Liverpool FC Forum

[puroresu]

The times says we were offered Betley or Bale.  If true I am glad we took neither.

[Owzat]

Robbie Keane looked like a little boy lost on the field and showed an occassional glimpse of how he used to be when supporting Berbatov...He was a persistant flop where ever he played but for the 2 sesons with the manu player.Never worth £20 million, not even the £15 million he was reportedly sold back for.I hope he does well at Spurs and he picks up a League champions medal when they are presented at Anfield come May, because he played his part, even if it was only minor.

We were talking about this in the office not long ago. I assume he's eligible having played 10 Premiership games, and if spudz get relegated he could be the first player ever to win the league and get relegated in the same season!

Not sure what is less likely, them getting relegated or us winning the title

[Ciggy]

Rafa Benitez: Why Robbie Keane had to go - Liverpool FC latest
FEB 3 2009 BY TONY BARRETT, LIVERPOOL ECHO


RAFA Benitez today admitted selling Robbie Keane is a risk – but insisted it is one he had to take.
Keane returned to Spurs yesterday in a deal worth an initial £16m to Liverpool, meaning the Reds are down £3m on the £19m they paid the London club for his services just six months ago.

Having lost Jermaine Defoe for around ten weeks with a broken foot, Harry Redknapp was desperate to get his hands on the Irish international before the January transfer window closed and the Spurs boss was even happy to pay more for Keane than he had originally planned.

With Liverpool making it clear that they would not be willing to let the 28-year-old go on the cheap, Spurs were eventually forced into coming up with an offer of £16m which was accepted by the Anfield hierarchy.

Although the move makes financial sense with Liverpool's potential losses being limited, there are question marks hanging over Benitez's decision to allow an international class striker to depart at a time when the Reds are looking to challenge for the title. But Benitez remains adamant that the transfer was in the best interests of everyone. "Sometimes good players cannot settle down in the team and when this happens you have to consider the situation and try to react quickly," he said.

"If it is not good for the team then it is better for everyone to make a decision and because of the situation in the transfer market and for the opportunity for the player we had to do it now."I have to analyse things and try to look at the bigger picture and this means thinking of the club and the team and what is best for them."We decided to think about the club by reducing the damage."

Keane's departure means Fernando Torres is now Liverpool's only remaining frontline striker with back up being provided by Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt – who usually operate on the flanks – and young French forward David Ngog.

Though prepared to acknowledge the gamble he has taken, Benitez insists it is one he has taken for the good of the team. "We still have Babel, Ngog  and Kuyt as well as Torres. It is a risk but the situation was not good and we needed to do something. "Now I would like to wish Robbie the best because although things did not work out he has been working hard for us.

"He was trying to do his best and the key was that Spurs showed a lot of interest and they were pushing really hard for him. "The player needed to play and he was not doing that as much as he would have liked with us."But I cannot criticise him in any way because, as I have said, he tried to do his best for us."

[RedBen]

RAFA: WHY ROBBIE LEFT LIVERPOOL

Paul Eaton 03 February 2009


Rafael Benitez today revealed why he allowed Robbie Keane to rejoin Tottenham just six months after arriving at Anfield.
The Republic of Ireland striker yesterday completed a deadline day return to north London after failing to establish himself in the Liverpool team on a regular basis.

"Sometimes good players cannot settle down in the team and when this happens you have to consider the situation and try to react quickly," the Liverpool boss explained today.

"If it is not good for the team then it is better for everyone to make a decision and because of the situation in the transfer market and for the opportunity for the player we had to do it now.

"I have to analyse things and try to look at the bigger picture and this means thinking of the club and the team and what is best for them."

Benitez admits reducing the club's striking options at this stage of the season is a risk - but he feels it is one he had to take.

"We still have Babel, Ngog and Kuyt as well as Torres. It is a risk but the situation was not good and we needed to do something," he added.

"Now I would like to wish Robbie the best because although things did not work out he has been working hard for us.

"He was trying to do his best and the key was that Spurs showed a lot of interest and they were pushing really hard for him.

"The player needed to play and he was not doing that as much as he would have liked with us.

"But I cannot criticise him in any way because, as I have said, he tried to do his best for us."

[112-1077774096]

would keane be allowed to play in that game against us? if we are in with a shout still of the title

[Sabre]

Not convincing enough I'm afraid.

I can't believe that Keane gave up fighting for a place that early, and I can't believe Rafa gave up so early to try to turn around Keane's football situation.

It's a great risk indeed what we have done

[Owzat]

Robbie Keane was a red thread - I thought he was an Irish footballer

[Ciggy]

Have no fear reports are the mighty german porn star is on his way back

[stmichael]

IMO this whole episode and the Barry saga, and the Fergie rant and the contract aired publicly etc etc have been a huge embarrassment and disgrace to the traditions of our football club. If the owners had any balls or integrity they would show the world that one man, not Parry and not Rafa, is not bigger than Liverpool FC.

[GYBS]

Nice to see Rafa come out and say some good words about keane .

[Owzat]

Nice to see Rafa come out and say some good words about keane .

I thought he said good riddance not good words   

[Ciggy]

Nice to see Rafa come out and say some good words about keane .

I thought he said good riddance not good words   

 

Keane doesnt look like he has any regrets either, he looks as if he is made up to be back there grinning like a Cheshire cat.

BTW owzat when I pmd you last week I only wanted some stats not a date

[tel]

We gave Bellamy a season before we moved him on.

Rafa could have waited until the end of the season with Keane. Except that he is more obsessed with winning the internal politics to winning the league

[Owzat]

BTW owzat when I pmd you last week I only wanted some stats not a date

[Scottbot]

would keane be allowed to play in that game against us? if we are in with a shout still of the title

Yep, you can only stop him playing in the event of a loan deal between two clubs. I don't think there wil be any gentlemens agreement to say he can't play either. You can bet the Premier League would have something to say about it if there was. I work with 3 yiddos and they've been in my ear all bloody morning!