NESV/Fenway Sports Group: Owners of LFC

I'm not softening at all the longer that goes on from Sunday

It's the worst result in all my time watching this club

It was spineless, it was gutless, it was the first time I've watched us litterally give up

Yet why has this supposed meeting not been brought forward? Why are we still hearing nothing? Why are we seemingly bumbling along with f**k all leadership at any point of the club?

I don't like knee jerking but I'm affraid for what happens next season if something isn't done about the structure of the club and Rodgers is very much part of that

These are no good for us.. Simple as that. Implementing  and persisting with a flawed plan

I agree. Fully. But if they are going to be here then wholesale changes to how they do things can only improve things.

Like the Anfield Wrap lads said, what is with this flying the manager over to Boston malarkey? The club is in and operates in three Liverpool destinations. Come over here for that at least. And review of what? The season has been sh*t. Everybody can see that. Get on with it, stick or twist and then get to work.

I honestly don't think they are bad owners, they are naive, wet behind the ears, have a few brain farts what ever, they have a few bad idea's, but to see that the idea's are bad I suppose they have to put them to the test before they can rip them up and start all over again.

Take the Committee as an example, an Idea from FSG supported by the Manager, the managing director and the scouting team, every one on board, looks a cracking Idea on paper yeh ? every one is happy, then you need to go through the motions to see if its a success or a failure.

On the evidence so far its been a failure and irrespective of what is being printed in the papers I don't believe for a second that John Henry and FSG are not going to question its failings at the end of season review, whether they see that it is a flawed process or that the people carrying out the the process are not up to the task remains to be seen, but it will be addressed in one way or another in my opinion, Henry's not a simpleton by any means, you don't make the money he has by pissing it up the wall as we seem to have done last summer.

Remember they are not making the decisions on who to sign, they have basically set out the criteria and then entrusted the members of the committee to spend the money on getting the players in that fit that criteria.

It may on whole be a defunct system, but then again look the money spent on some of the players, LLana £25m, Lovren £20m Markovic £20m could better scouts on the committee not have done better business ? I'd say there is a huge possibility that they could have for those figures, then we spent Balotelli £16m, Lambert £4.5m, Origi £9.8m over £30m on three strikers,  surely to F**k for £30m having better scouts on the Committee could have turned us up a good striker for £30m ?

So maybe the Committee is not as flawed as first appears but in fact its the people that are operating the Committee that have limited knowledge on players ?

Maybe its a combination of both ?

Maybe its just the Committee and the Criteria ?

One thing I do know the Committee was created to minimize the risk of wasting resources, which ultimately in one sense or another it has failed, that's why I believe regardless of whats being put out in print, it will be getting a post Mortem at the end of season review where either the whole idea of the Committee or the Men chairing it will be called in to question.

I've calmed a bit after getting my mad up last night. Warsteiner? Good sh*t.

I'm starting to think you might fall into the thick bracket, anyway.

Joking aside Crouch, there are counters for all of your points and then there are counters back at me. It's been done and your position and view on them is immovable as is mine and that's fair enough I suppose

I know we said it last season but this Summer is huge for them.

If as you've pointed out, Rodgers and his committee are so poor at managing this club and FSG know what they are doing then the vote of confidence that was leaked yesterday will be the dreaded one. Owners as perfect as them won't surely persist with a manager as bad as Brendan Rodgers, will they?

They change tact, throw some caution to the wind to counter a poor season and scrap the way a lot of things have been done for the better then people might start to believe they care about success for the club as opposed to using it as a cash cow.

Personally, although I agree and feel like they should have had someone at Anfield for Gerrard's last game, it doesn't bother me that they don't come to Anfield too much. Being at St James Park for every Newcastle United home game doesn't make Mike Ashley this amazing owner. What does bother me is that we have people who know F**k all about the sport (Mike Gordan) carrying out season reviews and the ultimately huge footballing decisions.

They need to start getting footballing decisions right and if anybody disagrees on this then I really am at a loss.

I'm not absolving FSG of any blame here. I think they deserve criticism for continuing to put Ian Ayre in charge of footballing decisions (superb in non-footballing decisions - terrible with footballing ones).

But where last season was a huge moment for them, they delivered. Money was given in abundance and the people in charge of it failed. For that i think it'll cost Brendan his job - and even though i said i'd give him 6 months to save it i've probably looked beyond my personal sentiment towards him now (i really like him as a person) and think he has to go.

FSG are to blame big time, but it's time for BR to go, Saturday wasthe last straw, but the way we have fell apart since the manc game is shocking.

I'm not absolving FSG of any blame here. I think they deserve criticism for continuing to put Ian Ayre in charge of footballing decisions (superb in non-footballing decisions - terrible with footballing ones).

