Liverpool FC Forum

by **Sabre** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:33 pm

No probs for the cross posting Ciggy!.

I see that an user named Walter Shobchack says

Quote from: Lyndsey_LFC on Today at 12:09:21 PM
Good news.

it is but its also possibly a load of tosh

Which of course it is a fair comment, as I'd expect everybody being sceptikal of rumours and Uncle Alberts.

I don't know if a father of a player would tell an unknown fella anything relevant about Xabi's inmediate future, I doubt it to be honest!

But I guarantee the conversation was like that but in Spanish. A few comments about his footballer past, then some stories from his friend about how Periko enjoys this kind of cigs

And that's it for what is worth. Possibly not to be taken too seriously as info, but at least me I was relieved to not hear "yeh it seems he's going to play in Italy" or something like that.

by **bigmick** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:45 pm

Sabre wrote:it is but its also possibly a load of tosh

Which of course it is a fair comment, as I'd expect everybody being sceptikal of rumours and Uncle Alberts.[/quote]
Indeed Sabes there is always the possibility that you are talking b0ll0cks. Equally, there is the possibility, or indeed the "option" that you are infact merely some bloke from Bognor Regis who just happens to look a bit like Steve Bruce, and actually not from San Sebastian at all but I think it's unlikely.

For one thing you met up with Andy for a beer in your home town. For another, you've talked with great passion about your background. No, I believe you when you say you talked with Alonso's dad. I also think it indicates that Xabi in his heart of hearts doesn't want to leave at all. Surely there must be somebody at Liverpool Football Club who can convince him that all he needs to do in order to find his very best form is to widen his circle of possibility in terms of where he will recieve the ball. Fex sake all he has to do is advance up the pitch a bit and everyone's a winner.

by **Ciggy** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:55 pm

bigmick wrote:Equally, there is the possibility, or indeed the "option" that you are infact merely some bloke from Bognor Regis who just happens to look a bit like Steve Bruce, and actually not from San Sebastian at all

by **Toffeehater** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:13 pm

SupitsJonF wrote:
RedRoots wrote:I'm tired of waiting on Alonso to make the step up to be the truely great player he was on the verge of becoming, lets just face the facts he just lost something, I don't think he has the heart for it.

And Barry has become that player? I don't think so.

well at the moment barry is better than alonso , he's a more complete player , more versatile and also his passing is more spot on than alonso . I'm sorry but unlike all of you who want alonso to stay , and wait till the cows come home , well too bad rafa does not have that much time . There are many and lets face it this is probably his last season if he does not challenge for the league . WHy would rafa give up alonso ? Maybe he knows that xabi is past it in the english league , so he has looked tot he closest thing who is gareth barry . Apprantely , villa are screwing us over the transfer fee and rafa is still interested which shows how much and how high he rates barry , i think its time some of us do too .

by **Toffeehater** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:15 pm

Sabre wrote:My new job in the mornings is at the traffic department here.

I've met Xabi's father today, who happens to be a close friend of Andres, the security guard. I was smoking a fag with the guard and Periko has popped up.

After some courtesy and saying I'm a Liverpol fan, I asked him

<Sabre> WTF is going on with Rafa? doesn't he appreciate Xabi any more?
<Periko> Not that he doesn't, but there are more important players in the squad

<Sabre> Yeh of course, but Alonso swap for Barry? what's that?

Periko frowns his face as in stranged, as in he didn't relate my initial question to the possibility of Xabi going off

<Periko> Ah, there's nothing of that for sure, don't take too seriously the press,
<Sabre> So, he's staying then?
<Periko> You never know what happens, but so far there's nothing.
<Sabre> Is Xabi ok?
<Periko> Yeh, he's very calm.

As far as Andres has told me (he'll be my Uncle Albert, Tio Andres), he'll tell me before any newspaper when some move really happens, let's see if it's true.

well , like he has said , newspaper's blow things out of proportion . We will know in the next few weeks or so for sure . Cheers for posting it anyways sabre

by **Effes** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 10:19 pm

Sabre wrote:After some courtesy and saying I'm a Liverpol fan, I asked him

<Sabre> WTF is going on with Rafa? doesn't he appreciate Xabi any more?
<Periko> Not that he doesn't, but there are more important players in the squad

That quote from Xabi's dad - I read it meaning maybe some "more important" players
are happy with Xabi leaving to make room for Barry?

Remember carra and SG's opinions carry a lot of weight at LFC.

by **redhayesy** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:00 pm

i sincerly hope alonso stays at the club, for me their are far more bigger priorities in moving
the club foward for next season with players who have no more to offer, will not make any
impact etc for next season, & alonso is defiently not one of those players. he has still got
lots to offer, imho is still a very important player for us & to sell him makes no sense what"s
so ever, for me the position he plays in for us is not a weak one so why jepodise it
by selling him. i don"t understand why he has even been mentioned in leaving the club
when he has stated he is happy, forget the media bu11shit involved, stirring things up etc
i hope the club recognise their are far more players who need to be moved on
rather than alonso.

by **Sabre** » Thu Jun 12, 2008 11:21 pm

Yeh, but this time there's more than the traditional media cráp

Sometimes it's more about what you don't read than what you do read what allows you to jump into conclussions.

