I know that there will be a lot of upset Chelsea fans and jealous Man United fans as we continue the build up to the Champions League Final. Here’s a little something on day two, to lighten the mood. Fun for all the family. Bouncing off Wenger’s head for extra points is pure genius!

Non football fans should check it out too, it’s fun!

Oh course that’s not all I’ve got for ye today.

Let me take you back 30 years. Liverpool had been showing their class for a good few years on the domestic front but the European Cup had always alluded the great Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley took over in 1974 and continued the domestic success. After winning the UEFA Cup in 1976, Paisley made his permanent mark on the history of Liverpool Football Club in 1977 when the love affair with the European Cup began. Enjoy…

It’s AC Milan Vs. Liverpool again in this year’s Champions League Final. To celebrate Liverpool’s magnificent achievement of reaching their second Champions League Final in three years and 5th final in three years I’m having a week long build up.

Lets kick things off with a reminder of what happened in the semi-final…

It might be July 2008 before The Dark Knight opens here in Ireland, but there’s been a lot to talk about already. Warner Brothers have recently released this teaser poster and while I find it difficult to look at I can’t stop…

It’s the final day of the 2006/2007 Premiership season and Liverpool are hosting Charlton. The title has gone to Manchester United, Chelsea have wrapped up second spot and with it the second automatic qualification place for the Champions League. You’d think there was nothing to play for.

Liverpool’s game against Charlton is far from a meaningless occasion. Charlton are already relegated but teams down the bottom of the table have a habit of winning the first game after relegation. For Liverpool a win will guarantee 3rd place, although they only need to match Arsenal’s result at Portsmouth to do that. It’s the Champions League Final that is on everyone’s mind at Anfield and whatever 11 players take to the field today will know that they are playing for a chance to make the Final team.I expect Rafa to pick a full strength side that is more-or-less his team for Athens. Reina, Carragher and Gerrard are certainties for the Athens line-up and I would say Finnan, Agger, Riise, Kuyt and Crouch are all but in the 11 too. At the moment Mascherano is the front runner to partner Gerrard in midfield but today’s game will help to decide that for Benitez.

Will Pennant do enough to justify starting on the right or will it be Gerrard who plays there? Will it be Alonso or Sissoko to come into the centre? Or both? What will Rafa do about left-midfield? Can Bellamy show something to force his way into the team?

Despite the interest that all these questions bring to the game and the hope that the players will be able to focus enough to cement 3rd place all these things are over shadowed by the fact that history will be made. For the last time ever two Liverpool legends will walk out onto the hallowed turf of Anfield as Liverpool players. It is the end of the line for Jerzy Dudek and Robbie Fowler.

Some may question my use of the term legend with regard to Dudek, but having been in Istanbul to witness his double save in extra-time and his penalty heroics, I have no reservations in saying he is a legend. Nobody can question the status of Fowler. From the 4 minute hat-trick to the perfect hat-trick the following year, the list goes on and on.

I will be sad to see them both leave but it is the right time for both players. That injury may prevent Dudek from playing in the game is a cruel and unjustified blow, but Fowler will start and Fowler will score.

Thanks for the memories!

Sissoko is injured for this game and will not play. Garcia and Aurelio are still out. Dudek is a doubt but I think he’ll play.

Liverpool to win 4-0!

The Lives of Others tells the story of the Stasi agent Gerd Wiesler, played by Ulrich Mühe, and his investigation of the playwright Georg Dreyman (Sebastian Koch) in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin wall. While the trailer tries to make it out to be a tense thriller it is more of a character study than anything else.

At the very heart of the film is the eventual disillusionment of Agent Wiesler. By listening to and watching Dreyman’s life, Wiesler becomes aware of what he is missing out on in his own serious and self disciplined life. Although his moment of change was a little sudden Mühe’s performance - which was a cross between Ben Kingsley and Kevin Spacey - and the film as a whole were able to make up for it.

Fear and paranoia run throughout the film with everyone being a suspect for the Stasi and nobody knowing who to trust. It was hard not to draw parallels with modern day, especially the current USA administration. I found myself wondering what message the director had for us and why he would want to draw parallels with the US? I came to realise though that it was just the media focus on the US that made me draw parallels with it. The message of the film is as relevant to our own society here in Ireland as it is to any other country in the World.

The message of this film made it a surprise winner in the Best Foreign Film category at this year’s Oscars. Surprisingly enough there was no controversy beforehand or afterwards. I believe this was because Pan’s Labyrinth was the favourite and not too many people were familiar with The Lives of Others. Having seen them both I have to agree with the choice the Academy made.

The Lives of Others marks the feature debut for writer/director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. It shows us a successful and talented playwright and the love of his life, an equally successful and talented actress. Their happy lives are put at risk by the invasion of the state in their domestic and private affairs. Surely the message to everyone is to be careful about who you give power to. Oh, if only there was an election on?

*The Lives of Others is now showing in The Kino on Washinton Street, Cork.*