As much as Ian Ayre should take a load of criticism for his role on the football side, by all accounts he has to run everything by this Mike Gordon bloke.. He has the final say

It adds layers to the reasons we f**k up deals if Ayre is there in the room with the agents but every time a snag comes up he has to leave the room and get on the phone to Mike Gordon who with a lack of football knowledge and fingering through his soccernomics books while Ayre is giving it the old one minute lads sign over his shoulder to the player and his agent

No wonder it takes us an age to attempt to do a deal and then f**k it up by stalling

As much as Ian Ayre should take a load of criticism for his role on the football side, by all accounts he has to run everything by this Mike Gordon bloke.. He has the final say

It adds layers to the reasons we f**k up deals if Ayre is there in the room with the agents but every time a snag comes up he has to leave the room and get on the phone to Mike Gordon who with a lack of football knowledge and fingering through his soccernomics books while Ayre is giving it the old one minute lads sign over his shoulder to the player and his agent

No wonder it takes us an age to attempt to do a deal and then f**k it up by stalling

And this Mike Gordon bloke provably knows even less about football then Ian Ayre.

I'm actually a little surprised, like you Jon, that given out run of form since the mancs game and the collapse at the end of the season that any meeting hasn't been brought forward as a matter of urgency.

If not to sack the manager but to get a full and frank exchange of views on what the hell has went wrong.

You can fault them on not getting a proper replacement for Luis Daz but like you say I was satisfied with the sqaud once the transfer window closed.

I can't mate, they entrusted a budget to a transfer Committee, I can fault those involved in the Committee for not getting a proper replacement, look at Origi, Markovic, Balotelli, and Lambert over £50m spent right there £30m on three strikers and £20m on a winger we probably didn't even need at the time, that's the Committee's fault, not FSG's.

Obviously some blame will have to go FSG as they dreamed up the whole Committee, but as I've already asked is it the concept of the Committee at fault or those who have been tasked with carrying out the whole reason it was formed and that was not to waste resources ?

I can't mate, they entrusted a budget to a transfer Committee, I can fault those involved in the Committee for not getting a proper replacement, look at Origi, Markovic, Balotelli, and Lambert over £50m spent right there £30m on three strikers and £20m on a winger we probably didn't even need at the time, that's the Committee's fault, not FSG's.

Obviously some blame will have to go FSG as they dreamed up the whole Committee, but as I've already asked is it the concept of the Committee at fault or those who have been tasked with carrying out the whole reason it was formed and that was not to waste resources ?

But if the committee aren't allowed to spend more money in wages on one or two big earners rather than spreading it on four or five middle earners then we can fualt FSG as they shape the policy that the committee have to work to.

And I don't think FSG dreamed up the committee they just chose to give a name to the group of people every other club has to recruit players.

But if the committee aren't allowed to spend more money in wages on one or two big earners rather than spreading it on four or five middle earners then we can fualt FSG as they shape the policy that the committee have to work to.

And I don't think FSG dreamed up the committee they just chose to give a name to the group of people every other club has to recruit players.

I don't think FSG have a problem paying big wages as long as the player merits those wages mate, lets say for instance Ronaldo came up for £50m last season and he only wanted to join us no one else, do you think for a moment FSG wouldn't have paid him wages ?

They paid Suarez handsomely in recognising his talent.

Once they had entrusted the budget to the committee it was up to them to identify players and agree terms etc, those terms would have been run by the number crunchers for sure, but make no mistake FSG are not football men, they employed football men on a committee to identify players.

I can't mate, they entrusted a budget to a transfer Committee, I can fault those involved in the Committee for not getting a proper replacement, look at Origi, Markovic, Balotelli, and Lambert over £50m spent right there £30m on three strikers and £20m on a winger we probably didn't even need at the time, that's the Committee's fault, not FSG's.

Obviously some blame will have to go FSG as they dreamed up the whole Committee, but as I've already asked is it the concept of the Committee at fault or those who have been tasked with carrying out the whole reason it was formed and that was not to waste resources ?

Who sets the overall tone and vision for them to work to though?

I've said many times, they arent crooks like the last lot.. They are just simply inept

It's ok us saying that they would spend the money on the right player (wage wise) but the actual evidence goes against that, the big earners are all gone and replaced with players earning less. After this summer will we have a player north of 100k a week? In a time that at the end of football we want to be in it has become the norm.

I don't buy that 'the right player isn't there'
He would be if you went balls out and offered him 150 a week

False promises and hollow talk only goes so far

Who sets the overall tone and vision for them to work to though?

I've said many times, they arent crooks like the last lot.. They are just simply inept

I don't doubt the terms have been set mate, there's a criteria to follow for sure as I've stated in a previous long winded post, but is it the concept of the committee at fault or is the people chairing the committee ?

Trying to be logical about it for a moment, I'm leaning more towards to those who are chairing the Committee as their CV's don't exactly say to me they are up their with the best in their field.

You bring a strong Director of football in some one like Ancelotti with a good knowledge of football  and who's respected by coaches and players alike in place of Ayre, then 3 or 4 top class scouts that have extensive knowledge of players in Europe, South America etc do you think the Committee would look as flawed as it does currently and would probably lead to much better results?

Food for thought.

There are gems out there to be found, but it depends on your scouting knowledge take Rafa for example, he wanted us to have Aguero, Parry backdoored it, said he was too expensive for a teenager, that sort of transfer deal would have had John Henry locking himself in Fenway Parks toilets and knocking one out.

