Liverpool FC Forum

[tubby]

Where has the figure £32m come from?       
Written by Jim Boardman     
Tuesday, 05 July 2005 
It would be hard to find a back page of today's national newspapers that  didn't show a picture of Steven Gerrard leaving Melwood yesterday afternoon. And all of those articles seem to have "exclusives" about Chelsea making a £32million bid for Gerrard.

Chelsea currently have a suspended three-point deduction hanging over them after being found guilty of trying to tap-up Arsenal's Ashley Cole. In that incident they met the player without permission.

Right now though Chelsea are conducting their transfer business through the press. Chelsea can make as many bids as they like, there's no requirement for Liverpool to tell their player about them. So telling all of the journalists on the national sports pages is another way of letting the player know they want him. As all the papers know the bid that was made - or seem to - it's pretty obvious that they've been told about the bid.

Some of the reports are also claiming that Real Madrid have made a bid, although Madrid have only said publically that they would go for the player if he handed in a transfer request.

What Liverpool managed to achieve yesterday was proof that they are not at fault should Gerrard leave. He's been offered the deal he asked for, he's been told he's wanted, he was offered a deal three times over last season and each time held back.

What Gerrard's advisors have managed to acheive is to make Gerrard lose yet more popularity with sections of the Reds support as patience starts to wear out. Whatever the truth of the matter, unless Gerrard signs a new deal and publicly explains what happened in the last seven days he is going to lose more and more popularity by the day.

Liverpool are now in a win-win situation - they've offered Gerrard a deal, the one he asked for, they've got the biggest trophy available to them in the trophy room, they've signed new players with more on the way - Gerrard can't leave without criticism. He can stay, sign a new deal, and then go into the new season with his head held high. If he stays Liverpool keep the player, and more importantly prove to any other players that they won't stand for too much messing, and won't be lied about in public.

If Gerrard does leave, and goes for the reported fee, Liverpool lose an excellent midfielder, but have the funds to buy players that Benitez can turn into excellent players.

From what we can gather Gerrard is more likely to sign a deal now than he has been for some time, but SFX are pushing like crazy to get him to leave and bring them much bigger commission. A statement is likely at some point this morning.

[hawkmoon269]

Maybe I'll be slated for saying this, but I don't care.  Unless Stevie comes out, like Carra did recently, and state that, no matter what was on offer from other clubs, he was staying with Liverpool, he should be sold.  Carra is the type of player we want at liverpool, proud to play for Liverpool, and proud to state that there was no other club bigger than Liverpool, and that he was staying for life.  Carra is one of the best centre-halfs in the game, yet is anyone trying to prise him away from Liverpool.  Not on your life. Why?  Because they know fine rightly that Carra would laugh in their faces.  Why is the Stevie situation any different?  Why can't Stevie come out and state his "so called" love for the club?  Is it because he has turned into a mercenary (like Owen )?

No matter what the reasons, if Stevie is staying, he needs to come out very soon and state his intentions.

[76-1115222408]

Maybe I'll be slated for saying this, but I don't care.  Unless Stevie comes out, like Carra did recently, and state that, no matter what was on offer from other clubs, he was staying with Liverpool, he should be sold.  Carra is the type of player we want at liverpool, proud to play for Liverpool, and proud to state that there was no other club bigger than Liverpool, and that he was staying for life.  Carra is one of the best centre-halfs in the game, yet is anyone trying to prise him away from Liverpool.  Not on your life. Why?  Because they know fine rightly that Carra would laugh in their faces.  Why is the Stevie situation any different?  Why can't Stevie come out and state his "so called" love for the club?  Is it because he has turned into a mercenary (like Owen )?

No matter what the reasons, if Stevie is staying, he needs to come out very soon and state his intentions.

Anyone that slates you for that post Hawky is an a.rse, you are being realistic, and thats what we need at this time, if we all trust our hearts, we may just have them broken. Agree totally with the comments mate.

[tubby]

Put it this way if he was 100% committed he would come out and said it a long time ago. If hes man enough to turn around toa  club and tell them to atart winning things then hes man enough to tell his agents where to stick it. If he stays good but he better shut up and play otherwise wel be going through this all over again next season. If he goes then so be it, at least Rafa can bring in hungy comitted players who wel know posess quality.

[maximus]

These SFX vultures, i hate them. Isnt this the same groups that brokered the deals for David Bekham and Michael Owen. Similar bust up circumstances were involved along the lines of a bust up when David Beckham left Man utd.

I really dont think SG wants out and i dont want to sound selfish but but if he does leave we couldnt be in a better situation with the 2 richest clubs in the world in a bidding war. I would prefer not to see him at Chealsea but since they dont have any players that we would like to see play if they do really want them then lets test their bank balance and say no less than £50Mil.

