A change of direction

So the time has come to change direction slightly as far as my writing goes. I've decided to start my own website, so I'd be grateful if you could all check it out.

The logo needs a bit of work but I'll get on the case asap. Also, there's just the one article at the moment, but I shall get cracking very soon. Thanks!

http://bloodsweatandtiers.webs.com/

Graeme Swann reignites a dying flame; The art of off-spin is back on the market

A very familiar sight for England fans; Graeme Swann celebrates another wicket

English off-spinners are a bit like Wispa chocolate bars. They come and go because they don't stand out from the Galaxy or the Mars Bar, and every so often you have the urge to change course, perhaps to a Dairy Milk or a Twix. They don't satisfy your needs for very long.

In recent history, England have had a number of flirtations with various off-spin bowlers, more frequently of the left-arm variety. Phil Tufnell, Ashley Giles, Monty Panesar, even Ian Blackwell at one stage. Whilst the first 3 aforementioned names never did much wrong, they failed to produce what England really needed to become a threat on the world stage. Tufnell was a great character, a committed, all-action bowler. He was comedy gold with the bat and in the field, something that ultimately let him down throughout his England career. You could never quite take him seriously. The same can be said for Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, commonly known as 'Monty'. He was arguably a better bowler than Tufnell ever was, but his regular fumbles in the outfield and his inability to improve on his limited batting prowess meant that he was never really going to be a long-term candidate to fill the spinner's void. Indeed, it was clear that should his form with the ball waver, his place in the XI would be very much under scrutiny. Thanks to a number of disappointing performances, Monty has failed to nail down a first team spot ever since the unsuccessful tour of the West Indies in 2009. In fact, his only outstanding contribution since the Port-of-Spain test came with the bat. He defied belief in the opening test of the Ashes last summer, as a partnership of 19 with James Anderson for the last wicket secured a draw at Cardiff. It proved to be a vital period of the summer, as England went on to regain the Ashes with a 2-1 victory. Unfortunately for Monty, that proved to be his last contribution for the side to this day.

Sandwiched somewhere in between Tufnell and Panesar was Ashley Giles. Equally as affective with the ball as Tuffers and Monty, but far more adept with the willow in hand. Giles, comically known as the 'King of Spain' thanks to a misprint on the merchandise at Warwickshire, was to play vital roles in the victorious tours of the West Indies and South Africa in the mid 2000's, as well as in the historic 2005 home Ashes series. Whilst he struggled to consistently deliver wickets for his side, he scored crucial runs at exactly the right time to ensure England were rarely playing catchup. Nevertheless, Giles was in the side for his wickets, and the 2006/07 Ashes series down under saw the end of his international career. Injury and loss of form were the prime reasons for his disappearance from the England scene.

Gone are the days of Tufnell, Giles and Panesar. Enter Graeme Swann. A late developer into the England fold, Swann has the bubbly character of Tufnell, the stalwart work-ethic of Giles, and the constant excitement that Panesar always seemed to ooze. He is that, and so much more. Having made his international bow way back in 2000 against South Africa, Swann had to wait a further 8 years to get a 2nd bite at the cherry, and boy has he taken it. He made a quiet, but solid introduction to test match cricket in Chennai two winters ago, and has not looked back since. One-and-a-half years on, and Swann is on the verge of claiming his 100th test match wicket, 50th ODI wicket, and also occupies 4th position in the ICC world rankings for bowlers. At 31, Swann is doing his best to make up for lost time, in the same way Michael Hussey has done with the bat for Australia. He is arguably the most feared spinner in the world now that Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan has hung up his boots. It's fair to say he has taken the world by storm, and there seems to be no stopping him.

Swann's recipe for success is simple. He drips with self-confidence, almost arrogance at times, and that makes him who he is. He has a certain swagger, unparalleled with few in the modern game. Kevin Pietersen has it. Sachin Tendulkar has it. Swann is in great company. He also has an attitude to be admired by every youngster aspiring to be an international cricketer. He knows his limits, he knows how good a player he can be, and he does everything he can to fulfill that potential. He constantly strives to be the best, he lives and breathes cricket, and he simply loves representing his country, something that our footballers should take a very long look at.

