Ricky
Dec 4 2002, 10:18 PM
Jerzy Dudek and Sander Westerveld have both played in goal for Liverpool and committed terrible mistakes.
The similarity between the two ends there.
Dudek is one of the most genuine professionals Liverpool has ever employed. Of all the players to suffer embarrassment at the hands of Manchester United, he'd be the last you'd wish misfortune on.
Westerveld, by contrast, has now joined a club whose proprietor is Paul Ince, where bitter is served with a bowl of sour grapes.
After Dudek's trauma and subsequent dropping from the Liverpool team, comparisons are sure to be made with Westerveld's axing after his infamous Bolton howler.
Don't fall into the trap of believing the two cases should be linked. Westerveld couldn't find an English journalist quick enough after Dudek's mistake at Fulham, just to remind everyone of his alleged mistreatment at the hands of Gerard Houllier.
And sure enough, there he was again on the radio on Monday night, shedding crocodile tears for his successor by blaming Houllier for dropping Jamie Carragher's back header.
There are many sticks in circulation being used to beat the Liverpool manager at the moment, some far more powerful than others, but Westerveld's attack is about as credible as Robbie Earle as a soccer pundit.
"Houllier never backed me," he claimed. After Bolton in 2001 he didn't. For 12 months before then he did, despite - and I can vouch for this personally - many fans, journalists and Liverpool players believing the goalkeeper was Liverpool's major weakness.
Houllier backed Westerveld right enough, so much so he once turned on the reporter who wrote it was time to give Pegguy Arphexad a go in the Premiership after a clean sheet in the Worthington Cup. I have a good memory for such things.
Westerveld never made a mistake as bad as Dudek's on Sunday, but had he dived for 50 per cent more of the shots directed at him during his Liverpool days, perhaps he would.
Note how both players reacted to their mishaps. Dudek shed tears on Sunday - not for the first time this season - because he cares deeply about a club he only joined 18 months ago.
He apologised to his team mates. After his error at Middlesbrough recently, he stopped to talk to the Liverpool ECHO and explain what happened. He didn't hide. He didn't make any excuse.
Remember Westerveld at the same venue two years ago? Do you recall the classic about ice being on the ball when he allowed Christian Karembeu to score and hand Terry Venables' what I believe was his last win in English football?
Westerveld's excuses were legendary. Indeed, Peter Kaye is using them on his next UK tour. "Dennis Wise pushed me," he cried during the 2000-01 season after punching the ball into his own net.
The ludicrous image of Mike Tyson being decked by a Time Bandit sprung instantly to mind.
As for the UEFA Cup Final versus Alaves, watch the video again and admit if an in-form Dudek had played for Liverpool then we'd now be recalling an emphatic 4-0 win.
It would be unfair to dismiss Westerveld's Liverpool career entirely, of course. He made a valuable contribution, although even in the FA Cup Final he was the club's second best keeper behind Stephane.
Now he's committed a cardinal error in speaking out of turn, not just because of the inappropriate timing but because his motives are personal and unhelpful.
He's trying to justify his own departure by jumping on the manager's back when he knows vultures are gathering. Funny how you never hear the likes of David Thompson or Robbie Fowler - stars who have more justification in questioning if their replacements are better players than themselves - ever attack the manager like this.
Westerveld had his chance and he ought to stop rewriting history. Some of us know the truth and it doesn't make pleasant reading for him. He wasn't sent packing because of one mistake, or because Houllier didn't support him enough. He was sent packing for the simple reason a better option came along and the manager swooped.
If Dudek never played for Liverpool again Houllier's decision to replace Westerveld would still be the right one. The big Dutchman should stop acting like a small time moaner.
And if all this sounds childish, well, you started it Sander.
from liverpoolfc.tv
The similarity between the two ends there.
Dudek is one of the most genuine professionals Liverpool has ever employed. Of all the players to suffer embarrassment at the hands of Manchester United, he'd be the last you'd wish misfortune on.
Westerveld, by contrast, has now joined a club whose proprietor is Paul Ince, where bitter is served with a bowl of sour grapes.
After Dudek's trauma and subsequent dropping from the Liverpool team, comparisons are sure to be made with Westerveld's axing after his infamous Bolton howler.
Don't fall into the trap of believing the two cases should be linked. Westerveld couldn't find an English journalist quick enough after Dudek's mistake at Fulham, just to remind everyone of his alleged mistreatment at the hands of Gerard Houllier.
And sure enough, there he was again on the radio on Monday night, shedding crocodile tears for his successor by blaming Houllier for dropping Jamie Carragher's back header.
There are many sticks in circulation being used to beat the Liverpool manager at the moment, some far more powerful than others, but Westerveld's attack is about as credible as Robbie Earle as a soccer pundit.
"Houllier never backed me," he claimed. After Bolton in 2001 he didn't. For 12 months before then he did, despite - and I can vouch for this personally - many fans, journalists and Liverpool players believing the goalkeeper was Liverpool's major weakness.
Houllier backed Westerveld right enough, so much so he once turned on the reporter who wrote it was time to give Pegguy Arphexad a go in the Premiership after a clean sheet in the Worthington Cup. I have a good memory for such things.
Westerveld never made a mistake as bad as Dudek's on Sunday, but had he dived for 50 per cent more of the shots directed at him during his Liverpool days, perhaps he would.
Note how both players reacted to their mishaps. Dudek shed tears on Sunday - not for the first time this season - because he cares deeply about a club he only joined 18 months ago.
He apologised to his team mates. After his error at Middlesbrough recently, he stopped to talk to the Liverpool ECHO and explain what happened. He didn't hide. He didn't make any excuse.
Remember Westerveld at the same venue two years ago? Do you recall the classic about ice being on the ball when he allowed Christian Karembeu to score and hand Terry Venables' what I believe was his last win in English football?
Westerveld's excuses were legendary. Indeed, Peter Kaye is using them on his next UK tour. "Dennis Wise pushed me," he cried during the 2000-01 season after punching the ball into his own net.
The ludicrous image of Mike Tyson being decked by a Time Bandit sprung instantly to mind.
As for the UEFA Cup Final versus Alaves, watch the video again and admit if an in-form Dudek had played for Liverpool then we'd now be recalling an emphatic 4-0 win.
It would be unfair to dismiss Westerveld's Liverpool career entirely, of course. He made a valuable contribution, although even in the FA Cup Final he was the club's second best keeper behind Stephane.
Now he's committed a cardinal error in speaking out of turn, not just because of the inappropriate timing but because his motives are personal and unhelpful.
He's trying to justify his own departure by jumping on the manager's back when he knows vultures are gathering. Funny how you never hear the likes of David Thompson or Robbie Fowler - stars who have more justification in questioning if their replacements are better players than themselves - ever attack the manager like this.
Westerveld had his chance and he ought to stop rewriting history. Some of us know the truth and it doesn't make pleasant reading for him. He wasn't sent packing because of one mistake, or because Houllier didn't support him enough. He was sent packing for the simple reason a better option came along and the manager swooped.
If Dudek never played for Liverpool again Houllier's decision to replace Westerveld would still be the right one. The big Dutchman should stop acting like a small time moaner.
And if all this sounds childish, well, you started it Sander.
from liverpoolfc.tv