A Robbie Fowler thread

[cobain]

"We can talk about Robbie's future at a later date, but if he scores every time he plays over the next few months, you never know."

Now that's just weak, Rafa! He has the best goalscoring ratio and he plays **** all. Scoring every time he plays? Feck off! That's just not fair to Fowler imo.

[anfieldanfield]

Absolutely a good bit of business. Essentially a stop-gap - what better stop-gap could we have found for free, who loves the club and the fans love in return? No-one. He's scored some valuable goals since he returned, especially last season, and hasn't complained at the lack of games. Bringing him back was also great for morale, both for the players and for the fans.

I'll never forget the moment he came on against Birmingham and the reception he recieved from the Kop.



When he 'scored' with that overhead kick in injury time for two or three seconds, I went absolutely mental...

[Sir Bob]

The trouble is people confuse the myth of Robbie with the player that now confronts us. He WAS a great player but now is a has been, a mere shadow of the player he once was. He's like a retired boxing great who comes out of retirement thinking he is still the boxer he once was. He may show the odd glimpse of his former glory but he's living on the past brilliance that has long since gone.

Those calling for robbie to stay are doing neither him or LFC any favours. If we want to seriously challenge for the title the Robbie of today has no place in the squad. Let him go in the summer Rafa, to the States or the lower leagues were the Robbie of today could still be a force.

Its time for him and us to move on.

[cobain]

The trouble is people confuse the myth of Robbie with the player that now confronts us. He WAS a great player but now is a has been, a mere shadow of the player he once was. He's like a retired boxing great who comes out of retirement thinking he is still the boxer he once was. He may show the odd glimpse of his former glory but he's living on the past brilliance that has long since gone.

Those calling for robbie to stay are doing neither him or LFC any favours. If we want to seriously challenge for the title the Robbie of today has no place in the squad. Let him go in the summer Rafa, to the States or the lower leagues were the Robbie of today could still be a force.

Its time for him and us to move on.

You just had to put me into reality, eh? But still, I'm in denial! He's GOD, ffs!

[rushscored4]

If his name wasnt Robbie Fowler, no one would want him near our club right now.

Fowler will score goals but other strikers offer more now. Fowler is a 3rd or 4th striker and he isn't going to get any quicker or more mobile no matter how many games he plays. The injuries, advancing years and not looking after himself have taken their toll. Legend for the club and simply the best striker I've ever seen when he was at his peak...but his time has gone.

The trouble is people confuse the myth of Robbie with the player that now confronts us. He WAS a great player but now is a has been, a mere shadow of the player he once was. He's like a retired boxing great who comes out of retirement thinking he is still the boxer he once was. He may show the odd glimpse of his former glory but he's living on the past brilliance that has long since gone.

Those calling for robbie to stay are doing neither him or LFC any favours. If we want to seriously challenge for the title the Robbie of today has no place in the squad. Let him go in the summer Rafa, to the States or the lower leagues were the Robbie of today could still be a force.

Its time for him and us to move on.

The voices of reason.

I respectfully suggest that those of you who think he is having a great season or are begging him to stay have probably only seen edited glimpses of him on TV. Seriously, ask any season ticket holder and they'll all say the same thing: they love Robbie but it's painful to watch a legend struggling like a pub player...

[Xabi_is_God]

The voices of reason.

I respectfully suggest that those of you who think he is having a great season or are begging him to stay have probably only seen edited glimpses of him on TV. Seriously, ask any season ticket holder and they'll all say the same thing: they love Robbie but it's painful to watch a legend struggling like a pub player...

thats an over reaction. he hasnt been that bad. like the other 3 strikers he is asked to do a lot of tracking back which doesnt suit him. id love if rafa gave him 3 games in a row and told him to stay up top. he'd get a hatful.
obviously not gonna happen as rafa only signed robbie as backup and he just hasnt been needed

[rushscored4]

thats an over reaction. he hasnt been that bad. like the other 3 strikers he is asked to do a lot of tracking back which doesnt suit him. id love if rafa gave him 3 games in a row and told him to stay up top. he'd get a hatful. obviously not gonna happen as rafa only signed robbie as backup and he just hasnt been needed

Having just welcomed you in the 'Chat Chat Chat' section I really don't want to be critical but I presume you fall into the category I mentioned of not having seen him 'in the flesh' this season? Honestly, I love Robbie but it's like seeing your faithful old labrador hobbling down the road. You just know Rafa's gonna take Robbie to the vets at the end of June...

