Xabi Alonso interview

[Shaggy]

It just means less than average though. What's the complication?

Par isn't average in golf, it's a standard. Only being "below standard" is a good thing.

Anyway it's no biggie.

[CJ]

i dont meet the standard then

[dww]

Barry is widely ridiculed now and I don't get it to be honest. He had a purple patch for a couple of seasons at Villa and he totally out performed Alonso. We all know Xabi is a far better footballer but Barry's still a good player, despite the fashionable derision he comes in for.

Come to think of it the ridicule aimed at Barry probably goes back to the World Cup...the big thing about his fitness and importance to England, and his subsequent rubbish performances when he clearly wasn't fit. Being hopelessly outpaced by Ozil probably has a lot to do with it too.

I think he shares with most of the England team a pretty poor grasp of tactics and a daft gung-ho attitude. He should never have been as high up the pitch as he was against Germany, but then he also had a right to expect better cover. I think Rafa would have helped him a lot, much as he did Gerrard in terms of awareness.

He's been solid for City too.

Never in Alonso's class but I think the idea was to change the way we played and he was never meant to be a direct one for one replacement (even if he was slated to take Xabi's place in the line up).

[dww]

Haha I've often wondered about that. Below par in golf is great, below par in everything else is somehow bad.

I think it's probably a phrase that pre-dates golf - par is latin for even.

[Suarez]

I don't get this bit at all. Not just with Xabi but with any footballer in general. Do you think Gerrard would stay here if he were told we could only afford him 60k a week? Definitely not.

I don't think any club or fans can expect a player to put his life/family in line just to play for the club to 'appease' the fans.

FYI, I don't think he's making significantly much more than what he did at Liverpool. And about the drop in his form, give me a flipping break, there were other players who did far worse in that period.

If I remember correctly, Xabi was immense during the 2nd half of the 07-08 season and our change to 4-2-3-1 which accommodated all Gerrard,Masch and Alonso into the team is what revitalized us and he was very good once we changed the formation.

A few points.

Do we think any top player would stay here for £60k a week? The answer to that is sadly a resounding no as players have lost touch with reality, have obscene levels of greed and exude everything that is wrong about capitalism.

With a comment like "I don't think any club or fans can expect a player to put his life/family in line just to play for the club to 'appease' the fans", you are either a premier league player yourself or you have obscene levels of wealth, because believe me, you are not putting your family at risk by only earning £60k a week. If a man cannot provide a fantastic life for his family on £60k a week there is something seriously wrong with the man. If the family is unhappy, that I can understand, but Alonso always said how happy his family were.

I don't have a problem with Alonso moving, I have a problem with Alonso blaming it all on Rafa's pursuit of Barry when he was already moaning way before that about being out of pocket due to the pound/euro conversion rates. Rafa would've known this, so who's not to say that Rafa only started looking for an alternative because he knew very well that Xabi was already looking to get out to earn his extra few thousand pound in Spain because he was behind on his electric bill and couldn't feed his kids?

If Alonso was honest about his move (he wanted to play for RM and have the extra money) I'd still say he was a greedy git, but that would be it. Imo, he's dishonest, greedy and taking us for mugs with these comments.

[The Birdman]

You've done well to take it round the houses here.

I said that i think Barry is far inferior to Alonso, and it's of no real relevance if "O'Neil, Benitez, Capello and Mancini all seem to think he's a very good footballer" because that has nothing to do with what i said.



With all due respect, just because some may not have seen it, that others did doesnt make them liars.

It's easy to be smart and clever with hindsight Craig.
If you are trying to kid everyone that in Alonso's first few seasons here you knew he was capable of the sustained level of performance that he put in over the last season then you are talking bollocks.
Because as has already been posted we couldn't give him away in that summer before his last season, no-one would give us our money back on him so if you are saying that you knew better than the whole of world football then you are clearly wasted trying to cause an arguement with everyone on the internet.
I suggest you get a cv up together and get yourself a job as some footballing clairvoyant

[destinydude]

A few points.

Do we think any top player would stay here for £60k a week? The answer to that is sadly a resounding no as players have lost touch with reality, have obscene levels of greed and exude everything that is wrong about capitalism.

