17 Oct 2014

Confirmed: LFC tried to sign 'special' Man Utd legend ahead of £11m Reds duo. Loss?

In 2001, ex-Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier pulled off an £11m double-swoop for Goalkeepers Chris Kirkland, and Jerzy Dudek. Kirkland fell by the wayside pretty quickly, but Dudek went on to play an integral role in the Reds' glorious 2005 Champions League victory over AC Milan. Things could've been very different, though, as it appears that Houllier only turned to Dudek and Kirkland after missing out on one of the Premier League's best ever goalkeepers.

In an interview with Sportkeeda this week, Man United legend Edwin Van Der Sar confirmed that he rejected a move to Anfield.

When asked why he left Juventus for Fulham in 2001, Van Der - hailed by Alex Ferguson as a 'special' goalkeeper - confirmed that there were other 'offers from top clubs', and explained why he rejected Liverpool's advances. He noted:

"There were enquiries from German and other English clubs - including Liverpool. But I wanted to make a decision early, while other top clubs chose to wait until the deadline day"

If Houllier had snagged Van Der Sar, Liverpool's goalkeeping situation would've (possibly) been covered for the next ten years (until 2011), with the added bonus that the Dutchman would never have signed for Manchester United.

Ah, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

That said, who's to say that Liverpool would've won the Champions League without Dudek? He made a couple of stupendous saves in the final, and there's no guarantee that Van Der Sar would've made the same vital contribution.

Plus, with Van Der Sar at Anfield, Pepe Reina may never have signed for the club, and for a few years, the Spaniard was a firm fan-favourite.

Despite all this, if I could go back in time and change things, I'd probably take Van Der Sar in 2001. Goalkeeping consistency is vital to the success of any team, and Liverpool definitely could've benefited from that between 2001 and 2011.

Plus, without Van Der Sar, Man United might've struggled a little, and perhaps lost out on one or two Premier League titles :-)

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70 comments:

  1. Sturridge out for another month; calf and thigh muscles made of wet bog roll.

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  2. Shite, we're knackered now. Not bringing Remy in was a massive mistake.

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  3. There does seem to be a certain irony in turning down Remy on potential fitness concerns

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  4. I wouldn't change Dudek over Van Der Sar because it was the faults in Jerzy that made what he did in Istanbul even more special. The only time I can think of where a goalkeeper cost us sliverware would be in 96/97 when David James lost the plot in our title run in. As for Sturridge it's a big blow.

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  5. With Balotelli saying he prefers playing with a second striker but neither Lambert or Borini really cutting it. Could we play Sterling up top? Let him float around Balotelli and stretch the game playing on the last man like Sturridge does?

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  6. Presumably the thinking was that they didn't want the back-up to our main injury prone striker to be another player with well documented fitness issues.

    Even if you look past the doubts about his knee and his heart, he only started 24 league games last season despite being undisputed first choice at Newcastle. That was less than Sturridge.

    No argument that we lacked foresight in the transfer market though.

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  7. Why is this rubbish a topic when the 'problem of the day' is Sturridge's further unavailability?

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  8. Agreed,plus a bit more mental fortitude( or balls,in workday lingo) mightn't. go amiss.I'm getting a bit fed up of these injuries.Are we dealing with real men or modern day sports fashionistas who have to take a day off if they break a nail?

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  9. Just to add to my previous comments,if anybody is wondering why I've such a 'bee in my beany' is that only a two wekks ago I paid a few hundred quid,all in, to go watch the WBA game.Nobody seems too bothered about anything since Luis left.

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  10. ...Just...how? I'm gobsmacked. Sturridge is so injury prone that he'd do his ACL playing with kids in an under-6's match. He's made of something worse than glass!!

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  11. To be fair this was posted before the Sturridge news came out plus it always interesting to find out about players who nearly joined the club and the impact the could of made e.g Remy

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  12. I think we're thinking on parallel lines.This seems ridiculous.I presume he doesn't know what a 'pain barrier' is.Just as well he didn't injure his wrist or finger signing the new contract.

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  13. Agreed,and topical now you mention Remy.This is turning into a right shambles.

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  14. For some unknown reason I have faith in Borni coming good, I don't know why but If he got a run of games I feel that he would produce the goods.

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  15. Lets hope he does, if not we are in trouble

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  16. I'm genuinely gutted. My hopes were very much pinned on the return of Sturridge. We have problems now I fear

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  17. What's Sturridge doing to always get injured at training? Somersaults and cartwheels?

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  18. just heard the news.. is it ok if i cry ?

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  19. bringing back origi doesn't seem so far fetched now does it ?

