We have let go of four quality internationals i.e. Fernando Torres, Alberto Aquilani, Mascherano and Raul Meireles, why?, because they allegedly wanted to leave, so in our wisdom, LFC doesn't want players who want out. Its is a daft and really stupid thing to do to let these players go. Imagine if Arsenal let Fabregas go 3 seasons ago, imagine if Fergie let Rooney go to Man City last season, imagine if Levy had let Modric go to Chelsea. Holding on to a player and making him honour his contract is business not begging. We seem to suffer from misplaced pride instead of looking at reality. Before you thumb me down, watch again how Rooney, Modric are celebrating after each goal they score for the teams they supposedly wanted out on a few months or days ago. Should we also let Suarez go next summer,if he wants to go And we need get rid of the idea that only English players have heart and we need to have a good english back bone. Qaulity is all that matters.
It depends on the real reason they ask for a transfer,take Rooney for example,he manipulated a massive payrise by using a transfer request as cover. Aquilani has wanted away since the day the ink dried on his contract but the slimey twat got his agent to negotiate with Italian clubs on his behalf behind our club's back. If we break even or make a profit from a want away player and we're given time to find a suitable replacement then kick the pricks arse out of the door asap.
Do you remember Berbatov at Tottenham when he wanted out? They held him to long against his will and it ruined their season.
Other than Mascherano none of those players are going to make a big difference to the team and we also have Lucas doing a great job in place of Mascha so I don't really see a problem in letting any of them go. If Suarez wanted to go then fine no one player is bigger than the club, that maybe old and a cliche but I only want players at the club that want to play for us and understand who they are playing for.
United let Ronaldo go. They got £80mill yes, but they didnt spend much of it on the replacement. They managed just fine. I in fact feel some players got better for them as they gained more freedom, but lets not get into that.
I cannot believe I am saying this but at last I have come across a scousers fan who talks sense. If a player is crucial to your team's future performance, why is it so wrong to say "You have signed a contract and the club will not let you go". Spurs kept Modric against his will and Man United held on to Rooney (even though there was speculation he engineered a pay rise. But make no mistake he would have gone to City if United had not tried to keep him). Both clubs will be rewarded for their actions. If Dalglish is building his team around Suarez, then he Suarez should be held to his contract. No point having this silly sense of pride and say if someone wants to leave our beloved club he can go, never mind that he has just signed a 4 year contract and thereby destroying your whole strategy. Players like everyone else in society should be held to their contracts. Also not surprising that a fan who speaks sense gets clobbered by the scousers fans on this board.
He's not getting clobbered the main players he mentioned Fernando Torres, Alberto Aquilani, Mascherano and Raul Meireles were not considered essential so were allowed to go for the right fee or appropriate deal (Aquilani) with the exeption of Mascherano who we did put up a fight for.
I think players in general should be a bit more loyal and honour their contracts. However, it all comes down to money (as always) because if a player wants out, it could affect his performances and have a negative impact on fellow players. If the performances drop, then his value may drop as well. And if you have a really hard arse manager who will keep the player until the final day of the contract, you won't receive any money.
Christine,if in your opinion Rooney WOULD have gone to City had Utd not shown they wanted him by giving him a massive pay rise,so according to your own logic it is'nt speculation he took your club to the cleaners its a fact. As for the OP getting "clobbered",how?
You know, I was just about to ask what time it was, thanks CS....[video=youtube;DABAS2-nazU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DABAS2-nazU[/video]
I think it depends on the players mentality. We heard all through the window Harry saying that Modric would knuckle down and get on with things if he was to stay at Spurs and it looks like he was right because he's that type of person. Would the same have happened with Torres or Meireles if we had kept them? Obviously we don't know them personally but Kenny obviously does and thought that they wouldn't want to get their head down and could become a disruptive influence which none of us want.
