Innocence lost, have you heard the drums Fernando?

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Fernando Torres getting some "love" from Chelsea fans

As with 99% of Liverpool fans, I was shocked when the transfer request from Fernando Torres came in, I woke up this morning with the hope it was all a bad nightmare. When all seemed that things were falling into place and finally we had a quality strike partner for Torres this happens, WTF?

I am still hopeful that Nando has a change of heart because after all this all seems out of character from what he said and what he has written in his book. I hope that he will do what Steven Gerrard, Wayne Ronney and Carlos Tevez did and do a 180 turn and end up staying.

However we must remember that we are Liverpool and no one is bigger than the club and in our history when one of our heroes left we always ended up replacing him with another who lead us to even more glory.

In 1946 Matt Busby left and Billy Liddell came in.
In 1977 Kevin Keegan left and Kenny Dalglish replaced him.
In 1987 Ian Rush* left and he was replaced by John Barnes, Peter Beardsley & John Aldridge.
In 2004 Michael Owen left and then we won the Champions League.
*Ian Rush did return after a season at Juventus.

I must admit that a part of me died yesterday, our El Nino’s innocence was forever lost and I just can stop singing the refrain from Abba’s hit song.
There was something in the air that night
The stars were bright, Fernando
They were shining there for you and me
For liberty, Fernando
Though we never thought that we could lose
There’s no regret
If I had to do the same again
I would, my friend, Fernando

Y.N.W.A.
-Antoine
@empireofthekop

49 Comments

  1. I dont get it Torres has won the biggest trophys there is world cup and euro.
    steve gerrard has only one champions league Marco van basten won champions league not world cup or euros he stayed ay ac milan i would understand to go back to spain atletico madrid.
    But all this just to go to ageing team chelsea to maybe win champions league.
    imagine being a life time legand like shankley dalglish rush fowler gerrard and no torres i cant belevie this his agent gave him bad advice who aleo is suarez agent who also is brother of the manager of barcelona.

  2. GOes to show that times really have changed and if Torres decides he can longer bear it at Anfield we will know his true character, a character that matches the plastic flag waving facade that is Stamford Bridge.

    To ditch in the middle of the season, to decide it must be Chelsea of all teams, to do this after statements that talked up his loyalty, WHO ARE YA, FERNANDO?

    I understand if he wants to leave but how could he play for Chelsea after putting on out shirt? And why not wait till summer? Barca would love him in the summer.

    Speaks about Chelsea fans too so eager to buy a Liverpool player so that they can have another instant-microwave championship. I hate Man U but at least I can respect them.

    Fuck Off Chelsea and Fuck off Nando!

  3. First off, I forgive you for quoting ABBA. Secondly, Torres is a blue back-stabbing traitor. All love is lost.

  4. Honestly you cannot blame this fantastic player. He was told Liverpool would be bringing in great players but its taken all of our time to get Suarez. He has been lied to and let down. The new management have moved to slowly-they knew the situation.
    Of course he is replaceable but when he clicked he was majestic.If he goes its s severe loss for us.

  5. could it be as a result of suarez’s coming that fernando wants out or because of pay rise??anyway if i was the club i would keep him till the end of the season and sell him or the club demands 50million from chelsea plus drogba or no deal..the risk of retaining fernando could be he would be underperforming but that would tell hard on him because his national team will drop him and would never consider him for matches or he still plays his heart out and leaves by summer…

  6. I don’t know why he wants to go now… at the end of the season he can go, but I think would be better for him to stay and give one more chance to the club and play with Suarez, who probaly will be able to help him score goals.

  7. I feel the lad has made his feelings known and now the love is lost forever. If he stays it will never be the same. Rumours are one thing, facts are another.
    I’d say cash in on the lad and let him go enjoy London life! Chelsea will sure cough up another few million to get his services.

  8. I’m sorry, have to disagree with those who are comparing Fernando’s exit with Keegan, Rush. It’s a different scenario today, with the club in a delicate situation. You are all forgetting the side effects if Torres leaves. We have one of, if not the best goalie in Europe. If Torres leaves, what guarantee do we have that Reina stays? And Gerrard? Will he be as influential without Torres? And new boy Suarez; thinking he’ll join Torres upfront?

