Topic: Torres - The Reasons for Leaving - by Sid Lowe

[Suarez325]

 His perspective became strikingly short-term, there was no patience: what, he asked, am I going to be doing for the rest of this season? Fighting off relegation? That's not what I signed up for.

To me this is the main reason he left. He wanted short term success which is maybe understandable given the stage his career is at. FSG weren't prepared to give him guarantees as they are looking to the long term (which they have been open about so to give him short term guarantees would have been unfair.)

Chelsea is a better club for someone thinking in the short term but in the long term he may live to regret his decision.

But anyway we have a new strike force and we should focus on players that do want to be here. I will always be grateful for some of the memories but am more concerned with what the future holds.

[west_london_red]

I'm still annoyed with him but nothing like the  contempt I have for Owen and Masch in his final days.

The hardest thing is that he was playing like donkey shite for the majority and looked he didn't want to be there. We defended him, assumed it was Hodgson, but then it turns out he really really didn't want to be here. His reasons for leaving are understanable if you restrain the analsysis to reason but our relationship with him was always so much more than that.

Personally found the Owen and Mascherano departures easier to handle.

[ALANM]

Carragher was playing even worse so he had no right to shout at other players. And at the time most of us blamed Carra. I don't forgive what Torres did, but it's amazing how many people are reinventing history here.

Carragher has given his all for Liverpool for 14 years. He has had dips in form, as do all players, but he's only ever put LFC first. You could never accuse him of sulking or trying to engineer a move. Torres was poor this season apart from Chelsea at home, then perked up his form once the transfer window opened. Draw your own conclusions.

[mysterio_86]

I dont need reasons and dont give a shit about it !

[drpepe]

  bensmith_Times  Ben Smith
Torres: "Things changed a lot in the last year. #LFC have great ambition but it will take time to get back. I didn't have that time." #cfc

that is the long & short of it

[miakeks]

bensmith_Times  Ben Smith
Torres: "Things changed a lot in the last year. #LFC have great ambition but it will take time to get back. I didn't have that time." #cfc

that is the long & short of it

For anyone asking, there's your reason why he left. Time.

Looking forward to Sunday now - this press conference was a good way to close the Torres chapter. Onwards and upwards, Liverpool

[CorKopite]

bensmith_Times Ben Smith
Torres: I'm not asking #LFC fans to understand me. In time they will understand. From one day to another people can love you or hate you

[sirjames]

What presser?

the one torres just did with chelsea

[Schmidt]

Sounds like more bullshit to take the pressure off him on Sunday. Regardless of his reasons, the fact is he went to one of our competitors, days before the end of the transfer window, with nothing to say to the fans other than how happy he was to be at a big club.

[Carlito Roberto]

I don't get the hatred towards the lad. He let us down badly by the timing of his transfer request, it should have been done at the start of January.

Other than that he hasn't done a lot wrong, those calling him every name under the sun need to chill out. Players come and go, that's the nature of football.

[Narya]

Sounds like more bullshit to take the pressure off him on Sunday. Regardless of his reasons, the fact is he went to one of our competitors, days before the end of the transfer window, with nothing to say to the fans other than how happy he was to be at a big club.

This. The last part of it is the reason why I can't find it in myself to really forgive him.

[robb95]

Torres has been very shorted sighted. And, very ill advised on Chelsea.
I’m not a betting man however; I am willing to bet we will be finishing above them before he is 30 years old.
We are and will be the best run club aside from Arsenal with the new UEFA FFP rules.
They where -66.8 million last season, I know I have stated this in other threads but, they don’t have a good youth team and RA will not be able to throw all kinds of money around to build (buy) a first team.
Manu are the same, however they have a great youth set up as do City which may see them through.
Our biggest challenges will be the gooners.
Chelsea has an aging team, which may work for the next season or 2, but come this summer watch the wheels fall off.

[main-stand-molby]

bensmith_Times Ben Smith
Torres: I'm not asking #LFC fans to understand me. In time they will understand. From one day to another people can love you or hate you

This to me means this last year has blinded him.  He's lost what we are about or he didnt get us.  I think its the former.

He'll look back and realise we arent like that.  Give your all, show respect to us, and you'll be treated like a god for eternity, even after you move on.  He doesnt realise what he's lost yet.

[Cracking Left Foot]

I don't know, I can't bring myself to hate him. Still looks weird seeing him in a Chelsea shirt, but if I'm honest, I'm not really arsed about him. I'm far more excited about seeing Suarez and Carroll link up and about the change of playing style that Kenny and Steve Clarke have implemented.

If Torres doesn't want to be part of that, then fine. His lookout really.

[Aaronb121]

If Chelsea don't come top 4 this year, they will be in exactly the same position as Liverpool next season

[the jesus]

Isn't it time Torres threads got moved to General Football.
Seem to remember the Rafa ones being dumped there quick sharp after he left.

