The transfer window slammed shut yesterday. What began last Thursday ended late Monday—Torres is gone. That short time exposed us to twists, turns and helicopter rumors but two thoughts stayed constant in my mind: enough drama already and this is a dishonor to the fans.
The two thoughts are inextricably linked because it has been such a tumultuous season. To be more exact, it has been a tumultuous two seasons. Have we seen the last of the drama? Is the exodus of Fernando Torres the full stop to the drama of ownership concerns, sacked managers, court rooms, poor poor performances, or frantic, record breaking transfers? It is probably naïve to think so. Some of these events are just part of the game but we have recently experienced the extreme.
In talking with other fans, many have expressed the belief that more players might leave this summer. That’s what I thought Torres would do—wait until summer, see out LFC and the fans through the season, then be on his way. His on-pitch demeanor has seemed to, at the very least, hint at dissatisfaction. But who could have predicted this move and in with few days left in the transfer window? What message does this send to fans?
While I think it is in poor taste to burn an LFC jersey because a player departs, I absolutely heard the message those fans were sending (even if you think they were prompted by media): you burned us, we’re going to burn you. No matter when Torres left there was always going to be animosity expressed towards him and his decision. In this instance, however, it is clearly the manner in which he chose to leave that intensifies matters. Given his past statements about Liverpool, how he’s embraced the city and LFC fans have embraced him, it’s impossible to imagine fans reacting with anything other than anger. What has happened to loyalty and honesty? Do we expect players to stay at a club their entire career? I certainly do not even though the idea appeals to my sentimental side. Do we expect people to show some class and sophistication? I’m not sure anymore; I’ve become too cynical on human intelligence and behavior but I think we should expect it. So, how should Torres have handled this situation?
We are all aware Torres made a statement that he would not play for another Premier League team but put that aside. Everyone’s desires and circumstances change in life including players who have no doubt experienced the stress of the last two seasons as well. They have life goals, be it a financial goal, award or otherwise. Let’s focus only on this situation. After all the drama, could he have not released a statement saying something like, “I want to thank Liverpool, its citizens and the fans of LFC for their support. It is time for me to move on in my career but I appreciate the support I’ve been shown.” The message is not any different—he would still be leaving—but would your opinion of him be better because of it? Would it have shown him to be a properly-spined human being?
Twitter: @melix
Oh! my tors T T
why ?
I have an LFC shirt with Torres’ name on a back and will wear it proudly all of my life. Torres definitely can do anything he wants to. I just wish him luck and more success. But if he says a few words for LFC fans, it’ll be more cordially.
FK TORRES, i dont know whats the big deal about him.. his gone… get over it.. he wasnt even that great, Suarez has much more potential and you can see the desire in his face to play for liverpool and to be great. then theres Carrol too… im happy Torres is gone.
I woudl have prefered him to stay until the summer. Then there would be absolutely no animosity to wards him. None. Even if he joined Chelsea.
But he has either been badly let down/advised or isn’t cut from the same cloth as I thought he was.
He should have said something and he shouldn’t have implied he is NOW at a big club
Agree with Fire, he has been disrepectful in the extreme. I do not wish him well at all, but his attitude should help him fit in well with the other ne’er-do-wells at Chelsea.
Melissa
i think that you have written a very good artical & feel that he should have said his Goodbys in a professional way..
So he is gone, we will move on & see whats Suarez & Carrol can bring to the Game… LFC
Torres has a right to leave, but three day’s notice before the end of the tranfer window is a disgrace. LFC deserved more respect than that. He should have played out the rest of the season, but now we know what he’s about it’s better he went.
How well did King Kenny handle that nightmare but, thank goodness it wasn’t Hodgeson! LONG LIVE THE KING
I have to agree with Fire. Torres has been absent both in mind and body for the last two seasons. I support Liverpool Football Club, not individual players. With Kenny in charge, and what appear to be very sensible owners, the soul of the club is starting to re-emerge. No more negativity, we had enough of that under Hodgson. The future is bright even if we don’t make fourth. We at least have our club back and that is more important than any single player.
