Jari Litmanen - the truth - soccer24-7.com Forums

Paisley · Aug 23 2002, 07:45 PM

From Liverpoolfc.tv

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Jari, what are your comments about the quotes attributed to you in the national press this week?

I was in Finland for five or six days and one morning we got news from England that I had supposedly given an interview. I didn't recognise myself in the interview. I have never met the people who wrote this interview. I haven't spoken to or given any interview to any English journalist since the end of last season after the game in Leverkusen.

So what was your reaction when you saw the quotes attributed to you?

I was totally surprised. At the time I was focused on the game we had coming up in Finland against Ireland, but then I was asked about the quotes by Finnish journalists but I couldn't give them any answers because I never did the interview so I wasn't going to comment on it.
When I got back to England I saw the newspapers and saw that I was supposedly in a big fight with the manager. That wasn't true either. He was in France for a few days and he didn't give any interviews about anything I was supposed to have said. In the papers it was made to look like I had said something and he was giving an answer. We met each other, spoke and everything is fine now.

Were you upset when you heard of the story?

Of course I didn't like it because I have no ideas where it all came from. I gave an interview with a Dutch magazine about a month ago but that interview and the one that was in the papers this week bear no similarity at all. This has caused problems for the club, the manager and me. People will get the wrong idea of me and my purpose. Liverpool is my club and I want the best for this club. I am a player here and I want to do my best for the team.

You were quoted as saying you are miserable at Liverpool''

First of all I had to check what miserable meant. I had a fair idea but I have never used that word and so I had to make sure. I signed a two and a half year contract with Liverpool and my aim was to come here and win things. That was my purpose then and it remains my purpose now.
Of course there is a big squad here and you won't be playing every game every week. I have always accepted that. Every player wants to play but if I am not in the team I accept it and have total respect for my team-mates and the decision of the manager.

So are you still happy here?

Yes. I have one year left on my contract at the moment. I will have to think about what happens at the end of this season but I am going to train well and hope to get a chance to show what I can do.

What would your message be to Liverpool fans?

We have all worked hard for a couple of years and we are going in the right direction. The players want to keep going the same way and hope to get good results. We want to make the fans happy and win the title for them. Liverpool haven't won the league since 1990 and of course we are hoping to change that this year.

Jere Markus · Aug 24 2002, 07:55 AM

:eek

typical

the best parts:

Quote:

was in Finland for five or six days and one morning we got news from England that I had supposedly given an interview

***Mark*** · Aug 30 2002, 12:15 AM

he's gone to Ajax on loan now

jimlad1981 · Aug 30 2002, 10:55 AM

has gone for good

Jere Markus · Aug 30 2002, 10:58 AM

good for Jari, now he gets to play and he has a chance to play in a team that prefers attacking footy = more fun. Jari will be scoring goals and will be a leader in Ajax, like he has before.

jimlad1981 · Aug 30 2002, 11:02 AM

so like we played boring football on wed against blackburn jere?
jari is past it

Jere Markus · Aug 30 2002, 11:14 AM

I´m just glad for Jari:
1) he gets to play
2) he gets to play the kind of footy he loves and where he flourished
= he´ll be more happy&effective as a player

This is a great situation for Jari. I don´t care about Pool.
I wasn´t trying to say anything about Pool or their result last week, just point out that Jari will be lot happier in Amsterdam.

Jari scored most goals in Champions League with Ajax(when they won it). He might do that again

Ajax will advance above Lyon and Rosenborg - then Pool better hope they don´t draw Ajax.

Paisley · Aug 30 2002, 07:54 PM

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then Pool better hope they don´t draw Ajax.

Why? We'd kane Ajax everywhere and I'd be going to Amsterdam for a 5th time. Happy days.

Jere Markus · Sep 2 2002, 03:42 PM

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We'd kane Ajax everywhere and I'd be going to Amsterdam for a 5th time

just underestimate them..

although I doubt Houllier will be making that mistake.

Red Devil · Sep 2 2002, 08:02 PM

Just like our intrepid media, can't get a story so make the buggar up - happens all the time.