Steve Finnan

[Brian78]

I just realised reading the papers today that Stevie Finnan is 31 our most unsung hero wont have too many years left in him. so who do we get to replace Stevie F? I know arbeloa can play there but hes having a great time at left back. should rafa pay the price for alves or do we try and bring through one of our young players

off the top of my head I cant think of anyone out there better then him as I think chimbonda is overrated who do ye think is the answer?   

[Jrwanderer]

I think Rafa's idea is Arbeloa will take over from Finnan and that Aurelio or Insua will take the left back position.

But not to panic I think Finnan has at least 3 seasons left!

[The Fallen Soldier]

I should say look at Gary Neville 56 and still going on, it must be all the mutant genes and interbreeding thats allowing him to keep playing at that age.
I agree with you he has a good few seasons left, but also bear in mind I still think Rafa has Heinze in mind. He may make another bid for him in the summer next year, it will be interesting to see if Heinze even wants to come too. After a vindictive scottish big nose alcoholic prat has tried to f**k one over on his career because he wouldnt sell him to us. Bitter old bastad he is he would rather f**k up a promising career than sell to his rivals.

[Oldred]

Isn't Gabriel Heinze 29/30?  I think Rafa saw him as a cover for right back/centre back.

It's still possible Rafa may go back for him in the summer but I suspect he will look for someone younger rather than another player that will also need to be replaced in a few years.

I agree that Finnan has a good few years left in him so there would be plenty of time to bed in a younger player.

[Brian78]

Good news my friends Stevie F is out of our (Ireland) game on sat and prob next Wednesday too  so he should be ok for our next league game. 

Hate internationals

[Red Hot Chilli Capsicum]

^^^ That's what we need, read that this morning on Sky Sports before I went to school, says he has a 50-50 chance he'll get to the Czech Republic match. Lets hope not eh?

[Brian78]

would you believe Ireland play him at left back!!!! whats that about? 

[Nicola]

God knows So he's 31, I still think he's brilliant and will have quite a few years in him yet.

[AJ]

I just realised reading the papers today that Stevie Finnan is 31 our most unsung hero wont have too many years left in him. so who do we get to replace Stevie F? I know arbeloa can play there but hes having a great time at left back. should rafa pay the price for alves or do we try and bring through one of our young players

off the top of my head I cant think of anyone out there better then him as I think chimbonda is overrated who do ye think is the answer?  

Finnan is definitely a key defensive player and I like to compare him to Gary Mac in terms of creating well planned counter attacks along with linking up well with the whole team.  I'd hope he has another few seasons left in him but we ain't exactally got the youngest defender's have we? now don't get me wrong I'm all for experienced defenders but age will be against a few of them in the coming seasons.  Saying that I can't imagine Carra ever retiring! he'll play for the team for as long as his legs will carry him I'm sure.

Bring some of the youth team through and let our current team of legends inspire them to be the legends of tommorrow.

[GERNS]

Yeah PRAGMATIC, and I think Neville cuts a fine tune on a banjo too.

[clint_call01]

Finnan is expected to leave us and go to Villa. He was a very good servant.

[Ross]

I wouldn't be suprised if finnan left in the transfer window. return to fulham maybe?

[artaylor]

Considering Degan and Arby are now going to be competing with Steve, I don't think he'll hang around considering his top flight days are already numbered. What a legend, rightly recognised as one of the most solid right backs around in his prime.

[Ross]

uhuh, mr.consistent!

[clint_call01]

FINNAN: I WILL FIGHT FOR MY PLACE
Jimmy Rice 26 June 2008
   
Steve Finnan is relishing the prospect of new competition for his right-back slot following the arrival of Philipp Degen.
Swiss international Degen became Rafa Benitez's first signing of the summer when he arrived on a free from Borussia Dortmund.
 
The Benitez era has already seen Finnan see off challenges from Josemi and Jan Kromkamp for the right-back slot, though Alvaro Arbeloa gave him a run for his money last term.
 
The task of earning a first-team place has now become even tougher, but the one-time Ireland international is ready for the competition.
 
Finnan, who made 29 appearances in all competitions during 2007-08, told LFC Magazine: "Even if you've won the league, you still have to add new faces to improve your squad.
 
"I'm sure United will do exactly that this summer and we have to do the same. At a club like this there will always be competition for places. Nobody can afford to take anything for granted.
 
