Tony Barrett - Vulnerable Liverpool are mediocre - and they know it

The one reporter that won't write scurrilous sh*t about the club.

Tony Barrett cares just as much about LFC as you or me.

Doesn't make his opinion the same though. 

It is easy to write about negatives. It is easy to be critical. That article could easily have been written before the 13/14 season too.

Things are bad at the moment. It has been a shocking season. But, not all because of the reasons Tony implies. Significantly, we've had injuries, Gerrard leaving, and Sterling throwing his toys out of the pram.

The transfer policy is hugely frustrating, and in many ways wrong. I'd love a top signing as much as the next man, and I wish they would change that. But, I don't see it as bad as others do. If our players had bothered to put in any effort, we could have walked away from this season with a trophy and a top 4 finish. We were undefeated in 2015 and set for 2nd place... until they all decided to pack it in.

If our players had bothered to put in any effort, we could have walked away from this season with a trophy and a top 4 finish. We were undefeated in 2015 and set for 2nd place... until they all decided to pack it in.

So what do you put that down to then Dan?

So what do you put that down to then Dan?

It doesnt matter what way you want to spin it, its owners fault, its managers fault, the fact is they were heading for a trophy and top 4 while being well paid to do there job, nothing should have diverted them from that nothing. The players are getting away very lightly in all this. Soft as sh*te in the head thats why we didnt get top 4 or win a cup our squad are mentally weak if they let any off field activities divert them from there job.

At this point as far as Im concerned they can all do one, the owners the manager the players the camera waving fans with there halfy half scarves, everyone thats ruined this club.   

It doesnt matter what way you want to spin it, its owners fault, its managers fault, the fact is they were heading for a trophy and top 4 while being well paid to do there job, nothing should have diverted them from that nothing. The players are getting away very lightly in all this. Soft as sh*te in the head thats why we didnt get top 4 or win a cup our squad are mentally weak if they let any off field activities divert them from there job.

At this point as far as Im concerned they can all do one, the owners the manager the players the camera waving fans with there halfy half scarves, everyone thats ruined this club.   

They maybe are getting away with it lightly Brian but a winning mentality is instilled by the Manager, not the owners, nor the players themselves. 

"One of the club’s first and most important responsibilities is to make it a place that players find difficult to leave and it would be absurd to claim that is the case."

Absolutely. Need to hold onto our talent, not sell it onto rivals.

"just three title challenges since 1991"

One of these under BR

"It could also be argued that it is flawed given that Sterling, a creative player, has spent the past 12 months playing in a team without a forward. It is all well and good playing regular first-team football but doing so in a dysfunctional team that stymies your best qualities is hardly developmental."

Could see coming last summer when we didn't sign decent striker. That is FIXABLE.

"Signing potential rather than proven talent is undermining everything that Liverpool are supposed to stand for"

Completely agree. And is what most people defending BR are saying.


Still think BR should be made the scapegoat?

Can't bring myself to even read it, I'll get too upset

1 trophy in 9 years.   

4 Managers in 9 years 

3 different owners in 9 years 

Theres your problem right there.

One of Barrett's key points, which is spot on, is the signing of potential vs proven quality. The big question, though, is who -- or what -- is scuppering deals for the likes of Sanchez. Because it's not as if we haven't been in for big players besides potential, we just never seem to pursue them hard enough and bring them to the club.

One of Barrett's key points, which is spot on, is the signing of potential vs proven quality. The big question, though, is who -- or what -- is scuppering deals for the likes of Sanchez. Because it's not as if we haven't been in for big players besides potential, we just never seem to pursue them hard enough and bring them to the club.

I'm just readng we've lost out to Spurs for Konoplyanka too

I'm just readng we've lost out to Spurs for Konoplyanka too

That adds fuel to the rumour the owners put a transfer ban in place last November.

Even missing out on free transfer targets now. Very worrying times indeed.

Serious question:

Why were we never bought by the Russian mafioso or oil barrens in the mid-east?

What was so attractive about Citeh and Chelsea compared to us?

Serious answer:

If you knew your history  DIC were seriously in for us but Moores and Parry got impatient with DIC's Due Diligence .

