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      Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"

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      FL Red
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      Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Jul 03, 2015 04:12:21 pm
      So is Benteke one of the world's greatest or is he this summer's greatest smokescreen?

      http://www.sundayworld.com/sport/soccer/liverpool-ready-to-sign-worlds-greatest-players
      Liverpool ready to sign 'world's greatest players'
      Friday 3rd July 2015

      By Kevin Palmer

      Liverpool chief-executive Ian Ayre has assured the club's supporters that they are willing to compete with their Premier League rivals to sign the world's top players.

      Much of Liverpool's focus in the early weeks of this summer has been based around picking up bargains, with James Milner and Danny Ings among the free transfer deals Ayre has negotiated.

      The big money deal to sign Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino confirmed that Liverpool are ready to spend big ahead of the new season, yet Sunday World columnist and Anfield great John Aldridge is among those calling for the club to target some big name stars.

      Now Ayre has insisted Liverpool will spend the cash if the right players come onto their radar as he insisted his club could compete in the transfer market with teams that can offer Champions League football.

          “I stood on the Kop for many years as a fan, and like everyone else I’d love to buy all the greatest players, regardless of price,” he told the League Managers’ Association magazine The Manager.

      “But, as we saw under the club’s previous ownership, things can all go very wrong financially. Then people will hold you accountable for not running the club in the right way.

      “You can’t work that way. You have to have a very detailed, thought-out plan and ensure everyone buys into it and adheres to it. That is what we have been doing and will continue to do.

      “It doesn’t mean we are not investing in or buying good players; we are just doing it in a smart and sustainable way.

      “We may not be competing in the Champions League this year but we are still making progress as a club and continuing to add quality to our squad.

          “We are also improving financially, which means that as we go forward with the plan we will have more resources and will be able to invest more than we have in the past.”

      Aston Villa's Christian Benteke and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema are some of the high profile stars who are rumoured to be on Liverpool's wanted list.
      AZPatriot
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #1: Jul 03, 2015 04:30:09 pm
      So is Benteke one of the world's greatest or is he this summer's greatest smokescreen?

      http://www.sundayworld.com/sport/soccer/liverpool-ready-to-sign-worlds-greatest-players
      Liverpool ready to sign 'world's greatest players'
      Friday 3rd July 2015

      By Kevin Palmer

      Liverpool chief-executive Ian Ayre has assured the club's supporters that they are willing to compete with their Premier League rivals to sign the world's top players.

      Much of Liverpool's focus in the early weeks of this summer has been based around picking up bargains, with James Milner and Danny Ings among the free transfer deals Ayre has negotiated.

      The big money deal to sign Brazilian striker Roberto Firmino confirmed that Liverpool are ready to spend big ahead of the new season, yet Sunday World columnist and Anfield great John Aldridge is among those calling for the club to target some big name stars.

      Now Ayre has insisted Liverpool will spend the cash if the right players come onto their radar as he insisted his club could compete in the transfer market with teams that can offer Champions League football.

          “I stood on the Kop for many years as a fan, and like everyone else I’d love to buy all the greatest players, regardless of price,” he told the League Managers’ Association magazine The Manager.

      “But, as we saw under the club’s previous ownership, things can all go very wrong financially. Then people will hold you accountable for not running the club in the right way.

      “You can’t work that way. You have to have a very detailed, thought-out plan and ensure everyone buys into it and adheres to it. That is what we have been doing and will continue to do.

      “It doesn’t mean we are not investing in or buying good players; we are just doing it in a smart and sustainable way.

      “We may not be competing in the Champions League this year but we are still making progress as a club and continuing to add quality to our squad.

          “We are also improving financially, which means that as we go forward with the plan we will have more resources and will be able to invest more than we have in the past.”

      Aston Villa's Christian Benteke and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema are some of the high profile stars who are rumoured to be on Liverpool's wanted list.


      Pretty misleading article, at first glance you think they are after someone big but after further reading its just the same stuff he has been saying for years. The piece ends with 2 names (one from this window) (one from last summer) that we have been linked to.