Along with a superb attitude and untouchable confidence, Swann's ability cannot be ignored. Not only when ripping those offys and slipping in the odd arm-ball, but also when he's batting. He's an aggressor, someone who can take the game to a team. He can change the momentum down the order and lift spirits in the dressing room, even with a quickfire 30 or 40. It's an ability that the likes of Giles and Panesar didn't have, and whilst Giles could offer admirable support and resolution at number 8, Swann can do much more in a shorter space of time. His slip-catching shouldn't be ignored either. Lower-order big-hitting off-spinners don't tend to have a place in the slip cordon, but SwannCollingwood. All in all, it's a very impressive catching unit.

Whilst all this is a blessing for England, there is one thing in particular that makes Swann so special. It's very easy to be just another off-spinner. They're hardly the most spectacular bowlers on the planet, with the exception of Murali who was a unique entity. They are not the type of bowlers that you'll hear your kid say, "I'd love to be an off-spinner. They're so exciting". However, Swann has re-invented the art of off-spinning, somehow. He turns it big, he has a brilliantly disguised arm-ball, but it's something else that makes him stand out from the rest. It's the fact that as soon as he enters the attack, something happens. Panesar had that knack for a period of time, but nowhere near as frequent and remarkable as Swann's ability to make a breakthrough immediately. Including the ongoing test match against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Swann has taken a wicket in the first over of a new spell 20 times. It's a staggering statistic, and one which makes him such a prize asset in the England attack. What is more impressive is the fact that he doesn't necessarily bowl on big-turning wickets. English tracks aren't historically big rippers, and he has only played on the subcontinent once for England. It's a credit to Swann for his cricketing brain and his consistency with the ball that such a statistic exists.

With the 2010/11 Ashes series on the horizon, Swann is playing at the top of his game. He is also extremely well-supported, with James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn producing some wonderful form. Salman Butt, Pakistan's newest captain, recently suggested that his bowling unit of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul are the best in the world. Having watched and analysed the performances of England's pace trio, along with Swann himself, I would tend to disagree with that assessment. It's a unit which goes a long way to ensuring England don't endure another 5-0 whitewash at the hands of the old enemy, and for Graeme Swann, it's a great time to really push his case to be one of England's greatest spin bowlers.

Lampard and Terry included in England B team

Bobby Zamora takes a break from pretending he's a footballer

Fabio Capello decided to tackle a couple of bottles of wine whilst naming his latest England B team squad to face Hungary next week. The inclusions of Ben Foster, whose career highlight is being Edwin van der Sar’s number two for several years, Paul Robinson, who subsequently retired from international football having got the call-up, Bobby Zamora, England’s answer to Nicklas Bendtner, and those two world-class Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and John Terry, has got England fans drooling at the prospect of watching our beloved national team battle it out against that footballing superpower, Hungary, 3 days before the Premier League season kicks off. Oh, what joy!

What Fabio Capello has done is everything the nation wanted him to do, but with the wrong players. We wanted him to drop the drivel and engage with the exciting young talents that England has at its disposal. Having had a good rummage around, Capello felt that Gary Cahill, Phil Jagielka and Kieran Gibbs were the answer. He also felt that the performances of Gareth Barry, Wayne Rooney, Lamps and JT merited a recall. I couldn’t agree more Fab. Afterall, we did reach the 2ND ROUND of the World Cup! Moreover, the exclusion of Joe Cole has got me thinking; What was going through the mind of Fabio Capello when he chose this latest crop of ‘stars’?

