Author Topic: Fernando Torres On His Anfield Exit: A Complete Chapter From Ring of Fire:  (Read 22504 times)

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Thought this was a great read by Simon Hughes on why Torres really left Liverpool. Basically him being very open about his side of the story. There are some very interesting things he has to say. A stark realisation of how much turmoil the club was in at the time. Also, an eye opener on how we are so fortunate to have one of the best managers in the world at our club and how we really are going in the right direction compared to back then. Long read but great insight in to his feelings at the time.

https://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2017/04/fernando-torres-on-his-anfield-exit-a-complete-chapter-from-ring-of-fire-liverpool-into-the-21st-century-the-players-stories/
YWNA

Offline PIPA23

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great read.... i miss and understand Torres decision, except his choice for new club was awfull for our support that time... he never fit in Chelsea the way he did here...

we would need a Torres in our current team right now...he was phenomenal with Gerrard...

Offline NO COUTINHO

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Quote
“When I was at Chelsea, I did not start well for a few reasons. We won almost everything I wanted to win. But maybe that was not enough for me. I was missing playing with Stevie and I missed playing for Liverpool. I thought a lot about the games with the team we had, fighting together. It really means something to me. It is something I found again at Atlético: a team together. Maybe we don’t have huge names but we are a team that competes and enjoys every victory. It does not matter who scores the goal, it does not matter if at the end we cannot win, because at least we are doing something with our hearts.”

was heartbroken but time healed wounds for me, and he has talked very nice about liverpool and the fans in his interviews since. will always love him, and feel sorry that he didn't win any trophy while with us.
Barcelona BEATEN, Liverpool TRIUMPHANT, Messi MASHED on Merseyside

Offline Desert Red Fox

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A long but excellent read. It's a shame that things ended up the way they did between LFC and Torres - says a lot about the sad state of the club back then, and that we're fortunate that our beloved LFC is still alive (and stabilized) after that brush with death due to Hicks and Gillett. Fuck 'em.
Torres seems like an articulate, reflexive guy - something of a rarity these days.

I could use a little less Hodge sympathy tho ;D

Offline deFacto please, you bastards

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Great read. gives an insight to his thinking and mindset at the time, and the club was a fucking mess with snakes.


All is forgiven at least for me

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Still love Agger's elbow to his neck in the first game against Chelsea.

But yeah he brought us a lot of fun times and almost got us to a title.

Offline wige

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I've still not healed from everything that happened over that period, and that read has opened some of the wounds up. I agree with him, I think we were one of the best teams in Europe, just one or two short of being an exceptional side.

To go from there, to the collapse. It's so painful. To lose heroes such as Torres, Rafa, Alonso, Mascherano along the way - heartbreaking.

I'm glad he remembers the testimonial like that. I was cold hearted at the time, but that collective moment when the crowd just kinda went "ah man, you screwed us, but we fucking loved you. They were the best of times" and sung THAT song... goosebumps.

At his peak - sublime.

YNWA Nando.

Offline BigAl24

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Time has healed it for me now. I love the man again.
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Offline amirani

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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. He understood everything about me. I just needed to move into the space and the first thing he would try to do is find me. And he did, whether it was with a long or a short pass. Stevie was the player that completed my game. I will never find someone like him again.”

Gerrard, Torres says, gave him the confidence to display a creative expression that had lain dormant under the burden of home expectation in Madrid.

“In 2008, I went to the Ballon d’Or gala in Switzerland. Messi won, Ronaldo came second and I came third. I could not believe I was nominated. Wow, a private jet — I was in shock. Stevie kept telling me, “Don’t worry, you will win it for sure.” He told me that like he really thought it. I thought he was crazy! I never once thought I’d be good enough to get invited to a gala like this. His words expressed how he felt about me at the club and the performance levels I was reaching with the help of the support. He told me I could be the best in the world and I realised this is the feeling everybody in Liverpool had about me. They made me feel anything was possible, that everything was real.”


If anything, this makes me appreciate and miss Gerrard even more. He gave his all and stayed with LFC even after his best mates and team's best players (Alonso, Torres, Suarez etc) got sold/moved on.

Offline El Lobo

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Bastard  :'(

At work as well.
If he's being asked to head the ball too frequently - which isn't exactly his specialty - it could affect his ear and cause an infection. Especially if the ball hits him on the ear directly.

Offline NealFrom25Yards

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Wildly overwritten and filled to the brim with homoerotic undertone

...just the way I like it.

Great read.

