Babel: Olympics Won't Harm Reds Future

[JPK]

Paul Eaton 19 July 2008

Ryan Babel is confident his Liverpool future won't be affected by his decision to go to the Olympics next month.
Babel has been named in the Dutch squad for the competition in Beijing and is likely to miss the first two games of the new Premier League season as well as both legs of the Champions League qualifier.

As part of their preparations for the Games, Holland face Belgium on July 23 before travelling to Hong Kong for the ING Cup.

"I'm going to the Olympics," Babel said. "I know the manager would want me to stay, but I don't think he will hold it against me.

"It's a normal reaction from the manager to want me to stay. Every manager wants to keep his players to play at the club.

"But it's not my choice and it isn't the manager's. I’m under-age, the federation needs me, and I've been called up so I have to go. It wasn't a choice for me.

"I don't think it's going to affect my career at Liverpool. The boss here knows I didn't have any choice."

Babel made his first appearance of pre-season against Lucerne in midweek after recovering from the ankle injury which ruined his dreams of playing at Euro 2008.

"I feel okay. It's not perfect yet, but the boss wanted to test me. I thought I did okay and felt confident enough. It's good to be back," he added.

"I've got over the disappointment of missing out on the European Championships. Every player wants to play in it, and when you miss out only two days before you're due to travel to the finals, it's extra disappointing.

"But I'm over that now. I'm even more motivated than before, and all I want to do now is look forward."

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N160583080719-1101.htm

How annoying is this Olympic crap. Babel seems to have no choice but if he comes back and we are going well then he wont just walk back into the side.
He has alot to prove yet and his aim this year should be to make a position his own. Javier on the otherhand is overage and does not have to go.
Love the ****er but he is wrong. Lucas is like Babel and still has alot to prove and the Olympics wont do his chances any good. Him and Javier will be back fighting for the same position and there will be only one winner.

[Marky]

...it wouldn't ****ing need to.

[vlahka]

I'm sure if you lot were playing for a team and then you had the chance to go to the OLYMPICS and play with your country, you wouldnt go. **** off with this constant crap. He can learn ALOT on things like this. Might aswell just shove him in a padded cell and not let him go anywhere while theres no games on.

And if we cant handle 2 games without Babel then we truly are a **** side.

[JPK]

I'm sure if you lot were playing for a team and then you had the chance to go to the OLYMPICS and play with your country, you wouldnt go. **** off with this constant crap. He can learn ALOT on things like this. Might aswell just shove him in a padded cell and not let him go anywhere while theres no games on.

And if we cant handle 2 games without Babel then we truly are a **** side.

I would say 2 Liverpool games are more important than any crap OLYMPICS.
It's a piece of **** competition in the football world.

[vlahka]

Again, you're not in his shoes. You'd most likely do the exact same thing he would.

[red g]

I would say 2 Liverpool games are more important than any crap OLYMPICS.
It's a piece of **** competition in the football world.

if they are under age i thought if picked they had to go?

and sorry but if your playing in a foreign land with a team you have no previous allegiance to its only natural to go and want to play for his national side

[JPK]

Again, you're not in his shoes. You'd most likely do the exact same thing he would.

We obviously disagree. Do Liverpool pay there wages when they go to the Olympics? Not directed at you Vlahka. I'm just wondering.

[vlahka]

No, I understand what you're getting at. But this is more of an emotional decision for babel. Lets say he went and liverpool fired him, there'd be a score of other teams who would pick him up and pay his wages. Some things you just cant ignore as a young player. Representing your country at the euros, world cup, or an established ancient sporting competition like the Olympic games, is pretty much an instant decision. I totally would go.

And honestly whats the WORST thing that could happen? They decide to punish him with 2 weeks wages. I'd still go. And so most likely would he. Especially since he knows he might lose his first team selection, which would be beyond STUPID if Benitez went along that line.

[EwarWoo]

I'm sure if you lot were playing for a team and then you had the chance to go to the OLYMPICS and play with your country, you wouldnt go. **** off with this constant crap. He can learn ALOT on things like this. Might aswell just shove him in a padded cell and not let him go anywhere while theres no games on.

And if we cant handle 2 games without Babel then we truly are a **** side.

If you buy top players this is the price. They get picked for their country and they go.

Few players turn down the chance of international duty, and those that do it's rarely because they decide it's more important to play for the club (even Carra, it was because he was sick of not playing, and no-one can doubt his love of the red).

[Scratch]

If Great Britain had an Olympic team, and Gerrard got picked as an overage players, you can bet your bottom dollar that he'd jump at the chance. The Olympics is a sought after medal for professional players. Heck, the co-commentator on C5 on Weds reckons that a lot of the European players would rate it on a par with the Euro Championship.

[JPK]

If Great Britain had an Olympic team, and Gerrard got picked as an overage players, you can bet your bottom dollar that he'd jump at the chance. The Olympics is a sought after medal for professional players. Heck, the co-commentator on C5 on Weds reckons that a lot of the European players would rate it on a par with the Euro Championship.

This has got to be a wind up right? An Olympic medal must be amazing for a runner,swimmer,rower and boxer etc. They start there careers with the aim of winning the ultimate medal in there sport which is the Olympics.
A footballer would hardly see this as a great win.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Again, you're not in his shoes. You'd most likely do the exact same thing he would.

Honestly, I personally wouldn't but I suppose if i was playing for Ajax and England wanted me to play then I probably would.

We are too biased because we love this club, it's not the team he grew up supporting and he wouldn't want to let his country down.

[redlancer]

This has got to be a wind up right? An Olympic medal must be amazing for a runner,swimmer,rower and boxer etc. They start there careers with the aim of winning the ultimate medal in there sport which is the Olympics.
A footballer would hardly see this as a great win.

SO footballers should just play for the world cup then?

Olympics is just one of the many medals athletes can win, granted it is the top, every athlete wants to win an Olympic medal, so why not a football player.
Olympics every 4 years and with age restrictions so chances are they'll only every get the chance to play in one.

Just to be a apart of the olympics will be something great to even just look back on.
And people would want to deny players that experience because of a couple of matches and the argument we pay thier wages, how shallow would we look.

[Craig_H]

And honestly whats the WORST thing that could happen? They decide to punish him with 2 weeks wages. I'd still go. And so most likely would he. Especially since he knows he might lose his first team selection, which would be beyond STUPID if Benitez went along that line.

Well he could get injured. That's the worst thing that could happen in footballing terms.

[vlahka]

He could get injured playing for us aswell. Only difference is if he gets injured away we can rant and rave and point fingers. But if he gets injured for us we just tuck out tails between our legs and try to stay quiet. Considering our crap injury list of last season, I'd be more confident of Babel staying fit overseas then staying fit with us.