Rafa:I Want Stevie To Stay For Life

[ali2005]

Heard on the radio this morning that he's not leaving.

[4tothefloor]

2 statements were issued regarding Gerrard's future: One by the club, and one by Gerrard himself. Both claim to be telling the truth, but the truth only depends on which side of the fence you sit on, and which you believe. They can't both be correct.

I side with the player. The first two lines of his statement back it up, where he quotes: "I intended to sign a new contract after the CL final, but (crucially), events of the past 5/6 weeks have changed that". Therein lies the rub, and I suspect what really made the decision.

After the CL final, Gerrard's contract talks, were not negotiated for the first time. Nothing happened during June, when there was a second opportunity to negotiate them. Eventually last week, discussions began, 6 WEEKS after the season finished. Initially, things didn't go to plan. Then the following weekend, Benitez having elbowed Owen out the door last year over contractual negotiations, launched a campaign against the player in the media, insisting that the player wanted out, something that shocked the player. When he found out about it, SG presumably decided that he didn't want to continue with the discussions, and said "That's it, I'm off!!".

There is a culture of laziness, incompetence, and inertia among the top brass at LFC now. This is not the first occasion that something like this has happened. After 2 years of constantly delayed contract discussions with McManaman, he then left on a free transfer. Last year, after a similar delay over contract talks, Owen was left with one year left on his contract. The club did not offer him a suitable deal, so they sold him, to a club who didn't want him. Now, the same thing has happened again with Gerrard. The message from Moores and Parry is always the wrong one, and they were involved in all three players' contractual discussions. It's always, "We'll discuss it, (we will, we will, we will, we will,) in the near future". On all three occasions, the player left the club. After Steve decided to stay with the club, his new contract could have been sorted out then, in January, after the CL final, during the summer break, and when the team reported back for pre-season training. It wasn't on all 5 occasions, and Gerrard then decided he'd had enough of the club's failure to come to an acceptable deal. As the club's captain, and best player, why wasn't his contract sorted out as priority at the end of the season, over any other business, instead of Hamann's, for example? The club claim they did all they could to keep SG at LFC. They obviously didn't, because if they did, he would still be there.

Judging by the terminology of those two lines in his statement, Steve probably didn't really want to leave the club, but feels that due to the club's failure to come up with a suitable contract, and that the coach tried to create a propaganda campaign against him in the press, he felt that he had no choice but to leave the club. The club's statement is full of PR-driven spin, designed to make Gerrard at fault over the whole business. I feel that he was forced to leave the club by the ineptitude of Moores, and Parry, and the betrayal from his coach, over what were supposed to be confidential contract talks, in the press. Following the near-certainty that Gerrard will leave, he will hopefully move to Real Madrid. If he goes to Chelsea, they'll be rubbing our nose in it for years. If he goes to Real, it will be more palatable to our fans, and maintain the good relationship that exists between the clubs.

I would like to say to the following:

Moores: Do us all a favour, sell up to Steve Morgan, and fuc off out of the club, before any more damage happens regarding players, as a result of your naivety and incompetence. You're Tony Maguire in disguise!!
Parry: As above, great with the media, but a hopeless CEO, who has failed to negotiate successful contracts with 3 key players. Go too!!
Benitez: He is far from innocent in all this. If we hadn't won the CL, I would be calling for his head as well, the damage caused by his part in this whole business has yet to be revealed.

Without Gerrard, the team has no leader, and the move will be a severe blow to squad morale. Qualifying for the CL this season has suddenly become much more difficult. When we last won the EC in '84, the captain Souness, was immediately sold to Sampdoria. By the following October, we had lost at home to Everton and were then 17th in the league, as the club struggled to cope without Souey. We eventually recovered to finish second, and that '84 team was way better than the current team. Benitez bought 3 players this week, all from La Liga. One of them, a player who's club was relegated, is out for the whole of next season. That's his judgement for you!!

Maybe we should just rename the whole team, and call them Spain!! Players from there will dominate the team and squad for the foreseeable future, players who won't be able to cope with the English culture, mentality, and style of football. The damage this whole episode has done will be extensive on the field, and it may start a process, that ultimately costs Benitez his job.

So mypost, did you finish that giant humble pie at lunch-time today?

