Liverpool FC Forum

[Lando_Griffin]

Well as we've seen with Kewell - and injured or unfit player is no player at all.


He'll be fine (as Sabre says) once the fitness returns.

[redmikey]

sabre there with good info again. 10/10 cheers mate

hope he turns up fit and strong for pre season, cause with rafa and sabre liking him the lad can't be bad

[Sabre]

Mark González hasn't been included in the men selected to fly to Sevilla to play against Betis.

The reason to this is that he couldn't train at the same physical level with the other mates. The problem is not the injured knee, which seems to be responding OK, but the muscles of that leg, that are "overcharged", due to the long months of inactivity. He has been doing cross through out the week, not explosive training movements, nor mini matches.

Arconada the coach said that, we all have to be patient with him, and that although the club thought he came ready from Liverpool to play, it seems there's still some work to do to compete at this level. He has also said he has all the confidence on him, but just regrets that it's Mark himself who's having a bad time about this because "he wants to help the team at all costs, and gives 100% in every action he does in training sessions".

Well, I think we're doing a pretty back to competition process with him, mates.  I personally hope he'll be fully fit in 2-3 weeks, in the meant time, patience.

[TheoRacle]

Aplogise if this article has been posted already but I came across it on the Fifa World Cup site.... Player to watch: "Kid Gonzalez" Note that the article was written in May 2004!

Player to Watch: "Kid González" sweet for Chile
3 May 2004
by FIFAworldcup.com

While growing up in Durban, South Africa, Mark González could scarcely have imagined that before his teenage years were out, he would be a full Chilean international. The precocious winger, still only 19, has flourished under the watchful eye of manager Juvenal Olmos, and already established himself as an integral part of La Roja . Such is the promise shown by the Chilean player that comparisons have already been made with his Brazilian hero Roberto Carlos
Chile's young star talked to FIFAworldcup.com about his dizzying rise to fame, his aspirations for the future and how it was he came to be born in South Africa.

"My father (Raul González) played for the Chilean club sides Wanderers and Palestino, as well as the national side. He also played for a while in South Africa, which explains how I came to be born there," said the player. Known for his lightning pace, González took almost no time in making the transition from a park player to national hero, once his opportunity came knocking.

When González was ten years old, his family returned to Chile where his passion for the game really took off. "Everything you could imagine happened to me. I had trials for first division side Wanderers, but that didn't work out. After that I had a spell with a park side. Finally, I got my foot in the door at Valparaíso side Everton, and just when I thought I'd made it, my mother insisted I go back to college" he recollects. "Luckily for me, my father introduced me to the coaching staff at Universidad Católica - one of the country's top teams - and I've been there ever since."

Full speed ahead
Mark González has had lady luck smile on him of late. In a matter of years he has gone from playing for a Sunday league side, to featuring in a team vying for a place at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. After making his way inexorably through the ranks of the U-17 and U-20 teams, he grabbed the headlines last January with goals against Uruguay and Brazil in his sides frustrated bid to qualify for this year's Athens Olympics. Manager Juvenal Olmos saw his enormous potential and invited him to join the senior squad for a series of friendly games.

"It just so happened that one of my colleagues got injured and the boss asked me to travel with the team. I could not believe it. I came on for a few minutes against Costa Rica and then started the next game against Honduras and ended up scoring the winning goal. It was a moment I'll never forget," he remembers fondly.

Since then González's performances have been earning rave reviews at home and abroad. His proudest moment to date was on 30 March 2004, when he scored his side's second goal in their historic victory against Bolivia in La Paz.

His celebration that day was his trademark kiss to the camera. González explains: "It started during a club game against Colo Colo. My mother was sick that day and couldn't come to watch, so when I scored I turned to the cameras and blew her a kiss. It was natural as I've always been close to my mother and I still do it sometimes, especially if it's a big occasion."

All roads lead to Europe
The left-footed winger, known for his power, speed and cool temperament, has long nurtured a desire to one day play in Europe. "That would be the ultimate for me, playing for some big club like Real Madrid, like my idol Roberto Carlos." Coincidentally, some commentators in Spain have been touting González as Roberto Carlos's natural successor. "Hearing that sort of thing fills me with pride and just makes me want to do better," he says, adding, "I'm only too aware that I'm still 19 and have a lot more to learn."

On the subject of Germany 2006, the player known as "Kid González" says: "I see myself playing for my country for a long time, but Germany is still a long way off. We have to stay focused on the here and now. We started our qualifying campaign badly, but we have been steadily improving."

Despite his rapid progress, González does not believe in overnight success. "It's easy for me to keep things in perspective as I have seen difficult times too. I went from having it all in South Africa to starting again with nothing here. My family also keeps me rooted, as they are very down-to-earth people. Everything I have achieved so far has come from sacrifice and hard work, and that's how I intend to continue. My goal is to improve every single day," says González. Chilean fans, no doubt, will be hoping so too.