With a comment like "I don't think any club or fans can expect a player to put his life/family in line just to play for the club to 'appease' the fans", you are either a premier league player yourself or you have obscene levels of wealth, because believe me, you are not putting your family at risk by only earning £60k a week. If a man cannot provide a fantastic life for his family on £60k a week there is something seriously wrong with the man. If the family is unhappy, that I can understand, but Alonso always said how happy his family were.

I don't have a problem with Alonso moving, I have a problem with Alonso blaming it all on Rafa's pursuit of Barry when he was already moaning way before that about being out of pocket due to the pound/euro conversion rates. Rafa would've known this, so who's not to say that Rafa only started looking for an alternative because he knew very well that Xabi was already looking to get out to earn his extra few thousand pound in Spain because he was behind on his electric bill and couldn't feed his kids?

If Alonso was honest about his move (he wanted to play for RM and have the extra money) I'd still say he was a greedy git, but that would be it. Imo, he's dishonest, greedy and taking us for mugs with these comments.

And all this is coming from Torres

First things first. That 30% contarct down. Euro pound etc was in June 2009 when the season was over. The season before is when we tried to sell him. So get a fckn grip mate.

Next, it's not about not running your family with 60k a week. It's about being underpaid and undervalued. There are a lot of clubs who are willign to pay more for the same services as they appreciate those services.

It's your fault for being emotionally attached to part timers be it managers or players. I'm not on obscene amounts of money. Infact I get paid a lot less.

I just don't understand the 'He just doesn't love the club. He's moving on for more money'. Of course sweet heart how about the club pay him what he's worth even if it's an obscene amount that either of us can only dare to dream of.

Also just because he said his family were happy doesn't mean he shouldn't be moving on. Esp when a bid from a top club from his native country comes in and he already made plans for marriage and starting up a family there.

[Suarez]

And all this is coming from Torres

First things first. That 30% contarct down. Euro pound etc was in June 2009 when the season was over. The season before is when we tried to sell him. So get a fckn grip mate.

Next, it's not about not running your family with 60k a week. It's about being underpaid and undervalued. There are a lot of clubs who are willign to pay more for the same services as they appreciate those services.

It's your fault for being emotionally attached to part timers be it managers or players. I'm not on obscene amounts of money. Infact I get paid a lot less.

I just don't understand the 'He just doesn't love the club. He's moving on for more money'. Of course sweet heart how about the club pay him what he's worth even if it's an obscene amount that either of us can only dare to dream of.

Also just because he said his family were happy doesn't mean he shouldn't be moving on. Esp when a bid from a top club from his native country comes in and he already made plans for marriage and starting up a family there.

"Get a fkin grip", was there really any need for that

Well, if that was after we tried to sell him on fair enough, but the fact that he felt he needed to raise the issue in the media indicates to me that it was a major factor for him and shows he's a greedy little git. You may not agree but I think its sick that a premiership footballer has the audacity to complain about money.

Underpaid and undervalued? I say that they're all overpaid. Its a matter of opinion, but a surgeon can get paid 100,000 a year, a man running up and down a field kicking a ball can get that much in a week. Whilst people are prepared to pay them that you can argue thats what they're worth, but when you put it into perspective its bloody daft. Its not their fault of course, but don't complain about it.

Who says I'm emotionally attached? I'm giving an opinion on this thread that I don't think it was all down to Rafa, that part of the reason was money, part was that he wanted to go to RM, and part was down to Rafa, but he never mentions the financial side of things does he. I'd have a lot more respect if he was a little more honest. As far as football goes I'm probably one of the least emotionally attached guys on here as my love for football is a tiny fraction of what it once was. Money has ruined the game imo, the players are so far apart from the fans now its hard to give a **** about any of them.

[destinydude]

"Get a fkin grip", was there really any need for that

Well, if that was after we tried to sell him on fair enough, but the fact that he felt he needed to raise the issue in the media indicates to me that it was a major factor for him and shows he's a greedy little git. You may not agree but I think its sick that a premiership footballer has the audacity to complain about money.

Underpaid and undervalued? I say that they're all overpaid. Its a matter of opinion, but a surgeon can get paid 100,000 a year, a man running up and down a field kicking a ball can get that much in a week. Whilst people are prepared to pay them that you can argue thats what they're worth, but when you put it into perspective its bloody daft. Its not their fault of course, but don't complain about it.