Oh Fernando how easily you forget “The support of the fans who always showed respect to me when I came to Stamforde bridge and to Anfield ” Continually singing songs about you being a transvestite and other such vitriol > I realise english may not be your first language but surely you must have understood some of the filth that was directed at you by your new wonderfull fans > Respect Fernando is what you were given in all your time at anfield > Am I bitter you have left and bemused that like football supporters everywhere we are still gullible enough to believe the words of our idols mean anything You were a true football artist , a player of grace. Im sorry I want to wish you luck but it would be as true as your words were to us
Torres is gone and I think LFC fans need to move on as quickly as they can. Put him behind you, in the past, that’s where he belongs. If you find that difficult ask yourself this: what did Liverpool achieve with Torres? The sum total is not much. Certainly our league campaigns were decent but we were 3rd the season before we signed him and peaked at 2nd in a season when Steven Gerrard was still top scorer. Both of our CL finals came before the player signed and his own poor form was in close correlation to our own. As Nando’s confidence seemed to decline so did the club’s. It’s not too hard to see: Fernando Torres was and is a great footballer, but he was never a leader for us and he never held the team up purely by his own efforts. What we’ve got now are two players with a different kind of passion and determination. Nando might have broken defenses with his great skill and touch, but he could still be kicked and hustled into frustration. He could still let his head drop and his effort sink. When the team wasn’t working right he wasn’t going to be the man to lift them out of it, certainly not the way Gerrard has done so many times. Suarez and Carroll are mostly unproven but if they produce what is expected of them I can’t see in any way how their combination is not an improvement over Torres. Let’s put him behind us and realise that we’re so much better off than we were before he left.
look i’ve been bitter about this since i heard about the transfer request,now after calming down i honestly think we got a good deal.carrol gives us something different and suarez is class,torres was outstanding at first but i think he’s lost his pace.50 in his first 72 then 30 in his next 70. maybe thats the teams fault and not his i dont know but the last 2 seasons he hasnt been that great,but he just went about it all wrong. broke my heart but we’ll move on. as for all the negative remarks about torres, we just need to get it out of our system. maybe after sunday we’ll get a clearer picture of who got the better deal.
As a comparison, here’s what our new number 7 had to say to the fans at Ajax. Says it all really:
“Hello everyone. As you guys know from the Press, my transfer to Liverpool is now official. I want to thank Ajax for those wonderful 3 years and a half I spent in Amsterdam, where I’ve been so happy and pride to wear and defend Ajax colours. Special thanks to all my fans for supporting me and to all people who helped me during last years. I will always have you guys in my heart. I am starting a new adventure now with a very important club. I want to thank them for the strong effort They’ve done to count on me. I am going to work hard day by day to give them back the trust they have in me. Thank you everybody. C’mon Liverpool”
from his website http://www.luissuarez16.com/en/news
i’m pissed off about torres going,i didn’t burn my jersey,i gave it to the dog so he has a new blanket!!
It wouldn´t be all good if he left a message. But it would reassure me that he has feelings for us. Whatever these feelings are.
I´ll never forget his appearances for us. He´ll always be one of my faves.
Nice article,Melissa.One of my flat mates is one of the true Chelsea fans who have been going all their lives,nearly thirty now,he tells me about Chelsea when they were nearly bust and putting money in a passed around bucket.I tell him about the mid-eighties Liverpool games i attended with my dad,particularly the 87-88 side.Believe me,Torres would never have got in that side,at least a full strength one.Quasi-better than Torres.Digger-better than Torres.Aldo-better than Torres.no one can say that he was better than Dalglish and Rush,either..at least with a straight face.Now that brings me on to crookedness…so,me and my cockney friend were watching sky news and all the Circus soap opera bullshit.And up flashes Liverpool fans burning the horrible black-let’s try to look like the Mancs-Torres away top.”Typical Scousers”,he say’s.At that moment our bored silence was broken.”No.Not typical Scousers”,i say.I go on to remind him that Liverpool supporters are the most knowledgeable supporters in the land.Liverpool supporters know class when they see it.My flat mate knows that i never really dug Torres,true he scored some wonderful goals but he spent too much time sulking and/or crocked.And i never really believed all that badge kissing shit anyway.Yes,Melissa,I’m 36 and too aware of the class of the past and the whores of the present to be taken in like that.Ten percent of my passion for football went after Hillsborough and the end of standing on the Kop and the dawn of fascist stewards and blandness and Taggart and his Castle greyskull Manc shit.Most thinking Liverpool fans know that we’ve sold a sulky croc who was never going to stay for 50m.Liverpool fans know that Mr.Dalglish knows what he’s doing..MAHALO
Hi Cointreau,
We’re in complete agreement about the sulking which has been on the increase, slowly and steadily. The constant complaining on the pitch had long since gotten on my nerves. In my opinion, attitudes like that are cancerous and crawl around infecting everything. Kenny seems to have ushered in a better overall team spirit, so perhaps this departure will as well. From now on, it’s “Torres who?”
Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting. Here’s to a win tomorrow and the future! YNWA.