    Instead of slating Fernando, let’s all unite and try and get him to see some sense.

  9. Crikey can we put this story to bed until LFC say they have accepted a bid for him !!! He hasn’t gone yet and may never go . Abusing one of the best footballers ever seen at Anfield stinks

  10. His timing is impeccable – impeccably bad.

    One thing rings true through many forums and conversations – you can understand him feeling let down, you can understand him wanting champions league football, you can therefore regretfully understand him wanting to leave. What you cannot accept or appreciate is him wanting to leave with the transfer window closing, and even more importantly than that, you cannot accept that he wants to move to Chelsea.

    He’s rocked the boat and he’s going to end up paying the price. If he goes, his reputation and fanbase is destroyed replaced with a smaller number of “fans” who largely supported Man United in the 1990’s before switching allegance to Chelski. He’ll feel unloved compared to how he has recently. He stays with his contract running out in two and a half years, then he’ll probably sulk and remain unplayed.

    He feels let down, but then who involved with or around the club doesn’t? There’s only one real winner in the long run but its a bittersweet win. It’ll be the win when the transfer money eventually comes in. The asset (which is what he will be reduced to being termed as) will be useless until then.

    I’d like to be more positive, but nothing thats come out allows me to. A couple of weeks ago he portrayed himself as a man of integrity and a player who got the club. Now? Nothing

  11. If he’s got you singing Abba songs, then that just takes the biscuit. I don’t think we can blame him too much. He’s given a lot to the club and we should be grateful for that. Now he wants to move on and it’s his choice. After all, it’s just a job for him. How many of us would turn down a better-paying job at a place that we thought offered better prospects for the future?

    Do we want him hanging round for the rest of the season, pouring and sulking; disrespecting the fans by disappearing into the tunnel straight on the whistle? Let him go. This is LFC, not TFC. Let’s trust Suarez.

    Torres’s timing is atrocious, but perhaps the request was made earlier. I don’t know. Good luck to him. Maybe he can help us indirectly by stopping the Manky’s winning the league (and knocking us “off our fucking perch”).

    That said, I have a vested interest in protecting his reputation. My son’s birthday present was a Liverpool strip with Torres’s name on it. I can’t afford to get him a new one yet.

  12. Torres leaving will break many fans’ hearts. But Torres going to Chelski would be like twisting the knife. Keep some dignity and repay some of the adulation you have received over the years and at least stay till the summer and go abroad or even to City. Jumping to the cockney scum would be a betrayal too far.

  13. Lets get a grip.Did’nt Stevie G do the same thing after we won the Champions league.
    What age are all these posters on here.Seem like young kids posting shit.
    Plus BritoD if you said that in my presence you would be lamped.Saw Fernando inhis first game against the Chavs .He will stay.

  14. Thanks for the memories Nando, but now f**k off. Suarez will be our new hero and we dont have to look at your sulking face anymore!!!!!!

  15. its going to be a big loss for liverpool since most of undying unhard liverpool fan in asia specfcly knows liverpool because of TORRES. massive advertisement highlights him and GERRARD as liverpool icon. even 70 million pound is relatively cheap for a person of his stature

  16. While we are deeply affected by the fact that Fernandos Torres wants to leave, we have to understand he is frustrated by what is happening to the club. I don’t think he is a person who has no loyalty too. cos if you visit his website, you will see his affection for Atletico Madrid. The media paints stories which may not accurately reflect his intentions, let’s wait for his response n get his side of the story. But he truly wants to leave, we should respect him. I am very certain he will miss the parthership with Gerrard, the liverpool fans, the club once we have a hand on the premiership cup. No point having someone who wants more money, like wayne rooney, insist them to stay. Look at rooney’s form now…

  17. Well,we all want him to stay,but if he really wanted to go,just let him go..Because we can’t put our hope in someone that doesn’t have the love (guts!!!loyalty!!!)for our team..Let him leave,then we can focus on building the future team,that’s the real thing that we must do in a long run..No one bigger than the club..YNWA

  18. If he wants to go let him, yeah on his day he is pure quality but because the season has not gone well he wants out even though there is backing to build a good team now and a true red in charge in King Kenny with real LFC values, but i hope if he does go he doesn’t come crying back in 2 seasons time when chelski are winning nowt and we rule the roost again.