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  20. Lallana's come good already mate. Markovic still young and getting used to the English game. Give him time. Gutted about Studge! 😫

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  21. Most of the news I watch or hear makes me want to cry

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  22. It's the rubbish that makes other things seem important even if they aren't either

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  23. Balotelli goes wide to often. We have an anchorman. Pair them up please!

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  24. this is the worst i have heard in a while.

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  25. Agreed. I am sure we can all remember the days when blood transfusions were a routine part of post match recovery and most players finished a game with at least one complete limb missing. :-)

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  26. Look beyond the sports pages then

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  27. My favourite question. If you ever come up with an answer let me know.

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  28. Crazy how Sturridge could be out for up to another month. Let's just hope Rodgers has thought long and hard about how poor we have been of late. He is going to have to change tactics if we are going to turn this season around and start looking like a team capable of finishing top 4. Sturridge or no Sturridge, going one upfront is not an option anymore and playing Henderson as a holding midfielder is yet another waste of the energy and work rate he brings when playing further forward.


    I just do not want to see a repeat of the morbid football that has been served up of late. Fingers crossed we do not go with the cautious approach vs QPR. I want to see performance where we go out with the aim to win instead of waiting for the opposition to score or defending a one goal lead.


    QPR are rock bottom, the worst team in the league and have been ripped to shreds in all their matches. If we cannot beat them convincingly then we need to start getting ready for a finish outside the top 4.

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  29. //////////////allen or Can
    Hendo Coutinho
    ////////////Gerrard
    Balotelli
    //////////////Lambert

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  30. Gerrard unfortunately does not have the legs to last the entire match plying at the tip. He will need to track back, get forward etc. He will run out of steam in no time. There is a reason he has been playing in a role that does not require much leg work.


    Lallana has been our best player of late so should be playing no questions asked.

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  31. I want to see Can get a go. We could play Gerrard at the tip for the first half and then bring on Coutinho in the second and push Gerrard to DM.

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  32. If you are going to play Gerrard at the tip it has to be as an impact player of the bench. Playing him in the first half at the tip and then as the deepest midfielder in the 2nd half? He will struggle. He is not 19 anymore.

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  33. Yeah maybe. I always think that a player should have an impact from the start. Maybe take him off completely in the second half.

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  34. Lallana for Couts. When Gerrard burns out, Couts in for him and flip him with Lallana.

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  35. The only time we have played 4-3-3 this season was vs City and though we were not at our best we caused problems for them.

    Whenever we have gone with 2 holding mid's and 1 upfront we have been ponderous and have had no identity.



    It has to be either 3 upfront or 2. QPR will just park the bus and we will be trying to break the deadlock with 4-2-3-1. One point to QPR right now is as good as three and they will be aiming for the draw.

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  36. Not sure we will see Allen start and not as our deepest midfielder either. Like Henderson, Allen's ability to run, chase the ball, win the ball, push the opposition back and commit them to make mistakes would be totally and utterly wasted.

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  37. Me neither. Average player for me.

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  38. Ha ha, men were men in those days. It does bring to mind the story of Man City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann though; served in the Luftwaffe and as a paratrooper in WWII, earned an Iron cross, then broke his kneck in the 1956 FA cup final and carried on to make two or three outstanding saves before finally heading to hospital, but only after collecting his winner's medal. What a hard-ass.

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  39. Chewed candy floss. Scientifically proven.

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  40. Allen and Can will not start matches straight away after coming back from injuries. They will come on as subs to regain match fitness and probably even Sakho.


    The two options for me right now are


    ----------------Mignolet--------------
    Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
    ----------------Gerrard---------------
    --------Hendo----------Lallana-----
    ----------------Sterling---------------
    Lambert/Borini------Balotelli------


    or


    ----------------Mignolet--------------
    Manquillo Skrtel Lovren Moreno
    ----------------Gerrard---------------
    -----Coutinho----------Hendo------
    Sterling------Balotelli---Lallana----




    Unfortunately this is the team I am expecting Rodgers to go with


    ----------------Mignolet--------------
    Johnson Skrtel-----Lovren Moreno
    -------Gerrard-----------Hendo-------
    Markovic------Lallana-----Sterling
    -----------------Balotelli---------------


    QPR will just sit back and Redknapp will enjoy that fact that we will just running into a brick wall.

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  41. Tell me you are making this up...

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  42. Nope. It's probably on youtube. The commentator even suggested during the game that Trautmann's neck looked a little crooked.

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  43. I knew you weren`t, but it`s just...

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  44. Mr. Point Of View9:35 am, October 18, 2014

    For long term plan NO BRAZILIAN...They really good b4 FAMOUS...
    Im not racist but MAJORITY Brazilian player just temporary..Dun gamble on it !
    My example r here Kaka, Robinho,Pato,....Couthinho??


