Author Topic: Fernando Torres On His Anfield Exit: A Complete Chapter From Ring of Fire:  (Read 22505 times)

Offline redgriffin73

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Fuck that was a painful read.  :'(  I was absolutely heartbroken when he left and it took a long time to get over, probably the testimonial and singing his song again was the turning point for me.

We always knew there was more to this than we'd been led to believe, and this is a fascinating insight, but Christ it brings back some bad memories of what an absolute clusterfuck of a club we were at that time.

Still the best song ever as well.
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Offline Doc Red

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Very thoughtful and very deep.
Two quotes stand out for me:

"Here we are five years later and they are still trying to build — around the same position in the league as when I left.”
and
“Right now I do not think that winning trophies is more important than being happy. I have realised that winning the Champions League [as he did with Chelsea in 2012], it does not change how you feel every day. I have realised the target should not be the main thing in your life; taking life day by day is key.


Time flies, I've almost forgotten that FSG were here the same season that Torres left.
Additionally, that last quote should be drilled into young players to avoid the "Sterling mentality". Striving for success should be appluaded, but in reality, only a few teams consistently win trophies and even then it tends to be in phases or periodic forms of success. Choosing clubs solely for the purpose of picking up trophies should be something to consider in your late 20s or early 30s. In the meantime, finding a place to grow and enjoy the game, the squad, the manager, and the atmosphere within the club, should probably be among the top priorities.

He sounds like someone that got what he wished for and in hindsight realised he'd already had what he was chasing after, and what he chased after wasn't a sweet as he'd expected.
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Offline SteveZissou

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Looking back, reflecting on his move to Chelsea, it was a move that underlined that something was really wrong with the world... when you're watching football you tend to forget that, cos you have an escape from the political world for 90 minutes, and between games when you have people like Klopp choosing us, the likes of Coutinho and Torres saying all the right things in interviews with their heart then you believe there is goodness out there... but when Torres left us for that team... well, you know... something snapped for me. And I knew that wasn't him, I knew that the move was going to break him mentally because I could easily see how supporters feelings effected him on the pitch at Atletico and Liverpool. So, going back to Atleti was the right move to heal.
« Last Edit: April 19, 2017, 09:45:41 pm by SteveZissou »
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Yes, Stevie in some ways is similar to me: more reserved and shy. On the pitch, it is different. There is an aura around him. You feel it as a team-mate. The opponent feels it because they know what is coming.

Love this quote about Gerrard.
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Offline armchair-fan

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Another professional who joined us when it suited him, and left us when it suited him.

Some of you really do get sucked in by a sob story.

We had his best years by far.  Great song too.

Offline Shite Name

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It's the club he left for and the timing he left us to find a replacement for him that I still can't forgive him, he deserved Aggers elbow. Maybe it because I loved so much is the reason I'm still bitter towards him, just wish he gave him and Suarez a chance up front, that would of been better porn than Fake Taxi.

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His armband proved he was a red, Torres, Torres; You'll Never Walk Alone it said, Torres, Torres.


Until he fucked off and joined Chelsea.

What a load of bollocks.

'No one told me they wanted me to stay'

Then goes on to 'Dalglish told me he wanted me to stay', 'Gerrard told me he wanted me to stay', 'John Henry told me he wanted me to stay.'

He needed to feel a connection with the fans of the club he played for. Yet he thought he was going to get that at Chelsea? Get to fuck. He knew how much of s shite club they were. 'Oh I feel this big connection with the people of Liverpool and I love them all and they love me.' But he didn't know how much of a rivalry we had with Chelsea at the time and how much we dislike them and they dislike us? Do me a favour.
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Remember there was a montage after that first game to 'Missing You' and I was watching with my ex and her family, and we'd only been together for a few months and I was this close to absolutely sobbing in front of them.

Loved that man, like has already been said think that was the breaking point of not getting emotionally attached to players.
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Offline Samie

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Remember there was a montage after that first game to 'Missing You' and I was watching with my ex and her family, and we'd only been together for a few months and I was this close to absolutely sobbing in front of them.

Loved that man, like has already been said think that was the breaking point of not getting emotionally attached to players.

 ;D ;D ;D

Suarez is missed more than him anyway.

Offline Garnier

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Yeah, whatever, nice one, i guess, Torres.

Was an interesting read for sure, but the only time i felt any sort of emotion was when he mentioned the Chelsea game in 2014. It is and will always be an awful, awful memory. We were so, so close ... 3 games, 7 points from the ultimate prize... don't know whether to cry or punch the walls
The change is cast

Offline SwordInYourGut

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I find it a lot easier to forgive him now that he flopped miserably at Chelsea and is willing to admit it. Unlike the c*nt Owen, who still makes a big deal about "winning the PL" with Manchester United. Like he wasn't just an irrelevant footnote in world football since the day he signed for Real Madrid.

