Ryan Babel went on a helicopter journey from hell before plug was pulled on Liverpool exit in perhaps the most bizarre transfer tale.
Former Liverpool attacker Ryan Babel has explained why he called off an exit from Liverpool on transfer deadline day in August 2010.
The 36-year-old, who now plies his trade in the Turkish second division, was caught in the middle of a whirlwind story six months before he actually left Anfield. He was spotted getting into an aircraft, though at a time where flight trackers were not readily-available to football supporters, nobody knew where it was taking him.
The only cause for speculation was conspicuous timing of a helicopter journey, and so the term ‘Babelcopter’ became etched in football folklore with the precise details of the trip left largely unknown until last year when the Dutchman finally confirmed it was to in fact complete a transfer to West Ham United that ultimately never materialised.
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However, speaking to Talksport’s breakfast show on Tuesday, the former Netherlands international has divulged the full story of his journey from hell, followed by a major shock on August 31st, 2010.
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“At that time Liverpool tried to force a last-minute transfer on me, I didn’t necessarily want to go but Liverpool was very keen on signing Carlton Cole, who was at that time at West Ham,” he recalled.
“It was gonna be a very shock move, I remember I was in bed – we had a day off on that particular day and all of a sudden I got the call like ‘hey, get back in, you’re going to London because we’re going to make a swap deal with Carlton Cole’. I remember calling my manager, I spoke to them, it will be a loan deal for a season. So I was like ‘okay, cool’.”
At this point, Babel’s journey took a turn for the worse.
He continued: “I don’t know if it’s still the same but deadline day was at 6pm in that day and we had like five hours left or something – it was a little bit afternoon, one o’clock, so they told me to come to the airport. When I went to the airport I see like this little, mini helicopter that literally two people fit in and I was like ‘are we going to London in that little thing?’
“I flew in the helicopter with the sporting director – I forgot his name – and the helicopter was one of the worst experiences because the whole journey we had turbulence, and I don’t really like flying – I’m scared – but that turbulence was really shocking. When we arrived I was like half wet from all the sweat and everything.”
With feet firmly back on the ground, all that was left to do was commute to the Hammers’ training ground, sign the contract for a year-long loan and all would be fine. Well, that is what the attacker and his management thought. Instead, things panned out very differently.
Babel went on: “There was a car waiting for us and while we’re in the car he was explaining me the deal. He was like ‘so yeah, you’re gonna sign a five-year contract, we’re gonna make a swap deal – a permanent deal’, then I was like ‘wait a minute, I thought it was going to be a loan deal?’ So I was calling my manager and my agent like ‘hey, they’re telling me to sign five years’, he was like ‘no, no, no, put me on the phone with them.’
“So then apparently there was a misunderstanding, and I guess West Ham was expecting to sign me five years. Obviously we didn’t want that and the deal fell off.”
To make matters worse, there was no flight back for Babel.
“Funny enough instead of flying us back in a helicopter, they dropped me off at a train station like ‘yeah, go back to Liverpool.’ So, that was quite an experience,” he finished.
