Jari Litmanen

[Will]

Is he still with Hansa Rostock in Germany?

[CarraLegend]

He left and went to Malmo last I read, not sure if hes still there or not

[R A Softlad]

Yep, still at Malmö.

[aka Dus]

Gone to South Africa with MFF for their Winter training camp. Depending how he goes he'll be given a year's contract. He really wants it. He doesn't need the money, god knows, but he's dying to put one good injury free season in.

 

The whole MFF squad did a pretty rigorous fitness test before Christmas and Jari was rock bottom of the list in every element of the test. So one reasonably serious injury and I'd say he'll be looking for a new club.

[Bjarkinn]

Ohh jari jari jari..

 

Remember how mad i was when he left us.. What a player

[Kenny_]

Best player we've had who didn't succeed here?

[Will]

Thanks for the info

[fyds]

I heard that he was among the first to offer congratulations to Rafa on getting the job - don't know if by phone, fax etc - and was quick off the mark to many of the players after Istanbul. Apparently he's still good friends with most of those he knew at the time.

 

Another bloke I know swears Jari was also in Istanbul with Sami's Dad - but I've not heard anything about that anywhere else and so have no idea if it's true.

[billybunter]

I really loved jari, really special talent - am so gutted he never got much of a chance here

[Koogan]

  billybunter said:

I really loved jari, really special talent - am so gutted he never got much of a chance here

 

He played as much as he could. He could barely walk after training sessions, so it wasn't a question of Houllier not wanting to use him. Not most of the time anyway.

[RP]

He did get a chance at Liverpool, it just didn't work out. A tremendously skilful player though.

[drdooom]

He was pretty much injured the whole of the last (swedish) season as well. A great player, unfortunately also way too injury prone in his later years.

[Koogan]

  drcrouchy said:

He was pretty much injured the whole of the last (swedish) season as well. A great player, unfortunately also way too injury prone in his later years.

 

His injuries started already at Barca. So effectively he hasn't been 100% fit since, what 1999...

Edited January 12, 2006 by Koogan

[fyds]

  muleskinner said:

Can we use it as one to sack the board over for not allowing Roy Evans to buy him?

The board backed Evans to the tune of £6m to buy him which would have made him by far our biggest transfer in the pre-Collymore era. Ajax said he wasn't for sale and by the time we went back for him Van Gaal had already made a deal to take him to Barca with half of the rest of the Ajax squad at the time.

 

Can't blame Roy or the board for that one.

[muleskinner]

  fyds said:

The board backed Evans to the tune of £6m to buy him which would have made him by far our biggest transfer in the pre-Collymore era. Ajax said he wasn't for sale and by the time we went back for him Van Gaal had already made a deal to take him to Barca with half of the rest of the Ajax squad at the time.

 

Can't blame Roy or the board for that one.

 

senseofhumour

[kop205]

  RP said:

He did get a chance at Liverpool, it just didn't work out. A tremendously skilful player though.

 

Pretty much my thoughts really, always thought he was used unfairly by some to gripe about Houllier.

 

I remember a cup game against Man City in the Treble season which just about summed up his Liverpool career for me. He was tremendous in the first half, set up Heskey for goal with a great pass and scored a pen himself but didnlt reappear after half-time.

 

Showed all aspects of his time at Liverpool in 45 minutes - capable of tremendous performances, albeit usually against the weaker opponents, but never able to sustain that level due to injuries and, for whatever reason, the occasional tendency to disappear.

[Guest Portly]

Is that true then he suffered that badly with his injuries he couldn't even train?

 

Apparently that Seth Johnson is like that these days - I'm told he can barely stand up the day after a game and he only trains sporadically.

 

Nearly came to us at one stage as well...