Blaming Benitez and the board was ridiculous. What really happened was we had a confused attention seeker who over-reacted to the fact that his contract hadn't been finalised. Liverpool were easy going about it because Gerrard had given them his word that he was staying, and that was it as far as they were concerned - everything else was just a matter of time. You'd also do well to notice that our "hopeless" CEO was busy tying up deals for 4 players over the last week, and is currently completing 3 more deals. He needed Gerrards dummy-from-the-pram drama like a boil on his arse. But Gerrard got paranoid, probably helped by his agent, that Benitez was planning an overhaul with the money from a possible transfer, and thus the embarrassing situation that ensued.

Let me say this. Gerrard is a bit of a ****** in my eyes now. He's a sulking, moody, attention seeking prima donna. I would prefer to see him sold, because I just do not believe that this is the end of this. He has embarrassed the club this week, and will probably do it again in the future. It's shocking that he will be allowed to continue as captain when Jamie Carragher is much more worthy of it. Carragher would die for the shirt, Gerrard? He'll just do what's best for Steven Gerrard. Open your eyes mypost and realise that we have a brat for a captain. So you going to stand by your unbelievable crticism of Benitez then?

[4tothefloor]

I see that the current twist is that Chelsea actually only offered 18m, 32m was a figure put out by Liverpool to make it more palatable to the fans.

Either way, it's just boring at this stage.

More bulls**t. Who told you this Conor, the Kerry branch of the Chelsea supporters club was it? That's what they're offering for Shaun Wright Phillips. Anyway, as if Peter Kenyon would stand idly by and let Liverpool lie in public...

[mypost]

Blaming Benitez and the board was ridiculous. What really happened was we had a confused attention seeker who over-reacted to the fact that his contract hadn't been finalised. Liverpool were easy going about it because Gerrard had given them his word that he was staying, and that was it as far as they were concerned - everything else was just a matter of time.

Giving his word was not enough, and holds no water. This crap has being going on since last summer, and the club repeatedly DID NOT act. Everyone knew that SG's contract would need to be renewed at the end of the season, to ward off the competition.

Time? The club has had an entire season, and a further 6 weeks to get Gerrard's situation sorted. How much more time did they need? As captain, his contract should have been dealt with urgently, at the end of the season.

This business has being handled disasterously by the club. The boss and board should NOT have waited 6 weeks to finalise SG's contract, the boss should NOT have gone behind the player's back to launch a whispering campaign against him, and the board should NOT have issued a statement saying that he wanted to leave, when he DIDN'T say it, as Parry himself admitted, after the U-Turn. The club's statements were pure PR bullsh-it. Gerrard NEVER actually said that he wanted to leave the club. He simply felt that because of the club's stance on the matter, he was left with no choice but to leave. Thankfully, everyone involved in the saga came to their senses just in time, and SG stayed.

Gerrard is a bit of a ****** in my eyes now. He's a sulking, moody, attention seeking prima donna. I would prefer to see him sold, because I just do not believe that this is the end of this.

So what if he's a prima donna? If he scores against TNS next week, or an important goal in the league or in Europe next season, will you celebrate, or sit in your seat and sulk, whinging that he's a prima-donna? If he was sold, who would replace him? I haven't being encouraged by Benitez's signings recently. I'm concerned that most of his signings are coming from the one place, and that he is not actively looking for the best players available, but settling for who he knows. I'm worried that they will be flops, which will do nobody at the club any good. Some of his previous signings are flops already, at the club.

It's shocking that he will be allowed to continue as captain when Jamie Carragher is much more worthy of it. Gerrard? He'll just do what's best for Steven Gerrard. Open your eyes mypost and realise that we have a brat for a captain. So you going to stand by your unbelievable crticism of Benitez then?

He is captain as he is by some distance, the most important player in the team at the moment. Carragher is good, but as I said before, he's due one good spell in 8 years. He's NOT a leader. Gerrard is a leader, with a lot of responsibility to every team-mate on the park.

I stand by my criticism of the board, as this is not the first time that this kind of dispute has happened during their time at the club. They're more worried about budgeting for an unwanted new stadium, rather than deal with more urgent priorities, such as players' contracts. Because of their naivity, and incompetence, this situation is going to continously happen while they're in charge, so I feel that they need to consider their positions before it comes up again. With Gerrard, they got lucky this time. The next time, they may not be so lucky.

