never know….
Quote:
Big story at 3PM on LFC.TV
By: Andy Williamson
I have just checked the Liverpool FC official Twitter feed and I was very interested in what I saw:
‘Stay tuned to the official LFC website for a big story which we have to hold back from publishing until just after 3pm.’
I wonder what the ‘Big Story’ is, I am curious now!
Any Ideas?
Unqoute.04/05/09 01:37 PM Re: Big story at 3PM on LFC.TV [Re: lee909]
Dunk Editor
They’ve had a stock delivery?
What a funny guy Oldham is. Well, he’s certainly laughing all the way to the bank with the money he’s still conning Liverpool fans out of.
Glen Johnson
Our interest in Johnson is reported in the national press as early as April. By the end of May, Spurs are said to be our main rivals. On June 13th, Portsmouth chairman Peter Storrie all but confirms the player will be leaving and the Daily Mail states that a bid by Chelsea has been accepted, but also says that Benitez hopes to unveil Johnson as his first summer signing in the next few days. It adds that Anfield is Johnson’s preferred destination and that Man City and Bayern Munich have also made bids.
On June 15th, The Times reports that an £18.5million bid by us has been accepted.
Later that day, Oldham finally feels safe enough to trot out his “insider” sources:
2009/06/15 at 11:42pm
KOPTALK sources are reporting that Portsmouth have given Glen Johnson permission to speak to Liverpool ahead of a possible move to Anfield.
Chelsea have also been given permission which should mean that both clubs have agreed a fee with Pompey. Manchester City, Tottenham and Bayern Munich are also believed to have tabled offers for the highly-rated right-back.
As we revealed last week a medical was pencilled in for a player to take place either on Sunday or Monday. If our source is accurate, it will be Johnson who undergoes one if he can agree personal terms with the Reds and ignore the money offered by Chelsea.
A club insider told the KOPTALK editor: “Johnson has been given permission to speak to us.
“His agent claims that the player is more interested in a move to Liverpool than to London or anywhere else and that his decision won’t be just about money.
“A condition of any sale would be that Portsmouth don’t disclose the transfer fee and conditions of the transaction due to outstanding business between the two clubs.”
Asked if Johnson was the player pencilled in for a medical, the source would only say: “If he wants the move to Anfield he could be a player before the end of the working week. It’s down to him now.”
A quick recap: Portsmouth have accepted bids from Chelsea and Liverpool, so both clubs have permission to discuss terms with the player (as reported in the national press). Man City, Spurs and Bayern are also interested (as reported in the national press). The player favours a move to Anfield (as reported in the national press). Johnson might sign for us, or Chelsea, and there is still a slim chance he may end up at City, Spurs or Bayern. He might have a medical soon, or he might not. He could be a LFC player by the end of the week, but he may not be.
It was trademark Oldham – hopelessly vague, loaded with caveats and trying to cover all eventualities.
That was the last that would be heard about the right-back from Oldham and his many aliases before the transfer was announced on KopTalk – not by one of the “insiders” but, as usual, by a KT member who was watching Sky Sports News:
26/06/09 03:03 PM Johnson signs a four year contract.
kopite.keith
Johnson signed a four year contract. Just announced on SSN.
In short – anyone using NewsNow knew as much about the Johnson deal as anybody relying of KopTalk for their information.
David Moores
This is how news of David Moores’ resignation from the LFC board first appears on KopTalk, more than a quarter of an hour after the announcement was made on the offal:
18/06/09 04:16 PM David Moores resigns
Dunk
official
Thanks for that one, Duncan. Excellent value for members’ £30+ again.
Alberto Aquilani
The Italian press had linked us with Aquilani since early July, which was reported on other LFC sites on July 13th. Two days later, the Daily Mail was the first of the nationals to pick up on the story, with the rest of the pack following shortly afterwards.
More than a week passed before the reappearance of one of Oldham’s most infamous aliases, “The Informer”:
The_Informer
2009/07/23 at 12:32am
Sneijder agent holding talks with Liverpool tomorrow. This will be a senior Liverpool FC official and not an agent representing the club.
