Liverpool FC Forum

[66-1112520797]

July 2008

RICARDO QUARESMA - A DEEPER SOUL

Alberto de Silva, Bola



Alberto de Silva: Ricardo, the nations still depressed (re: Euro 2008)

Quaresma: Yes, I am aware, but these things happen in football, we must just look at the issues and put them right for the world cup.

Alberto de Silva: Was it anything in particular, anything you could have changed if you were on the pitch?

Quaresma: No, I don’t think so. I think this year had allotted of very strong teams and this perhaps took us back.

Alberto de Silva: You weren't prepared?

Quaresma: No, I didn't say that, I just think this was a particularly tough tournament with some very exciting teams

Alberto de Silva: Was it anything to do with Scolari already stating he was going? Or perhaps your friend Ronaldo's choice of club?

Quaresma: No, I wouldn't say either effected us in any real way, we hurd things, and we knew things were happening but neither could be the reason why we failed.

Alberto de Silva: Did Christiano ever talk to you about his future? Did he put pressure on players to help him out atall?

Quaresma: He did talk to me, we spoke about many things but his business is his business and we view our profession in a slightly different light.

Alberto de Silva: Ronaldo is seen as the more enthusiastic, your more into designer gear and partying aren't you?

Quaresma: Not atall, I don’t understand why you and half the world seem to see me in this light, I very rarely go out 'clubbing' or 'partying' I just like to have a good time as I have worked hard my whole life to afford this lifestyle.

Alberto de Silva: But whilst your friend is out there winning the premiership title and the European cup, you have done very little to move, you seem happy to play in Portugal and not test yourself, you seem determined not to venture. Look at your time in Barca, you were pushed out very quickly there because you simply weren't interested were you?

Quaresma: Look (with very miserable expression) I am tired, I am tired of Christiano being some kind of benchmark for me, I am tired of people saying I’m not ambitious. I did try very hard at Barca but it didn't work out, simple really, sometimes no matter how hard you try, you just can’t win.

Alberto de Silva: So why is it three months ago you said you were leaving, why is it you made it publicly clear that you were gone, but somehow you still sit here, on your own with your feet up watching cartoons?

Quaresma: I only stayed in to have this discussion with you. I am here because the right offer has not come up.

Alberto de Silva: Not enough money?

Quaresma: Your very good at twisting my words. Not about money, it's about making the right choice; I don’t want to end up in the situation I was in before (Re: Barcelona)

Alberto de Silva: You had some very big clubs after you last season, why not of moved then?

Quaresma: I wanted to say good-bye properly. I wanted to make people happy.

Alberto de Silva: You could of made people happy moving last year, you are a very exciting talent who could of made a name for himself, like Christiano, Instead your price tag has dropped and your desirability has fallen, maybe due to the bad attention you get for perhaps 'play acting'

Quaresma: You seem very interested in Christiano, I think you feel I am jealous of him

Alberto de Silva: You are though aren’t you?

Quaresma: No, that is why I am still here, because I don’t need to prove myself, as you said, last summer I had huge clubs after me, two in particular but I wanted to help FC Porto.

Alberto de Silva: I hurd an English club had discussions with you, before rejecting you.

Quaresma: You must be talking about Liverpool? Well yes their representative came to me, and we spoke. They did not reject me, I believe they wanted to kind of change my role; they wanted me to be less expressive on the pitch and be more aggressive.

Alberto de Silva: What is wrong with that, after all most clubs would want to see you doing less of the tricks and more of the work. Scolari didn't like it that is why you upset him in Switzerland.

Quaresma: I didn't upset him, I just tried something different and it didn't work. If Liverpool had come to me and said they wanted me to be me, I would of moved, they are doing something special and their fans are incredible, I know of no other team with fans who care so much. I remember Fernando Torres scoring against us and the noise was defening. They were incredible.

Alberto de Silva: So have they approached this summer, perhaps with different views?

Quaresma: I cannot comment, many clubs have spoken to my agent and me.

Alberto de Silva: Not Chelsea though, Scolari doesn’t believe in you.

Quaresma: Perhaps not, but I believe in myself and many clubs do. I like the premiership to watch, very fast paced and games change quickly.

Alberto de Silva: Would be great for you to actually summon up the effort to take that league on then.

Quaresma: Perhaps. We will see.

-------------------------------------

Hmmm quite interesting that (the highlighted bit) to see that we were interested in him. But wanted to change him some what ?

Now I thought changing a player (for the worse IMHO) is what the English coaches do do best at grassroot level, although its a different topic altogether. Why look to sign a player and change him ?

