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      Something Has To Change

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      srslfc
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #23: May 15, 2015 12:10:26 pm


      Our transfer strategy is a case in point. Yes I get that we can't compete financially with some other clubs, but what I definitely do not get is the idea that we will not spend big wages to get proven players who are often available for next to no transfer fee, simply because they don't carry with them a future sell on value. We can afford it, we have the means, but we don't have the will. This is what needs to change .

      I don't think you'd find many, if any, who disagree Mick.

      I think its a given that we would all like to see transfer policy change.

      If however FSG don't want to, or won't, change it then is there anything else we can change to make better use of that policy?

      Can they employ better people to scout better players within the budget?

      Can they employ better people to identify players early and get deals done in a more timely fashion?

      But as you say it all hinges on how much importance FSG place on success on the pictb and whether or not then even think we are 'failing'.
      « Last Edit: May 15, 2015 12:47:37 pm by srslfc »
      5timesacharm
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #24: May 15, 2015 12:41:18 pm
      The key fact is:-
      You can't fix something, without duhhhh taking steps to fix something.

      I mean some Summers our net spend was ZERO. Which, after natural annual depreciation means  a deterioration, not improvement. Various wage cuts were brutal so its clear what they're setting us up for.

      I think most fans can see the deception now, atleast much of it. So many of the debates are becoming irrelevant.

      Chelsea's net spend this Summer was negative. In other words they made more on player sales than they spent on player purchases. They've won the title. The difference is in transfer policies. We spend Ā£25 million on Lallana, they spent Ā£27 million on Fabregas. They needed goals after last season, and so did we, but for what they spent on Costa we spent on Markovic and Origi, the latter of whom hasn't even kicked a ball in a red shirt yet and hasn't shown he's anywhere near ready to do so. For Ā£2.8 million more than we spent on Moreno, they spent on Luis and I know who I'd sooner have at left back. The difference is that all of their players would demand higher wages than the players we bought. Net spending has nothing to do with our lack of success, it's our refusal to pay players what they're worth.
      Scottbot
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #25: May 15, 2015 01:38:56 pm
      I actually don't see why it can't be embraced Scott and as I said I'm one who see's the merit in a Sporting Director.



      I'm not completely against it but it doesn't really matter what you or me think, the issue it seems is that the Managers are not fans. I can understand that, they are under incredible pressure, the lack of patience from fans and media compared to 15-20 years ago means it win today or gone tomorrow. In that situation, if I was a Manager I would not want players thrust upon me without my complete backing given that it will be my neck on the line if they don't perform.

      That was an interesting article on Commoli's time at the club, and without a doubt, a few years on it looks like he did a pretty decent job doesn't it BUT the same could be said of Brendan and the transfer committee. In three years time we could be talking about the Ā£60 million the club received for Raheem Sterling, Coutinho could be the world's best player, Can could be the Captain of Germany and some Sheyi Ojo might be the latest young star to come off the Melwood factory line. But it won't make a blind bit of difference to any of the fans if we aren't winning today, and tomorrow.
      Scottbot
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #26: May 15, 2015 01:46:23 pm
      Chelsea's net spend this Summer was negative. In other words they made more on player sales than they spent on player purchases. They've won the title. The difference is in transfer policies. We spend Ā£25 million on Lallana, they spent Ā£27 million on Fabregas. They needed goals after last season, and so did we, but for what they spent on Costa we spent on Markovic and Origi, the latter of whom hasn't even kicked a ball in a red shirt yet and hasn't shown he's anywhere near ready to do so. For Ā£2.8 million more than we spent on Moreno, they spent on Luis and I know who I'd sooner have at left back. The difference is that all of their players would demand higher wages than the players we bought. Net spending has nothing to do with our lack of success, it's our refusal to pay players what they're worth.

      Nail on head there mate. I'd much rather we spent the same money (or less) on a few top top quality players than the scatter gun approach we see at the club. It is the anti-thesis to the whole FSG approach but it is the way the club should be going about their business. I am certain that this is what Brendan wanted when he made comments on the matter last summer. He talked about buying a few top players to improve the first team.

