You know that card game - various names - where you have to make 21 and you are sitting there with 4 cards adding up to 12 and you know a 5 card trick is good and so you say "twist" and ... it's a 10. That's bad, but maybe it's worse when you have 19 and get greedy and the dealer turns over a 3 ... Was this analogous to Rickie's situation? He's playing for Saints; he's a god to the fans; everyone loves him. Here you go my son, have some England caps. Oh yes please, says our scouse chappie. Now, fancy a World Cup trip? Oh would I? he chortles. Now, final card, what about signing for Liverpool? Yeah, yeah, yeah (to quote the oh so articulate Lennon and McCartney). So what does Rickie's hand look like now? He's sat on his arse for all but 10 minutes or so of a World Cup; his future could be bench warming for a Suarez-less Liverpool. Has he hit the jackpot, or will it all go horribly wrong? Only time will tell, folks. Like every Saints fan, I'm sure, I hope it all goes right for young Richard in the coming weeks and months. Share your views, or simply let this thread slip away, to be bumped when the situation is clearer.
To keep a musical feel, he's just "Homeward Bound" He'll do just fine. He has another chapter to write.
Todays news hasn't harmed him at all. The more game time he gets early on in his time there, the better he'll do over all. Its once they start benching him that problems will start to seep in. No love for Liverpool, but hope he does well, a proper footballer.
The Suarez ban makes it almost inevitable that he'll play some part in the game against us, which is going to be weird. No penalties for either side please!
I expect Liverpool will sign another forward, but if I was a Liverpool fan, knowing what I know about Rickie, I'd be very excited. Rickie and Sturridge in my mind would work extremely well together. Oh, and to answer this thread properly: Who knows what Rickies hand will look like, but I wish the man all the very best. Don't want to even entertain the idea of him scoring or even playing against us, we'll deal with that if and when it happens, but our games against him aside, he deserves an enjoyable end to his career - he's a true Saint.
Haha! I wasn't even thinking about it like that, more in the vein of Rickie providing Sturridge with some glorious chances. The poor guy probably isn't even going to get to take pens and free kicks anymore
My heart won't break if he never plays football again. Lovely guy, he took us to the Premier League, then he left as soon as Liverpool came sniffing. He won't get near the same game time he would have got with us and that's HIS call. He took us to the PL, but also we took him to the PL.
Pretty sure he'll be a massive hit with their fans. What not to like. Hope he dcores a hat trick in their second game.
The sale of SRL to Liverpool is still a mystery to me. Delighted for him, but can't see why a big club like LFC went for a striker near the end of his career. I suppose it came down to value for money...good striker at knock down price. He surely won't get much game time....could be England all over again. From Rickie's point of view, it's a no brainer...a great end to his career and a nice little earner. Personally, I hope he has an Indian Summer and plays better than ever for a couple of years...he deserves it. I wish he was still here though...we could do with him to give some stability.
It is clear to me Fran. Steve Gerrard went back from England duty and said to Mr Rodgers that Rickie was brilliant. He probably was so surprised how good he was with Sturridge that he kept on about it until Rodgers made an offer. That, or they were the only ones who understood each other while away with England.
I don't know if you meant that as harshly as it has come across to me? It would be terrible for the man if he didn't play again. We have been good for each other, yes I agree, but I do hope your comment wasn't meant as harshly as it reads.
I'd love to think that Rickie will play the role of super sub for them, lengthening his career as he wont get burned out and have enough about still to make the Euros. He will always remembered fondly and someone said before, treat it like he's out on loan to Liverpool.
Last season, I thought that Rickie was nearing the end of his career with us...going into a period when he would play less. However, I feel now that he may have been more important than that in this coming season...his England experience seems to have revitalized him and we are now down to peg-leg JRod and a youngster. Going to have to get at least 2 strikers in and integrate them into a team in transition.
And yet if Rickie had been showing much in training for England, wouldn't he have got more than 10 minutes in the WC? I also think it's a bit of a mystery. Looked at objectively, I'm not sure anybody really gains.
That's a shame. He has been a gent all through this as far a s I can see. 6 months ago, Saints fans were questioning his performances and saying he looked like he would spend most of the next season on the bench. We needed to replace him anyway; I really can't be pissed off that the man has been allowed to fulfill a lifelong dream at the age of 32/33, at the end of his career.
If you have a favoured but elderly dog, you may prefer to put it down rather than give it to a stranger. I suggested a few months back that we should take some players behind the barn and shoot them....perhaps I was being slightly harsh.
