Last week, Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad claimed that Oussama Assaidi is a top target for Eredivisie giants Feyenoord. With Rodgers signing midfielders like there's no-tomorrow, the Moroccan's days are obviously numbered at Anfield, and Ronald Koeman has this week confirmed Feyenoord's interest.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Koeman explained:
"I met Assaidi in Dubai and asked him about his situation.
"Feyenoord is interested in signing him, and I am charmed by his ability. He wants to play, and that makes sense. We know the will fit into our team. We'll see if it works"
Prior to Assaidi's move last summer, Ajax coach Frank De Boer made clear his disappointment at missing out on the winger. He told Voetball International:
"We never made it a secret that we were interested in him [Assaidi]. It's a pity he chose Liverpool, but he's gone to a very good club, and we could not compete with them"
So: Assaidi is highly regarded by Koeman and De Boer - football legends who know a thing or two about the game - yet he is a non-entity at Liverpool. It doesn't make much sense. Calling the Moroccan a 'flop' is, admittedly, a little unfair, though. It's not his fault that Rodgers decided to basically ignore him for the entire season.
The most likely possibility for Assaidi's failure at Anfield is his inability to get to grips with the physical aspects of the Premier League. Indeed, prior to the LFC move, Jan de Jonge - the man behind the Moroccan’s breakthrough in the Eredivisie - hinted that this could be a problem:
“Assaidi is extremely gifted. However, sometimes talent is not enough to survive in a tough competition like the Premier League. Oussama must keep working on his physical attributes and show the right mental attitude.”
Is it the physicality of the Premier League, or has Rodgers mis-managed Assaidi? It's Rodgers' job to get the best out of players, and it's fair to say that he hasn't given the Moroccan any kind of fair, consistent chance in the team.
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Koeman explained:
"I met Assaidi in Dubai and asked him about his situation.
"Feyenoord is interested in signing him, and I am charmed by his ability. He wants to play, and that makes sense. We know the will fit into our team. We'll see if it works"
Prior to Assaidi's move last summer, Ajax coach Frank De Boer made clear his disappointment at missing out on the winger. He told Voetball International:
"We never made it a secret that we were interested in him [Assaidi]. It's a pity he chose Liverpool, but he's gone to a very good club, and we could not compete with them"
So: Assaidi is highly regarded by Koeman and De Boer - football legends who know a thing or two about the game - yet he is a non-entity at Liverpool. It doesn't make much sense. Calling the Moroccan a 'flop' is, admittedly, a little unfair, though. It's not his fault that Rodgers decided to basically ignore him for the entire season.
The most likely possibility for Assaidi's failure at Anfield is his inability to get to grips with the physical aspects of the Premier League. Indeed, prior to the LFC move, Jan de Jonge - the man behind the Moroccan’s breakthrough in the Eredivisie - hinted that this could be a problem:
“Assaidi is extremely gifted. However, sometimes talent is not enough to survive in a tough competition like the Premier League. Oussama must keep working on his physical attributes and show the right mental attitude.”
Is it the physicality of the Premier League, or has Rodgers mis-managed Assaidi? It's Rodgers' job to get the best out of players, and it's fair to say that he hasn't given the Moroccan any kind of fair, consistent chance in the team.
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
yes lets just paye is wages for a season and sell him at a loss fantastic bit of buisness
ReplyDeleteWe bought him for about £2.5-3m so we'd be making either a very minimal loss or profit,Better that then losing £20m on a donkey....
ReplyDeletePaid 2.4 million for him which we would get that at least back might even fetch 3-4 million. Or send him out on loan then sell him next season.(just to increase his value) :)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know why he never really got a fair go but if Ajax are still interested in him he could be a useful makeweight
ReplyDeleteBR never says a word about him. Strange, very strange.
ReplyDeletePlaying too much of FM?
ReplyDeleteHow's that? he has ability, he hasn't lost that he would do well in another league. Also loan are about increasing a players value.... E,g spearing,Carroll.
