16 Feb 2013

'I had a good year there' - Homesick LFC star to quit Anfield in €15m deal...?

Beleaguered Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel added to his growing list of defensive errors last night with two more defensive mistakes against his former club Zenit St. Petersburg, and after the game, Skrtel made an admission that will please the Russian club, and spur them on in their apparent pursuit of the Slovakian International.

Zenit reportedly want to re-sign Skrtel, and at the beginning of February, a report in Russian newspaper Isvestia claimed:

"Zenit are considering the possibility bringing Martin Skrtel back to the club. The National champions plan to strengthen their defensive line up with the return of Skrtel, who will have no problems adapting to the Russian league"

After last night's 2-0 Europa League defeat, a reporters from Russian Daily Newspaper Sport Express asked Skrtel if he missed being a Zenit player. He responded:

"Of course [I miss Zenit], because I had a very good year playing here"

To be fair, what else could Skrtel say in response to a direct question? Still, with the increasing rumours surrounding his future, his comment will inevitably fan the flames of speculation.

Prior to joining Liverpool, Skrtel - described over the weekend by Ray Houghton as being 'rash' and having 'a lot of deficiencies' - spent 4 years at Zenit, and in a recent interview, he revealed that he still watches out for the club's results. He said:

"I enjoyed my time in St. Petersburg; the the fans and the city were great. This team, which collected a large number of high-profile players, sets a very high goals. I always watch the progress of the Zenit and enjoy seeing their success"

In November 2012, Skrtel dismissed reports of an Anfield exit after Anzhi Makhachkala expressed an interest in signing him. He told reporters:

"I just extended my Liverpool contract and I'm very satisfied, so let’s leave it at that"

Former Russian footballer Boris Chuhlov believes that Skrtel would make a great acquisition for Zenit, but doubts that the Slovakian would actually make the move. He told Russian newspaper Isvestia in February:

"Skrtel is good and reliable defender and his return would greatly increased competition for a place in the starting line-up. He would really help the team, but I don't think he would leave Liverpool. The only reason he might leave is to get the chance to appear in the Champions League"

I've never been convinced of Skrtel's solidity, and his mistakes this season show how costly his concentration lapses can be. The club needs to make big defensive changes this summer, and if Zenit come in and offer €15m - the amount Isvestia claims the Russians are offering - then Liverpool should cut their losses and take it.



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40 comments:

  1. the way things are going we will be lucky to have any established players left on the books ,it looks like they all want out of anfield,imo they are not impressed with rodgers and the way the clubs going

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  2. Sure a swap deal with Hulk wouldnt be too bad?

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  3. we may as well sell..we will finish midtable regardless of who we play in defense..i fear a torrid 12 months ahead

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  4.  who would want to be a defender at liverpool ....he way rogers has the team set up means you are under terrible pressure at the back when teams defend high....coupled with the fact he doesnt like big powerful players means you are under the same pressure at setpieces...call carroll all you want but i bet agger and skirtel would like him in the box defending corners

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  5. IMO Jase i think alot of players seem disilusioned...the honeymoon period is well and truly over...whats funny is rogers is moaning about the fixture list when we are out of both domectic cups and about to go out of europe

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  6.  couldnt agree more... =(

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  7. such a simply put observation,yet so insightful.Agree totally!

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  8. sorry,my post was for Jason.

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  9. I constantly get the feeling Jaimie that you have not been convinced about anyone at LFC. You are entitled to your views but it does get depressing for supporters let alone the players who read these comments.  We are stuck with the players and manager we have so let's get behind them for once, please.

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  10. Both Skrtel and Agger are good defenders but the last defender we've had good enough for us was/is Carragher. People can go on and on about last year being good but Hyypia and Carra was the last partnership we've had where I could always trust them during games.

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  11. the players dont read crap like this!!

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  12. but they shud,im red  thru and thru,but we seem 2 be goin backwards again.out ov dom cups uphill task europe and ninth in PS.BR needs time,fergie had a few years,wengers had even longer

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  13. great but i doubt it. maybe with £10m on top. hulk would surely be a marquee signing. because investments need to be made. plus he is a real right winger who can score 30goals a season

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  14. skrtel and agger are great defenders and we should show them support instead of writing a wish list of cbs we would like. IMO its not the defenders its the system and rodgers way of defending its all new to them and its very risky. we have never been this bad defending against set peices its obviously rodgers system.

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  15. Couldn't disagree more...

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  16. Couldn't agree more Bill...

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  17. I wouldn't be surprised if Skrtel, or any other player for that matter, wants to leave this summer. After all, there is no progress, there is no plan, and there will be no European football.

    We will continue to struggle to attract the best players, not only because financially we can't afford them, but Anfield holds little attraction, save for a distant successful history. 

    Mark my words, this summer, most of us will be more concerned about which of our players are going to be prised away, than which quality players we will attract, particularly if our current form continues.

