Torres to quit if reds don't make top4

[coop]

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/spor...-TOP-FOUR.html

 

TORRES TO QUIT IF REDS DON'T MAKE TOP FOUR

Why Rafa must get his act together

 

TORRES: Liverpool's biggest asset

By Chris Bascombe, 26/12/2009

 

FERNANDO TORRES' long- term loyalty for Liverpool is being stretched to its limit with the club battling to keep him beyond this season.

 

Rafa Benitez has already turned down a £70million bid from Manchester City for his star striker.

 

Chelsea also had an approach for Torres rebuffed last summer, with the player uninterested in leaving Anfield at the time.

 

But both City and the Blues are preparing renewed offers.

 

Torres has consistently committed himself to the Liverpool cause but that is conditional on the club proving they can fulfil his ambitions.

 

The Spaniard has become troubled by the shambolic events on and off the pitch in recent months and is seeking assurances the club will sort themselves out before the start of next season.

 

Torres left his boyhood team Atletico Madrid because they could not match his Champions League and trophy- winning dreams.

 

Liverpool's alarming slump is leading him to a similar situation where his heart is at his current club but he may be forced to move on.

 

Failure to finish in the top four and the continued presence of the current hierarchy would mean only blind faith could keep Torres at Anfield.

 

He recently signed a lucrative new deal but money is not his motivation.

 

Both Torres and skipper Steven Gerrard want to know if the club are likely to find the resources to undergo another major overhaul of the squad before next season.

 

Although Gerrard will also have no shortage of admirers this summer - especially if he enjoys a sparkling World Cup - the England midfielder is loathe to go through the same experience as he did during his on-off moves to Chelsea.

 

But that will not stop a mega-bid from Real Madrid, Barcelona or Inter Milan - even though all three have been rejected by Gerrard during the last two years.

 

If the Liverpool captain feels his club will continue to be in the same catastrophic mess when he returns from South Africa, he might decide he has had enough.

 

With guarantees of a brighter future in woefully short supply, the grimmest of campaigns is on the threshold of getting even worse without leadership from the top.

 

Benitez faces two pivotal fixtures over the next fortnight which will determine if his guarantee of a top-four finish is realistic and will ultimately decide his fate.

 

His side travel to Aston Villa on Tuesday and welcome Spurs on January 10.

 

If the deficit between Liverpool and their top four competitors has increased after that, Benitez's hopes of surviving beyond May will deteriorate.

 

Expectations

 

The Kop boss accepts expectations have increased since last season's title challenge and he can only envy the levels of patience and understanding on offer to rival boss Martin O'Neill.

 

"When you are coming from a lower position, the motivation is high and it's easier," said Benitez.

 

"The expectations at this club are such that everyone thinks we should be in the top four. We know we have the quality to do it.

 

"When I joined the club, they were finding it very difficult to finish in the top four. Then we qualified for the Champions League five years in a row which was a really good achievement and it meant we were at a different level to other clubs.

 

"Now people expect we should stay there. But it's always difficult to make that last move to close the gap at the top. It depends on the structure of the club, money and everything.

 

"To control all these things is difficult and you can't make mistakes. This year, we have made mistakes. Now we have to do things properly to prepare for the next challenge. I'm not sure if Villa are the biggest threat as City and Spurs are also dangerous. But the main thing is to improve ourselves.

 

"By winning games in a row, we will be more confident."

 

Among those in the Villa ranks is full-back Stephen Warnock, who was released by Liverpool for £1.5m in 2007 but cost O'Neill £7m last summer.

 

Benitez is not surprised by the Scouse left-back's impressive form which earned him a recent England call-up.

 

But he defended his decision to sell the defender.

 

"He could have been a good player for us but he wanted to play every single game," said Benitez.

 

"We had Fabio Aurelio and, at the time, John Arne Riise who was a fantastic player for Liverpool. So we couldn't play him every game.

