This summer is one of the most crucial summers in Liverpool’s history in my opinion. I don’t think I am overstating the magnitude of the changes that lie ahead for the Merseyside club as debts of £237m, saddled with £40m a year interest payments and a club for sale, off field matters are really affecting many matters on the pitch. Rafa Benitez’s future is uncertain and there is little money to spend to rebuild a squad which failed to achieve a Champions League place finish last season. With all this turmoil, our rivals in Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have capitalised on our troubles, and with City with unlimited funds and Spurs in the Champions League, next season could prove a challenge to even finish fourth, let alone attempt to go for the title, if a big overhaul of who runs the club and who plays for the club is not committed to. For this reason it is essential that whoever plays for the team is 100% committed to the cause.
Last summer, there were rumours of both Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano leaving for Spain, and while only the former left the club, there was still suspicion over the latter as to why he wanted to leave. As the season progressed, Mascherano appeared to be content to stay at the club, and talks about a long term deal to stay at Anfield were on the cards. In recent days though, we have learned that such talks have stalled and that any discussions about a new deal for the Argentinean captain will have to wait until after the World Cup. In the News of the World yesterday, Mascherano discussed his feelings about the rumoured move to Barca last year
“The situation with Barcelona really affected me. It was a shame it didn’t happen as it was the city I wanted to live in. There were many discussions and problems during that month and a half. They were difficult times for me. . . Psychologically, it affected me as I couldn’t think in Liverpool and I was focused on other stuff and not on my work, my training and playing.
He then went on to discuss his families’ lonely existence living in England:
“What kills me about living in Liverpool is that there are only two Argentineans here with me, Emiliano Insua and Maxi Rodriguez. Insua and I live in a private neighbourhood. He lives in one tower and I live in the other. There are 15 metres between us and we used to look at each other through the window. . . I have no problem living in Liverpool, but I think my wife and daughters deserve to enjoy every day to the full and live their lives – but they have to be at home all day. My wife doesn’t speak a word of English, so she depends 100% on me. I live here with them. That’s my world, that’s my life.”
Without being too harsh on Mascherano and his family, they have lived here long enough to learn the language which would help them develop relationships with those outside his Spanish speaking team-mates. Everyone knows it can be difficult for foreign players to adapt to English culture, it can be difficult even for some Englishman sometimes, but it seems the issue really troubles Masch.
Possibly the club could do more to help Mascherano and his family integrate into the culture better but if his wife doesn’t even speak a word of English after living here for four years then perhaps there is no motivation on their part to adapt to the country. The description of Mascherano and Insua looking through the window at each other on a cold wet, winter’s day paints a pretty sad, lonely picture, and if I was in his shoes, I would feel the same sort of isolation. No doubt he enjoys playing football for Liverpool but it seems the lifestyle in this country doesn’t suit him and his family. Barca seems to be a shining beacon for him and his family to have a lifestyle similar to something they had back in Argentina. As a player, you could not ask for more commitment on a football pitch but as he said, he is not been all there recently and the issues have meant he has struggled psychologically.
During this difficult time for the club, we need players who are really committed to the club and have the desire to play for Liverpool. The stalling over the contract puts a question mark for me over Mascherano’s head, and although he has been a colossal figure in the spine of the Reds midfield, if he really feels it’s the right thing to move for his family, then we should let him do it. If we could £30m or more for him, it could be used by Rafa to revitalise and start the rebuilding process which will be so vital in this critical summer for the club.
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I agree totally with your article. If he’s not happy, ditch him. I also rate Yaya Toure at Barcelona and he’s supposed to be up for grabs, so maybe we could get him and 15m or even Kleb, who I thought was great for Arsenal and is also supposed to be for sale.
totally agree if masc wants to go let him go we need players who want to play for our club 25 to 35 mil for him easy then sell babbel riera thats another 20 mil tell the yanks to get on there bike & rafa has nearly 50 mil to spend on navas, van der vart,pavluchenko
LOL dude your article is a bit harsh its obvious why the hell would he even speak to the news of the world let alone trust what they have to say. This article is around a year old and he has consistently stated that liverpool is his future its just more Media B.s. The orignal article didnt even feature the mention of maxi an hes obviously alot happier maxi is here as shown by his comment previous. Plus selling the best DM and one of our top players sends out the wrong message there were here for the pickings by them media vultures and other clubs. Also the original article mentioned him visiting zabeleta and tevez not maxi so dont buy into this media BS.
He says quite clearly that he has no problem with Liverpool – it’s his wife who does.
