11/21/24
July 04, 2005
Gerrard to leave Liverpool (finally)?: Latest contract talks have broken down, with the player's agent claiming they won't resume. I'm getting tired of the old off and on, the waiting, the conflicting statements. I'm more interested in who we'll be able to buy with the money from selling Stevie. Chelsea have offered GBP 32m. Wonder if Madrid can top that.
posted by worldcup2002 to soccer at 09:03 PM - 28 comments
Is it just me or do you think the agent is blowing hot air in order to earn himself a fee? I don't think the transfer will happen personally, it's not as if Liverpool have oodles of decent players to replace Stevie G with.
posted by BigCalm at 10:27 AM on July 05, 2005
He put in a transfer request.... He's leaving. http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1521825,00.html
posted by sauril at 10:33 AM on July 05, 2005
If "Stevie G" won't sign with his boyhood club for 100,000 pounds a week I think Liverpool should wash their hands of him. When ambition is pitted against loyalty (and a sizeable pay package) we know which way most modern-day athletes go. What puzzles me most in this saga is why Chelsea would want him. For me, they already have a better version of SG in Lampard, especially if Lamps can drop 20 pounds without losing his wallet. I think SG is history at the 'pool...there is just too much smoke for this fire not to rage.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:37 AM on July 05, 2005
I'm struggling to see how Chelsea can fit Lampard, Gerrard AND Makelele into the centre of their midfield. I mean, which one would you drop?
posted by squealy at 01:42 PM on July 05, 2005
So, Liverpool have turned down Chelsea's 32m offer. I'm thinking Chelsea will go to 35m. Or Real will.
posted by worldcup2002 at 03:26 PM on July 05, 2005
Radio 5 says that Barca offered 37m. Holy Crap that's a lot of money. Personally, I'm sad to see him go, but for that kind of cash...
posted by sauril at 03:52 PM on July 05, 2005
Apparently Opta statistics show that Liverpool get more points in games when he's not playing than when he is. They'd be mad to do anything other than cash in now, before he comes even closer to the end of his contract.
posted by squealy at 05:44 PM on July 05, 2005
reluctant as I am to subscribe to Liverpoolfilter, I must point out to Squealy that If Jose thinks he can accommodate all 3, he can accommodate all 3, although if my name was Claude I would be making sure I had a nice warm coat and hat. The Guardians Fiver had this to say: When footballers declare their undying love for one club shortly before leaving it to earn more money at another, the Fiver is always gobsmacked. Not by the predictable actions of the self-serving mercenaries in question, but by the extraordinary reactions of gullible fans who continue to labour under the delusion that footballers care about (a) them, (b) their club, and (c) anything other than money. So when a statement from Anfield revealed that $teven Gerrard had refused his club's "offer of an improved and extended contract because he wants to leave Liverpool" we weren't a bit surprised. After all, here was a man who'd wondered "how can I leave after that?" in the wake of his team's Big Cup triumph just six weeks ago. What did knock us for six were the missives sent by gullible Liverpool fans to Fiver Towers in which they expressed their total surprise that their captain would abandon them in order to fill his boots at Chelsea or Real Madrid. "I really thought $tevie was different," wailed one hapless buffoon in an email, prompting paroxysms of mirth throughout the office. Of course, if Liverpool fans spent less time idolising sportsmen who are bewildered by their fanaticism and more time examining the facts, they'd quickly realise that (a) if it's loyalty you're after you should buy a dog and (b) $tevie Me will be no great loss. Yes, he can trap footballs in the giant furrow that is his forehead, but in four of the last five seasons Liverpool have averaged more points per Premiership game played without him than when he's been there cannoning trademark 60-yard passes off pitchside burger vans. The upshot? With Xabi Alonso on their books, Liverpool are set to trouser well over £30m by way of compensation for losing their second best midfielder. As to where he'll go next: the smart money says Chelsea - who today had a £32m bid rejected - although that suspicious-looking paella van parked outside Anfield could well contain spies from Real Madrid, who admit they're "monitoring the situation". Either way, having already rejected a £100,000-a-week deal to stay at Liverpool, $tevie won't come cheap. Made me chuckle, anyway.
posted by Fat Buddha at 06:38 PM on July 05, 2005
37M!!!! Sell! SELL! We can buy Robinho and Adriano for that! WHooooooooo!
posted by worldcup2002 at 07:17 PM on July 05, 2005
FB - top class - had me laughing too. And I share the sentiment - a footballer declaring his undying love for his club is as much a kiss of death as the board declaring its undying support for its manager. I heard on Radio 5 that although Real wanted him, they were unlikely to get him as their current cash-flow problems meant they wouldn't be able to get near to offering him £100K a week. In fact, the broadcaster hinted that part of the reason they had gotten rid of Figo (aside from him being bobbins and over the hill) was that they couldn't afford his wage bill. Either way - sell the tosser - he's over-rated anyway. Get the cash in.
