Soccer: Anfield courting 'doctor'

Liverpool FC want the 'placenta doctor' Marijana Kovacevic in a permanent role.

Manager Rafa Benitez and his medical staff have been so impressed by Kovacevic's work with their injured players that they want to discuss a deal that would see her prioritise care for them, according to London's Daily Mail.

The club want to explore the possibility of the Belgrade housewife, dismissed by some as a quack, establishing a base at Anfield.

Kovacevic has already been courted by Manchester City, who flew her to Manchester to discuss working for them. She also has an offer from Romanian club CFR Cluj, which is believed to be worth £190,000 ($430,000) a year but allows her to carry on working with players from other teams. She is believed to favour that type of arrangement rather than an exclusive deal which would limit her earning power.

A source close to her told the Daily Mail: "Marijana is in demand. Some doctors are not sure about her but many players from England, Germany, France and Holland are coming to her regularly because it works for them. Liverpool are obviously happy with the results so far."

Kovacevic's methods have attracted controversy after she shot to prominence with her efforts to repair Arsenal striker Robin van Persie's torn ankle ligaments in November. Frank Lampard was another high-profile visitor but Chelsea's club doctor was not a fan.

She massages placenta fluid into the injured area and then treats it with an electro-magnetic device. However, questions have been raised over where the placenta is sourced, with conflicting reports it is from humans rather than horses.

Undeterred, Liverpool have used Kovacevic to help cut the recovery times of Alberto Aquilani, Albert Riera, Glen Johnson, Fabio Aurelio and Yossi Benayoun.

Israel midfielder Benayoun insisted to the Daily Mail he had 'no worries' over the methods used in her placenta massage.

He said: "There were no animal parts used and no injections. The doctor has treated a lot of players and seems to be held in very high regard. She explained everything to me beforehand and told me she would be using fluid from a placenta that had come from a woman.

"Nothing went into the muscle itself. It was just a case of massaging the liquid on to the skin around the affected area. It meant I was able to play again within a fortnight and help the team at an important time. I never envisaged being on the pitch again so soon, and it shows what can be done with this treatment."

Kovacevic operates from a tiny first-floor clinic above a stairwell in an austere development of shops, offices and apartments in the area known as New Belgrade in the Czech republic.

The mother of three, whose second husband is believed to run a betting shop, is said to cut an extraordinary figure. She "dresses crazily", according to the owner of the hairdressing salon at the foot of the stairwell.

With long black hair, thick black eye make-up and thigh-length boots, "she always looks like she is going out for the night," according to the proprietor.

Another bar owner, who has known her since she moved in a year ago, said to the Mail: "She is an extrovert, but nice. She always wears big lipstick. She looks like Morticia from the Addams Family."

- AGENCIES