Hodgson on Torres

[Kopite Pete]

Sky Sports | Football News | Premier League | Liverpool | Hodgson in dark over Torres

 

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson says he remains in the dark as to whether Fernando Torres will commit his future to the club.

 

Hodgson has been waiting to hear from the Spanish striker, who has been widely tipped to depart Anfield over the summer following their disappointing seventh-placed finish in the Premier League last season and off-the-field turbulence.

 

Torres is resting after helping Spain to their first ever World Cup crown but is in discussions with managing director Christian Purslow in a bid to sort out his future.

 

But Hodgson says he has not received any updates from Purslow and refused to speculate on the outcome of talks, which he hopes will see the 26-year-old remain at the club.

Details

 

When asked if he had any updates on the situation, Hodgson told Sky Sports News: ""No, but Christian might be able to if you got hold of him. I haven't spoken to him for the last two days he's been travelling back from Spain where he's been on holiday.

 

"His holiday has also been taken up a lot of time by discussions with Fernando and his people, so I'm afraid the only person who can give you the type of details you require is Christian.

 

"It would be wrong of me to say too much."

 

Hodgson is hoping Torres follows the lead of captain Steven Gerrard, who publicly pledged his commitment to Liverpool after speculation over his future circulated.

 

Torres was the spearhead of the Reds' attack last season and his departure would land Hodgson a hefty blow as he attempts to reverse the club's decline.

 

Joe Cole's signing has raised hopes of a revival but Hodgson is waiting on Torres to emulate team-mate Gerrard and voice his desire to remain under his stewardship.

 

"That's what I'm hoping for, yeah," added Hodgson, referring to a public statement akin to Gerrard's.

 

Looking forward

 

"I made it clear from my point of view I'm really looking forward to working with him and I believe he's a key, key figure at the club.

 

"I obviously want him to be a part of the team we're trying to build here and I can only hope he'll buy into what the club is offering him.

 

"I don't think there are any worries with him in terms of me personally or what we're doing. I think the concerns go back once again to the time before I came to the club

[Torvald Utne]

oh dear, he's off.

[Funkasy]

does not look good.

[cole7]

doesnt sound good - even worse is if he does it'll be chelsea

[Wor Horse]

He's staying.

[Kopite Pete]

If he is staying after the Purslow meeting, then it would be all over .tv by now.

[cole7]

dont like the fact that Hodgson is distancing himself from it all he's the fucking manager and should be the one sorting it out imo

[Joe Le Taxi]

He's off.

[usernameunknown]

dont like the fact that Hodgson is distancing himself from it all he's the fucking manager and should be the one sorting it out imo

 

Some of his lines are already getting a bit tedious. "Ask Christian" and "the sports science people will decide" are already being worn out. Apart from that he's usually a decent interview.

[G Richards]

I think Torres has already give us fans notice of his intent with the scarf. He is playing a good game with the owners though, because he is on record as saying we need 3-4 top players to come in so we have a chance.

 

If Torres commits right now, I suspect we won't have any more signings to speak of (apart from a left back).

 

If Torres plays it a bit more cannily, then I suspect we will get 2-3 more decent signings (e.g. Left Back, Striker, and probable Masch replacement) and he will happily give the public 100% commitment - at least for the next year while we see how we go, both on and off the pitch.

 

I'm calm about the situation.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Well let's wait and see before putting Hodgson in a bad light.

[Red Banjo]

If the offer is right - £50m+ then we should be able to get 2 decent strikers to replace him, which would soften the blow. But it would be a monster blow considering how good he is and much the fans love him.

 

I cant remember the percentage of games he's played in the last 2 years but its in the region of 60% - and a number of those would be him being half fit. Can we afford to have a luxury player like that around? Im not so sure.

 

A tremendous player and a hugely likeable guy, but if he doesn't want to be here - then he knows where the door is. If he goes then Cecil best get his market value or there will be murder on the streets.

[cole7]

Some of his lines are already getting a bit tedious. "Ask Christian" and "the sports science people will decide" are already being worn out. Apart from that he's usually a decent interview.

 

Im starting to think we've hired a coach and not a manager

[Liam]

If he does go this summer I'll be pissed off as he will have left us exposed before the start of the season. I would play him in the Europa qualifiers just to cup tie him!