Offline wige

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Offline JackWard33

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Great read. Horrible the state our club got into

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"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.

Anyway... that was a depressing read. From the reminder of that sensational team we had, to the reminder that we had absolute wankers like Comolli at our club, to his account of that game against Chelsea (3 wins away from the title, fucking forgot about that). "What could have been" - a very common vibe over the last 10 years at Liverpool.

Also puts his current stint at Atletico in to perspective - I'm so gutted that he didn't win the Champions League with them against Real Madrid.

He was a proper footballer, loved everything about him.

On the bright side, Jurgen Klopp is our manager now and we are finally climbing back up the hill. Our squad's the best it's been since 2009, and our club is in the best position it's been in yonks. Much to be excited about.

Offline El Lobo

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"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.

Anyway... that was a depressing read. From the reminder of that sensational team we had, to the reminder that we had absolute wankers like Comolli at our club, to his account of that game against Chelsea (3 wins away from the title, fucking forgot about that). "What could have been" - a very common vibe over the last 10 years at Liverpool.

Also puts his current stint at Atletico in to perspective - I'm so gutted that he didn't win the Champions League with them against Real Madrid.

He was a proper footballer, loved everything about him.

On the bright side, Jurgen Klopp is our manager now and we are finally climbing back up the hill. Our squad's the best it's been since 2009, and our club is in the best position it's been in yonks. Much to be excited about.

Still could.

Came on last night and admit I got a bit of a lump in my throat, first time I've seen him in the flesh.
If he's being asked to head the ball too frequently - which isn't exactly his specialty - it could affect his ear and cause an infection. Especially if the ball hits him on the ear directly.

Offline Upinsmoke

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Great read that. He always said he'd tell more one day and I suppose he's done that here.

Let's get him in next season, good backup  ;D

Offline Lycan

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Forgave him years ago.

By the way, he has the best song for a former player by a country mile.
“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”

Offline Hoenheim

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Just. Because

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pobbwioAIO8

Deadly, that Torres at the current Atletico Madrid could win them the Champions League. And man do I miss Stevie and Kuyt after watching that video.
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Offline jillcwhomever

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I never felt the bitterness that some did. Considering the state the club was in, it was hardly surprising. Also you could tell he didn't have the connection at Chelsea that he had at Liverpool. He left and got the honours he was after, but never found the happiness he had here. A very melacholy read that, but I don't remember the Torres that left now, the one who scored all those goals is the one I now remember. His song remains one of the best ever as well.
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Offline CallumLFC

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“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.

'The reason to move was to win trophies. And I did. It is silly to regret something you wanted. But maybe you realise it does not bring you contentment.”

-----

It just goes to show winning trophies isn't everything.

Offline Samie

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He's basically admitting in that article all the trophies he won for the plastics, he'd rather have won it with us.

Offline wige

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Snip

His song remains one of the best ever as well.

Should be one that continues to be sung. Garcia esq. Imo

Offline CallumLFC

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I never felt the bitterness that some did.

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.

Offline Lycan

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“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”

Offline Flaccido Dongingo

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It wasn't that he left that got me, literally anyone but them or that other shower from outside Manchester and I'd have had few qualms, felt like a knife in the gut him going there

Offline smicer07

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I didn't get emotional there at all. Gulp.

Offline Lycan

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It wasn't that he left that got me, literally anyone but them or that other shower from outside Manchester and I'd have had few qualms, felt like a knife in the gut him going there


I think most people felt the same at the time. Of all the bloody clubs to go to...
“There he goes. One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind, never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.”

Offline Upinsmoke

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He's basically admitting in that article all the trophies he won for the plastics, he'd rather have won it with us.

Yeah basically. Or Atletico.

Basically success and trophies don't mean as much if you don't have a bond with the club. Doesn't make your heart content.

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I didn't get emotional there at all. Gulp.
Yeah..

Me too...

It meant something playing for us....
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Online Number 7

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I never felt the bitterness that some did. Considering the state the club was in, it was hardly surprising. Also you could tell he didn't have the connection at Chelsea that he had at Liverpool. He left and got the honours he was after, but never found the happiness he had here. A very melacholy read that, but I don't remember the Torres that left now, the one who scored all those goals is the one I now remember. His song remains one of the best ever as well.

