It’s no secret that Robbie Fowler wants a new contract at Anfield to allow him to extend his second stay beyond the end of this season, but Rafael Benitez won’t reveal his decision yet. No doubt the Spaniard is just ensuring that the striker keeps going until the very end of the season, but Robbie isn’t complaining. He said earlier this week: “It’s a bit of a weird situation really because when most players have six weeks left of a season or contract they want their future sorted out. I’m different because I really don’t mind waiting until the end of the season. I just want to stay here. I just hope I get a positive answer when it comes.”
Robbie maintains that Rafa has said nothing to him so far about next season: “I’ve had no indication what the decision will be yet. I’ve known from the start this is just a short-term deal and the decision won’t be taken lightly by the manager. He’s obviously not made up his mind yet, or if he has he hasn’t told me about it. All I can do is sit and wait. If he comes to me and says there is a new contract there, no-one will be happier than me. But until that day comes, I’m not going to be saying anything to him about it.”
Fowler says he’s been happy enough with his performances when he’s
played, but it’s not up to him whether those performances were good
enough: “In the games I’ve played since I came back I’ve been happy
with my performances. I don’t know if I still have anything left to
prove to anyone, but it’s not really for me to say if I’ve done enough.
In an ideal world I’d love to have scored more goals, but I don’t think
I’ve let anyone down.”
Fowler’s obviously made a huge impression off the field though –
team-mates Peter Crouch and Fernando Morientes have both been full of
praise for Robbie this week. For Peter Crouch this has been an
opportunity to learn from a true master: “For me personally it’s an
honour just to be in the same team as him because he’s been such a
great player over the years, and obviously with myself being a striker
you watch players like him and learn from him. It’s a pleasure to play
with him and if I can learn things from him in training and take parts
of his game to mine then it can only benefit myself. He has proved over
the years what good movement he has got and what a good finisher he is.
Even in training you can see by his finishing just how top quality he
is and hopefully I can learn from him.”
On his own performances Crouch says he’s full of confidence now in
every game he plays, and says that the fans have played a huge role in
him getting to that level of confidence: “A lot was made at the start
of this year when I wasn’t scoring but it’s taken me time to settle in.
I feel really settled now and when I go into games I’m thinking I’m
going to score which is a good feeling to have. I must thank the fans
for their support and that is what has been so good for me. When you
come to a new club you hope to have a good rapport with the fans and
hopefully I have got that. They have been top class with me ever since
I arrived and walked through the door, and the people I speak to
walking round the city are really friendly. It is a pleasure to play
for a club like this.”
Also speaking to the official Liverpool website was Spanish striker
Fernando Morientes. He says it’s important for Robbie to be given a new
deal in the summer, and says Robbie is a player he’s admired for a long
time: “I’m very aware of what Robbie has achieved in the past and I
know from watching him work, train and play what he can achieve in the
future. It’s very important that he gets a new contract. I spent my
younger years being very aware of football and watching it all the time
on the television, but even if you don’t watch the game then I’m sure
you’d still know who Robbie Fowler is.”
Nando says Fowler has added to the excitement and anticipation of Reds
supporters going to the game: “He’s a real idol to the fans here and I
think he’s partly responsible for people going to the game almost with
an extra spring in their step because they know they can expect
something special from him. He’s a top international goalscorer for
England, he’s been a top goalscorer for Liverpool and his career
statistics speak for themselves. I hope he gets a new offer from the
club because he’s still a top player.”
Meanwhile one player any Red looks up to was joking to the official site earlier in the week
about Robbie after he had overtaken him in the all-time LFC scoring
charts. After overtaking Kenny Dalglish on Sunday, Robbie had said he
expected a call from the King, because they’d spoken many times in the
past about different issues. Dalglish said he’d not be calling Robbie
though, not now: “I won’t be ringing him. He’s now scored more goals
than me so I’m not talking to him. In fact, I wish he hadn’t come back,
who’s bright idea was that?” Joking apart though Kenny was clearly
delighted for Robbie: “It’s a fantastic achievement for Robbie and I’m
delighted for him, he’s a great lad. Once he returned it was inevitable
he was going to overtake me and I have no problems with that. It’s not
like I was the top scorer of all-time. That title belongs to Rushie and
he’ll take some beating.”