Featured: Red of the Day - Maxi Rodriguez

[tlw content]

by Julian Richards

 

Maxi, Maxi Rodriguez runs down the wing for me, der der der der der, der der der der der. In possession of one of the best player songs in recent years I loved Maxi Rodriguez, he was a pleasure to watch when he was here.

 

It didn’t really start out like that for him however. When he was signed on a free transfer in January 2010 the 'Benitez era' was drawing to an acrimonious close and it seemed like Maxi was going to be another one of those iffy free transfers that Rafa had taken a liking too. It wasn’t really until the King came in and, crucially, the club signed Luis Suarez that Maxi really started coming into his own and looked a credible threat when he was in the team.

 

Maxi and Suarez (like Kuyt and Suarez) struck up an instant rapport and the movement and interplay between the two of them was a joy to watch at times. The end of the 2010-11 season, when we sold Torres and bought Suarez and played with a wonderful freedom, was great to watch. We had the King back in charge, new owners, a shiny new pair of strikers and the pressure was off the players for the remainder of that season. Maxi started banging in the goals and scored two hat tricks in the space of a month (the latter against Fulham being a particular highpoint).

 

Maxi brought something to the team that we lost when both he and Kuyt left and that was an unerring ability to make runs into the box and be in the right place for loose balls. Both of them were masters of it so it was strange to see Maxi relegated to a more peripheral role the following season following the acquisition of Stewart Downing.

 

True Downing had more pace and was younger but Maxi brought that professional nous that comes with playing at a high level for your country (remember that strike against Mexico in the 2006 World Cup?) and with playing in multiple countries at the top level. In the endMaxi outscored Downing in his first season here and made it look effortless. Downing could have learnt a lot from Maxi and how he played in and around the box.

 

Maxi went back to Argentina to play for his boyhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, at the start of the 2012-13 season and he went with best wishes from most fans. Maxi wanted to go home and the club, rightly, didn’t want to pay a fringe player the money associated with a free transfer, although I thought we should have kept him around purely for morale as Suarez loved him and they seemed to get on very well off the pitch.

 

Maxi played a small part in Liverpool history but he was a good, honest pro who just got on with the job. Plus we’ll always have that song to remember him by. Altogether now, Maxi, Maxi Rodriguez runs down the wing for me…

 

 

Date of Birth: 02/01/81 Nationality: Argentinian Postition: Midfield Games: 73 Goals: 17 ClubHons (Lpool): League Cup 2012 Int Hons: 46 Argentina caps Other Clubs: Newell's Old Boys (twice), Real Oviedo (loan), Espanyol, Atletico Madrid Maxi RODRIGUEZ 2010-12

 

 

 

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[Pidge]

[Trumo]

As you've pointed out, he had a knack for being in the right place at the right time, largely because he was adept at losing his man and finding space. It's strange that he was perhaps the player best suited to playing on the left of Rafa's 4-2-3-1 formation, given that the manager was shown the door less than 6 months after the Argentine's arrival. Had we got him a couple of years earlier, who knows how things might have panned out.

[Jairzinho]

Ace.

 

He'd still be the best wide midfielder at the club now. Which, admittedly, does say more about our current options.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I miss Maxi.

 

That is all.

[RobbieOR]

Deffo one of my favorite players over the past few years. Even got his name on the back a jersey which I never do. 

[Dr. J]

First rate pro. Made the most impact in a short spell on club and fans since Gary Mac, I think. I've seen him a few time for Newell's and he's still the best player they've got. Still an international, too. 17 in 73 - we'd kill for that now from a midfielder.

[stringvest]

I really liked him.  clever player, great technique, great vision.  I liked him so much I wear his name on my incontinence pads.

[moof]

Wish he stuck around for another year or two

[Kevin D]

Wish he stuck around for another year or two

We couldn't afford him. Worth remembering as well as his 110k a week contract, he was also entitled to £5m more for every appearance he made, a new private jet every month( apparently he liked blowing them up) and the first born grandson of every manager he played under.

 

That's what you get with these so-called "free transfers". If I told you what Degen was offered, you'd be absolutely disgusted.

[fowler9]

Maxi was ace, think we'd have done better had he been a regular in Kenny's full season

[A_S]

Had he been around in 08/09, he'd have only needed to bob up for one or two of his typical right-place-right-time goals in amongst all those draws and the league title would have been Liverpool's.

[fowler9]

looks like he is still playing for Argentina too, hope he makes the world cup squad

[LFC 6 Times]

Absolutely loved Maxi, incredibly underrated. He was one of those players who made the game look ever so easy, in short he was brillant at the simple things, a very good passer very solid touch and adept with both feet. What largely went unnoticed was his ability to understand those around him, his link up with others was superb and his off the ball movement was as intelligent as you'll see, think BR would of loved him.