Comolli Expects Big Signings

Comolli expects big signings.

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_5388_liverpool-news-jovanovic-eyes-exit-comolli-expects-big-signings-hodgson-praises-youngsters.html

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Damien Comolli reasoned that the forthcoming January transfer window promises to be unlike any other so far. European clubs, he reasoned, have been hit harder by the financial crisis than their English equivalents and are now in a position where they have to sell players. Players who would not usually be available for transfer are commodities up for grabs; something Liverpool hope to exploit.

“My feeling about it is that in this economic recession there are so many clubs that are in trouble abroad, more than England. These clubs are under enormous pressure to sell,” Comolli said. “Players that we would never have thought would be available could be.” January may be a productive month indeed for the Merseysiders.

Could be in for a good window

Interesting!

Comolli expects big signings.

http://www.adifferentleague.co.uk/p6_1_5388_liverpool-news-jovanovic-eyes-exit-comolli-expects-big-signings-hodgson-praises-youngsters.html

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Damien Comolli reasoned that the forthcoming January transfer window promises to be unlike any other so far. European clubs, he reasoned, have been hit harder by the financial crisis than their English equivalents and are now in a position where they have to sell players. Players who would not usually be available for transfer are commodities up for grabs; something Liverpool hope to exploit.

“My feeling about it is that in this economic recession there are so many clubs that are in trouble abroad, more than England. These clubs are under enormous pressure to sell,” Comolli said. “Players that we would never have thought would be available could be.” January may be a productive month indeed for the Merseysiders.

Could be in for a good window

The reasoning is sound about European clubs being under pressure to sell but are we going to see the funds to enable the club to capitalise on the opportunity? Will we still have a manager who will seek out the bargain basement in the January sales?

The reasoning is sound about European clubs being under pressure to sell but are we going to see the funds to enable the club to capitalise on the opportunity? Will we still have a manager who will seek out the bargain basement in the January sales?

If it is Comolli seeking out the signings instead of Hodgson then I will be more confident that we wont be shopping in the bargain basement. Not entirely comfortable with the situation that risks further down the road, but if it's common practice across Europe then with the right manager why can't it work here.

Disclaimer: This in no way suggests Roy is the right manager

Promising. We actually have quotes to work with.

Seems like good news but I will always have reservations about the type of players we are going to bring in as long as Roy is the manager.

Comolli stated in his first interview that although he will have an influence on transfers he will only bring in players that fit into the managers philosophy and we have all seen Roy's football philosophy and it isnt one taht fits with this club.

Now if there is a new manager in place before January all well and good but any transfer talk while Roy is in charge still leaves me sceptical.

Yes theres good news and bad news in that interview. Bad news being that Roy has final say in transfers. With his track record so far then it's not looking good. There's a full interview shown on ssn website. I would load it up by my iPhone can't copy and paste . Good news that we are going to be after top quality players. Targetting clubs like Valencia who are in debt.

Damien Comolli insists his arrival at Liverpool will not take any power away from manager Roy Hodgson.

The Frenchman has been added to the Anfield ranks as the club's new director of football strategy.

While the finer details of that post are unclear, one of the tasks he will undertake will be sounding out potential transfer targets.

Comolli, though, is adamant that he will take no decisions without the support of Hodgson, who will continue to have the final say in acquisition policy.

"It is about collaboration," he said in the Sunday Telegraph.

"A lot of people ask: who is going to make the final decision? I can guarantee you, 100 per cent, that in this job - especially in England - I have never signed a player without the manager agreeing to it. Never, ever.

"I don't care what people say. And it won't happen here. If you sign a player that the manager doesn't want you are just throwing money into the bin.

"We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said 'This one, I really don't like him, I know him well and I'm not comfortable with him.' So we take him off. It is not issue."

Targets

While on the subject of the January transfer window, Comolli has hinted that Liverpool's new owners will be prepared to finance moves for high-profile signings.

The Reds are expected to dip into the New England Sports Ventures' coffers as they attempt to restore themselves among the Premier League elite, and Comolli believes there could be some big names on their way to Merseyside.

"My feeling about it is that in this economic recession there are so many clubs that are in trouble abroad, more than in England," he added.

"These clubs are under enormous pressure to sell. So this January window could be a very different window from what we have seen previously.

"Players that we would never have thought would be available could be. So that's why we are working away, thinking that if there is the right opportunity we should do it. Strange things could happen."

"We had a very long meeting last week with Roy about the window. We went through the list and there was one player who Roy said 'This one, I really don't like him, I know him well and I'm not comfortable with him.' So we take him off. It is not issue."

Imagine how good this player is for Roy not to be interested.

He must be a skilful, goalscoring forward or a ball playing centre back in his early twenties.

He has a mixed reputation for signings, but it's defintely better than Hodgson's rumoured ones, so I would trust Comolli more than Hodgson with transfers, anyways good news!

Imagine how good this player is for Roy not to be interested.

He must be a skilful, goalscoring forward or a ball playing centre back in his early twenties.

Messi was shattered.

Messi was shattered.

Benzema distraught

Quote from a blog but good article IMO

COMOLLI MUST GET HOMEWORK RIGHT HERE BEFORE SPENDING LIVERPOOL’S MILLIONS

Date: 26th November 2010 at 1:59 pm | Written by David Tully


Inevitably perhaps, considering that Liverpool have appointed a Frenchman as Director of Football Strategy recently, but many of the recent rumours surrounding Liverpool Football Club have had a Gallic taste to them. In many cases, it maybe just lazy journalist randomly picking out French names from a hat to initiate another round of rumours, but I would like to think there is no small smoke without fire, especially with the amount of French players being linked with the Reds.

