Rafa tells Gerrard to....

smuckers

They are both excellent players and compliment each other so well.

eirebhoy

smuckers wrote:

They are both excellent players and compliment each other so well.

Agreed, Robben is a smashing player but you'd be doing well to find an Englishman that doesn't think Robben is the better of the two.

BaZmO*

Good post EB. I agree totally.
I can't see the sense in Mourinho getting rid of Duff for anybody. Firstly, he's a class player, which nobody can dispute. And secondly he was asked to prove himself and while proving himself he was asked to change his footballing style and IMO he passed both tests with flying colours.

B.

PHB

I'm with ya EB,
I think Duff is the better player, if you asked me what player I'd want for United, it would be Duff.

But Mourinho I think does not agree.
He wants to bring in another European style forward because he wants to play in a 4-3-3.
Robben Duff and Joaquin are all amazing players, and one of them is inevitably going to be dropped, and I think in the end it will be Duff, and I don't think he will be happy on the bench.

Duff does track back and defend, and imo is an amazing threat, but not in the style of a european winger, in the style of an english winger, who acts in a kinda attacking full back role.
I think Joaquin is actually better going forward than either Robben or Duff, and besides Irish people, most people think Robben is better.

eirebhoy

But the main point of the post was Duffer has only recently got into the "attacking full back role" and it was down to Mourinho's instructions. If he wants Duffer to play the European style winger like he used to he'll tell him to, but he doesn't.

LegacyUser

Excellent post EireBhoy!

Duff is an amazing player and I never understand why people always say Robben ahead of him. Like why???

The Rooster

cheesedude wrote:

Duff is an amazing player and I never understand why people always say Robben ahead of him. Like why???

Because Mourinho bought Robben but inherited Duff. Most managers favour the players they buy over the ones already at the club.

But Joaquin said he'd prefer to go to Real Madrid, and there's not many other players around who could even arguably force Duff onto the bench.

eirebhoy

The Rooster wrote:

Because Mourinho bought Robben but inherited Duff.

Chelsea bought Robben in January while Ranieri was in charge but it was a Kenyon buy if you ask me.

Bannor

The Rooster wrote:

Because Mourinho bought Robben but inherited Duff. Most managers favour the players they buy over the ones already at the club.

Kenyon signed Robben and Kezman - they both had previously been lined up for moves to Man Utd.

Chucky the tree

did kenyon buy them cos muriniho told him too? or did kenyon jsut buy them cos he liked them?

eirebhoy

Chucky the tree wrote:

did kenyon buy them cos muriniho told him too? or did kenyon jsut buy them cos he liked them?

Chucky, he was bought in January when Ranieri was in charge. He bought him because one of Chelsea's closest rivals were going to sign him and he aint half bad.

PHB

Kenyon bought and still has the players that Man UTd had targetted, hence why his move was so annoying for Man Utd fans, especially after he messed up the Ronaldinho move

The only players that Mourinho has brought in are:
Ferreria
Carvalho
Drogba

eirebhoy

PHB wrote:

Kenyon bought and still has the players that Man UTd had targetted, hence why his move was so annoying for Man Utd fans, especially after he messed up the Ronaldinho move

The only players that Mourinho has brought in are:
Ferreria
Carvalho
Drogba

Kezman, Tiago, Jarosik.

Chucky the tree

Banner posted up that kezman was bought by kenyon aswell?

smuckers

Kezman was defintely bought by JM.

uberwolf

from koptalk.

_______________
A report in one of today's national newspapers claims that Liverpool gangsters have warned Steven Gerrard - 'Leave Anfield and we'll kill your girlfriend'.

The skipper is said to be so concerned that his partner Alex Curran (21) and their one-year old daughter Lily-Ella could be harmed that he has enlisted the services of four bodyguards to protect them at their £3million mansion in Crosby, north Liverpool. Not only that but his new £55,000 BMW 645 convertible has been made with reinforced steel to make it as "tough as a tank". SAS-style protection for Alex is also said to be under consideration for when she ventures out shopping.

Gerrard and Alex won't even party in Liverpool instead preferring to head for Manchester venues which is ironic considering the rivalry between both cities. But according to family members, the player feels safer there than in Liverpool.

Alex's mother Kim is very concerned about her daughter's welfare. She said: "I don't want to say anything about that (death threats) but certainly Alex doesn't want or deserve this kind of thing."