[Xabi_is_God]

Having just welcomed you in the 'Chat Chat Chat' section I really don't want to be critical but I presume you fall into the category I mentioned of not having seen him 'in the flesh' this season? Honestly, I love Robbie but it's like seeing your faithful old labrador hobbling down the road. You just know Rafa's gonna take Robbie to the vets at the end of June...

saw him against arsenal in the league cup. grabbed a typical goal. it was my 1st game in 12 years - what a fookin game to pick. you can be critical all u want, i dont mind.
i see your points mate but i dont think he's had enough of a run to regain his sharpness and fitness. im not saying he deserves a run ahead of others - just that its a bit harsh judging him on the fleeting appearances he has made.
on the positive side he has 7 starts and 7 goals but i do see he is laboring on the pitch and doesnt enjoy the work that rafa expects of his strikers.
its a tough one to call in my opinion

[lfc4ever]

The broadsheets are certainly giving him plenty of coverage:

http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premiership/article2308377.ece

Fowler hopeful of new deal despite Voronin signing
By Kieran Daley
Published: 27 February 2007

Robbie Fowler is clinging to the hope of winning another Liverpool contract despite the announcement that the Ukrainian striker Andrei Voronin will be joining the club in the summer.

Fowler, 32 in April, is unsure of Rafael Benitez's plans for him when his contract runs out at the end of the season. The Liverpool manager will have large amounts of money to spend when the US-backed takeover of the club is completed, and he has signed the 27-year-old Voronin on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.

Fowler said: "I still feel I have a few years left in me, and I will be carrying on for a bit longer. I still think I've a lot to contribute as a player and I am just focusing on playing as much as I can between now and the end of the season. There is a lot to play for. Some people have mentioned me moving into coaching and I even saw a move to the USA mentioned, but I honestly haven't even thought about anything like that yet."

Fowler scored two penalties in the 4-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, only his third start of the season. But it meant he has now scored seven goals this term, to underline that although his legs may be weary, he still has finishing talent. Fowler said: "It's not easy to come back into the team when you have not played for a while and that showed in some parts of my game. I'd prefer to score from open play rather than penalties, but I will take any opportunity that comes. But I know I am not expected to start against Manchester United on Saturday, there are players coming back from injury."

Voronin has40 international caps and experience with Cologne, Mainz and Borussia Mönchengladbach. AssumingBenitez does not sell Craig Bellamy in the summer after the trouble on the club's recent Portuguese training trip, and the manager has suggested he will not, Voronin will become Liverpool's fourth striker.

That has not stopped Benitez calling Fowler the best finisher at the club. He said: "He's a really good finisher, still the best we have, and I sometimes think that if we could have Bellamy running at defenders and carrying the ball 20 yards, then turning into Fowler with the goal in sight, it would be perfect."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/sport/2007/02/27/sfnliv27.xml

Fowler pleads for encore to Anfield swansong

By Ian Winrow
Last Updated: 1:12am GMT 27/02/2007

In pics: Premiership action
Your View: Football fans' forum

Having provided Rafael Benitez with a timely reminder of his goalscoring qualities last weekend, Robbie Fowler gave his Liverpool manager another nudge by making it clear he is hoping to convince him he should be given the chance to extend his stay at Anfield beyond the end of the season.

Benitez praised Fowler's two-goal display against Sheffield United but acknowledged it was too early to discuss the player's longer-term future. With Liverpool confirming that Bayer Leverkusen's Ukraine striker Andrei Voronin will join the club this summer, the former England man's prospects of a new deal hang in the balance.

Fowler, though, believes he still has a role to play and has rejected suggestions that he is ready to bring his second spell at the club to a close.

"I know it's all a bit up in the air at the moment," Fowler, 31, said. "I've not spoken to anyone about the future and to be honest I'm still just focusing on enjoying every minute I'm at Liverpool. I'll sit down with people and think about next season when the time's right.
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"Some people have mentioned moving into coaching and I even saw a move to the USA mentioned, but I honestly haven't even thought about anything like that yet."

Much will depend on whether Benitez decides that the arrival of Voronin, 27, will provide him with sufficient forward options. More immediately, Fowler's prospects of playing some part in Saturday's visit of Manchester United could hinge on Peter Crouch's recovery from his broken nose.

Ronaldinho, meanwhile, has revealed his spectacular return to form for Barcelona last weekend was sparked by media jibes over his weight.

Photographs of the Brazilian, taken after he had removed his shirt following last week's 2-1 Champions League defeat to Liverpool, appeared to show a roll of fat around his waist, with several newspapers suggesting that his lack of conditioning was responsible for his disappointing form so far this season.

But Ronaldinho was back to his best on Sunday, setting up two goals against Athletic Bilbao and striking the woodwork before stripping to the waist at the final whistle and challenging pitchside photographers to take pictures.

"I don't have anything to hide. I always change shirts with the other players," he said. "Over the last week photos have come out insinuating I'm fat but I feel fine. I have always looked after myself and am in better shape then ever.