Firstly why bother trying to sign someone when your not totally convinced/happy with their own abilities in the first place ?

Secondly why try and change someone ?

Now we've all had a good moan around here about the "Parry factor" and the daily digs about the Yanks not pulling the stops out into getting a player signed up. But when the manager talks to a player and starts to become fussy with the players attributes, telling him you 'want to change him into something hes not'. Then maybe this is another reason it takes an eternity for us to sign a player.

This is another gripe I have with Rafa though, when signing a player it seems that he always has to be a workhorse before anything else. If the player isnt, it seems the gaffer isnt interested. Is this why we still have no wing players do you think, because Rafa would like glorified fullbacks playing that position instead of an out and out tricky winger ? I think so.

If we'd have signed Quaresma the bloke would of had to work more on his physical aspect of the game, hes joining the Prem FFS ! He would of beefed up surely in training, aswell as matches. Doing more for the team, well couldnt Rafa with a bit of subtlety gotten a bit more out of him as time went on. I think so, instead of scaring the bloke off during talks telling him "we want to change you".

Do you think Fergie did that with Ronaldo, tell him to cut out the tricks. Become more bland in his style and mould him into something hes not. 40 odd goals last season would suggest he didnt, and he reaped the rewards.

[account deleted by request]

Tbh I have never really rated Quaresma, maybe I have been unlucky but I have never seen him have a great game, I have seen him score a few great goals but never have a great game, not many good games either!

I can't remember ever being so frustrated by a transfer window as this one. Not only am I less than thrilled with who we have signed (or supposedly about to sign) but there seems to be a lot of top quality players available who we either can't afford, don't seem to be interested in, or maybe who don't even want to come?

I was reading the other day that Keane will be coming on £90k per week and Barry on £75k per week. I really don't think we should be paying those sort of wages ,or transfer fees come to that, for what at the end of the day are just  good prem standard players.

[66-1112520797]

Tbh I have never really rated Quaresma, maybe I have been unlucky but I have never seen him have a great game, I have seen him score a few great goals but never have a great game, not many good games either!

I can't remember ever being so frustrated by a transfer window as this one. Not only am I less than thrilled with who we have signed (or supposedly about to sign) but there seems to be a lot of top quality players available who we either can't afford, don't seem to be interested in, or maybe who don't even want to come?

I was reading the other day that Keane will be coming on £90k per week and Barry on £75k per week. I really don't think we should be paying those sort of wages ,or transfer fees come to that, for what at the end of the day are just  good prem standard players.

I wasnt actually getting at the fact about signing him, more of the matter that Rafa wanted to alter things about him.

I wonder is this why we rarely buy expressive footballers, does Rafa scare them off telling them 'they must work harder for the team, and not use their individual talent so much '.Would Rafa of signed John Barnes in his pomp, if the two were in parallel times, or opted for David Burrows and converted him to LW instead because hes more defensive minded, and nowhere near as silky as Barnes was ?

Probably a bad example but ya get my drift.

[LittleHobo]

i would hope rafa knows what hes doing although i ask would man utd or chelsea sign robbie keane for 20 million

answers on a postcard please?

this will be rafas last season if we dont do something in the league.

5 in a row of flops wouldnt be good enough.

[Leonmc0708]

Not sure what the point of the thread is, not here, wont be here and therfore totally irrelevant in the History of this football club.

I think it sounds like sour grapes from Quaresma if you aks me.

Also wouldnt be the first or the last player to talk up a move/pay rise with stories of interest from other clubs.

[66-1112520797]

Not sure what the point of the thread is, not here, wont be here and therfore totally irrelevant in the History of this football club

That is because you've totally missed the point lad.

[account deleted by request]

I agree, I don't think Rafa "trusts" flair players very much either. I posted an article by Balague a while ago in which he says basically the same thing. Maybe thats why he is going for steady hardworking players rather than the ones with outragous skills but who may be lacking in effort and hard graft.

I remember when we signed Dalglish there was a lot of talk about him only being a 60min player, and that he couldn't last for 90mins. I never really noticed, but if it was true, he did more in 60mins than most other players could do in 90mins anyway. 

I certainly feel we have a lack of flair at the club at the moment, too many hard working athletes and not enough players who can change a game with a moment of magic.

[66-1112520797]

I agree, I don't think Rafa "trusts" flair players very much either. I posted an article by Balague a while ago in which he says basically the same thing. Maybe thats why he is going for steady hardworking players rather than the ones with outragous skills but who may be lacking in effort and hard graft.

