Vladi

[Guest dannyboy]

It's a huge shame that Vladi is injured for the remainder of the campaign as I think he could have been excellent this year with the kind of approach Benitez has adopted. he could have opearted either in his favoured position behind Milan or Cisse or on either of the flanks. I would have loved to see how he could have interacted with the likes of Garcia.

[Erik T]

Now that we have Garcia we don't need Smicer. Garca seems to offer everything we hoped Smicer could give us, but never has. Maybe Smicer is another victim of the "not being played in his best position"-policy adopted by GH, but I nevertheless consider him a failure. I think we should sell him while he's still worth something (high wages relative to performance, injury-prone, getting old...).

 

In fact Smicer is the one player I'd most fancy us to sell (considering Cheyrou, Diuof et al as sold already, although they're only on loan).

 

Enough bashing of Smicer for me today (cf. the Liverpool 2 Monaco 0 thread).

[PTP]

I don't think Rafa would be kean to sell Vlad.

 

If an offer of any sort came in, he may consider but we're not going to get too much for him anyway.

 

Personaly I wouldn't mind keeping him until i see what Nunez has to offer.

[Big Noel]

He'll be 32 at the start of next season. Personally think he's played his last game for the club.

[Guest howartj]

Be honest, was Vladi really that good in a red shirt, he was half as good as Ray Houghton and most reds i know thought Ray Houghton wasn't good enough!!!!!!!!!

[Paul]

What??? Ray Houghton was class!!! I've never heard anyone say they didn't think he was good enough.

[Erik T]

Agreed Paul. Houghton made his way into one of the best LFC teams ever, and that speaks for itself.

 

Playing alongside the likes of Barnes, Beardsley, Aldridge and Hansen could make anybody look "not good enough" relatively speaking, but Houghton was definitely up for it imo.

 

Smicer though... that's a different story altogether

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

Gotta agree with howartj, I remember a huge hate campaign on the Kop towards Ray Houghton, it wasn't until we started to go down hill in the early 90's and he carried us through most games, that alot of fans started to appreciate him......

 

....as for Vladi, I think unquestionably the lad has talent but like too many signings in the last few years, their attacking flare has been stiffled by our sh*te, negative football. Would have loved to have seen him in the Rafalution but think it might be a bit too late for him.

[Truered]

Razor was fantastic how can everyone diss the guy!!!!!

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

Razor was fantastic how can everyone diss the guy!!!!!

 

Razor was a fat, coin swapping pr*ck.....Ray Houghton on the other hand was a great player for us. I don't dislike him at all, I just distinctly remember there being a Ray Houghton hate club for a while on the Kop, it was obviously because he was seen as a weak link in that midfield even though he was one of the best around.....think it was more of a case of how strong the team was than how poor Ray was.

[Truered]

Razor was a fat, coin swapping pr*ck.....Ray Houghton on the other hand was a great player for us. I don't dislike him at all, I just distinctly remember there being a Ray Houghton hate club for a while on the Kop, it was obviously because he was seen as a weak link in that midfield even though he was one of the best around.....think it was more of a case of how strong the team was than how poor Ray was.

 

 

Wasn't Razor Haughton's nickname, I know I am pissed this morning 3 bottles of champagne last night wil do that, but I honestly thought that was his nickname.

 

No way do I associate him with that fat pile of shit at all... :telloff:

[Guest JamesA]

I hope we have not seen the last of Vladi for Liverpool because (as I said in depth yesterday) I think he has a lot to offer this style of team.

 

To be honest, I can't see any point in selling him anyway - why would anyone pay a fee for a player who is currently injured and whose contract runs out in the summer ? So, the question is where can we find a player who would be willing to be a squad player and who could give us so much coming on from the bench ? Vladi has the ability to change a game coming on as sub - just see his performances in Euro 2004 for evidence of that. If he can come back from his injury I would not be surprised to see him offered a 1 year contract to finish his career with us.

[Uncle Travelling Matt]

Wasn't Razor Haughton's nickname, I know I am pissed this morning 3 bottles of champagne last night wil do that, but I honestly thought that was his nickname.

 

No way do I associate him with that fat pile of shit at all... :telloff:

 

Possibly, I can't remember to be honest....I remember hearing alot of "F#ck off Houghton" but I don't think that was his nickname :-)

The criticism he took was definitely unjustified, great servant to the club and fully deserving of all his medals......

[Paul]

It's weird the number of really class players who've been given stick and called not good enough over the years. Ronnie Whelan, a hell of a player, used to get some and I still can't quite get my head round the Carra haters - who've suddenly all gone quiet.

[Guest Heskeys heart?]

At the end of the day he was no more than a squad player under the Houlier regime so what is there to suggest Benitez will welcome him back to the team? Besides his injury record puts Bryan Robson to shame!

[Shanklys Ghost]

I used to love Razor Ray Houghton. He played in a superb Liverpool side and for me used to make alot of things tick in that team. Shitbag like, but a side can afford a shitbag when quality runs through it.

 

Only found out a few years ago that he wrote a diary of the '89 season. Well i say 'he' wrote it but it was actually written by a journalist whose name escapes me right now. I do know however that the journalist worked for the s*n.

 

Nice touch ray.

 

Piece of shit.

[Brownie]

I seem to remember Ray Houghton wasn't that loved by the fans. No idea why as he was a great servant for the club. When I had my first season ticket he used to get awful stick, and that was from people who'd seen him play for years.

 

As for Vlad, I think he'd really shine under Rafa but whether he'll have the chance too is difficult to say. He could still have a say in our season though so i'm looking forward to him getting fit again.

[Original202]

Interview with him in todays echo.

 

His contract is up at the end of the season, but he says the club have been really good to him so far this season and he hopes to repay them for the way they've stood by him.

 

I think he his a hugely talented player but for the last five years hes been playing under the wrong manager. And of course the injuries havent helped. I like the bloke, but think its for the best if he moves on at the end of the season, I just dont think its ever going to really happen for him here.

[Stormbringer]

Taxi for Vladi!!!

 

As for Ray Houghton he is pissed off about someone or something at Anfield (probably the haters). He is was commentating on the CL on Irish tv in the week and really negative about us!

 

Think it's quite sad really!

 

I really liked him as a player - we had a worker on the right for years.

[Paul]

I agree about his commentaries. Every time he commentated on one of our matches for Channel 5 last season, he seemed overly critical. Now, I know we deserved criticism last season, but he seemed to revel in it.

[Guest howartj]

Forgot to say when i mentioned Ray Houghton I thought he was a good player but my red mates thought he was shite and my answer to that was thats becuase the quality around him which brings me back to Vladi, he's had some shite players around him and he still doesn't stand out (scuse me if that makes no sense, i'm pretty bolloxed to be honest)