IT WAS A SAD IMAGE that will linger long in the memory. A brooding scowl lay upon the face of a man who sat motionless in a resigned slump behind his manager. Watching the football. Not playing it. Predictably, it went viral immediately on social media. It will probably be the final defining memory of a Liverpool career that really deserves to have ended in a much more celebratory manner.
Alas, there will be no big send off. No final game in front of the Kopites whose goal he defended so diligently. Pepe Reina’s exit was a forgone conclusion and, in reality, the only real possibility on the table this summer, but it doesn’t make the manner of this any more palatable.
Yes, the Spaniard effectively signed his own death warrant when he issued that letter last year but it takes a man with far less sentimentality than I possess to not feel a little bit saddened by the eventual departure and the surrounding circumstances of arguably the best Liverpool goalkeeper since Ray Clemence. To leave after essentially trailing his team mates around the U.S.A and watching them from the stands just doesn’t sit well.
Those who will coldly proclaim that Reina’s best years are way behind him and that he showed a lack of respect to Brendan Rodgers have obvious merit to their arguments. That said, it should never be forgotten that while others were fleeing the good ship Hicks/Gillett/Hodgson, Reina stayed aboard and did his best to steer Liverpool through choppy waters. While the iconic Benitez spine of Reina, Carragher, Alonso, Mascherano, Gerrard and Torres was being torn apart, our goalkeeper remained alongside the local boys. A fat contract will no doubt have helped persuade him to stay true to the cause but it’s not like he couldn’t have made a pretty penny elsewhere during that period. After all, he was undoubtedly one of the best and most sought after keepers in Europe between 2006 and 2010.
Reina’s Liverpool career deserved more than a solitary F.A Cup, one League Cup and a European Super Cup. He was a genuinely world class performer during his first few years on Merseyside. The mistakes that slowly but surely became more frequent in his game and the year on loan in Italy have apparently eroded those memories in the minds of some. They shouldn’t.
The penalty saves in the second Chelsea semi final and the unbelievable stop in the dying moments of the 2006 Cup final against West Ham should never be overlooked or downplayed. Nor should the fact that Reina provided genuine stability between the sticks for Liverpool for the first time in decades. He redefined what we thought of goalkeepers and how they use their feet. He was a dominant force who would gladly risk lamping his own team mates (ask John Arne Riise) if it meant keeping a clean sheet. He felt Liverpool. He laughed with us – as demonstrated by his celebration so beautifully in his reaction to David N’Gog’s clinching goal vs Man United in 2009. He cried with us, too. No one was left more visibly distraught by individual errors than Pepe. He set high standards and when he failed to meet them he wasn’t happy. Lamentably, we saw more scowling than smiling in his later days.
Sadly, after the departure of Rafael Benitez, Reina’s game suffered. His one season under Brendan Rodgers began poorly and, despite some improvement in the second half of that campaign, his new manager brought Simon Mignolet in to challenge/replace the Spaniard depending on whose account you believe.
Support for Reina unsurprisingly remains strong among certain sections of the Liverpool fanbase. Some will argue until they’re blue in the face that when he does eventually depart for good this summer – Bayern Munich have reportedly had a bid accepted for his services today (August 5th) – Liverpool will be ridding themselves of the best keeper on their books.
And yet, while those fans will continue to argue the case that Reina was Liverpool’s true number one to the last, plenty of others will view his seemingly imminent transfer as a logical and justified move. Ridding the club of huge wages and an ageing player who hasn’t impressed in the Premier League for a long time while also receiving a fee of any kind will be seen as good business. The debate will likely rage on well into next season and possibly beyond.
Whichever side of the Mignolet/Reina argument you come down on, memories like Cardiff ‘06 and Chelsea in ‘07 should never be forgotten. Neither should the commitment and years of consistency and stability that Pepe Reina gave to this football club.
Personally, I shall try my hardest to erase that picture of Reina’s glum face that was sent around the world in seconds and instead remember the good times he contributed heavily to during his years at Liverpool. Fortunately, there are many to choose from.
He was a great keeper for us,but as you mentioned,he wrote his own death notice last season.He was a great sweeper keeper.Your article is one fine read.
Solid article – it perfectly captures my feelings.
He was brilliant but his public flirting with Barcelona for 2 years was embarrassing. His head was turned and he lost his form and was never the same keeper. He burnt his bridges there and it was his own fault. He will go down as one of the best keepers in our history and thank him for his efforts. At least Suarez always gave 100% and never waivered like Reina did when having Barca chat them up. He was unbelievable those first few years. Yes, I agree with your article, remember the good times but he’s not the same Reina anymore and nowhere near as good.