Media B.S. or not I’ll let him go for a 40mil that was mentioned the other year… A defensive midfielder is not worth 40 mil as good as he is… We got Aquilani he’s just class and if we put Stevie back in the middle and get a world class striker up with Nando we can finally get back to 4-4-2 and ditch this 4-2-3-1 formation. We need quality striker a quality winger and a quality left back and for me as for the starting 11 we’re fine. Then for the squad we can get some frees there are lots of free transfers like Adriano Simplicio and many others the club has just to look around. Hopefully we can get some good additions as we are not in a position that we can talk about what’s going to happen. But if Masch wants to go to Barca so be it. We need players to fight for the club and love the club not players that play for Liverpool just because of a contract.
yea just go if u dnt like the club
pipo y shld we burg for fake pipo
Green I totally agree I would deffo let Masch go I think he is a player that the team can do without. Don’t get me wrong I think in his position he is one of the best around. But if we could sell him and bring in two quality players ie a striker and a playmaker then that is the way forward. Liverpool need to drop the system of having two holding midfielders and start having ago at teams. Gerrard back in the centre and Lucas can fill in for Masch.
There has already been many stories linking masch, Torres and gerrard away from anfield, at the moment it is pure tabloid speculation and it would be difficult to see 3 of our best players leave, but provided rafa gets top dollar for the players (around 140M is very possible) and he is allowed to use all the funds to strengthen his team, it may be the right and smart thing to do.
I agree with the article. But would also like to state that, in order for Liverpool to turn their current situation around, both Benitez and the Yanks should leave. Benitez was given enough funds to be able to buy the likes of Aquilani, Keane, and Rieria, and was also responsible for letting great players like, Crouch, and Bellamy go, not forgetting that he casued Alonso enough humiliation to force him out of Anfield.
Hugely overrated player
Dont really see why defensive midfielders can get away with being half as talented as the man in front of him.
Its the easiest job on the pitch.
Sell him! He wants to go then don’t delay like Alonso farce last year. Get rid and get on!!!
IF HE WANTS TO GO FOR WHAT EVER REASON, GET RID.
however!
1, will rafa or the a new coach get any of the money?
2, will we have the time to buy new players if we caontinue to drag on a summer which has a world cup in it?
3, what type of replacement would we want.
for me if we have to sell to buy which rafa has been doing for 3 years now!
id do this is we could pull it off!
reira and bael- goodbye, theres near to 17/18 mill
yossi id keep but getting bored of hearing his big mouth agent, if you if need to go then go yossi? sell yossi for 10 mill
so babel yossi and reira = close to 28 mill
then sell mascherano for 35 mill thats a total of £63. id buy.
david silva 30mill
phillip lahm 25mill
then sell; plessies darby spearing el zhar, san jose, nemeth, (aurelio free) ngog, cava, itadange, martin gone already) that lot would get you close to £ 22 mill then buy a frontman. IS IT MUCH TO THINK THAT THE OWNERS COULD BUY US A MIDFEIELDER?
REINA
JOHNSON CARRAGHER AGGER LAHM
SILVA GERRARD van der varrt
TORRES KUYT MILITO
MONEY SPENT 10 MILL ON V.D V, IF WE CAN NOT DO THAT EVEN AFTER SELLING THEN ITS GAME OVER, THESE FCUKING YANKIE CU*****
40mill pounds? 30mill? hahaha you lot are certainly a bunch of delusional northern monkeys if u ask me..
an above average defensive midfielder.. thats all he is.. 15-17mill at best..! if he was at least 30mill good.. u wont be playing the continental mickeymouse cup nx year.. duhhhhh
He should find himself a new wife if she’s to thick to learn English. It’s not exactly a very difficult language to learn, but you surely need a certain desire to learn it.
Generally agree with most comments about Masch going – if he wants to leave then let him… on his salary I would have thought he could afford some conversational English lessons for his wife!! It appears to me that after his head was turned last summer, a move to Barca is all he really wants – he was non existent for during the first quarter of last season – no point keeping him if there is no commitment – buy some quality players with the transfer fee proceeds (assuming our two blood sucking owners don’t cyphon off the money for themselves!!)
Joni> I would bet you £50, that Mascherano would sell nearer to £30M than £17M, Liverpool paid over £18M for him, and since then he’s established himself as one of the best holding midfielders in the world and also named captain of Argetina, what was it Maradonna said, Argentina is Mascherano +10 others and he’s only 25, United paid £25M for Carrick, so no more!
Option 1: Liverpool pulls out of the Premier League and enters the Argentine league next year.
Option 2: The Mascherano family get out more.
Option 3: Masch goes, and we buy Banega (if we’re feeling cheap) or de Rossi (if we’re rich) to replace him.
I’d prefer option 2.
Joni,isnt it passed your southern ponce bedtime and get mummy to read you the above article from Xile you might learn something oh and no sleeping with the light on there`s a good boy `god bless`.
To be fair to Mrs Masch, it’s always hard when you’ve got young kids – your world contracts to their needs if you allow it to, and it can be hard to break out of that if you don’t already have support networks (family, friends church/community organisations) around you. Maybe some of the other players’wives can help her make some new connections?
I think his cons outweigh his pros. He pretty much, gets booked 10 times a season, never scores and is average at passing. He is however good at the Makele role. Could get some good money for him though and invest in some creative midfield talent!!