Rafa admits

[IanTheRed]

From IcLiverpool:

[quote][b]RAFA BENITEZ today admitted he's taken 'a risk' splashing over

[IanTheRed]

And more on Pennant and his past, again from IcLiverpool:

[quote]THERE'S no escaping, Liverpool are turning into a home for reformed characters.

If Craig Bellamy is generously described as being 'misunderstood' at former clubs, there's less ambiguity on the CV of Jermaine Pennant, who arrives at Anfield requiring a level of positive PR even Saatchi and Saatchi might struggle to spin.

Pennant is one of those unique players who feels ashudder in his spine when asked what number he'd prefer.

It wasn't so long ago he was known as prisoner MX 7232, and for the second time this summer, Rafa Benitez is putting his faith in the powers of rehabilitation his recruit received at his former club.

Birmingham City offered Pennant a lifeline when it seemed a flourishing young career was on the verge of self-destruction.

Pennant joined Arsenal as the most expensive teenager in English football when he left Notts County for

[scully]

Good stuff - but why the hell did Diao postpone his Charlton trial? *******!

[Jack D Rips]

Lets hope he can walk the walk. I think he will

[Finnish_Red]

Good stuff - but why the hell did Diao postpone his Charlton trial? *******!

That caught my eye too, he can't even get a trial right can he...

Good read, above excluded.

[Shanks65]

So who's gonna get MX 7232 on the back of their shirt then?

[Resu]

So who's gonna get MX 7232 on the back of their shirt then?

Harsh, but very funny.

[Shanks65]

Harsh, but very funny.

I'm glad he's signed though. I hope he means what he says, and he goes on to prove what he can do. He's clearly got talent and I reckon we'll get the best out of him over the coming years. If anyone can sort the lad out, it's our Rafa.

[scully]

I really don't see either Bellamy or Pennant getting into trouble while with us - it means too much to both of them. Plus they know that if they lapse they'll have the Wrath of Carra upon them, along with a few other sensible and committed heads.

[Shanks65]

I really don't see either Bellamy or Pennant getting into trouble while with us - it means too much to both of them. Plus they know that if they lapse they'll have the Wrath of Carra upon them, along with a few other sensible and committed heads.

Exactly. It's last chance saloon for both of them. They know if they bugger it up this time, their top flight careers are effectively over (by that I mean they'll go to Bolton)

[dww]

I think we would have to try Newcastle first. Bolton would never pay us any money.

[FowlerLeftFoot]

or Aston Villa. They seem to like to sign our players as well.

[univofchicago]

To be honest, I never regarded Pennant as a risk because he had already proven that he is a player of Premiership calibre and the initial estimates were that the transfer fee would be around the 3 million mark.

But now that the fee has more than doubled to 7 million, expectations are going to be that much higher. That is why more people are going to perceive the transfer as a real 'risk' simply because of the money involved.

Let's just hope that he does a 'Crouch' and proves the doubters wrong.

In Rafa we trust!

[musicalred]

i reckon Rafa will sort them out and if not then he wont be afraid to say harsh words - but they both are playing for their dream club so they should put the past behind -

and as a supporter i couldnt really care less what has gone before and the reputations they have - lets give them at least a season to bed in and sort themselves out before we make any harsh judgements on the pair of them

[univofchicago]

and as a supporter i couldnt really care less what has gone before and the reputations they have - lets give them at least a season to bed in and sort themselves out before we make any harsh judgements on the pair of them

I have to agree with you there. Couldn't care less myself about their bad-boy reputations...