      We could still do that this summer, we have the basis of a good side but we won't. That's what disappoints me and that is also what tempers my criticisms of the manager. It amazes me that his critics seem to sweep this under the carpet. He deserves criticism, much of it justified but hand in hand with that should come an acknowledgement that the club see fit to do business in a way that hampers our chances of buying the best players. 
      5timesacharm
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #27: May 15, 2015 03:47:45 pm
      Nail on head there mate. I'd much rather we spent the same money (or less) on a few top top quality players than the scatter gun approach we see at the club. It is the anti-thesis to the whole FSG approach but it is the way the club should be going about their business. I am certain that this is what Brendan wanted when he made comments on the matter last summer. He talked about buying a few top players to improve the first team.

      We could still do that this summer, we have the basis of a good side but we won't. That's what disappoints me and that is also what tempers my criticisms of the manager. It amazes me that his critics seem to sweep this under the carpet. He deserves criticism, much of it justified but hand in hand with that should come an acknowledgement that the club see fit to do business in a way that hampers our chances of buying the best players.

      The thing is, it's a fundamentally self defeating business model and I simply cannot understand why it's employed. Whether you're fattening up the asset for a sale or simply want to reap the dividends it provides, keeping running costs down at the expense of increased income is limiting profitability. With the exception of Milan these last two seasons, all the clubs above us in the top 10 rich list are perennial Champions League qualifiers. By spending proportionally more than those outside of their Champions league places they secure the increased competition money, TV revenue and marketing opportunities that come from showcasing your product on a global stage. We could still keep costs under control because our income would be significantly higher than it is now.  In short, FSG's transfer policy is limiting our potential as a club on field and a brand off field.
      AmericanPlant
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #28: May 15, 2015 05:59:45 pm
      The thing is, it's a fundamentally self defeating business model and I simply cannot understand why it's employed. Whether you're fattening up the asset for a sale or simply want to reap the dividends it provides, keeping running costs down at the expense of increased income is limiting profitability. With the exception of Milan these last two seasons, all the clubs above us in the top 10 rich list are perennial Champions League qualifiers. By spending proportionally more than those outside of their Champions league places they secure the increased competition money, TV revenue and marketing opportunities that come from showcasing your product on a global stage. We could still keep costs under control because our income would be significantly higher than it is now.  In short, FSG's transfer policy is limiting our potential as a club on field and a brand off field.

      This is one of the key aspects of it all. Just 60m extra spend on players when they took over would have had huge effects on future Champs Lge income, sponsors, commercial income, even merchandising income (IF they had also shown the fans respect re share offers, ticket prices etc).

      These tw*ts minds are so distorted by greed. If we'd set up a top team in 2010 or 2011, we wouldnt even NEED new players in 2013- 15. Once you sign a player and treat him fairly and challege for silverware, you might have him for 6,8 even 10 years. THAT was always the Liverpool way. Not this "buy a cheap unproven kid, develop him, F**k him over on a wage rise and sell him to your rivals or watch him fade into obscurity".

      So now teams with a fraction of our fanbase have leapfrogged us. In the future, no one will travel to Anfield from Ireland/Sweden/Bham and choose LFC as their favourite team. Because it will be a team without stars, and a club without a soul.

      The rot has to stop.
      AmericanPlant
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #29: May 15, 2015 06:04:38 pm
      Chelsea's net spend this Summer was negative. In other words they made more on player sales than they spent on player purchases. They've won the title. The difference is in transfer policies. We spend Ā£25 million on Lallana, they spent Ā£27 million on Fabregas. They needed goals after last season, and so did we, but for what they spent on Costa we spent on Markovic and Origi, the latter of whom hasn't even kicked a ball in a red shirt yet and hasn't shown he's anywhere near ready to do so. For Ā£2.8 million more than we spent on Moreno, they spent on Luis and I know who I'd sooner have at left back. The difference is that all of their players would demand higher wages than the players we bought. Net spending has nothing to do with our lack of success, it's our refusal to pay players what they're worth.

