Xabi alonso - Why he could become a premiership great

Liverpool Football Club - General Discussion

Postby stmichael » Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:13 pm

Since the Premiership came to be in 1992, possibly the most notable difference from the old football league that has come to pass has been the presence of the "foreign import". Some have been good, others bad, but at the top end of the market  it can't be denied that English football has benefited from some of the most talented players in the world. Henry, Vieira, Cantona, Schmeichel, Bergkamp and Van Nistelrooy to name just a few, all "Galacticos" in their own right.

So why would the transfer of Xabi Alonso eclipse the aforementioned superstars?

Well, out of all the above mentioned, there are 3 Frenchmen, 2 Dutchmen and a Dane. The French have typically always travelled. You just have to look at how many players in their national side play abroad for testimony to this. The same has always applied to the Dutch (Cruyff, Van Basten, Rijkaard etc) and the Danish (Simonsen, Elkjaer, the Laudrups).

Ahh, but what about imports like Zola, Ravanelli, Vialli, Gullit and Desailly, after all they've have had glittering and very well decorated careers?

Well what about them? Impressive players indeed, but all came over towards the autumn of thier career for one final big paycheck in what was allegedly referred to as the FA Carling Premier Retirement Home by certain Italian agent.

Even Cantona only ended up on these shores because no one in France would touch him with a barge pole, a player passed from club to club to disciplinary hearing.

It has also been something of a safety net to a few players who have "flopped" in Serie A. Henry, Bergkamp and Vieira all having suffered from either having a battered or non- existant reputation before flourising under the genius that is Arsene Wenger in his Highbury Rehabilitation Centre.

If you look at other big money imports into England you will see names like Juan Seba Veron (Argentine, already established in his national side, and a big hit in Italy), Ruud Van Nistelrooy (Dutch, move to England benefitted his career, none of the big Spanish or Italian clubs in for him), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, a great season for Marseille but has one season wonder written all over him) and whoever else is flavour of the week at Stamford Bridge.

But I've yet to recall a transfer of a native player from a "big league" to England, who is only in the early stages of his career and is so highly rated in their own country. Not one Italian or Spaniard has made that imaginative and courageous leap. The two countries' large clubs have always jealously held onto their best young players.

Imagine for a moment Wayne Rooney turning down a move a Manchester United, and instead signing for Barcelona. That's the equivalent of the Alonso move.

You could throw the case of Jose Antonio Reyes into the mix, Arsenal's sparkling young replacement for Bergkamp. Then again, Real Madrid weren't the competition for his signature, Arsenal had been nurturing his transfer since he was 17, and Arsenal's transfer fee includes the majority based on future success/appearences. Alonso is also further advanced on the national stage.

It says an awful lot about Alonso that he is brave enough to make this move at this stage of his career, on the verge of taking over as first choice in the heart of the Spanish midfield, because as has been seen with Reyes, it can jeopordise your international prospects moving abroad.

It also (again) reflects well on Senor Benitez. Make no mistake, this is a hell of a catch and illustrates the regard in which El Boss is held in his native country.

Now for an even bolder statement, this time from Alonso himself.

"When it came down to a choice between Madrid and Liverpool I chose Liverpool."

How impressive are those words?

I could just stand back and admire those words like one would admire a picture of Penelope Cruz sans bra and panties, and that's a lot of admiration.

Not a week passes lately without an increasing feeling of optimism, optimism and pride. It's a pride that comes from when the President of another club waxes lyrical about YOUR club, despite you buying its best asset. It's a lesson that some "bigger" clubs may want to take notice of, phrases like "transparency" and "future vision between the clubs" hardly smacks of backhanders and tapping up does it?

Also it's great how quietly have we gone about our business, in the summer, a paupers club some people would have you believe.

Show me a pauper that can spend upwards of £25million in a summer and still be in the market for "the right" players. Granted we have got rid of some dead wood, but that's still an impressive amount spent, yet it doesnt seem to have registered in the offices of Trinity Mirror or Sky, unlike the new media darlings of "The Bridge" where it seems the solution to not being headline news isn't to win a match, but to spend a ridiculous amount of money on an average defender. If Abrahmovic wants to throw his money away, let him, we'll concentrate on spending it wisely under Rafa.

