Smicer has a chance to prolong Anfield career

Feb 3 2005
By Andy Hunter, Daily Post

Vladimir Smicer and Harry Kewell celebrate

RAFAEL BENITEZ admits Vladimir Smicer could cap his recovery from a career-threatening injury by earning a new Anfield contract if he helps inspire Liverpool into the Champions League.

The Czech midfielder was warned his career could be over after undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury on the club's pre-season tour of America last summer.

He confirmed his rehabilitation, however, by making a first appearance of the season as a late substitute in Tuesday's morale-boosting victory over Charlton at The Valley. And he also featured as a second-half substitute for the reserves in last night's 2-1 win over Middlesbrough.

Smicer has only 13 league games, plus the Carling Cup and Champions League, in which to prove he merits a new contract when his current deal expires at the end of this season. But Benitez will consider offering the 31-year-old an extension if he makes a major impact on Liverpool's push for fourth place.

The Liverpool manager revealed: "He doesn't have much time left but if he comes in and scores ten goals before the end of the season then what would we do? It's obvious.

"The most important thing in these situations is not what is said off the pitch but what a player does on it.

"There is always the possibility of a new deal if Vladi plays well and scores goals. He is a very good player and a good professional. He can play in different positions for us, but now he needs games.

"If you have talent and skill then it makes it easier, you just need to have the right mentality to go with that. Vladi is an international player with a lot of skill and ability and he can get us goals.

"If he plays well from now until the end of the season then he will have more options in the summer." Smicer admits he would relish the opportunity to extend his six-year Liverpool career.

But he accepts his past successes for the Czech Republic and Liverpool will count for little unless he convinces Benitez he does have a role to play at Anfield.

The midfielder, who aggravated a cartilage injury during last summer's friendly against Celtic, said "I like it here and don't want to leave. It's just down to getting fit and playing as much as I can before the end of the season.

Smicer added: "I must not set too many questions for myself at once. If I start thinking too much about what the manager is going to think of me that will not help matters.

"I am not 20-yearsold now. I have played many games at international level and for Liverpool, so I am at a certain level. I just need to be patient and the manager will decide if I am alright or if he prefers someone else.

''Hopefully my luck will change and I can stay fit and start enjoying my football again because it was a really sad year for me."

Meanwhile Fernando Morientes' stunning debut Premiership goal will be the first of many, claimed Liverpool match-winner John Arne Riise.

Riise said: "There was some pressure on him because of his reputation and all the talk about him before he came.

"But he is a really nice guy, so easy to talk to and he works well in training. He was always going to need time to get used to the Premiership.

"He has shown in training what a good finisher he is and he proved that against Charlton with a sweet left-foot shot.

"There is a lot more to come from him and we are looking forward to it."

Liverpool's win at The Valley meant they avoided a third-successive league defeat, and Riise added: "I think the Charlton win was our best performance away from home of the season.

"We knew that after playing three or four games not that good lately, it was a must-win for us, especially when (close rivals) Tottenham and Middlesbrough lost as well."

Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek echoed Riise's praise for Morientes, adding: "It was a fantastic goal and Fernando did a very good job for us. It was a goal that was impossible to stop.

"We needed that win very much because Charlton were level with us and it was a massive win."