In March 2012 - one month into Markus Babbel's Hoffenheim reign - former Liverpool winger Ryan Babel publicly criticised the Bundesliga club's 'confused' performances, and threatened to quit if things didn't improve. Well, it seems that Babbel - also an ex-Red - has had enough of Babel's underwhelming performances.
Speaking to Bild over the weekend, Babbel - who played an integral part in Liverpool's treble-winning season under Gerard Houllier - said:
"I told him that we [Hoffenheim] are ready to talk if he has other options.
"So far though, I have heard nothing.
"I do not need to train world champions, but players who can show on the pitch what they can do."
Babel has definitely not shown what he can do on the pitch:
* Sep 29 - May 5 2012: No goals and only 1 assist in 28 games.
With stats like these, it's no surprise that Babbel wants to get him off the wage bill.
You would think that Babel would be a world-beater at a smaller club like Hoffenheim, but his underwhelming impact seems to suggest that he has a mentality problem. In that respect, he's very similar to current Liverpool players Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll, who've also struggled to score and create goals since arriving at Anfield.
Babel recently made the dubious claim that he had 'improved' since being at Hoffenheim (!) Clearly, he has an over-inflated view of his own importance to the team. An attacking player's job is simple: create and/or score goals, and in that regard, Babel has failed, and now he will pay the price.
Jaimie Kanwar
Speaking to Bild over the weekend, Babbel - who played an integral part in Liverpool's treble-winning season under Gerard Houllier - said:
"I told him that we [Hoffenheim] are ready to talk if he has other options.
"So far though, I have heard nothing.
"I do not need to train world champions, but players who can show on the pitch what they can do."
Babel has definitely not shown what he can do on the pitch:
* Sep 29 - May 5 2012: No goals and only 1 assist in 28 games.
With stats like these, it's no surprise that Babbel wants to get him off the wage bill.
You would think that Babel would be a world-beater at a smaller club like Hoffenheim, but his underwhelming impact seems to suggest that he has a mentality problem. In that respect, he's very similar to current Liverpool players Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll, who've also struggled to score and create goals since arriving at Anfield.
Babel recently made the dubious claim that he had 'improved' since being at Hoffenheim (!) Clearly, he has an over-inflated view of his own importance to the team. An attacking player's job is simple: create and/or score goals, and in that regard, Babel has failed, and now he will pay the price.
Jaimie Kanwar
boring
ReplyDeleteFunny, people were saying this when Rafa questioned his atittude. Instead of listening they berated him. Every manager makes mistakes when signing players. There was a reason why he didnt play a lot. That much is obvious.
ReplyDeletesometimes he looked world class running at players and had a really good shot on him. just goes to show that if your attitude is wrong you wont fullfill your potential, and thats the case with babbel.
ReplyDeleteBabel's record in Bundesliga last season is 4 goals and 4 assists in 31 matches. He scored 4 and provided one assist before 25.09.2011 . Jus saying.
ReplyDeletemight be better off playing blow football,just thought about it,nar hes better off playing the system ,hes world class at it.
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe rafa bought him in the first place...only to sit on the bench or played on occasion as a winger, and what with such a deft touch etc...it hardly surprises me that he has failed to impress yet again...
ReplyDeleteRafa did eventually wake up to the guys limitations but it was only after we had paid a huge financial cost, and even then he was still on the books....
Never mind, i guess lessons are being learnt...
but doesnt make jamies story look sensational enough written like that
ReplyDeleteUnderwhelming yet Hoffenheim saw it fit to release Sigurdsson to Swansea instead of Babel?
ReplyDeleteAll managers make mistakes, to bad you don't have the ability to notice that. Why don't you check out the other costly mistakes at the other clubs.
ReplyDeleteI was one of those who thought Babel had great potential,he had
ReplyDeleteeverything going for him. speed, terrificly athletic physique, but
its quite obvious one thing he has not got is the correct attitude.
would not be surprised if David Moyes tries to work him out.
On a free you never Know
Or our current squad. SAF fan-boys love to jump all over Rafa.
ReplyDeleteThe game at Lyon summed up Babel:- A 'wonder' goal (which, frankly, could have gone anywhere), and then a few minutes later a free-kick where a percentage ball into the box was all that was required and his ego took over resulting in a balloon to the corner flag.
