Benitez has a duty to put England first

[Earl Hafler]

Garth Crooks is the only one in the media

 

What a terrifying thought

[Guest Sabre]

The only thing he is right about is that Gerrard would be upset watching the tournament at home. However, pointing the finger at Rafa is just pathetic. There is more to England than Stevie and what he should be doing is looking at the reasons why SCS is failing to deliver.

[_00_deathscar]

Rafa is putting England first - hence why Carra and Crouch were rested yesterday

[McBain]

Where's Harold Shipman when you need him

[Knox_Harrington]

The only thing he is right about is that Gerrard would be upset watching the tournament at home. However, pointing the finger at Rafa is just pathetic. There is more to England than Stevie and what he should be doing is looking at the reasons why SCS is failing to deliver.

England shouldn't be in a position where:

 

a) They need to win at all costs against Israel

b) They need Gerrard to make it happen for them.

 

It's only f***ing Israel. Can see why you want your best players for Russia but the only reason England are so reliant on Gerrard for the Israel game is their and their manager's own shortcomings.

[Rimbeux]

senile fool

[Lee W]

England, McClaren and Robson can f'ck off.

[Stevie H]

senile fool

bit harsh. robson's a kindly enough old stick. and you won't find fans of any other club in england disagreeing with him. we're just biased 'cos gerrard's ours.

[Snookie]

Our Irish fans generally seem to give a damn about the Republic's fortunes, which is up to them - but the Republic doesn't carry the same heinous baggage with it that Team Eng-er-lund does.

 

I can't or don't want to speak for anyone else but while there are a lot of things I like about the Irish team, I neither love nor care about it in the way I care about LFC. You're absolutely right about it not carrying the baggage that is associated with the Ingerlund team and for quite a lot of people I know that is very important.

 

I enjoy the Irish fan experience. I've been going to games for over 30 years. I've stood there in the pissing rain with 12,000 other people wondering if we were ever going to win again. I spent way too much time trying to work out how a team with Liam Brady, Paul McGrath, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawerson and Ronnie Whelan couldn't qualify for a tournament. I've woken up in other countries after celebrating Irish 'victories' at world cups. But I've never cared about the Irish team in the way that I care about Liverpool.

 

Supporting Ireland isn't really 'a choice'. I live here. I, on the whole, like bits of being Irish and Irish sports culture but supporting LFC requires a choice. It involves a commitment to a philosophy of football, to a sense of how the game should be played, to a clearly defined sense of what is the relationship between fans and players and so on. Maybe that's what makes it different...

 

Anyway, Robby Bobson is a football gentleman but the article is patent nonsense. Obviously it isn't written by him and the ghost writer at the Mail has done his best to articulate every little ingerlander's maturbatory ideas of what 'playing for ingerland is supposed to be about'. If it wasnt for those dirty foreigners coming over here, taking our money and not being grateful...' etc England would have won the World Cup for the last 40 years and so on.

 

If Rafa withdrew Steve Finnan from the Irish squad because he was concerned he might be kidnapped and forced to join the Christian Brothers, I'd have no problems. Liverpool winning is far more important.

[Benzo-13]

I can't or don't want to speak for anyone else but while there are a lot of things I like about the Irish team, I neither love nor care about it in the way I care about LFC. You're absolutely right about it not carrying the baggage that is associated with the Ingerlund team and for quite a lot of people I know that is very important.

 

I enjoy the Irish fan experience. I've been going to games for over 30 years. I've stood there in the pissing rain with 12,000 other people wondering if we were ever going to win again. I spent way too much time trying to work out how a team with Liam Brady, Paul McGrath, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawerson and Ronnie Whelan couldn't qualify for a tournament. I've woken up in other countries after celebrating Irish 'victories' at world cups. But I've never cared about the Irish team in the way that I care about Liverpool.

 

Supporting Ireland isn't really 'a choice'. I live here. I, on the whole, like bits of being Irish and Irish sports culture but supporting LFC requires a choice. It involves a commitment to a philosophy of football, to a sense of how the game should be played, to a clearly defined sense of what is the relationship between fans and players and so on. Maybe that's what makes it different...

 

Anyway, Robby Bobson is a football gentleman but the article is patent nonsense. Obviously it isn't written by him and the ghost writer at the Mail has done his best to articulate every little ingerlander's maturbatory ideas of what 'playing for ingerland is supposed to be about'. If it wasnt for those dirty foreigners coming over here, taking our money and not being grateful...' etc England would have won the World Cup for the last 40 years and so on.

 

If Rafa withdrew Steve Finnan from the Irish squad because he was concerned he might be kidnapped and forced to join the Christian Brothers, I'd have no problems. Liverpool winning is far more important.

