Raheem Sterling (Liverpool -> Man City)

This is the problem. In my opinion, and apparently many others, you're over stating his importance to the team and if he is as important as you say, it's a symptom of a failed transfer policy. If we'd signed a top, top striker last Summer rather than Balotelli and Lambert, one who'd hit the ground running and scored a sh*t load of goals for us this season, Sterling would be perceived as no where near as important as people like you seem to think. Some people on this forum are making Sterling out to be the second coming of Pele. He's good but no where near as talented as many seem to think.

I agree with you here mate although I do rate the lad very highly, BUT it is a symptom of our own failed transfer policy and that is the crux of it for me. Should he end up being sold we are back to that failed transfer policy again. We will relying upon it to bring in a replacement of equal (or better ability). I don't have a great deal of faith in us doing that. I still hope we get the lad signed up to a new long-term deal although I see the papers are all over the situation again this morning. More reasons for keeping the whole thing on the low down instead of drip feeing to the press these past couple of months IMO.

If the rumours are true about him being tapped up by City, I wonder how much the owners will hold out for?

They basically refused to sell Luis to a top 4 rival when Arsenal wanted him but was that more to do with the offer than not wanting to strengthen a rival? 

Would they keep him but still refuse his wage demands, despite it possibly causing a rift in the dressing room?  I guess it all depends on how much they want to protect their asset and how much Raheem wants a move.

If he puts in a season like Xabi and Luis did when they wanted out we'll have plenty of takers at top dollar values and we'll all get to be insightful and critical of them not doing enough to keep him.

If you read back through the quotes in this thread he apparently wouldn't get anywhere near the first teams of clubs like City, the chavs or Arsenal (who have been linked all over the back page of the Mirror).

If you read back through the quotes in this thread he apparently wouldn't get anywhere near the first teams of clubs like City, the chavs or Arsenal (who have been linked all over the back page of the Mirror).

Quotes from who mate?  Forum opinions or people who actually matter?

Depends if Rafa wants him

Talking out of your arse.

Whether you or I rate him or not he IS important to the team as the management play him a lot. I am not overstating jack sh*t as he plays. A lot. Just as he played a lot last season. Now if the club want to go and offer and then give somebody who doesn't play as much as him £150k a week while he is injured after Raheem was also integral in getting us CL by playing as much as him then the club has made a rod for it's own back. Just because the club may say it's about age it doesn't mean every player and agent will think the same.

He is important to the side in his view because the manager plays him.

It's not an argument it is a cold, hard fact even if you might think he is sh*te.

You missed the point entirely. First off, in my opinion, his importance is less than Coutinho's because when he has an off day, so does the team. When he's on form, so is the team. That doesn't mean I think Sterling is sh*te, it means I think his importance is less than some of you are making out. There's a distinction to be made between 'importance' and 'potential talent'. Secondly the entire point was that any level of importance that an inexperienced twenty year old has in the team is a damning indictment of our transfer policy. What other club would have its fans saying a twenty year old with less than three season's experience to his name was their most important player? Certainly no other club with aspirations of being in amongst the elite of Europe once more.

If you bother to read back through what I've posted in the past, not thinking he's worth £150,000 a week has nothing to do with his age, it's his level of experience and achievement thus far. Is he influential? Yes. Is he the most influential in the team? Not in my opinion. We got rid of Suarez last season, we're getting rid of Gerrard at the end of this season. That's around eighteen million off the Wage bill a year. Do we hand that to Sterling who has achieved nothing or do we use that to attract the best players in the most needed positions this Summer? It's been proven that we're finding it harder to attract top talent than London clubs so we might have to be prepared to over pay for that. Do we over pay Sterling for another ten goals next season or do we over pay for a 'Marquee' striker who gives us twenty five goals next season?

So it all boils down to a simple choice. Do we take a risk on rewarding a player who has performed above expectation for one season but who might never realise his full potential, or do we use the money to attract a player who has already realised his potential and proven that over a number of seasons? The club only has so much money to spend on wages and where that goes will have a profound affect on our future. Do we take a punt on Sterling becoming the next Ronaldo? Or do we sign Ronaldo (figuratively speaking, of course)? That is the choice open to us and for me, the latter is the more sensible, less risky one.

