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  TORRES

  An Intimate Portrait of the Kid who Became King

  Luca Caioli

  CORINTHIAN BOOKS

  Published in the UK in 2009 by

  Corinthian Books, an imprint of Icon Books,

  Omnibus Business Centre,

  39–41 North Road, London N7 9DP

  email: [email protected]

  www.iconbooks.co.uk

  This electronic edition published in 2009 by Corinthian Books,

  an imprint of Icon Books

  ISBN: 978-1-90685-012-8 (ePub format)

  ISBN: 978-1-90685-013-5 (Adobe ebook format)

  Printed edition (ISBN: 978-1-90685-007-4)

  Sold in the UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia

  by Faber & Faber Ltd, Bloomsbury House,

  74–77 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DA

  Distributed in the UK, Europe, South Africa and Asia

  by TBS Ltd, TBS Distribution Centre, Colchester Road

  Frating Green, Colchester CO7 7DW

  This edition published in Australia in 2009

  by Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd,

  PO Box 8500, 83 Alexander Street,

  Crows Nest, NSW 2065

  Distributed in Canada by

  Penguin Books Canada,

  90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700,

  Toronto, Ontario M4P 2YE

  Text copyright © 2009 Luca Caioli

  Translation copyright © 2009 Geoffrey Goff

  The author has asserted his moral rights.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any

  means, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

  Typeset by Marie Doherty

  Contents

  1 Liverpool’s Number 9

  Thoughts and reflections from the Kop

  2 He is a red

  4 July 2007

  3 The culprit of his success

  Conversation with Liverpool manager, Rafa Benítez

  4 A nice lad

  Conversation with Spain manager, Vicente Del Bosque

  5 Fuenlabrada

  6 Leader of the gang

  7 A born winner

  8 A model footballer

  Conversation with Atlético de Madrid junior team coach,

  Abraham García

  9 The Torres generation

  10 A special dedication

  Conversation with Barcelona and Spain midfielder,

  Andrés Iniesta

  11 A fairy tale

  12 Yogurt

  Conversation with former Atlético de Madrid striker,

  Francisco Miguel Narváez Machón, better known as ‘Kiko’

  13 In El Niño’s hands

  14 He’s earned it the hard way

  Conversation with Mexico and former Atlético de Madrid

  manager, Javier Aguirre

  15 Real hope

  Conversation with Sid Lowe and Guillem Balagué

  16 Liverpool 1 Chelsea 1

  19 August 2007

  17 A perfect marriage

  Conversation with former Liverpool player,

  Michael Robinson

  18 Liverpool 4 West Ham 0

  5 March 2008

  19 He’s going to stay

  Conversation with former Liverpool player and manager,

  Kenny Dalglish

  20 Spain 4 Russia 1

  10 June 2008

  21 Sweden 1 Spain 2

  14 June 2008

  22 Germany 0 Spain 1

  29 June 2008

  23 Ambitious

  Conversation with Liverpool and Spain goalkeeper,

  Pepe Reina

  24 Atlético de Madrid 1 Liverpool 1

  22 October 2008

  25 A danger

  Conversation with Liverpool and Spain

  defender, Álvaro Arbeloa

  26 Third Place

  2 December 2008

  27 A Hartung

  Conversation with England manager Fabio Capello

  28 Liverpool 4 Real Madrid 0

  10 March 2009

  29 A horse that needs to run

  Conversation with Juventus defender and Italy captain,

  Fabio Cannavaro

  30 Manchester United 1 Liverpool 4

  14 March 2008

  31 You’d be happy if your daughter

  brought him home

  Conversation with former Liverpool player and manager,

  Graeme Souness

  32 The same as always

  Conversation with Julián Hernández and Ángel Sánchez

  33 The Kid

  29 May 2009

  Conversation with Fernando Torres

  Career record

  Bibliography

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Liverpool’s Number 9

  Thoughts and reflections from the Kop

  ‘I love him. He’s great. For someone from Spain, he embodies everything we want from our Liverpool players. I mean, obviously, we’ve got Gerrard and Carra who represent the spirit of the club but he’s stepped into the Liverpool history and culture like he’s been there all his life.’ Sarah