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  18. I always notice on this site a constance negative attitude towards players and management, yes we do have our own opinions which is great but the majority of people dont see whats trying to be achieved at LFC, we are behind in the pecking order as regards to league position and finance we know that, there is a massive rebuilding needed which might take 2 or 3 seasons (look at Borrusia Dortmund and their manager Klopp) Klopp joined Dortmund in 2008 they finished the 07/08 season 13th, Klopps next 2 season were 6th and 5th albeit with a relatively young side then he won the Lge title in his third season and 4th season, he was 41 yrs old when he took the job, very young and untried eh!!! he was at Mainz 05 before taking the Dortmund job, he got Mainz into the Bundesliga and then relegated them, but still Dortmund took a chance. There's not a massive difference in BR's history and Klopps,  Liverpool are playing some really good football at the moment, they played well up until Hulks goal, I dont think Zenit had a shot on goal in the 2nd half up until Hulks superbly executed blammer, West Brom should have been put to bed, this is all experience for the team, its 2 steps back one step forward, Great performance at City n Arsenal, these mistakes will be far and few between soon, we have to settle our minds to maybe finishing 6th or 7th, I believe BR is the man for the job and only time and patience will tell...everyone thinks they know the game, its always been said the LFC fans are the most knowledgeable fans in the world, well looking at some of the comments on this site ie: Jason Carr and Jamie Kanwar etc. I beg to differ.....???????

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  19. Nonsense, if SKrtel leaves it iwll be a case of us getting rid of him, not him quitting

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  20. If we got 15million Euros for Skrtel, I don't think it would be a case of having to 'cut our losses', it would instead represent another healthy profit on one of Rafa's signings.

    I definitely would replace him though. I've never been a big fan. There were times last season and earlier this one when he looked like he might have gone up a level, but he could never maintain it. I think we should of courted City's interest more last summer.

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  21. its all right getting rid as long as we replace him with a better player

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  22. The transfer policy from the top dictates the direction the club is moving unless there is a review of this policy I fear the worse for the next few seasonsand I've been a season ticket holder since 1979 and don't blame Rodgers but do expect him to take joint responsibility

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  23. Great Post Jason , I think also other managers who have achieved and won honours  as managers eg - Anchelotti , Capello , Van Gaal , Rijkaard (the last three did express interest in the Liverpool job last year ) automatically command the respect of players , even the superstars , What has BR ever accomplished in his managerial career to handle or impress  big players? and before someone states that he is only starting out I would like to counter that by saying we deserve a proven manager not an experiment / test bed  which may or may not come good in the form of the unproven BR

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  24. I for one have been all the way behind Buck and his misfits. including FSG. But the tables are changing.

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  25. Almost is putting it mildly. we are out of Europe. Unless we get some luck. luck is a luxury for us.

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  26. that wouldn't be hard!!

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  27. skrytel has always been a liability, one decent season by his own standards. I just cant believe hes valued that much.
    id even stick Johnson at CB to take his place till we find a permanent replacement !!

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  28. Isn't it an unfortunate situation we find ourselves in.
    You make some very good and worthwhile points. Does that make them right?....maybe, maybe not. Time will be the judge of that; not me.
    I have backed BR all the way this season and understand the 'takes time' philosophy. (I myself have spouted it many times)
    He could well be the manager I have been hoping for and return us to former glories. However, some of his mistakes, (transfers and substitutions) are really hard to take. The thinking behind some of these decisions are baffling. This confusion then leads to emotions, of which anger is one of; and as an LFC fan, these said emotions are aired. Whether your views are from one extreme to the next, does not make you a lesser fan or indeed, less knowledgeable.....
    I enjoy agreeing with, or disagreeing with the commentors opinions of whom you state above. As I say, it is not always of the same opinion, but to then imply that they know less than me because we see it differently, then......well, I'm afraid that's a toughie. I could never put myself on that type of pedestal.
    The mention of two steps back one step forward, is in itself a contradiction of what is supposed to be being achieved. One step back and two forward would be much more preferable as at least it would be overall movement in the right direction. What on earth would be the point in sticking with something destined to go the wrong way?
    As I mentioned earlier, I still support BR and he should be given the benefit of the doubt. But another season like this one? 
    Let's see how many of us BR supporters are changing our tunes then....
    By the way, I don't mean to offend you with anything I have written and hope you just read it for what it is.....

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  29. All this talk of blaming skrtel, for years now Glen Johnson has been making so many mistakes and costing liverpool alot of points and games. Dont get me wrong he is very good at attacking but very poor defender. Sell him summer and let the likes of kelly, Wisdom etc take his place.........

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  30. A game is 90 mins you can play well and dominate for 89 and then concede Result you will lose  It's the result that counts and the table does not lie we are in a dire position, we can't keep clean sheets that means we cannot even nick a draw on a bad day let alone hang on to a lead, These are not negative comments  but  factual observations plain for all to see. Ultimately it is the manager who picks the team and implements the system , if certain players do not perform then they should be benched so the buck (pardon the terminology) stops with the manager as our back line just looks confused

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  31. Come summer. drastic changes must be made. I did not mean BR. But he could be included in the equation.

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  32. spot on. zonal system enforced is causing us

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  33. Sack Rodgers in the summer. He'll never do anything with Liverpool. Second rate manager.

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  34. Get rid of another one of our experienced players and replace them with kids still trying to learn a trade, let alone having any kind of winning mentality or how it's achieved.
    Sounds like a plan to me.....Not one for the direction of the team that I'm hoping for though.

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  35. replace him? with who? would would sign for the club currently that would be better?

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  36. tot agree i cant even say we r capable of beating swansea at home thats how far we have fallen

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  37. If Zenit can pay over the odds for an average player like Witsel, they can pay over the odds for Skrtel aswell. 20 million!

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  38. If Zenit re-signs him for €15 wouldnt that be making profit on him rather cutting losses on him.

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  39. For some reason counter to your theory the players are playing for Rogers.  They all had the chance to leave after Woy and also in the January window but didn't.  

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