Tag Archive for 'rafa'

04
Jul

Torres Arrives

Fernando Torres speaks about his Liverpool moveAbsolutely Bloody Brilliant. We have officially completed the signing of £26.5million pound Spanish hot-shot Fernando Torres today and he looks keen to make his presence felt immediately.

Best of all is that he talked of his real desire to wear the famous Red shirt and play in front of the Kop.

Speaking after he was officially unveiled the 23-year-old Torres said: “The Liverpool offer arrived and I told the club to listen to that offer as that is the team I wanted to play for,”

“It’s one of the best, if not the best, club in Europe.”

“It has been a difficult decision to leave my all-time club,”

“But it would have been hard for me to reject Liverpool’s offer. It is a big leap for me and I think it was the right thing for everyone.

“The time comes in the life of a player that he needs more challenges.”

“The fact that Liverpool are giving me the number nine jersey just goes to show the confidence they have placed in me, when considering those who have worn that shirt before me,”

“A new beautiful adventure begins for me and I hope that with work and effort I can be among the best players.

“This is a unique opportunity for me. Liverpool aspire to everything and that has been an important factor in my decision to go there.

“I want to adapt as quickly as possible. I think Premiership is a football that adapts well to my style.

RAFA SAYS

“He has experience,”

“He was playing in the first division at 17 years old and I think he can manage the pressure.

“He knows he will be an important player and I’m sure the staff and other players will help him.

“He has power, pace, is good in the air, scores goals, can dribble and do a lot of things. The kind of striker he is different to the other strikers we have at the moment.”

On any comparisons to former Reds striker Fernando Morientes, he added: “He is different to Morientes,”

“He is quicker and stronger.

“Morientes had other skills and was a very good finisher but Torres can run behind defenders, can play in the wide areas or play between the lines to receive the ball.”

CARRA SAYS

“If other teams are spending double what you are spending on players they have an advantage on you,”

“Hopefully the players that we’re looking to buy now are maybe in that bracket of £15-20million.

“If we want to bridge that gap we have to go in at the top end of the market.”

“You have a great pedigree (with Fernando Torres) there. He is a young lad, very quick, which is good for the Premiership and hopefully he will do very well.”

PEPE REINA SAYS

“We need a player that scores 20 or 25 goals a season and Fernando Torres can be the man,”

“Torres has many virtues,”

“I am confident that he will do very important things for the team.”

He added: “It’s true that the style of football is different in England,”

“We want him to be ready from the first minute and show the player he has been in recent years.”

“Liverpool showed a lot of interest in him,”

“The fact that there are many Spaniards at Liverpool was one of the reasons why he chose to come here.

“I think this will help him adapt quicker.”

XABI SAYS

Xabi Alonso with new signing Fernando Torres“He is a brilliant player,”

“It is clear it would be good for us to have him. He has already demonstrated his enormous quality and to have him in the team will be brilliant.”

After a frustrating start to this off-season we finally have something great to smile about and it seems as though new owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks are being true to their word to make us a Premiership force.

Rafa has now turned his attentions to signing a new flanker and has been linked with Ricardo Quaresma, Alessandro Mancini and Simao.

He recently said: “Really we are working with wingers. People can talk about a lot of things and a lot of names but we’re working on wingers.”

Well things are getting very exciting. cant wait to see what Rafa does next. Watch this space for more.

18
Jun

Gillett ready to spend

New Reds Co-Owner George Gillett
OK. No need to tell you that every Reds fan and their dog are stressing about our lack of transfer activity so far this summer.

We have re-signed Stevie G, Carra, Pepe and Xabi and that is great, but I’m sure that I would be right in saying that all of us were expecting some big big arrivals ahead of next season.

Now Reds co-owner George Gillett has given us some reassurances saying that we are ready to enter “phase two” of the summer plan.

He told liverpoolfc.tv: “I sense that kind of pressure building from the media. I think the fans know that we have huge regard for Rafa. He has a number of initiatives and concepts and plans under way.

“We’re not going to do something just to try to prove something. I can assure you that we are working on different things.

“The first part was identifying a number of our existing star players whom Rafa wanted to sign on long-term contracts.

“That was the first step and it has been done. Now we’re moving on to phase two, which is bringing players in.

“For Tom and me, this really is about trying to win championships, and that takes commitment, no matter what sport.

“We are pleased with Rafa and his strategy. It’s not dissimilar to what he outlined to us in February. His belief is to look for players with the proper chemistry to enhance the team.

“We support Rafa. He has a programme under way and, as that unfolds, that will be the time for us to be judged, not now.”

Most fans I have talked with think Rafa was waiting for the Primera Liga to end in order to start negotiations, and I hope they are right. I would be hugely disappointed if we did not sign a minimum of two world class players this summer.

I’m still quietly confident that we won’t be disappointed and will see some big faces arrive at Anfield soon. What do you think?

24
May

Gutted

Absolutely gutted.

We arrived in Athens full of confidence and over powered a strong Milan side but I guess it just wasn’t to be our day in Athens.

Rafa and the lads can hold their heads high knowing that Milan were fortunate to come away with this match as the victors.

The first goal was undoubtedly a hand ball but was too quick for anyone to realise.

ROBBED

Milan then successfully slowed the play down with their time wasting tactics and came away with the Cup. I’m absolutely gutted but am sure we come back better than ever next season and challenge for all four competitions.

What some of the lads said after the match.

Skipper Stevie G: “It’s difficult to take but that’s football for you, you’ve got to take it on the chin and move on and try and pick yourself up but at the moment it’s heartbreaking.”

“I thought we started the game really well,” he said.

“We were controlling it how we’d like to but I think when you are on top you’ve got to score.

“Their first goal was a bit of luck and that was a big, big lift for them and it was difficult from then on.

“We’ve got the confidence in our team that if we’re getting beat we can still turn it around.

“We gave it everything we’ve got but it wasn’t to be tonight but credit to our players we worked so hard.”

Dirk Kuyt: “(At half-time) we were in control,”

“We had a few little chances and you have be lucky to score a goal.

“They were really lucky (to score) one minute before half-time, one of their players touched the ball in the area.

“We tried it for 90 minutes but unfortunately it didn’t happen.”

Rafa: “The rules talk about substitutions, yellow card, and players’ injuries - but anyway that is not a reason we lost against a very good team with top-class players,”

“And the difference sometimes is that you can work hard, but you cannot close the space or the pass, or the penetrative pass from Kaka, or a Seedorf or Inzaghi.”

“The first half we did really well, we played really, really well and then we conceded a deflection at the end of the first half,”

“Second half we were pushing, pushing, but then you leave space and then they have quality and it made the difference.

“We tried to keep the ball and press high, but you need to take your chances - we did have a lot and went close, but the quality they have if you lose the ball you will be in trouble.

“I think the team in the first half was really good.”

QUADRUPLE NEXT SEASON LADS…


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