  ‘He was a Red long before he played for us.’ Dave

  ‘He’s basically a legend. He’s such a great guy. If I could have his babies I would.’ Archie

  ‘He’s the boy isn’t he? Class, absolute class.’ Frank

  ‘There was scepticism about how many goals he’d score here but in his first season he got 33. He’s also a very humble man so he’s very popular.’ Paul

  ‘He’s one of the best strikers in the world.’ Ryan

  ‘He’s an English striker isn’t he?’ Peter

  ‘It’s not just that he’s a very good striker. He works really hard, he defends from the front. He chases down a lot of defenders and doesn’t give them time on the ball which makes it easy for the rest of the team.’ James

  ‘He’s one of the best players we have. He’s probably far more skilful than any goalscorer we’ve ever had in Owen, Rush, Fowler …’ Dennis

  ‘His physicality is suited to the English game but it’s more to do with his personality and his character for me. He’s a totally great lad. He’s down-to-earth, working class, same as us (from Fuenlabrada, and it’s quite similar to a lot of places in Liverpool), so we’ve really taken to him and he’s really taken to the fans as well. If you see him in the street, he’s happy to talk to people.’ Bessie

  ‘He’s unique. Under Benítez, he’s getting into space better and found a different dimension to his game’. Neil

  ‘He’s a fantastic player – good movement, he’s quick. Quick with his feet, quick with his mind. He’s a great goalscorer. He’s got a good empathy with the crowd. He’s very well-liked.’ Chris

  ‘He’s a god. It’s what he brings to the team. A different dimension.’ Franco

  ‘I think he’s probably the best thing since sliced bread. Absolutely amazing.’ Sam

  No one at Anfield refuses to answer questions about El Niño. There are still two hours to go before the match gets under way but there is already a big buzz around the historic stadium. Scarves, party hats, flags and red shirts are everywhere, with people going this way and that. A man holds his son’s hand in the queue to enter the club museum and admire the Liverpool trophies. Others slip into the Reds’ souvenir shop, take up positions near the main stand entrance to see the players come in, pose for a typical photo in front of the Bill Shankly statue, desperately search for a ticket to see the game (despite constant PA announcements that the match has long been sold out), wait for old friends, ask which entrance to go in by, buy last-minute match programmes and give up any hope of entering The Albert (the pub right next to The Kop, opposite the new Hillsborough Justice Campaign Shop on Walton Breck Road
), a heaving mass of bodies, noise, songs and pints. Red is the overwhelming colour but rumours are that is because it’s full of Norwegians and other ‘out-of-towners’.

  And standing in the pub doorway is Jan, a fan who has indeed come all the way from Bergen in Norway just for the game. He steps outside for a cigarette. What does he think of Torres? ‘He’s young, he’s got the speed, the ability. He’s got everything. He’s popular because of his attitude, the way he presents himself. He’s very young but also very mature. He shines a kind of charisma that people adore.’

  An English friend, Robert, butts into the conversation to give his opinion: ‘We like his humility. We like the way he loves Liverpool Football Club. He’s not one of these players who just signs up for the money. He’s got a genuine love of Liverpool Football Club and that’s reflected in the supporters who actually love the man. You’ll see Torres tattoos, Torres shirts, banners.

  ‘Everything’s for Torres because he’s for the club, which this club hasn’t had for a long time, since your Ian Rushes or your Kenny Dalglishes. He has his own songs. He’s one of us. When he hears his name sung, his heart beats. He wants to play for the club. You don’t get that very often in the modern game.’

  Gus reinforces the message: ‘Liverpool is very much a working-class city. A player like Torres comes along, plays the same way and connects with the fans and that ethos. The fans love him. He loves the fans. It’s a match made in heaven.’

