Topic: The Anfield Wrap

[Raaphael]

I`d like him to join a "Ban this filth".

[Zlen]

Can we have more Ban this filth and less AFQ’s please.

[John C]

Interview with Michael Owen, not a good look imo. Giving him an opportunity to peddle his book. Wonder if they'll have the balls to speak about him in similar terms as they do when he's not been a quest on the show.

Of course TAW can reply for themselves but I'll chip in as a listener. TAW is a media platform and is obviously going to capture all football related news articles and in particular when an ex-hero releases a book. It's a point of interest.

Did you listen to it mate? If not you're one of the people who he describes in the interview as "ill-informed". It was a really good interview in which he hardly "peddles" his book but just answers the questions put to him frankly.

Oh, and the TAW lads had plenty to say about him in a podcast earlier in the week - did you catch that by any chance?

[conman]

Of course TAW can reply for themselves but I'll chip in as a listener. TAW is a media platform and is obviously going to capture all football related news articles and in particular when an ex-hero releases a book. It's a point of interest.

Did you listen to it mate? If not you're one of the people who he describes in the interview as "ill-informed". It was a really good interview in which he hardly "peddles" his book but just answers the questions put to him frankly.

Oh, and the TAW lads had plenty to say about him in a podcast earlier in the week - did you catch that by any chance?

I thought he came across ok. I mean, you know what you get with him, but he didn't shirt from any questions and answered them straight on.

[J_Kopite]

Can we have more Ban this filth and less AFQ’s please.

This!

Excited to listen to the Owen interview when I get a chance to be honest

[NotTooXabi12]

Of course TAW can reply for themselves but I'll chip in as a listener. TAW is a media platform and is obviously going to capture all football related news articles and in particular when an ex-hero releases a book. It's a point of interest.

Did you listen to it mate? If not you're one of the people who he describes in the interview as "ill-informed". It was a really good interview in which he hardly "peddles" his book but just answers the questions put to him frankly.

Oh, and the TAW lads had plenty to say about him in a podcast earlier in the week - did you catch that by any chance?

J
I have listened to it but I'd just rather not listen to a loathsome twat given a platform to peddle his pension fund.

I just knew it'd be people brown nosing somebody that I'm fairly sure that none of the lads like or respect

[NotTooXabi12]

Of course TAW can reply for themselves but I'll chip in as a listener. TAW is a media platform and is obviously going to capture all football related news articles and in particular when an ex-hero releases a book. It's a point of interest.

Did you listen to it mate? If not you're one of the people who he describes in the interview as "ill-informed". It was a really good interview in which he hardly "peddles" his book but just answers the questions put to him frankly.

Oh, and the TAW lads had plenty to say about him in a podcast earlier in the week - did you catch that by any chance?

That's my point my not put somebody more seasoned to interview and aim some of the points the fan base have had against him over the years.

[Fitzy.]

Interview with Michael Owen, not a good look imo. Giving him an opportunity to peddle his book. Wonder if they'll have the balls to speak about him in similar terms as they do when he's not been a quest on the show.

Oh brother. ‘Not a good look’.

Interviewing the best young player of his generation who helped to bring a declining club back to life at the turn of the century preventing us from slipping even further back. Single handedly won us the cup at a time when trophies were at a premium. Had an amazing rise to fame.

Are we so lacking in imagination that we have to spend the rest of our lives down a rabbit hole of never giving this bloke the time of day? Surely life’s too short. Move on.

Well played TAW.

[Fitzy.]

Can we have more Ban this filth and less AFQ’s please.

Ban this filth is a far more difficult thing to deliver and benefits from sporadic outings. If it was weekly you’d run out of decent topics and start to become tired of the whole thing. AFQ is an extremely basic concept that just requires decent-minded folks to give off about stuff...often with very entertaining results.

[Jm55]

I have to say I thought the Owen interview was really interesting.

I, like most, hated him when he went to United but time passes and I have to say I no longer care.

I honestly don’t mind Owen now, I realise I’m in the minority but I think he’s a decent pundit.

[Jookie]

I thought the Owen interview was excellent. Thought Josh did a good job.

However the strength of the interview was driven by Michael Owen. He spoke passionately and honestly about his career.

I’ve long forgiven Michael Owen for going to United. He did much more for the club than he did to harm it. This interview did allow him to put his side across.