[4tothefloor]

Time? The club has had an entire season, and a further 6 weeks to get Gerrard's situation sorted. How much more time did they need?

Well during the entire season they tried on three occasions to get it sorted, but Gerrard wanted to wait. By all accounts, Gerrard was on his way out of the club until we found ourselves in the latter stages of the European cup and with a real chance of winning it. Suddenly the sulk actually started to bother his arse playing and his attitude changed. He then went from definately leaving to 'I can't leave now' over night. I suppose you expect the club to bow down to his every word and demand and rush a contract through in the days after just because it's Stevie G?

In the 6 weeks between then and now there was good and genuine reason for contract talks not starting. Aside from the victory parades and engagements after winning the final, in the week after Liverpool, and Rick Parry in particular, spent a lot of time travelling and lobbying UEFA officials regarding our qualification for the competition. Parry also had to travel to the far east regarding the proposed summer tour. During the next two - three weeks, all parties concerned were away on holidays, including Steven Gerrard. Gerrards agent was out of action for a full three weeks as he got married and went away on honeymoon. In any case, the agent wasn't intersted in starting negotiations about Gerrards contract until after his honeymoon as there would be no sense in starting and then breaking off for three weeks. So this stuff that Gerrard is coming out with, and people like you are believing, is utter bulls**t. All the PR work is coming from Gerrards side, because he has made a coplete fool of himself. Why do you think he asked to talk to the players on his own at training that day? Why do you think he offered to give the captaincy up? He did it to apologise for being a prat.

the boss should NOT have gone behind the player's back to launch a whispering campaign against him, and the board should NOT have issued a statement saying that he wanted to leave, when he DIDN'T say it, as Parry himself admitted, after the U-Turn.

There was no whispering campaign from Benitez. Where is your evidence of this? All Benitez has ever said is that he believed Gerrard would stay, and that they would fight to the end to keep him.

And finally, what are you on about saying Gerrard didn't say he wanted to leave? Yes he did. He even gave a statement to Sky Sports News himself, saying it was the hardest decision of his career. He did say he wanted to leave, he wouldn't have been able to do a u-turn if he didn't. I'm afraid your suffering from rose tinted spectaclitis mypost!

[Karlos]

More bulls**t. Who told you this Conor, the Kerry branch of the Chelsea supporters club was it? That's what they're offering for Shaun Wright Phillips. Anyway, as if Peter Kenyon would stand idly by and let Liverpool lie in public...

Just to clarify for all, neither Liverpool or Chelsea mentioned the amount that was bid for Steven Gerrard in either of their press statements this week likewise with SWP who City have received no bid for at present. It's ALL speculation, don't get sucked in.

Figures have been thrown around as usual by the media and everyone suddenly thinks it's gospel. A reuters report a few years back showed a huge difference between actual transfer fee's and total sum of deals including wages which the media constantly confuse as is probably the case here.

Some supporters would be surprised to find there 10 million stiker only cost 5 million.

[4tothefloor]

Some supporters would be surprised to find there 10 million stiker only cost 5 million.

Ya but most fees nowdays are quoted to include the wages and signing on fees as well, since the bosman frees came in. Unless it specifically states the fee as being transfer fee. There's no such thing as a free player, a free transfer yes, but a couple of million is still being paid in wages and signing on fees.

I see where Abramovich has just recieved a £1billion dividend from his oil company. The jammer will probably buy Ronaldino with his pocket change now......

[mypost]

Well during the entire season they tried on three occasions to get it sorted, but Gerrard wanted to wait.

Did they? Where's the proof?? Unfortunately, the club did not negotiate it this time last year when they should have, and don't usually discuss such matters during the season. They like to leave it until the end of the season instead. Such a stance doesn't accommodate staff holidays, which can complicate matters, and did so this time around.