Way back at the start of the Italian’s reign as England manager, he stated that he would only be picking players based on form and game-time. To my knowledge he hasn’t verbally abandoned that strategy, but you do wonder whether he’s had a change of heart and resorted to choosing proverbial benchwarmers and mediocre performers. Wes Brown? Phil Jagielka? Darren Bent? Carlton Cole? Oh, and not to mention there’s a recall for Theo Walcott, who has clearly impressed Fabio more whilst lying on a beach in a beautiful European/South American country, than he did when ‘trialling’ and convincing everybody else in the world that he should be on the plane to South Africa.

I go back to Joe Cole’s emission from the 22-man squad. The only plausible motive for Capello to drop Cole is due to a falling out. If that’s the case, why the bleeding heck are John Terry and Frank Lampard still given reason to call themselves ‘world-class’ players? Terry couldn’t resist spouting his mouth off in South Africa, an incident that everybody thought would lead to his dropping post-World Cup. Lampard himself thought it’d be a great idea to criticise the timing of the match against the side ranked 62nd in the world. I read the response to his comments in the Daily Telegraph recently, and one fan got it spot on; “You need all the practice you can get you overpaid prat”. It’s what we’re all thinking, apart from the man that matters unfortunately. Lampard and Terry shouldn’t be anywhere near the England team.

Jermain Defoe is another player who has bizarrely been left out in the cold. What on earth did he do wrong in SA? He scored the goal that saved us from ultimate humiliation at the hands of Slovenia. Well, the other side of the argument is he scored the goal that dropped us right into the s*** against Germany, and perhaps that’s why Capello showed him the door. Surely there’s no other reason for doing such a thing? Defoe is a proven goalscorer, and he was one of 3 players in SA that wore the shirt with pride and looked like making things happen. Joe Cole was another, and James Milner makes up the trio. With Defoe and Cole dropped, Milner is the only outfield player in that squad, arguably along with Ashley Cole, who deserves the call. Everyone knows Wayne Rooney was abysmal so why is he still there? Gerrard was below-par, Glen Johnson looked a complete shadow of the player that earned him so much praise in his early days as an England player, and Gareth Barry is another prime example of an overpaid wotsit who has more of a place on the scrapheap than he does in an England team. Looking back, it was embarrassing how people were praying Gareth Barry would be fit and ready for the opening game of the World Cup against U.S.A. If we can’t do without Gareth Barry, what hope have we got?

There aren’t many in this current squad that I can say, yes, that’s a good call Fabio. Joe Hart is a superb goalkeeper and he was always a stick-on. I still don’t have a clue why he didn’t get a shout this summer, but that’s another strange Capello decision. He’s definitely in line to nail down the no.1 jersey now that David James and Robert Green are out the picture. Ashley Cole has done no wrong, as much as I severely dislike the bloke. Michael Dawson is a decent player who will give his all. It’s also nice to see Ashley Young getting another chance, although I’m still not convinced that he’s of an international standard. Time will tell there. Finally, Arsenal’s exciting prodigy Jack Wilshere has an opportunity to put his name on the footballing map and display his talents to the world. He looks a wonderful prospect for England. Lets hope he’s not half Welsh, ain’t that right Giggsy?

Finally, I’d like to wish good luck to all those hearty souls who have bought an overpriced ticket to watch an overpriced team play on the once hallowed turf of Wembley. I admire you for your committment. I certainly wouldn’t waste my wages on watching England B struggle to overcome the Hungarians. I think… No, I know I’d get more for my money spending an afternoon on the touchline at Ludlow Town FC.

Bristol City state ambition with the signing of David James

David James has given The Robins the thumbs up on a surprise move to the Championship club

Bristol City have confirmed that they have captured the signature of England goalkeeper David James on a free transfer. James has put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal with the club, a move that is a sure signal of The Robins’ ambition this season. James, who turns 40 this weekend, took over England’s goalkeeping mantle at the World Cup following Robert Green’s embarrassing howler against the USA in England’s opening game of the tournament. He was one of a minority of players that escaped criticism on return from South Africa, and now has his sights firmly set on helping Bristol City achieve promotion into the Premier League.