I remember when we signed Dalglish there was a lot of talk about him only being a 60min player, and that he couldn't last for 90mins. I never really noticed, but if it was true, he did more in 60mins than most other players could do in 90mins anyway. 

I certainly feel we have a lack of flair at the club at the moment, too many hard working athletes and not enough players who can change a game with a moment of magic.

I dont think Rafa has any kind of balance between flair players in the team and grafters. Like you say they all seem to be athletes, more than footballers.

And I dont think you can win a premiership with 20 or so well rotated athletes.

Note: To Leon this isnt a Rafa bashing thread, stay in your pram.

[Rafa D]

I certainly feel we have a lack of flair at the club at the moment, too many hard working athletes and not enough players who can change a game with a moment of magic.

I've been saying for months we don't have enough footballers at the club.

Not in actual player numbers but people who can actually play football - people who you describe.

Thats why I am glad we are keeping Alonso - he's a footballer in my eyes.

[Roger Red Hat]

this will be rafas last season if we dont do something in the league.

5 in a row of flops wouldnt be good enough.

Sorry, not wanting to look for an arguement here but I had to pull you on this comments.

5 in a row of flops is a bit harsh mate. rafa has always said he had a 5 year plan and this will be year 5 but he has done great things at this club in the last 4 seasons, ok, so we aint won  the league yet but ffs dont say it's been a flop!

[metalhead]

Well starting from last season, I think Rafa has been buying some flair type players, for example Torres until now 

[66-1112520797]

I certainly feel we have a lack of flair at the club at the moment, too many hard working athletes and not enough players who can change a game with a moment of magic.

I've been saying for months we don't have enough footballers at the club.

Not in actual player numbers but people who can actually play football - people who you describe.

Thats why I am glad we are keeping Alonso - he's a footballer in my eyes.

Fair enough RD.

But Alonso doesnt have tricks, pace, enough creativity, flair, an eye for goal and cant change a game with a sublime piece of magic, and doesnt or cant produce these things on a pretty consistent basis.

Infact Alonso and his position dont really need addresing, our wide areas do. And unless Rafa "trusts" and purchases another "expressive" player or two with genuine quality. I'm afraid we'll be toothless at times and to predictable relying on Torres and Gerrard again.

[metalhead]

Bamaga Alonso doesn't need tricks to be creative.

He is already creative, has flair because he can dictate game with his passing on the field. He can give in a wonderful pass that can change the whole outcome of the game. For example, lets take Everton game (when gerrard was sent off), he was our best player that day, because his passing, creativity and influence in midfield won us that game.

[66-1112520797]

Bamaga Alonso doesn't need tricks to be creative.

He is already creative, has flair because he can dictate game with his passing on the field. He can give in a wonderful pass that can change the whole outcome of the game. For example, lets take Everton game (when gerrard was sent off), he was our best player that day, because his passing, creativity and influence in midfield won us that game.

Metalhead, Alonso doesnt play on the wing and supply and support our forwards with his game.

He sits deep. I'm not questioning him, but he alone sitting infront of  the back four. He cannot open up defences with a trick out on the wing because he doesnt play there, or he cant go on a jinky run on the edge of opposing areas, because again he doesnt play there.

I'm not on about him nor his position, our wide areas need attention and I dont feel Rafa likes to buy your Ronaldos and your Rosickys because he prefers grafters over flair players, liek Kuyt for example.

[bigmick]

I'm not sure I agree about this "not liking flair players" thing although it does crop up from time to time. I don't for instance think you can seriously level at any manager who made Luis Garcia one of his first major signings the accusation that he only likes hard working athletes. Similarly, though I don't rate him at all you could hardly call Yossi Benayoun a grafter, nor Pennant.

Equally I think that Torres is very much a flair player, and similarly Gerrard. Where I think the manager draws the distinction, is probably in the sense that he tries to impress upon these blokes that it's simply not enough to do a stepover per half, swap shirts at the end with a big grin on your chops after you've got beat 2-0 and go home. I must say in this sense I agree with him. There's absolutely nothing wrong with flair players who influence matches, as long they do it regualrly. Spectacular goals every six games or so are absolutely no good to you, if the fella is going to stroll around with his hands on his hips then you need regular game breaking contributions to compensate. Ronaldo does it for Man Utd, Henri used to do it for Arsenal.

I don't think Rafa is reluctant to sign or trust flair players. I do though think sometimes he simply doesn't buy the right ones.