Why Fernando Torres must now declare if he wants to be a Liverpool legend... or leaver

By Martin Lipton in Laptop with Martin Lipton

Published 11:15 28/07/10

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The message from Roy Hodgson was loud and clear and music to the ears of every Liverpool fan.

According to the new Anfield boss, Fernando Torres has told him he wants to stay on Merseyside.

If so, then Torres is set to disappoint Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom had targeted the Spaniard as the jewel in their summer transfer crowns.

But while Hodgson would not have been so bold in his assertions unless Torres had tipped him the wink, it will not be until the striker comes out and publicly restates what the manager revealed had said to him privately that the issue can be properly laid to bed.

In truth, like Steven Gerrard, Torres should stay.

He owes the club and the fans a debt of honour and while, of course, he would prefer to be playing in the Champions League this season rather than "Thursday Night, Channel Five", Torres' performances over the course of last term were one of the reasons Liverpool fell so far out of the Big Four.

A goals return of 22 from 32 appearances is impressive but Liverpool played 56 matches last season and, mainly through injury, Torres started just 29 of them.

Of course, injuries happen and if there were any doubts over whether Torrres' were genuine, they were ended by his performances in the World Cup, where he was a shadow of his normal self, a fact emphasised by that 10-minute cameo in the Final which ended with him already off the pitch, receiving treatment and unable to continue, as Howard Webb blew for full time.

But Liverpool represented Torres' opportunity to move on in his career, from being "El Nino" at Atletico Madrid, a prodigy with as much attention on his misses as his goals, into the fully-formed player he has become over the last three years, 116 appearances and 72 goals.

Much of that may be due to Rafa Benitez, although it appeared the striker's relationship with his fellow countryman became strained last season and Hodgson is a very different kettle of managerial fish.

The Englishman, though, is a serious, thoughtful and above all forward-thinking and innovative coach.

And while Hodgson might have been the cheap option for a cash-strapped club, that does not mean he is not the right option.

For Hodgson, this is the opportunity he craved too, the chance to demonstrate why he should be considered the best English coach, not of his generation, but of all his colleagues.

Being able to keep Torres and Gerrard at the club, while also enticing Joe Cole aboard, will be seen as a bright start, even if it seems inevitable that Javier Mascherano will quit.

Keeping Torres happy, however, may be difficult and perhaps Liverpool will have to show they are a serious club to ensure he is still wearing Liverpool red by the end of the January transfer window.

If Hodgson's team get off to a decent start - and the manager has signaled his intention to prioritise the Premier League, anticipating that Europe will take care of itself in the early stages - then Torres will be a key part of that, and should feel increasingly buoyant and happy.

Were things to go the other way, however, we can expect to see "sources close to" the player begin agitating and equivocal statements from Torres himself.

Torres and his representatives will  not need telling that the Champions League clubs are allowed to make three changes to their squads for the knock-out stage and that he will be eligible to parachute straight into those 25-man selections having not played in the competition in the first half of the campaign.

Whether Torres would want to be a boat-rocker is less clear and he has made so many previous declarations of fidelity that he might find it hard to walk out on the club mid-term, even if things are not going so well.

But that does not mean Liverpool would not listen to a big-money bid for a player who might be losing focus.

For now, in the wake of Hodgson's comments, the onus is on Torres to give his response, and quickly.

Come out and back the manager's view of their conversation and Torres can confirm his place in the hearts of the Liverpool fans, play to his own high standards and ensure his place in Anfield folklore.

Refuse to agree, however, and the game will be changed completely.

As Liverpool flew off to Macedonia this morning, Hodgson knew he had put the ball in his star striker's court. It is not only the Liverpool supporters who are desperate to see how he chooses to return it.

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