  There is more in the same vein, this time from Sean: ‘I think he’s got a rapport with the fans. He understands them. He understands the passion. He’s committed. Not only that, he’s technically brilliant. He’s fast. He’s pacey. Whereas, at Atlético Madrid, he was struggling for goals, at Liverpool he’s now the striker and we centre our game on him scoring goals and it suits him perfectly.’

  Round the corner, Ian, who has a stall of fan memorabilia selling everything from badges to flags, gives his view – economically speaking – of the Torres phenomenon: ‘Definitely worth the money, yes, but Gerrard’s still the one.’

  In the club shop, however, they think otherwise. Torres is the top shirt-seller. Inside is Callum, aged ten, closely watched over by his father, who is wearing the Number 9 shirt. They go to every home game. What does Callum think of Fernando?

  ‘It can be frustrating at times when Rafa doesn’t pick him but when he plays he’s a quality player and he knows where the goal is. I like how he can dribble past a lot of players and score.’

  Joanna is sitting on a low wall with some friends, eating a plate of sausage and chips with a plastic fork. She happily breaks off to say what she thinks: ‘What I like about Torres is he’s not just speedy. There’s skill in there as well, his technique is fantastic. So he’s married the two really. He’s got the skill and the physicality. He’s the whole package for me.’

  Alexandra gives a hearty cackle before making her contribution: ‘His best quality – his looks! Look at my hair!’

  A quick glance is more than enough to realise that the Spanish striker is the main inspiration behind her fringe and blonde colouring. And Cecilia adds, with a cheeky grin: ‘We love the Spanish in Liverpool.’

  Right in front, and across the street, is The Park – another pub bursting at the seams. To get inside you have to use your elbows but at the same time try not to knock over the huge number of beers squeezed onto the tables. At the bar, waiting for a pint takes time, but conversation sparks up immediately. The only problem is making yourself heard above the songs, chatter and increasingly animated prematch chanting. It’s a fun atmosphere, with the imposing structure of Anfield clearly visible through the window. When one of the throng, with his military shirt and shaved head, hears the question about Torres, he breaks into song. The scarves move, the beer glasses are held high, everyone dances and claps their hands, singing:

  His armband proved

  he was a red

  Torres, Torres!!

  You’ll never walk alone it said

  Torres, Torres!!

  We brought the lad from sunny Spain

  He gets the ball, he scores again

  Fernando Torres – Liverpool’s Number Nine

  Na-Nar

  Na-Nar-Nar

  Fernando Torres – Liverpool’s Number Nine.

  You have to wait a bit for the noise go down to a level where you can carry on talking. For some time, a group has been gathered round a table stacked with beers of every type. Initially, no one wants to talk, each trying to persuade the other to speak. In the end it’s John, with his coloured serpent tattoos and red shirt, who begins: ‘What I like about Torres is that a lot of foreign players come over to England and take some time to adjust, whereas he’s got stuck in. Defenders tackle him hard, but he can still put the ball back in the net. Brilliant.’

  Eventually, the others pluck up courage to join in. ‘He’s a very unique striker because he can score long-distance goals, tap-ins, he can do anything really. You’ve got to tie him up for a longer contract,’ says Steve.

  Joe, leaning against a doorpost, picks up the same theme, shouting to make himself heard: ‘No matter what happens, he says he’s staying. That’s good. There are too many players these days who are looking elsewhere for clubs but Torres says that Liverpool “is in my heart”.’

  Chapter 2

  He is a red

  4 July 2007

  The photo is unforgettable. On the left, Rafa Benítez, as happy as a sandboy, in dark jacket and white shirt with red stripes, holding up one end of a Liverpool scarf with the words ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ written on it. On the right, holding the other end, is Fernando Torres, wearing the club’s Number 9 shirt. The one that has graced legends like Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler.