A friend of Gerrard's said: "Steven's really worried at the moment. You can't just forget it when people say they'll do you and your family harm if you leave Liverpool. He's had a run-in with these sort before and he knows they mean business."

Specific names from the Liverpool underworld scene are named in the report but having become attached to our knees, we'd prefer not to name them

Merseyside police have vowed to investigate the threats.
_______________

sensationalist red top reporting?

Bannor

smuckers wrote:

Kezman was defintely bought by JM.

The Kezman transfer was well on its way to being finalised before Mourinho became manager.

The Muppet

uberwolf wrote:

from koptalk.

_______________
A report in one of today's national newspapers claims that Liverpool gangsters have warned Steven Gerrard - 'Leave Anfield and we'll kill your girlfriend'.

The skipper is said to be so concerned that his partner Alex Curran (21) and their one-year old daughter Lily-Ella could be harmed that he has enlisted the services of four bodyguards to protect them at their £3million mansion in Crosby, north Liverpool. Not only that but his new £55,000 BMW 645 convertible has been made with reinforced steel to make it as "tough as a tank". SAS-style protection for Alex is also said to be under consideration for when she ventures out shopping.

Gerrard and Alex won't even party in Liverpool instead preferring to head for Manchester venues which is ironic considering the rivalry between both cities. But according to family members, the player feels safer there than in Liverpool.

Alex's mother Kim is very concerned about her daughter's welfare. She said: "I don't want to say anything about that (death threats) but certainly Alex doesn't want or deserve this kind of thing."

A friend of Gerrard's said: "Steven's really worried at the moment. You can't just forget it when people say they'll do you and your family harm if you leave Liverpool. He's had a run-in with these sort before and he knows they mean business."

Specific names from the Liverpool underworld scene are named in the report but having become attached to our knees, we'd prefer not to name them

Merseyside police have vowed to investigate the threats.
_______________

sensationalist red top reporting?

No You have it wrong that's his family that are trying to persuade him to stay.

http://http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=2409935&postcount=98

mike65

Bump.

This off bbc

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has said his recent conversations with Steven Gerrard have not been about a possible transfer from Anfield.

Gerrard has been linked with a move to Chelsea, despite having reiterated his intent to see out his contract.

"I have been talking with Gerrard, but only about Wednesday's game against Blackburn," Benitez told the club's official website.

"He's our player for the next two years and there's been no deal done.

I wish he'd said "No deal WILL be done."

Mike.

uberwolf

I don't want him to see out his contract. That's no use. Money or gerrard. Neither in 2 years is sod all use.

mayordenis

yes but next season he will be use,
and if we are good enough next season then contract extension
and whingey fans like yourselves can shut up.

uberwolf

mayordenis wrote:

and whingey fans like yourselves can shut up.

charming. That a personal insult?

I'm not whinging. He appears not to be commited to the club. He is a very valuable asset however. If he is to depart then I wish to see Liverpool make the most out of him that they can. If he commits to staying then great.

eyerer

mayordenis wrote:

yes but next season he will be use,
and if we are good enough next season then contract extension
and whingey fans like yourselves can shut up.

alternatively he wont sign and will be sold for £8 million plus some fringe player

p.pete

mayordenis wrote:

yes but next season he will be use,
and if we are good enough next season then contract extension
and whingey fans like yourselves can shut up.

LOL - true

Bannor

Rafael Benitez has said his recent conversations with Steven Gerrard have not been about a possible transfer from Anfield.

Benitez has made it clear to Gerrard that if he wants to stay he'll be happy to include him in his plans for next season and if he wants to leave then the team will develop without him. As i posted some months back Benitez doesn't like the media circus that follows Gerrard, most of it is Chelsea sponsored such as the fabrication of death threats to his girl friend. Benitez isn't going to say anything to upset the player before the end of the season, but when the season is over he'll get the same ruthless treatment that Owen received.

eyerer

good to hear

Caesar_Bojangle

What is Gerrard worth? I've heard figures of £40 million been bandied about but no player is worth that kind of money in my opinion.

eyerer

hes not worth 40, which is why i hope the rumours of 40 are true

PHB

Kenyon is buying so I'd say he is worth roughly 80 million in cash

mike65

Stevie G continues to tease...he said last night/today that he has not signed for Chelsea but he did'nt quite say he was staying!

Gerrard Slams Chelsea Link

"PA"



Steven Gerrard has stressed his commitment to Liverpool and insists rumours about a move to Chelsea are “absolute rubbish.”