      There needed to be A net spend substantially beyond the purported ie bullshit Shamway figures. We'd lost 3 top players under G&H, and needed some more depth to challenge for the title and Champs Lge. We still had much of the core of a top team, but not enough in Oct 2010.

      But after that replenishment that was needed, wages would be the key aspect.

      There really is no earthly reason why we could expect 4th given our net spend over the past few yrs and the wage bill thats actually gone down quite a bit once "football inflation" is taken into acct.
      FL Red
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #30: May 15, 2015 06:17:35 pm
      This is one of the key aspects of it all. Just 60m extra spend on players when they took over would have had huge effects on future Champs Lge income, sponsors, commercial income, even merchandising income (IF they had also shown the fans respect re share offers, ticket prices etc).

      These tw*ts minds are so distorted by greed. If we'd set up a top team in 2010 or 2011, we wouldnt even NEED new players in 2013- 15. Once you sign a player and treat him fairly and challege for silverware, you might have him for 6,8 even 10 years. THAT was always the Liverpool way. Not this "buy a cheap unproven kid, develop him, f**k him over on a wage rise and sell him to your rivals or watch him fade into obscurity".

      So now teams with a fraction of our fanbase have leapfrogged us. In the future, no one will travel to Anfield from Ireland/Sweden/Bham and choose LFC as their favourite team. Because it will be a team without stars, and a club without a soul.

      The rot has to stop.

      See you think it's greed but I truly think it's cluelessness. They (FSG) have no idea how to create success in football, only in baseball which is a completely different sport.

      They aren't trying to con anyone, they just aren't smart enough to know how to be successful in this league.
      srslfc
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #31: May 15, 2015 06:19:06 pm
      See you think it's greed but I truly think it's cluelessness. They (FSG) have no idea how to create success in football, only in baseball which is a completely different sport.

      They aren't trying to con anyone, they just aren't smart enough to know how to be successful in this league.

      I tend to agree.

      I'm not convinced they are 'greedy' and I actually do think they maybe believe they want 'success' but don't know how to go about getting it.
      bmck
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #32: May 15, 2015 07:23:38 pm
      Not sure I can see us spending the money needed to bring in some top players, with some experience. Which is a REAL worry. That is what I think needs to change the most. Cause that is a player bracket we need to be able to shop in, but currently can't.

      We'll probably have a fair few fringe players leave, but also replacing experienced first XI guys is a concern - SG going, maybe Sterling (even though young is experienced relative to a fair few of the squad), even Jonno who gets a lot of stick is still someone who starts a lot of games, and will need someone coming in.

      First order of business imo should be to move on Mario, Borini & Lambert (3) and sign a top striker and a Remy type backup (2). Keep Studge, and Origi is probably coming in (though doesn't seem to be ripping up trees anywhere).
      Next up, a replacement for SG, someone with experience.
      Maybe cash in on Marko and get someone like Milner for maybe same cash (15-20mil?). BTW, I'm not huge Milner fan, but reckon he'd be a lot more effective that Marko.

      Basically identify our weaknesses and prioritise signings accordingly. Like Chavs did last season (strikers/creative CM is what they really needed).
      We don't make some ballsy signings up top, then I'd expect years around the same level ie. until FSG decide they can make the margin they're after and sell...
      andylfcynwa
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #33: May 15, 2015 07:58:32 pm
      See you think it's greed but I truly think it's cluelessness. They (FSG) have no idea how to create success in football, only in baseball which is a completely different sport.

      They aren't trying to con anyone, they just aren't smart enough to know how to be successful in this league.

