Torres: Why I almost snubbed Kop move
442 Staff - Wednesday 26 November 2008, 13:28
Liverpool hitman Fernando Torres has revealed he almost snubbed boss Rafa Benitez’s moves to bring him to Anfield.
The Spanish striker has claimed he initially thought a phone call from Benitez was actually from an impersonator, and had to check with his countryman and Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina that the number was actually Rafa’s.
Torres told The Sun “When Rafa phoned me on my mobile, at the start I was asking myself if this was some person imitating him.
”So I called Reina to make sure it really was Rafa’s number. After that, I didn’t have to think for long — I knew that was the call I had been waiting for.”
The 24-year-old has adapted well to the blood-and-thunder nature of the Premier League, but insists that was no mean feat, claiming “It isn’t easy to adapt, but once you have, you would have trouble wanting to play anywhere else. The Premier League is way ahead of the Spanish one [La Liga].
“You play away at a team in the relegation zone and find yourself playing on a perfect pitch, with the stands full to bursting and against opponents who are there to play football.
“Even if they lose, the crowd are going to cheer them on until the end — you only see this in British football.”
Torres was also full of praise for Anfield skipper Steven Gerrard, who he appears to have formed an instead bond with on the field. He said “In England a captain must lead by example. Gerrard is someone everyone wants to be like — always the first at training, always grafting the hardest.
“You follow him blindly. Moreover, he is a star who decided to stay at Liverpool despite all the offers.”
If Torres stays loyal to the Anfield side too then Liverpool are sure to add to their burgeoning trophy cabinet sooner rather than later.