[Libertine]

Torres has been very shorted sighted. And, very ill advised on Chelsea.
I’m not a betting man however; I am willing to bet we will be finishing above them before he is 30 years old.
We are and will be the best run club aside from Arsenal with the new UEFA FFP rules.
They where -66.8 million last season, I know I have stated this in other threads but, they don’t have a good youth team and RA will not be able to throw all kinds of money around to build (buy) a first team.
Manu are the same, however they have a great youth set up as do City which may see them through.
Our biggest challenges will be the gooners.
Chelsea has an aging team, which may work for the next season or 2, but come this summer watch the wheels fall off.

this may be true, but I think Fernando's time as a very top player is really short and he may realise this himself. Other forwards like Owen and Raul who started playing high level first team football very young like him burned out in their late 20s, with his injuries and hints of pace loss, I'm not sure how many years he has left at his peak.

which would make his decision more understandable and us getting £50m for him more impressive (before we blew £35m on carroll anyway).

[drpepe]

  dionobanion  Dion Fanning
Leaving Torres unveiling at Chelsea. Roy Keane press conferences aside, one of the most compelling I've ever heard from a footballer.

[Stussy]

I don't get the hatred towards the lad. He let us down badly by the timing of his transfer request, it should have been done at the start of January.

Other than that he hasn't done a lot wrong, those calling him every name under the sun need to chill out. Players come and go, that's the nature of football.

Yeah but its a tribal thing too, isn't it. Rationally you're right, but football is irrational.

The truth is that his leaving could be a watershed day in our recovery on different levels. Not just in terms of the restrutcturing of our team, but in terms of attitude and psychology.

As Garstonette said, we have more to be excited about in our future than to lament in his leaving.

But at the same time, he's still become El Rentboy.

[robb95]

this may be true, but I think Fernando's time as a very top player is really short and he may realise this himself. Other forwards like Owen and Raul who started playing high level first team football very young like him burned out in their late 20s, with his injuries and hints of pace loss, I'm not sure how many years he has left at his peak.

which would make his decision more understandable and us getting £50m for him more impressive (before we blew £35m on carroll anyway).

Yep that as well mate, its double sided. Owen was good for RM, Raul was class untill he had that bad injury then Owen was never fit when he went to Newcstle.
i would never wish El Ninny injury. better player have left and gone to another club and been only 50% the player they was with us. That i do wish

[Timbo's Goals]

I don't get the hatred towards the lad. He let us down badly by the timing of his transfer request, it should have been done at the start of January.

Other than that he hasn't done a lot wrong, those calling him every name under the sun need to chill out. Players come and go, that's the nature of football.

So you don't see much wrong now we know that his limp performances week in week out, month in month out, were down to his not being arsed and shirking his responsibilities as our main [only] striker whilst still drawing huge weekly salary?

Fair enough if you don't. I see it entirely differently.

[Illmatic]

If Chelsea don't come top 4 this year, they will be in exactly the same position as Liverpool next season

I guess it would be pretty much unthinkable for them not to get CL next season. As much as I would love them not to I can’t see them not making fourth even if we beat them on Sunday.

[scatman]

Carragher has given his all for Liverpool for 14 years. He has had dips in form, as do all players, but he's only ever put LFC first. You could never accuse him of sulking or trying to engineer a move. Torres was poor this season apart from Chelsea at home, then perked up his form once the transfer window opened. Draw your own conclusions.

bollocks, guess you havent read his autobiography.

[Almo]

i want to just move on from this, he's in the past as far as I'm concerned

[eirwen]

I don't get the hatred towards the lad. He let us down badly by the timing of his transfer request, it should have been done at the start of January.

Other than that he hasn't done a lot wrong, those calling him every name under the sun need to chill out. Players come and go, that's the nature of football.

Rationally speaking his decision can be understood. But football isn't about rationality. And he was not just a player for us before all this. We loved him so much, and expected much more from him.

I don't hate him. He merely did what he thought was best for his career. It's sad how his career here overlapped with one of the worst periods of our club, but now we move on to a new era.

[iamnant]

That piece is just a journalist having a wank with words. Not saying anything that we didn't know already or couldn't have guessed. And it's all twisted to take the heat off El Ninny which is just useless now since he's personally done things that have fully burned the bridges between us and himself. It says a lot that no-one has really defended him, since he's done nothing to defend!

As far as I'm concerned, he's gone and the anger has settled slightly. He'll soon realise what he's missing, and I don't see why we should go out of our way to show him any signs of, well, anything. At Scumford Bridge on Sunday we should do nothing but support the team. If people want to throw their El Ninny shirts on the pitch, fine, but any songs related to him or any flags etc. would only make us look worse and fire him up.

