MARTIN SKRTEL - Official Thread
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:31 pmLiverpool have today confirmed the signing of Slovakian international defender Martin Skrtel from Zenit St Petersberg on a four and a half year contract.
The established centre half has 15 international caps for his country and Reds boss Rafael Benitez is predicting a bright Anfield future for the 23-year-old.
"I think he is a player maybe not many people know about but he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersberg, and he is a centre half that knows the English style," said Benitez.
"He is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present.
"He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good. Watching him in some games his mentality is similar to Carra so I think it's very positive for the team.
"Our scouts first knew of him when he was playing for Slovakia and we have been monitoring him since the start of the season.
"We saw him play against Everton in the UEFA Cup match at Goodison and during the last few months we have been checking him closely.
"I don't think he will be ready for Middlesbrough because the Russian league season ended more than a month ago and the last competitive game Martin played was in the UEFA Cup in December.
"He has been training but I don't think that will be enough. He needs to get to know his team-mates and the league but I will look at him in training because he has a very good physical condition."
The Reds boss also believes Skrtel is a player who will settle quickly into life at Anfield and put pressure on the likes of Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger for a starting role in the first team.
"He has quality and he can be a problem for them and a good problem for me if I need to decide who to play in the future," added Benitez.
"He has experience and enough quality for playing as soon as possible."
Skrtel will wear squad number 37 at Anfield.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158347080111-1215.htm
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10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SKRTEL
You’ve heard all the speculation, digested the paper talk and analysed the stats, but just how well do you know our latest signing?
Liverpoolfc.tv reveals 10 things you never knew about Martin Skrtel:
1. Skrtel was a competent hockey player and could have followed a career in the sport until his passion for football took over and - fortunately for us - he opted to ply his trade in the world of the beautiful game instead.
2. He has already had a taste of what it means to play football on Merseyside having featured for former club Zenit St Petersberg in a 1-0 UEFA cup defeat against Everton on December 5, 2007.
3. At the age of 23 Martin is already an established international with Slovakia. He has 15 caps to-date and scored his first and only goal for his country in a Euro 2008 Qualifier when he netted the opener in a 6-1 win at home to Cyprus.
4. A move to Liverpool has left him so excited he has had trouble sleeping. He said: "I have realised that in all likelihood a new era of my life is beginning. I struggled to get any sleep on Saturday night, and I normally have no problems sleeping."
5. The 6ft 4 defender came second in the list of the best football players named by Slovak Football Union and newspaper 'Pravda' in December 2006.
6. He was a key member of the Zenit side that clinched the 2007 Russian League title - their finest achievement since winning the USSR Championship in 1984.
7. If Liverpool qualify for next season's Champions League he could well come up against his former teammates as a result of their title success.
8. He becomes Liverpool's most expensive defender, with the fee surpassing the previous record for Daniel Agger in January 2006.
9. Martin was born on December 15, 1984, on the very same day that guitarist Joshua Third, of cult rock band The Horrors.
10. He rose through the ranks at Slovakian outfit FC Previdza and also played for FC Trencin before leaving his homeland for Zenit in 2004. He played 113 matches for the Russian side, scoring five goals in total.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158340080111-1217.htm
The established centre half has 15 international caps for his country and Reds boss Rafael Benitez is predicting a bright Anfield future for the 23-year-old.
"I think he is a player maybe not many people know about but he played against Everton for Zenit St Petersberg, and he is a centre half that knows the English style," said Benitez.
"He is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present.
"He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good. Watching him in some games his mentality is similar to Carra so I think it's very positive for the team.
"Our scouts first knew of him when he was playing for Slovakia and we have been monitoring him since the start of the season.
"We saw him play against Everton in the UEFA Cup match at Goodison and during the last few months we have been checking him closely.
"I don't think he will be ready for Middlesbrough because the Russian league season ended more than a month ago and the last competitive game Martin played was in the UEFA Cup in December.
"He has been training but I don't think that will be enough. He needs to get to know his team-mates and the league but I will look at him in training because he has a very good physical condition."
The Reds boss also believes Skrtel is a player who will settle quickly into life at Anfield and put pressure on the likes of Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Daniel Agger for a starting role in the first team.
"He has quality and he can be a problem for them and a good problem for me if I need to decide who to play in the future," added Benitez.
"He has experience and enough quality for playing as soon as possible."
Skrtel will wear squad number 37 at Anfield.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158347080111-1215.htm
----------------------------------------------------
10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SKRTEL
You’ve heard all the speculation, digested the paper talk and analysed the stats, but just how well do you know our latest signing?
Liverpoolfc.tv reveals 10 things you never knew about Martin Skrtel:
1. Skrtel was a competent hockey player and could have followed a career in the sport until his passion for football took over and - fortunately for us - he opted to ply his trade in the world of the beautiful game instead.
2. He has already had a taste of what it means to play football on Merseyside having featured for former club Zenit St Petersberg in a 1-0 UEFA cup defeat against Everton on December 5, 2007.
3. At the age of 23 Martin is already an established international with Slovakia. He has 15 caps to-date and scored his first and only goal for his country in a Euro 2008 Qualifier when he netted the opener in a 6-1 win at home to Cyprus.
4. A move to Liverpool has left him so excited he has had trouble sleeping. He said: "I have realised that in all likelihood a new era of my life is beginning. I struggled to get any sleep on Saturday night, and I normally have no problems sleeping."
5. The 6ft 4 defender came second in the list of the best football players named by Slovak Football Union and newspaper 'Pravda' in December 2006.
6. He was a key member of the Zenit side that clinched the 2007 Russian League title - their finest achievement since winning the USSR Championship in 1984.
7. If Liverpool qualify for next season's Champions League he could well come up against his former teammates as a result of their title success.
8. He becomes Liverpool's most expensive defender, with the fee surpassing the previous record for Daniel Agger in January 2006.
9. Martin was born on December 15, 1984, on the very same day that guitarist Joshua Third, of cult rock band The Horrors.
10. He rose through the ranks at Slovakian outfit FC Previdza and also played for FC Trencin before leaving his homeland for Zenit in 2004. He played 113 matches for the Russian side, scoring five goals in total.
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N158340080111-1217.htm
