Liverpool winger Ryan Babel plans winter talks with Rafael Benitez - and is vowing to leave unless he plays more games.
The Holland international is unhappy with the limited number of matches he has started with the Anfield club since his £11.5million move from Ajax in the summer of 2007.
Babel explained: "I have tried to talk to the manager but it isn't of any use. I couldn't really do anything with the feedback Benitez gave me.
"We have agreed to look at my situation in the winter. If there's no improvement then, I have to be honest, I want to be somewhere else.
"I don't play a lot so I can't be happy and I can't cheer out loud. Sometimes I wonder how long I can sustain it but I will fight for my position - what else can I do?"
Babel scored an impressive long-range goal for Liverpool in their last Champions League match, the 1-1 draw at Lyon.
However, on the eve of Tuesday night's must-win match against Debrecen he spoke of his frustration at failing to make more of an impact with the club.
He continued in The Sun: "Isn't it unbelievable that in my first year I got chosen as Talent of the Year? And a season later I hardly play and without getting a proper chance."
Babel, who represented Holland in Beijing last summer, added: "I don't know if it has anything to do with my little trip to the Olympics. I know the manager wanted me to stay."
However, he does not think Benitez has a grudge against him.
Babel explained: "I really don't believe he is trying to get back at me. Every time me or my agent (Willie Haatrecht) have a chat with him he stresses I can't leave and he believes in me. We have to trust he is telling the truth. Saying it is different to showing it."
Babel has confidence in his own ability and still believes he can make the right impression in a Liverpool shirt.
He added: "I have shown I can do it plenty of times. I know I could be further in my career but if nobody helps you, if they don't make it easier for you, then it is difficult."
Babel went on to hint at divisions in the Liverpool camp, claiming that his fellow forwards only looked out for themselves, and that cliques had developed in the squad.
"All the forwards, they always live for their own success. It is hard for someone who isn't selfish by nature to act selfish," he said.
"I don't know if my team-mates were shocked by my new character but I do notice once in a while they get confused.
"Normally I would pass the ball - now I take the shot myself more often. I see how they look at me with a face that says 'Hey I am free!'
"But I'm not going to explain it any further because they don't give me any explanation when I ask for the ball.
"We have a lot of different cultures and on the pitch we are a tight group. But outside the pitch everyone goes their own way.
"The Spanish-speaking guys are very close. The youths hang out together. And I get along with Benayoun and Lucas.
"Dirk Kuyt? I don't really hang out with him. Dirk got accepted in the group of the Spanish-speaking players.
"He is very friendly with them and it looks as if he understands their jokes."
Babel also revealed some of the sacrifices he has made since moving to Anfield.
"As a Liverpool player I can't play in my blue Nike boots. They strongly discourage me from doing that.
"Blue is Everton's colour and Liverpool and Everton are rivals in everything.
"As a small boy you dream about a career as a football player. Your willing to give up everything for it.
"Once you reach that goal, only then do you get to know the whole world around it."
Your Comments
Dinger_lfc
"redman_inc i think ur right,liverpool5 hasnt got a clue when it cums down to football. kuyt is one of or best players who gives nothing but 100% week in week out. so what were out of C.L, i would rather we won the league."
redman_inc
"for anyone who wants to illustrate how the internet has spawned a race of armchair supporting, mentally defunct teenagers on their parents computers, just look at the majority of comments on this page...and in particulare 'liverpool5' and 'skaryguy'. It boggles the mind"
liverpool5
"Well we are now out of Europe and are nothing more than a poor team despite spending MORE than Man Utd in the same period that Benitez has been at Anfield. A complete shocker ant to those who say 'In rafa we trust' you are all jokers.
He won the GL with Huliers team and inherited our best player. The sooner he goes the better and take the crap with him (includin Kuyt who is the worst player in th e club) When did he last score yet plays every week. Benitez's love child I think. Don't bother replying if you are going to try to justify the crap we have played for years, we are not good enough and its not about money. The yanks have given plenty. I wouldn't give Benitez chocolate money for the xmas tree let alone proper money. Bet he is rubbish at Monopoly as well"
RED_DEVIL
"Out of the champions league. Oh dear."
reditaliandevil
"This is all Rafa needs !! I've got to start by saying I 'm a big Man Utd fan and I don't want Liverpool to win anything. However this does not mean to say I don't rate Liverpool or their manager because I do. I am very surprised how poorly Liverpool are doing this year despite the obvious void left from Alonso as well as Torres and Gerrard due to injury. The way they ended last term was just phenomenal and I still expect them to come good at the end of the season. However it could easily come to an end tonight but I have a sneaky feeling that they may still go through..we won't have to wait too long to find out.
Anyway that said I can't, if the story above is true, believe that Babel does not think he has had his opportunities. He s a phenomenal player when he wants to be and i thought he would become your Ronaldo. That hasn't happened just like it has not happened for Nani either. Stories would never come out like this in the old days and especially with Liverpool. And I think that's why MUFC succeed and when somebody gets out of line Fergie stamps it out or gets rid.I don't really like saying this BUT it just always seems to be DUTCH players who have to speak out...maybe it is to do with the Dutch culture which seems a shame because they are truly outstanding footballers"
keenanlfc
"If Babel doesnt get played more he should leave, i think he has the potential to be a great player but not under the guidance of Rafa, ok he hasn`t done much to earn a place in the starting eleven but the guy has never played more than 3 games in a row for christ sake!"
sydsalmon
"Ryan Babel should be given more of a chance to prove his worth,as Dirk Kuyt has managed to play on the right side of midfield/right winger,so why not Ryan Babel doing the same on the left side on midfield,or left winger(which he has played before at Ajax & Liverpool,but maybe use him to link up as a second striker or a side-by side striker with Torres,shorely something should work,especially as Gerrard seems tgo be "Said" to be the only one that can put the ball tyhrough to Torres?Maybe a ball through to Ryan Babel=come on Rafa:Sort it out Manager,You are letting Anfield down,as the latest results are showing!"
Andy_k
"Iam a liverpool surported born and bred..I know we have had injurys this season and av always believed in rafa..but enough is enough we aint got the quality in depth and its showing we need to get rid of some players.. what i dont understand we are struggling for fit players and we have lots out on loan...I have always said we should never have been sold out to gillett & hicks but maybe rafas days are numbered..."
warren79
"actually going back to the boots comment the lfc shop used to sell a blue lfc polo shirt the reason being that the first colours liverpool played in where blue, so therefore babel should be able to wear the blue boots he is talking about without any disloyalty to liverpool as he can argue the fact liverpool started out in a blue kit."
MST3K
"I'm not sure why everyone is harping about Ryan Babel. To me the biggest revelation in this story is that Dirk Kuyt is familiar with language, has friends and somehow understands Spanish jokes! I always thought Dirk was deaf dumb and blind but it appears I am mistaken."
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