A thread about a man named Xabi

[Red Nick]

Well said Rafa

[WaltonRed]

Get told.

[Red Nick]

Xabi might have an argument that loyalty works both ways but Mascher has no excuse at all and I dont expect to see him leave for the major reason no no club will put the 40m on the table it would take to buy him.

[JohnnyH]

Rafael Benitez

 

"I do not think Alonso or Mascherano will go. It is clear that they both are under contract with long-term agreements. That is it.

 

"There has been a lot of things written, a lot of rumours, but both players are under contract and we have no more need to talk about things.

 

"They are both very good players and I will be very pleased to keep them. They both have very good contracts.

 

"We signed them both from different situations. Alonso was coming from Real Sociedad and nobody had really heard much of him outside of Spain, he did well and we renewed his contract because of that.

 

"Mascherano came from West Ham where he had not been doing well. We brought him here and gave him a good contract, so we are very pleased with them both and that Liverpool has been very good to them."[/quoteIT]

 

 

That reads just as much as saying it to Masch and Xabi as much as saying it to the press.

 

Edit - can't seem to get me quoting right.

[Whelan]

Xabi might have an argument that loyalty works both ways but Mascher has no excuse at all and I dont expect to see him leave for the major reason no no club will put the 40m on the table it would take to buy him.

 

For a mad badger Nick, you have your lucid moments. Well said.

[Catch22]

Exactly as Wenger predicted, the big issue this summer is how the clubs that run to budgets (ourselves,Arse,Mancs) deal with their players who could play for top continental sides as the FX/tax changes have left the PL wages uncompetitive.

 

Given the power that footballers have (leave on a Bosman on a free) the club needed to sell or give raises.

 

Our 2 most important players are Torres & Gerrard: We have now given them substantial rises so they have signed new deals.

(No one is apparently calling them greedy & neither should anyone make that accusation to Xabi. Equally why would we ghave given them extra without the external factors changing?)

 

Our next is Xabi so it is negotiation time for his new deal- if we can remain competitive, he stays.

(Carra is (slightly unfairly) viewed as a "British defender" so have less foreign interest, whilst Masch has non-dom tax status so we don't have a competitive disadvantage)

 

After that it is Pepe whilst Bob is maybe not worth the extra amount we would have to pay him.

 

With regards to our rivals, the Mancs have sold the LadyBoy whilst Arse have redone Van Persie, are negotiating with Fabregas & are open to offers for Adebayour.

 

So much less interesting than NoTW-sensationalist soap opera but then again, has the advantage of being so much more true.

[caracaracara]

Catch 22

 

Rumour was that Torres took a pay cut to come to Liverpool and was offered a review based on performance. You would need to have the twisted mentality of a scum fan if you did not believe he shouldn't be rewarded.

 

StevieG deserves a pay award every year as he continues to be a magician and (still) carry the team on many occasions.

 

However, the both got rewarded as much to do with the refinancing issue to show we have sustainable assets. Alonso is probably in the second tier of important assets and maybe having 3 years left on his contract was felt a low risk - particiularly as this gives us the bargaining chip to get a good price (if required).

 

So a lot considerations other than 'black and white' greedy bastard or not....

[Catch22]

Catch 22

 

Rumour was that Torres took a pay cut to come to Liverpool and was offered a review based on performance. You would need to have the twisted mentality of a scum fan if you did not believe he shouldn't be rewarded.

 

StevieG deserves a pay award every year as he continues to be a magician and (still) carry the team on many occasions.

 

However, the both got rewarded as much to do with the refinancing issue to show we have sustainable assets. Alonso is probably in the second tier of important assets and maybe having 3 years left on his contract was felt a low risk - particiularly as this gives us the bargaining chip to get a good price (if required).

 

So a lot considerations other than 'black and white' greedy bastard or not....

 

 

I don't think he is a greedy bastard as I would do exactly the same in his position.

[JMARKH]

With reports about Gerrard getting £140.000 a week in his new contract, what can be considered a good contract for Mascherano and Alonso?

 

100,000 I would say.

[INTORRESTING]

They are 100k a week players imo as they are two of the best midfielders in the world.

[WaltonRed]

I agree on 100k for both of them.

[Code]

Whats up with quoting?

[Anubis]

[ratcatcher]

Xabi might have an argument that loyalty works both ways but Mascher has no excuse at all and I dont expect to see him leave for the major reason no no club will put the 40m on the table it would take to buy him.

 

Yeah I mean we think so highly of Mascherano, he's only on £25k a week. We might consider that plenty but compared to other members of the team, he's way under valued imo.

 

This lad should be on at least what agger is. Perhaps if he was, he wouldnt have started this angling for a move? Just a thought.

[sir roger]

Yeah I mean we think so highly of Mascherano, he's only on £25k a week. We might consider that plenty but compared to other members of the team, he's way under valued imo.

 

This lad should be on at least what agger is. Perhaps if he was, he wouldnt have started this angling for a move? Just a thought.

