14 Nov 2014

Come and Get Me: 'Monster' €12 star reveals he'd 'love to join Liverpool'; wants the deal done 'in January'

Earlier this month, Lille Boss Rene Girard categorically ruled out the possibility of Divock Origi returning to Anfield in January, and last week, Brendan Rodgers also suggested that Origi will not be available to the Reds until next season. Things may be about to change, though, as the young striker is actively angling for a way out of his one-year loan spell.

When asked about the Origi rumours in early November, Girard told reporters:

"It's only a rumour. It was agreed that Divock spend the year with us. There's no reason he should leave midway through the season. We really need him."

Soon after, Rodgers hailed Origi as a 'wonderful' player, and confirmed that the youngster will stay at Lille:

“He's a big talent, and we’re in contact, which is great. I get all of his games downloaded, analyse them and then feedback to him on areas he can improve, so when he comes into here next summer he’s prepared".

Well, it seems that Origi - described as a 'monster talent' by Vincent Kompany - has different ideas. In an interview this week, he described French football as 'frustrating'; admitted that he 'can't wait to be playing in the Premier League', and made it clear that he hopes there's a chance of 'joining Liverpool soon'. Origi added:

"I said that I would stay for the whole season and I wish to remain honourable in that, but I would love to move to Liverpool sooner rather than later. Maybe in January. I would like to join Liverpool then."

If Origi wishes to 'remain honourable' to his loan contract, then he should do that, and stop disrespecting Lille with his nakedly self-serving public plea to Liverpool.

In any event, where's the fire? Origi is 19 - he's still developing, and the worst thing he can do is overestimate his own ability and move to the Premier League too quickly. It's a tough league, and there aren't too many 19-year old strikers playing regularly for top clubs.

A good comparison is Romelu Lukaku; accompanied by gross overhype and a massive transfer fee, the Belgian striker signed for Chelsea at the age of 18, and despite the hype, he made only 10 appearances in three years at the club.

Similarly, earlier in his career, Daniel Sturridge struggled for regular game-time at both Manchester City and Chelsea, and it's only in his early 20s that's he's become a first-team regular at a big club (when he's fit, of course!)

Origi should be careful what he wishes for - if he comes to LFC in January, and Sturridge is fit, then he'll probably spend a lot of time on the bench. At Lille, he'll play regularly until the end of the season, which is the good for his personal development.

On a related note: I hate the idea that Liverpool are seriously contemplating bringing in a teenager to save the club's season. After spending £120m over the summer, Liverpool should've need to rely on Origi for mid-season boost, and it's just another sad indictment of Rodgers' abject failure in the transfer market.

Additionally, if Origi returns in January, he'll be hailed as a potential saviour for LFC's season, and that will place intolerable pressure on him to perform. It's impossible for the young striker to live up to all the irresponsible superlatives being thrown around, and if he can't handle the pressure, he may crash and burn, just like so many others before him.

Consequently, Origi will end up on the bench, which will limit his pitch-time, damage his confidence, and arrest his development. How will this help him, or the club?

In my view, even if a chance arises to bring him back, the most responsible managerial decision is to leave Origi in Lille. Just let him get on with developing his game without the pressure of trying to rescue Liverpool's season.

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18 comments:

  1. I want a player with confidence in his own abilities. I want a player who wants to be here. I personally don't care what Lille feels or thinks. He's an LFC player.


    With that being said, it's on Rodgers and the club to do what is in the best interest of the club and subsequently the player. If the feeling is to leave him there, I'm fine with that since he should be playing.


    The only reason why I'd have an issue with him coming to LFC early is if he's going to consistently be on the bench. There's no reason to recall a player to have him not play.

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  2. Vyshakh Surreal Rv5:01 pm, November 14, 2014

    So you don't want to bring in better signings, the one's that have come have obviously been not firing as expected and you clearly have no faith in BR any more. So I only have one question for you?
    What do you suggest we do???
    I used to follow your articles for its in-depth viewpoint regarding the issues with LFC, now the very thing that brought me to your articles is starting to annoy.
    I get that you have your opinions(everyone has that right). But yours seems to be tisting you to be more prejudiced as opposed to being objective(which you should be as you are not just writing personal blogs, or you are, I honestly can't tell anymore).
    Either way, I appreciate the work you are putting in, just don't like seeing prejudiced writers.
    YNWA!