      This is just the continuation of the "we can compete with anybody in the world" statement along with a dose of "we can only spend what we make".
      Son Of A Gun
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #2: Jul 03, 2015 04:39:50 pm
      It's just PR bullshit. Trying to sell season tickets, look good for the sponsors, etc.

      Worlds greatest? Yet long ball merchant Benteke is the height of our ambition? Piss taker.
      AlexLFC95
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #3: Jul 03, 2015 10:39:09 pm
      It's just PR bullshit. Trying to sell season tickets, look good for the sponsors, etc.

      Worlds greatest? Yet long ball merchant Benteke is the height of our ambition? Piss taker.

      They don't need to try and sell season tickets, there's a 20 year waiting list or something for them.
      dunlop liddell shankly
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #4: Jul 03, 2015 11:05:19 pm
      Danny Ings weren't a free, he was out of contract but we still had to pay Burnley some compo due to his age.

      Transfer fees though have never been a problem for Liverpool anyway. So when people moan we don't spend, he can easily point to 20 million on Downing, 20 on Lovren, 20 on Markovic, 25 on Lallana, 35 on Carroll. Our problem has been spending big on the right player. If you look at our record transfers since the 90s, it makes grim reading;

      Saunders (£2.9 mill)
      Babb (£3.6 mill)
      Collymore (£8.5 mill)
      Heskey (£11 mill)
      Cisse (£14 mill)
      Torres (£20 mill)
      Suarez (£23 mill)
      Carroll (£35 mill)

      Do we need to sign bigger names? Not necessarily, we didn't need to always go for the flashy names when we were successful. What we need to do is go back to F***ing basics and thoroughly check the players we're buying are actually the right type of person rather than just buying somebody because they're a big name.
      FATKOPITE10
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #5: Jul 03, 2015 11:57:25 pm
      In ayre's defence at no stage in the article does he say anything about signing the best players in the world, the headline is typical journalistic license contrary to the actual words
      7-King Kenny-7
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #6: Jul 03, 2015 11:58:11 pm
      Says he's like us to sign the best players but then when we have the best players we just sell them anyway...
      racerx34
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #7: Jul 04, 2015 01:16:16 am
      Liverpool ready to sign 'world's greatest players'

      Except Ayre doesn't actually say that.
      What a bogus headline.

      LFC - We'll keep speculating on younger players.
      bad boy bubby
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #8: Jul 04, 2015 11:25:50 am
      Do we need to sign bigger names? Not necessarily, we didn't need to always go for the flashy names when we were successful.
      You use the term "bigger names" but for most of us that really that only means better quality players Billy.

      When we were successful we had the best players: the best 'keeper; the best centre-halves; the best midfielders and the best strikers in the league and we were able to sign the best if and when we wanted. There was no mystery, no romance... they may not have been "flashy names" (which is arguable given the context of time and circumstances) but they were the "best".

      They say that football is a simple game and I agree in the respect that the teams with the best footballers invariably and consistently win - win titles; win trophies. It's that simple.

      Those of a more romantic nature might try to argue 'til they are blue in the face but the facts are there for all to see - the teams who are consistently most successful, both domestically and in Europe, have the best players.

      Sadly, until such times that we are 1: willing to sign the best or... 2: all our 'young, with potential' stay with us and fulfill that 'potential' together - we will not be winning titles or [European] trophies.

      That, unfortunately, is the way of the modern world - in fact it always has been... Evolve or Die.
      dunlop liddell shankly
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #9: Jul 04, 2015 12:41:06 pm
      When we were successful we had the best players: the best 'keeper; the best centre-halves; the best midfielders and the best strikers in the league and we were able to sign the best if and when we wanted. There was no mystery, no romance... they may not have been "flashy names" (which is arguable given the context of time and circumstances) but they were the "best".

      We may of had the best but we didn't buy them as the best, we developed them into the best. For example we didn't go for World Cup winning keeper Gordon Banks, we went to little old Scunthorpe to sign Ray Clemence, who'd had about a year in their first team. Same with Emlyn Hughes, we didn't go and sign World Cup winning captain and arguably football's best centre half at the time Bobby Moore, we went to Blackpool and signed a kid who'd played just under 30 games. We turned "flashy" names like Frank Worthington and George Best down.

