Football - Liverpool FC: I want to stay at Liverpool and fight for my place, Ryan Babel

Nov 16 2009 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

Football - Liverpool FC: RYAN BABEL has once again dismissed suggestions he wants to leave Liverpool in the summer while reiterating his desperation to regain a regular first-team role and safeguard a World Cup finals berth.

Despite the Anfield outfit’s poor start to the season, Babel has made just two starts in the Premier League.

The 22-year-old has struggled to make a consistent impression since arriving at the club from Ajax for £11.5million more than two years ago.

Babel gave a timely reminder of his talents with a fantastic goal in the 1-1 Champions League draw in Lyon earlier this month.

But although Holland coach Bert van Marwijk has warned he will only take players to the World Cup who are regularly appearing for their clubs, Babel is happy to stay at Anfield.

“He (van Marwijk) wants players to be playing at their club to get a chance to go to the World Cup,” said the winger, who appeared as a 72nd-minute substitute in Holland’s goalless draw in Italy on Saturday. “That’s also what I have to try to reach and I am working every day very hard.

“Liverpool are a very good team everybody knows that and I am proud to be part of Liverpool.”

Last Monday’s 2-2 draw at home to Birmingham means Rafael Benitez’s side have won only one of their last nine games, but Babel reckons they are missing only some good fortune to kick-start a winning run.

“If you analyse the last game, we had enough chances to win by three or four goals and we failed to score more than two,” said Babel.

“In the end we drew and I think maybe just that little bit of luck isn’t there.

“And we still have confidence we can get through in the Champions League. Maybe it’s not the best situation, but we still have a chance to qualify so we have to go for it.”

Dirk Kuyt played the full 90 minutes of Holland’s draw in Pescara, and came close to breaking the deadlock in the first half.

While Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson were continuing their rehabilitation on Merseyside, Liverpool’s only representative at the glamour friendly between Brazil and England in Doha on Saturday was Lucas.

The midfielder was an unused substitute in his country’s 1-0 win, but has seen his stock rise with some impressive performances for Liverpool this season.

And Lucas is intent on following in the footsteps of a family member by booking his ticket on the plane to South Africa next summer.

“I need to have a great season because of Brazil,” he said.

“The World Cup is around the corner and I want to be part of it.

“For my family it’s a bit more special as my uncle, Leivinha, was in the Brazil squad for Germany in 1974 and I want to emulate him.”

Lucas added: “I have to be more versatile at Liverpool because sometimes I will need to play alongside Javier Mascherano and other times with Steven Gerrard, which will demand a different tactical role for me.

“But I already believe I’ve proved to Liverpool fans that I’m willing to sweat blood for this club and to try and make the crowd happy.”