5times is correct in terms of his perceived importance and what reality truly is.

- He is young, extremely talented and and has no ceiling as far as what kind of player he may turn out to be.

However

- He is young, lacks experience, prone to make mistakes, is inconsistent and does not have the kind of numbers that other players in that 150/200k week range.


He play's every week but then so do a lot of players, that unto itself does not set him apart; and truth be told if Luis was still here or we had picked up a real strike partner to pair with an uninjured Daniel Sturridge and the pair had banged in 35 so far this year then there would be a lot less focus on Raheem and and his worth.

For their part Raheem's people know the focus on Raheem and will  play it out for whatever its worth.

This is a situation where as others have mentioned if his head has been turned then no matter the offer sooner or later he is off and there is F**k all (much like Luis) we are going to do about it.

This is a situation where as others have mentioned if his head has been turned then no matter the offer sooner or later he is off and there is f**k all (much like Luis) we are going to do about it.

This goes to the heart of the wider issue we face at our club. A question that so far successive owners and managers alike have failed to answer. Why are we incapable of keeping our best players? That in itself leads to another big question. Why are we so bad at replacing our best players when they leave? Answering these two questions and finding a solution as a result are the biggest challenge facing us as a club and until and answer is found, success will continue to forever be just outside of our reach.

I'm genuinely starting to think some of our fans have been in a coma for the last few years when they say, let's sell him and use the money and wages to buy ready made, proven talents who won't need to be developed or time to settle.  The type of players who are better than what we have, the type of players that every other top club wants.

It just doesn't happen under these owners, so yes let's sell him in the summer so we can all get excited about bringing in the likes of Pogba then we can all lose our sh*t again when we sign another young talent whose just starting to break through.  Then when we've raised their profile enough for them to ask for a pay rise we can do exactly the same again.

Yes there are players who are happy to stay, who won't rock the boat, who will sign whatever contracts are put in front of them because they love the club like we do but then at least we can all lose our sh*t again when they're pushed out of the Club because they've outstayed their usefulness to the squad.

Disagree to an extent.

Suarez wanted to go pure and simple, fact is our owners played a blinder keeping him here for one more season and calling Arsenals bluff we couldnt do anything but let him go.

Torres basically downed tools and wanted to go, one of the reasons i wasnt going all weak at the knees seeing the traitor back at Anfield yesterday.

Only time we fu**ed up is when the manager wanted Barry to replace Alonso thus making the players mind up for him and he left, that was disgraceful.

So other than Alonso nothing the club could of done more if a player mind is made up you have to sell, and having said all of that our owners have put the money raised into player sales. Carroll Downing Adam, these were not youngsters they were exprerience premiership players who turned out to be Gash, yes bad buys but dont blame the owners.

As for our last window, well call me Mr Optimism but if we keep this lot together we will be an awesome young side next season ( even if Sterling goes ) and if its a choice to sell Sterling and re invest in the side with a world class striker......well i wont be to bothered.

and if its a choice to sell Sterling and re invest in the side with a world class striker......well i wont be to bothered.

I would be bothered and there is no reason why we can't do both i.e keep Sterling and add another striker.

Take Gerrard, Johnson, Alberto, Aspas, Borini and possibly Balotelli of our wage bill and we have the funds to strenghten and keep Raheem.

I would be bothered and there is no reason why we can't do both i.e keep Sterling and add another striker.

Take Gerrard, Johnson, Alberto, Aspas, Borini and possibly Balotelli of our wage bill and we have the funds to strenghten and keep Raheem.

One massive reason, Sterling himself.

This goes to the heart of the wider issue we face at our club. A question that so far successive owners and managers alike have failed to answer. Why are we incapable of keeping our best players? That in itself leads to another big question. Why are we so bad at replacing our best players when they leave? Answering these two questions and finding a solution as a result are the biggest challenge facing us as a club and until and answer is found, success will continue to forever be just outside of our reach.

One issue is the stigma of the past decade with H&G and 4 managers in less than 10 years....PD is right when he talks about keeping BR because one thing players look at (other than money) is being consistent.

We simply cannot put trophies in the cabinet and keep/attract the best players:

1. If we don't spend money (this is on the owners)
2. Flip/Flop mangers, tactics and philosophies.

Brendan knows how to manage the squad so I have no issues there.