If Real Madrid want them then either £50Mil cash only
or

£35Mil + any players including Raul/Cambiasso/JUANFRAN/Samuel

I put JuanFran in caps becasue Rafa has been after him for some time and tried to get him as part of the MO deal but got Nunez instaed.

And dont forget if he does go then that will most certainly allow Liverpool to offer the wages reuqetsed by a certain Luis Figo.

Interestingly enough SFX manage our vey own Carra and Zenden 

[JBG]

Correct me here if I'm wrong, but I think I have a precedent of SFX doing this before.

Sometime in the 2002/03 season....or in the close season after it, Liverpool attempted to get Michael Owen to enter into contract talks. SFX were Owen's advisors. Owen did not want to be rushed into the talks. He spoke in general terms of wanting to stay with Liverpool but I think he had a few doubts and considered in general terms the idea of playing abroad. However, I do think that Owen was swaying more to staying at Liverpool than going.

People might remember this at the time. Steven Gerrard had signed a new contract the previous November and he was urging Owen to do the same in the spring of 2003, despite Liverpool's poor form. However, Owen did not want to be rushed into doing anything, although he did reassure Liverpool that he would not walk out on a Bosman.

Then, out of the blue, SFX announced that Owen was considering leaving Liverpool and he would not sign a new contract. I know in hindsight this is what eventually happened, but this particular incident occured a full YEAR before Owen eventually left. Owen was outraged, and he sacked SFX, claiming that they had no authority to make the statement, and instead he appointed his dad Terry as his advisor.

I might be wrong with the dates but SFX definitely put a foot wrong with Owen that time.

[tubby]

I wasnt aware of that. I dont think their hardley on their way though.

[Scottbot]

Can you believe it - This must be the 3rd or 4th OFFICIAL STEVIE GERRARD thread we've had on here in the last 12 months.

[Leonmc0708]

Can you believe it - This must be the 3rd or 4th OFFICIAL STEVIE GERRARD thread we've had on here in the last 12 months.

This is not a nofficial one, its an underground one. Keep it quiet....

[maximus]

Owen was outraged, and he sacked SFX, claiming that they had no authority to make the statement, and instead he appointed his dad Terry as his advisor.

Strange if that is true as SFX are still showing Owen as their client on their official website   

[Scottbot]

Can you believe it - This must be the 3rd or 4th OFFICIAL STEVIE GERRARD thread we've had on here in the last 12 months.

This is not a nofficial one, its an underground one. Keep it quiet....

[policy]

In a baffling twist, Gerrard has confided to friends he desperately wants to stay at Anfield but he's concerned the club won't be strong enough to compete for honours next season.

He is also worried that by signing a deal reportedly worth £100,000 a week, he will swallow up most of Rafa Benitez's transfer kitty and the club won't be challenging for the Premiership.

This was from ICLiverpool page:
Reds fear Gerrard......

They make it sound like he's doing it for the good of the team. Hahahahahahahaha.
How very magnanimous of Stevie. If you believe that, well, SFX is a reputable group of agents who aren't ruining the game.

[Garymac]

Says in the echo club officals have said he is 99 percent certain to leave....WHAT THE FU*K IS GOING ON, yesterday he was going, last night he was staying and now hes going again, and in the meeting last night Gerrards agent did attend it.....This is bullsh!t, its going round in circles, Gerrard can end this once and for all, he has had 13 months to make up his mind and still he wont come out and tell anyone what he wants to do.

I never thought after last pre season, we would ever have it come to this, again.

[tubby]

Correct me here if I'm wrong, but I think I have a precedent of SFX doing this before.

Sometime in the 2002/03 season....or in the close season after it, Liverpool attempted to get Michael Owen to enter into contract talks. SFX were Owen's advisors. Owen did not want to be rushed into the talks. He spoke in general terms of wanting to stay with Liverpool but I think he had a few doubts and considered in general terms the idea of playing abroad. However, I do think that Owen was swaying more to staying at Liverpool than going.

People might remember this at the time. Steven Gerrard had signed a new contract the previous November and he was urging Owen to do the same in the spring of 2003, despite Liverpool's poor form. However, Owen did not want to be rushed into doing anything, although he did reassure Liverpool that he would not walk out on a Bosman.

Then, out of the blue, SFX announced that Owen was considering leaving Liverpool and he would not sign a new contract. I know in hindsight this is what eventually happened, but this particular incident occured a full YEAR before Owen eventually left. Owen was outraged, and he sacked SFX, claiming that they had no authority to make the statement, and instead he appointed his dad Terry as his advisor.

I might be wrong with the dates but SFX definitely put a foot wrong with Owen that time.

And David Beckham to. They were integral to the supposed "training ground bust ups" bewteen David Beckham and Sir Alex

[Igor Zidane]

I think i'm like most fans now, i just want a decision made by someone,i want him to stay ,but if he goes he must make that choice now for the good of the club we've got to move on, with or without him we must make progress. I would hold nothing against the lad and would thank him for the memories and wish him luck for his future.