Chelsea banging 50M for Torres was a rumour at the beginning, and Rafa reacted to a rumour by saying Torres was not for sale, end of. In a hope to end any speculation.

In the case of Alonso, we have silence to more than a rumour. there is a real offer on the table, there's a meeting, the player has been approached (all this supported by quotes), yet, Rafa says nothing oficially even if the sounds are bigger than in the Torres rumour.

Then the captain, talks more about the players he'd like around him next year, some of them able of playing in Xabi's position, rather than the spine that the team has been building on these years.

If I was Alonso I wouldn't think that the sounds at the club indicate they want me in. Rafa says nothing official, so that the speculation continues and the bids come. He might say the odd "he's very important and we won't sell cheaply" to a very local radio in Spain, but he won't deny Liverpool are ready for negotiation.

Then you also have some opinions of journos close to Liverpool (Liverpool echo, Balague) stating that we'll need to sell in order to buy.

Everything indicates that he'll be off this summer. Despite it's not his will. I think he'd even accept happily a secondary role like Sissoko had these seasons. But it seems the club wants to make cash.

And I hope I'm wrong, of course. I'd like him to stay.

by **ConnO'var** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:24 am

Sabre wrote:But it seems the club wants to make cash.

I don't think that this is the case, Sabre.... The club's main aim, I suspect, in all of this is to stregthen the weaker areas in the 1st team. In order to do this, an injection of cash is needed.... Seeing as that doesn't appear to be forthcoming from the American owners, the only option available to Rafa is to trim the squad size by cashing in on an area where we appear to be strong enough... ie central midfield.

If we make a profit from the Xabi and Barry saga, I'd say we've done well. But if it's a negative transaction, I'll be fecking :censored:

! Unless of course Rafa is planning to use Barry in the left back slot. Even then, it would be unfathomable for me why we would pay such an exorbitant amount for a left back (whose best position is central midfield) when we could approach a specialist like Lahm for close to the same amount that's being bandied about for Barry.

All in all, I find this whole thing a little bemusing.... on available information and hearsay, theres just no logic to it all.

The only thing I can think of, that could explain this sequence of events is that Xabi wants to leave..... which is hard to believe as he's repeatedly said that he wants to stay.

by **Effes** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:35 am

ConnO'var wrote:Unless of course Rafa is planning to use Barry in the left back slot. Even then, it would be unfathomable for me why we would pay such an exorbitant amount for a left back (whose best position is central midfield)

After buying Dossena for £8M(?) there is no way he'll put Barry at left back.

by **ConnO'var** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:41 am

Effes wrote:
ConnO'var wrote:Unless of course Rafa is planning to use Barry in the left back slot. Even then, it would be unfathomable for me why we would pay such an exorbitant amount for a left back (whose best position is central midfield)

After buying Dossena for £8M(?) there is no way he'll put Barry at left back.

Good point... even more baffling then.

Which means that either Rafa doesn't want him anymore or Xabi wants to leave? Hard to believe either..

by **Sabre** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 11:46 am

ConnO'var wrote:
Effes wrote:
ConnO'var wrote:Unless of course Rafa is planning to use Barry in the left back slot. Even then, it would be unfathomable for me why we would pay such an exorbitant amount for a left back (whose best position is central midfield)

After buying Dossena for £8M(?) there is no way he'll put Barry at left back.

Good point... even more baffling then.

Which means that either Rafa doesn't want him anymore or Xabi wants to leave? Hard to believe either..

What it definitely means is that no club in Europe sell their good players as a bargain. Fiore doesn't do it, Aston Villa doesn't do it, Porto didn't do it. And Liverpool shoudn't do that neither.

As for your previous point, it must be a nuance of the language because I agree. I said "it seems the club wants to make cash", but perhaps I should have completed it with "in order to buy key players in other positions", which is what you defended mate.

I agree your post. If we sell Alonso it has to be for profit, that's what good players are sold for.

by **Ciggy** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 12:17 pm

Liverpool in double transfer blow

Jun 13 2008

by David Prentice, Liverpool Echo

RAFA BENITEZ’S bid to fund Gareth Barry’s transfer with Xabi Alonso’s exit have been dealt a double blow.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill rejected Liverpool’s latest £13m offer for Barry yesterday, and reports in Italy now claim that Juventus have switched their attentions from Alonso to Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger after refusing to meet the Reds’ £15m asking price.

A deal for Alonso appeared to be close last week when the player’s agent went to Turin for talks – money Benitez would have used to fund Barry’s arrival.

But Juve officials said on Wednesday they were now looking at other players.

The news came on the same day that Villa rejected Liverpool’s latest offer for their skipper.

by **tubby** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:52 pm

Nice. But to be honest fair play I mean we by all rights should be holding out for around 18-19Mil for Xabi. Lets let Barry stew and see what happens.

by **metalhead** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:12 pm

I think its a bit both of good news and bad news really. Im really happy that alonso may end up staying, but dissapointed that we won't have the money to get gareth barry.

The only way to get barry is for the bloody idiots of an owner to give rafa the 15m and get us Barry!

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