      Sorry mate I dont buy that , I think we are and have been conned , you say they aren't smart enough , they are plenty smart even a half wit could tell you that to be successful you need star quality , and thats the same in any team sport , now they may not understand football but they've been here almost five years , they could have employed top people to advise them they haven't ,

      They havnt sprinkled any stardust on the team , we've won one trophy in their tenure and the guy who got it they go and sack there is no logic to it what so ever  they are building up the corporate side of things and the revenues but what about the team .
      FL Red
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #34: May 15, 2015 08:19:05 pm
      Sorry mate I dont buy that , I think we are and have been conned , you say they aren't smart enough , they are plenty smart even a half wit could tell you that to be successful you need star quality , and thats the same in any team sport , now they may not understand football but they've been here almost five years , they could have employed top people to advise them they haven't ,

      They havnt sprinkled any stardust on the team , we've won one trophy in their tenure and the guy who got it they go and sack there is no logic to it what so ever  they are building up the corporate side of things and the revenues but what about the team .

      So they make more money by dooming us to mediocrity? You can't have it both ways, if they are only in it for the money then it only follows that the more successful we are on the pitch the more money they make. Billionaires don't ever say "well we just want to make a little money". No they want to make IT ALL.

      So if they are only here for the money then it would make no sense to do some of the things they have done. No, they think they can apply these baseball moneyball principles to soccer and create a new success model. Problem is its unproven and they have no football acumen to realize it isn't going to bring any success in the field.
      AZPatriot
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #35: May 15, 2015 08:22:06 pm
      So if they are only here for the money then it would make no sense to do some of the things they have done. No, they think they can apply these baseball moneyball principles to soccer and create a new success model. Problem is its unproven and they have no football acumen to realize it isn't going to bring any success in the field.


      andylfcynwa
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #36: May 15, 2015 08:49:18 pm
      So they make more money by dooming us to mediocrity? You can't have it both ways, if they are only in it for the money then it only follows that the more successful we are on the pitch the more money they make. Billionaires don't ever say "well we just want to make a little money". No they want to make IT ALL.

      So if they are only here for the money then it would make no sense to do some of the things they have done. No, they think they can apply these baseball moneyball principles to soccer and create a new success model. Problem is its unproven and they have no football acumen to realize it isn't going to bring any success in the field.
      Well you would think mate that being as we are dealing  with intelligent men who happen to hsve made sh*t loads of money they would see its not working and stop ploughing the same furrow , I really don't think they are that dull , I believe they think the global name and fan base , will keep it ticking along nicely until such time they decide the time is right to sell and then make the money they  want to , by the way I have no issue with them making money its business after all , I would just like them to make the team successful before they do ,
      ORCHARD RED
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #37: May 15, 2015 09:30:50 pm
      So they make more money by dooming us to mediocrity? You can't have it both ways, if they are only in it for the money then it only follows that the more successful we are on the pitch the more money they make. Billionaires don't ever say "well we just want to make a little money". No they want to make IT ALL.

      So if they are only here for the money then it would make no sense to do some of the things they have done. No, they think they can apply these baseball moneyball principles to soccer and create a new success model. Problem is its unproven and they have no football acumen to realize it isn't going to bring any success in the field.

      They've already made Ā£300 million on their investment mate, I'd say they'd be pretty happy with that! I think they'll be here until they decide "The Franchise" has reached it maximum value, I just hope they can get there quicker by building a squad that has a chance of bringing in money through being successful, because at the minute this slow growth plan, is not doing us any favours on the field
      They will almost certainly be here until the Stand (or stands) are built and the loan has been paid back.

      I do believe FSG started out with good intentions, believing that they could make money and build a successful team, they thought that FFP rules would have more effective than they have, now I think they are less interested in the on field success, and are solely focused on increasing the club's value.