"You look at our squad now and you can see we've got two top players in nearly every position.
 
"If the manager wants to add more, I've got no problem with that. I think every player welcomes competition; I'm no different."
 
With Andrea Dossena set to follow Degen in signing for Liverpool next week, Finnan is confident the Reds are now just one or two players short of being a title-winning outfit.
 
"Fernando Torres is a prime example," he said. "He's come in and made a difference in big games by scoring and making crucial goals.
 
"If we can get one or two more players with that ability then we'll certainly be a lot closer to the teams who finished above us."

I think finnan can improve our other players degen & arbeloa. this is like hyypia improves agger & skrtel.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N160324080626-0840.htm

[bartman49]

I don't know what Degen or Dossena are like but Steve Finnan will give them a fight for the right back slot and they will have to play well to take it from him...

[clint_call01]

I don't know what Degen or Dossena are like but Steve Finnan will give them a fight for the right back slot and they will have to play well to take it from him...

Sorry mate but dossena is not a right back. He is left back. Degen & Arbeloa can fight for finnan's place.

[IB]

This is like the attitude that Momo had last season when there were five central midfielders.. I think either Finnan or Arbeloa's Anfield career will come to a close if Degen comes.

[JD]

Steve Finnan.

Completely forgot about him.  Well done to whoever bumped this thread. 

[Magillionare]

Is steve now 3rd choise? I guess it depends on how good Degan is doesnt it, still he's very solid, mr.reliable

[AJ]

Steve Finnan - A Career In The Shadows

Liverpool Football Club is no stranger to honest, hard-working players who rarely grab the headlines. Jamie Carragher, Sami Hyypia and Dirk Kuyt are all part of that club in the current squad, and they are added to a list that includes Phil Neal, Ian St John, and Steve Nicol in by-gone years. However, even when drawing up a list such as that, you can be forgiven for missing out Steve Finnan. The Limerick lad with the cockney accent is a quietly spoken chap, who tends to shy away from the limelight off the pitch, and often goes unobserved on it (although that does not mean his effect is unnoticed), but has turned out to be one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.

Finnan started his career by being released by Wimbledon, and he joined Welling City. From there he rose up the footballing heirachy to join the likes of Birmingham City, Notts County, and then Fulham, where he made his name, by having a very successful season when the Cottagers. This prompted Gerard Houllier to make one of his most inspired signings of his reign and signed him for £3.5million. Surely Finnan is up there with the likes of Hyypia, Hamman, and Riise.

When Rafael Benitez came in, many believed that Finnan would be on his way out of Liverpool, as the new coach sought to bring in players from his native Spain, but not even the Benitez could ignore his contribution to the team. By this time, Steve Finnan was already firmly establishing himself as an Anfield favourite with his strong defending, willful running, and increasingly accurate crossing, an attribute which Benitez improved on vastly. In fact, one of the trademarks of Benitez’s style of play is for the two wide men to cut in, leaving space for the full-backs to bomb forward, and provide telling crosses into the box. In this area, Finnan even outmatched another fan’s favourite John Arne Riise who was operating on the opposite flank. Benitez had a pretty indifferent first season, during which the team reached the lows of fifth-place in the Premier League, and having to look up to find how Everton were doing, and the euphorious highs of winning the Champions League. This season was arguably one of Steve Finnan’s best seasons at the club performance wise. He was one of the best players on the park in Liverpool’s win over Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Champions League at Anfield, where him and Jamie Carragher were the lynch-pins of the Red defence. Carragher and Sami Hyypia stopped Didier Drogba and Eidur Gudjohnsen, whilst Finnan reduced Arjen Robben to petulant dives, and frustrated glances at his team-mates.

Over the course of the Benitez years to date, Liverpool have gone through some very hairy moments, and nerve-jangling situations. Finnan proved his worth getting the team to Istalnbul, but when we were locked in epics against Luton at Kenilworth Road, and West Ham United at Cardiff in the FA Cup final, Steve Finnan always had a calm head about him, and the ability to see clearly, when Jamie Carragher was screaming out instructions to his left, and Steven Gerrard was playing with the red mist that often covers his eyes, and sometimes clouding his senses. It is no doubt testimony to Finnan, that he was voted by Liverpool fans, in 55th place, of the top 100 Players Who Shook The Kop list. He ranked higher than the likes of Patrik Berger (79th), Gary Gillespie (68th), Danny Murphy (62nd), Stan Collymore (57th) and Bob Paisley (56th).