  19. Surprised that he’s decided he wants to become the part time plaything of some dodgy oligarch who owns a team without soul,tradition or too many supporters.
    I was hoping he’d give the new owners and manager a chance..With him we can once again be better than the others-stay with us Nando and make it happen!

  20. I hope he knows what he is giving up. Yeah he probably will win more trophies at Chelsea, but it seems that that club is a soul-less trophy-winning machine. Players go in, trophies come out with little in between.

    Has none of the colour and atmosphere as Anfield at its best. Also the fans who already have their idols in Terry, Lampard and Drogba will never take to him as we have. He’ll never feel the way he did at Liverpool when he was at his best.

    Chelsea fans might sing the Torres bounce, but it is OUR Torres bounce. Every time they sing it, he will be reminded of Anfield and what once was. I hope for his sake, the trophies can make up for it.

  21. As said by others it is the timing of all this that is so strange. Equally though I think we all genuinely thought Torres was different, a global superstar but with the ego of a local, passionate and loyal. His behaviour in handing in a transfer request at this stage of the season and at this stage of the window makes it seem like he’s just like all the rest.

    I don’t think there is any case of convincing him to stay long term but I do think it is imperative we keep him until at least the summer. No player is bigger than the club but if he goes now then it is only Liverpool who lose. Also the thought of him lining up against us next week at stamford bridge would be far too much to bear.

  22. What really changed after Torres really pushed for LFC investment in Players to boost his morale, now he wants to go why ? He had a low start of the season but which we understood, now we he is improving day in day out same to LFC. Let me not think it is money as no enough money in life and money is not the best life motivations. Support and achievements (which I seriously believe we are heading for)are the BEST life motivations. LFC has been there and will be there for many years to come for the LOYALS. Fernando we are starting with EUROPA Cups then the rest will follow from next year. Never say you weren’t told. Mrs. Torres assist and bring this man back. YWNWA For life the Chorus continues……….

  23. good luck mate , see you next sunday when you slot 3 in against us,. love you mate ,good to have known you. still think you are the best stiker in the world .

  24. It’s is unbelievable to hear that Nando has requested to betray LIVERPOOLFC AND ITS FANS.As for me,i will no longer consider him a committed member of our club.NANDO IS A FUCKING BETRAYAL AND IF HE LEAVES AT THIS MOMENT THAT HE’S MOSTLY NEEDED THEN,HE SHOULD NOT BE REGARDED AS A LIVERPOOL LEGEND.May be he’s one of those players that run after money instead of integrity.

  25. Haha how can u even say u where shocked. He has not bin happy in the slums of Liverpool for a long time. He wants to move to plush Chelsea. Just rite he is to

  26. @timi
    No! Gerrard NEVER handed in a written transfer request and certainly not in the middle of a season. Gerrard was at the end of his contract when he spoke to Chelsea before coming back to Anfield.

    Wake up Torres has effectively said he wants out. I will say the only thing we don’t know is whether any other club are in on the bidding. GO on and leave but to Chelsea!?

    The minute he shows his face, pearly whites flashing before the cameras holding that Chelsea shirt, he becomes the enemy.
    No player is bigger than this club.

    Fake Plastic Trees – Radiohead says it all.

  27. If Fernando Torres would read this, I just want to say that Nando, the abusive fans are the ones who love you most and are truly heartbroken that you’re asking to leave us.

  28. Has he forgot all of the ladyboy songs they sing to him?, wtf is he thinking?. Im amazed he wants to go to an old squad in need of major rebuilding, the greedy t**t. He is a money grabber like the rest of them!!!!

