Madrid get Real over Suarez swoop

[King Binny]

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has backed Luis Suarez's decision to quit Anfield this summer.

The Spain international admits he would rather the club's star striker stayed on Merseyside, but says he 'understands' his team-mate's decision to look for a move away.

Suarez rocked Liverpool by revealing he wants to leave, citing what he feels as his unfair treatment from the media as a key reason behind his decision.

And Reina admits he sympathises with the Uruguay international, saying: 'We've seen in the past that they [the media] have been difficult for him and for his family.

'To be honest, I would like for Luis to stay at Liverpool but I understand if he is thinking about leaving for a bigger club.

'When I say bigger I don't mean as a club. I mean challenging for titles, playing in the Champions League and competing with the best.

'Because of his situation and because of his treatment by the media. It would have been difficult for any player, not just for Luis, to stay strong and be happy to play.

'Hopefully, as I say, he will stay at Liverpool for many years. But I would understand, if the right offer comes for him and for the club, for him to go.'

 

[localny]

Ah thanks Jose

 

[Whirly]

Semi-related, Arsenal being linked to Higuain for £20M and 130k/week

 

[RedStar]

Not content with tapping up Fabregas for Barca, Reina now taps up our own players for Madrid, Christ is he on commission or something. What is it with footballers these days, can they not even maintain an illusion of loyalty.

 

[keniget]

What's the point?

I would rather they just be honest and he's only repeating what most fans have been saying throughout the season.

 

[Judge Jules]

I agree with RedStar. When it comes to our players I definitely wouldn't rather they just be honest. Fans saying it is one thing, but such statements coming from within the club are an entirely different matter.

 

[keniget]

I don't think it really makes much difference but it confirms for us what's said in the dressing room and what they really think of their prospects at Liverpool.

 

[Judge Jules]

It does, but I don't reckon that's anything like as important as publicly sticking together and presenting a united front.

 

[Oncy]

I dont really care what Pepe Reina says about Luis Suarez.
Its up to us to convince him to stay by demonstrating our ambition and showing that we ARE one of those clubs that want to compete.
If we cant do that I wouldnt blame any player for leaving. I would criticise any player for staying to earn a wage at a club that didnt give a fuck about putting trophies in the cabinet.
In particular the league title and European competition.
Either we get our shit together or top players will leave.

 

[Judge Jules]

True, but the point is that saying such things in public is not going to help the club achieve those aims.

 

[iseered]

True, but the point is that saying such things in public is not going to help the club achieve those aims.

Maybe it will, in a very minor, subtle way.

In general I find the hypocrisy in football to be painfully dull and predictable. Remember the 'outrage' when Drogba admitted to diving? Why? We could all see what he was doing, and very good at it he was too. How does speaking obvious truth create such offence?

 

[jexykrodic]

I think it would be better if players said nothing except for the inane stuff they've always said e.g my favourite meal is..., I drive a ...... etc etc

 

[iseered]

I think it would be better if players said nothing except for the inane stuff they've always said e.g my favourite meal is..., I drive a ...... etc etc

I just find it very boring (no doubt you do as well). Ok, I understand that players perhaps can't say whatever comes to mind ("I hate black people", "Fat people should be euthanized", etc) as they represent something bigger than themselves.

But stuff like what Reina said is harmless, and a little honesty now and then is nice.

 

[mark1975]

It's not really (though I do get your point), it just adds to the whole speculation and promotes more conjecture. It had died down a bit, this just seems to be admitting that, yes, he's interested in a move away. I don't really have much sympathy for Suarez moving because of the press. They have hounded him and victimised him, and I think Fergie and United screwed him over, but he's not really done himself any favours at times either, so he can't really use it as an excuse to jump ship, it's just a cop out.

 

[Judge Jules]

A little honesty now and then might be nice, but "nice" is a luxury that surely has to take second place to the club's effort to get back to the top, and statements like this coming from our own players are NOT "harmless". Much as we might all wish otherwise, image matters for a variety of reasons (attracting players, keeping sponsors happy etc.) and the image created by such announcements is that we accept - however temporarily - second rank status.