 

I said the same the other day Ratcatcher , but another poster said this was a myth that has grown legs , and that when Masch was fined 2 weeks wages when sent off at Old Trafford , the papers quoted him being fined £120k

( ie £60k per week )

[ratcatcher]

I said the same the other day Ratcatcher , but another poster said this was a myth that has grown legs , and that when Masch was fined 2 weeks wages when sent off at Old Trafford , the papers quoted him being fined £120k

( ie £60k per week )

 

Hi Sir Rog. Wonder if that other poster often claims the papers only print shit? Obviously we dont know for sure how much mascherano's on but even if he's on 60k a week, he's still on less than agger. He's on half of what Gerrard and Torres are on. OK he may not be worth that much but surely he should be one of our top earners considering he's a central part of the team and plans?

[Torvald Utne]

Hi Sir Rog. Wonder if that other poster often claims the papers only print shit? Obviously we dont know for sure how much mascherano's on but even if he's on 60k a week, he's still on less than agger. He's on half of what Gerrard and Torres are on. OK he may not be worth that much but surely he should be one of our top earners considering he's a central part of the team and plans?

 

The 'other poster' claimed that because the same person wrote 2 articles, 1 stating he was on 25k when he signed and 1 stating he was fined 2 weeks wages, 60k per week, that this was proof that he was not on 25k...I got lost with the logic.

[Strontium]

The 'other poster' claimed that because the same person wrote 2 articles, 1 stating he was on 25k when he signed and 1 stating he was fined 2 weeks wages, 60k per week, that this was proof that he was not on 25k...I got lost with the logic.

 

 

It was me. I pointed out two articles a year apart, both written by David Maddock of the Mirror.

 

The first from last year stated that Mascherano was fined two weeks wages for being sent off at Old Toilet - "around £120,000".

 

The more recent article stated that Masch would need his wages trebled because he was only on £25,000 a week.

 

I am inclined to believe the first figure of £60,000 a week. Not only does it feel realistic for a player who is the captain of one of the world's top international sides and who has already had three big money moves, but it was written at a time when there was no expedient reason for anyone to under or over-exaggerate his wages. The figure of £25,000 smacks of agent-leaked agenda-driven bullshit; such an agenda did not exist a year ago, hence the figure from then is, IMO, more reliable.

[SpeedyG]

It was me. I pointed out two articles a year apart, both written by David Maddock of the Mirror.

 

The first from last year stated that Mascherano was fined two weeks wages for being sent off at Old Toilet - "around £120,000".

 

The more recent article stated that Masch would need his wages trebled because he was only on £25,000 a week.

 

I am inclined to believe the first figure of £60,000 a week. Not only does it feel realistic for a player who is the captain of one of the world's top international sides and who has already had three big money moves, but it was written at a time when there was no expedient reason for anyone to under or over-exaggerate his wages. The figure of £25,000 smacks of agent-leaked agenda-driven bullshit; such an agenda did not exist a year ago, hence the figure from then is, IMO, more reliable.

 

All it proves is journos make shit up. Maddox has no source, neither of those articles are reliable.

[Red Nick]

'If a player is motivated more by money than success, then maybe it is not a bad thing to miss out on him. I believe passion should be the main factor when you are signing a player.

 

'Maybe it's just me, but I have this idea that everyone in football at this level earns big wages and that money should not be the main thing. You have to enjoy your career, strive to improve and look to play at the highest level you can.'

 

 

Money-grabber Barry has put cash ahead of his career, says Liverpool boss Benitez | Mail Online

 

So we werent in for him this season then, maybe a few owe ATK an appology

[JohnnyH]

So we werent in for him this season then, maybe a few owe ATK an appology

 

Read the start of the "Barry in Xabi out" thread and then see if atk is owed an apology.

[ToxtethTerror]

Rafa has admitted he tried to sign Barry this summer but lost out due to money. ATK was 100% spot on.

[RedinSweden]

Read the start of the "Barry in Xabi out" thread and then see if atk is owed an apology.

 

I think he meant "were in for him" but his brain wouldn't let him type that.

[JohnnyH]

Rafa has admitted he tried to sign Barry this summer but lost out due to money. ATK was 100% spot on.

 

atk has been saying that Barry was been signed to replace Alonso and that Rafa was selling Alonso (i.e. Rafa wanted Xabi out) and the Alonso was an innocent party desperate to stay at the club. That is very much not the case and not "100% spot on" in any way shape or form.

 

Yes, one or two have said that Rafa did not bid for Barry this summer, and maybe he didn't. Maybe he was told that if he wanted Barry he'd have to match the City wages on offer. Maybe this finally made up Rafas mind on him.

[Calum]

Not sure that Rafa isn't grasping at straws by playing the 'loyalty card'!

Much better that he should just get down and personal with the lad's, understand their concerns and either answer them or let them go for the best fee possible. Not a lot of point in keeping players who are feeling 'arsie'!

In todays game, the difference between success and failure is held in the players emotions and attitude, training and skill levels are very similar at most of the top clubs. The differentiator is in the players attitudes and collective spirit.