  29. SInce motivation is money. And it alone can inspire people to destroy families and friends. One step forward and two steps back but hey It’s one leaping step in the right ‘Liverpool’ direction. We’re never going to pay him 160,000 quid a week? Timing sucks but now or later it’s going to feel the same after his pledges of allegiance to the RED cause. But if money is more important than unbridled admiration, love and respect. Who are we to say it’s not right. To Chelsea. Well gives us an even bigger kick to whip them when we play them. As if sexfiend Terry and over rated Lampard wasn’t enough. Stevie and now Raul are smart enough to work with any top striker and Suarez is definitely at that level. The question is was he intimidated by the fact that the Suarez went through? Not top dog anymore? I support Liverpool. Who plays for Liverpool immediately becomes a hero. We lost Masch. We lost Alonso. So what if we lose Torres. The day I die is the day I lose Liverpool and that nearly happened a few months back. Just to put things into perspective. 60 million plus Anelka and we’ll call it a deal. Hey we got be greedy too. That’s a lot of mullah for Kenny (whom I hope will get us CL qualification and win Europa) whom I hope will be our long term gaffer to build Liverpool for next season. A great winger, left back, centerback, and Arda Turan. We’ll still have money left to add to the youth system. I’m more interested in seeing the youth like Ince, Ecclestone, Suso, Pacheco and Sterling move into the first team like Fowler, Owen, Stevie and Carra and make huge waves. Well thanks for the memories if you do move Fernando. But if we do meet up with LIVERPOOL the next time I promise you won’t know what the hell hit you and and blue friends. Almost like being hit by an El NIno. Your greatest lost is that you decided to walk alone. Sad.

  30. come on everton knock chelsea out of cup ev-1 ch-0
    i will be gutted if torres goes 4 months ago bought my 5yr old son a liverpool shirt with torres on back ask him who torres is and he says the best scorer in the world ,my heart says lfc what ever you do dont let him leave but head says if he wants to leave let him leave but dont sell him to anyone in the premiership he can either go back to spain or italy then liverpool fans can still remeber the good times i think he owes the liverpool fans that at least

  31. i would happily drive over from n.ireland and give him a lift to london if they offer 50mil. who wants a player hanging around like your last fart upsetting the rest of the team, kenny has brought togetherness back so just get rid, totally pissed off by this as he’s a smashing player and to chelsea of all teams only the mancs could be worse. so lets all hope suarez hits the ground running. in an ideal world torres will be watching suarez fill his boots when we play chelsea next week.

  32. I think the reasons for Fernando wanting to leave are not so simple. We should be asking ourselves some serious questions.

    • What did Hicks and Gillette promise him originally (I.e. investment in the squad that wasn’t delivered)?
    • The undermining of Rafa by certain senior players and C Purslow. Was he part of that (I don’t think he was) or was he just roped in by association by the media because he looked frustrated while playing at times last season.
    • Problem with the medical team saying he was fit last season when he clearly wasn’t which resulted in him nearly missing the world cup. Does he feel let down by the club?
    • What was he promised by C Purslow and was he disillusioned by the appointment of Hodgson (quite clear while playing for him). Was he also underwhelmed by the players brought in during the summer?
    • His relationship with Carragher and Gerrard, which has clearly looked strained this season. He seems happier when their not playing. Is this a factor or does he feels they wield too much power?
    • Carragher falling out with Arbeloa on the pitch, or the treatment of Rafa by the club, fellow Spaniards. Was this something that had an effect?
    • Even though having KD is in charge now the damage was already done. Where are LFC headed and how long will it take to get back on top even if we can. Does he want to play with Carragher and Gerrard anymore?

    Is it fair to criticise or swear at the lad when we do not understand what really happened behind the scenes?

    Maybe taking £40 million and Anelka would be best for us. I for one will wish the lad good luck if he goes, but not when he plays us.

  33. So much for living a private and respectful life here in Merseyside, that won’t happen in London. He always talks about being left alone to his own devices up here, as well as being a working class lad from Madrid. Now his life will be a nightmare in the media spotlight in London, followed everywhere by snappers.

    I don’t believe he has really thought this through at all, It seems so out of character. Is he being badly advised here by agents?, maybe he was always a fraud?……we are all suckers Nando, you must be laughing at the lot of us eh???

