Hansen: 'Raul can be new Terry Mac'

'Raul can be new Terry Mac'

Alan Hansen believes new signing Raul Meireles can provide Liverpool's midfield with the sort of dynamism that made Terry McDermott a Kop legend in the 1970s.

The Reds completed the signing of the Portugal international from FC Porto last month and, having been impressed with the 27-year-old's performances at the World Cup, Hansen feels the deal represents a coup for Roy Hodgson.

And the Scot is convinced Meireles has all the attributes to be as influential on the team as the legendary free-scoring McDermott.

"They can't be compared directly, but the closest thing we had to Meireles when I was at Liverpool would have been Terry McDermott," Hansen told LFC Weekly.

"Terry Mac was probably better technically, but he was the same type of energetic box-to-box midfielder who would start the build-up on the edge of our box and 10 seconds later would be at the other end of the pitch putting the ball in the net.

"I'd be stood there thinking 'Christ, where has he come from?'

"That's the sort of thing we've been looking for - someone who can go from being in a defensive position to ghosting into the other penalty area as a move builds up - and I believe Meireles can do that job."

Meireles played in all four of Portugal's matches at the World Cup and was on target during their resounding 7-0 group-stage victory over North Korea.

Hansen continued: "I spent the summer in South Africa at the World Cup and Meireles had a very good tournament for Portugal.

"If you were looking for a midfielder who was good at getting from box to box on a regular basis then I would say Meireles was as good as anybody in the competition.

"He is noted for his work-rate, but it was his work-rate plus a degree of quality that shone out. Every time I saw him he was very impressive, so from that perspective it looks like Roy Hodgson has made a really good signing for Liverpool Football Club.

"As is always the case with every new signing, you can never tell how a player is going to perform until he is bedded into the team, but from what I have seen he has the attributes to do well at Liverpool."

Meireles's arrival significantly bolsters Hodgson's midfield options - and Hansen is excited about what Anfield's new No.4 can bring to the team.

He added: "Meireles will add energy to the midfield. He'll shake things up in terms of movement in the centre of the park and get from box to box in a way that no other Liverpool midfielder has done in recent times with the exception of Steven Gerrard.

"He is a dynamic player. One minute he's in defence, the next he's in the opposition's box and maybe that's what we've been lacking a bit of in the last four or five years.

"Whether he will play alongside Steven with Joe Cole ahead of them, or alongside Christian Poulsen or Lucas with Steven further forward is difficult to say at present, but Roy will have all those options open to him.

"It's up to him to decide how he deploys Meireles and the most important aspect he will consider is how he gets the best out of the player."

Terry Mac was slightly before my time but I feel Meireles has the ability to be a great player for us, maybe in the mould of a Steve McMahon?

he might be like Terry Mac but who are the other greats ?

Get cracking on the tache and perm Raul mate 

Terry Mac was quality of the highest order. If Raul is anywhere near that bracket were in for a treat

Excited about this signing,i cant wait to see him play.Hope he gets a run out on Sunday.

Terry Mac was slightly before my time but I feel Meireles has the ability to be a great player for us, maybe in the mould of a Steve McMahon?

If he is 10% as good as McMahon we will have one helluva player. McMahon was the unsung hero of the best team I ever saw play for Liverpool. About time someone mentioned just how great a player he was for us

Raul as Terry Mc, Stevie as Souey.

Shame we don't have a Cally or a Jimmy Case on the right or a Stevie Heighway on the left.

But, one thing we've lacked for many years now is a free scoring central midfielder. So if Raul can hit anywhere near what Terry Mc did, then we've got one hell of a player.

Terry Mac was slightly before my time but I feel Meireles has the ability to be a great player for us, maybe in the mould of a Steve McMahon?

Yeah ever so slightly before my time too 

Cant wait to see this guy playing in Red!

