Robertson’s absence has been a big talking point for Cardiff fans, who have been perplexed as to why a player who cost the club a seven-figure fee when he joined from Manchester City in the summer of 2024 has not been used.
He was in Australia’s squad for their friendly matches in the United States and Canada earlier this month, but did not feature in either game.
“I think it’s fine for the supporters to talk about him in whatever way they want,” said Barry-Murphy.
“Alex is somebody who I know really well from long before he was at this club [when Barry-Murphy coached Manchester City Under-21s], so all I want for all the players is to be at their best.
“My duty is then to get them into that condition where they can compete against each other. But I have to be very fair and consistent in the way that I judge all the squad once they reach that level.
“That’s the same for Alex as it is for everybody else. If he was in the shoes of the other players, he’d want the exact same thing.”
Meanwhile, centre-back Dylan Lawlor could be back for Saturday’s League One trip to Bolton Wanderers having missed last Saturday’s 2-1 win over Reading with a groin injury.
Fellow centre-back Will Fish is also managing a knee issue, which limited him to 45 minutes against the Royals last weekend.
“Will Fish has an ongoing knee issue which is getting better, particularly when he hits longer passes,” said Barry-Murphy.
“He’s had some discomfort in his knee. But the amount of discomfort is getting less and less, so he’s making good progress.
“Dylan has had a good week of training so far. I think it’s important that he can do certain things that we want from later on this afternoon [Thursday] when we train, and then hopefully he can be available for Saturday.”
When federal prosecutors arrested a man Wednesday for setting a small fire that reignited days later into the deadly Palisades blaze, they suggested the arrest largely settled the matter of blame.
“A single person’s recklessness caused one of the worst fires Los Angeles has ever seen,” Bill Essayli, acting United States attorney for Central California, said as he announced the arrest of Jonathan Rinderknecht, a 29-year-old Uber driver.
But the new details they offered about the cause of the fire only added to residents’ anger and dismay about how city officials handled the fire that killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,700 structures across Pacific Palisades and Malibu. It also renewed calls for City Hall to be held accountable.
The Santa Ynez Reservoir in Pacific Palisades was going through maintenance and empty during the Palisades fire. Photographed on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.
(Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times)
Until this week, the focus of Palisades residents has been on a reservoir that was supposed to be a key source of water for the neighborhood being dry and other issues related to the fire response. But federal investigators concluded Wednesday that L.A. firefighters thought they had put out the small fire Rinderknecht allegedly set Jan. 1 only for it to smolder and burn underground and then rekindle in heavy winds Jan. 7.
This latest revelation is fueling debate over whether the city of L.A. or the state of California can be found civilly liable for its role in the fire.
Already, a flurry of complaints have been filed over the last 10 months accusing various L.A and California officials of failing to prepare for and respond to the fire.
Most legal experts agree that cases against government entities are tough because California law gives public officials broad immunity from failing to provide fire protection. Some argue that a criminal case against Rinderknecht could ultimately hurt residents’ civil complaints.
“Now those civil cases are dead in the water, because you have an arsonist,” said Neama Rahmani, president of the L.A.-based law firm West Coast Trial Lawyers, which is handling Eaton fire cases against Edison.
“That ultimately means that the already weak civil cases against the government became even weaker,” he said, “because now you have the person who’s really at fault for all this.”
EPA crews comb the ruins for hazardous material at a home on Miami Way, that was burned in the Palisades Fire, Thursday, February 6, 2025.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
But lawyers suing the government on behalf of Pacific Palisades residents disagree, and maintain that Rinderknecht’s arrest does not undermine their case.
Just hours after federal law enforcement officials announced Rinderknecht’s arrest, attorneys representing thousands of Palisades fire victims filed a new master complaint against the city of L.A. and the state of California, plus about a dozen new defendants, including Southern California Edison, Charter Communications and AT&T.
“We never allege that the state or the city started the Palisades fire,” said Alexander “Trey” Robertson, an attorney representing 3,300 Palisades fire victims. Rather, he said, their case against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the California Department of Parks and Recreation hinged on the lack of preparations in advance of the fire and the response after the fire started. “That has nothing to do with what started the Lachman fire,” he said. “It is what transpired after that fact.”
The 198-page complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, was not a response to Rinderknecht’s arrest or the new details provided by federal prosecutors. Wednesday just happened to be the deadline a judge set for lawyers to file an omnibus complaint on behalf of 10,000 residents and business owners.
Robertson noted that his complaint did not include the Los Angeles Fire Department: California governmentcode gives it broad immunity against claims of negligent firefighting.