      They have this transfer window to prove me wrong, then again, they've already had a few Windows to do just that, and have failed.
      fishpie
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #38: May 15, 2015 10:18:42 pm
      Definitely got to be about the transfer policy and people from the TC who have the ear of the owners on the final choices. Are our scouts working wonders? I've seen some crap players wear the badge in recent times and bad players left in the reserves or us paying them to play for other clubs.
      Ok once in a while a manager can work against the odds and build such a team moral and self belief that they can totally shock everyone and win big things, Like maybe Simeone recently or Brian Clough in the past.
      where it starts though is the scouts and then the committee then the final negotiation and having the conviction to pay that bit extra in wages if that's what it takes to get your man.
      If you don't get him, he'll go to your direct competitors most likely and that very thing that made him onto the 1st choice list will be one of the reasons you finish lower than your opposition.
      Because they'll do the same thing time and time again unless you make a secret transfer of some unknown superstar.
      Plus for all the talk of the way BR uses our youth players from the reserves, I fail to see how he actually is using them that much, where are the 19, 20, 21 & 22 year olds from our academy, why are we after some player who is of the same age position like this igloo meow or whatever he's called? If our academy elders aren't up to it then time we got better.
      We need players progressing through the ranks but with purpose not to play a couple of games so we can buy someone elses academy wonder kid when he's older.
      Something is broken but I don't think it's badly broken, just needs tuning.
      shabbadoo
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #39: May 15, 2015 10:49:57 pm
      I would love a complete overhaul from owners,CEO,manager,committee,players.

      The F***ing lot.
      srslfc
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #40: May 15, 2015 10:51:19 pm
      I would love a complete overhaul from owners,CEO,manager,committee,players.

      The F***ing lot.

      Everything Has To Change. ;D
      7-King Kenny-7
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #41: May 15, 2015 11:36:22 pm
      An intersting article from John Gibbons on Comolli and also the possible need for 'a Comolli'.

        LIVERPOOL: IS IT TIME TO THINK AGAIN ABOUT DAMIEN COMOLLI? TUESDAYā€™S COLUMN

      by John Gibbons // 12 May 2015 // 27 Comments

      Gibbons Ident (1)

      STEVE Hothersall recently interviewed Damien Comolli about his time at Liverpool for City Talk 105.9 and it got me thinking about Anfieldā€™s former director of football strategy and later director of football.

      I thought about him while watching Luis Suarez for Barcelona. I thought about him when Memphis Depay decided to go to Manchester United after Liverpoolā€™s earlier interest in the player. And I thought about him when Jerome Sinclair made his Premier League debut on Sunday at Stamford Bridge aged 18, with 19-year-old Jordan Ibe joining him on the pitch soon after.

      All the time I wondered whether it was time to have a look at Comolliā€™s time at Liverpool again.

      The Frenchman, who has also worked with Monaco, St Etienne, Arsenal and Spurs, was sacked by FSG just 18 months after being appointed in November 2010.

      Donā€™t worry. Iā€™m not going to try to convince you that Andy Carroll was worth Ā£35million, or that Charlie Adam was ever the right fit for the club. But here are the signings most attribute to his hand during his time at the club:

          Andy Carroll: Ā£35m
          Luis SuĆ”rez: Ā£22.7m
          Jordan Henderson Ā£20m
          Charlie Adam Ā£8.5m
          Stewart Downing Ā£20m
          Doni: Free
          JosĆ© Enrique: Ā£7m
          SebastiĆ”n Coates: Ā£7m
          Craig Bellamy: Free
          Jordan Ibe: Ā£500k
          Danny Ward: Ā£100k
          Sheyi Ojo: Undisclosed
          Jerome Sinclair: Free

      Like at Spurs, his record reads a superstar, a couple of notable successes, some fantastic youth players and plenty who leave you scratching your head. But forget the players for a moment, instead itā€™s the strategy and implementation during Comolliā€™s reign that I believe is worth some fresh consideration.

      I will touch on the Suarez transfer though. It seems Comolli is part of the growing number of people who donā€™t get any credit for what Luis Suarez did at Liverpool.

      Football - Preseason Friendly - Valerenga v Liverpool FC

      Earlier in the year, in an attack on Comolli, Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo called the Suarez transfer ā€˜something of a no-brainerā€™ which seems ridiculously harsh considering every other club in Europe knew about him and didnā€™t put a bid in. For example, here is Harry Redknapp:

      ā€œWe looked at Suarez. He was a player who we  probably should have taken, looking back on it. We just werenā€™t sure.ā€

      And that was for bloody Tottenham! Weā€™re not talking Real Madrid here. Comolli was part of the team that identified the player as someone who improved us and, crucially, he then got the job done.

