Bye Bye Pongolle

[madskilz]

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Pongo: I will quit Anfield

By Nick Smith

FLORENT Sinama-Pongolle is ready to turn his back on Liverpool in the quest for regular first team football.

 

Whether that will be at Blackburn is still unclear as no decision has yet been made by Rovers on whether to make his loan move from Anfield permanent yet.

 

But the French striker is willing to accept that his days with Liverpool are numbered because he needs to be playing week in week out.

 

Pongolle couldn't figure for Rovers on Sunday because they were playing his current employers at Ewood but he has made six Premiership starts for Rovers in three months - already half as many as he's had with the Reds in three years.

 

Such a statistic is a good indicator as to why Pongolle would feel more comfortable with Rovers than he would under Rafa Benitez, who could exclude the 21-year-old altogether if he decides to offer Robbie Fowler a contract.

 

Pongolle said: "I'm 21 years old and I need to play. I need to enjoy my time on the pitch and have a proper experience.

 

"It's more difficult when you're sitting on the bench or you're not involved. It's frustrating because in Liverpool, whether I played well or didn't play well, I didn't know if I was going to be playing in the next game.

 

"For a striker it's really difficult because in your head it's all about confidence and that comes from scoring goals.

 

"That's why I need to start a game and not think or worry about whether I'm going to play the next game, just enjoy it and have fun.

 

"Then everything will come into place.

 

"When you're young and you're not playing it's really difficult but you learn and make sure you're ready when you get your chance.

 

"But that's what I've been dong for three years now and I would say that's what I don't want now any more.

 

"I just want to enjoy it and play with confidence, go from the start of a season and play through to the end of a season.

 

"My choice is going to be really important because next year it will be four years over here and then I'm really ready to have more games and have more impact in the Premiership."

 

Pongolle hasn't exactly set Ewood alight since coming on loan, with one goal in his seven appearances, but he has shown glimpses of forming a good understanding with Craig Bellamy.

 

He isn't concerning himself too much with assessing his record at Rovers, however, choosing instead to focus on the four remaining game of the season, starting tomorrow at Birmingham.

 

And Pongolle, who has performed impressively in the Champions League with Liverpool in the past, reckons that staying with Blackburn might not necessarily mean he has to give up on performing on that stage again.

 

"I wouldn't say it's impossible," said Pongolle. "We definitely need to win our four games but I know we can do it.

 

"We have a great team, squad and staff and the club is ready for that stage - we really, really believe we can do it.

 

"We have four big games left and none of them are easy games to play but in football no game is easy. Liverpool played well and they are a good team but we proved in the last three or months what we can do.

 

"I would be happy to say here and I'm enjoying it, but at the moment it's wait and see because nothing is really done.

 

"My first focus is the game against Birmingham then the rest of the season."

 

7:00pm today

Edited April 18, 2006 by madskilz

[CarraLegend]

 

Pongo: I will quit Anfield

 

 

Cant say that bothers me to much, isnt good enough for us imo.

[Rushian]

I like him a lot as a player but he's right, at his age he needs to start playing regularly now. If he's to stay it would only be of benefit to us and him if he was one of the four main strikers so that he's either starting or coming off the bench regularly.

[Guest Jack Bauer]

I like him a lot, but he definately needs to start playing regular football - something he definately isn't going to get here.

[lawrie]

I have a lot of sympathy for the lad really and wish him well whether he stays or leaves.

[Barnesy_10]

this confirms that he has a good attitude...

can't blame him. I do rate him though and seems devoted to his career.

Good luck to the lad.

[Benitez]

Tis probably the right time for Pongo to go! He's a decent player, but sadly for him, right place wrong time maybe, as he isn't really going to solve our striking issues!

 

But I'm sure once he gets a club where he can play on a regular basis, he'll do really well

[Mike]

we should have played him and le tallec constantly or not bought them at all

[Paul B]

we should have played him and le tallec constantly or not bought them at all

 

 

A lot to be said for that kind of thinking. Sadly, a club like Liverpool can't give anyone the luxury of time. If they could, who knows?

[Mike]

A lot to be said for that kind of thinking. Sadly, a club like Liverpool can't give anyone the luxury of time. If they could, who knows?

 

they can though Paul...look what arsenal did with fabregas for instance or toure etc

[Paul B]

they can though Paul...look what arsenal did with fabregas for instance or toure etc

 

 

Aye, good point. And Wenger rode out the storm as well. He was ridiculed in some quarters as some thought he was making excuses and I know even some Arsenal supporters wanted him out but time's proven him right. Do you think Rafa would be given that sort of time (a full season or more without challenging) to enable him to develop a truly fearsome team?

[Mike]

don't know. about a whole team of promising youngsters..but if you think you have a top young player on your hands, i suppose you have to make an executive decision and explain it to your senior players that this kid is going to get played because we think he's got what it takes and you've got to get through the pain barrier before they deliver etc...

