I wrote an article in June expressing my hope that despite Simon Mignolet’s signing, Pepe Reina would still at least start the season as No.1.
Alas it was not to be.
I won’t dwell on the same ground too long except to say that despite Pepe’s form not being consistently at its best in the last two seasons, I still considered him a World Class keeper, a pivotal leader in our dressing room and, at just 30, beginning to enter his peak years.
Mignolet is no doubt a talented keeper, who may well prove a big success, but given his inexperience I felt Pepe would have been a better option. With increased competition Pepe’s form may well have regained its previous heights, as it did in the tail end of last season.
If it did he would be the best keeper in the league and if it didn’t then Mignolet would have had a great chance to impress and claim the No.1 in a fair contest.
However Pepe was moved on. Brendan Rodgers initially stated that Mignolet was bought as competition for Reina. He then stated that he couldn’t keep Reina on the books with his high salary. He then stated that Reina asked to join Barcelona, so he bought Mignolet, and when Barca didn’t make an offer then he was stuck with two No.1 keepers – so jumped at the chance when Rafa Benitez offered a loan deal.
Pepe Reina has now had his say in an open letter to fans on his website. He pronounced his love of Liverpool and its fans, and described how his favourite moment was his celebration against Manchester United when David Ngog scored a winner at Anfield. He talked of how his children and family think of Liverpool as their home and how he hopes to return after his loan spell.
In particular, he expressed his disappointment that a deal with Napoli was agreed before he was informed of an approach. This despite Brendan Rodgers repeatedly stating he had excellent communication with the Spaniard. Most fans would agree with him when he says he felt he deserved a little more respect from the management having given his all for 8 years at the club.
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Perhaps with the expectation that Barcelona would make an offer the following year (which is in all likelihood), Rodgers had decided that he would rather give the No.1 jersey to Mignolet who would after all be here for certain the following year. Or perhaps Rodgers believes that Mignolet is the better keeper regardless and that Pepe is unlikely to recover his previous form.
It would seem Liverpool have taken the pragmatic decision. And after all, Pepe did tell the club he wanted to leave if Barca made an offer. The club moved quickly to sign a player in a key position and Valdes’ indecision left us in a bit of a pickle.
What would be interesting is what happens if Barca do not make an offer next season and instead go for a different keeper. After all they no longer have a Catalan in charge. I doubt Pepe would want to sign a new contract with Liverpool or, unless Mignolet has a poor season, that Liverpool would be willing to offer Pepe such a lucrative long term contract as the one he is presently on.
He may in fact end up going on the cheap to a competitor (maybe Arsenal, heaven forbid) as he would not command a big fee with his contract not having long to run.
Whatever happens this is another transfer that doesn’t seem to have been managed smoothly or effectively by the club. For it to be involving one of our most supportive players is also disappointing.
Perhaps the blame should be shared across Brendan Rodgers, Ian Ayre, Barcelona and Pepe himself, equally.
After all, if Pepe said that he wanted to stay at Liverpool regardless of an offer from Barcelona, he would have been offered a new contract and we wouldn’t have signed Mignolet in the first place.
You can catch more from me on my own blog: http://taintlessred.blogspot.co.uk/
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Without doubt Reina should be number 1 . This move was another downgrade of our squad simply to save the yanks some more money
Reina is obviously the better keeper and he hadn’t even reached his best years yet. Most goalies dont reach their vest til their mid 30s
Added to that , Liverpool have lost a leader , an inspiration and a great character . Rodgers is building a team of no characters . Mignolet is good but Pepe is miles better
Shame on FSG for doing this . And shame on Rodgers for consistently ly!ng about it
Really sorry to see Pepe go, particularly in this fashion. However I’ll support Mignolet and hope he settles quickly. He’s a different kind of character to Pepe, so it’ll be key to see how he coordinates with the defence who were used to a very vocal keeper.
Great article. I cant fault liverpool or Rodgers but Reina for this. Sad to see him leave though but it is about time nolstalgia makes way for prudence!
