John Henry tells star players to commit to the Liverpool cause or be sold.

John Henry tells star players to commit to the Liverpool cause or they will be sold

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8114023/John-Henry-tells-star-players-to-commit-to-the-Liverpool-cause-or-they-will-be-sold.html

Liverpool's new owner, New England Sports Ventures, has issued a warning to any players not fully committed to the club that they will be sold.

John W Henry, the club's principal owner, has been angered by reports that Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina would be leaving and has met the club's top players to reassure them of NESV's ambitions.

"It is a completely different system here to what we are used to," Henry said. "If a player has a contract in the United States they fulfil the contract. Over here, it seems players have much more say-so about where they are. Frankly, where we are, we don't want a player at the club who doesn't want to be at the club. It's really up to us to provide the kind of leadership, on and off the field, that any player at the club or who is coming to the club wants to be here."

Henry and Tom Werner, Liverpool's new chairman, are open to recruiting the right talent in January, following the appointment of Damien Comolli as director of football strategy. They are, however, determined to hang on to their best players, despite reports that Torres and Reina have contractual clauses that would facilitate their departure.

"I was upset about the assertion that they were leaving," Henry said. "There was one day when I read reports that we were not going to be involved in the transfer window because we do not have the funds. The next day I read that Torres and Reina were leaving.

"I have spoken with a number of our top players and was really heartened by the response. I was heartened by the intelligence of these players, who understand more about Liverpool than we do. They were good discussions."

Henry, who has been at Liverpool all week, was not as heartened by some of the discoveries he has made since taking over the club. "There were a number of unpleasant surprises when we did our due diligence because the wage bill is high and it's going to be higher next year – and we're not a young team," he said. "That was disappointing."

Comolli has been brought in to bring the age of the squad down, to identify the best talent by building up the scouting network and to help bring through academy players.

Henry was insistent that Roy Hodgson was "delighted" by Comolli's appointment despite only telling the manager it was going to happen a "couple of days" before it was announced and revealing that it was baseball maverick Billy Beane who had made the recommendation.

"When I first met with Roy it was obvious to me that he really wanted someone in that position," he said. "We are building a team. In Boston we have a team with an incredible collegial atmosphere. We build consensus. [Hodgson and Comolli] share the same agent. We needed to find someone who shared the same philosophy as us. That's why Billy Beane recommended Damien. I spent three weeks talking with Damien."

Werner conceded that Hodgson had not been consulted on Comolli's appointment but said they knew the two had a good relationship. "Roy said he felt he needed to bolster his staff. He was not asked about specific recommendations but we set about trying to find the best person we could find. I was aware they had a healthy respect for each other.

"We feel we can bring in more players that are home-grown. What we are used to is that the manager and the general manager work together. It's a big job analysing which players to bring in. We are trying to bolster Roy's operation and I think Damien is the first step."

Werner reinforced the message that the club are to target the Asian market to try to boost revenue and suggested they could play competitive games abroad, even though the Premier League has given up on its 39th game proposal.

"Pre-season matches are great but why not have an actual match in season," Werner said. "The Premier League is the strongest league in the world and its reach is global. It's been very impressive to me, the number of people globally who watch and we hope to expand that imprint. I think the more important the game, the more excitement."

Werner has also met Liverpool Council to discuss options for redeveloping Anfield or building a new stadium. As part of any new development, Henry said they will have to take on debt, but stressed the fact that they would emulate the way Arsenal built their stadium.

"How did Arsenal build the Emirates? I have never heard of a privately funded stadium of magnitude that was not funded by debt," Henry said. "It is such a big issue. It is a big issue with Manchester United. But the New York Yankees have $3.5 billion of debt and I've never heard a Yankee fan complain about it because they built a $1.5 billion stadium. The difference to be made is between stadium and acquisition debt.

Good read.
I totally agree with the headline sentiment that players not totally committed to the cause can do one, I think pretty much all of us would agree with that.

39th game? No thanks! I'm glad that the EPL has such huge global appeal but it should never be played outside of England (unless the likes of Cardiff get promoted, ).

Debt has become a swear word to LFC fans but common sense would suggest that the massive outlay required to build a new stadium means that you HAVE to take on debt. Properly managed, it wouldn't be a crippling burden like the acquisition debt we've just shaken off.

All in all, NESV are continuing to make the right noises (except for the 39th game nonsense).