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  3. The only way Origi will join in January is if Balotelli is moved on. I have actually read from a very reliable source that Balotelli has recently been offered to other EPL clubs by LFC this season so maybe the rumours of Balotelli leaving in January are not to far off the mark?


    I was against the signing of Balotelli but at least he has seemed to behave himself on and off the pitch but Rodgers in his delusional state is expecting Suarez like results from Balotelli which he is not going to get but has persisted playing Balotelli up on his own so cannot really blame the player for not performing when the whole team has been up to sh!te and add to that a terrible playing style, formation that has not worked and rubbish tactics.


    I would much rather have a player with Origi's pace and movement than Balotelli at the moment. Balotelli is not slow but not super quick and does lack in the movement department.

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  4. If Origi genuinely wants to come. So be it. He is talented and could walk into the team straight up. No pressure whatsoever. But JK and some would love to disagree.

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  5. It depends what is in the loan agreement though. I would not rule out it costing LFC money to end the lean deal with Lille.

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  6. Whatever the cost, that's up to Rodgers and the club to decide if the cost is worth it.

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  7. he tweeted this in the afternoon : "Hi guys, I just wanted to clarify after today’s (Friday’s) press reports
    that I will continue to play and give my all 100% for Lille , and I am very much looking forward to joining Liverpool
    from next season."
    People should not expect him to come in January

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  8. From what I seen of Orogi against Everton, IMO he is far from ready to make it in the EPL in January.

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  9. Not sure FSG will be making anymore money available. They have spent enough this season and with the way things have gone if it was up to me I would also not make anymore money available.

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  10. He will most probably struggle with the way our manager is asking the team to play football this season too. Maybe it is better for Origi to stay on loan at Lille till the end of the season.

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  11. If Sturridge gets injured again before Jan then BR may well push for him to come otherwise leave him be

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  12. the way rodgers has set up this year you basically need your cf to just run the channels and chase hollywood balls ...

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  13. We're making a big deal out of a kid who has scored 3 goals in a lesser league to date this season. If he's our savior, then we're in real trouble. We have the talent, they're just underperfoming. We get out-run, out-hustled, out-thought, and out-shot every game. Watching us stand around and pass the ball back and forth in our own third a la 2012 is painful to watch. Where is the movement, the incisive cutting the daring passing, and the frequent shooting that wowed the league last season? It wasn't ALL one guy.

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  14. I know that there is this doom and gloom feeling among many (me included), but the truth is we are not far off fourth and third is still a possibility.


    If there's an opportunity to make Champions League next year, it would be in FSG's best interest to go for it.


    I think a lot will be determined over the next 6-8 weeks. We will be in the knockout stage or knocked out of CL.


    If my life depended on it, I'd guess that FSG will make a very small amount available (think 10m), plus the ability to use any sold player fees (see: Johnson, Glen) to buy another player.

    The only exception I think they'd make is for Reus specifically because of the reported buyout clause. They won't have to worry about negotiating with the other team. It'll really be a question of wages.


    To be clear, I don't believe that Reus is coming here because I don't think we'll pay him the wages.

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  15. That's assuming we can actually get possession and not just sit back waiting for the opposition to give us the ball.

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  16. The problem seems to be that the team thinks so, likewise Rodgers. He seems to have slowed down the pace of our game and make it more defensive; and obviously, it isn't working.

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  17. Our CL money is being held back due to the FFP investigation. That money would have been included in the budget this season so if FSG are not seeing that money now and may not see it this season then it will be a loss of income.


    While we are still under investigation I highly doubt there is any thought of making a penny available.


    While we are playing sh!te football which is 90% down to the manager then no money should be made available either until he can show that he has what it takes to make this team play proper football.


    Fortunately for Rodgers Sterling will be available for selection after the International break. Unfortunately for Rodgers he cannot rely on Sturridge's fitness.


    Rodgers has dug a very deep hole for himself and is going to struggle to get out of it. His persistence with the Skrtel/Lovren CB pair and Johnson is quite laughable. FSG are not blind and definitely not stupid. Pretty sure they are keeping very close tabs after spending a record amount of money in one season. They will pull the trigger if need be.

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  18. Sorry, but your statement here is inaccurate. LFC's prize money is not currently being 'withheld' - it is at risk of being withheld, which is a totally different story.

    This is scaremongering. UEFA have not made any announcement confirming that LFC's CL cash is being withheld - at this stage, it is simply a theoretical possibility, not a fact.

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