  34. For too long Liverpool Football club have pandered to the ‘Needs’ of Fernando Torres,well enough is enough if he wants to go then let him go,his face has been tripping him for near on 18 months,If Chelsea offer £40 Million and Anelka i’d snatch their hands off.Then the club could bring in the likes of N’Zogbia and Adam before the window closes and look to bring in Ashley Young in the Summer.Don’t get me wrong i’m gutted he wants to go and in the last few weeks he’s looked like his old self but Torres is not bigger than LFC and he never will be,if he stays beyond monday night it would be too awkward for the player and for the fans-the connection he had with the Kop has been broken.It’s time to look forward and rebuild,by going to Chelsea Fernando might realise the grass is not always greener on the other side,Liverpool FC is a special club and Anfield is a special place-he might find out the hard way.

  35. Like every true RED, I went to bed last night sad, not because Torres had asked for a transfer, and not because I hate chelski and all clubs like them, Mancs, Madrid, and City, who are party to the money-madness thats , bit by bit ruined the game that has been a major part of my life, but because so few people realised what was going on

    2/3 years ago, I wrote a letter to the supporters magazine “the KOP” and pleaded with supporters, SoS/ShareLfc, to come together to unite the “holy trinity”, to support Rafa (when he had a go at Fergie) and to THEN to form a fund to purchase Lfc, well we didnt Moores sold to Hicks, we were raped by idiots like parry & purslow, allowed a CHELSKI chairman to come inside OUR club! Union protests and promises to form a fund with shareLfc came too late

    ..Lfc employed a FOOL to manage our team , replacing a man who was Lfc 24/7 & who had been betrayed , (including a saga that nearly cost Torres his career when injured , NOT Rafa’s fault btw) then instead of supporting Rafa, with players he wanted, Rafa got blamed and forced to leave with the aid of the biased (london based) media and ex-players with their often xenophobic agenda..then hodgson forced our team to play “ale-house” footy, whilst “experts” on tv and in our “fan base” criticised the lad Torres for looking p*ssed off..

    we rightly celebrated the “return of the King” SIX MONTH LATE, Kenny has done miracles , but the price WE ALL PAY for “apathy” last years and simply being “spectators” whilst our club was being eaten away by people with selfish intentions , may be the loss of a guy who has until now shown only love and respect for us, as we did for him.

    I for one wont kick him for doing no more than OUR CAPTAIN GERRARD did TWICE, and for less reasons than Torres has now, so anyone who dont like the consequences only have themselves to blame, for lack of intestinal fortutude and our collective failure to take the chances of owning OUR club …we are the club, and its Y-OUR responsibility…

  36. I agree. Fernando has fallen quite bit with me after this episode, whether he stays or go.

    I believed in him and in his words. It’s the modern-day footballer.

  37. I reckon it will be clear when he speaks himself. I wish the guy the best, would prefer that he gave it till the end of the season, but can understand why he might want to leave now, just don’t understand why he’d choose Chelsea. Even in January, when he said that he wanted to stay, he warned that it ‘depends on the club’, I’m sure people thought that he meant if the club would sell him. Now, it seems he meant it depends on the club pulling their finger out. Without the Chelsea bid, I don’t think we would have paid the 22.8 million for Suarez. We were offering silly money and he’d made it clear many times that he is not young enough to wait for 2 or 3 years for the team to be rebuilt. Buying Suarez does not rebuild the squad. If he is sold to Chelsea for 50 million, that would be 56 million in and 23 million spent. We’ve hardly been killing ourselves to bring people in have we? So how long have the owners known that we wanted to see action, and can we say that we have done enough if he has spoken to the owners? It seems as if Chelsea knew he wanted out, how could FSG not know? It makes sense that he would wait till late enough in the transfer window, enough time for them to show they are not serious about rebuilding quickly. If he’d put in the request on 1st Jan, everyone would say that he should have waited till we got some players in. So there was never a good time. I wish the guy luck and hope that he will score the goals for Chelsea, in two matches, to stop Man Utd from winning the league. If he can’t play for us, that will do.

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