Eto'o Want's To Play With Along With Stevie Apparently...

[RafaShanks]

ETO'O: I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY WITH STEVIE G

 

EXCLUSIVE

 

By Darren Lewis

 

05/04/2007

 

BARCELONA striker Samuel Eto'o has given Liverpool fans the first hint he could be attracted by the new-found riches of Rafael Benitez.

 

The Cameroon hitman is the top target for the Reds following the the multimillion pound investment of new American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks.

 

Widely viewed as one of the best strikers in world football, 26-year-old Eto'o was missing with a knee injury when Liverpool dumped Barca out of the Champions League. But he admits he is a big fan of Anfield skipper Steve Gerrard, Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and the Premiership.

 

Eto'o said: "I like Liverpool's courage. They have a big red heart. They showed that against us. We did not underestimate them. You have to recognise that in the two games, Liverpool played extremely well. They defend well and are organised. I like Gerrard. He runs a lot. He does everything well.

 

Gerrard is the best English player. No, change that, at the moment he is the best player in England."

 

Eto'o told Four Four Two magazine: "I watch English football. I like the crowd because it is always close to the pitch and the stadiums are always full.

 

"It's not always like that in Spain. We played at Anfield and it was very loud, with lots of different songs. I like that. Football is different in England. It has a place in English hearts." Eto'o also admitted that his love for English football extended outside Merseyside when asked about his top three strikers.

 

He replied: "Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry and Thierry Henry.

 

"He is a great player. He is number one of the great players. Great players score goals and for me he is above everybody."

 

But Eto'o claims he is not actively seeking a move from Barcelona, and added: "I have a contract here until 2010 and I am happy with that."

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_...-name_page.html

[Magic8Ball]

if Eto'o really wanted to play for Liverpool he would have an escape clause in his contract allowing him to move to Liverpool for less than his full transfer value eg Bellamy

[tag]

Rafa's War Chest = Eto'o + Henry in the summer!!

[DJM]

Only sign boyhood fans

[McBain]

Interviewer: Do you like Liverpool?

Eto'o: Yes

 

Daily Mirror: Eto'o in Kop come and get me plea. Rafa to use summer warchest

Edited April 5, 2007 by Mcbain

[DJM]

Interviewer: Do you like Liverpool?

Eto'o: Yes

 

Daily Mirror: Eto'o in Kop come and get me plea.

 

[Cunny]

Interviewer: Do you like Liverpool?

Eto'o: Yes

 

Daily Mirror: Eto'o in Kop come and get me plea. Rafa to use summer warchest

 

 

that's how journalism works

here's your NUJ badge

[Guest Prongsy]

If you read the actual inteview, he first asks why he would ever want to move from Barca, look at the place I live, look at my life style etc

 

More spin spin spin.

[Leo No.8]

If you read the actual inteview, he first asks why he would ever want to move from Barca, look at the place I live, look at my life style etc

 

More spin spin spin.

 

Exactly - of all the things to miss out, he misses out the bit where Eto'o says 'I like English football but look at who I play for, look at my lifestyle - why would I want to leave?' which to me (particularly the 'lifestyle' bit) completely rules the move out.

 

Having seen the full interview this is a great example of just how much papers twist these articles. Next time anyone sees controversial stuff written about a Liverpool player they'd do well to remember this...

[honourablegeorge]

Exactly - of all the things to miss out, he misses out the bit where Eto'o says 'I like English football but look at who I play for, look at my lifestyle - why would I want to leave?' which to me (particularly the 'lifestyle' bit) completely rules the move out.

 

 

Funny enough - he didn't want to leave Mallorca either, because of the "lifestyle" - he apparently had free reign of the local strip clubs.

[Sion]

I'm sorry as much as i'd love it to be true, i'd say there's about a 5% chance of him signing for us. If he did want to come (and it's a big IF - swapping Los Ramblas for Albert Dock) there's still the small matter of what price - IMO the World's best striker - with 3 years left on his contract - would command. Gotta be above £30m for sure. Then there's the wages, and the fact he seems to have a bit of a poor attitude (Fighting with the manager).

