Liverpool FC Forum

by **lakes10** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 11:21 am

If Gerrard leaves I think Owen will leave ,who do you think Benitez has the power to bring to the club

by **big al** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:01 pm

If Gerrard leaves then Liverpool lose someone who it will take 5 years to replace. Owen can be replaced very easily, there are as loads of great strikers around providing you've got the money. Gerrard however is a different matter. One of the critical weaknesses in Liverpool for many years now has been the lack of a born leader, someone to boss his team mates and to take games by the scruff of the neck and win matches by inspiring his team. Gary McAllister was sadly for a short time our only player in ten years to do this. Gerrard has had this role pushed onto him at a young age but to his credit he has responded to the challenge. When I look around football, particularily the premiership I don't see this born leader in much depth, Man U have Keane, Aresenal have Veira who still has'nt reached the standards of Adams, I think there are leaders in other teams but not at the calibre of Gerrard. Its is desparately important for Liverpool to keep him, otherwise where would we find such a key player. You can't by this comodity in the short term, it has to be developed and nurtured, it takes time, it takes the player to grow with the club.
If Gerrard goes Liverpool go backwards dramatically, Owen leaving would hurt, Gerrard could possibly cripple. The departure of both would be a tragedy, and I would add may well deter big names from signing.

by **JohnBull** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 3:24 pm

The wonderful performances by Gerrard last season were due to his pride in the team tradition. They were necessary because we had a manager who had lost the plot and if it hadn't have been for Stevie we'd have been in a total mess - not even in the EUFA cup.
It must start to get you down, carrying a team round for most of the season,and,with the changes coming,next season must look like a mountain range to climb. Too many times everything's been left to Stevie.
The new manager is a different proposition but the transitional period can't be attractive.
I really believe that even when he does go we will still be a stronger unit than we were last year, now we've got Bene.

by **zarababe** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:15 pm

Stevie G won't be going anywhere... so don't buy in to the misgivings of the rumour mill.. Benitez is well respected, he's a giant in the footballing world. Iits a testamount to LFC that we are still considered to be big amongst the footballing elite, of which he is one..already so many of the lads want to stay to impress him , even the ones who haven't got a hope in hell!

There's a buzz around Anfield ... so get with the spirit and look forward` to happy days ahead!

by **JohnBull** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:26 pm

Do you want a slice of the action with The Hustler?

by **jimmyb** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 4:29 pm

Does anybody remember terry venables going to barca the first thing he had to was get rid of maradona but with the money he got he built a team that won the title. I for one have faith with rafa to build a team with or without stevie g

by **fivecups** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 10:08 am

jimmyb wrote:Steven Gerrard will quit Liverpool for Chelsea in a British record £31 million deal after Euro 2004, with Scott Parker moving to Anfield in exchange.

Gerrard is going to activate a release agreement he has with chief executive Rick Parry and ask to join Roman Abramovich's super-rich Chelsea on a stunning £35 million contract.

Liverpool may take Scott Parker as part of the transfer in a player-plus-cash deal.

Gerrard's camp are telling contacts in the game that the transfer will definitely happen and Chelsea are prepared to pay the £31 million fee up front to ease the pain. The contract on offer for Gerrard is a staggering £7 million a year over five seasons.

This is being reported as fact in the media, the same way Houllier's departure was, this is not conjecture.

Big Al sums up the disaster well although I think it could take a lot longer than five years to replace Stevie, players like this are rare.

How can people say things like 'As long as we've got Bene things will be all right or I'll trust in the managers decision'

Have they not seen the colassal importance of Gerrard in our team. Apart from Owen who is unpredictable at best he is the only world class player we have.

This leaves us with very little. Suddenly we are looking at a complete rebuild of Liverpool's football team.....how long is that going to take!

I cant understand why there has been such a big turn around in Stevies thinking!

If Chelsea get him, Rooney and some of the Porto players and loose all the dead weight they could be a superteam.

by **JohnBull** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 10:48 am

For God's sake - Yes Stevie is a very special player but our very best seasons have often come without ANY very special players in the side. Its a team game and we now have a manager who will get the best from what we've got.

