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Liverpool should learn from Heinze's lack of loyalty to Manchester United

Anfield fans have enjoyed United's obvious irritation since Rafa Benitez launched his audacious bid to secure the Argentinian defender. But how loyal would Heinze be to his new club?

by Tom Harness on 03 August 2007

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Gabriel Heinze: Low on loyalty (Gettyimages.com)

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Rafa Benitez has always claimed he wants to sign players who really want to play for the club. Gabriel Heinze most certainly fills that criterion because of his eagerness to make the short trip down the East Lancs Road. But do we really want a man who has shown how low on his list of attributes loyalty is.

Heinze won the Old Trafford fans' Player of the Year award in his first year at the club and has been at United long enough to know the rivalry between these clubs and the trouble a move like this would cause. They backed him when he missed nearly a full season through injury, and he was even made captain of the team for the final two games of last season. So this shows that United have not treated him badly and have shown faith in him.

With his yearning to pull on the famous red jersey of Liverpool, he has to know the hurt it causes the Old Trafford faithful - and as a Liverpool supporter I would normally have no problem with that. But it has to be in the back of your mind concerning future loyalty to the club.

'Do we really want a man that has shown how low on his list of attributes loyalty is?'

Benitez has worked hard at building a squad which has that loyalty. I would be shocked if he really did go through with this deal. We are not Chelski, so flush with money that we can waste it to annoy or stop other teams from getting those players.

I think all Liverpool supporters have had a little fun over this saga, including myself, but we should ask if Heinze is the best value for money we can get - £6.8m for a 29-year-old seems high. And if you add in the fact that he does not appear to be the same player he was before his injury, it seems too much money. There are other options out there; Leighton Baines seems a much better choice despite being a lifelong Everton supporter, but that has never got in the way before.

At the beginning of this saga, I think Rafa put the bid in as a distraction to Manchester United, but now it is time to move on and spend the money where it will bring back the most returns. And I really don't think Heinze meets those demands. Juventus have shown they are willing to sign him and he should realise this is his best option.

Maybe Heinze really is out to annoy Sir Alex Ferguson at all costs after being told by the club who he could or could not sign for. It all seems like another case of a pampered footballer not getting his own way, and do we really want that kind of attitude at Anfield?

Comments (9)

by Eddie on August 03, 2007

With respect I think you worry too much considering you don't know anything about Heinze his motivations or indeed his personality. Most of this stuff as with your previous offerings are the assumptions of a non-informed mind....The acid test is: If you have faith in the manager (Which 90% of knowledgable LFC fans do) then don't worry about who he signs......Or is it that you have an overwhelming urge to blog fdor the sake of it? You like the rest of us haven't got the foggiest about Heinze's attitude or that of Rafa...And as for Leighton Baines read Ben Thatcher...It seems you gleen all your info from transfer rumour websites and the tabloids then construct a fairly thin but predictable opinion.

by CK on August 03, 2007

A great point has been made here, his loyalty has to be questioned, but then again, after being the player of the year in his first season to be dropped and not brought back into the fold, to be used to tap up Tevez and then to be told he can leave does beg the question, what would you do

by 302 on August 03, 2007

Yes we do, he would mentor our young crop of Argentine defenders as well providing competition for both centre back and fullback positions. He is experienced and good value, so yes.

by dj on August 03, 2007

As a united fan, the only thing I can say about Heinze is, why not stay and fight for your place? Or is he gonna do the same at Liverpool, when he is gonna rest for some matches and say that Riise comes in and does a superb match, is he gonna tell Rafa,"I wan't to play for Everton". For me, let him go to Liverpool. Can't you take that, a another teammate is as good as yourself, then you are not a good team player.

by Essexian 76 (not the real one) on August 03, 2007

Is Heinze a villian and Henry a saint?, did he not pledge his alegegence only 12 months before leaving?Players are not of this world get used to it, loyalty is long gone with only a few exceptions of note, managers and directors along with fans are just as bad. Its a short career, so why not make the best of it...you or I would if put in the same position

by Neverman on August 03, 2007

Heinze lost his first team place at a time when he's nearing the end of his career. He wants to play. At LFC he will get every opportunity to start. Also, his family doesn't have to move again. Considering he will be a first choice (arguably) on the left and can also cover for our central defenders, I think he sees the potential to play many more games at LFC.

by Joel Cairo on August 04, 2007

This is modern 21st Century professional sports, my friends, where teams tax their players' weakened bodies in the brief off-season to promote the game and their brands in Asia, America, and Africa. The teams will be around a lot longer than Heinze; let him move, if he thinks its the best for him, and if he knows he won't get as much playing time as he wishes if he stays at OT. If loyalty is the issue, and he wants to know how loyal ManU is, he can just ask Becks or Ruud, can't he? He doesn't owe ManU loyalty; he owes them, or whomever he plays for, his best effort, all the time. And that's all his employer, and its supporters, can reasonably expect of any player.

by killian on August 04, 2007

I think this would be a great signing for the club.

by james on August 05, 2007

he does not need to be that loyal he will only be here for 3 or 4 years,(32,33) or maybe less at that age liverpool would be more than happy to sell him