The Gems

[Andy @ Allerton]

About to be booted into touch?

 

Looks like Le Tallec and Pongy may not have much of a future at Anfield.

 

I'm delighted about Le Tallec leaving - he's basically a k****ead, but am disappointed that Pongolle may not get a chance at the club. I think he's got a good attitude and could prove useful as backup.

[Rich Gobey]

They turned out to be diamante in the end.

[RBM]

They turned out to be diamante in the end.

 

Le Tallac was more broken glass

[Guest redmilky]

I wonder if we'd have left them in France for a couple of years?

Probably no difference but you do wonder.

[Kahnee]

About to be booted into touch?

 

 

Have I missed something?

[RBM]

I wonder if we'd have left them in France for a couple of years?

Probably no difference but you do wonder.

 

I think Houllier rushed into bringing them over, after promising edge of the seat signings he came up with a a cut price deal for Kewell (Which was what we were looking for) and Steve Finnan, but failed to get anybody else in so in order to appease an already critical fanbase he brought them in knowing that after all the build up he had given them it might pacify the fans. Shame really they might have been very good if they had been given time to develop rather then being left in the reserves for a couple of seasons.

[David Hodgson]

I think Houllier rushed into bringing them over, after promising edge of the seat signings he came up with a a cut price deal for Kewell (Which was what we were looking for) and Steve Finnan, but failed to get anybody else in so in order to appease an already critical fanbase he brought them in knowing that after all the build up he had given them it might pacify the fans. Shame really they might have been very good if they had been given time to develop rather then being left in the reserves for a couple of seasons.

 

Yeah, that'll be it.

[Guest YKI]

Les Gems, more like Les merdes.

[andymac]

Ooops wrong topic -please ignore!

Edited August 8, 2006 by andymac

[Kahnee]

Les Gems, more like Les merdes.

 

[RBM]

Yeah, that'll be it.

 

Just my opinion of what happend, I had expected them to stay in France longer.

[_00_deathscar]

Just my opinion of what happend, I had expected them to stay in France longer.

 

Whereas I think they should've been thrown straight in, at least into England rather than letting them 'enjoy' France for a couple more years.

 

Its the same protective attitude with Cheyrou where we faltered.

[RBM]

Whereas I think they should've been thrown straight in, at least into England rather than letting them 'enjoy' France for a couple more years.

 

Its the same protective attitude with Cheyrou where we faltered.

 

They were still in there teens though, I don't think a couple more years in France would have hurt them, allowing them to develop the technical side of their game. I honestly think Houllier only brought them in when he did to appease the fans looking for exciting signings that apart from kewell he had failed to come up with. I may remember wrongly but it was quite a late decision not to send them on loan again wasn't it? I may be wrong it was just the way I saw it at the time

[realtarragona]

Not too sorry to see either of them go to be honest. It was always going to be hard for them in the first place because of how much they were built up by fans. But I suppose at the time everyone was desperate for some positives to look at. Pongolle is a decent player but I can't see him ever having a regular place in the side so he's probably best leaving and getting regular football.

[Kahnee]

They were still in there teens though,

 

Their

[Widnesian]

It would be a shame if Sinama was to leave the club without realising his potential.His attitude has always been good and I always thought he made the most of the opportunities given to him. I would have liked to see him getting more first team games and who knows maybe if Rafa is only sanctioning a loan move to Spain we may see him back here in 12 months time.

[Coyler]

Their

their

[_00_deathscar]

Question is, if we send Pongolle out on loan, who's going to change the Luton/Olympiakos type (surprisingly, I'm watching Liverpool v Luton right now) games for us by coming on in the second half?

 

Gerrard only deals in game changing moments during finals.

Edited August 8, 2006 by _00_deathscar

[RBM]

Their

 

Right you are, I'm a lazy typer

[Frosty Jack]

Just my opinion of what happend, I had expected them to stay in France longer.

 

Le Havre got relegated, thats why they were brought across early.

[RBM]

Le Havre got relegated, thats why they were brought across early.

 

But didn't another club ask to take them on loan?