      It was on the odd occasion that we'd go out and sign a genuine ready made quality player who walked straight into our starting XI. Take Terry McDermott as a prime example. A regular for Newcastle, who'd go onto become the best goalscoring midfield in the history of the game. Yet he played just 25 games in his first two years here because he didn't just walk straight into the starting XI. Dalglish, Kennedy, Souness were world class players and strengthened us from the off but a lot of the time we didn't sign players as "the best" but developed them into it.
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #10: Jul 04, 2015 12:51:40 pm
      We may of had the best but we didn't buy them as the best, we developed them into the best. For example we didn't go for World Cup winning keeper Gordon Banks, we went to little old Scunthorpe to sign Ray Clemence, who'd had about a year in their first team. Same with Emlyn Hughes, we didn't go and sign World Cup winning captain and arguably football's best centre half at the time Bobby Moore, we went to Blackpool and signed a kid who'd played just under 30 games. We turned "flashy" names like Frank Worthington and George Best down.

      It was on the odd occasion that we'd go out and sign a genuine ready made quality player who walked straight into our starting XI. Take Terry McDermott as a prime example. A regular for Newcastle, who'd go onto become the best goalscoring midfield in the history of the game. Yet he played just 25 games in his first two years here because he didn't just walk straight into the starting XI. Dalglish, Kennedy, Souness were world class players and strengthened us from the off but a lot of the time we didn't sign players as "the best" but developed them into it.

      Shanks tried to buy Banks though!!

      And we would of bought Worthington if he hadn't had a penchant for non-stop shagging.

      We also bought players just to stop our rivals buying them.
      LFC Karl
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #11: Jul 04, 2015 12:58:52 pm
      Just because you signed a couple of big players.... no need to start getting all media friendly again. Less seen the better,
      bad boy bubby
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #12: Jul 04, 2015 01:18:49 pm
      We may of had the best but we didn't buy them as the best
      No not all them... you are right.

      And yes... we were also able to integrate players into an already successful team at our leisure but we could and did buy the best if and when we wanted. We won titles and trophies because we had the best players... that is fact, no matter how we'd like to pretend otherwise.

      Sadly, like it or not and this tends to upset the romantics and those stuck in the past - times changed with 'money': we didn't; we didn't move, we didn't evolve. Other teams used their money to buy the best; to maintain 'perfection' by constant transformation - it worked and is still working for them.

      The fact that we didn't (or couldn't) sign better players and didn't evolve was the main reason we were "Knocked off our F***ing perch"... the reason we are still off it.

      I fully understand that there are some folk [yourself included, it seems] who believe, genuinely believe, that we can buck the trend; that we can re-write the formula; that we can consistently win titles without signing the best and you/they are entitled to that view. Personally I think that they are wrong and I certainly wouldn't be holding my hand on my arse whilst I waited, if I were them but each to their own.

      crouchinho
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #13: Jul 04, 2015 01:33:29 pm
      What a nothing article that's doing to drum up hyperbolic responses from a fanbase more than willing to take anything small and throw it at the ownership.

      Ayre says nothing interesting and nothing we didn't know. And the author mentions Milner and Ings as bargains but with their tribunal fees (for Ings) and signing on fees + wages they will be anything but bargains.

      Trashy article with a trashy headline to spark criticism for no reason.
      HUYTON RED
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #14: Jul 04, 2015 01:39:58 pm
      What a nothing article that's doing to drum up hyperbolic responses from a fanbase more than willing to take anything small and throw it at the ownership.

      Ayre says nothing interesting and nothing we didn't know. And the author mentions Milner and Ings as bargains but with their tribunal fees (for Ings) and signing on fees + wages they will be anything but bargains.

      Trashy article with a trashy headline to spark criticism for no reason.

      I'm still trying to work out who the sunday world is?
      dunlop liddell shankly
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #15: Jul 04, 2015 02:46:08 pm
      No not all them... you are right.