posted by JJ at 05:29 AM on July 06, 2005
Needless to say, as soon as I posted that, this happened: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/4654837.stm So, conspiracy theories anyone? A massive rouse to annoy Chelsea? Let's hope so.
posted by JJ at 05:33 AM on July 06, 2005
4 minutes. that's hilarious JJ.
posted by garfield at 06:37 AM on July 06, 2005
Hopefully the Liverpool board will have a shock U-turn of their own and decide they really don't want to keep him after all. This marketplace frustrates me somewhat. raised on the North American idea of contracts (that are generally adhered to unless you are in the NFL or your name is Alexi Yashin) means that this whole "I've got two years left and I will sulk if you don't renegotiate with me fast enough" thing is bleh. all this faffing about would drive me batty. I am glad I am not a Reds fan.
posted by gspm at 06:41 AM on July 06, 2005
garfield - just shows you though, my morning Internet routine places a visit to SpoFi above a visit to the BBC Sports section. I just hope that he doesn't do the same thing next year as he did this - off looking for houses in Surrey in April because Liverpool aren't challenging for the title. Play for us or don't - but don't play us.
posted by JJ at 08:41 AM on July 06, 2005
(and I stand by the comment I made previously - he is over-rated)
posted by JJ at 08:42 AM on July 06, 2005
Play for us or don't - but don't play us. i agree completely. i don't know alot about how player movement works, but i've heard Gerrard rumors for a few years now, and my patience would be worn thin as well. as for being over-rated - im not really qualified to answer such a question. I just think he should have more goals.
posted by garfield at 09:16 AM on July 06, 2005
I wish Sky could interview the same Reds fans they did yesterday who were basically telling Gerrard to fuck off...well...I think that's what they were saying...these boys had obviously not taken The-Beatles-embark-on-the-world-dialect-class... Anyway... It seems to me the damage has been done and all things considered, Liverpool might have been better off if the sale went through. 35m+ could buy 2 or 3 quality players and Shankly knows they could use a striker.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 09:31 AM on July 06, 2005
I don't care for Gerrard...he is so fucking overrated its amazing... But Lampard is a better version of him?! HAHAHHA!! Thats as annoying than these asshole English sports pundits saying that Lampard or Gerrard are possibly the best midfielders in the world...what a joke. I wish he was leaving...he's a spoiled little brat who would take the ball home if he didn't get his way.
posted by StarFucker at 02:24 PM on July 06, 2005
I'm w/ Fooker, gspm, garfield and the other disgruntled Reds fans. Enough of the namby pamby. From the BBC article JJ linked to: Parry had admitted defeat in the battle to keep Gerrard at Liverpool on Tuesday, but emerged on Wednesday morning to reveal the sensational twist. He said: "Stevie's decided to stay. It's a little bit like last year, only even more dramatic." Yeah, and we'll have to deal with it next year too, from the looks of it. Shoulda sold him to Chelsea.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:31 PM on July 06, 2005
btw, good on Liverpool for calling his bluff. Gerrard had to "settle" for the GBP100K/week that he initially turned down. Oh, tough on you, big fella.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:37 PM on July 06, 2005
...reluctant as I am to subscribe to Liverpoolfilter..." Thats POOLFilter...
posted by StarFucker at 03:53 PM on July 06, 2005
Strange, I thought it was PooFilter. You have to feel for poor Benitez. I bet he'd already spent the money in his mind, and now he's stuck with a £5m pa wage bill for one player. My heart bleeds.
posted by squealy at 05:45 PM on July 06, 2005
Figo to Liverpool? I was going to say we'll have an embarrassment of wingers if we get Figo (plus Gonzalez etc.). But then, I remembered Kewell was one embarrassment we already had. Has he been sold yet?
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:05 PM on July 07, 2005
Kewell will be back and better than ever!!
posted by StarFucker at 02:18 PM on July 07, 2005
Somewhat difficult to see how he could possibly be worse.
posted by squealy at 02:20 PM on July 07, 2005
Interesting move for us, if it goes through how does that affect Baros? Or does it mean Cisse isn't recovering from the roken leg? Also, 37M in 2000 down to 2M now. Was Figo a good buy in retrospect? Five years, a Champions League medal and a La Liga title, but Real hasn't won as much hardware as they appear to believe is their due.
posted by billsaysthis at 06:15 PM on July 07, 2005
More from the herbal-enhanced genius who is John Nicholson.
posted by Texan_lost_in_NY at 10:38 AM on July 08, 2005
In other news, we have midfielder Bolo Zenden coming in from Middlesborough. And a keeper, defender and winger from Spain. For 32m, maybe we can get Adriano. Hoohoohoo.