Michael Mongie discusses whether or not Lazar Marković will or should have a future at Liverpool next season under Jürgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s young Serbian winger could be argued to have suffered the most as a result of the poor management of Brendan Rodgers. It’s either him or Mario Balotelli but lets be honest, he had it coming.
He came to Liverpool from Benfica after winning a domestic treble for a fee of £20 million. There was a lot of hype surrounding the winger with it being said he could be one of the breakthrough talents in the Premier League that season.
This certainly could’ve been the case had it not been for some seriously poor management on Brendan Rodgers’ part.
I wish someone had told him that if a player is capable of performing capably in a position other than their natural one it doesn’t necessarily mean they play there. Emre Can, Jordon Ibe and Roberto Firmino are all players who played in a variation of the fullback role under Rodgers. The curious thing is that Firmino did so while we had Nathaniel Clyne on the books.
Marković’s first season on Merseyside was interrupted by being played out of position and therefore also halted his development as one of the most exciting wide attacking prospects in Europe.
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Liverpool will welcome back Marković with open arms with the lack of wingers at the club undeniable. Klopp himself said:
“I will say at the start of pre-season, ‘Welcome, and then it’s up to you’.
“That is how it is in football, it is a long pre-season and if he wants to come back to Liverpool on July 2, then [he is] welcome.
“We are short on wingers. Everybody who is involved in pre-season can have a part to play.”
Most Liverpool fans have long memories but the ones that seem reminiscent of goldfish like to refer to the time that Marković received a red card for an ill considered flick of his wrist into the face of a Basel player in Liverpool’s final UEFA Champions League game in the 2014/15 season.
He was turned into a scapegoat when the results didn’t materialize and was ultimately used as a smokescreen for Brendan Rodgers’ ineptitude.
The great news for the Marković is that Rodgers is gone and Klopp has arrived and here to stay.
The German’s style of football should, in a perfect world, combine perfectly with Marković’s direct, pacy style of play. If the former – Benfica man has the desire or will to seize a second chance at Liverpool there it is entirely likely that he could be a success.
Liverpool fans would be highly appreciative of a player coming in against the odds and giving his all to succeed. Especially when at one point majority of the fanbase were screaming for his head. I don’t doubt I was part of that sect in a time where the club was very definitely sliding towards irrelevance.
Marković will no doubt be aware that he’ll have his chance and that will be the end of it. As amiable as Jürgen Klopp may seem he is also very ruthless. The chopping away off the deadwood has already begun with Jordan Rossiter departing to Rangers as well as the impending departure of Jerome Sinclair. Martin Skrtel and Kolo Toure are also set to leave the club soon.
When it comes down to it; it will be a case of whether or not Marković wants it badly enough. If he does, it will show. If it doesn’t, then he is as good as gone and should start looking for a permanent new club. Liverpool aren’t messing around anymore and if Marković has any sense he’ll get on board a project that is set to take off.
Featured Image – Telegraph