Don't know about everyone else, but having Suarez and Caroll upfront has got me excited about LFC again, and with Kenny at the helm I'm genuinely happy for the first time since before Alonso left. And if getting Suarez and Caroll here meant getting rid of a grumpy Spaniard, then I'm all the happier for it.

[m4Rco]

bollocks, guess you havent read his autobiography.

What does it say? I haven't read it.

[Breitner]

Did he thank us, or Rafa, for turning him into a superstar?

The injury prone, clumsy footed pussy is dead to me.

[Illmatic]

Sorry, don't think it's a good article at all.

I am a bit sloshed, so will go into further detail tomorrow.

However, the devil is in the detail. If you can't get the basic details right, which by information, took me 1 minute on google to check, then don't expect me to believe much in the article.

Todays euro exchange rate is 1.1754

£50m = 58.77 m euros NOT 80 m Euros.

I dislike articles that make me to be a fool.

He says $80 million US.

[robbie rotten]

bollocks, guess you havent read his autobiography.

What does it say? I haven't read it.

Also interested, I don't see the point in autobios before you retire as a player - you'll only revise it when you stop playing anyway

[HarryLabrador]

Isn't it time Torres threads got moved to General Football.
Seem to remember the Rafa ones being dumped there quick sharp after he left.

True. Torres is now history.

I loved him when he told us how much we meant to him, and how much he loved us. That love was returned 10-fold from us. Then he dumped us! He has more or less said 'he wants to win things'. Wonder where I heard that before. Now, unlike Owen, Torres has really won things. European Champion and World Cup champion. I know he hasn't done it at club level yet, but how many players would be stressed in his situation. What I'm really getting at is this. Money talks - and I wonder what coffers await him from siberia should they win the CL?

[deadlybuzz]

Did he thank us, or Rafa, for turning him into a superstar?

The injury prone, clumsy footed pussy is dead to me.

Nope, it was "they'll understand in time" and "I won't celebrate if I score". That was it for us supporters.

[davenorthwales]

Fernando Torres has revealed he made up his mind to leave Liverpool midway through the January transfer window, more than a week before Chelsea's bid for him became known.

[the_red_pill]

I have only one thing against the lad- he could've waited till the summer. Lots of clubs would've been in for him and he could've picked and chose.

Other than that, I wish him well and thank him for the goals! And yes- he is a legend, merely for the fact that he has broken records and will be remembered by us and the next generations of fans. I won't deny him that, it is his due.

Good luck, Lad!

[robbie rotten]

He says $80 million US.

GBP 50m = EUR 58,195,000
GBP 50m = USD 79,220,000

As at 17:00 on Deadline Day anyway 

[killerH]

I don't know, I can't bring myself to hate him. Still looks weird seeing him in a Chelsea shirt, but if I'm honest, I'm not really arsed about him. I'm far more excited about seeing Suarez and Carroll link up and about the change of playing style that Kenny and Steve Clarke have implemented.

If Torres doesn't want to be part of that, then fine. His lookout really.

Agree entirely with your sentiments. I too cannot bring myself to hate Torres. I feel betrayed, angry, let down by his actions, and impatience, but to an extent I understand why he did what he did (but I do not agree that he made the right move at all, as VDM said earlier, I think he'll regret it, massively in 1 or 2 years time).

I am however very excited about his younger, hungrier replacements. Simply put, we are in a better position now than we were 6 months ago. I also believe Nando peaked 18 months ago. He's lost that magical yard of pace, like Owen did 4-5 years ago (in his mid twenies too). So we did very well to get £50m.

[R-L-P_R_I]

Nope, it was "they'll understand in time" and "I won't celebrate if I score". That was it for us supporters.

He did say "I only have good words about Liverpool. They made me a top player and gave me the chance to play at the top level."

[davenorthwales]

Fernando Torres has revealed he made up his mind to leave Liverpool midway through the January transfer window, more than a week before Chelsea's bid for him became known.

says he made his decision 10-12 days before chelsea bid.. meaning the day after the man utd game or on the day of the blackpool game.. or may have decided fek it after the blackpool away..

 so, if torres can't quite remember exactly what day it was when he decide, bollox to him

[eirwen]

Fernando Torres has revealed he made up his mind to leave Liverpool midway through the January transfer window, more than a week before Chelsea's bid for him became known.

He also said that was when the club told him about the bid though.

[ryatnalkar]

Just hope Chelsea dont qualify for Europe next year. That would be an amazing slap on his face. Short sightedness doesnt help anyone. I can take one more year of Spurs in CL just for that. It has to begin this Sunday. If we manage to beat them at SB, it will be a big boost for spurs. I dont want Torres to fail. Just want LFC to put out a message, nobody does well after leaving here. I want LFC to do better than Chelsea on all fronts starting next season. Let Torres see what he missed on from a very close distance.