ReplyDeleteThe bloke had everything a professional footballer requires, except for desire, humility, and a football brain.
Shame really.
He could'a been a contender...
im not fans of him BUT had a fair POV....if he surrounded with good player n in a right tactical any average player can b superstar....for me is 70% of tactical fault....
ReplyDeletesometimes mgr is very restricted on player option in d field...u cant do this u cant do tat...not much freedom....attitude wise : when he at liv he "ok" not coz too much media prob...in field focus on play rather than on fight...(not like our Suarez or other like bowyer barton etc boo boy)
Rafa ruined him, if he had played for Arsenal under Wenger he would of nurtured him into a good player. Under Rafa, even if he had played well he would of been dropped for the next game because he hadn't tracked back properly. I recently watched a game on the LFC channel, when Babel had first signed. Babel had pace, power, good skills and a great shot. He was getting on the ball and using tricks and flicks taking on his full back and constantly beating him. Then I think back to how he played towards the end of his LFC career. A player so short of confidence, scared to death to take his player on in case he lost the ball. Playing almost in the full back position because Rafa insisted on him being defensively sound first and a creative player second. If a player wasn't a Rafa favourite he would be dropped, left out of the squad completely or subbed regularly regardless of performance and then eventually sold at a loss. Babel was very highly rated in Holland, he had just starred in the under21 tournament and looked a great prospect. Unfortunately he signed for the wrong manager who ruined him and has not been able to recover.
ReplyDeleteare you sure you actually have any interest in liverpool ? everything is a dig at players at the club.
ReplyDeleteCould never understand the Babel lovers.
ReplyDeleteMassively overrated .
i remember watching an interview with Xabi where he was asked who was the most technical player in the liverpool squad and he said without a moments hesitation that it was Babel. The problem for me is that Babel doesnt see football as the be all end all at this stage of his career. imo, he considers himself an entertainer just as much as a footballer, and unfortunately i think this is to his detriment.
ReplyDeletehahaha "be realistic be fair"....truth is always hard to heard...of coz very interested on liv...tat y some of us can see whole pic wat happened not blindly cheer for d WRONG!!!! hard to justify who is correct but performance n result tell d TRUTH
ReplyDeleteIs'n't this the way that most managers react?????
ReplyDeleteBENITEZ is a winner ! BABEL is quite definately a FOOL !
He let himself down.
If Benitez made a mistake with him,it was playing him out of his prefered position.
The problem I saw with him was the fact that he became greedy in trying to prove himself!
I prefer to think that RAFA BENITEZ new exactly what he, himself,was doing!
babels career nose dived when he went to the olympics in beijing without the consent of benitez. so did mascherano and he had to wait a while before he was trusted with a starting position. Babbels confidence shattered thereafter and he has never recovered. the season before he was outstanding and everone stated that he is gonna be the next john barnes. my point is he had talent (or has talent), but never fulfilled it . infact he went backwards. wanted very well for him to do well, but his stats proved otherwise.
ReplyDeleteEven in an article about Ryan Babbel you manage to cities the mentality of Carroll, Henderson and Downing. Do you ever stop? They moved "companies" and have taken time settling in...I suppose you're amazing at what ever you do from day 1 are you? Tosser.
ReplyDeletetypical dutchman. defeatist and stroppy.
ReplyDeleteBabel had talent alright, he showed it in U21s before we signed him.
ReplyDeleteWith a 12 million contract secured he decided to sit back and rap. Like Drenthe.
Should have been sacked
Went to see FC Koln v Hoffenheim last September and said to a German fan in the bar the night before that I was looking forward to seeing how Babel fared in the Bundesliga. It was genuinely the 70th minute before I even realised he was even playing. It's ok showing talent for U21s but how may U21s actually make it into the 1st squad? The guy is vastly overrated and he clearly hasn't fooled Babbel.
ReplyDeleteHoffenheim dumped three of their best players before Babel arrived, in Demba Ba, Sigurrdson and one other player (can't remember his name, went to Bayern). Just saying.
ReplyDeleteBtw, it's pretty ironic that you claim a club should understandably 'get Babel off of the wage bill' for his stats playing left midfield for a midtable club, but would be supportive of Liverpool bringing back a striker with marginally better stats for a title challenging team...