Ifs, buts and maybes...

[jonesie]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/05/24/the-seven-stars-who-got-away-from-liverpool-100252-20966245/

The seven stars who got away from Liverpool
May 24 2008 by Tony Barrett, From the place that's making me work on Bank Holiday Monday.

A SOBERING thought from Wednesday’s Champions League final (as if anyone needed another one).

No fewer than seven of the players on show could have been Liverpool players had the club matched the ambition of Chelsea and Man United.

Petr Cech was scouted by Gerard Houllier’s regime but that initial interest was never followed up.

Michael Essien also caught the Frenchman’s eye but without the necessary finances Houllier had to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.

Rio Ferdinand was coveted before he moved from West Ham to Leeds but the £12.5m asking price was considered too high at a time when Houllier had to bolster several positions in his squad.

Nemanja Vidic was a target of Rafa Benitez having impressed for Serbia against Spain in World Cup qualifying games only for Liverpool to miss out when Man United entered the race for his signature and cranked up the price.

John Terry was briefly made available by a then cash strapped Chelsea in 2003 and Houllier was keen to bring him to Anfield only for a change of ownership at Stamford Bridge to thwart him.

Nicolas Anelka was desperate to become a Liverpool player after a successful loan spell but Houllier ditched his fellow countryman in favour of El Hadji Diouf.

And, most famously of all, Liverpool led the race for Cristiano Ronaldo and could have signed him for just £4m and a four-year contract worth £1m a year only for Houllier and Phil Thompson to decide that those figures were too high for an 18-year-old who was unproven in the Premier League.

So when people claim Liverpool aren’t that many signings away from being genuine title challengers they’re not wrong – the only problem is they’ve already seen seven such players slip through their fingers.

There was also a eighth on display, but the less said about him the better.

Florent Malouda may well be another one who got away but that looks more and more like a lucky escape with every passing game.

[Tee]

Hindsight hey......

[Leyton388]

oh **** off make us feel better why dont you

[bobbyfallon]

oh **** off make us feel better why dont you

torres babel macherano lucas agger skytel ........... that help???

[slimbimjim]

and to make you feel even better we almost signed Lee Bowyer...

[Johnny]

And Damian Duff.

[Leyton388]

torres babel macherano lucas agger skytel ........... that help???

YES thank you much better now

[jonesie]

oh **** off make us feel better why dont you

Not depressed because I didn't watch a single second of the final.

Who won by the way?

[Ketario]

Not depressed because I didn't watch a single second of the final.

Who won by the way?

If you believe Sky and Keys, football was the winner and the final helped feed the world and bring peace to the middle East.

[Joe King]

If you believe Sky and Keys, football was the winner and the final helped feed the world and bring peace to the middle East.

And solve global warming.

[Cormack74]

I thought we did actually have a bid in for Ronaldo which the scum topped by £8m ??

[Leyton388]

I thought we did actually have a bid in for Ronaldo which the scum topped by £8m ??

We did, however ronaldo wanted £1m a year or signing on fee and houllier and parry stalled on the deal as we always do and nited came in with a 10m+ offer and he went to united. If parry and houllier had snapped him up as soon as he would be wearing the red of liverpool today. Shame Him and Torres up top would win us the league but he is still a cunt.

[Leyton388]

I thought we did actually have a bid in for Ronaldo which the scum topped by £8m ??

We did, however ronaldo wanted £1m a year or signing on fee and houllier and parry stalled on the deal as we always do and united came in with a 10m+ offer and he went to united. If parry and houllier had snapped him up as soon as he would be wearing the red of liverpool today. Shame Him and Torres up top would win us the league but he is still a cunt.

[Joe King]

Jonesie been doing the background research for Barrett's article, I see.

[El Jefecito]

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liver...0252-20966245/

The seven stars who got away from Liverpool
May 24 2008 by Tony Barrett, From the place that's making me work on Bank Holiday Monday.

A SOBERING thought from Wednesday’s Champions League final (as if anyone needed another one).

No fewer than seven of the players on show could have been Liverpool players had the club matched the ambition of Chelsea and Man United.

Petr Cech was scouted by Gerard Houllier’s regime but that initial interest was never followed up.

Michael Essien also caught the Frenchman’s eye but without the necessary finances Houllier had to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.

Rio Ferdinand was coveted before he moved from West Ham to Leeds but the £12.5m asking price was considered too high at a time when Houllier had to bolster several positions in his squad.

Nemanja Vidic was a target of Rafa Benitez having impressed for Serbia against Spain in World Cup qualifying games only for Liverpool to miss out when Man United entered the race for his signature and cranked up the price.

John Terry was briefly made available by a then cash strapped Chelsea in 2003 and Houllier was keen to bring him to Anfield only for a change of ownership at Stamford Bridge to thwart him.

Nicolas Anelka was desperate to become a Liverpool player after a successful loan spell but Houllier ditched his fellow countryman in favour of El Hadji Diouf.

And, most famously of all, Liverpool led the race for Cristiano Ronaldo and could have signed him for just £4m and a four-year contract worth £1m a year only for Houllier and Phil Thompson to decide that those figures were too high for an 18-year-old who was unproven in the Premier League.

So when people claim Liverpool aren’t that many signings away from being genuine title challengers they’re not wrong – the only problem is they’ve already seen seven such players slip through their fingers.

There was also a eighth on display, but the less said about him the better.

Florent Malouda may well be another one who got away but that looks more and more like a lucky escape with every passing game.

When you add to that the players we've missed out on due to not having the cash, such as, Alves, Simao, Milito, among many. You really do begin to understand exactly how much of an uphill struggle Rafa has had to face.