Valencia say David Silva is no longer available but his agent has already agreed personal terms with Liverpool.
Arrangements have been made for Alberto Aquilani to visit Melwood while the squad is away but they cannot be finalized until tomorrow.
We’d been linked with a move for Silva repeatedly since 2008 and The Mirror had reported a meeting between Benitez and the player on June 4th, while Sneijder had been mooted as a potential makeweight in a deal for Alonso as soon as it became clear Real Madrid were after him, with The Mirror revealing he had been offered to Liverpool on July 17th.
So this was Oldham’s usual scattershot approach, covering all bases by naming each of the high-profile attacking midfielders we’d been linked with in the nationals and saying deals for all of them may or may not happen. Worth £30? Not at all. The sort of crap anyone could churn out if they had NewsNow bookmarked and possessed no sense of shame? Absolutely.
Sotiris Kyrgiakos
Aug 21st – KopTalk’s “insiders” have failed to predict the Kyrgiakos signing. The first time the player’s name is even mentioned on the site is when a member copies and pastes an article from Sky Sports saying the deal is almost complete:
18/08/09 06:58 PM NEW SIGNING????????????????????????/
HappyDays
“Skysports.com understands Liverpool are closing in on a shock move for former Rangers defender Sotiris Kyrgiakos.Liverpool are in the market for defensive reinforcements and it is believed they have lined up a move for AEK stopper Kyrgiakos.
The Reds have been linked with the likes of Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross and Hull’s Michael Turner, but Kyrgiakos appears to be a cheaper option for Rafa Benitez.
With reports of Benitez having his transfer budget restricted Liverpool have switched their attentions to Kyrgiakos and they are believed to have agreed a €3million (£2.5million) fee with AEK for the 30-year-old.
Kyrgiakos is understood to have said his goodbyes to his AEK team-mates and is now thought to be travelling to England to hold talks with Liverpool officials and undergo a medical.”
If you go on youtube and type in his name it says he has moved to liverpool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Three hours later, Oldham finally makes an announcement:
18/08/09 09:54 PM Re: NEW SIGNING????????????????????????/ [Re: nibbsy]
Dunk Editor
tomorrow’s daily mail:
Liverpool’s cash restraints look like costing Rafa Benitez his latest target after he had a £1.5m bid rejected for AEK Athens defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos, 30.
I’m sure nibbsy thought that was £30 well spent.
New shirt deal
Details of a new LFC shirt sponsorship deal were first leaked in this Daily Mail article on August 7th. It revealed that:
London-based international banking giants Standard Chartered, who just lost out to insurance broker Aon for Manchester United’s shirt deal, are already the leading candidates for the Liverpool kit.
The news was soon reported on various LFC sites. TIA published this article on August 10th:
Liverpool look set to end their 17-year partnership with Danish brewers Carlsberg at the end of the 2009/10 season, according to reports.
Reports suggest that financial giants Standard Chartered look set to sponsor the Reds for around £15million per year.
Oldham didn’t pick up on this at all. We didn’t hear a peep out of him, KopTalk Team, The Informer, wallet et al. Nothing. He was too busy writing repugnant, hateful bullshit about Rafa being about to resign and posting videos of himself on the toilet on his Moar vlogging site.
On September 13th, the Daily Mail ran a follow-up piece:
The chasm between the big four clubs and the rest of the Premier League is demonstrated by Liverpool having two financial institutions – favourites Standard Chartered Bank and Prudential – competing for their shirt sponsorship contract and prepared to pay upwards of £15m-a-year, almost double the current agreement with Carlsberg. In contrast, Spurs are struggling to find a new sponsor prepared to increase their annual £8.5m received from Mansion.