"With everything that has been said recently I was motivated to play even better."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premiership/liverpool/article1444353.ece

Fowler not keen to give up second Mersey beat
Oliver Kay

The leaving of Liverpool for a second time had seemed inevitable for Robbie Fowler, with at least another two centre forwards on their way to Merseyside this summer, but the former England striker is unwilling to give up on a future at his beloved Anfield without a fight.

Liverpool confirmed that they have secured a precontract agreement to sign Andriy Voronin, the Ukraine forward, on a free transfer when his deal with Bayer Leverkusen expires on July 1. With Rafael BenÍtez, the manager, also eager to explore the possibility of signing David Villa, of Valencia, or a player of similar stature, Fowler, with four months remaining on his contract, appears to be the most obvious of two strikers to leave at the end of the summer, with Craig Bellamy and Peter Crouch also vulnerable.

It felt like the start of a long goodbye as Fowler scored two penalties at the Kop end against Sheffield United on Saturday, but, while he has still to score from open play in the Barclays Premiership this season, the 31-year-old feels that he can still do a job for BenÍtez.

“I know it’s all a bit up in the air at the moment,” Fowler said of his future yesterday. “I’ve not spoken to anyone about the future and to be honest I’m still just focusing on enjoying every minute I’m at Liverpool. I’ll sit down with people and think about next season when the time’s right, but although I’m not the youngest player at the club, I’m not that old either. I still feel I’ve a few years left in me yet and I’ll be carrying on for longer.

“Some people have mentioned moving into coaching and I even saw a move to America mentioned, but I honestly haven’t even thought about anything like that yet. I still think I’ve a lot to contribute as a player and I’m just focused on playing as much as I can between now and the end of this season. There’s a lot to play for.”

While he is known to have been frustrated by his lack of opportunities this season, having scored seven goals in as many starts in all competitions, Fowler has clearly rediscovered his love of football since returning to Anfield. He contemplated early retirement during his unhappy time at Manchester City and, with a vast property empire to fall back on, it was widely presumed that he had lost the motivation to continue playing.

Now he appears ready to continue, whether at Anfield or elsewhere. On the basis of his goals record this season, he still has something to offer, even if all three of his league goals have come from the penalty spot against the same opponents, Sheffield United.

Reassuringly, perhaps, BenÍ-tez has acknowledged that Fowler’s natural goalscoring instinct sets him apart from his rivals at Anfield — Bellamy, Crouch and Dirk Kuyt. However, there has been a constant process of renewal among the playing staff since BenÍtez’s arrival in the summer of 2004, with the 16-month stay of Fernando Morientes reflecting the frequency with which the manager has chopped and changed his forward line.

That process will continue in the summer with the arrival of Voronin, who is most similar to Crouch in terms of playing style, and at least one other centre forward. Only Kuyt, of the present quartet, is certain to be at the club next season, but, if sentiment were to play any part in the process — as it often does at Anfield — Fowler’s place alongside him would be guaranteed.

[The Glove]

The only way we will see the Robbie of old is if he signs for Tranmere. His best days for us are long gone. Its been great having him here and everytime he comes off the bench you feel like he is going to do something but you end up feeling let down.

He should drop down a league or 2 and enjoy his football more, doing what he used to do best, scoring great goals. The top flight is to much for him now.

[El Jefecito]

The voices of reason.
I respectfully suggest that those of you who think he is having a great season or are begging him to stay have probably only seen edited glimpses of him on TV. Seriously, ask any season ticket holder and they'll all say the same thing: they love Robbie but it's painful to watch a legend struggling like a pub player...

Sod the voice of reason. I love God, he should stay until he needs a zimmerframe to get on the pitch.

This is a decision that needs to be made with the heart not the head.

[Johnny]

The only way we will see the Robbie of old is if he signs for Tranmere. His best days for us are long gone. Its been great having him here and everytime he comes off the bench you feel like he is going to do something but you end up feeling let down.

He should drop down a league or 2 and enjoy his football more, doing what he used to do best, scoring great goals. The top flight is to much for him now.

I agree,sadly.

[carheex]

I agree,sadly.

but he has our best goals:games ratio! if robbie's on his way to the championship, then bellamy should be on his way to stenhousemuir!

[Johnny]

but he has our best goals:games ratio! if robbie's on his way to the championship, then bellamy should be on his way to stenhousemuir!

it`s hard for me to say this because i wanted him to be the best striker we have again,score 20-30 and raise the Kop to new heights.sadly he`s lost his edge,he scored most of his goals this yr from the spot or against weak teams or both.

[The Glove]

but he has our best goals:games ratio! if robbie's on his way to the championship, then bellamy should be on his way to stenhousemuir!

So are you saying that Fowler is the best striker we have at the minute? Because if you are then I suggest you watch the game itself rather than just looking at statistics.

No one on here wants Robbie to fail but the sad fact is, he isnt good enough and all the stats in the world wont make him gain that yard of pace, lose that extra stone and get him back to being a goal machine.