I'm not going to rule the 39th game proposition out just yet, in a marketing sense and opening up other income streams it's not so much a bad idea, imagine Liverpool playing a game in Boston and the fan base that could be gained there through our obvious connections to NESV and the Boston Red Sox, the same applies if we were to play a game in Asia, the income that could be generated from such games in terms of TV money and merchandising could be like opening up the proverbial pandora's box as I don't believe you could really put a figure on it, but the more popularity such games would generate would inevitably help swell the clubs revenue and if teh financial fair play rules do come in about living within your own means, clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United given their already world wide fan bases are going to do a hell of a lot better out of the 39th game commercially than say a club of Blackburns and Boltons stature, if it was ever implemented.

What he said ^^^  we can't play competative league games outside of the U.K, think about our regular, loyal fans rather than recruiting others !

Very informative read Daz nice one.
Let's hope JWH can differentiate between the likes of Sir Alcho's wind up bullshit and the real world with regard to player loyalty, the last sentence is particularly encourageing and indicates a definite agenda with the proposed stadium.

Good read.
I totally agree with the headline sentiment that players not totally committed to the cause can do one, I think pretty much all of us would agree with that.

39th game? No thanks! I'm glad that the EPL has such huge global appeal but it should never be played outside of England (unless the likes of Cardiff get promoted, ).

Debt has become a swear word to LFC fans but common sense would suggest that the massive outlay required to build a new stadium means that you HAVE to take on debt. Properly managed, it wouldn't be a crippling burden like the acquisition debt we've just shaken off.

All in all, NESV are continuing to make the right noises (except for the 39th game nonsense).

I'll echo these sentiments.

interesting

really looking forward to January and its a massive relief RH isn't in charge of transfers.

Don't agree with the 39th game proposal but the owners are making the right noises so far, and totally agree that no one player is bigger than the club, and to arm twist a player into staying -Torres included- is not the answer.
But i look back to this time last month when the massive tumour that we had to lance was still owning the club and i feel a whole lot happier

I really don't understand how any one can rule out the 39th game, if that 39th game played on shores other than our own could open up say an extra £20-£30m per year in terms of revenue, thats another £20-£30m that could be added to our transfer budgets.

Imagine if that 39th game was done a bit like teh F.A Cup randomly with balls like a lottery darw at the end of the season, the 08/09 season we finished second had it already been in force that 39th game could have won us the league. Obviously there is alsorts of variables to look at, but to just discount it is just daft in my opinion.

The 39th game is pointless, we can already access fans via an off season tour. All an extra game would do is fill a foreign stadium to capacity. TV revenue would increase but a tour would do the same.

As regards the article, John boy really can talk the talk can't he? I love the very slight but effective enough for me swipe at man u's financial situation in the last paragraph. I like Mr H. I hope I can continue to do so.

great read and he continues to please , keep it up Mr Henry and YNWA

 I hope he is not making an excuse to sell are best players ?

I really don't understand how any one can rule out the 39th game, if that 39th game played on shores other than our own could open up say an extra £20-£30m per year in terms of revenue, thats another £20-£30m that could be added to our transfer budgets.

Imagine if that 39th game was done a bit like teh F.A Cup randomly with balls like a lottery darw at the end of the season, the 08/09 season we finished second had it already been in force that 39th game could have won us the league. Obviously there is alsorts of variables to look at, but to just discount it is just daft in my opinion.

The problem is, that would become little more than a friendly game at the end of the season rather than the beginning. I suppose there would be more chance of first team players appearing but they'd be unlikely to go hell for leather as they would in a 'proper' match. I'm about to log off so don't have time to check but if I remember correctly, the proposal was for an EPL game to be played abroad. It even says in that article, 'competitive games'. Great for LFC fans based in the host country but terrible for us.

You used the example of the 08/09 season. Imagine if we were winning the league by 1 point and the team had to go to the US or Asia for the final match and lost it, losing the league in the process. Works both ways!

Good on Mr Henry. I agree totally that if the players dont want to be here they should be sold. I also agree that there will be wholesale changes come the summer. I think they will talk the majority of players into not leaving in january, with maybe Torres as an exception, he does look like he does,nt want to be here but that could all change by January if we can turn things around and start climbing the table. We do need to strengthen in january though and if the right players come around that meet Mr Henrys critirier then i think they will dig deep. Theres so many players in our squad that are not good enough if we are to challenge for anything this season. We need wingers with pace who can get down the line and deliver quality balls into the box. That, i would say is one of our main prioritys. We need to have a choice of at least 4 quality strikers, something that we are seriously lacking at the moment. Our back line is not to bad but we do have some people who are ageing and we are in desperate need of a qualty left back. So i do think that some players should go if they are not committed to the cause but there are some players who are just not of the quality that is befitting to a red shirt. Change is comming but it will take time and we will soon see who wants to wear the shirt and who thinks that the grass maybe greener on the other side.