[Chief Robert]

They were still in there teens though, I don't think a couple more years in France would have hurt them, allowing them to develop the technical side of their game. I honestly think Houllier only brought them in when he did to appease the fans looking for exciting signings that apart from kewell he had failed to come up with. I may remember wrongly but it was quite a late decision not to send them on loan again wasn't it? I may be wrong it was just the way I saw it at the time

I have the impression that we brought them over and didn't really know what to do with them. They had both played as a front two for Le Harve and the French U18s and U21s as I remember (Correct me if I'm wrong here!) and when we broke up their double act to introduce them into the first team. Neither seemed to be as effective when on the field alone as when with the other one playing as well. They read each others runs and knew each others play very well.

 

However, I also think they were very mis-managed by Ged. I am a big fan of Ged's and was sorry to see him go, but I don't think he knew what to do with them. For example - if they had been under the mentoring of Wenger or even Fergie - they might be much bigger hit's today than they are. ALT's attitude does seem to suck at the moment - but would that have been tolerated and allowed to fester by Wenger? I think FSP was a little unlucky with injuries and not having a player feeding him nice little passes and reading his runs... He was trying to break into a team with Heskey and Owen initially, wasn't he?

 

Maybe I just believed in the hype too much, at the time they were rated as better than Ronaldo at Old Toilet. They came here very young and probably needed alot of mentoring not just on the field but in terms of their attitude and professionalism. I just think that Ged didn't know how to develop them and to a large extent their talents were wasted.

Edited August 8, 2006 by Chief Robert

[Leo No.8]

I started to have my doubts when they were with Le Havre for that season.

 

Everyone was saying how amazing they were going to be, and I was very excited by what I'd seen of them in the World Youth Cup.

 

However, I always believe if players are going to make it, 99.99% of the time they are capable of showing it with the big boys by the time they are 18.

 

In a crap Le Havre side which was relegated from a crap league they were only bit part players. I know they were only 17/18, but by the time someone like Rooney was 17 he was doing brilliant things in the Premier League. At 18 Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, most of the truly top class players were already performing at the highest level.

 

I thought, yes they are only 17 or 18, but they should already be standing out at the top level, at least in flashes. At that point I became a bit dubious as to how good they really were - every game report I found seemed to suggest they were generally not contributing that much.

 

And if they couldn't do it here with the facilities and support we give young players, they wouldn't have done it anywhere.

 

Potential only cuts it until you're 18 in the modern game. At that age you're already either up to it or you're not...

Edited August 8, 2006 by Leo No.8

[Knox_Harrington]

However, I also think they were very mis-managed by Ged. I am a big fan of Ged's and was sorry to see him go, but I don't think he knew what to do with them. For example - if they had been under the mentoring of Wenger or even Fergie - they might be much bigger hit's today than they are. ALT's attitude does seem to suck at the moment - but would that have been tolerated and allowed to fester by Wenger? I think FSP was a little unlucky with injuries and not having a player feeding him nice little passes and reading his runs... He was trying to break into a team with Heskey and Owen initially, wasn't he?

 

Maybe I just believed in the hype too much, at the time they were rated as better than Ronaldo at Old Toilet. They came here very young and probably needed alot of mentoring not just on the field but in terms of their attitude and professionalism. I just think that Ged didn't know how to develop them and to a large extent their talents were wasted.

Agree with much of that. When they arrived they needed games, especially LeTallec who looked mustard in pre-season. They needed to be allowed to make their mistakes and learn on the pitch and be thrust into the deep end. TLT should have been told he was getting the an hour for the first ten league games come what may and that he should try to influence things accordingly.

 

If they weren't ready for steady games when they came across they shouldn't have been bought. And arguably they should have come across when they were first bought rather than being left in LeHavre for a season.

 

It was bad management; I don't like a lot of the criticism Houllier gets these days but this for me remains one of his most significant errors.

[Stevie H]

compare and contrast with ferguson and wenger's attitudes when signing young supposed world class talent. throw them straight in and give them games. ferguson has always done it although most recently with rooney and ronaldo, wenger has always done it from anelka through to fabregas, touré, van persie et al. if the kids are that highly-rated when you buy them, get them playing before their youthful chins drop.