[hawkmoon269]

Finally, I got my foot in the door at Valparaíso side Everton, and just when I thought I'd made it, my mother insisted I go back to college

His mother is a very intelligent woman - he'd have made a very big mistake playing for Everton!  I hear they are a load of bitter bastards

[metalhead]

interesting facts on gonzalez sabre, i have a channel that puts every spanish liga game, so i'll be watching sociedad from time to time!

[Sabre]

Thank you Metalhead mate, but the article was brought by TheoRacle! thanks to him.

To be honest, I think he might be indeed a good left back when his stamina is fully recovered. He has trained well this week, so hopefully he'll play against Zaragoza.

[tubby]

Liverpool have been linked with a possible move for Real Sociedad midfielder Xabier Prieto.

Reports today claim that the 22-year-old is attracting interest from both ourselves and our friends at Old Trafford.

We know little about him and haven't heard anything else to back this up at this time.

A weak link but it gets a mention

I knew its nothing to do with Gonzales but this is the best place to get your attention. Could you shed any light onthis player for us. Apparently we have 1st option or 1st refusal on all the Sociedad players right.

[Sabre]

I put this in the rumour mill in December. Later on, Benitez agreed with RS the right of refusal, meaning, IN CASE we want to sell Prieto, LFC can equal the bid of a third team and sign up the player.

I do not think we'd sell him cheaply. He ends contract in 2008, so perhaps next year, in 2007, if Real Sociedad doesn't manage to meet Prieto's request of wages for a renewal, RS would probably sell Prieto.

The player is pure skill, dribbling and touch. He must grow a couple of years more, and I do think he'd be a top signing for LFC. Curiously enough He comes from the same youth system related network team of Xabi Alonso, a team called Antiguoko. They are both of the same part of San Sebastian. I'm looking in the net a photo in which they appear both of them, with 16 years. I thought you might want to see Alonso when he was a lad!  If I do not find it, I'll scan it, but that's more awckward because I have to find last week's newspaper.

Mwahahhahha here it is! SPOT XABI ALONSO !!! 



I'm not sure Prieto is on that one, but he comes from that club too. Xabi and Mikel Alonso has always been together



But the older brother (Xabi is 1 year younger) is sh!ite, no matter what Xabi says, do not sign him up!

[Sabre]

BTW, Xabi ALonso is the red hair lad, in the lower row of players, the second starting from the right. He had 13 years in that photo. I think.

I didn't write about the Zaragoza game, as I was gutted, the horrible play of our midfield removed all my wishes to post, I preffer not to post when I'm angry. Gonzalez appeared in 30 minutes, and two good runs, but failed to do something relevant.

Good news is that he has been working well this week, has improved his physical state and he's going to be in the starting eleven agains Deportivo de la Coruña today.

[The Specialist]

I put this in the rumour mill in December. Later on, Benitez agreed with RS the right of refusal, meaning, IN CASE we want to sell Prieto, LFC can equal the bid of a third team and sign up the player.

I do not think we'd sell him cheaply. He ends contract in 2008, so perhaps next year, in 2007, if Real Sociedad doesn't manage to meet Prieto's request of wages for a renewal, RS would probably sell Prieto.

The player is pure skill, dribbling and touch. He must grow a couple of years more, and I do think he'd be a top signing for LFC. Curiously enough He comes from the same youth system related network team of Xabi Alonso, a team called Antiguoko. They are both of the same part of San Sebastian. I'm looking in the net a photo in which they appear both of them, with 16 years. I thought you might want to see Alonso when he was a lad!  If I do not find it, I'll scan it, but that's more awckward because I have to find last week's newspaper.

Mwahahhahha here it is! SPOT XABI ALONSO !!! 



I'm not sure Prieto is on that one, but he comes from that club too. Xabi and Mikel Alonso has always been together



But the older brother (Xabi is 1 year younger) is sh!ite, no matter what Xabi says, do not sign him up!

It's a small picture and when I saved it and zoomed in, it gets pretty blurry. From the looks of it, though, I would say Xabi is the keeper in that photo. Which surprises me, if that's true. 

[The Specialist]

Whoops. I didn't even read the post above, just guesed.  Guessed wrong.

[Sabre]

Yeh, you probably guessed the second lad starting from the left, in the upper row. That's his brother.

I'm not sure if this happens also in England, or is a matter that we Spaniards are a mixture of races, but many children are very redhair or  blond like me when we have a few years, and then we have darker hair when we grow up. Alonso was one of those, he seemed an irish lad at that age

[Gareth G]

My hair was like that Sabre, was very red when I was younger, now it's more like brown.

[ToTinho]

Just watched the game against deportivo and i think M. Gonzalez had a good game as sociedad played a closed game. the boy has a good touch and he is good at set pieces.
Congrats sabre for the win