 

Agree a lot with that.

The idiots at the F.A. only add to the apathy too..

[Rimbeux]

bit harsh. robson's a kindly enough old stick. and you won't find fans of any other club in england disagreeing with him. we're just biased 'cos gerrard's ours.

 

 

Either he's been badly edited or he's missed the point and is perpetuating the idea that we have it as Gerrard being ok to play for us but not for England. The major thing that he's avoiding or forgetting is that he's been out of our last three games, wiil probably be a month between appearances for us, but he and others just go on about him playing against Chelsea two weeks ago.

 

I also happen to agree with the principals at Newcastle and Man U being annoyed with Owen and Rooney especially being pushed to play when not fit last summer, when they would not have been made to play for their clubs. It's not that I place one above the other, club and country, just expect the national team boss to at least reciprocate the club boss in how they manage a players fitness.

Edited September 2, 2007 by Rimbeux

[Stevie H]

Either he's been badly edited or he's missed the point and is perpetuating the idea that we have it as Gerrard being ok to play for us but not for England. The major thing that he's avoiding or forgetting is that he's been out of our last three games, wiil probably be a month between appearances for us, but he and others just go on about him playing against Chelsea two weeks ago.

 

I also happen to agree with the principals at Newcastle and Man U being annoyed with Owen and Rooney especially being pushed to play when not fit last summer, when they would not have been made to play for their clubs. It's not that I place one above the other, club and country, just expect the national team boss to at least reciprocate the club boss in how they manage a players fitness.

badly edited? i'd be amazed if bobby knows he's even got a newspaper column.

 

the column isn't avoiding or forgetting anything about gerrard not having played for us, they're just pushing the outdated notion that international football still means much to club fans. liverpool fans want gerrard to be left out against israel. england fans will want him to play with an injection if necessary.

[Chili Palmer]

I'm Irish and don't give a f*** about Engerland

Carra's Scouse and doesn't give a f*** about Engerland

G & H are yanks and don't give a f*** about Engerland

Rafas Spanish and...well you know the rest

 

Sir Bobby is brilliant but you have to wonder if he knows who Steven Gerrard is?

[Duncan Disorderly]

I can't or don't want to speak for anyone else but while there are a lot of things I like about the Irish team, I neither love nor care about it in the way I care about LFC. You're absolutely right about it not carrying the baggage that is associated with the Ingerlund team and for quite a lot of people I know that is very important.

 

I enjoy the Irish fan experience. I've been going to games for over 30 years. I've stood there in the pissing rain with 12,000 other people wondering if we were ever going to win again. I spent way too much time trying to work out how a team with Liam Brady, Paul McGrath, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawerson and Ronnie Whelan couldn't qualify for a tournament. I've woken up in other countries after celebrating Irish 'victories' at world cups. But I've never cared about the Irish team in the way that I care about Liverpool.

 

Supporting Ireland isn't really 'a choice'. I live here. I, on the whole, like bits of being Irish and Irish sports culture but supporting LFC requires a choice. It involves a commitment to a philosophy of football, to a sense of how the game should be played, to a clearly defined sense of what is the relationship between fans and players and so on. Maybe that's what makes it different...

 

Anyway, Robby Bobson is a football gentleman but the article is patent nonsense. Obviously it isn't written by him and the ghost writer at the Mail has done his best to articulate every little ingerlander's maturbatory ideas of what 'playing for ingerland is supposed to be about'. If it wasnt for those dirty foreigners coming over here, taking our money and not being grateful...' etc England would have won the World Cup for the last 40 years and so on.

 

If Rafa withdrew Steve Finnan from the Irish squad because he was concerned he might be kidnapped and forced to join the Christian Brothers, I'd have no problems. Liverpool winning is far more important.

 

What he said!

[urban]

According to Robson's train of argument, England would have to erect a Swedish statue if Ericsson had won the World Cup.

[Guest Ant]

I'm Irish and don't give a f*** about Engerland

Carra's Scouse and doesn't give a f*** about Engerland

G & H are yanks and don't give a f*** about Engerland

Rafas Spanish and...well you know the rest

 

Sir Bobby is brilliant but you have to wonder if he knows who Steven Gerrard is?

 

Lmfao........

[chrisbonnie]

I can't or don't want to speak for anyone else but while there are a lot of things I like about the Irish team, I neither love nor care about it in the way I care about LFC. You're absolutely right about it not carrying the baggage that is associated with the Ingerlund team and for quite a lot of people I know that is very important.

