Vlog on the pitch – Why is Benitez looking closer to home?

Jul 29, 2008 05:17 EDT
Anfield | Liverpool | Premier League | Tottenham | Vlog on the pitch

Robbie Keane’s arrival at Liverpool and the long pursuit of Gareth Barry suggest Rafa Benitez is looking more at British Isles players than in the past.

Vlogonthepitch host Owen Wyatt went to his local pub to canvass the opinions of two Liverpool fans.

If Barry does eventually sign, will the new approach from Benitez help Liverpool compete more in the Premier League or might it cause them to suffer in Europe?

Let us know your views.

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6 comments so far | Comments RSS
Jul 29, 2008
4:16 pm EDT

Err…well he’s signed an Irishman and failed to sign an Englishman, so far and I’ll concede that Keane is a homegrown player. However, his switch to the “closer to home” transfer policy has resulted in the arrival of David Ngog, Philipp Degen, Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavalieri, Vincent Weijl and Emmanuel Mendy this summer. I guess it depends on what the closer to home policy is closer than!

Posted by BOB | Report as abusive
 
Jul 29, 2008
7:14 pm EDT

fair point but how many of degen, dossena etc are going to be regular starters? 20 mln on keane and a bit less on barry would signify they would have to be starters. Benitez has been criticised for bringing in several foreigners who never adjusted (josemi, mark gonzalez, morientes etc). Maybe now he is changing tac ever so slightly.
Re irishman: we did say British Isles!

Posted by Mark Meadows | Report as abusive
 
Jul 30, 2008
12:28 am EDT

Because he’s ran out of ideas and Robbie Keane won’t win them the league either!!

Posted by Huffty | Report as abusive
 
Jul 31, 2008
9:31 pm EDT

[...] title challenge wilt last season through – you could argue – a lack of grit, and now it seems Rafa Benitez is making an effort to buy locally for next season (Robbie Keane is Irish, yes, but he’s grown up in the English [...]

Posted by £15 million for David Bentley? Why Are Englishmen So Expensive? | The Offside | Report as abusive
 
Aug 4, 2008
3:48 am EDT

He works with what he knows and clearly 3-4 years he he has a clear idea who can grasp his ideas. Mancs and Chelski, be very very afraid. Ngog seems like a gem if he adds a coupla pounds

Posted by njau | Report as abusive
 
Aug 7, 2008
1:56 am EDT

This would be a great pickup.

http://www.soccershop.com

Posted by kovosoccer | Report as abusive
 

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