No way was it an easy interview to come on and peddle his new book

[John C]

J
I have listened to it but I'd just rather not listen to a loathsome twat given a platform to peddle his pension fund.

I just knew it'd be people brown nosing somebody that I'm fairly sure that none of the lads like or respect

Hi mate, it may not have been a challenging interview but it was hardly "brown nosing". I wasn't expecting nor was I disappointed that it wasn't challenging, even Gareth hasn't got Jeremy Paxman's Newsnight style of aggression. Take it for what it was, there was no peddling or brown nosing (no offence but I'm actually having a chuckle at those phrases NTX).

His point about who to sign for after Newcastle illustrated his dilemma as a footballer with a diminishing career ahead. No offence to Hull, no notion of Everton and unfortunately for his legacy he chose the club I hate the most. For that reason I'll never have the same regard him as in 2001. Like you, I'll be a tribal Liverpool fan until I'm 93, but perhaps we need to understand the inevitability that he was lucky to be a football player until he was 33. 

Assuming the honesty is correct about the contacts he made at Liverpool during his absence and hopes to return to us, I thought it was an excellent thought provoking discussion and not even a book review. Well done Josh Sexton.

[red_Mark1980]

Oh brother. ‘Not a good look’.

Interviewing the best young player of his generation who helped to bring a declining club back to life at the turn of the century preventing us from slipping even further back.

I'll admit I don't like Owen. He's about a month older than me and his choices hurt me twice. He screwed us once when he went to Madrid and crossed the line joining them.

I've no issue with the Wrap interviewing him and understand why some are looking forward to it. I'll probably listen.

However to call him the best young player of his generation and credit him with where we ended up is something I feel the need to question. He fucked off to Madrid. Gerrard deserves your plaudits and credits. FWIW Owen doesn't.

[Hightown Phil]

Course he was the best young player of his generation. He scored that goal against Argentina when he was, pretty much to the day, the same age as Gerrard when he scored his first goal for Liverpool. I know there's a positional difference there but lets not be silly here and rewrite history.

[Fitzy.]

I'll admit I don't like Owen. He's about a month older than me and his choices hurt me twice. He screwed us once when he went to Madrid and crossed the line joining them.

I've no issue with the Wrap interviewing him and understand why some are looking forward to it. I'll probably listen.

However to call him the best young player of his generation and credit him with where we ended up is something I feel the need to question. He fucked off to Madrid. Gerrard deserves your plaudits and credits. FWIW Owen doesn't.

Not the best player of his generation, but the best young player in the world in the late 90s at the time. Gerrard took two more years to establish himself properly. Owen was a phenomenon at 17/18 like no other back then. He was a key part of creating modern Liverpool - this is unquestionable. Gerrard obviously supersedes him but it’s bad history to paint his time at Liverpool as anything other than extremely important.

[red_Mark1980]

He had a golden few years..but to paint him as the best player of his generation when Gerrard is six months younger.

Come on, Owen never continued his promise. Look at his games and goals after he left and tell me he was a better player than Gerrard with a straight face

[Hightown Phil]

He had a golden few years..but to paint him as the best player of his generation when Gerrard is six months younger.

Come on, Owen never continued his promise. Look at his games and goals after he left and tell me he was a better player than Gerrard with a straight face

Your issue here is that no one said this.

It’s not hard really.

Who was better overall? Gerrard.

Who was better before the age of 20 or whatever arbitrary age you want to cut off ‘young’ at? Owen by a fucking street.

[red_Mark1980]

Your issue here is that no one said this.

It’s not hard really.

Who was better overall? Gerrard.

Who was better before the age of 20 or whatever arbitrary age you want to cut off ‘young’ at? Owen by a fucking street.

OK fella.

[El Lobo]

Fowler was better than both when he was ‘young’

[Cracking Left Foot]

I thought the Owen interview was really good, and Josh struck just the right tone. If he'd been all confrontational, saying "come on then you prick, why did you sign for the Mancs, you wanker?", then the interview would have lasted about 30 seconds. Owen comes across as a bit boring and a bit arrogant, but it would be mad for the TAW team to have passed up the opportunity to interview a player who, like it or not, is part of our history.

And Neil or Andy will correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I think Josh is the editor of the site, not an intern!

[Fitzy.]

He had a golden few years..but to paint him as the best player of his generation when Gerrard is six months younger.

Come on, Owen never continued his promise. Look at his games and goals after he left and tell me he was a better player than Gerrard with a straight face

Owen was two years ahead of Gerrard. Gerrard was just promise before 20/21 whereas Owen was already the finished product.

