Liverpool FC Forum

by **JohnBull** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 1:40 pm

There's a good interview in todays Echo where Toshack talks about the scouting methods in Shank & Paisley's time. The first question they would ask a scout who was suggesting a buy was "Is he a Liverpool player ? ".
This was a far deeper question than "is he any good?"and it makes the point that there was a difference between a good player and a good Liverpool player. It brings in the qualities of honesty to the club and supporters and the bond which builds up between them and a player.
If you go through the signings of the past 15 years how many would pass the Shanks test of "Is he a Liverpool player ?"
It is easy to get carried away with the hype surrounding todays superstars and I can understand younger supporters expecting us to sign the big names all the time but at the end of the day it this question which must be answered everytime.

I don't think that Houllier had a clue of what it meant and the other managers since Paisley lost their way and missed this aspect of the game. I like what I'm seeing with Raffa and can see the club returning to the attitude in the 60s 70s & 80s where the team is a unit not just 11 egos.

By the way Tosh does like the Crouch signing, not just because he's another beanpole.

by **Sean** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 3:34 pm

When Toshack scored on his debut against Everton in 1970 he was a tall skinny beanpole. He gained upper body strength during the next few years that helped him to become a formidable presence. I reckon if Crouch could be fattened up he would become a great asset for us.

by **mighty mo** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 3:49 pm

fattened up it would take him his entire four year contract to fatten up ,have you seen him ,there,s more meat on a butchers pencil. :grinning:

by **woof woof !** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 3:54 pm

JohnBull wrote:I like what I'm seeing with Raffa and can see the club returning to the attitude in the 60s 70s & 80s where the team is a unit not just 11 egos.

Understand and agree with the sentiment of your post apart from the bit quoted above ,to which i can only respond ,"If thats true how come Rafa's been chasing Luis "my dream is to move to Liverpool" Figo .

by **JohnBull** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:08 pm

I never put much credence to quotes from foriegn papers. The fact that Figo has been interested in both Liverpool and Inter does not mean that he's not a "Liverpool player" and he has never struck me as big headed. He has always played for the team not himself.

by **woof woof !** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 4:30 pm

JohnBull wrote:I never put much credence to quotes from foriegn papers. The fact that Figo has been interested in both Liverpool and Inter does not mean that he's not a "Liverpool player" and he has never struck me as big headed. He has always played for the team not himself.

by **yckatbjywtbiastkamb** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 11:06 pm

JohnBull wrote:There's a good interview in todays Echo where Toshack talks about the scouting methods in Shank & Paisley's time. The first question they would ask a scout who was suggesting a buy was "Is he a Liverpool player ? ".
This was a far deeper question than "is he any good?"and it makes the point that there was a difference between a good player and a good Liverpool player. It brings in the qualities of honesty to the club and supporters and the bond which builds up between them and a player.
If you go through the signings of the past 15 years how many would pass the Shanks test of "Is he a Liverpool player ?"
It is easy to get carried away with the hype surrounding todays superstars and I can understand younger supporters expecting us to sign the big names all the time but at the end of the day it this question which must be answered everytime.

I don't think that Houllier had a clue of what it meant and the other managers since Paisley lost their way and missed this aspect of the game. I like what I'm seeing with Raffa and can see the club returning to the attitude in the 60s 70s & 80s where the team is a unit not just 11 egos.

By the way Tosh does like the Crouch signing, not just because he's another beanpole.

i know what your saying john but the `is he a liverpool player` test doesn`t always bring success. nigel clough for forest looked the personification of that particular soundbyte but it never really worked out for him at anfield.

by **Red_Rob** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:11 pm

Yes. Alonso for example is a proper Liverpool player in the way he plays and conducts himself, he just has that about him.

by **Feeney** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 1:20 pm

yckatbjywtbiastkamb wrote:i know what your saying john but the `is he a liverpool player` test doesn`t always bring success. nigel clough for forest looked the personification of that particular soundbyte but it never really worked out for him at anfield.

Nigel Clough lar! I funking loved him as a player!

Memories........ :grinning:

by **The Ace1983** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 3:13 pm

If only Houllier had used this method. Traore, Cheyrou, Diomede, Biscan, Diao, Diouf, Luzi,... The list goes on

But Rafa cannot be judged on his first season. Josemi, Nunez and Pellegrino are all outside of that mould, whereas Alonso, Morientes and even, at a push, Garcia (on a good day) are. Carson is coming along nicely and although we've only seen them in friendlies, Zenden, Sissoko and Crouch all have the potential to be players that Shanks would be proud of. We'll have to wait and see though.

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Tosh's interview in the echo - "is he a liverpool player"

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