In a recent interview with the Danish press, Daniel Agger displayed the kind of attitude and loyalty that I want to see in every Liverpool player.
More and more these days, it seems like players are increasingly loyal to the MANAGER rather than the CLUB. This is not the way it should be - players should want to play for Liverpool FIRST and the manager second.
Here are two examples of what I'm talking about: During Houllier's reign, Steven Gerrard, who according to the blind faith brigade has the ultimate loyalty to the club, stated the following:
"If Gerrard Houllier left the club, I would have to consider my own future. I believe he is the man for the job. I love playing for him".
In December 2007, Fernando Torres had this to say:
"Benitez has created a team of people who are indebted to him. It's certain if he goes many players will think about their futures.”
There are plenty of other examples of this type of disappointing attitude over the last few years. In the quotes above, Gerrard and Torres are basically saying that the manager is more important than the club, something that can never - and should never - be the case.
This is why I find Daniel Agger's latest interview so refreshing. When asked about Benitez's new contract, Agger responded:
"Congratulations to him. He has done well. But I will not sign with Benitez but with the club. That is something that I have to keep in mind".
Bravo! That's the way it should be. This is the type of attitude I want to see in every Liverpool FC player. The club pays the salaries, NOT the manager. It is a privilege to play for LFC, and if players don't respect that and would rather follow a manager out of the door, then let them go, as players like that are not - in my view - needed by the club
I guarantee you that as a result of this interview, Agger will *continue* to be marginalised by Benitez, who is incapable of accepting any criticism from players, no matter how moderate.
The sooner Agger is restored to the team the better.
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More and more these days, it seems like players are increasingly loyal to the MANAGER rather than the CLUB. This is not the way it should be - players should want to play for Liverpool FIRST and the manager second.
Here are two examples of what I'm talking about: During Houllier's reign, Steven Gerrard, who according to the blind faith brigade has the ultimate loyalty to the club, stated the following:
"If Gerrard Houllier left the club, I would have to consider my own future. I believe he is the man for the job. I love playing for him".
In December 2007, Fernando Torres had this to say:
"Benitez has created a team of people who are indebted to him. It's certain if he goes many players will think about their futures.”
There are plenty of other examples of this type of disappointing attitude over the last few years. In the quotes above, Gerrard and Torres are basically saying that the manager is more important than the club, something that can never - and should never - be the case.
This is why I find Daniel Agger's latest interview so refreshing. When asked about Benitez's new contract, Agger responded:
"Congratulations to him. He has done well. But I will not sign with Benitez but with the club. That is something that I have to keep in mind".
Bravo! That's the way it should be. This is the type of attitude I want to see in every Liverpool FC player. The club pays the salaries, NOT the manager. It is a privilege to play for LFC, and if players don't respect that and would rather follow a manager out of the door, then let them go, as players like that are not - in my view - needed by the club
I guarantee you that as a result of this interview, Agger will *continue* to be marginalised by Benitez, who is incapable of accepting any criticism from players, no matter how moderate.
The sooner Agger is restored to the team the better.
-------------------
Click HERE to follow Liverpool-Kop on
I agree completely with this. It's Liverpool FC and not Benitez FC,Houllier FC or "anyone else" FC. And Danny is a class player as well,we're lucky to have him.
ReplyDeleteSo according to you Gerrard and Torres aren't fit to wear the shirt? You make me sick you sad little man
ReplyDeleteHmm, don't completely twist my words or anything...
ReplyDeleteWhere did I say they are not fit to wear the shirt? Of course they are - I'm not too thrilled with their comments but one-offs can be forgiven.
If, however, a manager was to leave and one of LFC's players actually left *purely because* the manager left, i.e. symbolising support for the manager over the club, then yes, that player would not (IMHO) be fit to wear the shirt.
Rafa has just signed a new contract and gained more control.
ReplyDeleteWhat we should all now do is to sit back and trust in his judgement rather than questioning everything that we see and only have a portion of the relevant information.
I am sorry, you have the right to air your opinion but my faith is unwaiveringly with Rafa.
I seem to recall Torres saying in a recent interview that since he had signed a contract with Liverpool, he would still be staying even if Rafa left. Sometimes you also have to allow for the fact that foreign players don't always phrase things in the same way as native English speakers, rather than just jumping to conclusions. You also need to take into account that comments are sometimes taken out of context, thus giving a false impression of what was actually meant.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - It's great that you have so much faith in Rafa, and if that works for you, each to their own :-)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - The comment you refer to is comparatively recent. The comment I highlighted was only a few months after Torres joined Liverpool, so on a positive note, it appears that Fernando's loyalties now lie where they *should* lie.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect though, I don't see how Torres' labguage ability comes into it, and I don't see how I can be taking his comments out of context. What he he said was explicit and unambiguous:
"Benitez has created a team of people who are indebted to him. It's certain if he goes many players will think about their futures.”
If there is some other interprtation I've missed, then please point out what it is ;-)
"Benitez has created a team of people who are indebted to him. It's certain if he goes many players will think about their futures.”
ReplyDeleteIf you can't interpret the comments, Jamie, perhaps it is you who have trouble with the language. What Torres is saying is that Rafa is important. If somebody so important left the club it would have a destabilising effect.
That's how you perceive the comments, but who's to sy you're right and I'm wrong?
ReplyDeleteReading between the lines, Torres' comments are a veiled threat, something which is given more credence by the fact the comments were made when Rafa was in the middle of his public spat with Hicks/Gillett
Jamie, I totally agree that the red shirt of LFC id were the loyalty should lie, and not so much with the manager. 100% agree! But I've read recently that Torres would stay even if Rafa left, or words to those effect. And then your article, dated 24th March, is quoting something he said a year ago. Why does the more recent quote not over-ride the older one? In any case, I interpreted the older quote in it's context of the boardroom battle Rafa had to face, and I believe that scenario it has to be taken as siege-mentality bark.
ReplyDeleteThe Stevie G quote was from under the Houllier, and does not count for making your point, as we all know, Gerrard isn't the brightest bulb, and back then he was quite an unrefined and tempestuous chap. so it's not fair to bring up the past like that. And in any case, he has recently said that Rafa has improved him immensely and he admitted that he acted like twit under Rafa (never mind Houllier) when he was being asked to play in his unfavoured role.
And Agger's quote is hardly chest-beating stuff. This is certainly contrary to some of the rumours that are going around (unfounded), but. Didn't his agent have something to do with Milan interest?
Anyway Jamie, I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiments regarding player loyalty to the shirt, ahead of the manager, but two out-dated quotes that have since been superseded later comments, and one conflicting one in a conflicting climate don't make your point all that well.
Aiyic
Hey Aiyic - Yes, the quotes I used are from a few years ago, and I accept things have changed since then. It's good to see Gerrard admitting he was selfish in the past, and it's good to see Torres (apparently) putting his loyalty to the club first.
ReplyDeleteWe have to get back to a situation where players come to Liverpool because they want to play for the CLUB first, not the MANAGER.