A statement on the club's official website read:

Bristol City FC have agreed a deal to sign England international goalkeeper David James. The 39-year old passed a medical at Ashton Gate today (Friday) and has agreed a one-year deal with an option of a further year.

James turned down interest from SPL runners-up Celtic as well as Steve Bruce’s Sunderland to become a part of the setup at Ashton Gate, and has confirmed that the chance to be a part of an historic period at the club was too good an opportunity to pass by. “I know all about the plans for a new stadium and desire to win promotion to the Premier League”, James said. “The club is ambitious and that is what I am”.

Many people expected James to make the move north and join Neil Lennon at Celtic, but having called off negotiations due to ‘personal problems’, James has decided that his future belongs in England, and for the time being, in Bristol. This is certainly the first small step towards achieving what City narrowly missed out on last season, as a poor start to the 2008/09 campaign ultimately cost them a place in the play-offs. They eventually went on to finish a very respectable 10th, but chairman Steve Lansdown and manager Steve Coppell will be aiming for better this time around.

There is certainly a fair amount of money knocking around at Bristol City, and Steve Lansdown is very clear on where he wants his club to be.

My ambition is for this football club to play at the highest level – the Premier League – and in the best surroundings, hence the work on the training ground and the new stadium. We need good quality players to make that happen and that’s why I’m thrilled that David has agreed to come on board.

So what do we think – Can Bristol City launch another play-off challenge or was last season as good as it will get for them? Vote at wdkf.co.uk!

Blackpool may have difficulty in shaking off the 'jokers' tag, but could it play to their advantage?

This may come to be a familiar sight throughout the coming months as Ian Holloway prepares for his first PL campaign as a manager

Blackpool is best known for its pleasure beach, arcades, and thousands of bald-headed, sunburnt British tourists that flock to the seaside each year. You wouldn’t automatically associate Blackpool with football, and you certainly wouldn’t have predicted this time last year that they had a realistic chance of reaching the play-offs, let alone actually gaining promotion to the Premier League. A relegation battle would have been a more customary suggestion, with a low to mid-table finish the ultimate objection. But Ian Holloway built a team combining youthful exuberance and a die-hard work ethic, and throughout the duration of the 2009/10 season, Holloway and his men slowly but surely began to prove everybody wrong. Now, they are on the verge of embarking on their first ever Premier League journey.

William Hill have Blackpool at 4/5 to finish bottom of the PL this season, whilst their odds to stay in the division are 11/4. On paper, Blackpool are sure-fire favourites to go straight back down, but it’s a label that could well work in their favour. Ian Holloway is a very stubborn manager, and a very stubborn man. He’s arguably one of the most honest men in the game, and whilst he’s voiced his concerns over the strength and depth of his squad in recent days, he also insisted that people shouldn’t write them off. As we witnessed last season, Blackpool defeated the odds and the opinion of most football fans across the country, to reach a remarkable achievement in the club’s recent history. Who’s to say they can’t overachieve once more?

Naturally teams find it very difficult to adjust to life in the Premier League, with the odd exception. In Reading’s first season in the top flight they performed admirably and above all expectations to reach an astounding 8th position in the league. Unfortunately for them, relegation loomed the very next season and they were back in the Championship. Stoke City are another team who have risen to the occasion of playing against the Manchester United’s and Chelsea’s of this world, and to this day remain very sturdy opposition in England’s top flight. Blackpool aren’t expected to be as successful as those two clubs in their first season, and they’d be foolish to aim any higher than surviving their first PL season. Indeed, I’m sure that is all Ian Holloway has his sights set on, but he knows he needs to add a number of new names to his rather small first team squad.