Terry Mac scored the best goal (due to build up sweeping move) I have every seen

Well said legend Alan.
I too believed Raul Miereles is a good signing for us, it's seemed a good job for our manager Roy.
And as I haven't much memory about legend Terry Mac (of course it's my stupidity for that) but really hope Raul can play at the similar to him and I'm just like most of fans here, can't wait to see Raul play for us.

If this lad is anywhere near terry mac iwill have a huge grin on my face,cannot wait to see him play ...

Cant remember the lasr time I was excited by a signing as much as this

Check this goal out


Check out this video on YouTube:

Terry McDermott - Liverpool - Tottenham 7-0

I hate when ex players compare new signings with ex players when they havent kicked a ball for us.. Adds unnecessary pressure..
Let Raul be Raul and not Terry McDermott

was it Terry mac who supplied the pass to Heighway?

f***in hell,if meireles can do half what Tery Mac could do then Roy has pulled another Bunny, i remember Terry Mac very well and you only have to look at the joy on his and his teamates faces when they played, Liverpool then were a joy to watch every time they played, the team had balance, brains, pace, passing ability second to none, a solid defence and all in all scored goals from all over the pitch, they made it look so easy, a golden era in our history and i for one was priveledged to see Liverpool play then, Masch i loved your tenacity and i thankyou for your service but in Raul we have a player that will tackle, run with the ball, break up play and attack and link up with the front men, and score a few goals too, despite the gloomy air around LFC right now we can see that once those pair of kunts have fu**ed off we will see and feel different atmosphere, Roy is slowly putting the pieces together and remains optimistic about where we finish in May, i'm going for a top 4 and definately back in the CL.

Hopefully he will be a great player for us, but Hansen has got it wrong, because the box to box midfielder is no longer in vogue.

Rather we have a series of specialists, instead of all rounders.

It saddens me that this is the case, but it's a fact of modern football.

I remember Terry Mac, and he was a truly superb player - if Raul can be half as good he will be one of the modern legends.

He will be successful no doubt, does anyone think he will start immediately against Birmingham or work his way into the squad. I know Rafa used to ease players into the squad but I am not sure about Roy.

i agree with what Glynno has said abar comparing players before they have even played a game for the ERedmen, but if Raul is even 10% of Terry Mac, then we are in for a treat

Cant remember the lasr time I was excited by a signing as much as this

last time i was excited was when Nando bunked on the boat to Anfield

To those young ones who don,t know who Terry Mac is i suggest a look at our history, as he is one of the diamonds of the golden generation.

But, one thing we've lacked for many years now is a free scoring central midfielder. So if Raul can hit anywhere near what Terry Mc did, then we've got one hell of a player.

That would be extremely good. We need goals from all over the pitch. Especially with the vast amounts of world class strikers we have at our disposal not firing on all cylinders...

What?

It would be great if Raul turns out anywere as good as Terry Mc

Raul Meireles | Liverpool FC | You'll Never Walk Alone | HD

One of us now.

 Row.... oooll
(Row as in argument)



(Is that Quier Boy at the end?)

F**kin hell,if meireles can do half what Tery Mac could do then Roy has pulled another Bunny, I remember Terry Mac very well and you only have to look at the joy on his and his teamates faces when they played, Liverpool then were a joy to watch every time they played, the team had balance, brains, pace, passing ability second to none, a solid defence and all in all scored goals from all over the pitch, they made it look so easy, a golden era in our history and I for one was priveledged to see Liverpool play then, Masch I loved your tenacity and I thankyou for your service but in Raul we have a player that will tackle, run with the ball, break up play and attack and link up with the front men, and score a few goals too, despite the gloomy air around LFC right now we can see that once those pair of kunts have fu**ed off we will see and feel different atmosphere, Roy is slowly putting the pieces together and remains optimistic about where we finish in May, I'm going for a top 4 and definately back in the CL.

No doubt about that mate
Still happy to hear it again and again

Oh F**k the legend comparison, expect another Lucas Leiva then