Dear Reds, First of all I'd like to apologise for not having been back in touch sooner, but I needed to take some time to take on board all the recent changes and then to put down these words for you. I'm sure you will understand. I would rather this be a letter of thanks and gratitude, not simply a goodbye. Yes, thats right, gratitude, because that is the word that best sums up my feelings for you all. Taking the decision to change clubs hasn't been easy. Not easy at all. I've experienced three fantastic years at the club and in the city. Three years in which together, the fans and the team, we have accomplished some fantastic achievements, and I'm sure that these successes will continue to be repeated in the near future. You know that I like a challenge and that I don't just settle for second best. Back then Liverpool Football Club gave me the opportunity to be part of an ambitious plan to put the Reds back at the summit of the game. I think that together we managed to achieve that. As I said, I do like challenges and in spite of the fact that at that time I was playing for my home town club, one of the biggest in the world, I wanted to be a part of that project that was being presented to me by Liverpool, and so I accepted the challenge. Now, after three seasons in the Premier League and having won some major trophies, the chance came up for me to return to La Liga and be part of a new project at a club I already knew. The idea of enjoying things in a Spanish club like we experienced together at Liverpool over these last three years appealed to me, and thats why I accepted the offer. I want to thank everyone working at Liverpool Football Club for how well they have treated both my family and I, making us feel at home from the very first day to the last. I also want to thank the management, coaching staff and directors for the opportunity they gave me back then to be part of such an important and well-loved club as Liverpool. A club which has helped me to grow as a footballer and where to date I have enjoyed the biggest success of my career. Without a doubt, this success has been possible thanks to the outstanding group of players with whom Ive been able to share a dressing room over the last three seasons. I'm not going to mention anyone specifically, because I think that the secret of this team's success has been exactly that: nobody wanted to stand out above the rest and there has always been a great togetherness in the squad, which made it into something more than a group of players, it was a group of friends. Thanks to all of you for your help and your friendship. I've left until last the thank you which for me is the most important: Thank you to the supporters. Your support allowed me to settle quickly at both the club and in the city, and you made me feel really at ease with you all right from the word go; that's the kind of help that you notice most of all during the difficult times, of which there have been a few during my time here. I'd like to especially thank you for making up a song for me and you should know that every time I heard you singing it, it was like an extra injection of strength and motivation, even helping me to overcome pain occasionally during a game. Your unconditional support is the thing that ensures that this team manages to pull through in the most difficult circumstances; and I can assure you that the whole squad is aware of this and thanks you for it. A football club isn't just made up of players, coaches and directors. More than anything else it's the supporters who make a club, and that perhaps is the ingredient which best distinguishes Liverpool Football Club from every other team. The supporters. Because if one thing has remained obvious to me after these few years, it's that with supporters like you, Liverpool Football Club will never walk alone. I really hope that the club wins lots of major trophies in the future; I'll be following it all from a distance, with the pride that you can only get from having been a Red and played for the home team at Anfield
Sorry people i seem to have cut the last bit of it out and having trouble editing it now so here is the link to the full letter http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N156758070821-1605.htm Top man he was will never be forgotten for all he done for us, nice touch to hear him talking about the fans and the song !
Ahhh luis you old dog you, brought a tear to my eye, in a manly kind of way, this just increases my resect for him, we love you luis!
Nice touch Luis, good to hear a player recognising that our support doesn't go unnoticed on the field, and makes a difference. He will always be welcomed back to Anfield, always remember him smashing in that volley against Juve on the way to winning #5
Fair play to him. Not many players would bother doing that. Hope he has a long and successful career at A. Madrid. Good luck Louis
I now officially forgive him every misplaced pass, mistimed tackle & squandered open goal. Says a lot about the guy, best of luck to him.
I wouldn't go that far yoda I'll never forget that strike against Juve, or THAT goal against Chelsea, nor the goal in the FA Cup semi final. At the same time I probably won't forget the aforementioned misplaced pass, tackle or sqandered open goal. Still, it really was a nice touch to send that letter, seems like he genuinely loved the club and the supporters.
Now thats what Liverpool Football Club is all about!!!! Luis, you gave us excellent memories and i for one, thank you for them. Best of luck at madrid. YNWA.
First time I ever heard the words Luis Garcia and nice touch in the same sentence. Nice letter though fair play.
Are you taking the pi*s ? i know he was frustrating and upset people at times giving the ball away, but he had one of the best first touches at the club and could take a ball down from the air like only king kenny ever could granted he could also loose it alot then, but im not having that he had no first touch ! Love him or loath him Luis garcia = liverpool legend
Very nice idea from Luis. Most people remember his great goals in big games but personally my best memory of him is the home game against Everton when tackles were flying everywhere. We had lots of injuries and used up all our subs but Luis came out for the second half with his ankle all strapped up and played a blinder. He picked up the injury while winning the free kick for our winning goal. I think he's been our most creative player in quite a while, hopefully Benayoun can pick up that mantle.
Are you taking the pi*s ? i know he was frustrating and upset people at times giving the ball away, but he had one of the best first touches at the club and could take a ball down from the air like only king kenny ever could granted he could also loose it alot then, but im not having that he had no first touch ! Love him or loath him Luis garcia = liverpool legend Legend is a word used all to easily by LFC fans these days, He was nowwhere near it, Dalglish, Rush, Souness, Neal, Smith, Hughes,Hansen. Fowler, St John, Kennedys,Gerrard were legends. Garcia wouldn't even get into the class of Whelan, Johnson, Clemence, Lee, Owen, Thommo,Lawerenson, they weren't legends but great players. Luis only a show pony who did it ocassionaly. No doubt I'll be slaughtered by younger fans for saying that but having stood on the kop to watch 90% of those I mentioned I'd like to think I'm in a position to judge. When first touch and Luis are mentioned images of a elephant in welly boots springs to mind.l
Luis did well, but it takes more than 4 or 5 big goals to be called a legend. How many did king kenny, rushie etc score. I liked luis, but his sale was necessary as part of the torres deal ( i know it is claimed they were separate but i very much doubt that). If we want to be true contenders then we need to make such sacrifices. By the way he had a fantastic first touch, it was his second (dodgy layoffs ) that were the problem. Anyway, wish him well and that letter is touching. It shows the power of our fans to welcome and accept honest player.