It’s very clear that Holloway’s personality and football character has somewhat rubbed off on his players over the last 12 months or so. Indeed, the team’s work rate is reminiscent of the way Holloway likes to work, although it would be unfair to dismiss his style of play on the field. Make no bones about it, Holloway likes his teams to play football on the deck, contrary to regular opinion of football league sides, the majority of which prefer a more direct, long-ball approach. Holloway is not that kind of manager. When asked on Sky Sports News whether he would have to abandon that style of play from time to time in the Premier League, Holloway replied, “you mean stop playing football on the deck and start hoofing it up in the air? If that’s what you mean by abandon”. It was a typical Holloway response, and one that suggests he is determined to keep moulding his side into the product that he prefers, rather than the one that would have the best chance of succeeding in the top flight.

West Brom are another of the promoted sides along with Newcastle United, and they are a side who also prefer to play their football on the grass. However, that style of play may well have flattered many in the Championship, but when it has come down to Premier League football, The Albion have been lacking something extra to keep them in the division. As a result, they have come to be known as the ‘yo-yo’ team of English football. For Blackpool to work as a unit in the Premier League, and to avoid any potential embarrassment at the hands of the bigger teams, they’ll need to show more fight and determination than West Brom have in previous seasons. However, I don’t think that will be a problem, as Ian Holloway has always been a stickler for work-rate and a winning attitude.

The one thing that may work in Blackpool’s favour is the ‘new boy’s’ tag. Few of the current Premier League sides know too much about Blackpool, and whilst they’ll all do their research before taking on the division’s newest side, Blackpool’s x-factor could be the fact that they are an unknown entity. They will also have excellent support, despite possessing the smallest stadium in the league, and no doubt the fans will get right behind their team when Sir Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti turn up at Bloomfield Road. Opposition sides can expect a hostile, unwelcoming atmosphere, and this may be something that unnerves and unsettles visiting sides. Blackpool would love that to be the case, but there is no hiding the fact that they have to sign 5 or 6 decent players to have any chance of staying alive in the PL. As we know against teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, if you don’t have a well-organised, efficient defensive line, you’ll have problems, as Wigan found out to their embarrassment against Spurs at White Hart Lane last season as they went on to lose a record 9-1. Wigan are far from being Premier League new boys now, having gained promotion back in the 2004/05 season. That probably further highlights the importance of being solid at the back, something that I know Blackpool are in the process of addressing with the potential signing of Dekel Keinan from Israeli giants Maccabi Haifa.

If Ian Holloway didn’t know it already, Blackpool’s pre-season campaign has alerted him to the problems his side may face if they enter the season without adding to their squad.  Holloway has also been struck with the news that Billy Clarke is likely to miss the entire season with damaged cruciate ligaments. 22-year old Clarke is highly rated in the Blackpool ranks and he may prove to be a big miss for them come April and May next year.

I’m sure that if Ian Holloway had a fully-fit, stronger squad, he’d be showing far more confidence in Blackpool’s ability to defeat the odds in the Premier League this season, but there are a couple of things that could work in their favour. To survive their first season in the PL, they’ll need a great deal of effort, a whole lot of luck, and a committed, understanding fanbase behind them. Good luck to them!

Javier Mascherano to quit Anfield; Inter Milan remain favoured destination

Mascha and teammate Fernando Torres after Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Marseille in the Champions League in the 2008/09 season

Fernando Torres’ future is still very much up in the air. He may stay, he may go. One member of the squad that Roy Hodgson can be certain wants to leave Anfield this summer is Argentina captain Javier Mascherano who is unsettled on Merseyside. It is believed that Mascha wants a reunion with ex-Reds boss Rafael Benitez, who is now the manager of Italian giants Inter Milan.

In a statement to the press, Hodgson said:

Yes, he wants to leave the club. He has made that perfectly clear. I think he wanted to leave a year ago. He wants to leave now but he is contracted to Liverpool so whether he leaves or not will not be our decision.

Whilst it is not 100% that the tenacious midfielder will quit Liverpool before the end of the current transfer window, usually when a player states his desire to move on, the deal happens. Now, despite many of the current crop of players voicing their concerns over their personal treatment during the Rafael Benitez regime, Mascherano is one of the very few players to stick by the Spaniard, and now has his sights set on making the move to San Siro.