[Joe Le Taxi]

Im starting to think we've hired a coach and not a manager

 

And so the penny drops...

[Liam]

Some of his lines are already getting a bit tedious. "Ask Christian" and "the sports science people will decide" are already being worn out. Apart from that he's usually a decent interview.

 

I turn it over when he appears on the TV. As a manager he is fine but he bores me to death.

[ODZ]

My take:

 

Torres wants investment, and won't commit before we get new owners and there's money to spend on players. The person who is supposed to sort the investment out is Purslow, hence Purslow is talking to Torres and not Hodgson, who wouldn't know about those things.

[Guest ShoePiss]

My take:

 

Torres wants investment, and won't commit before we get new owners and there's money to spend on players. The person who is supposed to sort the investment out is Purslow, hence Purslow is talking to Torres and not Hodgson, who wouldn't know about those things.

 

Sounds reasonable, I guess it comes down to how well Purslow is able to bullshit Torres into thinking things will be fine in the very near future.

[razor]

Well let's wait and see before putting Hodgson in a bad light.

Sky have already had a go at doing that:

"That's what I'm hoping for, yeah," added Hodgson, referring to a public statement akin to Gerrard's.

 

 

I'm sure there's no need to make him sound so out-of-touch. A "yes" would have made him sound more authoritative and assertive. "Yeah" makes him sound otherwise. Subtle semantics, I know, but what a bizarre editorial decision.

 

And as for the "ask Christian" line, I wonder if he's aware of how ridiculous it sounds. I hope so, and he's making a point. My fear is, however, he doesn't, though it does.

[Gary Mac Legend]

Club shouldn't wait around for one man, especially a glass man who can't finish a season, and is missing half the time.

[Kopite Pete]

Roy is certainly giving the impression he is not purslow's yes man. But he is also showing he is more a coach then manager by distancing himself from certain subjects.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Club shouldn't wait around for one man, especially a glass man who can't finish a season, and is missing half the time.

 

It doesn't sound like the club is simply waiting around though, Purslow is in talks with Torres. Nice summing up of Torres and what he is for us though, well played.

[Gary Mac Legend]

It doesn't sound like the club is simply waiting around though, Purslow is in talks with Torres. Nice summing up of Torres and what he is for us though, well played.

 

 

Sure, it's still true though? I'm not insulting his ability, but his appearance record in the last 2 years has been around 60%? And his season ended at the beginning of April. When I say appearance around 60%, how many of those have been substitute appearances at the end of games as he returns from injury? How many has he been unfit and trying to regain fitness in? How many games has he started in the last 2 seasons?

 

When you say doesn't sound like the club is waiting around, well it puts transfer plans in a very difficult situation, because if Roy doesn't know what the player is doing, he doesn't know how much money he'll have, where will we have to sign players.

 

But if as many suspect, he wants to make the owners sweat, that makes no sense? Tom and George aren't going to instantly open up their pockets just because Torres says so.

[charlie 7]

I would let Torres and the Mascherano go, pair of them are acting like spoilt brats, Mascherano after his ' i am learning italian ' can do one plucked from west ham reserves has sulked since last year, great ballwinner thats about it couldn't hit a barn door or pick a decent forward pass. See ya gypo. The silence from Torres is deafening, he will decide after his holiday he has 4 years left on his contract, think of the fans who have adored you for the last couple of years and let us know what you are doing. Modern day footballers make me sick the way they treat us .

Rant over

[Vedderman]

Don't know if anyone has seen this

 

 

Hodgson met Torres before Liverpool’s Swiss training camp in Ibiza 10 days ago and Liverpool’s managing director Christian Purslow is continuing to speak with the Spanish striker.

 

He said: “The feedback I’m getting is positive but I can’t put words into other people’s mouths. “Christian is the one who has spoken with Fernando and his agent.

 

“I do find it slightly amusing that we are talking about the future of player who still has years left on his contract but I understand the situation.

 

“I have only spoken to him once but I am hoping to end up speaking to him every day on the training pitch. Hopefully he will follow what Steven did and reaffirm his commitment to the club.”

 

 

 

Read more: http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Kaiserslautern-1-0-Liverpool-Roy-Hodgson-confident-Fernando-Torres-will-stay-and-Milan-Jovanovic-makes-debut-as-Kop-kids-slump-The-Sunday-Mirror-pre-season-match-report-article