    Of coz there r plenty of successful transfer but what is d odd???

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  45. INJURED AGAIN - Jamie lad we all laughed when you said CASH IN ON HIM A MONTH AGO - nobody laughing now = how wise you were and how foolish B R was to go for a Balloteli type - ONLY THING TO SAVE OUR SEASON NOW - Play captain fantastic behind Super Mario = only chance we got and if QPR score first - forget it = game over

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  46. Gerard MUST play behing Super Mario - OUR ONLY HOPE

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  47. of course 42 is the answer to everything ... :)

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  48. Jaimie is wise, Brendan is foolish, and only you know the recipe for winning. We are doomed..

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  49. I am pretty sure the idea was to play Balotelli upfront alongside Sturridge but obviously Sturridge's injuries are an omen.


    It is simple really, do not play Balotelli upfront on his own. It has not worked once this season. Do not play Lambert upfront on his own either. Playing one upfront does not suit our system end of the story.


    Solution = play two upfront but Rodgers Rodgers is using the excuse of injured players as the reason why he has had to change the way we are playing this season. We have been rubbish this season. If the way in which we are playing this season has not worked then why persist with it when it is letting the opposition take us to task.


    Now that Sturridge is injured again, Rodgers will again use it an as excuse to play two holding midfielders and one upfront. So f****** frustrating.

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  50. There's nothing wise about saying we should cash in on Daniel Sturridge.He's arguably Liverpool's most important player.
    DS picking up a new injury and delaying his comeback is frustrating, but selling the clubs most prolific striker is overreacting!

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  51. I love this kid, everytime I see him play I dream of the day LFC will make him ours.... People are sick of hearing about him I talk him up so much... A player in the mould of Reus, but without Reus's blistering pace.. Truely multi functional, and a definate upgrade on Coutinho... Straight swap with Hoffenhiem and a deal I'd be happy to see happen.. For me, Coutinho is overrated.... And just for good measure, lets make a move for either Paco Alcacer or Wissam Ben Yedder aswell.... Hell get both with Sturridges chian dolls make up, we could use both.

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  52. that'll be china doll legs.

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  53. i think its safe to say that we should go all out against QPR and not worry about madrid. just dont get beat too bad against madrid in those two games and we may have an outside chance of making it out of the group. that being said i dont really mind us going out of the group. all that matters is we get back in the UCL for the next season.

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  54. Ah it's Borini and Lambert who can't cut it, not Balotteli. Thanks for clearing that up. Here I was, thinking the second coming of Emile Ivanhoe Heskey was the worst transfer since Andy Carrol.

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  55. Maybe that's why he didn't play consistently at Chelsea and Citeh?

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  56. So you prefer the modern tip toe footballer.It's called bravery above not assery,hope Sturridge takes a hint.

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  57. Eh,it's part of English football history and City legend.

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  58. Your right mate, let's play with no strikers at all like Spain sometimes do. Or we could persist with the lad we paid 16 million for and who has scored goals wherever he's been. Borini puts a shift in every game but in my opinion doesn't have the quality that we need and Lambert who I think is ok but lacks the pace to suit our counter attacking style. But your right pal lets right Balotelli off because he has played all of 6 league games for us.

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  59. He's scored goals wherever he's been? 1 goal every 2 games. That's hardly a world class striker. He's also made trouble wherever he's been. That's why clubs are eager to get rid of him after a couple of seasons. That's why he's gone from a 20 million plus pound striker to a 16 million bargain basement shopping striker. The entire world and every club he's ever played for knows how crap he is but Liverpool wouldn't be Liverpool if a number of our supporters wouldn't be naive enough to believe he's a changed man just for signing for us. This happens every time. It happened with Houllier, Benitez, Kenny. Some people just can't accept when players and managers are failing. Rodgers, for all he's done, has failed us time and again in the transfer market. Balotelli is just another example.

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  60. Put SIMPLY B R got it wrong - hopelessly wrong this summer

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  61. Lallana is great but Lambert and Borini ??? We must score first today or else we will fail again - Gerard needs to play the role he played with Torres - PLEASE

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  62. Yes he's scored wherever he's been. 26 goals in 43 games for Milan is impressive. Yes I believe he wasn't first choice for us in the summer but he's here now and as a Liverpool supporter I'll get behind him. To right him off after 6 games is crap, the whole team are not at the level we'd want them to be but we've gotta believe Rodgers can get them going and go on a run, just like we did after Christmas last year. Judge Balotelli after the season finishes in May. Not mid October.

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  63. Higuan should be our first signing a proven striker in the top leagues.
    -

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