Gerrard has often been linked with a move away from Anfield, especially if the club fails to qualify for the Champions League next season.




But the England midfielder today strenuously denied such speculation and said: “I held a press conference last summer to say I was staying and the situation hasn’t changed since then.

“I can tell you for a fact the suggestion I’ve already made up my mind to leave Liverpool and I’ve done a deal to join another club is absolute rubbish. There’s no deal for me to go anywhere and I’ve not even been thinking about that.

“There has been a lot of rubbish written about me this season and it’s getting ridiculous. There are people out there whom I’ve never even met assuming they know what I think.

“Sometimes I feel I’m in a no-win situation. No doubt in Sunday’s papers someone, somewhere will misinterpret this but if I say nothing, then you’ll have some fans saying ’Gerrard hasn’t denied it, so it must be true’.

“On the one hand I want to put the record straight and let the fans know they shouldn’t believe everything they’re hearing about me. On the other, I know everything I say is being interpreted to mean one thing or another.

“It gets to the point where you wonder if you should do interviews, but I’ve always been honest in everything I’ve said.

“If I responded every time a rumour was printed about me I would spend all my time denying I had decided to go. How many times do I have to say it?”

Gerrard says he will sit down at the end of the season and discuss the future with manager Rafael Benitez but believes the club are heading in the right direction.

He added on the club’s official website, [url]www.liverpoolfc.tv:[/url] “All I’ve been concentrating on since I decided to stay last summer was being successful with Liverpool, making sure we qualify for the Champions League next year and going as far as we can in the Champions League this year.

“The last thing I want to to do is leave this club because I want us to be challenging for honours every season.

“At the end of the season I’ll be sitting down with the manager and talking about the future, but until then all of us are trying to just focus on doing the best for the club and making sure we qualify for the Champions League.”

Mike.

cerbeus

So he's staying.... until he hears the Managers plans for next season.....
Smacks of a get out clause to me or am I just cynical?

Jivin Turkey

cerbeus wrote:

Smacks of a get out clause to me or am I just cynical?

Just cynical I think.

When he made his mind up last year, I dont think he would have bothered staying on one season under Benetiz, he would have to give him at least two to see how the team was developing. Even at the end of two he would still only be 25, so he would still have plenty of his career left.

You can see that Liverpool are coming on, while they are still incredibly inconsistent, when they get it right they can be damn good.

The Muppet

mike65 wrote:

Stevie G continues to tease...he said last night/today that he has not signed for Chelsea but he did'nt quite say he was staying!



Mike.

His timing is Interesting , I wonder would it have anything to do with damage limitations for Chelsea? The rumour that he had agreed to move to Chelsea has been very strong since Christmas and Ashley Cole alledged in his evidence that Murinho told him Gerrard was in the bag , It's strange that he did not quash the rumour when it first surfaced.

PHB

I think this is more of a, if we don't get into the CL next year, there is absolutely no way I am staying.
That way he is giving himself a nice get out of liverpool clause which fans might even find acceptable.
Either way the fans are going to be pissed when he leaves, but if he leaves due to not being in the CL, then he has a 50% chance of getting a better time

cerbeus

One way or the other it'll be sorted in the close season.
It will either give Liverpool 20 - 30 million to spend on other players or Benitez the opportunity to build his new team around Gerrard.

The Muppet

This one gets better by the day. According to some of the Sundays Liverpool are going to offer Gerrard a whopping 26 million over a number of years to stay.
If true that would explain his recent statement .

If I were a Pool supporter I'm not sure if I woule be happy to see that happen. A deal like that would have to affect theur prospects of buying other players and the other Livepool players may not be too happy at Gerrards improved terms. I thought he wanted medals and money was not his motivation.

Maybe it's just tabloid rubbish but its an interesting twist if true.

eyerer

26 mil would be better spent improving the squad

everyone says 'noone is bigger than the club' so wtf is all this **** about...
if some of the things ive heard are true i really have to question what rafa is doing

jesus_thats_gre

Well 25 million over say a 5 year contract including bonuses is not a big deal.. Its 100 grand a week.

eyerer

fair enough
i just didn't think of him staying for that long

cerbeus

Maybe the club has let him in on their plans for the future including future signings and further investment in the club.
This may have changed his mind.

PHB

Yeah, I'd say that is his best chance of staying, if Rafa can show himt he quality he will bring to the club.
Any valencia player wouldn't blink twice at following Rafa to liverpool, he is truely adored, and rightly so.