Certainly Rafael Benitez chose Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard to build his team around. Finnan did not have quite so much luxury. I have an Irish friend of mine who hated Benitez because he was so convinced that the Spaniard had some sort of determination to oust Steve Finnan from the team by signing the sort of full-backs that he did. Of course one of Rafa’s most successful ideas was to switch Jamie Carragher to the centre of defence, where he has been brilliant for the clubs over the years, but this opened up another right-back slot. First there was Josemi, who was more of a left-sided player who occassionally made appearances on the right. He didn’t work out. And then there was Jan Kromkamp, well, needless to say that that didn’t work out either. Steve Finnan successully saw off those two potential challengers for his right-back throne. Then came Alvaro Arbeloa who was more adept at slotting into that area, and put in some nice performances for Liverpool, and even became their (more-or-less) first-choice right-back following an injury-hit season for the former Ireland international.

Finnan is now 32 years-old, and having made close to 150 appearances for Liverpool, looks set to be close to leaving, with Phillip Degen’s recent arrival. It seems that Rafa does not think that Finnan - who made 50 caps for Ireland - will not be able to muscle his way into a position that is covered by Arbeloa, Degen, and possibly Andreas Dossena, but the player himself begs to differ.

“If the manager wants to add more I’ve got no problem with that. Obviously it benefits the team and it means those of us already here have to keep improving.

At a club like this there will always be competition for places. We’re all aware of that. Nobody can afford to take anything for granted.”

It seems that there may just be life in the old work-horse yet. But those comments may not convince Benitez of his worth at this age. Such is our manager’s determination to scrape together bargaining chips for the purchase of Gareth Barry, that Finnan could be used as a make-weight for the deal, with Aston Villa seemingly willing to accept a player of Finnan’s calibre, experience, and work-rate in exchange for their captain.

Even though Liverpool have not yet got back to Villa about their offer for Gareth Barry, it is with this in mind that I would like to pay tribute to Steve Finnan, and everything he has done for the club, and would like to thank him even more for all that he has done for the club that has gone unnoticed, or he has not got the due credit he deserved for. You can have your Gary Nevilles, you can have your Cafus, and Dani Alves’, I’d much rather have a Steve Finnan in my ranks any day of the week.

So heres to Steve Finnan - the most unforgettable of forgotten men.

Interesting little piece that about his history at the club and where he came from.  I think Steve is a decent tool for coming forward and can always be seen trying to make an impression in the big games.  I hope he stays and manages to fight off the competition for another fab season in the right back position (I won't hold my breath though as it will be tough with more players fighting for a start)

Keep it up Stevie F!

[corballyred]

I still think even though he has lost a half yard of pace he is still our best right back, he has being brilliant for us, you can count his bad games on one hand.

[AJ]

I still think even though he has lost a half yard of pace he is still our best right back, he has being brilliant for us, you can count his bad games on one hand.

yeah but I reckon they will soon be cancelled out when you think how many times he has got the ball up the park for us when we have struggled without Pennant and Kuyt has been playing second striker/wing hogger.

[gareth g]

I have always said the lad has done good and still good.

[7-King Kenny-7]

He is without a doubt the unsung hero of the team, keeps out of the media 98% of the year and is a true red!

[Sinno-91]

He is without a doubt the unsung hero of the team, keeps out of the media 98% of the year and is a true red!

Definately a true red think he's still our best rb really upset if he leaves quality player.

[Reepicheep]

Balague: Espanyol wants Finnan
According to Guillem Balague, Albert Riera’s deal still has to be finalized between both clubs for because Espanyol made a late enquiry for Steve Finnan to be included in the deal.

Espanyol is looking for a replacement for the Manchester-bound Pablo Zabaleta. There is currently a disagreement over Liverpool’s evaluation of the fullback.

However, any outcome from Steve Finnan’s inquiry will not affect the future of Albert Riera. He’s expected to sign any minute now.

http://kop-tv.com/go/balague-espanyol-wants-finnan/

[lil cisse]

Just sell us Riera we dont want to sell finnan god damn it.

[redkenny]

Just sell us Riera we dont want to sell finnan god damn it.

Finnan has gone mate.

[Shay]

2 year deal - not sure about the fee.