But Robertson argued that the LADWP is liable, because the draining of the Santa Ynez reservoir resulted in fire hydrants running dry and their energized power lines came down on homes and vegetation that ignited additional fires. And the state of California is also liable, he said, because it did not inspect its land in the days between the Lachman and Palisades fires to ensure that no smoldering embers or residual heat remained that could reignite during the predicted Santa Ana wind event.
Robertson said there is case law that holds that a public entity is liable for a “dangerous condition” allowed to exist on its property that causes a fire.
“We allege that the embers from the Lachman Fire which the state allowed to burn for six days on its land (Topanga State Park) constituted a ‘dangerous condition of public property.’ This claim is expressly authorized by statute and not barred by the immunity statutes.”
Rahmani, whose law firm is handling cases against Edison in the Eaton fire, said that would be a very tough ‘dangerous condition’ case.
“What was the dangerous condition here that caused this fire?” he asked. “You’re saying the state has a legal duty. Think of all the hundreds of thousands of square miles of state parks in California to inspect the land. I don’t think any judge would say that there’s a legal duty to inspect forest land for smoldering fire.”
David Levine, a professor of law at UC San Francisco, said Wednesday’s arrest ultimately didn’t seem to change the limited liability public officials have in a fire through government immunity.
“It would be hard to prove liability on that because they’re going to have so much protection due to immunity,” Levine said. “Because these are public entities, they’re not going to be liable for punitive damages.”
Still, Levine said, plaintiff lawyers’ could try to thread the needle by using a ‘dangerous condition’ exception. “The statutes allow for that kind of a claim, but you have to prove it,” he said. “That’s a factual matter that would have to be developed.”
Rahmani said he always thought the cases against government entities in the Palisades fire were weak because California statute gives officials broad immunity from failing to provide fire protection.
“I personally feel that they’re leading people on, giving them hope that does not exist,” Rahmani said.
The emergence of a criminal suspect in the Palisades fire further hindered attorneys’ case, Rahmani said, because judges and juries tend to put all the fault on the criminal, even if there was a claim for negligence. “Because you have an intentional criminal act,” he said, “liability would have to be apportioned between the bad actors.”
Jurors, he said, already tended to be reluctant to put a lot of liability on government defendants. “They’re thinking, ‘Hey, my taxes are gonna go up, who’s gonna pay for all this?’.. That’s why it’s very hard to get massive verdicts against government entities.”
Asked about potential liability for the state or other jurisdictions in the Palisades fire resulting from the reignition of an earlier fire, California Gov. Newsom said, “We will look at the facts and judge on the basis of those facts.”
“When it comes to the issue of fire liability, I know a thing or two, going back to Paradise…” Newsom added. “This is done without political interference. The facts need to be pursued.”
Some lawyers expect that claims will be filed against Uber, Rinderknecht’s employer.
“Obviously, Uber is going to fight that,” Rahmani said. “In terms of someone to go after, Uber seems to me to be the only entity, and that’s gonna be a tough argument.”
Legal experts appear to agree on one thing: Even if Rinderknecht is convicted, he cannot possibly compensate the thousands of residents in the affluent coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades who lost loved ones and homes.
“I’ll assume he’s not an heir of Elon Musk or Estee Lauder,” Levine said. “The private and public loss is so vast here. Whatever assets this guy has, I would say, wouldn’t even qualify as a drop in the bucket.”
“Criminal justice — having someone be held accountable — is important,” Rahmani said. “But obviously, as far as money in the bank, it’s not going to be helpful.”
If an arsonist was found responsible in the Eaton fire, Rahmani said, that would have a huge impact on legal claims.
“That would be a home run for Edison,” Rahmani said. “That would save them and the California Fire fund billions of dollars, because then they wouldn’t be a fault. It wouldn’t be their tower. It wouldn’t be the electrical fire. This sort of arson with an accelerant, it would completely change the game, and the value of those claims would go to almost nothing.”
Times Staff Writer Daniel Miller contributed to this report
NEIL ROBERTSON hit another huge snooker landmark on Tuesday – in front of a one-man audience.
The 43-year-old took on Umut Dikme in qualification for the International Championship at Pond’s Forge in Sheffield.
3
Neil Robertson achieved his 1000th century on Tuesday
3
He celebrated in front of a one-man audience
3
The feat has only been achieved by three other players – including Ronnie O’SullivanCredit: Getty
And while leading 4-1 in the sixth frame, he achieved the 1000th century of his career.
After potting the final ball to confirm a score of 126 in the frame, Robertson walked back to his chair and raised his arms in front of the only spectator in the room.
The Australian became just the fourth player to reach the 1,000 century mark.
Speaking earlier this year, Robertson said: “Well to receive the award, you have to do something really special.
“What was quite surprising was, I think I must’ve been the youngest person receiving the award out of everyone there.