Offline Anfield89

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;D ;D ;D

Suarez is missed more than him anyway.

It doesn't come close for me to back then when he left and Suarez leaving.

Offline SwordInYourGut

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that was the breaking point of not getting emotionally attached to players.
Is right

Offline PeterTheRed ...

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It would be nice if he can score the winner against Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Offline NaivetyinBlack

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I know I broke their hearts and in some way my heart was also broken. To have my last memory of Anfield as this one…I am so, so lucky.”

That's it. Done.

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Offline Mactavish

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I find it a lot easier to forgive him now that he flopped miserably at Chelsea and is willing to admit it. Unlike the c*nt Owen, who still makes a big deal about "winning the PL" with Manchester United. Like he wasn't just an irrelevant footnote in world football since the day he signed for Real Madrid.

Yes.

And did you see the actual state of Owen last night?

Talks like a weapon, looks more and more like weapon every time I see him on the telly.

Is a bad weapon.

Offline Red_Irishman

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Jesus Christ, the state of the club back then.
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Offline kezzy

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He did an interview in the echo in mid january saying that he'd never play for another english team and then two weeks later he'd signed for Chelsea.  That just somes up the modern day footballer for me.  You couldn't blame any player at that time for wanting to leave cos the club was a fuckin mess but they where the last team on earth that you'd sign for.   

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Until he fucked off and joined Chelsea.

What a load of bollocks.

'No one told me they wanted me to stay'

Then goes on to 'Dalglish told me he wanted me to stay', 'Gerrard told me he wanted me to stay', 'John Henry told me he wanted me to stay.'

He needed to feel a connection with the fans of the club he played for. Yet he thought he was going to get that at Chelsea? Get to fuck. He knew how much of s shite club they were. 'Oh I feel this big connection with the people of Liverpool and I love them all and they love me.' But he didn't know how much of a rivalry we had with Chelsea at the time and how much we dislike them and they dislike us? Do me a favour.

All true

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Yes.

And did you see the actual state of Owen last night?

Talks like a weapon, looks more and more like weapon every time I see him on the telly.

Is a bad weapon.

He is a massive weapon and will never forgive him for playing for the Mancs.

Offline Justanotherfan

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Remember there was a montage after that first game to 'Missing You' and I was watching with my ex and her family, and we'd only been together for a few months and I was this close to absolutely sobbing in front of them.

Loved that man, like has already been said think that was the breaking point of not getting emotionally attached to players.

Same


Offline trimore

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Until he fucked off and joined Chelsea.

What a load of bollocks.

'No one told me they wanted me to stay'

Then goes on to 'Dalglish told me he wanted me to stay', 'Gerrard told me he wanted me to stay', 'John Henry told me he wanted me to stay.'

He needed to feel a connection with the fans of the club he played for. Yet he thought he was going to get that at Chelsea? Get to fuck. He knew how much of s shite club they were. 'Oh I feel this big connection with the people of Liverpool and I love them all and they love me.' But he didn't know how much of a rivalry we had with Chelsea at the time and how much we dislike them and they dislike us? Do me a favour.

I think the point he was saying was that nobody reassured him they were going to be build the team around him. Which is different than just staying until the owners found a better place to flog him. He admitted he would have went to either Bayern or City at the time, it didn't have to be Chelsea, but that's who FSG neogtiated the highest fee from. A fee that in more pragmatic terms would have been more useful for the club than having less money and going to City.

He also admitted in the interview he wasn't entirely blameless either. At this point the honest regret and mixed feelings about the move is the most anyone can ask of Torres. Most have forgiven.

"Benítez had a list of five targets. They included Internazionale’s Julio Cruz, Palermo’s Amauri, Alberto Gilardino from AC Milan and Lisandro López of Porto." - Bloody hell that's a shoddy list.


And this was probably the key to me for any forgiveness. Along with Crouch, Garcia and Kuyt (good worker, smart player but very limited and not a star talent) what a God-awful list. We just couldn't attract those star strikers at the time. And am grateful we get one who ended up so talented and commited to the club, even if it wasn't for long.
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Offline Melbred

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He was my footballing hero, absolutely idolised the man.

Never been so heartbroken by a player leaving the club.

Offline newterp

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Lisandro Lopez was pretty good in his prime.

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Lisandro Lopez was pretty good in his prime.

Was just going to say that. Scored goals for Porto and Lyon without problems

Offline masterbaker

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I didn't mind him running for shore, the ship was sinking but to go to the neu rich?