 

"When you have a player on the bench who has an opportunity to go, you can't stop this. He was always a good worker and very competitive and that's why he's at the level he is."

 

For all the frustration at Anfield, Benitez is increasingly helpless in trying to carry out the surgery which his squad need.

 

Interest

 

The Spaniard believes he will not get any extra funds in January and cannot anticipate any cash injection on the horizon beyond May - even if he survives the current crisis.

 

He will use the transfer window to try to generate his own resources.

 

That means Anfield flops Andriy Voronin, Ryan Babel and Andrea Dossena will be offered to interested clubs.

 

"I won't talk about individual names but it's clear I need to manage my squad and some players will be thinking they need to move because they're thinking about the World Cup," said Benitez. "There has been some interest in players."

 

Babel has made it clear he wants out and favours a return to Ajax. He is also interesting Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who first enquired about the erratic Dutch winger last summer.

 

Hitman Voronin is likely to head back to the Bundesliga where Hertha Berlin have been long-time admirers.

 

Greek side Panathinaikos have also shown interest in the out-of-favour striker, who has been cast aside since appearing in the crunch Champions League clash with Lyon.

 

Left-back Dossena is desperate to return to Serie A with Napoli.

 

But these departures are unlikely to generate more than £7m for the cash-strapped Merseysiders.

 

The moves certainly will not appease the unsettled elements of the Liverpool squad who fear the club faces the prospect of falling further behind their top four rivals, never mind catching Chelsea.

 

A target man is Benitez's main priority in January. But although many at Anfield believe ex-Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistlerooy could provide a short-term solution, Benitez still needs to be convinced because of the 33-year-old's injury record.

 

The problem he faces is a growing belief his entire squad will need restructuring before the start of next season. At the moment, he has no option but to try and apply quick fixes.

[StevieH]

Worrying times ahead. Hicks and Gillett both need to fuck off before the start of next season otherwise the consequences could be fatal.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Depressing.

[Creator Supreme]

It's Bascombe, he's a whopper, but even if it happens, I just don't give a shit anymore!

 

if you want to go boys, fair do's, thanks for your (let's be fair, immense) efforts, and good luck! hope you win as much as Owen did when he went!

[coop]

£100m for the pair of them takes of a huge chunk of the debt.

 

Thats the way the owners will look at it.

[Antynwa]

Who gives a fuck, it's Christmas

[kop]

FERNANDO TORRES' long- term loyalty for Liverpool is being stretched to its limit with the club battling to keep him beyond this season.

 

What does that even mean? Long term loyalty to Liverpool? Either you are loyal or you are not. Why should he fuck off to another club if we go outside 4th if he is loyal? You are either loyal to your club or you are only loyal to your contract (if that, many players aren't even loyal to their monster pay checks every week).

 

Torres has consistently committed himself to the Liverpool cause but that is conditional on the club proving they can fulfil his ambitions

 

It's two times he has committed himself to Liverpool right? The first contract and the one extension? Maybe that's enough to be classified "consistently"?

 

Torres isn't moaning though, I can't see the quote where he says he will leave, I'm saying this on general basis. I just can't see where the case is been made for that headline.

[Lucky Pierre]

S*n spouting sensationalist shit again. Doesn't say he'll quit, and he won't.

[coop]

One good thing i suppose to come out of that article is it implies that if the owners stay and Liverpool drop out of the top four then Torres will go.

 

Might make some of the fans who think the owners are 'not that bad' think again.

[jackofdk]

 

Might make some of the fans who think the owners are 'not that bad' think again.

 

Do these people exist?

[coop]

Do these people exist?

 

There's plenty of them mate.

[DJLJ]

What does that even mean? Long term loyalty to Liverpool? Either you are loyal or you are not. Why should he fuck off to another club if we go outside 4th if he is loyal? You are either loyal to your club or you are only loyal to your contract (if that, many players aren't even loyal to their monster pay checks every week).