100% of an avaerage player is a great deal better than 80% of a great player.

The boys gone - forget about him and look forward to spending the money!!!

by **jimmyb** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:00 am

I think everyone knows hes gone but wont admit it. Lets just speculate who we can buy with the money. its very rare for all these rumours to come out and not have some truth.I read yesterday that rafa flew out to meet stevie in lisbon so you never know !!!

by **fivecups** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:04 am

JohnBull wrote:For God's sake - Yes Stevie is a very special player but our very best seasons have often come without ANY very special players in the side. Its a team game and we now have a manager who will get the best from what we've got.

100% of an avaerage player is a great deal better than 80% of a great player.

The boys gone - forget about him and look forward to spending the money!!!

Disagree, our very best seasons have come with a LOT of special players in the side..... losing the best of our players is a massive backward step.

Stevie never gave less than100%. If he decides to go we cant stop him but it's a huge loss......did you not watch Liverpool last season?

Forget about him? He's the best player thats played for Liverpool in the last ten years whos at the peak of his game. How can you not be concerned about his imminent departure?

by **Scottbot** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:10 am

Unfortunately, i have to agree with five-cups. The media love to speculate about players leaving and more often than not it is total rubbish but this isn't going away. Usually the press would bandy about several different fees but they are all saying £31 mill. Gerrard has said nothing and Parry's recent quotes seeemed to be preparing the fans for the worst. Listen to Bill Kenright at Chelsea, he has said Rooney is going
no-where this morning, not even for 50mill. Parry should be issuing a similar message, he isn't though. Maybe there is a clause in Gerrard's contract and the club is powerless to stop him going.

I can understand why he might want to leave. He wants trophies now but i believe he will regret if he goes. Steven Gerrard has an opportunity to be remembered as one of THE greats of Liverpool Football Club, the man to lead us back to glory. If he goes now he will be just another player. A man who turned his back on his home town club when the fans needed him most.

If it happens, surely the board will demand more than 30mill. It makes my blood boil the way this Russian can take his pick of any player in the world. He has the money, i would demand more if the player wants to go. If there is no clause in Gerrard's contract we should accept no less than £40 million.

One thing i will say for Houllier, if he were still manager he would have told Roman & Kenyon they are in dreamworld by now. It's time Parry did the same.

by **LFC #1** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:12 am

I Find it hard to believe he would leave when he was so excited about the new manager coming.

I think he'll give it one season under Rafa and see what happens then he will make a decision. Then again he might think this is his opportunity to move on and develop his game even more, only Stevie knows.

by **JohnBull** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:17 am

fivecups - who were the "special" players in Rome - There wasn't 1- there was a truly SPECIAL TEAM and on an individual basis I would say that Gerrard is better than every member of that team but would I change ONE member of that side for him - would I fook!!!!

by **fivecups** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:22 am

Scottbot wrote:I can understand why he might want to leave. He wants trophies now but i believe he will regret if he goes. Steven Gerrard has an opportunity to be remembered as one of THE greats of Liverpool Football Club, the man to lead us back to glory. If he goes now he will be just another player. A man who turned his back on his home town club when the fans needed him most.

If it happens, surely the board will demand more than 30mill. It makes my blood boil the way this Russian can take his pick of any player in the world. He has the money, i would demand more if the player wants to go. If there is no clause in Gerrard's contract we should accept no less than £40 million.

I can't understand why he's decided to turn his back on us. I agree that if he stays now he has the chance of leading us back to glory.

If we have no option but to sell then again I agree and we need to push for more money. He's worth it.

Let's hope and pray that Rafa talks the talk in Portugal.

by **JohnBull** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:27 am

Once a player indicates he wants a move - and his silence more or less says this- it is pointless in trying to make him stay- it will NEVER be the same. The bond is already broken.
Its like if your Missus says "I love you but I'm not IN love with you" GET THE BIN BAG OUT!!! your off.

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