[cymrococh]

Funny enough - he didn't want to leave Mallorca either, because of the "lifestyle" - he apparently had free reign of the local strip clubs.

I bet scouse girls are filthier than Catalunyan ones.

[Rich Gobey]

I'm sorry as much as i'd love it to be true, i'd say there's about a 5% chance of him signing for us. If he did want to come (and it's a big IF - swapping Los Ramblas for Albert Dock) there's still the small matter of what price - IMO the World's best striker - with 3 years left on his contract - would command. Gotta be above £30m for sure. Then there's the wages, and the fact he seems to have a bit of a poor attitude (Fighting with the manager).

 

6%

[Cobs]

utter bullschit tabloid story, ripped off someone elses interview yet called an exclusive

[Kahnee]

utter bullschit tabloid story, ripped off someone elses interview yet called an exclusive

 

No one else ripped it off and claimed it as their own = exclusive for the paper that did

[Andy-oh-six]

Widely viewed as one of the best strikers in world football, 26-year-old Eto'o was missing with a knee injury when Liverpool dumped Barca out of the Champions League.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_...-name_page.html

 

surely he went missing.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Andy-oh-six

[Lee W]

Lewis is one of, if not the worst footy 'journo' around.

 

Clueless t***.

[AnfieldCop]

The following quotes are from Shanklygates. I find it quite interesting. Rafa doesn't deny his interest in Eto'o, and his last words (at the moment it means nothing) sounds interesting.

 

 

Benitez responds to Eto'o speculation

 

By James Carroll

Date: 5/4/2007

 

Rafael Benitez today responded to quotes from Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o in which the striker claimed that he'd like to play alongside Steven Gerrard.

 

 

Benitez is expected to be given strong backing in the transfer market this summer from the Reds' new American owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett and Eto'o has been linked with a summer switch to Anfield in the media.

 

The Liverpool manager did not rule out a move for the Cameroon international but added that any links are speculation at present.

 

"Samuel is very clever, normally everyone wants to play alongside Steven Gerrard or Xabi Alonso." said Benitez.

 

"But we can talk about players in the next few months. Samuel Eto'o is a good player, and so is Stevie. It would be normal they would want to play together. But it is just speculation, at the moment it means nothing ."

[Cobs]

"Samuel is very clever, normally everyone wants to play alongside Steven Gerrard or Xabi Alonso." said Benitez.

 

"But we can talk about players in the next few months. Samuel Eto'o is a good player, and so is Stevie. It would be normal they would want to play together. But it is just speculation, at the moment it means nothing ."

 

 

 

[CarraLegend]

The following quotes are from Shanklygates. I find it quite interesting. Rafa doesn't deny his interest in Eto'o, and his last words (at the moment it means nothing) sounds interesting.

 

He's probably the best striker in the World of course he'll be interested if he was available. Getting him is an entirely different matter though.

[Mad_Fer_It]

I don't like him personally, but he is a hell of a player...

I guess it's what we need, but he is a trouble maker no doubt about that...

But things will probably be calmer for him at liverpool without the huge amount of journalist that attend barca training, games, etc.....

[AnfieldCop]

He's probably the best striker in the World of course he'll be interested if he was available. Getting him is an entirely different matter though.

 

I agree, but if Rafa thought it would be impossible to buy him I think he would have denied it. Anyway I know it is a stupid to analyse every word Rafa says. Time will tell.

[Mr Makaveli]

From what I've read about Eto'o's comments, I'd be thinking he is more thinking that He'd like to work along side Gerrard at Barcelona.. never know though. It is very important that we win the CL again this year... for more than the obvious reasons... top players will see that we'd have done it 2 times in 3 years and EVERYBODY wants to have a CL winners medal.

Edited April 5, 2007 by Mr Makaveli

[Guest prophet]

Eto'o.....Ato'o.......Who?.........Sam Eto'ooooooo

[Koller49]

Eto'o is joining and Crouch is going to Villa.. it's nailed on, Steve McManaman told me.