Offline jooneyisdagod

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I got over the Torres hate a long time ago. But reading that made me think about all the good times and the sheer hope he brought to us as a fanbase. He makes the point that Liverpool as a club could have signed anyone and they went for him. That shows a humble side to him that most professionals don't have. Yet, when we did sign him, it was seen as a massive coup. An established A-lister signing for Liverpool. Something we just haven't done since. I do hope we can get back to those days again. He's clearly thought about life a lot and there were many people here that said he looked clearly unhappy at Chelsea. Now, he's gone and proven them right.
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It's a fantastic read.  It could have been so different if he and Suarez had played in tandem.
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Offline Marty McFly

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Wow, very deep...fantastic read as stated above. A crazy amount of insight that's never been revealed in fulland somehow I'm not surprised by a single word he said or implied.

Body language says a lot and you could see how he was suffering at Chelsea and imagine what he must have been feeling about his choices, trophies or no.

I'm not sure I even hated Torres that much at the time. Everyone was being sold and he jumped off a sinking ship. He had also delivered a lot for us on the pitch. No comparison to what I still feel for someone like Sterling.

Bit emosh about his feelings on his last return to Anfield

YNWA Nando, hope he come back and sits in the stands for some games


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You don't have to be a psychologist to see that his heart wasn't really in it when he played for Chelsea. Yes I was gutted when he left, but with hindsight and with everything that was happening around him at the time, I can understand why he had to go.
I'd be interested to see the Chelsea 'fans' reaction to this interview too.
But the article was a great (if lengthy) read. For me, I forgave him a long time ago, and we can only wonder what him and Suarez would have been like playing together.

Offline slimbo

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Never underestimate the impact of poor ownership. It can all come crashing down in an instant. Torres was a bi-product of it, as was Rafa and the choices he was forced to make in the transfer market. Hard to imagine the emotional pressure this team was under at the time.

Offline Tobelius

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You don't have to be a psychologist to see that his heart wasn't really in it when he played for Chelsea. Yes I was gutted when he left, but with hindsight and with everything that was happening around him at the time, I can understand why he had to go.
I'd be interested to see the Chelsea 'fans' reaction to this interview too.
But the article was a great (if lengthy) read. For me, I forgave him a long time ago, and we can only wonder what him and Suarez would have been like playing together.

Pretty much this is how i feel about it now. Rush,Mcmanaman leaving really hurt at the time,Owen and Torres were tough but in comparison for me were easier to take.

Offline Something Worse

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His mind drifts to a game at Anfield in 2014 when victory for Liverpool would have put them two more wins away from the club’s first league title in 24 years. Steven Gerrard slipped, enabling Demba Ba to score Chelsea’s opener, and in injury time Torres — sent on as a substitute — raced through on goal.

He could have made it 2–0 but elected to pass to Willian. During the course of this interview, it is the only question he dodges: the one where I suggest it seems as though he could not contemplate scoring, that he couldn’t bear to stop Liverpool achieving a feat he never accomplished with them.

Fuck.
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Offline Chris~

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Could have just passed it back to us the shit.

Offline inq80

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Yes.

And did you see the actual state of Owen last night?

Talks like a weapon, looks more and more like weapon every time I see him on the telly.

Is a bad weapon.

Are you Donald trump?
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Offline rickardinho1

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Could have just passed it back to us the shit.
Imagine that... Torres comes on as a 2nd half sub and scores a deliberate own goal to make it 1-1 and keep the title in Liverpool's hands... ;D

Offline Hunts Cross

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Yep you come to realise it's all rather silly. We're all grown adults for christ sake and at the end of it all, it truly is just a game of football. Some just take it far more seriously than they should. I always cringe when i see crap thrown at Owen, Sterling, Torres or whoever else. They left for another football team to achieve something more. Fuck me, it truly isn't that big act of a sin.

The only Liverpool player who turns my stomach is Diouf. Owen? Torres? I only just look back on their time in a red shirt with fondness.

I totally agree with you.

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Until he fucked off and joined Chelsea.

What a load of bollocks.

'No one told me they wanted me to stay'

Then goes on to 'Dalglish told me he wanted me to stay', 'Gerrard told me he wanted me to stay', 'John Henry told me he wanted me to stay.'

He needed to feel a connection with the fans of the club he played for. Yet he thought he was going to get that at Chelsea? Get to fuck. He knew how much of s shite club they were. 'Oh I feel this big connection with the people of Liverpool and I love them all and they love me.' But he didn't know how much of a rivalry we had with Chelsea at the time and how much we dislike them and they dislike us? Do me a favour.

All good points. He's not without blame. Even if the club was being torn apart by the cancers, he chose to leave. So he has to take a share of the criticism. End of.
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Offline richiedouglas

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Really sad read.

Every so often you get a player you idolise and Torres was one of those. I know he was on the wain a little, but would have loved another 4-5 years from him.

Offline Qston

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The club was a shambles so can you really blame the lad ? Nope. Great player and boy I miss that song.
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