 

I enjoy the Irish fan experience. I've been going to games for over 30 years. I've stood there in the pissing rain with 12,000 other people wondering if we were ever going to win again. I spent way too much time trying to work out how a team with Liam Brady, Paul McGrath, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawerson and Ronnie Whelan couldn't qualify for a tournament. I've woken up in other countries after celebrating Irish 'victories' at world cups. But I've never cared about the Irish team in the way that I care about Liverpool.

 

Supporting Ireland isn't really 'a choice'. I live here. I, on the whole, like bits of being Irish and Irish sports culture but supporting LFC requires a choice. It involves a commitment to a philosophy of football, to a sense of how the game should be played, to a clearly defined sense of what is the relationship between fans and players and so on. Maybe that's what makes it different...

 

Anyway, Robby Bobson is a football gentleman but the article is patent nonsense. Obviously it isn't written by him and the ghost writer at the Mail has done his best to articulate every little ingerlander's maturbatory ideas of what 'playing for ingerland is supposed to be about'. If it wasnt for those dirty foreigners coming over here, taking our money and not being grateful...' etc England would have won the World Cup for the last 40 years and so on.

 

If Rafa withdrew Steve Finnan from the Irish squad because he was concerned he might be kidnapped and forced to join the Christian Brothers, I'd have no problems. Liverpool winning is far more important.

 

my sentiments exactly, being a fellow paddy as well, i watch the Irish games, mind you, since that ginger dope took over ive refused to watch them, i even gave away tickets to the wales and slovakia games in croker because of it

 

but i couldnt give a fiddlers f*** if Rafa refused to release Finnan, even if it was for a broekn nail, i feel f***ing terrible when Liverpool lose, compared to when Ireland lose

 

as much as i admire, and respect Bobby Robson for his entusiasm for football ,he really should think before he speaks, thats the biggest pile of s**** ive ever read, he claims Rafa is putting pressure on Gerrard by not releasing him, well, excuse me, but the media going on like England, a country with a population of over 60 million people, with football as their first, and national sport need 1 man to make them beat f***ing Israel, now i think THEIR the ones putting the pressure on Stevie to play,

 

sure Stevie might want to play, but im sure he`s thinking at the minute, with the way we`re playing, and the fact that yeah, we might actually win the league this season ,that he`s willing to sacrifice 2 games for Londerland, against 2, pretty s***ty nations anyway, im bloody hoping he doesnt play for these 2 games, and if he does, and comes back injured still, id never release the f***** again!!!!

[Walrus]

Gerrard fit and playing vital for Liverpool and England

Sep 4 2007

 

By Mark Lawrenson, Liverpool Daily Post

 

 

IT’S not often I’ve backed Steve McClaren’s judgement since he became England manager. But in saying he expects Steven Gerrard to feature in both of the vital forthcoming qualifiers at Wembley against Israel and Russia is a good call.

 

Not just for England – but for Liverpool as well.

 

For a start, the injury problems McClaren has had means that if there’s a chance of Gerrard being fit he will be desperate to get him in the side.

 

By the time the game comes round it will be three weeks since he played against Chelsea with an injection so he should be able to play pain-free by now.

 

If he does that this weekend and gets through 90 minutes, McClaren will have no choice but to send Gerrard out against Russia as well.

 

 

Rafael Benitez, on the face of it, might not be too chuffed about this, especially as he’s already pretty narked about having one of his early kick-offs at Portsmouth the following Saturday.

 

 

Given the mood he’s in, I wouldn’t like the job of ringing him to tell him Gerrard had aggravated his injury while on international duty. But if the Liverpool captain comes through okay it could be a big boost for the manager when his side returns to Premier League action.

 

 

Gerrard will have minutes under his belt in a highly competitive environment, so he will be match-sharp and raring to go after having to sit out the last three club games.

 

 

And with Liverpool scoring 12 goals and going top of the table – where they will still be when they go to Portsmouth in 11 days’ time – Benitez actually has little to worry about as long as Gerrard comes through the internationals unscathed.

 

 

The Spaniard knows that he now has a squad that can cope without him, maybe not long-term, but certainly in plugging the gap he has left short-term.

 

 

In fact, Gerrard couldn’t have been out at a better time because the games he and Jamie Carragher missed have provided the perfect chance for some of the new players to settle in and prove Liverpool can cope without their star Scousers.

 

 

The problem is, in the case of Gerrard anyway, I don’t think England can.

 

 

Israel are no Derby County. I watched them quite a bit when they were in Ireland’s qualifying group for the last World Cup and they easily got draws in Dublin and against France in Paris.

 

 

They did it by drowning out the midfield. They put loads of them in there, stifling possession and creativity. And they’ll do that no problem at Wembley on Saturday if England don’t have Gerrard in there.