Liverpool’s American owners, George Gillet and Tom Hicks, would be foolish to keep Mascha at the club. They’d also be foolish to let him leave for less than £25mill, especially to a club like Inter Milan who are
currently in talks with Manchester City over the sale of £30mill-rated Mario Balotelli. It seems that the sale of the controversial forward would fund the potential deal to bring Mascherano to Italy, meaning that the Liverpool board should be looking for a deal worth in excess of £25mill. Anything less, and there would be substantial uproar against the owners, something they are not unfamiliar with.

Mascherano has been a fantastic servant to Liverpool throughout the 3 years he has been with the club. Despite not winning any silverware at Liverpool, he played vital roles in the 2007 Champions League campaign that saw Liverpool reach their 2nd final in three years, and also in the 2008/09 Premier League season, a season in which Liverpool came agonizingly close to winning their first title in 19 years.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, last season Mascherano was one of the many players who failed to reproduce the goods from the season before, and a lack of form coupled with a typically unhealthy disciplinary rate on the field means that this summer is probably the right time for Masch to call time on his Anfield career. As much as I rate him as a footballer, and think he was one of the few excellent players Rafael Benitez brought to Liverpool, £30mill could be used to bring in two or three top-class players to replace him and fill in a couple of the other vacant positions that are present in the Liverpool squad. It may also be a chance for Alberto Aquilani and Lucas to really come to the fore and show what they can do as first team regulars.

People may draw comparisons to the sale of Xabi Alonso in 2009, a sale that proved to be a massive loss for Liverpool last season. The fee received for that particular deal was also £30mill, which was spent on Roma’s Aquilani who spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines with various injuries. Whether that was a wise piece of business is open for debate and may well be confirmed in the next 3 or 4 months, but Aqua will certainly be determined to prove his worth on Merseyside this year. The difference between the Xabi Alonso sale and any potential deal taking Mascherano to Milan, is that Alonso was playing the best football of his career and was a linchpin in the Liverpool team. Mascherano is probably not quite at that stage, and whilst I agree he was a very important cog in Rafa’s system, now is definitely the time for him to move on and for new manager Roy Hodgson to start the search for a worthy replacement.

As a Mascherano supporter, I’d like to wish him the best of luck if he does make the much expected move to Inter Milan, and hope that one day he returns to Anfield to a warm welcome and deserved applause.

A little less conversation, a little more Torres please: Why Liverpool's prize asset has no choice but to stay at Anfield

Fernando Torres quickly established himself as fans' favourite at Anfield

Whenever Liverpool fans read a news headline boasting the name Fernando Torres, their heart usually sinks and they let out a dull sigh of resignation. “Torres to Chelsea”, “Torres to Manchester City”, “Torres to Real Madrid”. Same old, same old. But don’t fret Reds’ fans, I’m here to inject a bit of optimism into the situation. Fernando Torres won’t be leaving Liverpool this summer, and here’s why.

As the whole world witnessed at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Torres was out of sorts. He had a tournament to forget, culminating in tearing a thigh muscle in the closing minutes of Spain’s victorious final victory over Holland. That particular moment was almost symbolic of the rollercoaster year or two that Torres has experienced; a World Cup final appearance and winner’s medal, overshadowed by a goal drought and yet another muscle injury right about summed up the last 18 months in the career of Fernando Torres. It was enough to make Liverpool supporters everywhere spit up their dinner and reside to the bedroom for an early night. However, as daft as it may seem, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the Reds in the face of intense interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.

