Fans to join Liverpool FC & Everton FC stars for record-breaking five-a-side match

[MrsB]

Jan 4 2010 by Mark Johnson, Liverpool Echo



FOOTBALL heroes from Merseyside’s two Premier League clubs will unite to take part in the ultimate marathon football match.

Everton’s Leighton Baines and Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher have agreed to be team managers and will pick two groups of supporters to go head-to-head to break the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous game of five-a-side football.

The game will start on Saturday March 27 and competitors will try to smash the record by playing for 31 hours.

The bid was officially launched yesterday at Cafe Sports England, in Stanley Street.

Baines told the ECHO: “I think it is a great idea. The lads at Everton told me what it was all about and I was quite keen to get involved.

“It is a friendly competition. The most important thing is the charities which will benefit, but it will be competitive.”

Carragher’s 23 Foundation, The Everton Foundation and Radio City’s Cash For Kids are set to benefit from the proceedings.

Carragher added: “We want to raise as much money as possible for the causes.

“I have not been involved in anything like this before.

“If we get the world record, I think it will be brilliant for the city. To get both Everton and Liverpool involved will be great and it will bring the city together.”

Each squad will consist of eight players, and hopeful fans wanting to get into the sides must attend a fitness “boot camp” and a weekly fitness assessment.

Baines added: “The lads will go through training and some trials.

“Once they are picked, then they will get in shape.

“On that side, it is going to be taken quite seriously.

“We will be there for some parts of that and will manage both teams as well.”

The idea originated when Reds fans Shaun Moran and Michael McMillan watched footage of the 1984 Milk Cup Final between the city’s two sides and saw both teams do a lap of honour at the end.

Michael, 26, said: “We thought it would be a great idea to recreate that spirit.

“It will test you to the limit and it will be great to get advice from Carra.”

Shaun, 27, who lives in the city centre, said: “It will be great to get the chance to represent your club. I will be the fittest I have ever been.”

Andy McNally, 29, said: “You only get to watch players like Leighton with 40,000 fans. It will be great to get his one-to-one advice.”

Training sessions start at St Mary’s College sports centre, in Crosby, on January 17, 24 and 31 at 10am.

There are 16 places available.

To find out more, go to www.5asideworldrecord.com.

[Pablo]

Brilliant idea. When I scanned it I assumed there would be a few hundred swapping over taking part throughout, but only 16!

[KennyDogleash]

Just had a thought...

..surely 31 hours playing time will be easily broken at some point by the injury time at a Man U match?

[g.red]

Jamie should take Kuyt.

He'll run around all ****ing week!

[Joe King]

Jamie should take Kuyt.

He'll run around all ****ing week!

Hopefully he'll be so tired, he doesn't play for us again this season.

[MrsB]

Carra attends boot camp

James Carroll, 28th Jan 2010
LiverpoolFC.tv

Jamie Carragher ran the rule over 41 trialists as a world record attempt for the longest ever game of five-a-side took a step closer to reality on Sunday.

The Reds defender watched as event organiser John Moran and fitness coach Tony Rudge put the wannabe players through their paces at a 'boot camp' style training session at Crosby's St Mary's College Sports Centre.

Preparations have been stepped up ahead of the derby match, which is scheduled to run for more than 30 hours when it kicks off at 7am on Saturday, March 27.

Carragher will be in charge of the Liverpool side, while Everton defender Leighton Baines will be at the helm of the Blues.

Just 16 places - eight apiece for Liverpool and Everton - are available and only the fittest players will be considered for a position.

The 41 trialists braved bad weather conditions as they began training with an eight-mile run across Crosby beach at 8.30am in an attempt to whittle down the numbers before a final selection decision is made shortly.

Intense circuit training followed before the session was brought to a conclusion with several competitive games of a five-a-side.

"The lads have shown great dedication and done really well. It's been tough, so credit to them," Carragher told Liverpoolfc.tv afterwards.

"I think with something like this, a lot of it is down to fitness, so that's the main thing we'll be looking at throughout this trial process.

"It's going to be difficult to prepare for it because it's something that hasn't been done before, but the ones we select will be the fittest and hopefully they will get through it.

"It's going to take a lot to complete more than 30 hours of football, and it's something I don't think I could do myself, so the lads who are finally selected will have done great."

The current world record stands at 27 hours and 15 minutes - but Carragher is confident the title will soon be heading to Liverpool.

He added: "I'm sure they'll do it. They'll have to pace themselves and it will take a lot of organising. Hopefully if everyone puts the time and effort in we'll get there in the end.

"It's going to be a great occasion."

The event presents Carra with an opportunity to cut his managerial teeth, and he's hoping he can kickstart his coaching career with a victory over our neighbours.

Asked if he felt he could mastermind a victory over Everton, Carra replied: "I hope so. We've got a big game coming up against the Blues soon, so hopefully we can win that one and then this one will be the same."

The event will raise funds for Jamie Carragher's 23 Foundation, the Everton Foundation and Radio City's Cash For Kids.