Oldham only began to take notice when a KopTalk member posted a story that – you’ve guessed it – he’d read on another LFC site:
03/09/09 09:14 AM New Shirt Sponsorship
beano
Folks,
a while back one of our esteemed posters had said we were in negoiations with a new potential sponsor. On another site it mentioned that we were looking at a £15 million a year sponorship deal with either Standard Charter or Prudential. Does any one know if this is true??03/09/09 10:27 AM Re: New Shirt Sponsorship [Re: beano]
Dunk
See the news page.
——–which led to——–
03/09/09 09:16 AM Standard Chartered Bank and Prudential target Liverpool
KopTalk Team
Administrator
Standard Chartered Bank and Prudential are locked in negotiations with Liverpool regarding a new shirt sponsorship deal.
Both companies are fighting for the rights to sponsor the Liverpool kit once the existing deal with Carlsberg concludes at the end of the season now that Carlsberg’s exclusive negotiations period has expired.
KOPTALK sources claim that Standard Chartered are the current favourites to land the deal having offered £15m-a-year, double what Carlsberg paid.
That’s right – KOPTALK SOURCES revealed… a copy and paste of the Daily Mail article. Well worth £30.
2009
Maxi Rodriguez
On New Year’s Eve, some LFC sites begin to report that a deal to sign Maxi Rodriguez has already been agreed. The following day, both the Daily Mail and The Times report that we are in for the player.
A day later, KopTalk eventually catches up:
02/01/10 01:23 AM Liverpool swoop for Maxi Rodriguez
KopTalk Team
Liverpool representatives are in Spain trying to negotiate a deal to bring in Maxi Rodriguez.
The 29-year-old Atletico Madrid winger is out of contract in the summer and is currently looking for a new club after announcing his decision to move on.
Atletico paid Espanyol €7million for him back in 2005 but these days he tends to be out of favour.
A move in January would increase his chances of a place in Diego Maradona’s World Cup squad and Rafa Benitez is hoping to bring him in on loan until the summer.
According to reports, Rafa may have to move someone on first to reduce the wage bill to allow the transfer to be given the green light.
It becomes apparent over the following days that it is a matter of when, not if, Maxi will sign. On January 6th, the Daily Mail states that “Atletico Madrid’s Maxi Rodriguez is expected to agree terms with Liverpool over the next 24 hours.”
So Oldham now decides to take a calculated risk and dusts off not one but two of his “insider” aliases. First up is “The Informer”
07/01/10 09:33 AM Maxi Rodriguez medical
The_Informer
Maxi Rodriguez will have his medical either today before 8 p.m. or first thing tomorrow morning.
Business as usual for Oldham, then – repeating what had already been reported in the national press and adding in the usual “either/or” nonsense. In truth, the signing will not be completed until January 13th, which makes Dunk look a little foolish, but nowhere near as stupid as his next piece of “insider” info:
07/01/10 11:38 AM One deal done; One nearing completion…
wallet
Hi guys
I’ve just been told that one transfer has been completed (terms agreed and pending medical) and another is nearing completion. Both are incoming. It came via text so that’s all I have for now – which I know isn’t very helpful.
I assume the first is Maxi.
I’ll update when I get it.
Wallet
which Oldham follows up six days later with:
13/01/10 11:35 AM Re: One deal done; One nearing completion… [Re: wallet]
wallet
Hi
I just got an update on my post of last week. Deal 1 – Maxi to be rubber stamped today. Deal 2 – Won’t name for obvious reasons is all but done (personal terms agreed). I can’t and won’t say more at the minute but both deals are considered real value for money from withing the club.
Wallet
There will be no “Deal 2”, of course. Liverpool would make no other signings during this transfer window. Yet again, Oldham had shown himself to be a liar with no sources at the club.
Also in the January transfer window:
On December 31st, The Mirror runs a story headlined “Liverpool weighing up bid for Greek right back as cover for Glen Johnson”. 26 – yes, 26 – days later, Oldham managed to crap out this:
25/01/10 12:33 PM Rafa looking for cover for Johnson
Dunk
Editor
Rafa’s looking for some cover for the right-back position. He hasn’t got long left now. Any ideas? Do we need to bring in cover for Johnson or should we be able to survive with what we have?
