Martin Skrtel: "I'm a Liverpool Fan From Now On"

Martin Skrtel was a Liverpool player for a long time, racking up 319 total appearances for the club before being sold this summer to Fenerbahçe. So it's been odd to not have him in the squad in the early going this season.

The defender took time to reflect on leaving Liverpool and his career with the Reds.

"Eight and a half years, that's a lot," Skrtel said, according to the Express. "I wanted a change and also wanted a new challenge ... Jurgen Klopp is a wonderful person but I feel if I stayed I couldn't have played like before."

Even though his final year with Liverpool saw him lose his place in the squad and struggle when he did play, he said he holds no hard feelings toward the club.

"I'm a Liverpool fan from now on," Skrtel said. "It'd be great if we won two finals last year but these things happen. I hope they'll win something in the future."

It's nice to see a longtime club servant exit in such a civil manner after he seemed to fall out with Klopp earlier in the summer. Hopefully he'll be able to finish his career on a positive note while playing in Turkey.