Crouch

[Woodsyla]

This is how to portray yourself in the public domain

 

http://msnsport.skysports.com/story/0,1952...3531847,00.html

 

Totally agree with everything he says particularly the bit where he says, do I want trophies or time on the pitch.

[Cobs]

fair play to him.

 

Treated like a dog for 18 month now. Should have sold him last summer.

 

 

shame.

[Hassony]

Isn't that simmilar to what Riise said? Riise wanted clarification about his future, and so does Crouch, why they have to speak to the press before they speak to the manager is beyond me

[Boca]

Some more from Setanta.

 

 

 

“There’s no contract on the table,” Crouch said in The Daily Mirror.

 

“I spoke to (chief executive) Rick Parry halfway through the season and that’s when there was all sorts going on with the owners and no-one knew who was going to own the club, let alone what my role at the club would be.

 

“They said they’d like to offer me a new contract and we said we’d love to talk. That was midway through the season and now we’re going to the end of the season, we will talk.

 

“It was just a five-minute chat. There was no money discussed or anything like that and everyone at Liverpool will tell you the same.

 

“At the time I wasn’t playing so there was no way I could commit and no way they could ask me to.”

[McBain]

Rafa's said more than once he's been offered a contract

 

So someone is telling porkies

[Rory Fitzgerald]

Rafa's said more than once he's been offered a contract

 

So someone is telling porkies

 

Its f'ckin Riise !

[gkmacca]

It's one of the oddest stories for some time: Rafa surprises many by buying him, keeps faith with him when he's getting terrible ridicule from the opposition fans, encourages him to develop into a remarkably able and distinctive striker and then treats him like an unwanted problem. I know other players coming in change the options, but still - from the outside at least it looks downright perverse.

[Flight]

treats him like an unwanted problem. I know other players coming in change the options, but still - from the outside at least it looks downright perverse.

 

 

I can see how you could think that but personally I think its b******s.

 

I don't believe for a second Rafa did not offer him a new contract last summer, whether he wanted Crouch to stay or just so he could get more money when selling him. Purely based on the price the club would get for selling him, it can only be down to Crouch that he only has 12 months left on his contract.

 

Its the only explanation for why he hasn't played more this term and, because of this, Rafa has been right to limit his chances.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Flight

[jimmylibel]

It's quite simple really.

 

Crouch stopped running all over the place during games. Rafa stopped picking him.

 

During his first season with us Crouch was like a lanky Kuyt (with a better touch). His second season he started playing a bit more 'within himself' and that's when he started being rested a lot more.

[Cobs]

I can see how you could think that but personally I think its b******s.

 

I don't believe for a second Rafa did not offer him a new contract last summer, whether he wanted Crouch to stay or just so he could get more money when selling him. Purely based on the price the club would get for selling him, it can only be down to Crouch that he only has 12 months left on his contract.

 

Its the only explanation for why he hasn't played more this term and, because of this, Rafa has been right to limit his chances.

 

i can see how you think that but personally i think it's bolllocks.

 

 

If Crouch was offered a contract and didn't want to sign he should have been told to find a new club there and then - but i certainly don't remember hearing of any negotiations going on between the club/his agent.

 

The fact we kept him but he hasn't signed a new contract is not a reason not to play him. That's just cutting off your nose to spite your face. Man United had similar issues with Wes Brown over a new contract - i think he's played more matches than any other player for them this year and has now signed a new deal.

 

Crouch has been bizarrely if not badly managed by Rafa.

[Guest Rafa's Receding Hairline]

f*** off riise.

 

Crouch can stay though.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Rafa's Receding Hairline

[MFletcher]

Crouch has been moved down the pecking order as better players have come in.

 

He doesn't get as much time on the pitch as he used to because he isn't good enough to justify it.

[gkmacca]

You make it all sound so simple. Many thanks.

Edited May 7, 2008 by gkmacca

[Cobs]

Crouch has been moved down the pecking order as better players have come in.

 

He doesn't get as much time on the pitch as he used to because he isn't good enough to justify it.

Voronin & Kuyt ?

 

We know Torres is No.1, Crouch knows Torres is too

 

so Crouch leaves and if/when Torres gets injured next season.......... ?

[MFletcher]

I suspect the initial plan was for Crouch to be third choice behind Torres and Kuyt this season, with Voronin being fourth choice.

 

The problems with his contract and the stories suggesting he "wasn't happy at the playing time" he was being afforded may well have caused him to drop down behind Voronin in the pecking order.

 

I'm sure there was a new contract on the table. It was clear to most that Sissoko should've been sold last summer, but Rafa convinced him to sign a new contract to maintain his value before selling him in the next window. So the same probably happened here. Crouch refused to sign, got pissy about not playing and has found himself in his current situation because of it.

[bazz]

Voronin & Kuyt ?

 

We know Torres is No.1, Crouch knows Torres is too

 

so Crouch leaves and if/when Torres gets injured next season.......... ?

 

 

Sami up front

[Cobs]

Rafa convinced Sissoko to sign

Rafa told Bellamy & Fowler to get a new club

One of the above 2 should have happened to Crouch

 

 

picking Voronin ahead of Crouch has only served to hurt the team and the club is the one now with the problem.

[Cobs]

Sami up front

 

No.19 here we come !!!

[Hassony]

Voronin & Kuyt ?

 

We know Torres is No.1, Crouch knows Torres is too

 

so Crouch leaves and if/when Torres gets injured next season.......... ?

 

Kuyt is a better player IMO, and in the current formation the only position that crouch can play in is in Torres's place, and he is not good enough to challenge for that

 

How many games has Voronin started this season compared to Crouch?

[jimmylibel]

Kuyt is a better player IMO, and in the current formation the only position that crouch can play in is in Torres's place, and he is not good enough to challenge for that

 

How many games has Voronin started this season compared to Crouch?

 

Oh I know the answer to that one.

 

Too many

[Cobs]

Kuyt is a better player IMO, and in the current formation the only position that crouch can play in is in Torres's place, and he is not good enough to challenge for that

As a stiker i'd say definitely not - but Kuyt has found his position at RM to get in the side and he's certainly more suited to that than Crouch. Crouch has publicly admitted Torres is the main man but we haven't played one up top all season.

 

How many games has Voronin started this season compared to Crouch?

 

dunno - i'm more livid at every game he's started at the expense of Crouch

[MFletcher]

Voronin has only started seventeen games all season though.

[Tones]

Voronin has only started seventeen games all season though.

 

Came on in a couple of big games ahead of him though. We have been chasing many games this season and many would think Crouch would have been the ideal man to put on but Rafa thinks different. Obviously not going to argue with Rafa but when Crouch sees that happening, you couldnt blame him for leaving.

[Benitez]

Isn't that simmilar to what Riise said? Riise wanted clarification about his future, and so does Crouch, why they have to speak to the press before they speak to the manager is beyond me

 

 

What does Riise want clarifying?

[jimmylibel]

Voronin has only started seventeen games all season though.

 

There is no way, absolutely no feckin way, you should be including the word 'only' in that post.

 

17 games... no wonder we've had the season we've had.