I don't doubt the terms have been set mate, there's a criteria to follow for sure as I've stated in a previous long winded post, but is it the concept of the committee at fault or is the people chairing the committee ?

Trying to be logical about it for a moment, I'm leaning more towards to those who are chairing the Committee as their CV's don't exactly say to me they are up their with the best in their field.

You bring a strong Director of football in some one like Ancelotti with a good knowledge of football  and who's respected by coaches and players alike in place of Ayre, then 3 or 4 top class scouts that have extensive knowledge of players in Europe, South America etc do you think the Committee would look as flawed as it does currently and would probably lead to much better results?

Food for thought.

Yes food for thought but it's been abundantly clear for numerous windows this isn't working and little is done about it.

By reports this Gordon fella from FSG makes a lot of the final financial decisions and not Ayre, I'm just not at the stage where anyone isn't accountable for this..
I've always thought for the last couple of decades that we are only a couple of players here and there away.. Under these right now and the directives they have set and the structure they are architects of we are miles away from being competitive

Yes they should bring in a competent DOF immediately.. And let him run the football side however he wants to the budget set.. But I don't trust them to bring that right man in at all and if they did I don't trust them to let them run it their way.
By all reports they are willing to stick with Brendan ( before Stoke) if he completely fell in line with their vision

Well it's a vision that's failing us

We'll now that Platini has thrown a spanner in the works with FFP being relaxed it's ever more important for our custodians to get it right with transfers & a manager who can realise their vision.

I don't think FSG have a problem paying big wages as long as the player merits those wages mate, lets say for instance Ronaldo came up for £50m last season and he only wanted to join us no one else, do you think for a moment FSG wouldn't have paid him wages ?

They paid Suarez handsomely in recognising his talent.

Once they had entrusted the budget to the committee it was up to them to identify players and agree terms etc, those terms would have been run by the number crunchers for sure, but make no mistake FSG are not football men, they employed football men on a committee to identify players.

The numerous players we've missed out on suggests they won't pay the wages mate.

We'll now that Platini has thrown a spanner in the works with FFP being relaxed it's ever more important for our custodians to get it right with transfers & a manager who can realise their vision.

Shabs you are kidding yourself mate if you think any of the managers in your wish list will come here and work under them if they insist on keeping that model to the letter as it stands now

The numerous players we've missed out on suggests they won't pay the wages mate.

Si, wages should not be an issue if we break in to the CL again, this is were I kind of agree with a performance related bonus,help us achieve our targets and reap the rewards.

Yes food for thought but it's been abundantly clear for numerous windows this isn't working and little is done about it.

Despite whats been said in the press, I believe the whole concept of the committee will have its post mortem at the end of season review, the selections of players for this summer have failed spectacularly to have the impact they were supposed to have I.E Champions League Football/Resources not being wasted.

Whether that see's the whole concept of the Committee disbanded or overhauled remains to be seen, but don't for a second think it won't be addressed in one way or another.

Me personally I believe John Henry and FSG are getting their sh*t together for this end of season review and anything said in the press up until that time is just buying time to get them through to the review and any announcements that carry real news will be made following that.

Si, wages should not be an issue if we break in to the CL again, this is were I kind of agree with a performance related bonus,help us achieve our targets and reap the rewards.

Yea sound Mr Ayre

But I'll just go here where it's guaranteed

Thanks for your interest though

Despite whats been said in the press, I believe the whole concept of the committee will have its post mortem at the end of season review, the selections of players for this summer have failed spectacularly to have the impact they were supposed to have I.E Champions League Football/Resources not wasted.

Whether that see's the whole concept of the Committee disbanded or overhauled remains to be seen, but don't for a second think it won't be addressed in one way or another.

Me personally I believe John Henry and FSG are getting their sh*t together for this end of season review and anything said in the press up until that time is just buying time to get them through to the review and any announcements that carry real news will be made following that.

Yeah

They could.. Or they could give it a slightly different name and run things the same way

Rebranding the same sh*te.

A Snickers is still a Marathon

Yeah

They could.. Or they could give it a slightly different name and run things the same way

Rebranding the same sh*te.

A Snickers is still a Marathon

That's why I've never had a real problem with the committee Jon. Its just a rebrand of what everyone else does.

What we need is to fire those who haven't performed withing that committee and hire a proper experienced Sporting Director to oversee it.

Yea sound Mr Ayre

But I'll just go here where it's guaranteed

Thanks for your interest though

Forgot to add, this should apply to the 'potential' bracket but if your going to go after proven quality then we pay the market value in terms of wages.

Yeah

They could.. Or they could give it a slightly different name and run things the same way

Rebranding the same sh*te.

A Snickers is still a Marathon

I wouldn't mind if they overhauled it renamed it as long as the people in charge of transfers right now are shown the door and a string of top flight scouts with extensive knowledge are brought in to chair it.

The numerous players we've missed out on suggests they won't pay the wages mate.

I'm not so sure that's the case mate, there's been all sorts said of deals we missed out on, Willian for example was supposed to on the treatment table having a medical at Tottenham when Chelsea called and off he went and joined them.

Some clubs you can't compete with when they have the financial resources and champions league football on offer.