Here’s a perfect illustration: https://www.skysports.com/football/liverpool-vs-newcastle/277922

December 1998 - I watched from the Paddock. Owen saved the day while an unheard of Gerrard came on as sub on 26 mins and was subbed by halftime. I’m always amazed this isn’t part of folklore.

By this point Owen was Liverpool’s best player: the best young player of his generation.

[Zlen]

Ban this filth is a far more difficult thing to deliver and benefits from sporadic outings. If it was weekly you’d run out of decent topics and start to become tired of the whole thing. AFQ is an extremely basic concept that just requires decent-minded folks to give off about stuff...often with very entertaining results.

I get all that and I’m certainly not expecting the reversal of volumes - just bit more of one, bit less of the other would be great. [emoji846]

[Fitzy.]

I get all that and I’m certainly not expecting the reversal of volumes - just bit more of one, bit less of the other would be great. [emoji846]

Fair enough

[Raaphael]

Ban this filth is a far more difficult thing to deliver and benefits from sporadic outings. If it was weekly you’d run out of decent topics and start to become tired of the whole thing. AFQ is an extremely basic concept that just requires decent-minded folks to give off about stuff...often with very entertaining results.

It`s all about the room. I rarely listen to AFQ anymore, but that is first and foremost because it seems to be the show where they find room to gather all the contributers I don`t find interesting(the non football people).

[Crosby Nick]

Fell asleep listening to Ban This Filth last night (stick that in your posters). Not in a bad way, just listened to it in bed and nodded off. I sincerely hope someone proposed to ban Crystal Palace? The most nothing of the nothing London clubs.

[Zlen]

Valid argument was made.
Dehodgsonification.

[Alan_X]

I'll admit I don't like Owen. He's about a month older than me and his choices hurt me twice. He screwed us once when he went to Madrid and crossed the line joining them.

I've no issue with the Wrap interviewing him and understand why some are looking forward to it. I'll probably listen.

However to call him the best young player of his generation and credit him with where we ended up is something I feel the need to question. He fucked off to Madrid. Gerrard deserves your plaudits and credits. FWIW Owen doesn't.

As he said himself, the second half of his career was badly affected by the injury but at his peak he was a fantastic player. You don't win the Balon d'Or for nothing. He's a bit of an odd character and I'll admit I've taken the piss out of him on many occasions. Biut he came across well and I thought Josh did a really good job with the interview.

As for Gerrard/Owen and which one deserves the plaudits - it's a couple of sliding doors moments. Owen went and it didn't turn out well. Gerrard seriously considered going to Chelsea twice but because the history books showed that he stayed, he's a 'loyal servant to the club'.

[Crosby Nick]

From the moment Owen came into our team at 17 until Gerrard’s real emergence in about 00/01 he was our best player. Instantly more senior pros deferred to him. His mentality was amazing.

I’ll always have Fowler as one of my favourite players, and I know he scored more when he first came into the side but it really felt like Owen carried us for a couple of years when everyone else was falling away. The impact he had was quite something.

With time I care less about the United move even though it really bothered me. He’ll never really be remembered as anyone’s favourite player which is a shame and entirely of his own making really but we shouldn’t downplay quite how special he was from 97-02 or there abouts.

[courty61]

Fowler was better than both when he was ‘young’

Still dont think at 18 Robbie was better. Which was Phil's point

[conman]

Still dont think at 18 Robbie was better. Which was Phil's point

I'd say he was. Fowlers first 3 years were meteoric.

[Fitzy.]

Fowler was amazing. Owen was amazing.

Not sure it adds to the debate to play one off against the other which tends to be a thing fans love.

[Yiannis]

I'd say he was. Fowlers first 3 years were meteoric.

They truly were. I was thinking yesterday how mad it is that after these 3 years and this fucking injury he suffered against Everton did him for good in terms of he was hardly the same player afterwards. It was beyond deflating and he was just 22 years old!

Owen's injury in 1999 at Leeds had a lasting impact as well.

Oh and he was brilliant for us and our best player for a few years.

[Jookie]

Fowler was better than both when he was ‘young’

I loved Fowler (and still do) but I'm not so sure on this.