      And yes... we were also able to integrate players into an already successful team at our leisure but we could and did buy the best if and when we wanted. We won titles and trophies because we had the best players... that is fact, no matter how we'd like to pretend otherwise.

      Sadly, like it or not and this tends to upset the romantics and those stuck in the past - times changed with 'money': we didn't; we didn't move, we didn't evolve. Other teams used their money to buy the best; to maintain 'perfection' by constant transformation - it worked and is still working for them.

      The fact that we didn't (or couldn't) sign better players and didn't evolve was the main reason we were "Knocked off our F***ing perch"... the reason we are still off it.

      I fully understand that there are some folk [yourself included, it seems] who believe, genuinely believe, that we can buck the trend; that we can re-write the formula; that we can consistently win titles without signing the best and you/they are entitled to that view. Personally I think that they are wrong and I certainly wouldn't be holding my hand on my arse whilst I waited, if I were them but each to their own.



      Yes we could buy the best and sometimes we did but it's not like we bought the League or anything (not that you've said anything of that note). We simply managed to get the best team with a level of good individuals. The best team will win more trophies not necessarily those with the best players.

      We may not have bought the "best" since the inception of the Premier League but we've thrown money at that problem. It's one of my biggest arguments when people say we can't win the League because of the money involved. We've had money and spent it. And all too often we've spent it wrongly. That's the biggest difference between now and then. Which is why in my opening post you quoted I said we had to go back to basics and make sure the players we were signing, were the right people.

      We can win the League consistently with the best team. A good player isn't always the right player, the right player is always a good player.
      crouchinho
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #16: Jul 04, 2015 02:50:03 pm
      I'm still trying to work out who the sunday world is?

      Didn't notice that. Naturally thought it was the Sunday People.

      Quick Google says its an Irish paper. Kevin Palmer works with them and ESPN.
      srslfc
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #17: Jul 04, 2015 04:16:42 pm
      I'm still trying to work out who the sunday world is?

      Its a total sh*t rag from over here in Ireland mate. I think it's published both North and South as far as I'm aware but definitely in the North.
      Benito
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #18: Jul 04, 2015 09:16:08 pm
      The last 3 words in the thread title need to be removed.
      bad boy bubby
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #19: Jul 05, 2015 08:36:02 am
      It's one of my biggest arguments when people say we can't win the League because of the money involved. We've had money and spent it. And all too often we've spent it wrongly. That's the biggest difference between now and then. Which is why in my opening post you quoted I said we had to go back to basics and make sure the players we were signing, were the right people.
      First off: as you are probably aware Billy - I have often argued the very same thing [i.e. we have had money and lots of it but it's been spent on the wrong 'type' of player]. In my opinion (and it's only that); instead of buying three, four, five, players 'with potential' we could have spent that same money to buy and pay players who would have, there and then, added to a team which was performing well.

      Instead of buying a squad of young and easily paid, players and throwing them all together, in the hope that they all become good all at once; we should have replaced lost experience with similar or better quality... just to keep up.

      Because... and this is where 'life' really is different from 'the good old days' - we are playing catch up - we do not have the luxury of being able to wait as we integrate players (who might turn out to be LFC quality) into an already winning team.

      The route we were on since the Summer of 2012 until 2015, saw us spend well over £200m - none of it on genuine, top quality, first team improvers.

      The difference between 'now' and 'then' isn't the amount of money spent because that's all relative Billy: the difference is starting position. Back in the day we bought players who strengthened the first team [a team which was already strong] and we bought players with potential. We could wait on kids coming through; we could integrate new players gradually and watch them grow alongside top players. Sadly we now do not have that luxury; we are starting from behind.

      I fully understand the premise that we should get back to the "basics" of buying the right player Billy, I really do but right now [and for as long as we are playing catch up], in my opinion, the "right players" are the best, 'ready-made', players we can get for any position.

      You want a new striker? Bust a gut to get the best; your first choice... not second or third best and not someone who might, eventually, maybe be a good 'un two, three or five seasons from now and certainly not one because he's less of a liability on the books, for your investors.

      When you talk of basics and the right players, think of this: [for illustration purposes only] - Sanchez; Costa; Fabregas; Song - four players with a combined cost of around £95m - three of which came from Barca, who we were doing business with... How many of them wouldn't have been "right"? How worse off would we have been with them in the team?