I hope he is not making an excuse to sell are best players ?

What do you mean by best players?

I wouldn't mind if we sell people aged 27+ as long as the cash is spent on young talent.

Plus Babel ofcourse.

Good read...

I like the noises NESV are making, however they seem to like Roy, which is dissapointing! I also like the idea of a 39th game.

I know lots of people will piss and moan about having a league game abroad because we cannot attend. This is something that the American Football teams have had when playing in London. However if it opened up a massive revinue source, gained new fans and bolstered the clubs finances then anyone who is against it must be crazy. 1 game less at anfield per season = 1 world class signing (Torres esk) - sounds like a fair deal to me.

Hopefully this 39th game is just pie in the sky and doesn't come to fruition as I'm not in favour of it, we don't need to razamataz the league up anymore, next thing we'll see will be cheer leaders and quarter time proposed so it can fit in with American television.

As for Henry talking about players commiting good on him, Torres really needs to make it known one way or the other now. Not being controversial for the sake of it, but if an offer worth listening to came in for him I think it'd be worth us seriously considering it. I think his injuries are partially taking their toll up on him and he looks to have lost a yard of pace which is a fundamental part of his game. Also if he is unhappy here then they'd be no point in stopping him from leaving. Reina on the other hand is a Scouser and he won't go anywhere yet IMO.

next thing we'll see will be cheer leaders

Yes please.     

A couple of thing,

I hope he is not making an excuse to sell are best players ?

I understand your fears, but I disagree. I would hate to see Nando and, especially Pepe, leave, but I always have and always will agree with their logic, if a player doesnt want to be here, even if they are the best in the world, get rid of them. Let them go somewhere else if they think the grass is greener [Micheal Judas Owen] they will soon regret it. We get good money for a replacement that does want to be here. Thats assuming that we get the money they are worth, case in point Masca, fcking reduculous price.

The 39th game is worrying though. They draw the name out of the hat.?
OK, so then Liverpool V Man Utd in Singapore....Liverpool V Everton In Dubai...bullshit. I think this is the first really worrying thing that the new owners have come up with and proves one thing to me. They only have the best interest of the club if it involves an increase in revenue, everything they talk about is 'increasing the revenue'. I am fine with that, I understand the game is all about money now, but they dont seem to realise there are limits, and 39th game is the limit.

I am starting to worry already that the new owners know as much about football as the last owners and understand as much about football fans as the last owners. I am not really saying they are as bad as the last 2, but I cant be the only one that has concerns about this. I dont want to be sitting here in a few years time, sending emails all over the world, boycotting merchandise and shouting at my wife cause I am so stressed. I wont mention the ulcers.

Cheerleaders on the Kop. Can't go wrong!

Cheerleaders on the Kop. Can't go wrong!

We get enough sh*t about the Norwegians on the KOP

I know lots of people will piss and moan about having a league game abroad because we cannot attend. This is something that the American Football teams have had when playing in London. However if it opened up a massive revinue source, gained new fans and bolstered the clubs finances then anyone who is against it must be crazy. 1 game less at anfield per season = 1 world class signing (Torres esk) - sounds like a fair deal to me.

Let me be the first to piss and moan mate..

It wont be an increase in fanbase, the reason they want the 39th game is BECAUSE we have such a big fan base in places like the far east etc. I imagine the revenue increase will be for just the one game, when did you last buy a Broncos shirt, there is no more intrest in American football here in the UK than there has ever been before, and no descernable increase in merchandise revenue either.

 It will mean travelling time the players dont need, imagine a trip to Kiev fir Euro, then back to Anfiled for the Spurs game, then a trip to Singapore, then back to London for the Arsenal game, for example. We already have the 'European hangover' how bad will this be with 24 hour flights.

Let me be the first to piss and moan mate..

It wont be an increase in fanbase, the reason they want the 39th game is BECAUSE we have such a big fan base in places like the far east etc. I imagine the revenue increase will be for just the one game, when did you last buy a Broncos shirt, there is no more intrest in American football here in the UK than there has ever been before, and no descernable increase in merchandise revenue either.

 It will mean travelling time the players dont need, imagine a trip to Kiev fir Euro, then back to Anfiled for the Spurs game, then a trip to Singapore, then back to London for the Arsenal game, for example. We already have the 'European hangover' how bad will this be with 24 hour flights.

Agreed, I'm pissing and moaning with ya.