Liverpool FC Forum

[JohnBull]

Last season Steve Gerrard all but signed for Chelsea and it really was family/friends who stopped the deal at the very last minute. It would have meant such a backlash against THEM that he pulled out at the last minute.
The current situation over "will he won't he ?" has been cleverly engineered by the agent and his spin doctors to give the impression that LFC are at fault for failing to produce a satisfactory offer. This is rubbish and SG at this time sees his future away from Anfield , as he did last year, but this time he plans to walk away claiming that it was not his fault.
It was openly talked about at Carras wedding that offers have been made but turned down and he is going because he wants to go but with an air of innocence in the matter. This would save his friends and family from the fallout.(can't see Mr Gerrard doing a Mr Rooney and wearing a Chelsea shirt)

He is a great player who would easily get into any side but you only have to look back at last season when for every great, match winning performance, there were two "couldn't care less" matches. He obviously did care in the final, second half only, but was it for the team or for Steven Gerrard ? The side can continue it's progress without him and I'm sure the money wont go to waste.

The end of last season left a bad taste in my mouth and there was unfinished business in the Chelsea saga that may be resolved now, either them or Real Madrid will benefit from him next season but it will be HIS move not Liverpool's error that brings it about.

The general conversation at Carra's nuptuals did not show too much concern about the move and the faith in Raffa remains very strong. Next season will be better than last in the Premiership with him or without him.

I couldn't be bothered posting this on the general forum because there are too many dreamers living outside of the real world there. Times have changed and loyalty has a short life span.

[L-type]

Great post, but I firmly disagree with you.  Your sources are hazy to say the least, and Steven Gerrard has suffered the highs and lows this season that would kill a man.  He claims to want to win trophies but he was the only thing holding us back in the Carling Cup Final, while the only thing pushing us on in the Champions League Final.
   
He wants to do well not just for himself, but for his friends and family, and of course himself.  Just because he wants to do well doesnt mean he has to leave.  Benitez proved that to him this year, and I'm confident that Gerrard will be here next year to continue the rafalution.

[JohnBull]

My sources are true supporters, not idiots, who were actually at the wedding. I've been all over the world with these lads following the team and have sat in the players company with them.
It gives me no great pleasure to repeat what I've been told but it is what was being said at the wedding booze up.

[LFC #1]

You were very confident he was off last year weren't you John, and with every right as he had all but signed a contrat for Chelsea.

This time I think you will be ultimately proved right though, as it seems Gerrard is on his way out now which is a real shame IMO. 6 weeks ago I was confident that Stevie would say, and I suppose after he said he couldn't leave after a night like that I had very right to be.

If Stevie does leave I will be perplexed to the reasons why tbh. In purley football terms I think he will be making a mistake, Rafa has shown us how good he is within a space of 10 months, and it seems to me that he is the man to take Liverpool back to the top of English football (we are already at the top of Europe  ). Stevie can surely see this, and if he does ned up leaving then it seems hsi reasoning is either:

a) money or b)A new and arguably better lifestyle in Spain for his wife and child.

I will always respect Stevie for what he has done at this club, being captain of the team that won the club's 5th European Cup will always mean hat he is remembered fondly at the club, but if he chooses to leave I will be very disappointed after he was adament that he would stay shortly after Istanbul, maybe the emotions of that night clouded his "judgment"

[Ciggy]

Good post John Bull and your probably right, but one thing worries me in the Real Madrid affair is say rafa leaves us after a few years to go there he will have Owen? Gerrard? Its going to be a strange situation Taff said a few months ago, that Rafa and Stevie will have a big blow up around about now, now how will this come into effect should Rafa go to real in the future?

[JohnBull]

I think that there is little likelyhood of Raffa leaving in the near future as he is not a man to walk away from unfinished business. His departure from Valencia was not engineered by him but forced on him by a short sighted board.
He is acting like a man laying foundations not one standing back and admiring his handywork. If Real Madrid have any sense then he will end up there but not for a long time I hope.

[woof woof !]

The current situation over "will he won't he ?" has been cleverly engineered by the agent and his spin doctors to give the impression that LFC are at fault for failing to produce a satisfactory offer. This is rubbish and SG at this time sees his future away from Anfield

So you're basically saying that his comment re winning the champions league "How can i leave after this" was nothing more than post match euphoria and that he has regretted his decision not to leave us last season ?

Interesting if true , also (if true) a kick in the nuts for those of us who are desperately holding on to the thought that a scouser born an bred playing for Liverpool would conduct themselves with a degree of honour . 

[JohnBull]

The Carras of this world are few and far between. They are getting rarer and rarer and the glamour lifestyle on offer by the big spenders can easily sway players (or moreto the point, their wives) who are that way inclined.
The idea that "honour" has any place in the modern game is a bit unrealistic. Once the wage levels left the real world the players started believing the hype given out by the parasites of this game - the agents and began acting like divas.

[JBG]

Whilst I have no concrete evidence to bring to the table the internet is buzzing this morning that contract talks between Liverpool and Gerrard have now broken down.

[dawson99]

i just dont want to see him at chelsea. At madrid i could bear it. but if he goes to chelsea. How can he say that anything apart from money is his motivation after we won the champions league?

Then agani, how long before we can seriously challenge for the premiership? Stevie may think that he has done all he can with our club (i think hes wrong to think that btw) and decides to move on.

also Owen has brought a house by chelseas training ground so maybe he is going there as well.

Its all just alittle depressing though now, just want it over and done with. And all my chelsea mates will be ribbing me non stop. this week is going to suck... or rock

[JohnBull]

What I said 12 months ago was correct, believe me, he was THAT close to going to Chelsea and the Carling Cup brought the obvious remarks from the crew I sit with. It was obvious then that the "bond" had been cut by Stevie and that the bright lights were beconning.

Ego is a terrible thing with those who believe the hype - I wish him well, he is a great player but nowhere near as important as he thinks.

[7_Kewell]

At the moment, it's easy to get swept away with the wave of anger being shown by fellow fans.  But, haven't we heard all this before?  Agreed, this is different because SFX are doing their level best to get their highest earner (with their 2nd being Owen) to move on and give them a cut, but until i hear from Liverpool OR Gerrard, i'm trying to hold back from joining in the witch hunt.

the bottom line is this, do we really need a player who wants to leave because being paid 100-120 k a week by the current European champions isn't good enough?  i think not.

[JohnBull]

This has nothing to do with the PLAYERS wages - he knows he's getting more than enough for what he needs.
This is all about susceptible egos and greedy "no talent" agents getting an easy ride. The parasites at SFX (I went to school there) want as many transfers as possible throughout the game. They can talk about getting what a player deserves all day but at the end of the page it is their gravy train

[7_Kewell]

well said Michael.....look at Real as an example.  You get one big time local hero calling the shots and all hell brakes loose as managers get sacked, good players don't get a game (look at owen!) it rots the team from the core, hence Real haven't won anything in 2 years, despite all their big signings and superstars.  I respect Rafa, and i trust the guy to make the right decision....be it with or without Stevie.

NOONE is bigger than LIVERPOOL FC....the CHAMPIONS of Europe! 

[JBG]

I'd agree with a few of Bull's points here.

Stevie G has admitted himself that last year he "gave serious thought" to leaving. I believe that he was close to joining Chelsea, but for one reason or another, he changed his mond at the last minute.

I also believe that his agents stand to make an absolute fortune if he moved. If he moved for £30million+ I can guarantee you his agents will pocket at least £3million, probably a lot more.

However, we all drove ourselves barmy last summer so I'm not going to worry too much about it. If he goes he goes, if he stays, then great.