Liverpool FC Forum

by **stmichael** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:10 pm

I read some of Ian St John's claims in the Echo yesterday with regards to the reason why Jari Litmanen left Liverpool without really getting a fair crack of the whip.

There were strong rumours at the time that Houllier flipped his lid at Litmanan because he was offering advice to Heskey after training (lets face it, who wouldn't?). Now I see nothing wrong with passing on some experience to a younger striker. Infact surely that was one of the reasons he was brought to the club in the first place? Houllier was meant to be seething about it.

I don't know whether thats true, but I do know that Jari was banned from doing interviews at one time because GH and Thommo didn't want him getting the fans on his side too much when he wasn't playing.

Jari broke the ban once to speak to the Echo, ahead of a game away at Fulham (I think GH was still away and Thommo was in charge). I don't know whether GH and Thommo thought he would slag them off, and thats why they didn't want him talking, but Litmanen was too smart to ever do that. Instead he just said that he knows there are great strikers at the club and that he just has to work hard and be patient etc.

He said all the right things, even though that wasn't how he felt. As I say, he was a smart fella. Thompson went mad at Bascombe for going behind his back to speak with Jari.

Anyway, Jari came on as a sub at Fulham and scored. Thompson then said in the press conference "I was reading an interview with Jari yesterday and it shows what a great pro he is blah blah blah"

That would be the interview you wouldn't let him do, and the one that you went nuts when he did do it then?

A few weeks later when GH returned, Bascombe asked Thommo if he'd like to do a piece for the Echo about his time in charge. His reply? "Why don't you go and ask f#cking Jari Litmanen".

Does anybody know if this is what really happened or not? I only ask, because we effectively saw a world class player go to waste at this football club. The guy reminded me of Bergkamp in so many ways. For example I remember one world class goal he scored infront of the Kop against Spurs I think it was. Unbelievable to think that he rarely got a run in the first team.

by **JBG** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:23 pm

Jari Litmannen was one of my favourite players in the 1990s but I think a bit of a myth has grown up about him at Liverpool.

Before Jari joined us, you would probably have to go back 2 or 3 years to last see him showing his best form. While he did look class at Liverpool whenever he was given the chance, I don't think he was half the player he was in his hayday and I don't think its accurate to say that Jari was world class when he was with us.

Maybe had he been given more of a chance we might have seen a renaissance in the man, but the truth is, Jari was in decline and this was borne out by his rapid disappearance from top class football when he left us.

by **stmichael** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:26 pm

I agree that by the time he joined us he looked incapable of playing 90 minutes at times. It's a shame that injuries took such a toll on him because if he'd joined us a few years earlier I think he would have been one of the best players we've ever had.

by **JBG** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:28 pm

He was an old school Liverpool player and even though he was in decline, he was still capable of turning it on - occasionally - for us. However, by listening to ST. John you'd swear it was Zinidene Zidane we were talking about. Jari's career was in decline and there was a possibility that he could resurrect it at Liverpool. For one reason or another it didn't work out, and many people are quick to point the finger at Houllier and his staff. Whether thats fair, I simply don't know.

by **Ola Mr Benitez** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:37 pm

IMO, Jari was at Liverpool at a time when Houllier had all but banned creativity from his side, Instead he would prefer us to sit as deep as possible and hit players on the break using M Owens pace.

Jari could have ben great but Houllier would not let him, don't know why he bothered to bring him to Anfield in the first place. A waste of talent!

by **Ace Ventura** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:55 pm

Ola Mr Benitez wrote:IMO, Jari was at Liverpool at a time when Houllier had all but banned creativity from his side, Instead he would prefer us to sit as deep as possible and hit players on the break using M Owens pace.

Jari could have ben great but Houllier would not let him, don't know why he bothered to bring him to Anfield in the first place. A waste of talent!