 

 

The real key is getting players wide and this is where England can really benefit from the start Shaun Wright-Phillips has made to the season.

 

 

Him on the right, Joe Cole on the left, Gerrard going through the middle with Owen Hargreaves sitting in, and Michael Owen up front with one other is looking like McClaren’s perfect formation.

 

 

Whether Benitez likes it or not, it gives him the best chance of getting six points out of six this week and perhaps saving his job by keeping England in with a chance of qualifying.

 

 

So it’s inconceivable his final say on Gerrard will be anything other than: “Yep, you’re fit son, get your boots on.” But if Gerrard does play a part in England getting those two wins he will come back to Liverpool buzzing.

 

 

An he’ll join a squad top of the Premier League and dying to get out there to extend that lead next Saturday lunchtime.

 

 

It’s a scenario that just might work out for Benitez better than he could imagine just now.

 

 

*TALKING of agreeing with McClaren’s judgement, he got it right again yesterday by calling up Joleon Lescott. Since moving to Everton he has had little trouble making the step up to the top flight – and you can see him making a similarly effortless move to international level as well.

[JohnnyH]

I can't or don't want to speak for anyone else but while there are a lot of things I like about the Irish team, I neither love nor care about it in the way I care about LFC. You're absolutely right about it not carrying the baggage that is associated with the Ingerlund team and for quite a lot of people I know that is very important.

 

I enjoy the Irish fan experience. I've been going to games for over 30 years. I've stood there in the pissing rain with 12,000 other people wondering if we were ever going to win again. I spent way too much time trying to work out how a team with Liam Brady, Paul McGrath, David O'Leary, Frank Stapleton, Mark Lawerson and Ronnie Whelan couldn't qualify for a tournament. I've woken up in other countries after celebrating Irish 'victories' at world cups. But I've never cared about the Irish team in the way that I care about Liverpool.

 

Supporting Ireland isn't really 'a choice'. I live here. I, on the whole, like bits of being Irish and Irish sports culture but supporting LFC requires a choice. It involves a commitment to a philosophy of football, to a sense of how the game should be played, to a clearly defined sense of what is the relationship between fans and players and so on. Maybe that's what makes it different...

 

Anyway, Robby Bobson is a football gentleman but the article is patent nonsense. Obviously it isn't written by him and the ghost writer at the Mail has done his best to articulate every little ingerlander's maturbatory ideas of what 'playing for ingerland is supposed to be about'. If it wasnt for those dirty foreigners coming over here, taking our money and not being grateful...' etc England would have won the World Cup for the last 40 years and so on.

 

If Rafa withdrew Steve Finnan from the Irish squad because he was concerned he might be kidnapped and forced to join the Christian Brothers, I'd have no problems. Liverpool winning is far more important.

 

Jazus. That's actually very good. COuldn't agree more and it's exactly how I feel.

[Boca]

Finnan is injured. Nice mockering lads.

[fyds]

bit harsh. robson's a kindly enough old stick. and you won't find fans of any other club in england disagreeing with him. we're just biased 'cos gerrard's ours.

Oh, I disagree about the other clubs bit - once this was certainly true - but nowadays I know lads who support other 'Northern' clubs who frankly couldn't give a toss about England...I even know one Smoggie who thinks Downing shouldn't be picked, not because of Boro but because he's so sh*t he embarasses boro!

[Woodsyla]

Gerrard fit and playing vital for Liverpool and England

Sep 4 2007

 

It's one of Lawrenson's better articles, my concern is not if Gerrard plays for England but rather that he plays when not 100% (like he did against Chelsea). Therefore he comes back to us as damaged goods and most certainly NOT fit and raring to go. If Mclaren's job is on the line he will risk Gerrard. IMO that is not a decision that should be his to make. It should be that if Liverpool say Gerrard is fit he plays. If they say he isn't he doesn't. I fear that will not be the case.

[cymrococh]

Morning Bobby.

[honourablegeorge]

It's one of Lawrenson's better articles, my concern is not if Gerrard plays for England but rather that he plays when not 100% (like he did against Chelsea). Therefore he comes back to us as damaged goods and most certainly NOT fit and raring to go. If Mclaren's job is on the line he will risk Gerrard. IMO that is not a decision that should be his to make. It should be that if Liverpool say Gerrard is fit he plays. If they say he isn't he doesn't. I fear that will not be the case.

 

 

Gerrard has a part to play there too. The question seems to be whether or not he plays with an injection. He could say no. i suspect he won't.

[Jarg Armani]

finnan isn't really injured izzee?

 

lawro is wrong, there are no benefits for liverpool whatsoever.