ReplyDelete3m? That's a joke. He's worth more than that, even after hardly playing for a season. Maybe we could throw him into a deal for a more promising player from the Netherlands.
ReplyDeletei think its because of how Rodgers "mismanaged" ousamma, that's y he advised erikson not to sign for LFC. i think de boer is still hurt at what rodgers did to ousama.
ReplyDeleteagree with you, there are many prospects in holland, and i wouldnt mind a swap + cash for alderweireld clasie or someone else..
ReplyDeleteRodgers should give him a chance till January and if his no good we'll sell him in January. I remember when he come on against west brom i was well impressed!
ReplyDeleteRodgers is wasting talent!!! Oussama's got talent all he needs is game time!!
ReplyDeleteHe could have talent but there may be many reasons why he does not get a chance.
ReplyDeleteDoes he work hard enough in training? How is his attitude?
I bet you can answer those two questions!
don't think hes had a chance no one can say hes good or bad cos we aint seen him must be something in the makeup that Rodgers doesnt fancy the times ive seen him hes looked good but hey ho who knows
ReplyDeleteYou say De Boer said its a disappointment that Assaidi chose Liverpool over Ajax and I assume he is the same De Boer that advised Erikson to avoid Liverpool, seems to me two people have a "Paddy On" as far as LFC are concerned. The other being the supposed supporter who constantly advocates the selling of Suarez before a suitable replacement has been sourced or signed, let alone being willing and available but then who am I to advise on the wisdom of playing ones cards close to ones chest when the Machiavellian rumour mongers know better.
ReplyDeleteI think that... He's just crap...
ReplyDeleteNot sure if we can conclude Rodgers is mismanaging him. Maybe he has other problems that we do not know of but I was impressed with Assaidi on the rare occasions when he came on to play.
ReplyDeleteHe is talented and can open up defenses. Could not understand why Brendan did not use him more often. I thought that with more game time for him, he could prove to be an effective player.
Players get a chance to show their quality at training. I think that's always been the case. Assaidi would have been constantly training with the first team and that's his opportunity to shine. As fans we never get to see that so it's hard to think he's been "given a chance" but I have little doubt that Rodgers saw enough of what Assaidi was capable of (or not, as the case may be). I don't really think it's credible for a player to not show their quality during training and then expect to be given time on the pitch when the intensity is even higher. Sure, confidence can be a factor, and sometimes you need that motivation to really get into your game, but I have my doubts that Assaidi was good enough.
ReplyDeleteduno why we bought him, was obvious he is head down, pacy direct crosser, the opposite of what rogers wants in a player. Feel sorry for the guy as he is an obvious talent that fits in as well as AC did.
ReplyDeletemakes you wonder what the scouts were told to look for. I could of told you after 10mins watching him rogers wouldnt like him.
Exactly the point I made above. It is easy to take a stab at the manager for not giving a player a chance when it could be the player who is the problem.
ReplyDeleteNo brainer. He wasn't given a real Chance, but there must be a reason for that. If Liverpool can get some money at all, its a good thing.(Another 1 season flop)
ReplyDeleteI think he mismanaged him somehow, cos he had shown signs of potential when he played. I really don't understand this situation with him unless he's really too light for the league.
ReplyDeleteId say he's advised Erikson not to sign for Liverpool, because he wants to keep him at Ajax.
ReplyDeleteThe sourcing another striker, thingey went out the window when, Suarez went global about leaving. Every man and their Dog knows he wants to leave. So prices will inflate. If he kept quiet, then yes do it your way.
ReplyDelete" ask about his situation??? " is that a illegal approach???
ReplyDeleteNot if LFC gave permission.
ReplyDeleteLiverpudlians, here is a Feyenoord-supporter. Please ask your coach Rodgers to send him to Rotterdam. Why ? Because we will be the champions this year in Holland and he can be part of it. We also play in the Europa league (not to big a tournament...) and if he plays well your club will definately get some more euros than this year. Think about it.