      This is what I want to focus on: Comolli as a man who got sh*t done. In January 2011, less than three months after joining Liverpool, he managed to negotiate a fee of Ā£50million for a striker who didnā€™t want to play for Liverpool and bring in two who did. This was during the January transfer window ā€“ a time when Liverpool havenā€™t managed to sign anyone for the last two seasons because apparently itā€™s impossible.

      So back then, against all the odds, we managed to lose one of the most highly thought of strikers in Europe and, for a few extra quid, come out better off. And he still found time to sell Ryan Babel, too.

      There has been plenty written and said about the players brought in during the summer of 2011, but from a director of football point of view it must be said that the club seemed to have a clear strategy and managed to secure most of their first-choice targets.

      A focus on midfielders who created chances might not have been the best strategy in the world; I would argue that any system that values Charlie Adam above Xabi Alonso is ultimately flawed, while I also doubt how many of Stewart Downingā€™s floated balls into the box a striker probably wants.

      But it was a clearer strategy than the one which sent us from Sanchez to Remy to Balotelli in the summer. And Iā€™d have fancied Comolli over anyone at the club now to at least manage to a chat with Alexis Sanchez.

      Away from the headline-grabbing deals, there was also a recruitment strategy of poaching the best teenage talent in the country for nominal fees. Comolli helped secure Sinclair, Ibe and Sheyi Ojo in a short space of time. Since he left we either havenā€™t been as successful at this, or we simply havenā€™t bothered with it.

      Also under the radar, and less referenced in print and online, are  the players Comolli helped shift on during the summer of 2011. He got a healthy Ā£12m for Raul Meireles, a generous Ā£4m for David Nā€™gog, a ā€˜tops offā€™ Ā£1.5m for Paul Konchesky and a champagne popping Ā£1m for Christian Poulsen. SERIOUSLY, SOMEONE GAVE US MONEY FOR CHRISTIAN POULSEN.

      He also got notable amounts for a few young players who were never going to make the grade, including Gerardo Bruna (once hailed as the ā€˜new Lionel Messiā€™), who was recently seen playing for Whitehawk in the sixth tier of English football before moving to Accrington Stanley. Whitehawk? Yeah, me neither. They sound like a metal band from Wolverhampton.

      Jovanic with Hodgson and Cole of England

      On top of all that, Comolli managed to get the eye-watering Ā£120,000-a-week salary of Milan Jovanovic off the wage bill.

      He did much of this, by all accounts, by not being terribly nice to footballers Liverpool didnā€™t want anymore. A much underrated Comolli quality ā€” and another which might be lacking from the club at the moment.

      The Fabio Borini situation is a good example of this. Last summer the manager clearly wanted him gone, but in the back of his mind he is thinking, ā€˜If he doesnā€™t go, I might need himā€™. He also might be thinking, ā€˜I might end up at another club in a few yearsā€™ time and he might be playing thereā€™. This is a tough one for managers all over the country. How much can you truly ostracise a footballer?

      What was needed then was Damien Comolli flushing Boriniā€™s head down the toilet and shoving a National Express bus ticket in his back pocket.

      As Liverpool fans, it was our first real experience of a director of football, and it was always going to be an uneasy one, especially with someone with a limited experience of playing and coaching. ā€œWho is this fella to tell Kenny Dalglish who he should and shouldnā€™t be buying?ā€

      But Kenny spoke highly of Comolli both during and after their work together. In late April 2012, when Comolli had been sacked but Dalglish was just about hanging on, Kenny said:ā€The director of football role in this country is much maligned. I think people just have something against the job title or the principles.

      ā€œFor me, the role Damien played was a fantastic help. I think it would be for any manager, as long as everyone knows the lines that they cannot cross, thatā€™s fine.ā€

      Dalglish spoke of the need to replace Comolli, but the club never did, instead moving towards a committee of men, some of whom make Comolliā€™s footballing career look like Johan Cruyffā€™s.