That is something every responsible business does if entering into negotiations , business or at that time a proposed purchase of LFC.

Enter the Dallas Cowboy and his Canadian mate who gave Rothschild's telephone number to Parry on the back of an envelope and ... eh voila ...a verbal reference on Hansel and Gretel  was given.



The rest my friend is history.




Konoplyanka link :  http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/20/tottenham-agree-transfer-deal-for-liverpool-target-yevhen-konoplyanka-5206245/

Still wish he'd have bought Jordan instead.
Thanks Bernie for talking him out of that, not.

Everything Bernie Eccelstone touches, he fucks up.

I remember the DIC negotiations way back, and it was Mihir Bose - chief sports correspondent at The Telegraph in 06/07 - who wrote an article stating that DIC would sell the club for a profit within a few years of buying it.

DIC denied this, Moores read the article and wasn't so keen anymore, so ended up selling to Hicks and Gillett.

The sad thing is, if that article was true, it surely wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad as what Hicks and Gillett did.

Basically the culmination of F**k ups and failures over the last 9 years is down to two men - Parry and Moores. Not only were they incompetent owners, but they saved their worst trick for last.

Jesus thats Grim reading. True though.

Ah man thats ruined my day.

I remember the DIC negotiations way back, and it was Mihir Bose - chief sports correspondent at The Telegraph in 06/07 - who wrote an article stating that DIC would sell the club for a profit within a few years of buying it.

DIC denied this, Moores read the article and wasn't so keen anymore, so ended up selling to Hicks and Gillett.

The sad thing is, if that article was true, it surely wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad as what Hicks and Gillett did.

Basically the culmination of F**k ups and failures over the last 9 years is down to two men - Parry and Moores. Not only were they incompetent owners, but they saved their worst trick for last.

They had an exit strategy written into their very comprehensive plans, which if activated, would be after 7 years at the club.
This was mistaken for them wanting to sell up after 7 years. (or some dodgy PR basically lying about the 7 year thing)
Then h&g offered more money, and moores accepted their "deal" which put a few more millions in his bank and kept Parry in a job (something DIC wouldn't guarantee).

Nice of Tony Barrett to catch up with his LFCReds reading - good to see he takes notice of what the forum football fans think.   

They maybe are getting away with it lightly Brian but a winning mentality is instilled by the Manager, not the owners, nor the players themselves. 

A manager can improve a winning mentality of course he can but if the players haven't got it instilled in them no manager will get it out of them. That mentality is a self bred thing if you haven't got one it simply means you don't give a door about being the best or second best or worst

Not sure a Sheikh is the answer.

Would you want Anfield renamed to the Abu Dabia Arena? A team full of mercenaries? A historic club losing its identity?

If FSG are willing to be lot more flexible with their transfer policy and be ambitious enough to bring in at least one world class player every season then we will be in much better position as a club.

The ball is in their court to prove they have real ambitions for this club. We will know in the next month or two if they mean business or are just leaching off the clubs profits.

I personally fail to see how a rich sheikh and true Liverpool fan has to be mutually exclusive.  Liverpool is a world reknown club... some of those rich sheikhs just might prefer us to other teams.  So he wants to buy us and inject a billion dollars to make us tick.  This money to me shows his commitment... regardless of the business end of things. 

Also to the mercenaries comment.  We may think we are immune to this but mercenaries is modern life now.  best players go to play with other best players to win silverware.  Do you think for a second that should a team like barca fall... say all their players have to go a couple years without silverware.. take a modest pay cut that they will stick around?

FSG's business model in theory is sound but in real life there is too many variables.  I agree with the comment 'tomorrow never comes'.  also, this business model is a mid table business model when the other top clubs will spend whatever it takes to win.

Indeed David Moores and Pr*ck Parry are responsible for the troubles we have suffered over the last few years.

Moores walked way with £70 odd million and Parry is Chairman of the Betting Integrity Board (Integrity? If ever there was somebody in wrong job, there he is.)

The stupid pair broke their word to DIC and we now see the result.

