Saturday morning should be spent eating a large breakfast and lying around. It should not be spent watching as many websites as possible searching for information about a footballer but that is what me and several million other Liverpool fans are doing at the moment. Whilst there are many many more important things going on at the moment, the fact that Fernando Torres has handed in a transfer request occupies the mind and time of all Liverpool fans today.
Why is it such a shock? I guess it is the manner and timing of it that are the most shocking aspects. Three days before the end of the transfer window, on the day we finally sign someone with the ability to support and assist Torres (Hi Luis, sorry about all this) he hands in a transfer request and asks that we allow negotiations with Chelsea. Marvellous.
I know that ultimately he is just an employee of a large business and employees will move if they want a better job but what sticks in the throat the most is that this goes against everything Torres has said and done. As the much missed Xabi Alonso and the surely future captain Pepe Reina have both done, Torres bought into Liverpool. He seemed to understand the fans, the history and the culture of the club. Everything he said in interviews was right and indeed his most recent interview with lfc.tv made very positive noises about Kenny.
You can of course see why he's fed up with the club's progress - we all are. He is one the superstars of the modern game but he's not winning domestic or European trophies. After 2008/09 when it looked like we were finally ready to get back to where we used to be he must have been thinking that he'd made the right decision to join us. One bad season later and he ends up with Hodgson as manager who tries to reinvent him as a modern day John Fashanu. Fine - that he is annoyed at that is understandable. King Kenny then returns, Torres stops stropping about and starts similing again, speaks admiringly of Kenny and seems to be happy again. Yes this season's a write off of course but we all hoped that everyone would have an eye on next year knowing that the new owners were seemingly intent on doing the right thing.
But that's clearly not enough for Torres and he wants out. That is what is disappointing as what I thought we had within the ocean of idiocy that is the modern game was another Alonso or Reina. We don't. He hasn't won enough to satisfy himself with us so he'll go, inevitably to Chelsea where he can win a few trophies with Frank, JT and the rest of the Kings Road mob. Fair enough then, we'll take the cash and move on.
I remember being beyond upset when Rushie left only for Kenny to bring in Barnes, Beardsley and Aldridge and a new phenomenal style of attacking football. My mate Tony (who is MUCH older than me ;) ) tells me that when Keegan was sold to Hamburg he was distraught. That didnt turn out too bad in the end however thanks to the arrival of a certain Scottish forward. Players leave clubs, people move on and football will always be here wasting my and millions if not billions of others' time. So cheerio Fernando, thanks for the goals and what you've given the club. You won't find the same love at Chelsea but you'll maybe get an FA Cup. Enjoy that.
(Obviously if he stays I love you Nando).
great read
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