Im sure I read Rafa yesterday saying that it would be ideal for us to get any potential transfer deals sewn up before the World Cup this summer. Now, apart from the obvious financial reasons like players who we are looking to sign having a good tournament and their prices going through the roof, it means we won't be distracted by players who go all out to put themselves in the shop window.
I also constantly hear people drooling over this player and that player because of their success in this seasons CL, but do the words Fernando Morientes mean nothing to everyone?? Probably not, but he's the prime example of a player who was in the shop window at Monaco and on a different stage to the one that we need him on, 38 games a season. A slower paced game, more space, less aggression and closing down, tailor made for a any player with strong technical ability. Sadly a million miles from the hustle and bustle of our very own English game.
Look at Baros in Euro 2004. Would most teams touch him with a bargepole now?? Would he fetch any more than £5m now?? And all this from a player who put the likes of the mighty Holland to the sword so breathtakingly a mere two years ago. The list is endless, El Hadji Diouf was the big one we got stung on.. Diego Forlan has been fabulous in Spain and a joy to watch in the CL, Sir Alex saw enough though..
Which kinda brings us round to Morientes. So he believes that he's beginning to find the form that Liverpool fans have been waiting for, 18 months down the line, and a handful of games before the end of his second campaign. Not good enough Nando.
He also concedes in his interview that some players only begin to play when its crunch time, when contract renewal or a review of the situation is on the cards. Well arguably, with him hitting the back of the net in two of his last few outings, a MASSIVE improvement on the non-exhistent displays of before, the same accusation could be levelled at the man himself. The pressure on, make or break, lets go all out to convince everyone. Again NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
I'm as disappointed as anyone to have seen the lad fail, but it should teach us a lesson about looking at players who've proven themselves at the highest level, in entirely different competition to the gruelling 38 games of the Premiership. There's more to it than how many goals you've scored or how good you look in a Cup competition.
By the same token though, like many I'd like to see us bring in some truly World Class talent, and there's little to go round in the Premiership at the moment that can be considered anything more than mere potential. The likes of Bent, Defoe and co are all "good" players but what we need is the next step up, the Van Nistelrooy's of this World.
There's alot riding on this Summer and if reports are to be believed, alot of money too. Which is why it's important that Rafa gets it 100% right.
People may argue that Rafa has been hit and miss in the transfer market, with the likes of Josemi, Nunez and Pellegrino failing so miserably. But financially, if you look at his successes compared to his failures, we have a multimillion pound set of very good players and a pittance wasted on those less successful. Five out of six of Rafa's "big" signings have been a success in one way or another, with Morientes the most high profile failure and Alonso, Sissoko, Reina, Garcia and Crouch the plus points. So he's shown that when given a reasonable amount to spend he has a good success rate.
Anyone who's watched the reserves and youth team this season will know that he's also spent well and bolstered us for the future on that front. More youngsters seem to be being looked at with the latest a lad who's played a mere two games for Rushden & Diamonds. Just shows that the scouts aren't just spending their time sunning it up looking for the next Raul. Paul Anderson was another who'd barely figured for his club before we stepped in, look at him now..
So all in all there's a lot to be optimistic about, and while I do have some reservations, I trust Rafa enough to get the players we need, provided he's given the backing. You get what you pay for and you rarely get a World Class striker for six or seven million quid. Lets just not get wasteful like Chelsea, blowing almost £30m on a workhorse.
We've got the workhorse, we're flogging the showpony, now lets get our very own thoroughbred and start putting the bigboys to the sword, it's been coming..
Should we really judge players by what we see in the CL and International competition??
