Liverpool FC Forum

by **Paul C** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:54 am

Yeah I know it's another Gerrard thread but it contains new matterial, this is from the Daily Post today

STEVEN GERRARD last night revealed he may quit Liverpool at the end of this season if the club cannot compete at the highest level.

The inspirational Anfield skipper (left) enters tonight's must-win Champions League clash with Olympiakos admitting Liverpool are not equipped to win the European Cup or the Premiership title this season.

But he insists the club must prove it is a credible force at home and abroad over the next six months or he could be forced to take his quest for silverware elsewhere.

Gerrard resisted a £110,000-a-week offer from Chelsea last summer to help Rafael Benitez revive Anfield fortunes this term.

But with the wealthy Londoners ready to test his unstinting loyalty with another £35million offer, and Real Madrid also waiting in the wings, the midfielder admits he cannot wait forever for Liverpool to become a title-winning force again.

"If I am successful at this club I won't have to be looking anywhere else, but if things are not looking good then I will have to think again in the summer," Gerrard revealed.

"I am a winner and I want to win medals. By the time I am 35 I want a big family and to be able to show my children all the medals I won in my career.

"I have supported this club all my life so it will mean a lot more to win those medals with Liverpool and I hope from now until the end of the season the club shows it is as ambitious as I am to win something.

"I will be 25 next summer and will only have five or six years left at the highest level to win things so I hope the turnaround will happen quite sharpish.

"I cannot wait three or four years for the club to turn around and to wait for it to become a title-winning side again."

Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry admitted at the weekend the club needed to win silverware to keep Gerrard at Anfield and out of the clutches of Chelsea and Madrid.

And manager Benitez accepts Gerrard's Anfield future will be shrouded in doubt if Liverpool fail to advance in the Champions League tonight.

Benitez said: "I have spoken to Steven and I know he is a Liverpool fan and he has the idea of winning trophies with Liverpool. After we will see. But at this time he will be fighting for the club to the end."

The Liverpool manager is yet to decide whether to start with fit-again Milan Baros against the Greeks, who Liverpool must beat 1-0 or by two clear goals to qualify for the knockout stages.

Dietmar Hamann's suspension could see Gerrard withdrawn from the advanced role that worked so well against Arsenal and Aston Villa and back into central midfield, although Igor Biscan is on standby to replace the German.

Benitez, meanwhile, insists Liverpool cannot afford to dwell on the implications of failure tonight.

The Liverpool manager, who will bank £5m by qualifying, declared: "Yes it is a big and important game for us but it is 90 minutes of football. We are not thinking about what else it could mean.

"It is a 90-minute football game and we need to play as well as possible to win it. It is an important game for the club, the supporters and our future but we must look at it as a game, not life itself. If we go into the game thinking it is our last chance then we are putting too much pressure on ourselves.

"Whether it is Charlton or West Brom at home or Olympiakos in the Champions League we must go into the game with the same mentality. We want to keep a clean sheet and to score, but we also must control the game.

"We can talk about the money afterwards."

by **Benitez No1** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:10 pm

To be honest I don't blame him if Liverpool aren't playing well then why should he stick around. He has proved to me that he is good Liverpool fan by turning his back on Chelsea. But the way Raffa has got us playing hopefully he will stick around to form a great partnership with Alonso.

by **Ciggy** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:12 pm

this is already up in the gerrard threat topic paul

by **XSD** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:17 pm

I wish Gerrard could think more about what he can do for Liverpool over the next fews years, rather than what Liverpool can do for him.

by **Paul C** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:17 pm

cisses_gona_get_ya wrote:this is already up in the gerrard threat topic paul

Oh right, I had a look and couldn't find it, sorry guys

by **Paul C** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:18 pm

XSD wrote:I wish Gerrard could think more about what he can do for Liverpool over the next fews years, rather than what Liverpool can do for him.

He's just another Rooney

by **Leonmc0708** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:57 pm

Now healthy discussion is OK, but why do we always have to post news about our players that have been sensationalised by newspapers and simply fuel the fire?

by **Paul C** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:31 pm

Because people want to know what is being said, it's not possible to just watch the games and then shut out everything else that is writen about the club and players, Gerrard is our best player and eveyone wants to know if he is staying or going in the summer.

by **anfieldroad** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 1:39 pm

i heard what gerrard said, but i doesnt mean he's going to leave. the papers fuel that, as leon points out.

nonetheless, gerrard has shown great belief in LFC by not going to Chelsea last summer, and i feel he will give his all for LFC. But what you must realise is that why play for a team who are not winning the top honours regularly. Football is their job, and whilst some players show loyalty, there is a time in anyones career where they need to fulfill ambition, and stevie gerrard is no different, and i dont blame him if he does go. being a footballer and a fan are two different things, so whatever happens we should respect that, and not listen to paper hype about what gerrard said or did not say. However, i wish him to stay if he's resigned himself to going.

there you have it people

by **Fowler_E7** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 2:45 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote:Now healthy discussion is OK, but why do we always have to post news about our players that have been sensationalised by newspapers and simply fuel the fire?

agree completly, why people get so worked up over newspaper garbage is beyond me

by **chiggz_likes_owen** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 3:10 pm

Fu*k I wish players can concerate on playing their football instead of talking bullsh*t.

by **mistyred** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:17 pm

Well said Chiggz..

I think LFC makes players we nurture thier talent and we always have i'm sure thiers a young Dalglish or Barnes somwhere in the reserves.

We can alway's find better players cos we always have.

i think i'll go and have night mares about the whole will he won't he saga.

by **Paul C** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:40 pm

chiggz_likes_owen wrote:Fu*k I wish players can concerate on playing their football instead of talking bullsh*t.

Thats the best thing you've said for ages

by **Santa** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:45 pm

Now I hope these speculations are pure taboit gabbage but let's not be too naive about this...the club have under performed for a numbers of years, and we can't challange for top honours, at least for now.. We have a chance of a new start under the optimistic guidance of Rafa Benitez. If Gerrard wants to leave, fine we can't stop him or compete with Roman's millions but I hope he is a true Red and give Rafa a good shot at success.

However, the timing of these speculations is bad to say the least. It will just pour more pressure on the team to win (good or bad?) If we lose tonight, he wants out. If we fails to make the last 8, he wants out. If we don't qualify for CL next year, he wants out...there will be no ending to these constant speculations, especially fumed by the press or the Gerrard's suiters. By now I am fed up of all these and couldn't be bothered any more...and just cherish every moment Stevie is on a red shirt.

I wished the team all the best tonight and hoped some decisions will be to our favour. Those of you lucky enough to be there, please cheer for us from miles away. Be sure we will be glued to our wide screen watching every seconds of the match. It's time we are due for some success and to give Rafa a good spring board to the coming seasons.

YNWA

by **FrankM** » Wed Dec 08, 2004 5:52 pm

Well said Santa.
Lets hope its one of those great European nights and tomorrow we're talking about players coming rather than going.

Either way cant see Stevie going before the summer. He's hardly going to go to a club in the CL that he cant play for.
By summer hopefully the improvements will be plain for all to see.

Good luck to the lads tonight.

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