Liverpool FC Forum

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:26 am**

Istanbul hero Smicer retires from football November 10th, 2009
Istanbul hero Smicer retires from football

Vladimir Smicer, who scored the second of Liverpool’s three goals in a remarkable second half comeback in the 2005 European Cup Final against AC Milan, has retired from football at the age of 36.

Smicer, signed by Gerard Houllier in the summer of 1999 for £4.2million from Lens following the departure of Steve McManaman to Real Madrid, will now take over as manager of the Czech Republic national team.

Smicer won a collection of trophies in his six years at Anfield, culminating in the Champions League triumph in Istanbul in 2005, before he was left for Bordeaux that summer. His goal and subsequent celebrations mean Vladi will always be fondly remembered on Merseyside.

Since then Smicer has returned to the club he began his career, Slavia Prague and faced injury problems, meaning he’s only made 23 appearances for the club since his return in 2007.

“I am not able to help Slavia on the field. I can no longer give it 100 percent,” he said in a statement upon his retirement. “My head and my heart want me to carry on but my body says no.”

-----------------------------------

While he was made of glass and a little timid, I always thought he was a clever player who had a great footballing brain and that with a bit of luck could have had a great career with us. All that changed in Istanbul. Vlad DID have a great career with us. Thanks for the memories and good luck in your new career.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:30 am**

The only man to score in the same Champions League final on two different days :bowdown

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:42 am**

Always thought he was too light weight for this league.
The only thing I really remember of him is Istanbul.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:54 am**

When everyone was screaming pass the fecking ball , we didnt mean it Vladi, :;):

thank you though though for one of the best nights of my life :nod

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 2:44 am**

Good luck vlad!

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:09 am**

Will always remember that goal - and the short lived celebration as rafa told him to calm down.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:14 am**

Top guy missed him when he left was a great little player for us had 2 good feet and he could thump a shot as well as any one on his day.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:16 am**

He was always injured, intelligent player with good technical skills but never seemed to hit it off with the fans. Played better for Czeck Republic than us but scored an important goal that gave us the belief we could overturn the match. His name will always be associated with that great night in Turkey and deserves the thread. Probably be a good manager as he was a thinking player.

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:39 pm**

Another Houllier signing that never lived up to hopes and expectations. Did well to survive as long as he did

EDIT : wouldn't mind a Smicer on the bench given our current standard

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2009 2:51 pm**

Rush Job wrote:Always thought he was too light weight for this league.
The only thing I really remember of him is Istanbul.

you're right. We paid a lot of money for him and he was never up to scratch. Spent most of his time injured from what i can remember.

Posted: **Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:40 pm**

7_Kewell wrote:
Rush Job wrote:Always thought he was too light weight for this league.
The only thing I really remember of him is Istanbul.

you're right. We paid a lot of money for him and he was never up to scratch. Spent most of his time injured from what i can remember.

i wernt a great fan of Vladi Smicer but to read that from someone darin to go under the moniker 7_Kewell is a little ironic dontcha think?? :suspect:

No offence meant personally mate, and we all have our favrits but that'd be the same game Kewell cried out of (thankfully) that made a hero outta Smicer.

And yeah, I know Kewell's transfer wernt expensive but i wonder what his actual total cost per minute and cost per goal/assist wud work out to be.......

Smicer did far more in that one game than the dingo did in his entire time at Anfield, sorry. Except maybe when Kewell hammered Gary Neville in the game against that sh!t3 after he med a tw@ of himself at the theatre of queens!!

Posted: **Fri Nov 13, 2009 5:13 pm**

KennyisGod....still wrote:
7_Kewell wrote:
Rush Job wrote:Always thought he was too light weight for this league.
The only thing I really remember of him is Istanbul.

you're right. We paid a lot of money for him and he was never up to scratch. Spent most of his time injured from what i can remember.

i wernt a great fan of Vladi Smicer but to read that from someone darin to go under the moniker 7_Kewell is a little ironic dontcha think??

No offence meant personally mate, and we all have our favrits but that'd be the same game Kewell cried out of (thankfully) that made a hero outta Smicer.

And yeah, I know Kewell's transfer wernt expensive but i wonder what his actual total cost per minute and cost per goal/assist wud work out to be.......

Smicer did far more in that one game than the dingo did in his entire time at Anfield, sorry. Except maybe when Kewell hammered Gary Neville in the game against that sh!t3 after he med a tw@ of himself at the theatre of queens!!

well i can't change my user name, so i'm stuck with it. But Harry was a very good player before his injuries. Vlad wasn't.

Liverpool FC Forum

Vlad smicer - Thanks for the memories

Vlad smicer - Thanks for the memories