Pluto TV adds FREE snooker television channel starring legend Ronnie O’Sullivan
“So that was really special, to receive it and be around so many people that have achieved special things in their lives… it was very inspiring to see.
“It has to rank right up there [among his top achievements] because for me to get this award, I have to achieve everything in my career first. Without all those achievements, I wouldn’t be able to get it.”
With his starting place no longer assured, left-back Robertson had chosen to stay on at Anfield before Jota’s death and explained he felt a strong responsibility to help others as an experienced member of the squad.
“It’s the toughest thing we’ll ever go through,” he added. “Losing one of your closest mates for me was hugely difficult and it’s something we’ll probably never get over but it’s just something that we have to carry with us.
“We have to carry the memories we’ve got with us and as long as we continue to do that, then it’ll always be in our thoughts. He will always be in our hearts.
“It didn’t influence my decision. The decision was already made before the tragedy but I knew in that moment that the club needed me.
“I know I am one of the leaders in the team and I have obviously been made vice-captain now.
“It’s going to take a lot this season. I know football was irrelevant but if you take the football out of it, even as lads in the changing room, we are all going to need help during the season.
“We’ve already had difficult moments in terms of the first time in front of fans, having to go to your team-mate’s funeral which is absolute madness to even say, and everything else that followed.
“I know the leaders in that changing room have got a big job to do in terms of trying to help everyone as a club and even Diogo’s family through this massively difficult moment.
“It won’t get easier but maybe we can numb the pain a little bit as time goes on. It’s up to as leaders to try and guide us guide us through that.”
Alexander-Arnold and Robertson played together on 279 occasions – an average of 35 games a season in all competitions in their eight seasons together.
And each of them only played more games with Mohamed Salah.
Robertson joined from Hull City for £8m in 2017-18 with Alexander-Arnold, an academy product, having made his debut the season before.
They won 185 of those 279 games, losing 43 times.
The two full-backs played attacking roles in former boss Jurgen Klopp’s high-energy football – and had a hand in nearly unprecedented numbers of goals.
In isolation their assist hauls would be remarkable but the fact they were both doing it at the same time is even more amazing.
“We have got a competition between ourselves this season to see who gets more goals and assists. It’s a healthy competition.”
Only on 10 occasions in Premier League history has a defender created 10 or more goals in a Premier League season – and Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have each done it three times.
LIVERPOOL could be set to lose a second top star to a Madrid rival after Atletico Madrid reportedly made Andy Robertson their top target.
The Reds are already reeling from the loss of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid and could now be forced to deal with the loss of left-back Robertson in the same window.
1
Andy Robertson has been made a top target by Atletico MadridCredit: Getty
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
WEST MONROE, La. — Phil Robertson, who turned his small duck-calling interest in the sportsman’s paradise of northern Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon, died Sunday, according to his family. He was 79.
Robertson’s family announced in December on their “Unashamed With the Robertson Family” podcast that the patriarch of the clan had Alzheimer’s disease. The statement on social media from Robertson’s daughter-in-law didn’t mention how he died.
“Thank you for the love and prayers of so many whose lives have been impacted by his life saved by grace, his bold faith, and by his desire to tell everyone who would listen the Good News of Jesus. We are grateful for his life on earth and will continue the legacy of love for God and love for others until we see him again,” Korie Robertson wrote.
Phil Robertson skyrocketed to fame in the early 2010s when the A&E network created a reality show, presented like a sitcom. It followed the adventures of Robertson, his three sons — including Willie, who runs the family’s Duck Commander company, their wives and a host of other relatives and friends.
Phil Robertson and his boys were immediately recognizable by their long beards and their conservative, Christian and family-oriented beliefs.
That got Robertson into trouble, too. He told a magazine reporter in 2013 that gay people are sinners and African Americans were happy under Jim Crow laws.
A&E suspended him from Duck Dynasty but reversed course in a few weeks after a backlash that included Sarah Palin.
At the time, Robertson’s family called his comments coarse, but said his beliefs were grounded in the Bible and he “is a Godly man.” They also said that “as a family, we cannot imagine the show going forward without our patriarch at the helm.”
Robertson was born in north Louisiana and spent his life in the woods and lakes that make up the region called Sportsman’s Paradise.
Robertson played football at Louisiana Tech and taught school. He also loved to hunt and created a duck call in the early 1970s that he said replicated the exact sound of a duck.
The calls were the centerpiece of the Duck Commander business Robertson would grow into a multimillion-dollar enterprise before A&E came calling.
The family just didn’t sell outdoor and hunting gear, but a lifestyle.
“The Robertsons face everything from beavers to business deals in their own special way — with a twist of downhome practicality and a sharp sense of humor,” A&E wrote in its promotion for Duck Dynasty.
