Slagging off time perhaps?

[Kathy]

What is the fascination about ex-players returning to play for us eh?

 

Personally I can?t see it, all this talk about Michael Owen and now wanting Robbie Fowler coming back here to play for the reds is ridiculous.

 

Lets faces facts if Michael was good enough or in his case wanted to (which he made it quite clear he didn?t want to play for us again by turning his back on us a second time saying no I want to be first choice and my England place must come first) then we would have made a move for him and pulled out all the stops to get him but I still would not have paid that silly amount of money that Newcastle paid for him. Considering we let him go for half that amount bad business from us if we had done. Would he have fitted into Rafa?s way of football I doubt that as Rafa expects his players to play as a team and not a one-man band. He also wants the team to defend from the front just as he demands us to attack from the defence. Can you honestly see Michael playing that way because I can?t from what I remember he used to hang around at the centre circle when we were defending to catch the lose balls. Now we have midfielders who are getting their names on the score sheet along with the strikers so it?s not too necessary for us to have someone out there anymore. Don?t get me wrong Michael when he played for us was a legend in every sense of the word he did win us single-handedly the FA Cup against Arsenal and also scored on many other occasions to spare our blushes and help us out, but those days have well and truly long gone.

 

We have a team that are committed to one another and fight for the cause and put up a fight when needed e.g. Bolton. It?s been a long time since we fought as a team I must say. It?s great to see that when we score the whole team congratulate the scorer and when we played Newcastle on Boxing Day and we had that bit of set too with Steve Gerrard, Lee Bowyer, Alan Shearer and Peter Crouch the whole team backed one another that?s what Liverpool is all about.

 

Now as for Robbie Fowler well what can be said about him that hasn?t already been said he was another legend even more so because of his local lad status, he was truly a great striker and knew instantly where the goal was without even looking. To me he was and always will be a legend but ultimately he let himself down with the antics he got up to off the pitch. I think he knows this and that?s why when he plays looks as though his heart just isn?t in it anymore. Does he need the money no he doesn?t he?s made money out of his properties and good luck to the lad. What hurt me about Robbie is when we played Villa a few years back he was standing in the tunnel and the fans were singing his name he just stood there as though he couldn?t have cared less ? shame that he knew then he was on his way. Ok some might say that Houllier had treated him unfairly but on the other side of the coin how many times are you supposed to turn the other cheek.

 

For me anyway and I am probably wrong but lets just remember these two great players as legends and not as saviours anymore we don?t really need saviours we already have them wearing the red of today just think back to Istanbul were we shouting when were 3-0 down Michael or Robbie?s name, I think not.

 

So let?s get behind the Redmen of today and not of yesteryear.

[Tosh]

and....breathe

[Tones]

I agree with you. Too much time on here spent talking about Owens injury and very little talk about loosing Zenden for the season.

[Pam]

you must be bored!

 

people are obsessed with former players when they come back for couple of reasons

 

- players returning to former clubs have nasty knack of wanting to prove a point and often do so by scoring e.g. Fowler, Collymore, Anelka etc

 

- the thought of what might have been - I'm sure there are people (including Fowler if you read his book) who think he would have been playing in Istanbul for us if he hadn't been forced out. Would we have scored more if we'd had little Michael Owen who will "guarantee you 20 goals a season". The manner of his departure and the false dawn of his almost return this summer have just magnified the interest.

 

It is like people who spend years after being dumped by their partner moaning about it and how hard done by they are or crowing if their ex's new partner turns out to be a dog! When the wound is deep the healing takes a while!

[Molby]

2 issues:

 

Fowler - only a total, if well meaning fool could have wanted him back, just forget him it's a dead topic

 

Owen - if we want a certain type of striker we try to get the best available with the available resources; it doesn't matter what we sold him for, only how much he costs now and to what extent this would be a deal that matches our aspirations

 

if you don't agree then never buy a house as they used to be cheaper and you'd be getting ripped off

[Vlad JNR]

I agree with your surrounding the sheer madness of the constant throwing of Fowlers hat into the ring of useful players to sign year on year. As you say there isn't a lot more to say about the Fowler saga that hasn't already been said before, but i'm going to have my twopence worth anyhows.