After all, it is not much of a stretch to suggest that as head of player recruitment, Damien Comolli’s preferred targets would be in France as it is the market which he is most familiar with. Added to the fact that Roy Hodgson has watched Lille, Rennes and Saint-Etienne in action over recent times, it does suggest also that he maybe looking over some targets suggested by Comolli. The list of names that have been linked with Liverpool over recent weeks then is not surprising. Yvann M’Vila, Dimitri Payet, Blaise Matuidi, Mamodou Sakho, Eden Hazard, Gervinho, Karim Benzema and Antoine Griezmann have all one thing in common; they are young. One of the most important aspects of NESV’s transfer policy. In addition they are either French or have played in the French league suggesting Comolli has already changed the focus of Liverpool’s scouting department. Under Chief Scout Eduardo Macia and previous manager Rafa Benitez many of the transfer links inevitably came from Spain but Macia’s influence is seemingly on the wane with transfers under the guidance of Comolli.

So are the French connections a good thing? They are certainly both positive and negative aspects to such a focus on young French talent. Firstly to the positives:

Technically gifted and with the potential to be world class if given the right support, there is no doubt bringing in players such as Mamodou Sakho, Blaise Matuidi, Yvann M’Vila, Eden Hazard (Belgian) and Dimitri Payet could reap the benefits in the future. If we look at the players listed they are look like exciting young prospects:

Mamadou Sakho – Made captain of PSG at just 17, the young centre back made an impressive debut for France against England at Wembley

Yann M’Vila – Rennes defensive midfielder, still only 20 but played very well for France against England.

Blaise Matuidi – Another defensive midfielder, 23 year old Matuidi is the captain of Saint-Etienne already.

Eden Hazard – Lille’s Belgian attacking midfielder, dubbed the “New Messi” and very highly rated by French legend Zinedine Zidane. Got a 9/10 by French newspaper L’Equipe for his performance against Monaco last weekend, not a mean feat as only five other players have achieved full marks.

Dimitri Payet – Saint-Etienne winger, aged 23, who has been on fire in front of goal this season with 8 goals in Ligue One.

Certainly there are a lot of players here to be excited about, but there are always negatives. The cost for some of these players will be very high. M’Vila has been rated at £9m while Hazard will be a great deal more than that. Spending a great deal of money on young foreign players can be a risk. Nobody needs reminding about the £10m spent on a player from Ligue One, El-Hadji Diouf, or the purchase of Bruno Cheyrou to know it can backfire. Comolli, Hodgson and the scouting team must be sure that these players are capable of playing in the Premier League before any offers are made.

Hazard and Payet would be F***ing wonderful.

Imagine how good this player is for Roy not to be interested.

He must be a skilful, goalscoring forward or a ball playing centre back in his early twenties.

I reckon it will be N'Zogbia. Thats my guess. He has a checkered past and is good at football, so thats my reasoning.

The only stats Roy looks at is how far the player can kick it.

at least one big player would be great!

I know a lot of you like to hate on Roy's transfer dealings, and much of it is well deserved for:

1.  Sending Aquilani out on loan
2.  Paying well over the odds for Konch--giving them Dalla Valle in part exchange
3.  Signing Poulsen  

However, I think he did quite well in bringing Meireles to Anfield for something like 10-12 million.  I also want to give him the benefit of doubt and say that some (hopefully most) of his transfer dealings over the summer were forced by the hands of H&G.  Hopefully, given some guidance by Comolli and the proper funds from NESV, he can bring in a few solid performers who can help put us back on track to challenge for a CL spot next season by the end of the season.

Problem is mate, he wouldn't know what to do with them other than defend balls out and hopefully knick one on the counter.

Problem is mate, he wouldn't know what to do with them other than defend balls out and hopefully knick one on the counter.

I know   I don't want Hodgeson, but as long as we're stuck with him I find myself wanting to still be optimistic...

The only stats Roy looks at is how far the player can kick it.

And he must be around 30...

and big signings we got

and in Andy Carroll's case, literarly a big signing!

How impressed are we with Comolli and who does he have lined up for the summer?

How impressed are we with Comolli and who does he have lined up for the summer?

I can almost guarantee one of them is M'Vila....think he said when he came in he was the best prospect in France atm

Suarez was clearly his pick, as evidenced by his huge smile and double high five to someone when Luis scored. So fair play to him for that one. Not entirely convinced by the man himself, think he's very motivated to succeed but he's also an authoritarian and I don't think he should have too much power within the club, after all he should essentially be a chief scout.

Shemy - I think M'Vila would be a great buy and would immediately sort out defensive mid problem.

Suarez was clearly his pick, as evidenced by his huge smile and double high five to someone when Luis scored. So fair play to him for that one. Not entirely convinced by the man himself, think he's very motivated to succeed but he's also an authoritarian and I don't think he should have too much power within the club, after all he should essentially be a chief scout.

Shemy - I think M'Vila would be a great buy and would immediately sort out defensive mid problem.

Problem is he is not the chief scout, though the title say Director of Football strategy he is in essence Director of Football. I think with Kenny it works great because KK want's to spend his time with the squad, and not deal with contracts, scouting and scheduling. I actually think they would work very well together going forward.

I can almost guarantee one of them is M'Vila....think he said when he came in he was the best prospect in France atm

Really? I think that's nonsense. I think there is far more substance in the identification of Marko Marin of Werder Bremen for 16m by Kenny and Comolli.