[Guest Scot]

we should have played him and le tallec constantly or not bought them at all

 

Can't be played if they're not good enough, Mike. Might not have developed as expected.

[Paul B]

Can't be played if they're not good enough, Mike. Might not have developed as expected.

 

 

But how will you ever know if they're not good enough unless you test them regularly? And yes, they MIGHT not have developed as expected but the same can be said of Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish.

[Guest Scot]

But how will you ever know if they're not good enough unless you test them regularly? And yes, they MIGHT not have developed as expected but the same can be said of Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish.

 

First team isn't the training ground, Paul. If you demonstrate you're good enough you get picked - see Fowler, Owen, Gerrard etc.

[Guest Jack Bauer]

Fabregas had a lot of cack games for Arsenal this year and last year, like Pongolle he had a few good games as well.

[Paul B]

First team isn't the training ground, Paul. If you demonstrate you're good enough you get picked - see Fowler, Owen, Gerrard etc.

 

 

Hence my point above about the luxury of time. To be honest, I'm sand-dancing here but Mike's point is borne out very well with Arsenal's, and especially, Wenger's, decisions this year. He had faith, and that faith's been repayed. Who's to say if we'd done a season asking the fans to be patient the same thing wouldn't have happened with Liverpool?

 

Actually, I can see both points very clearly here and TBH, I could be swung by either argument.

[Falconhoof]

Fabregas always had the right attitude or it seems that way anyhow (some players like Fabregas, Gerrard, Owen, Alonso, Reina seem born 28 year old footballers), it didn't take long for Le Tallec to start questioning his manager. You can't have the right mentality to learn at that age if you can't toe the line.

 

Thats the key with the players who make it at a young age. Some of them are just focussed on their football and desperate to learn and improve. I just never got that feeling with Le Tallec, from the white boots (I know its nothing really, but that and the haircuts...its all a bit Hollywood before earning it) to the asking Rafa for more games and comments to the press. Maybe the pair of them were a bit of a pain in the a*** in training, who knows ?

Edited April 18, 2006 by Cardinal Fang

[Benitez]

Wenger didn't have much choice but to ride the storm as it where. No one else to come into the team in place of Fabregas this season really. IF Hleb hadn't been so chit for months, maybe he'd have started more games. Mind you, maybe Wenger shoulda played him through the rough times as well!

[Guest Scot]

Hence my point above about the luxury of time. To be honest, I'm sand-dancing here but Mike's point is borne out very well with Arsenal's, and especially, Wenger's, decisions this year. He had faith, and that faith's been repayed. Who's to say if we'd done a season asking the fans to be patient the same thing wouldn't have happened with Liverpool?

 

Actually, I can see both points very clearly here and TBH, I could be swung by either argument.

 

I don't disagree, mate but I think it's a little unrealistic for fans to expect young 'uns to be pitched in and be given time to adjust. It's not always available. Wenger may have seen Fabregas' quality (I saw him in the Charity Shield his first season and thought he was astonishingly good) and thought it worth persisting. Maybe GH/Rafa didn't think our lads were as good and to be honest they've not looked all that in their new environs.

[Mike]

its a tough one, you have to be fairly certain that the boy is ' a bit special ' to take the risk

[Paul B]

its a tough one, you have to be fairly certain that the boy is ' a bit special ' to take the risk

 

 

Indeed but wasn't Le Tellac dubbed "Le Talent" due to his abillities and some were referring to Pongo as the next Michael Owen. Mind you, some (no names, no pack drill) referred to Bruno Cheyrou as the next Zinedine Zidane so make of that what you will.

 

Still, you have to make a choice and put your money where your mouth is and on such decisions are reputations and careers made and ruined.

[Guest Scot]

Indeed but wasn't Le Tellac dubbed "Le Talent" due to his abillities and some were referring to Pongo as the next Michael Owen. Mind you, some (no names, no pack drill) referred to Bruno Cheyrou as the next Zinedine Zidane so make of that what you will.

 

 

 

Internet f*ckwittery that had Welsh, Raven, Potter, Partridge and Mellor painted as fabulous when they were ordinary.

[Mike]

le gems. they were supposed to be the hottest two youngsters around. if that's the case - you play em a lot or don't bother.

 

Internet f*ckwittery that had Welsh, Raven, Potter, Partridge and Mellor painted as fabulous when they were ordinary.

 

to be fair, their reputations preceeded our purchase.

[Benitez]

 

 

Still, you have to make a choice and put your money where your mouth is and on such decisions are reputations and careers made and ruined.

 

 

made it tougher I guess, that a new manager arrived during the time both of them needed to be playing games. Obviously, we don't know what would have happened to Pongo and Le Tallec if they still played for the manager that bought them.

 

But a new manager coming in, players he didn't sign, if they didn't fit into his scheme of things, then fair enough they didn't play much.

 

As i said before - right place, but wrong time for them maybe.