 

 

 

It's two times he has committed himself to Liverpool right? The first contract and the one extension? Maybe that's enough to be classified "consistently"?

 

Torres isn't moaning though, I can't see the quote where he says he will leave, I'm saying this on general basis. I just can't see where the case is been made for that headline.

 

He sure as hell is moaning on the pitch though.

[StevieH]

Torres left Atletico Madrid because they weren't competiting for major honours or qualifying for the Champions League. He is 26 in March and will surely want to evidence that Liverpool can be competitive, otherwise I can see him wanting out.

[kop]

He sure as hell is moaning on the pitch though.

 

I was thinking about the "I want to leave"-moan, but yeah he is moaning on the pitch now and then.

[YNWA12]

I can't believe people are convinced he would stick with us if we only had a battle for fourth every year, along with some Europa League football. If he wants to that, he would have stayed at Atletico. I believe he loves the club and I don't think he would want to leave Liverpool for another English club (I can only see him leaving for Inter or maybe Barcelona), but that doesn't mean he would be happy staying here carrying us on his back. He left Atletico exactly for that reason.

[kop]

Torres left Atletico Madrid because they weren't competiting for major honours or qualifying for the Champions League. He is 26 in March and will surely want to evidence that Liverpool can be competitive, otherwise I can see him wanting out.

 

That's a decision he makes when he signs a contract, so if he want out then he is free to walk in 2013 when it runs out.

[StevieH]

That's a decision he makes when he signs a contract, so if he want out then he is free to walk in 2013 when it runs out.

 

If Torres wants out he will be gone a lot sooner than 2013.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Do these people exist?

Oh they exist alright. There was about 25000 of them at Anfield today. Thats just for starters.

[kop]

If Torres wants out he will be gone a lot sooner than 2013.

 

Probably, but that would be through moaning and lack of loyalty. I know what you mean bu all means, I just find it hard to sympathise with players on contract where we as fans pay them 100k a week and they start asking for evidence that our club can provide them with trophies. Again, Torres never had and I don't think he will, I'm just saying it as a general comment as it happends all the time these days.

[Red Hot]

We can cross that bridge if we ever run into it. One game at a time !

[kop]

Oh they exist alright. There was about 25000 of them at Anfield today. Thats just for starters.

 

Is it really that bad? 25.000 at Anfield that doesn't mind our owners? That's really mind blowing info.

[Carradona]

I wouldn't blame him in the slightest, to be honest.

 

It's worrying and depressing. Fuck off you Yank twats.

[StevieH]

Probably, but that would be through moaning and lack of loyalty. I know what you mean bu all means, I just find it hard to sympathise with players on contract where we as fans pay them 100k a week and they start asking for evidence that our club can provide them with trophies. Again, Torres never had and I don't think he will, I'm just saying it as a general comment as it happends all the time these days.

 

Totally agree.

 

I think the excellent form that we showed in the final third of last season, and the general feel good factor at the time was enough for Torres to commit his future. However, if we continue to regress and there is no evidence that we can compete, then I wouldn't blame Torres if he decided to jump ship as long as he didn't join another English club.

 

We desperately need Hicks and Gillett out if we are to move forward both on and off the pitch.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Leaving the article to one side.

 

We could be teetering on the brink of disaster if we don't qualify for the CL next season. World Cup summer ahead of us and if certain players do well then we'd have to turn down some perverse offers money wise. If the Yanks are still in charge it wouldn't surprise me one bit to see them cash in. Plus whether we like it or not players heads would be turned if they were courted by big clubs in the CL whilst we consider another unstable season without the CL money to fall back on.

[Carradona]

Is it really that bad? 25.000 at Anfield that doesn't mind our owners? That's really mind blowing info.

 

I would go even further and estimate that there are at least 5,000 who couldn't even name our owners. Or know a single thing about them. At the fiorentina match a couple of weeks ago, I heard a man (around the age of about 27) ask his mate "who is that statue of?" It was Shanks.