Babel offered me inducements to take me over the moonThose of you that follow my articles and videos know that when we signed Ryan Babel I was ecstatic. Few signings had excited me around that time but Babel was a hot prospect receiving rave reviews. It was a quick signing that sprung out of nowhere. The club had managed to keep the approach quiet and before we finished reading the first reports that we may be in for him, the deal had been concluded. That's how transfers should be handled. People like me shouldn't know about them until they happen.
Babel worked his way through the Ajax youth system and eventually made his first team debut on 1st February 2004 only a month after turning 17. It was his only appearance that season, a season which saw Ajax go on to become Champions. He had to wait 9 months before seeing another first team game but he kept at it. He'd been progressing through the various ranks at international level and he started attracting interest from various clubs but it was Rafa Benitez who took a punt on him, splashing out just over £11million for him.
The reason I fell out of love for Babel was because he seemed more interested in his off-the-pitch activities. This was a feeling shared by some of his Liverpool team-mates, one of whom commented to me that he talked more about music than football.
All I ever asked of Babel was to show more commitment. We'd be losing an important game and while our senior players would be talking about putting things right, Babel would be talking about his latest rap project. It grinded at me and I started to get turned off.
When given a chance in the side he always huffed and puffed and never looked arsed but once again, not long after full time he'd be banging on about what he was up to with his posse. People were coming to me saying he was looking for a move away from the club and I'd had enough. Here was a young lad with a lot of talent that could be one of the world's best. That's how highly I genuinely believed in him but did he want to achieve that status?
Now although I lost faith in Babel, I'm not someone who will go on a witch-hunt. I believe I'm fair when I pass my opinions on figures at the club, well I try to be. As I've said, I rated Babel and each time he was given a chance, even though I'd fallen out of love with him, I wanted him to deliver. But deliver he didn't.
Since we signed him I have always maintained that his best position is as a striker, not as a winger where Rafa Benitez insisted on playing him. The same with Roy, until changes were forced upon him.
Speaking in September, Babel backed up his wish to be deployed as a striker when he said: "I aim to be a striker. The manager has told me that up front is where he wants to use me.
"That's positive. Now I have to show him in training sessions that I can do the job. If I do that I will get chances to play in that position.
"A lot of people still doubt my quality or whether I'm good enough to play for Liverpool.
"I hope, finally, with a little bit of help from everyone here, that I can give something back to the fans and to the club.
"For me, consistency is the key. I need to start regularly and then play well on a consistent basis.
"When the boss trusts me by playing me I aim to reward that trust."
When he is deployed as a striker he is effective. That's where he wants to play and that's where I want to see him given a chance. I know, I know, he's had loads of chances but even if you have no time for him, you cannot deny that he has never been given a run in the side, even as a winger.
The club is in the market for a striker. Maybe it's too late for Babel now but why not throw him in there alongside Torres until the end of the season. We don't want to be parting with him or anyone else really during the January transfer window. He could surprise us.
We have Babel, Kuyt and Jovanovic who can all be deployed in a central attacking role and let's not forget N'Gog. I don't want to take anything away from N'Gog because he's delivered at times but then again so he bloody well should, he's a striker. But do we assess with our heads or our hearts? Would he get a look in at any of the top Premier League clubs? No chance. So if he's not good enough for them, then he's not good enough for us. A good squad player yes, but a regular starter, no.
My point is, it's not just about Torres and N'Gog, we do have players who can lead the attack. Take a look on YouTube at some of the goals Kuyt (and Jovanovic) scored before coming to us. If they spend big and wisely on a striker then great, but let's not [oops] money away that could be spent on some creativity for example.
With Babel his career is going to go in one of two very different directions. He will either leave us and become an absolute star or he will fail miserably. I don't believe there will be an inbetween.
He has the talent but he needs to concentrate on his football and not his music. It's a short career and in his 30's he could concentrate on his other interests.
Babel recently confirmed that he watched my videos. He was unhappy about one that I made giving my opinion about him. He actually offered me a Big Mac and suggested he would like to take me over the moon - I'll let you work out what that means! The cheeky fecker! I'll try anything once mind, especially if it involves a burger somewhere along the line.
As I pointed out to him, and as I have tried to point out to others, I'm not a 'hater', I'm actually a fan who is only angry because I've not seen what I know he is capable of. He is a numptie, no doubt about it, but then again, so am I. But maybe he should be given a chance in the position that he craves. And not just a game here and there, give him a proper run. If he fails at least he can't - and we can't - say he wasn't given a chance... maybe he should change his name to Ryan 'One More ****ing Chance' Babel.
I look forward to seeing more of him but I won't hold my breath as I feel Roy wants to move him on. Maybe a move is best for everyone concerned but unless I see him given a chance as a striker on a regular basis, I will be left asking myself, did we miss out on a real star?
YNWA
Duncan Oldham
KopTalk.com
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