The quality of Premier League was terrible when Fowler was at his peak. Just look at how English teams did in Europe between 1993 and 1998. Don't think any team got further than the QF in the UEFA Cup. By the time 1999-2002 came along and the Premier League had improved considerably and Liverpool had become more of a force in Europe, Fowler was beyond his peak.

Fowler also didn't really set the World alight at European (12 in 38 games during his 1st Liverpool spell) or international football (7 in 26 games).

[Slick_Beef]

He's a bit of an odd character and I'll admit I've taken the piss out of him on many occasions. But he came across well and I thought Josh did a really good job with the interview.

That sums it up for me. It was a good interview and I enjoyed it even if I can't quite make up my mind up on Owen. I'd still warmly applaud him if I saw him at Anfield mind you.
Well done Josh/TAW for setting that up.

[sirjames]

I don't understand why nobody seems to pick up the real issue. He left for 12million quid when he was one of the best players in the world which left us in the shit because he looked after himself. I couldn't really give a fuck he played for united.

[CONFIAMOS]

The Peter Moore interview...

Found it very cringeworthy - this 74/75 season dvd - what the fuck?

Don't think the interview challenged the issue well enough - but then I suppose he won't have wanted to upset the applecart so to speak? What about the local sellers? What about the use of Liverpool with reference to education? Moore has just thrown about his usual bullshit and the awkward use of 'mate'. He's very good at it but it's just waffle that doesn't get to the crux.

[tmsneil]

I get all that and I’m certainly not expecting the reversal of volumes - just bit more of one, bit less of the other would be great. [emoji846]

It was around this time last year I began to put forward the argument of getting shut or/reducing the numbers of AFQs. Then when we spoke to people casually it was astonishing how many people really had it as a huge positive for them, something they really looked forward to, often for important reasons. This came to an end around March in Ireland when it was striking the numbers who genuinely love it and cherish it. I was very much put back in my box. The challenge is to keep it fresh and we are having a go at that as much as we can.

[Fromola]

As he said himself, the second half of his career was badly affected by the injury but at his peak he was a fantastic player. You don't win the Balon d'Or for nothing. He's a bit of an odd character and I'll admit I've taken the piss out of him on many occasions. Biut he came across well and I thought Josh did a really good job with the interview.

As for Gerrard/Owen and which one deserves the plaudits - it's a couple of sliding doors moments. Owen went and it didn't turn out well. Gerrard seriously considered going to Chelsea twice but because the history books showed that he stayed, he's a 'loyal servant to the club'.

While that is true, at least if Gerrard went we'd have got a good fee. He didn't run his contract down. Owen was going to leave for nothing in 2005. 

While you'd rather Real Madrid than Chelsea, signing for Manchester United was never an option. He lost any love at Liverpool doing that.

[Crosby Nick]

It was around this time last year I began to put forward the argument of getting shut or/reducing the numbers of AFQs. Then when we spoke to people casually it was astonishing how many people really had it as a huge positive for them, something they really looked forward to, often for important reasons. This came to an end around March in Ireland when it was striking the numbers who genuinely love it and cherish it. I was very much put back in my box. The challenge is to keep it fresh and we are having a go at that as much as we can.

I think it’s worth keeping, and AFQ football. As ever it’s only as good as both the contributors and the questions (and maybe the right combination of both which is probably more luck than judgement). Even some of the less decent shows usually have a few genuine guffaw moments though.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

The Peter Moore interview...

Found it very cringeworthy - this 74/75 season dvd - what the fuck?

Don't think the interview challenged the issue well enough - but then I suppose he won't have wanted to upset the applecart so to speak? What about the local sellers? What about the use of Liverpool with reference to education? Moore has just thrown about his usual bullshit and the awkward use of 'mate'. He's very good at it but it's just waffle that doesn't get to the crux.

I thought he made it as clear as possible that this is not about the local sellers and they will not be affected. I'm not sure where use of Liverpool in relation to education comes into this?
Bits were a little cringy, mainly how he was trying like mad not to upset anyone or say the wrong thing
I'd be concerned if local traders were being put out of business by this, but they're not.
I'd be concerned if they were trying to trademark the word Liverpool for general use, which they are clearly not and if they were the reputational damage would potentially outstrip any benefits.
I'd be a bit concerned if we were trying to trademark things that other clubs hadn't, but they're not and only trying to do what other clubs have done.
I've said it before, but it's no coincidence that we're doing this at the time we are looking to renegotiate a kit deal, when suppliers will quite rightly be asking us what we are doing about large scale counterfeiting.