ReplyDeleteI am sure if Carroll stayed, he would have gone for 20mn. IMO
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, clearly Rogers doesn't fancy him and we just don't know why, but until we have the facts how can we blame Rogers for wasting a talent?
ReplyDeleteRogers can say if he's good or bad and I guess he is doing so by not playing him
ReplyDeleteAlderweireld has just rejected his proposed move to Norwich.
ReplyDeletemismanaged, if he is too light weight for the prem why on earth did we buy him in the first place, does make me wonder what goes through BR's head when he looks at players, the money he's wasting is starting to tot up, I mean what's the point of wasting money on wingers when we don't really have a striker with decent heading ability, our wingers spend more time backtracking, going sideways or just cutting in cos there is no one in the box to cross the ball to.
ReplyDeleteHardly if he wasn't playing then his value would of decreased....
ReplyDeletethank god. southhampton and norwich both beating us in the transfermarket, that to much ...
ReplyDeleteSuarez was "reported" to want to leave LFC at seasons end he has never been seen to say it, others have inferred it but to the point, in your words "every-man" knew since last season that a second dedicated striker is required. Its amazing if one repeats something often enough others will believe they heard one say it, that is called political gamesmanship not Football.
ReplyDeleteIf your comments are grounded in fact and not hearsay, why would any club let alone LFC embarrass themselves by even mentioning top class strikers, especially when money is at a premium.
ReplyDeleteKeep him till January and give him a good run in the Cup games, if he turns out to be good then keep him otherwise just sell him to whoever is interested. I do think that Assaidi has potential and could turn out to be a good player but then he needs to be given a chance to prove that.
ReplyDeleteWe had him for a year to use him if we needed too. It turned out Sterling and Downing were ahead of him, and we got Coutinho and Sturridge latter on, but we couldn't have known that when we got him.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a loss, but usual businesses. If we kept Maxi, Kuyt or Bellamy on the bench instead of Assaidi the wages alone would be cost us more.
There are people, even on here, who think that we should not go after the same transfer targets as these smaller clubs.
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that they are not beating us to any transfer targets. If a player decides to play for them, I don't think it is because he rates them higher than us. It could well be that we don't even bid for a player. If he joins someone else, they didn't beat us at all. Or if we told a player that we don't guarantee him regular first team football, he, too might decide to go to a club where he is a guaranteed starter. I bet that we pay the better wages and offer the better chance to be at the right end of the table.
It's the player's job to do so well in training that the manager must pick him.
ReplyDeleteI think Sterling has got more talent, and they play the same position. Sterling fits the home-grown-quota, too. Why should we favour Assaidi at Sterling's cost?
ReplyDeleteToday Assaidi was played on the right. If he is doing better there than Downing, then he will be picked. I very much got the impression that Rodgers picks players on merit and drops them, if they don't deliver the goods.
He has a few tricks in him, but I found his final pass, his end-product had awfully lot to desire.
ReplyDeleteThere are other players who are not too strong physically, but they cope just fine. Sterling looks to light-weight to wear his shirt, yet he plays pretty good.
ReplyDeleteThat's right. I was just saying they grabed up some potential players that could have helped us ... Just my opinion and its absolutely clear that BR and the club knows better who to sign :) I'm just hoping everybody sticks to his words and we will get those 2 marquee signings that will hopefully push us higher up the table !!
ReplyDeleteI personally think downings days are over... And I hope so too. I'd still like to keep him as a squad player and cover for lb, lw and rw!
ReplyDeletethe fact that we signed him and he never got a chance is bad management imo why buy a player and not give him a chance
ReplyDeleteWell, at least you always know what to expect from Downing. He is not exciting, but he is consistent.
ReplyDeleteWell, we cannot sign every player with potential, just like any other club. All other clubs missed out on Aspas and Luis Enrique, Sturridge and Coutinho.
ReplyDelete