Liverpool FC Forum

by **Kukilon** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:00 pm

Haha poor Stoke City.

by **stanleytmanley** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 1:19 pm

From the local Stoke rag (it says he's been hampered by injuries, I didn't realise lack of ability was an injury) -

Salif Diao finally put pen to paper on a three-month loan deal at Stoke City today and immediately declared: "I'm here to prove a few people wrong."The 29-year-old midfielder heads straight into the frame for Saturday's clash at Leeds United after Stoke and Liverpool struck an agreement over the split on his wages.

And the former Senegal international says: "My career at Liverpool is over, but not my career in England.

"I love the passion of the people here and I want to stay in this country long-term instead of moving abroad.

"I feel I have something to prove, especially in England, because apart from my first year at Liverpool I have been unlucky with injuries.

"Sometimes you read in the papers that you are a flop and that hurts you a lot.

"I'm a very proud person and that's one of the reasons I want to stay in England. I know I'm a better player than you have seen."

Diao, whose five-year Liverpool contract expires next summer, is also hoping three months of regular football could revive his international career after a two-year break.

He says he has no problem dropping down a division, adding: "Sometimes you have to go down to be able to jump higher. I've already done that before and I am just happy to be here. I am impressed by everything, and everyone was happy for me to be here."

And he insists he is fully fit for his debut at Leeds after overcoming the calf and hamstring problems dogging so much of his four-year career in England.

City boss Tony Pulis hailed the arrival of Diao as concrete proof of his and Stoke's long-term ambitions.

Diao joined his new team-mates for his first full training session today after more of a watching brief yesterday as he awaited agreement between Stoke and Liverpool on his loan switch.

"We are absolutely delighted to sign a player of Salif's quality," said Pulis, "and we are extremely grateful to Liverpool for agreeing to the deal.

"Salif is a lovely kid and one, hopefully, champing at the bit and with something to prove to our benefit.

"He can play at the back, but I see him more as a midfielder for us. He's an all-action type of player, very competitive and a good passer of the ball.

"We've done our homework and checked him out fitness-wise as you'd expect. He seems to be 100 per cent and is on course to be in Saturday's squad for Leeds away.

"He is only on loan, but I still hope this is the kind of signing that will convince people how serious the club is about our future ambitions."

by **red37** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 2:00 pm

stanleytmanley wrote:"He is only on loan, but I still hope this is the kind of signing that will convince people how serious the club is about our future ambitions."

god, they dont ask for much, bless 'em.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:58 am

Unfortunately Liverpool are still having to pay part of Diao's wages for the next 3 months.

by **7_Kewell** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:20 pm

s@int wrote:Unfortunately Liverpool are still having to pay part of Diao's wages for the next 3 months.

well...it's still money saved at the end of the day. No Premiership club would want him.

by **stmichael** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:37 pm

"I'm a very proud person and that's one of the reasons I want to stay in England. I know I'm a better player than you have seen."

by **Big Niall** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:09 pm

when a rubbish manager buys a rubbish player then that manager, when inevitably fired, should be forced to buy that player at his next club. That way he'd think twice about buying a player on the back of a couple of good games. Lyon should have to buy him back.

Also, liverpool should have put it in the contract that he should have to display football skills, then they could fire him because no lawyer in the world could argue for him.

by **account deleted by request** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:24 pm

7_Kewell wrote:
s@int wrote:Unfortunately Liverpool are still having to pay part of Diao's wages for the next 3 months.

well...it's still money saved at the end of the day. No Premiership club would want him.

Perhaps Diao could join Real Madrid or Barcelona with Diouf

by **7_Kewell** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:47 pm

stmichael wrote:
"I'm a very proud person and that's one of the reasons I want to stay in England. I know I'm a better player than you have seen."

if he was so "proud" he would have taken a pay cut and moved on to another club.

by **kazza** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:10 pm

7_Kewell wrote:
stmichael wrote:
"I'm a very proud person and that's one of the reasons I want to stay in England. I know I'm a better player than you have seen."

if he was so "proud" he would have taken a pay cut and moved on to another club.

I do not hate Diao like most people here. He is limited in ability but that is the way it is. He is a good professional from what I understand and he never really slated the team in public. The person whos fault it is is Houllier.

Clearly Diao is not good enough to play for Liverpool but how many here would "opt for a pay cut" when they knew they would never make so much again.

It is the fault of Houllier and the directors that agreed to his ridiculous salary, if I was Diao I probably would have done the same.

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