Thanks Willie.
Reina is world class . Mig has only had 1 good season so is unproven. This is another example of fsg saving money b4 helping the team
Good point Ray.
For me he will always be NO 1 . No question about it. He is one of the very few who survived through the changers of owners and managers . He will definitely be missed . Wish all the best at Napoli. I hope Mignolet don’t disappoint us next season.
All players have a shelf life… his used by date expired 2-3 years ago… Was great, now ok… time to move on.
The answer is obviously YES. We are talking about a world class player whom had spent 8 years at this great club, loyal and although he had a bit of a dip in form recently, is a proven player in the EPL.
I had read in the Independent on the way Reina was shiped out is not the “Liverpool” way, how true is that. Reina deserves better, much better. This is what you get when you have a “Championship” manager and some Yanks who are only interested in taking money from this club, not a custodian of a great club.
Its little wonder that world class players even like Suarez who is laready at the club, refuse to join us or wants to leave. What confidence do you get when you see how things are being ran by clowns like BR and FSG ?
Like i said before, our biggest problem is not our players, but the owners and their Championship manager.
I sure hope that report in the Sun is true.
If you are a Liverpool Fan, what on earth are you doing reading the S*n ???
Here, here. LFC fans should never read the Sun.
Oh, and to Reina, good luck, you are always one of us. YNWA.
BR, you never would be.
Sad to see my club run this way. 8 years of service and shown no loyalty by the club whatsoever .
How do you expect Suarez and co to show any loyalty ? When the club treats is most loyal players like furniture ?
I hear he was interested in a barca move. Consider this, you are a liverpool lad playing in Spain, would you have no interest to go back home after 8 years? It’s normal and healthy to want to go back home. This would have easily been solved by Asking barca to make their intentions clear. Once the situation was clear that barca were not going for pepe, there was no need for mignolet !
Rogers is destroying our club. Building a team in his image means we are destined for mid table forever . With this guy in charge
i am afraid that rodgers is the smiling assasin says something but totally means something else. He and the club are lowering the expectations of the club by replacing QUALIIY with mediorce players. My article http://live4liverpool.com/2013/07/view-from-the-kop/reina-brendans-big-gamble
i mention that this is a risk which more likely will define Brendans career with the reds.
Pepe is a friend of mine and totally deserved better from the club and rodgers. The first thing he knew about the loan was when rafa phoned to tell him that the club had put him up for loan.
I fully agree . Reina would not tell li es., the man has never done before
Rodgers does nothing except tell li es.
Rodgers disgusts me both as a manager and a person. The sooner our club gets rid of him – tge better !
LOVE REINA : HATE RODGERS
Spot on about Buck Rodgers .
The thing is P Reina is world class and still in the top 5 goalkeepers in world football, Mignolet is a good class keeper but he is potential.
Reina is 30 and has ten years of good football in him, but due to his wages FSG wanted to get him off the wage bill.
Fair dues but B Jones is not a good back up Goalkeeper and never really challenged P Reina at club, Rodgers needs to bring A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading to compete with Mignolet for next 5-10 years.
Therefore P Reina would have been replaced well, as Mignolet is a class goalkeeper.
We cannot replace a world class goalkeeper still in the top 5 goalkeepers around in world football with a good class keeper with potential.
But if A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading is brought to the club this summer for £4-£7M to compete with Mignolet, then Rodgers would be justified in signing two young upcoming class goalkeepers with the potential to being world class keepers in future competing with one another for the next 5 to ten years at club. And both on a combined salary less than what P Reina was on, that would be justified.
As Mignolet and Jones are not an upgrade on what we had last season, But Mccarthy and Mignolet would be an upgrade.
Rodgers problem is he is down sizing in wages and class and quality:
A Carroll(23) offered club alot more class and quality than Borini will ever offer club and no offence to Aspas but he maybe a good but i think A Carroll fully fit and injury free on his day will cause more damage and threat to any defender in world football than Aspas and Borini will do fully fit and injury free.