Initially, when the transfer happened I was very bitter towards him but then realised very quickly that he had his reasons. Truth be told this article (chapter) highlights not only the reasons for his departure but the general state and ambition of the club at the time. Maybe we were all blinded by it at the time but the unrest and turmoil at the club were not a secret. The Suarez phase was very turbulent as well, although we nearly won the league with him, but his inevitable departure also set us back a few years. I guess it's another wake up call seeing where we are now compared to back then. The club is much more stable, and with Klopp in charge you can sense we are building towards something great again. Add being on the cusp of CL qualification again I feel grateful we're out of those dark days.

I don't blame him at all now. He is still to this day, the best and most complete striker I have ever witnessed at Liverpool. I'm not sure we'll find one like him again in the near future but if we do he'll be very special.
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I really didn't enjoy reading that. Don't get me wrong, it's a cracking piece, but all my disdain and ill feeling towards Hicks, Gillett and Purslow come to the surface. I hate them for damaging our club so much.
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Offline rawcusk8

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Sigh.. He was brilliant for us, loved playing with Stevie and loved his status here. Shame he left for Chelsea but all is forgiven. Him and Suarez would have been superb together.
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Offline dogeibbor

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Just. Because

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pobbwioAIO8

What a player. Good with both feet and a great header of the ball too. And the pace... 

Offline Garrus

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Great read.

I definitely feel a lot more indifferent to it now than I did during his entire stint with Chelsea. I think it probably has to do with the fact that he was very poor for them. I'd probably still be resentful if he banged in the goals for them. 

Offline dirkster

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Great read that. Took me a very long time to get over him leaving. Even the win against Chelsea in our next game didn't purge the bitterness /sadness. Only really forgave him after the testimonial. I appreciate why he felt he had to leave, but why Chelsea Nando.  Why?
Still feel a tinge of hurt at his choice of club.

Offline SlowRap

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He was a World Cup and European Cup winner at the time and he was 27, we just couldn't provide the level he needed to be at - and we got 50million quid, what made me angry the most is that we spent a good chunk of that on Andy bloody Carroll...!

Seeing him bomb at Chelsea made the loss even easier to handle and I didn't have any resentment towards him - the fact is we got a mad bastard and the best player I've ever seen play for us was an even better scenario.
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Offline blert596

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Fuckin hell. Thats a horrible and yet gorgeous read.

What a player for us he was.

I was so happy when his song was sung at the tessie.
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Great read that. Took me a very long time to get over him leaving. Even the win against Chelsea in our next game didn't purge the bitterness /sadness. Only really forgave him after the testimonial. I appreciate why he felt he had to leave, but why Chelsea Nando.  Why?
Still feel a tinge of hurt at his choice of club.

Then again, you could argue that we wouldn't have gotten nearly as much money as we did had he gone to a different club. So, in a way him going to Chelsea was also in Liverpool's interest in a way. It's not Torres' fault that we basically pissed all that money away...

When the transfer happened, I didn't really care that or where he went. I was still kind of numb from all the shite that had been going on the year(s) before leading up to Rafa sacking, Hodgson taking over and our best players just being sold while we were buying the likes of Konchesky.

Looking back at the whole thing, he probably knows himself that despite winning stuff Chelsea was not the right club for him and that it kind of played a part in how awful he did there. Watching him play for them, I even kind of felt sorry for him because of the state he seemed to be in. And I'm glad that he got to play that charity game at Anfield. It probably meant a lot to him to hear his song sung one last time by the Kop...

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He was a World Cup and European Cup winner at the time and he was 27, we just couldn't provide the level he needed to be at - and we got 50million quid, what made me angry the most is that we spent a good chunk of that on Andy bloody Carroll...!

Seeing him bomb at Chelsea made the loss even easier to handle and I didn't have any resentment towards him - the fact is we got a mad bastard and the best player I've ever seen play for us was an even better scenario.
Was a great transfer window in the end. We bought Andy Carrol for a chunk of the money as you say but....
We got £50m for Torres and £6m for Ryan Babbel so £56m coming in. We spent £35m on Carrol and £22m on Suarez. So for a nett spend of £1m id say we improved. Back to Torres I loved him when he was with us. Was hurt when he left for Chelsea but never felt the hate that a lot on here did. I actually felt for him when he was pretty much dog poo for them. Always felt deep down he loved LFC and the fans and regretted the move.

Offline Curtisinho

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Torres has always been, and will always be, one of my favourite all time players. Even though his spell with Liverpool was relatively brief I've always followed him and enjoyed him as a player and a person. All is forgiven with me.

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

I think his love for the club was genuine. Sometimes people make dumb decisions under pressure with chaos around them and I think that was an unfortunate situation he was in and our club was in.
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