      Is it time to replace him now? Would we as a fan base be more welcome to it?

      The manager famously refused to work under one, telling the media on his appointment as Liverpool boss in June 2012: ā€œOne of the items I brought up when I was speaking to the club was that I wouldnā€™t directly work with a director of football.

      ā€œI feel that if you are going to do that as a club you have to do that first. That was my recommendation. If you want to have a sporting director, get him in and then you can pick your manager from there but if you do I wonā€™t be the manager.ā€

      Rodgersā€™ hand could be weakened after a disappointing season. Or, if it makes him feel any better, maybe we can call it something else.

      Iā€™m not advocating the return of Comolli. Heā€™s still the fella who spent Ā£20m on Stewart Downing. I just want someone who is out there getting deals done. Moving players on. Committed and able to ensure the best young talent in the country is moving to our academy. Making sure that, when top talent is looking to move, Liverpool are at least part of the conversation.

      I think weā€™d all welcome that individual at the club. Whoever they may be.

      http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2015/05/time-reassess-damien-comolli/

      Suarez isn't a player that Comolli identified or anything like that, he was a player that Rafa was heavily linked with and apparently wanted to bring to the club so the club as a whole knew about him before Comolli even came along.
      srslfc
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #42: May 15, 2015 11:39:38 pm
      Suarez isn't a player that Comolli identified or anything like that, he was a player that Rafa was heavily linked with and apparently wanted to bring to the club so the club as a whole knew about him before Comolli even came along.

      True mate but Comolli still got the deal done and brought him here.
      7-King Kenny-7
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #43: May 15, 2015 11:41:46 pm
      True mate but Comolli still got the deal done and brought him here.

      Yeah but I still think that transfer would have happened anyway regardless of him being at the club.
      5timesacharm
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #44: May 16, 2015 02:41:34 am
      It's not greed, because if it was, you'd want to maximise the amount the club is making so you can take more out of it. Rather, I think they are the type of businessmen who are used to doing business in a certain way; a business model involving hedging their bets to limit risk. It may work fine in baseball but risk is what determines success in football. I think they are so utterly convinced that their business model will work that they are blind to the reality that it's not, that it's actually limiting the potential they can make from the club. The question is, when are they going to realise they're wrong?

      It all comes down to wages. If you look at all the players signed during their tenure, all of them command less wages than an established star. We spent Ā£35 million on Andy Carroll when Ā£35 million was still a lot to spend on a player and we could have bought a top class player for that. We could have spent the entire Ā£50 million of Torres money on a replacement but any replacement in the Ā£35-Ā£50 million bracket would have commanded wages far in excess than Carroll did.

      Until they are prepared to take a risk and pay big wages for a big name player we will continue to be an also-ran. We may get the occasional season like last year but invariably it'll be seasons (in terms of league position) like this year. 5th may be par for the course but unfortunately FSG show little desire to hit a birdie.
      reddebs
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      Re: Something Has To Change
      Reply #45: May 16, 2015 09:18:17 am
      From a fans pov something has to change but from the owners pov it doesn't. 

      I don't think they're unhappy with where we are, or with Brendan or with the recruitment.  The Club is where they want it to be for now and they're convinced that given time most of the players bought will be a success.  Either financially or playing wise.

      It will cost too much money, money we don't have yet, to take that final step into regular CL qualification and even more to be regular Title contenders.  There's some stats floating around the web relating to cost per point in terms of squad value for any PL team.  The first Ā£100m of added value, not spent, will get you up and around the European places (4th to 7th) but it takes a further Ā£150m of added value to get you regularly challenging for the Title and there's still no guarentee of dominating the League.

      We haven't even added the first Ā£100m yet we challenged for the Title last season and we should qualify for Europe this season so their plan of "doing things differently" appears to be working.  I believe for them it's too early to say it's not working and something needs to change.

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