      I, genuinely, believe we are close enough in thinking, as to make no difference Billy. Just to be clear: I know the right players need not cost a lot of money but similarly... the cost of a top quality player shouldn't exclude him from being considered as the right player [which I believe has been happening from 2012 'til now, as FSG sought/seek 'value for money' for their investors].
      dunlop liddell shankly
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #20: Jul 05, 2015 02:41:34 pm
      First off: as you are probably aware Billy - I have often argued the very same thing [i.e. we have had money and lots of it but it's been spent on the wrong 'type' of player]. In my opinion (and it's only that); instead of buying three, four, five, players 'with potential' we could have spent that same money to buy and pay players who would have, there and then, added to a team which was performing well.

      Instead of buying a squad of young and easily paid, players and throwing them all together, in the hope that they all become good all at once; we should have replaced lost experience with similar or better quality... just to keep up.

      Because... and this is where 'life' really is different from 'the good old days' - we are playing catch up - we do not have the luxury of being able to wait as we integrate players (who might turn out to be LFC quality) into an already winning team.

      The route we were on since the Summer of 2012 until 2015, saw us spend well over £200m - none of it on genuine, top quality, first team improvers.

      The difference between 'now' and 'then' isn't the amount of money spent because that's all relative Billy: the difference is starting position. Back in the day we bought players who strengthened the first team [a team which was already strong] and we bought players with potential. We could wait on kids coming through; we could integrate new players gradually and watch them grow alongside top players. Sadly we now do not have that luxury; we are starting from behind.

      I fully understand the premise that we should get back to the "basics" of buying the right player Billy, I really do but right now [and for as long as we are playing catch up], in my opinion, the "right players" are the best, 'ready-made', players we can get for any position.

      You want a new striker? Bust a gut to get the best; your first choice... not second or third best and not someone who might, eventually, maybe be a good 'un two, three or five seasons from now and certainly not one because he's less of a liability on the books, for your investors.

      When you talk of basics and the right players, think of this: [for illustration purposes only] - Sanchez; Costa; Fabregas; Song - four players with a combined cost of around £95m - three of which came from Barca, who we were doing business with... How many of them wouldn't have been "right"? How worse off would we have been with them in the team?

      I, genuinely, believe we are close enough in thinking, as to make no difference Billy. Just to be clear: I know the right players need not cost a lot of money but similarly... the cost of a top quality player shouldn't exclude him from being considered as the right player [which I believe has been happening from 2012 'til now, as FSG sought/seek 'value for money' for their investors].

      I'd agree with the vast majority of that mate.
      PastorGeek
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #21: Jul 05, 2015 09:47:00 pm
      Danny Ings weren't a free, he was out of contract but we still had to pay Burnley some compo due to his age.

      Transfer fees though have never been a problem for Liverpool anyway. So when people moan we don't spend, he can easily point to 20 million on Downing, 20 on Lovren, 20 on Markovic, 25 on Lallana, 35 on Carroll. Our problem has been spending big on the right player. If you look at our record transfers since the 90s, it makes grim reading;

      Saunders (£2.9 mill)
      Babb (£3.6 mill)
      Collymore (£8.5 mill)
      Heskey (£11 mill)
      Cisse (£14 mill)
      Torres (£20 mill)
      Suarez (£23 mill)
      Carroll (£35 mill)

      Do we need to sign bigger names? Not necessarily, we didn't need to always go for the flashy names when we were successful. What we need to do is go back to f**king basics and thoroughly check the players we're buying are actually the right type of person rather than just buying somebody because they're a big name.

      i've been told the 90's aren't relevant
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      Re: Ian Ayre says "Relax....I got this"
      Reply #22: Jul 06, 2015 10:18:40 am
      i've been told the 90's aren't relevant

      In terms of the term 'relax' they were, in terms of everything else not so much.

      That's how morose the forum's become of late, not one Photoshop of ayre as holly Johnson, not one 'relax don't do it' filthy reference, nothing.

      Tut.

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