 

From my point of view, and i feel it to be a very accurate view, Fowler has been s*** for some time, he's a waster, and wouldn't want to put the effort in that is required to play for Liverpool. He didn't 5 (or so) years ago and he wouldn't now. Fowler for a few seasons was an excellent all round talent, he was exciting, prolific, and to coin a phrase has the world at his feet. He was in no doubt a fantastic player, an idol at the time to thousands and an inspiration to many. The problem is that even now people only remember the good times and hold him in the same regard as they did in the mid nineties as an exciting goalscorer. He clearly isn't now, and hasn't been for some time. Signing him this year, last year or the year before, although rallying certain fans, would have done little else for the club. He was a local hero and this is the reason so many of the fans allied and continue to ally with him. I remember coming back from a Barcelona home game a couple of years ago, i think it was in the UEFA cup, it was the time when the Rivaldo inspired Barcelona were applauded off the pitch, they were a cracking team and Rivaldo was at the heart of everything for him. In the chippy on the way home a fella got talking to us and summed up for me many peoples blinkered view on Fowler, saying that he would never swap the Fowler of around '01 for the worlds best player at the time.

 

I think Owen is a different case however. I understand the reasons behind people not wanting to sign him, i understand people being angered by the manner of his departure, but unlike Fowler, Owen still could offer a lot to the club. Personally I would not care one way or another if Owen ever signs for us again, if he does then great, i think he has the ability to improve the current strike force he is a great pro and would give his all and work his balls off for Rafa, but if he doesn't its not the end of the world.

 

Fowler is looking to be an unrealistic target, and rightly so. But Owen, is a possible target. He could very well play for us again, and whenever its possible that a former legend may return to the club, people who are fans of his will always be calling for his return, whether its a viable option or not

Posts merged:

2 issues:

 

Fowler - only a total, if well meaning fool could have wanted him back, just forget him it's a dead topic

 

Owen - if we want a certain type of striker we try to get the best available with the available resources; it doesn't matter what we sold him for, only how much he costs now and to what extent this would be a deal that matches our aspirations

 

if you don't agree then never buy a house as they used to be cheaper and you'd be getting ripped off

1142027[/snapback]

 

 

Spot on on both issues.

Edited January 6, 2006 by Vlad JNR

[matty]

Well said Vlad, you nerk.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Lets faces facts if Michael was good enough or in his case wanted to (which he made it quite clear he didn’t want to play for us again by turning his back on us a second time saying no I want to be first choice and my England place must come first) then we would have made a move for him and pulled out all the stops to get him but I still would not have paid that silly amount of money that Newcastle paid for him. 

 

we made a move, couldn't match newcastle's offer. if we had an offer accepted, I am sure he would have moved here. who wouldn't?

 

Would he have fitted into Rafa’s way of football I doubt that as Rafa expects his players to play as a team and not a one-man band.  He also wants the team to defend from the front just as he demands us to attack from the defence.  Can you honestly see Michael playing that way because I can’t from what I remember he used to hang around at the centre circle when we were defending to catch the lose balls. 

 

Your memory frankly stinks. Some of Owen's best work was done off the ball. He chased every loose ball and wasn't afraid to harry defenders.

 

We have a team that are committed to one another and fight for the cause and put up a fight when needed e.g. Bolton.  It’s been a long time since we fought as a team I must say.  It’s great to see that when we score the whole team congratulate the scorer and when we played Newcastle on Boxing Day and we had that bit of set too with Steve Gerrard, Lee Bowyer, Alan Shearer and Peter Crouch the whole team backed one another that’s what Liverpool is all about.

 

I don't get it: Because Owen was the main performer in a team that didn't score enough from midfield, he somehow can't perform unless everything is geared towards him scoring? Is that why he banged them in for real as well?

 

There may be valid reasons for why we shouldn't sign Michael Owen, but very few footballing ones.

[Mike]

 

if you don't agree then never buy a house as they used to be cheaper and you'd be getting ripped off

1142027[/snapback]

 

classic

[Ombudsam]

Fowler isn't very good anymore.

 

Owen is good and we may buy him if Cisse doesn't turn into a goalscorer.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Owen is good and we may buy him if Cisse doesn't turn into a goalscorer.

1142066[/snapback]

 

In a nutshell for me.