Who says I'm emotionally attached? I'm giving an opinion on this thread that I don't think it was all down to Rafa, that part of the reason was money, part was that he wanted to go to RM, and part was down to Rafa, but he never mentions the financial side of things does he. I'd have a lot more respect if he was a little more honest.

Hardly his fault when he answers honestly when he was asked about it.

Either way you don't get the point. If a bunch of guys are overpaid and a subset of them are underpaid by those standards, obviously they'd be pissed off.

Most good players move because they feel the necessity, the money is always a benefit that accompanies it. Trust me, after the season he's had, we'd defo have given him as much as Madrid offered him.

Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo moved because of the money? Absolutely not.

The moment you stop thinking about money, things will be much more clear for you. I didn't blame Rafa for Xabi's loss. I knew he would move eventually like Torres did and I've no problem with it.

Did we get the right money from the sale? Yes.
Was the player respectful through out the sale? Yes

What else do you want? Did he blame Rafa in the interview? Absolutely not

All he said was that he was told he'd be sold and he looked for his options. You don't come back a year later and say "yea please stay". It doesn't work that way with many.

What guarantee was there that Rafa wouldnt sell him the next season? He wanted to move on to a place where he was wanted and he left.

[Tee]

Interview with Xabi - 10pm tonight (Sunday) on LFCtv.

Cannot wait for this. Legend.

From the offal:

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/lates...onso-exclusive

10pm Sunday: Alonso exclusive

He's the midfield maestro who the Kop took to their hearts and while he may have long-departed for Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso's Liverpool love affair is far from over as he reveals in a world exclusive interview with LFC TV to be aired this Sunday.

The Spanish World Cup winner recently invited presenter Claire Rourke to Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu for an in-depth chat about all things LFC.

The 29-year-old's memories of our 2005 Champions League final victory in Istanbul took the internet by storm when they were published on Liverpoolfc.tv on the sixth anniversary of the triumph last month - but that's only a small portion of it.

From his perpetual love for the Reds and the supporters, through to those difficult final days at Anfield when he decided it was time to bid farewell to Merseyside, Xabi speaks candidly throughout the half-hour interview.

Talking about his departure to Real for the first time since the transfer in the summer of 2008, Alonso answers all of the questions fans have been desperate to ask, such as whether he would ever consider coming back to Liverpool.

The show will air for the very first time on LFC TV on Sunday, June 5 at 10pm BST - so make sure you're tuned in for an interview you won't want to miss.

[Daniel 7]

Probing questions aplenty then. Like

"What did it mean for you to play for Liverpool?" or

"How much do the Liverpool fans mean to you as a player?" or

"That must have been great when they sang about sticking Gareth Barry up their arse?"

[Fredo]

Oh, it certainly will be one when we'll learn a load of things, not about the usual things we already know. It'll be everything but predictable, looking forward to see this.

*Puts alarm on*

[Vermilion]

Probing questions aplenty then. Like

"What did it mean for you to play for Liverpool?" or

"How much do the Liverpool fans mean to you as a player?" or

"That must have been great when they sang about sticking Gareth Barry up their arse?"

[Charly]

Regardless of why he went, Rafa ****ed up.

His downfall can be traced back to the moment that Alonso left. The team was never the same again. We went from being a good tip to win the league to midtable. A downward spiral, to a complete freefall.

Rafas mistake was to underestimate Alonsos importance. He was the lynchpin, and didnt bother replacing him like for like. Tactics are what got us to the brink, and Rafa decided to change up. He obviously had an idea in his head, but the results were disasterous.

You can call it a lack onf money, but Rafa (or was it Parry) still spent enough to have taken us forward. But we just went from one bad signing to another. Houllier never recovered from Diao and Diouf. Rafa never recoverd from Keane and Aquilani.

I know there was a lot of politiking goingon, but I truely believe Rafa still could have taken us to the top had we spent more wisely, or kept Alonso.

[Daniel 7]

Alonso wanted to go, the owners wanted the money. There was more to it than Rafa making a mistake with him.

Rafa was always in a situation where he had to sell to buy. He had earmarked Jovetic and Barry to take the team forward but had to sell Alonso to get them. He ended up with neither and Robbie Keane. Purslow also reallocated transfer funds for signing on fees for contract renewals. It was all ****ed.

He would never have had to sell Alonso if we weren't owned by Hicks and Gillett.