By all accounts, Gerrard was on his way out of the club until we found ourselves in the latter stages of the European cup and with a real chance of winning it. I suppose you expect the club to bow down to his every word and demand and rush a contract through in the days after just because it's Stevie G? In the 6 weeks between then and now there was good and genuine reason for contract talks not starting. Aside from the victory parades and engagements after winning the final, in the week after Liverpool, and Rick Parry in particular, spent a lot of time travelling and lobbying UEFA officials regarding our qualification for the competition. Parry also had to travel to the far east regarding the proposed summer tour. During the next two - three weeks, all parties concerned were away on holidays, including Steven Gerrard. Gerrards agent was out of action for a full three weeks as he got married and went away on honeymoon. In any case, the agent wasn't intersted in starting negotiations about Gerrards contract until after his honeymoon as there would be no sense in starting and then breaking off for three weeks. So this stuff that Gerrard is coming out with, and people like you are believing, is utter bulls**t.

Who's accounts??? SG is captain of the first team, the most important player on the park, and as a result, one of the most important members of the staff. His contract was going to have to be negotiated during the close season, and it should have being sorted soon after the CL final, closing speculation on his future promptly, and preventing other clubs from having the opportunity to offer him better terms. This was not done by TPTB at the club. Instead they waited 6 weeks to begin negotiations, and nearly lost him to rivals. It would never have been allowed to get to that stage, if the club acted when they should have. It should not take 13 months for a club to negotiate an extension to a players contract. It just should not happen, and the fact that it did happen, indicates a naivity, and incompetent feeling about TPTB about such matters. It's not the first time it's happened when they've been in charge either.

And, what are you on about saying Gerrard didn't say he wanted to leave? Yes he did. He even gave a statement to Sky Sports News himself, saying it was the hardest decision of his career. He did say he wanted to leave, he wouldn't have been able to do a u-turn if he didn't.

Read Gerrard's statement to SSN in full, and show me where it explicitly states, "I WANT TO LEAVE THE CLUB". It isn't there. SG didn't say it, because he DIDN'T want to leave, as RP admitted himself when the whole business ended. Instead, Steve felt unwanted by THE CLUB, as they a) didn't make it a priority in the close season, nor b) come up with a desired contract, when they did discuss it. The terminology in his statement indicates, that because of the club's position on the matter, he felt that he was left with no option but to leave. The club's earlier statement on the matter, is both a) spin, and b) false.

Whatever you think about him, Steven Gerrard loves this club. That's why he has agreed to sign a new contract, and turned down enticing offers from rivals. It's the good fortune of the club, that he will see out his future at LFC, and not elsewhere. Any resentment that some fans have against him, will soon fade. That is guaranteed.

[4tothefloor]

Steve felt unwanted by THE CLUB, as they a) didn't make it a priority in the close season, nor b) come up with a desired contract, when they did discuss it. The terminology in his statement indicates, that because of the club's position on the matter, he felt that he was left with no option but to leave. The club's earlier statement on the matter, is both a) spin, and b) false.

You've just detailed there exactly why he is an attention seeking, selfish prat. Didn't feel wanted by the club, boo hoo . Thats Gerrard being paranoid and then knee-jerking by telling everyone he wanted to leave. It backfired because fans started to burn his jersey and turn on him. Once he saw that, he realised he was quickly paddling up s**t creek and did his u-turn before the situation became irretrievable. Its all nonsense, and it was all Gerrards fault. The club were never going to sell him, which has been proved today, Gerrard just got paranoid and panicked, and left everyone at the club and connected with the club gobsmacked with his actions. That's it in plain English. End of story.

[Stuttgart88]

I don't know if this is the right place to put this comment, but I think Stevie G is a fine player but nowhere near the "world class" tag put on him. He's athletic & a beautiful ball striker but that's nowhere near enough.

Would we know much about him if he was a foreigner playing in a foreign league, where only the really class acts stand out & get attention over here?

SKY replayed the CL final last night. It was the first time I've seen the game on TV. Gerrard should practically have been credited with an assist for Milan's third goal. He gave the ball away in a terrible position with a woefully misplaced pass & compounded the error with a really poor effort at a tackle to win the ball back.

He got a great header and won the penno, that can't be denied, but in my opinion he's a fine player, no more & no less. Smicer, Hamann & Alonso were also instrumental in Liverpool's recovery. And his performance against Olympiakos was vastly overrated too IMO.

£30m + is a ridiculous price to consider. I think he's more valuable to Liverpool than he'll ever be at another club.