Milan Jovanovic on paper could have been a great signing for Liverpool. The Serb arrived at Liverpool last summer, when Rafa Benitez was still the manager, with a reputation as an experienced international and a quick player who could play on the wing or up front. However, things haven’t worked out at Liverpool and he has hardly featured under Kenny Dalglish. But is Jovanovic a bad player or has he just been badly treated?
I don’t think with the reputation Jovanovic has, he could be accused of being a bad player. But maybe he just doesn’t fit into the vision for Liverpool that Kenny Dalglish has. Different managers have different ideas on players. In fact this is something Jovanovic has alluded to himself by stating:
“Liverpool is a club which you can’t refuse; my only regret is that the coach who brought me to Anfield left the club before my arrival.If Rafa Benitez would have stayed at Liverpool I believe everything would be different for me.”
However, there may be more to this than simply a different opinion on a player from one manager to another. It appears Jovanovic might be a bit of a bad egg, the interview he gave suggests that the team spirit at Liverpool might be better off after he leaves in the summer. Jovanovic said:
“Liverpool is such a different place. I’m here alone, without anybody. I’m just a very lonely stranger. If I wouldn’t have my wife and my kids I just couldn’t speak Serbian with anybody.”
Comments like this doesn’t suggest that this is a player willing to stay and fight for his place – but rather someone who quits when things get tough. It may well be that it was this kind of attitude that meant that Kenny Dalglish was reluctant to use him in games. It is understandable that Liverpool feel they want players that are up for the fight and wouldn’t want to use players that they feel are less reliable. But it appears that he hasn’t settled in England, so maybe Liverpool was just the wrong club for him.
So has Jovanovic been treated badly or is he just a bad egg who can’t be relied on? Attitude is very important in the game today – so players should not be involved if theirs isn’t right.
The article was written by James Kent for FootballFancast.com. Make sure to check out the latest news, blogs and podcasts at FFC – ed.
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Trust the manager! I do.
He can’t hack it….at least not with LFC. Our pass and move style doesn’t suit his play at all. He had a better chance under Hodgson. He’s a great player, but I think he’d be better suited in Germany.
Milan Jovanovic is quality player as he proved during last summer’s World Cup and during his time with Standard Liege. His goalscoring record in Belgium speaks for itself and I’m very surprised that he has not played one single match for Liverpool in his preferred and most effective role up front.
He was playing on the left for Serbia during the World Cup and even managed to score the winner against Germany. His pace and strength also makes him a decent winger and I’m sure he’s a much better option on the left than the likes of Maxi and Cole. He can at least run at defenders and whip in some crosses from the left, something which no Liverpool player can do.
Roy also opted to snub Jovanovic in order to play Ngog up front with Torres. Surely a proven Serbian international goalscorer Jovanovic could no worse than the weak and ineffective Ngog up front? What’s worse, Roy did not even once think about playing him up front, preferring to use the rubbish Ngog.
I’m surprised that Jovanovic has not been given a proper chance given his record in Belgium and his performances at the World Cup as has so far played only 10 times in the league, numerous times as a substitute. He has, however, delivered in cup games where he has scored twice in 8 games.
Recently, however, Jovanovic has not even been named on the bench despite the team’s injury problems which I find rather strange. Kenny should now give him a proper chance and a run of games on the left to see how he fares but I can’t see the manager doing that. Kenny should try to play him on the left to get him to deliver crosses to Carroll. With no other natural wide player, Jovanovic should be given a chance out wide to whip in crosses. If he does leave at the end of the season having played only 10 league games then it would be a pity and it’s very sad how he hasn’t been treated fairly.
He had plenty of chances and is a waste of space. He is not a winger and did not put in one decent cross in the games he played. He was one of the many poor players who should be sold in the summer.
You call a handful of Premier League starts and a few substitute appearances ‘plenty of chances’. He’s hardly had a chance to prove himself but still managed 2 goals in the cup games. With no natural wingers at the moment, why not give the guy a run out on the left? And surely a proven Serbian international is better than the rubbish Ngog?
Can’t hack it. He’s got pace and that’s about it.
sometimes its clear from the off wether or not someone will hack it. hes not good enough. someone said about his record in the belgian league BELGIAN league