[lfc-news] Players' futures are the key to final push - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 24 May 2005
Players' futures are the key to final push
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

IAN RUSH believes the uncertainty surrounding several Liverpool stars
could work to the Reds' advantage in Turkey.

Numerous players including Milan Baros, Didi Hamann, Igor Biscan and
Jerzy Dudek are expected to bid farewell to Anfield after the Champions
League Final.

Skipper Steven Gerrard will also resolve his future next week, with
tomorrow's result sure to influence the outcome of talks.

But rather than demotivate those players certain to be leaving the club,
Rush is expecting a final chance to impress will inspire the performance
of their lives.

"A lot of the current players will know it's probably their last game
for Liverpool, but that should be a major incentive for them," said
Rush, who won the European Cup in 1984.

"People talk about players putting themselves in the shop window when
they're looking for another club. If anyone is thinking they're in that
position on Wednesday, you can't get a bigger stage than the Champions
League final to show potential buyers what you can do.

"Those unsure of their future should not only be showing their qualities
to other clubs, they know a good performance could make sure the club
get to keep him. It's very difficult to sell someone who's just won you
the European Cup, so maybe one or two players can force the club to the
change their mind."

History supports Rush's argument. The last time Liverpool won the
European Cup, no sooner had the celebrations started to die down when
the club heard the bombshell news skipper Graeme Souness was leaving to
join Sampdoria.

Rush can see potential similarities 21 years on, but observed how
Souness' last game for the club was also one of his greatest.

"None of the players knew at the time it was going to be Graeme's last
game and I don't think even he realised it," said Rush.

"It wasn't until later that summer he decided to go. Obviously there was
a lot of interest in him at the time and, if anything, I believe the
performance he gave that night convinced the Italians to spend a lot of
money on him.

"I'm sure he hadn't made his mind up beforehand, but when he was offered
so much money he felt he couldn't turn it down. The fact it was possible
he could leave certainly never affected his performanece on the night,
which was absolutely fantastic."

Liverpool's last European victory, also against Italian opponents, was a
nerve shredding occasion.

Rush says memories will come flooding back in Istanbul, but he's hoping
the current players can relax as much as the triumphant side 21 years ago.

"Team spirit was a huge factor in our success," he says.

"We'd won the league and we went to Rome believing we wouldn't lose.
Psychologically, I feel we tormented Roma. They couldn't understand the
way we were laughing, joking and even singing before the game. We beat
them mentally before a ball was kicked.

"As far as they were concerned, you had to be deadly serious before the
game. We were when the game started, of course, but we knew how to get
ourselves going and that was completely strange to them.

"Even the penalty shoot-out gave us the edge. Bruce Grobbelaar psyched
them out. I'm certain he put them off, which is why two of their best
players didn't even hit the target with their pens."

The striking legend says he won't be surprised if the out-come is the
same as it was on that glorious evening in Rome.

"I think we will win," he said.

"I've felt that it was going to be Liverpool's year since we beat
Juventus, but I've a feeling it could go as far as a penalty shoot-out
again.

"I hope it doesn't go that far, and the one area I think Liverpool can
hurt Milan is on setpieces. Juventus struggled with balls into the box
and in the games I've seen, Milan have a similar problem. It could be
set up for someone like Sami Hyypia to get a goal."

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