Before the tournament began Chelsea were prepared to pay £50mill for the emphatic striker, and the deal seemed inevitable. A 7th-place finish and a sour end to Rafael Benitez’s career looked as if it would also spell the end of the road for Torres as a Liverpool player. Immediately after the conclusion of that historic final however, Chelsea’s interest waned and they are no longer in the front-running to sign Torres. It seemed that a lack of form, coupled by frequent long-term injuries caused Ancelotti and his troops to turn their focus elsewhere. One has to wonder, if Torres has netted 5 or 6 goals and played more of an integral part in Spain’s triumph, would he still be a Liverpool player as we speak? This also causes me to believe that Manchester City would only sign Torres as a last possible option, and with the money knocking around at Eastlands this summer, that situation looks unlikely to occur. I wonder if Manchester City fans would be happy for their club to spill out £40-50mill to bring an out-of-form, injury-prone striker to their club when the money could be used on a much fitter, much happier player? Perhaps they would, and perhaps Roberto Mancini would be that ruthless, but with the news that City have to ship out at least 12 players before the transfer window closes, and with James Milner and Mario Balotelli likely to arrive at Eastlands in the near future, I should think Torres is last on Mancini’s list of priorities.

As well as the question of fitness and form comes the question of game-time. I’ve raised the point in the past regarding James Milner’s potential decision to join City, and whether he would become a regular member of Mancini’s side. In my view, Milner’s role at the club would be as a squad player, someone who will occupy the substitute’s bench until injuries and suspensions started to clock up, and only then would he get his chance to perform. The same goes for Torres. Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor will be very hard to shunt, whilst David Silva and Mario Balotelli are just two of the other potential attacking options Mancini will have at his disposal. Of course, there is the obvious attraction of money, and Torres would be offered a substantial amount. However, surely Torres would be more content at playing week-in-week-out (providing he’s fully fit) for a club that worships him like a god, and gives him a fairly decent wage despite Liverpool’s much-publicised financial troubles. I would hope so being a Torres and a Liverpool fan. If he wants regular football and an adoring fanbase, Liverpool is the place for him.

The problem at the moment is the constant lack of certainty surrounding the Spaniard and Liverpool Football Club as a whole. Roy Hodgson is still waiting for Torres to commit himself, or not as the case may be, to the club, and until he does just that, it’s difficult for the new Anfield boss to make his plans and bring in a couple of new faces. There is also the small matter of the transfer fee that Torres would require, which I’ve already mentioned would be in excess of £40-50mill. With none of that money to work with just yet, Hodgson can’t act to bring in a high-quality replacement for Torres, or indeed fill in a couple of the positions that need strengthening before the big kick-off on August 15th. As much as I understand Fernando has a big decision to make, still being unsure two-and-a-half weeks before the season begins isn’t an ideal situation for the manager. However, it is also due to the length of time Torres has taken to make his mind up that I believe his final decision will be to stay at Liverpool. If he desperately wanted to leave the club, he would have at least made it clear that was his ambitious. In fact, he probably still wouldn’t be with us today, and I think that tells a lot about his feeling and love for the fans of the club. Whilst he’s voiced his concerns over the treatment of some of the players, including himself, during the Rafael Benitez regime, he’s always had a special affection for the Anfield faithful, and vice versa. Hopefully that will be enough to keep Torres at Liverpool.

If it isn’t, then there’s always the ideas and plans that Roy Hodgson is putting in place at his new club. Through the transfer of Joe Cole, Hodgson has already persuaded Steven Gerrard that his future lies at his beloved local club, and the 62-year old will be praying that it will have the same affect on his influential talisman. Last season, the support to Torres was nothing more than average, with the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Lucas and even Gerrard himself not delivering the goods as expected. Not only with the signing of Joe Cole, but also with the arrival of Serbian international Milan Jovanovic, plus the potential deal to bring Rafael van der Vaart to the club may be enough to keep Torres on Merseyside, and ultimately get Liverpool back into the top four and challenging for honours again.

So there you are Liverpool fans, don’t worry about a thing. For the aforementioned reasons, I believe Fernando Torres will remain a Liverpool player for the foreseeable future, and our wonderful club will be in great shape to get back amongst the Chelsea’s and Manchester United’s of this world next season. You’ll never walk alone!