It is indeed a good time time to be a Liverpool supporter again

Anyway, I'll leave you with this little gem ...

El que la sigue, la consigue

Hala Benitez!
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Postby The Ace1983 » Wed Aug 25, 2004 2:36 pm

I whole heartedly agree with everything in this statement and can offer more insight into this phenomenon.

When the major leagues really started to go in the early nineties it was clear that throughout europe the premiership was always going to be the top draw behind Serie A. But times have changed. In those days, the foreign players from stronger leagues were mainly Italian. Vialli, Zola, Di matteo, ravenelli to name a few. But now Italian dominance has fallen whereas the Prem has stayed strong.

We have enjoyed flirtation with many other leagues including the dutch, french and german leagues but now La Liga is the main rival. In spain, the Prem is hugely popular and visa versa. So when players like Owen, Beckham and Woodgate could not resist moves to spain, it was only logical that players like Reyes and Alonso would see England as a fresh hunting ground and a niche to fill.

Alonso knows that he has the chance at Liverpool to become an international success, as do Nunez, Garcia, Josemi and Reyes.

Alonso now has a point to prove and the drive to do it. Eviva Alonso! Eviva Benitez! Eviva los Reds e eviva los revolution!!!!!
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Postby laza » Wed Aug 25, 2004 3:48 pm

Great post and of course it means that the big Great dane Jan Molby was ahead of his time :laugh:
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Postby Sean » Wed Aug 25, 2004 3:58 pm

and not forgetting Avi Cohen.
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Postby stapo1000 » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:05 pm

some very good points made there st.mike. i cant wait to see alonso against bolton. I've heard his passing is the best aspect of his game. If so, he'll fit right into the liverpool way of doing things. Hopefully garcia will be succesful too
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Postby stmichael » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:11 pm

well he and garcia have been officially unveiled at anfield today. apparently alonso gave an interview in fluent english which is also a bonus. :)

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N145812040825-1511.htm
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Postby Sean » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:14 pm

Definitely, a bonus, cause it looks like he'll be able to earn a second wage as an interpretor around the club if more Spanish players keep arriving.
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Postby stmichael » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:17 pm

Sean wrote:it looks like he'll be able to earn a second wage as an interpretor around the club

yeah he can teach jamie carragher to speak english. :D
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Postby Sean » Wed Aug 25, 2004 4:18 pm

Ha Ha !!!
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Postby long sleeved joe » Wed Aug 25, 2004 7:42 pm

One massive benefit of us getting Benitez is that he is the first ever Spanish manager in the English top division.   We have seen very few Spansih players coming to England compared to other European big footballing countries but i think at Liverpool we are seeing the breakthrough.  The fact that he is the only Spanish manager with a mainly Spanish coaching staff means that any Spanish player wanting to play abroad will seriously consider Anfield particulaly now we have a few Spansih players.  I'm not so sure we would have been able to get names like Luis Garcia and Alonso otherwise.
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Postby C-R » Wed Aug 25, 2004 10:13 pm

Excelent post this, saw a couple of his goals on Sky last week.

Everything said about the lad is positive too, really highly thought of player in Spain.
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Postby supersub » Wed Aug 25, 2004 11:30 pm

great post st mike.
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Postby XSD » Wed Aug 25, 2004 11:44 pm

Great read there.
Seems everyone expects a lot of the new boys, and you can see why :)
I think it is safe to say:
Spanish > French
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Postby zarababe » Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:00 am

Eloquent post again Saint...

Of Alonso they say he is better than Gerrard.. this is already sounding awesome.. The boss is a major draw to the club.. and this is partcularly important when you consider the pecking order the club is currently in ... :)
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Postby desperado0831 » Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:34 am

he's still a lots to learn about english football.... both of garcia and alonso are red-hotted nowadays coz they've signed for us....
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