It seemed to work though, as we came 2nd and had 80 points at the end of the season.
I am not sure what the situation was with Jari but i have no complaints about the way we performed that season at all.

by **bigmick** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 2:27 pm

I'm usually the first one to find fault in Houllier and his tenure at the club but I totally agree with JBG on this one. We got him on a free and he left on a free so I think his status as a World class player was long since over. That said he had a streak of quality running through him and it's probably because at that time our football was somewhat lacking in imagination that so many clamoured for him so often.
We would probably be of the same opinion if he were still at the club with the same abilities. Interestingly, though I don't necessarily agree with those who say we wasted a great and creative talent in Littmanen, I think we are as fans in danger of demanding a similar fate for our current creative player, namely Luis Garcia.
In all honesty I would implore people to look beyond his temporary dip in form and remember he scored 13 goals last season from midfield, usually out of position. He is already off and running this season. seriously guys, if this bloke is a failure then I wish we had a few more of 'em.

by **JBG** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 2:34 pm

Litmannen was one of the worlds greatest players in the 1990s. He was the biggest star in a hugely talented Ajax side. His play in the Champions League - the absolute bleeding edge of competitive football - was outstanding.

However, he started to go off the boil at Ajax, particularly when that great team of 1995 broke up. He probably should have left when the likes of Kluivert, Seedord, Davids, Bogarde left. When he got to Barcelona he definitely was in decline, and while he did some good things for Liverpool in his time here, I think the fact he got sold had more to do with his tiring legs and waning powers than any personality conflict.

Its a huge pity, as the guy was a die hard Liverpool fan.

by **Leonmc0708** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 3:40 pm

JBG wrote:Its a huge pity, as the guy was a die hard Liverpool fan.

They always are my old friend :nod

by **JBG** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:14 pm

Leonmc0708 wrote:
JBG wrote:Its a huge pity, as the guy was a die hard Liverpool fan.

They always are my old friend

I think I know what you are saying wee man (Harry Kewell?) but I think in the case of Litmannen it was true. I remember reading an old interview with him in World Soccer back in the mid 1990s and he listed Liverpool as his boyhood idols.

by **greenred** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 4:36 pm

Yeah,thats true.He was a bona fide Liverpool fan since he was a kid.In fairness to Jari he has suffered with injuries for years now.Even at Barcelona he was missing half the time with one injury or other.At Liverpool i reckon people hated the way GH left him out even when he was fit.How many times did we see GH bring on some half ar.se fullback to win us the game while Litmanen sat on the bench

by **teamleader1** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 6:47 pm

Ola Mr Benitez wrote:Jari could have ben great but Houllier would not let him, don't know why he bothered to bring him to Anfield in the first place. A waste of talent!

Like this comes as a suprise?

Now the belief by some that houlier got the boot for one injury hit season and not the total shyte he passed off as football IS a fkn major suprise!

IMHO

by **RUSHIE#9** » Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:31 pm

Personally i'd be very wary of what Saint John says regardng the Houllier era; it is clear that the guy had it in for le boss from day one simply for replacing his mate Evans,don't get me wrong I'm not siding with houllier or anything after the dead end road he led us up and all of the deadwood that he brought in.
Litmanen was never at his best from us after the way he was treated by Van Gaal at barca. I seem to remember that he was taken to barcelona with the mantle of being the new cruyff and that is never going to make any players life easy and it obviously knocked his confdence and Houllier not leting him express himself and his game whilst at Liverpool was never goin' to be a recipe for success.

by **JC_81** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:06 am

JBG wrote:Its a huge pity, as the guy was a die hard Liverpool fan.

Agree with your assessment of Litmanen JBG. But as for him being a die-hard LFC fan I don't buy it. We tried to sign him when he left Ajax but he chose Barcelona ahead of us. Hardly 'die-hard LFC fan' behaviour

by **NiftyNeil** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:42 am

I agree with those who say he was in decline. He wasn't getting a game at Barca, didn't have much of an opportunity with us, and didn't get much of a look in when he went back to Ajax (where he is treated like a god).
Jari was a spent force by the time he reached Anfield. Ian St John is just talking out of his :censored:

as usual.

Liverpool FC Forum

Jari litmanen - Why he left the club?

Who is online