Beware Of False Idols
I don’t see Fernando Torres leaving Liverpool as the end of the world. I do think Liverpool should cash in on a player who isn’t interested in playing for them anymore. What I really wanted to point out is how idol worship is almost foolish in top flight soccer. I can’t blame someone for loving a player who plays well for their favorite club. That passion drives football I get that but come on Fernando Torres didn’t grow up wanting to play for Liverpool and Liverpool only. Torres grew up in the Atletico Madrid system and when it came time to leave, he did. Now if Torres is willing to leave his boyhood club you can be assured he has no problem leaving Liverpool.
Realistically who can blame Fernando Torres for wanting to leave? A footballer has 5 prime years between the ages of 24 and 29. It really is wishful thinking to except one of the game’s best strikers to give up three years as Liverpool rebounds from the Hicks and Gillett era. Players care about money and playing for the team with the best chance of winning and right now Liverpool isn’t in that spot. Sure being adored by the fans are great but it rarely stops a player from leaving.
While it’s a loss for Liverpool, it’s not the end of the world. King Kenny who can deliver this sppech better than anymore needs to remind these players what playing for Liverpool is all about and anyone who isn’t committed to that needs to have their agent call the club and get moved on. Now the challenge will be how to spend that money wisely, even if they have to wait until the summer to do it.
As a neutral I love this. I was getting bored with European soccer. Instead of the big four in England you really only have the big one in Manchester United with the other clubs having massive questions they need to answer. Barcelona is 7 points up on Real Madrid, A.C Milan is a comfortable 4 points up on Napoli and Borussia Dortmund are 11 points up in the Bundesliga. With all this transfer drama I’m loving the return of big bad Chelsea and if they wrap up a deal for Torres I wonder what Manchester City will be thinking as they alright spent 30 million on Edin Džeko only to see Torres find himself on the market.
January 31st, 2011 at 8:12 pm
Good article, however looking back at history, sometimes there are exceptions to this rule, Batistuta, Del Piero, both of whom stayed with their clubs Fiorentina and Juve (respectively) even when they were relegated, granted they were at the twilight of their careers but not many players would do what they did.
I would even put Jamie Carragher in this category although he is not really a household name.
Ryan Giggs as well.
February 1st, 2011 at 10:06 am
Thanks for the comment and agreed. Plus I’m kicking myself for not mentioning the players who have stayed loyal to their club as I had the point in my head when I was thinking about this post.
You can add the likes of Totti and Giggs to the list as well but all except Batistuta came up through the youth system which is another reason players bounce around cause usually they have already moved from the club their broke in with. Also why it’s important to have a strong youth team with some of those young players breaking through to the first team.