So disappointed to see him leave, and in such humdrum circumstances too. What a brilliant keeper, what a top man, most importantly, what a PRESENCE. Mignolet is a decent keeper and an excellent shot stopper but he doesn’t rule his area like a galavanting tyrant, not the way Pepe did. Thanks for all the memories, chief. Let’s hope this is Brendan’s one blind spot, though I fear Dagger, another one of my favourite players, is heading the same way…
Everytime Mignolet is about to kick a live ball, I stopped breathing for a few seconds. His kicks always seem to go towards the sidelines and they barely clear mid-field. I hope BR will address this weakness soon. It is a shame that once BR loses faith on somebody, there seems to be no second chance.
Fantastic player, unfortunately put all his eggs in the move to Barca which didn’t come off. As you said, a sad end to his career for us, but he did bring in on himself.
ONCE A RED ALWAYS A RED,have a great journey reina ynwa.
Things are not the same again for Reina since Benitez been sacked in 2010. He clearly said goodbye to us in his letter http://pepereina25.com/en/2013/07/29/carta-de-despedida-para-los-aficionados-del-liverpool-gracias-por-todo-os-vere-pronto/ also wrote how happy he was to work again with Benitez in Napoli, the man he prefer as the best manager he worked with. Put yourself in Brendan’s shoes and you will understand why Brendan said this http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/transfer-news-pepe-reina-has-written-goodbye-letter-to-liverpool-taking-brendan-rodgers-by-surprise-9159461.html and not even let Reina sit on the bench during this pre-season.
Well, life goes on. We live at the present and for the future. Brendan is building his team and I believe we have a bright future with him, whoever the players he works with. Unfortunately Reina is not in Brendan’s plan but still – arguably – is our best goalkeeper since Clemence. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us Pepe, hope you’ll have a glorious time in the future. YNWA!
I don’t understand the references to “mistakes he made ” in Italy. He was the first GK to save a penalty from Balotelli – and a very good one, too. He was widely acclaimed as a leader at Napoli. He made no mistakes, was solid and is sorely missed by owners, manger, players and supporters. Napoli couldn’t afford his transfer fee or wages. Brendan Rogers has proven himself to be very thin-skinned.
He tried to leave the club 3 times? , and regularly prostituted himself to barca, Rodgers had enough of him making a laughing stock of the club, and showed him the door. To in any way blame Rodgers for this is just moronic, pepe done this to himself
Pepe paid as Rafa and Torres paid for the US owners’ vandalisation of a great side on the cusp of greatness. Other players stayed and prospered contractually at the club’s demise.
You shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking you won’t be remembered as a Kop great, Pepe.
WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU REPLACING NEUER IN A WINNING CL FINAL – except against us, of course !
Class, honour and integrity will always be remembered, champ – even moreso than the elite skill you showed !
Great article! It’s a shame how his time w/the club is ending. You summed up his career w/Liverpool perfectly.
I’d agree that Reina was our best keeper since Clemence and deserved his mantle as such. Every player makes mistakes but there’s no way he’ll be remembered (in my humble view) as a failure or anything close to. He was every bit as good as the Gerrards, Mascheranos, Torres’ of the same era. For me, he’s truly regarded as a great and I’m sad he didn’t get another go with us. At 31 he’s effectively in ‘prime’ time for a keeper and by selling him at 2.5 mill – Bayern have got a right deal. We miss out. Mignolet’s alright …. But has a lot to do to get anywhere near Pepe’s level.
Think Rupert got it right. Looks like Rodgers took offence. No way Mignolet is a better keeper, so why should Reina sit on bench behind him? Neuer is a different proposition at the moment – probably world’s best. A bit like Dudek going to Madrid a few years back.
Not a great move by LFC I fear…..
One of my less attractive characteristics is that I am inclined to be spiteful, but I rein it in. I detect a touch of spite here. If we don’t get cover, we may regret this sale. If Mignolet gets hurt or slumps mid-season, Reina ‘s wages might seem
Like chicken feed.
Agree with the last couple of posts. This feels like the only man management mistake Brendan has made. Particularly given he laments the lack of leadership in the squad, too – Pepe had that in abundance. Don’t understand the comparisons with Suarez in some of the comments – it’s OK for Luis to agitate for a move, as long as he still gives 100%, but Pepe has his head turned and he’s a pariah? Keepers go thru dodgy patches – mistakes are amplified. Class is permanent – I for one am disappointed how this turned out. Still, we go again…
Fantastic keeper. However, one who pissed ME off so much by spending every close season talking about his possibilities of moving to other clubs – including Man Utd – that I can fully understand why Rodgers would want shut of him.