Ronaldo wanted out over 3 years prior to that. After first starting grumbling about a move, he won them 3 titles and a CL. Then they let him go.
it all smacks of expecting it all to come good after a summer of saying it will take a few years. I honestly expect a fairly average season this year and go from there, we've been dropped another 2 spots with the arrival of better spurs and City teams. 5th at best for us this year
The thing with Modric is there is always now going to be this hanging over his head, every transfer window the same story is going to come out. Harry himself has come out and said he asked not to play because 'his head wasnt right'. I think wasnt it after the Man City game Harry essentially blammed the performance on the whole Modric transfer situation? Look at Arsenal for example, everyone knew at some point Fabregas was going to go to Barca, but Arsenal hid away from it and didnt recitfy the situation, they for some unknown reason didnt plan ahead. Letting your 'star' players or even squad players leave isnt always a bad thing, we sold Torres and bought 2 players to replace him (queue laughs about 'waste of money' Carrol) now make no mistake if Chelsea were only prepared to offer £20 or £30 mill there is no way we would have sold, unhappy player or not. Utd only sold Ronaldo after they fleeced Madrid. Now if Spurs dont make it into the top 4 they might just regret taking the £40mill and rebuilding their team. Suarez wont be sold unless crazy money if offered and he wants to leave.
I think weather or not we allow them to leave should depend on the individual player, for example i think Torres we were right to allow him to leave as you could clearly see he wasn't interested in the team anymore. That said i agree with you that we can't just allow players to leave every time they feel like it the club shouldn't be afraid to say no your not going to be sold, even if they eventually leave it gives us more time to scout a decent replacement and doesn't leave the squad depleted. As far as saying that we need to stop thinking only English players have heart and we need a large English quota i agree with you, personally i couldn't care less where our players are from quality should be the only determining factor when signing a player. I also think we made a mistake letting Aqua and Mereiles go as i think they have been replaced by players who aren't as good as they are, i think a midfield 3 of aqua, merieles and lucas is stronger than one with lucas, adam and henderson.
They are many different reasons for letting players go, there effect on morale, there performance, income for the club just to name a few. Look at those originally listed: Torres - I said to a Liverpool fan mate of mine at the start of last season that I would cash him in and buy two quality forwards given his injury record and Liverpools reliance at the time on Gerrard and Torres (if either was missing Liverpool never looked like scoring). Torres was in terrible form during last season, he was struggling with injuries, knackered from world cup, not happy with lose of Masch and Alonso and obvioulsy wanted out. The board did the right thing letting him go. Mascherano - Wanted to go because his family couldnt settle, gave an extra year more, and gained a good fee for him. Again another good decision Miereles - Wanted to go because the club didnt "honor" an unwritten agreement (from former owners), quite rightly said if you dont want to be here hand in a transfer request. Made a little cash from him, more then adequate replacement in Downing. Aquilani - Again never settled, injuries hampered him, a quality player but doesnt want to be here in England. You look at the teams who try to hang on to players and generally it works out bad for them, look at Arsenal, it didnt help that Wenger was saying on the Friday that Fabregas and Naseri where going nowhere when everyone knew they where. Then follows up there departure saying we have a good enough squad, said squad gets hammered and he goes out and buys more players, club morale now shot to pieces. Rooney always wanted to say at United, he and his agent just used City to get a huge pay rise, he has been an hate figure in the past, he knew the fans would get on his back for a few weeks but score a few and they would come round. Modric wants champions league football and pushed for it, he has likely been assured that if spurs dont get into Europe he can leave next year and is nailed on for a big pay rise now. Ultimately managers have to do whats best for the club, letting these 4 go was the right choice
It is the replacements which will determine whether the decision to sell was right or wrong AND the results. Ronaldo wanted to go a few years before he went. SAF forced him to stay and got him to give 2 good years before selling him at a very high price. nani came through and is not a bad replacement. You sold Torres who was the best striker in the premiership in YOUR team. OK he was injured but given time he would ahve returned to his best. Alonso and Mascherano were two of the best MF players in the premiership The replacements for these 3 (Suarez, Carroll et al) are not of the same calibre although Suarez is not bad. Carroll is most rubbish £35million player ever. No club will even pay £10 miillion for him. In the main the departures have weakened the team.