  The tiered seating in the stands at Anfield forms the background. It’s a little after 3pm (UK time) when El Niño arrives to be presented to the media as a new player in the Merseyside squad. First, the signing of the contract that ties him to Liverpool for six years on a salary of 6.5 million Euros a season – a sum exceeded only by captain Steven Gerrard’s. Then the press conference in jacket and tie with the shirt collar slightly undone. One can see that the lad from Fuenlabrada is nervous. He talks in Spanish and says straight away that ‘the club is one of the best in Europe, a victorious club, its past and its present shows it. For me it was an opportunity which I couldn’t miss out on.’

  He looks to Benítez, always at his side, and explains:

  ‘We didn’t know each other personally but when I spoke to him for the first time … simply to know that Benítez had confidence in me is something incredible. And that a club like Liverpool, which can buy any of the best players in the world, should choose you to form part of the team comes as a surprise and fills you with pride. The fact that Liverpool are giving me the Number 9 jersey just goes to show the confidence they have placed in me, when considering those who have worn that shirt before me. But I’m not afraid of the responsibility that this brings.’

  Torres knows the expectations that his transfer has created, the most expensive in Liverpool’s century-old history (£26.5 million compared with the £14 million paid for French striker, Djibril Cissé, from Auxerre in July 2004). He knows that the public wants compensation in the form of goals. He hopes he can do it.

  Rafa Benítez, who doesn’t let him out of his sight for a second, maintains: ‘We have signed a youngster with a promising future ahead of him. He is the player we needed.’ There is no problem with responsibilities within the squad: ‘Crouch,’ he explains, ‘works hard and Fernando can hold up the ball, look to get round the defence and construct moves.’

  He stresses Fernando’s intelligence, his ability to understand situations in a flash, and gives, as an example, the fact that the lad had immediately understood what it means to touch the badge with the words ‘This is Anfield’ at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the pitch – perhaps the most frequently broadcast image on the British television reports.

  The Spanish mana
ger reiterates Torres’ passion and competitive abilities: ‘He demonstrated these when he was only seventeen.’ When asked what his goal-scoring abilities will be, he responds: ‘I’m not going to put any pressure on him and say that he’s going to score more than twenty goals. I prefer to have four strikers who score fifteen each.’ He stresses the fact that ‘Torres wanted to come. He was very clear. It would be a disappointment if he doesn’t try to be a star.’ He also talks of his new acquisition’s feelings. Benítez has no problem in declaring them: ‘His heart will stay with Atlético and that’s normal. But one cannot doubt his professionalism. In his two final games with Atlético he played with an injured toe. He defended the club badge right up until the end!’

  Of course, his Atlético heart … Fernando confirmed it a few hours earlier in Madrid when, dressed in black as if at a funeral, he said goodbye to the Atlético fans in the Vicente Calderón stadium at 10.30am (9.30am UK time): ‘Wherever I am, my heart will always be red and white. This isn’t a goodbye, it’s a “see you later”. Atlético is my family. I hope to return one day, when the club is at the high level where it deserves to be,’ says El Niño who, with difficulty, manages to contain his emotions. He assumes responsibility for the transfer, saying that he had asked the directors to listen to the Liverpool offer.

  Taking this position goes down very well with the club, which does not want to appear as the guilty party in the departure of Torres. Enrique Cerezo, the club president – more relaxed after hearing what the blond youngster sitting at his side has said – wishes him good luck and adds: ‘Atlético understands and lets you leave in the hope that you come back soon. We don’t want this to be a sad farewell act but a happy one, as when people who are very close say goodbye to each other.’ To explain the mutual separation after twelve years of life together, Torres adds that ‘the club is more important than the individual people. And my leaving for Liverpool benefits everyone.’ It benefits Atlético, which, thanks to the money from the transfer, will be able to reinforce the team. And also Fernando Torres, who takes the right European train to be nearer those goals he has always dreamed about.