 

[iseered]

Like the good Herr stated above, if Suarez leaves it will have absolutely nothing to do with what Reina did or didn't say. Jules makes a fair point about image though.

 

[Frogfish]

True, but the point is that saying such things in public is not going to help the club achieve those aims.

JJ I don't think it has any effect whatsoever on anything. What Suarez wants and what the club wants are the only issues. United dressing room front or not it won't make any difference to Suarez/LFC/Real. Pepe was only stating fact ... something which anyone involved knows anyway.

 

[Frogfish]

A little honesty now and then might be nice, but "nice" is a luxury that surely has to take second place to the club's effort to get back to the top, and statements like this coming from our own players are NOT "harmless". Much as we might all wish otherwise, image matters for a variety of reasons (attracting players, keeping sponsors happy etc.) and the image created by such announcements is that we accept - however temporarily - second rank status.

Everyone can read the league table, everyone knows what we are competing for next season, everyone can see by the quality of the players we are buying / linked to where we stand in European rankings and everyone in football knows how good Suarez is and that it wouldn't be any reflection on our ambition if he were to force a move out of the club to a team competing for CL honours.

Globally we have a great image but currently we are not one of Europe's top teams, there is no shame in that. Everyone also knows we are fighting to try to get back to that elite group, but that it will take time since we don't have a billionaire's backing. Again money talks and for most players it's the clubs with the big bucks that attract the cream, again I doubt that this in any way reflects poorly on LFC as a club, it's just reality biting again.

 

[iseered]

^Basically that. Why do I have to be treated like a child who doesn't understand the above?

 

[Squiggles]

Last summer, Reina was trying to engineer a move to United. This year he's trying to do the same to Barcelona. And now, not content with that, he's suggesting our other top players do the same.

I'd like to see him sold and replaced with players who actually believe we can get get back among the top clubs.

Reina's 'objectivity' here to me is an indication that he's got very little ambition left at our club. We need younger, hungrier players. Not ones who are happy to take £100,000 a week and accept being sixth and seventh in the league.

 

[Judge Jules]

Everyone can read the league table, everyone knows what we are competing for next season, everyone can see by the quality of the players we are buying / linked to where we stand in European rankings and everyone in football knows how good Suarez is and that it wouldn't be any reflection on our ambition if he were to force a move out of the club to a team competing for CL honours.

Globally we have a great image but currently we are not one of Europe's top teams, there is no shame in that. Everyone also knows we are fighting to try to get back to that elite group, but that it will take time since we don't have a billionaire's backing. Again money talks and for most players it's the clubs with the big bucks that attract the cream, again I doubt that this in any way reflects poorly on LFC as a club, it's just reality biting again.

Not buying. The league table and rankings which everyone can read are last season's. IMO making statements based on those tables and rankings conveys a message that that's where we're content to be, or at the very least think we're going to stay for the foreseeable future. Let's agree to differ.

 

[RedStar]

What's the point?

I would rather they just be honest and he's only repeating what most fans have been saying throughout the season.

Most fans arent trousering 100k a week to represent the club, hes speaking out of turn. I understand what your saying but its certainly not helpful when players are happy to come out and act as if the club should be seen a stepping stone to Madrid or where ever

 

[Rafiagra]

Pepe needs to concentrate on not shipping goals like he did for the first half of last season, which left us playing catchup, and Suarez needs to concentrate on not getting banned for a quarter of a season every year.

Until they do, they can shut the fuck up. They are both very good players and ones we would ideally keep, but I'm less and less convinced they have the right mentality to play for us now.

We need people who are desperate to impress and nproven themselves. I wonder if Reina wold just be going through the motions now, and Suarez obviously would prefer to be elsewhere.

I suppose it's like anything new, you get that initial burst of enthusiasm but that inevitably dies down. You an talk about professionalism and maintaining standards but you need that spark ticking over.