Babel: "On the bench nothing happens"

Edwin Struis
Sportweek
Tuesday 25 November

Ryan Babel has known better times. The 21-year old forward of Liverpool and the Dutch national team isn't getting a lot of playing time and that stings.

"A player can improve and develop by playing many games. On the bench nothing happens," the former Ajax player says.

"Of course you're disappointed when you're not playing. That's only natural."

Benitez
He has had a clarifying with his Rafael Benitez, the Spanish manager of Liverpool.

"The rotation system is a thing of the past and I am one of the victims of that. The team is winning a lot of games and it's hard to get in. There's 60 games in a season, I must work hard and wait for my chance, is what they tell me. But I've shown enough patience, I want to play."

In what spot that should be isn't clear.

"The manager once said that should focus on the position of striker, but it doesn't show. When I play it's on the left."

Babel has no intention of quitting Anfield, though.

"No I don't want to leave. My contract runs until 2012 and I will not give up hope. When you come to a top club you know there will be a lot of competition and you can not expect the club to adapt to you. It was like that at Ajax. I still have faith and haven't really felt bad either yet. But when this continues it will be one of my lesser seasons. On a scale from 1 to 10 I rate this season as a 5. Not as in what I have achieved but as in the amount of playing time I get. That has not lived up to expectations."