Next Bonfire night perhaps we should burn effigies of Moores and Parry.

Not sure a Sheikh is the answer.

Would you want Anfield renamed to the Abu Dabia Arena? A team full of mercenaries? A historic club losing its identity?

If FSG are willing to be lot more flexible with their transfer policy and be ambitious enough to bring in at least one world class player every season then we will be in much better position as a club.

The ball is in their court to prove they have real ambitions for this club. We will know in the next month or two if they mean business or are just leaching off the clubs profits.

You can't have it both ways, Baz, you're either rich and successful or you're not (on both counts). The identity of the club is what the supporters make of it, not what some owner makes and in regards to stadium renaming, the 'City of Manchester Stadium' or the 'Emirates Stadium' where both newly built stadia without the iconic history associated with Anfield. I doubt very much they would have renamed Maine Road or Highbury for the same reasons. The stadium called 'Anfield' is as much a part of our history as the kop or the cups or the league titles or 'You'll never walk alone' and there would be no commercial sense in renaming it.  It's synonyms with Liverpool F.C.

Nice of Tony Barrett to catch up with his LFCReds reading - good to see he takes notice of what the forum football fans think.   

 

A manager can improve a winning mentality of course he can but if the players haven't got it instilled in them no manager will get it out of them. That mentality is a self bred thing if you haven't got one it simply means you don't give a door about being the best or second best or worst

I disagree mate sorry.  Attitudes, good and bad, rub off on the people around you, look at the Suarez effect last season and look at the players that are still here.

When you have a Manager who's more concerned with giving Stevie a good send off at Stamford Bridge rather than winning the game what's that saying to the rest of the squad?  When players are saying "the result was irrelevant" after the CP game because it was Stevies Day, that's not a winning mentality.

No wonder Stevie was steaming mad afterwards, he knows what it takes to be successful at this Club and turning an end of season game, where a win still gave us hope of CL qualification , into a glorified testimonial for him must have rankled him big time and rightly so.

All this crap with Raheem, how many of you have heard Brendan, or any of the so called media "experts", or any of our current or ex players when asked about the situation have said "he should stay because it's a great place to win trophies?"  Not F***ing one of them, they all say "he should stay because it's a great place for him to develop!!"

Well whoop di F***ing doo, we have a great coach who can develop young talent, when we should have a great coach that wins stuff.  We have a losers mentality all through the Club!  Weak Owners!  Weak Senior Management!  Weak players!  It filters down from the top until there's no point even trying.  Even us fans are beaten before a game kicks off, before the transfer window opens, before the season's started, before a new player kicks a ball.

Yesterday Rush was screaming for DiC, today I'm wanting some balls, some F***ing leadership from somewhere within the Club so that I can be reassured that they want us to start winning again.

I disagree mate sorry.  Attitudes, good and bad, rub off on the people around you, look at the Suarez effect last season and look at the players that are still here.

When you have a Manager who's more concerned with giving Stevie a good send off at Stamford Bridge rather than winning the game what's that saying to the rest of the squad?  When players are saying "the result was irrelevant" after the CP game because it was Stevies Day, that's not a winning mentality.

No wonder Stevie was steaming mad afterwards, he knows what it takes to be successful at this Club and turning an end of season game, where a win still gave us hope of CL qualification , into a glorified testimonial for him must have rankled him big time and rightly so.

All this crap with Raheem, how many of you have heard Brendan, or any of the so called media "experts", or any of our current or ex players when asked about the situation have said "he should stay because it's a great place to win trophies?"  Not f**king one of them, they all say "he should stay because it's a great place for him to develop!!"

Well whoop di f**king doo, we have a great coach who can develop young talent, when we should have a great coach that wins stuff.  We have a losers mentality all through the Club!  Weak Owners!  Weak Senior Management!  Weak players!  It filters down from the top until there's no point even trying.  Even us fans are beaten before a game kicks off, before the transfer window opens, before the season's started, before a new player kicks a ball.

Yesterday Rush was screaming for DiC, today I'm wanting some balls, some f**king leadership from somewhere within the Club so that I can be reassured that they want us to start winning again.

Nail on the head.