We need to fix our transfer policy/practices and we need to spend more as we make it.

Above all we need consistency from top to bottom.

One issue is the stigma of the past decade with H&G and 4 managers in less than 10 years....PD is right when he talks about keeping BR because one thing players look at (other than money) is being consistent.

Owen and Mcmanaman could both be considered our best players of their time yet both moved on, both pre-date H&G's ownership and neither where successfully replaced in the aftermath of their departure. As bigger cu*ts as they were, H&G can't be blamed for everything. This problem has plagued us since the Premier League began.

Owen and Mcmanaman could both be considered our best players of their time yet both moved on, both pre-date H&G's ownership and neither where successfully replaced in the aftermath of their departure. As bigger cu*ts as they were, H&G can't be blamed for everything. This problem has plagued us since the Premier League began.

Don't mean it was just them...but in the past 7 years...2 sets of owners, 4 managers.

There are a lot of issues as to why we are not attracting, signing or keeping the best players.

As of now I lay most of the issues at the door of our owners and board.

Disagree to an extent.

Suarez wanted to go pure and simple, fact is our owners played a blinder keeping him here for one more season and calling Arsenals bluff we couldnt do anything but let him go.

Torres basically downed tools and wanted to go, one of the reasons i wasnt going all weak at the knees seeing the traitor back at Anfield yesterday.

Only time we fu**ed up is when the manager wanted Barry to replace Alonso thus making the players mind up for him and he left, that was disgraceful.

So other than Alonso nothing the club could of done more if a player mind is made up you have to sell, and having said all of that our owners have put the money raised into player sales. Carroll Downing Adam, these were not youngsters they were exprerience premiership players who turned out to be Gash, yes bad buys but dont blame the owners.

As for our last window, well call me Mr Optimism but if we keep this lot together we will be an awesome young side next season ( even if Sterling goes ) and if its a choice to sell Sterling and re invest in the side with a world class striker......well i wont be to bothered.

Ok Mr Optimism there's lots of ifs and buts in there and considering the players you rate as gash were bought and sold by these owners, how come you're so optimistic they'll replace Raheem with a world class striker. 

In the 4 and a half years and 9 transfer windows they've been our owners, how many world class players in any position have we brought in for you to be so confident we will this time?

I have no problem with most of our young purchases either from last summer and yes we do have an awesome young side with some even better talents coming through the Academy to improve us still further but there is no guarentee we'll enjoy those talents at their full potential if we keep selling them as soon as they want paying for their talent.

But hey, you carry on being optimistic however if it's all the same to you I'll start being optimistic when I see a different approach to our transfers and actually see the "world class talent" arrive at Anfield 

Ok Mr Optimism there's lots of ifs and buts in there and considering the players you rate as gash were bought and sold by these owners, how come you're so optimistic they'll replace Raheem with a world class striker. 

In the 4 and a half years and 9 transfer windows they've been our owners, how many world class players in any position have we brought in for you to be so confident we will this time?

I have no problem with most of our young purchases either from last summer and yes we do have an awesome young side with some even better talents coming through the Academy to improve us still further but there is no guarentee we'll enjoy those talents at their full potential if we keep selling them as soon as they want paying for their talent.

But hey, you carry on being optimistic however if it's all the same to you I'll start being optimistic when I see a different approach to our transfers and actually see the "world class talent" arrive at Anfield 

I feel we are going to see some kind of marquee player in the next window or two Debs, I just don't see it being a consistent thing.

I have to admit the groundswell of opinion that's been building against Raheem staying has been played beautifully by our PR team. 

Keep drip feeding the media about his supposed refusal to sign and his supposed demands for even more money has made it near on impossible for him to stay now even if he wanted to. 

Ok Mr Optimism there's lots of ifs and buts in there and considering the players you rate as gash were bought and sold by these owners, how come you're so optimistic they'll replace Raheem with a world class striker. 

In the 4 and a half years and 9 transfer windows they've been our owners, how many world class players in any position have we brought in for you to be so confident we will this time?

I have no problem with most of our young purchases either from last summer and yes we do have an awesome young side with some even better talents coming through the Academy to improve us still further but there is no guarentee we'll enjoy those talents at their full potential if we keep selling them as soon as they want paying for their talent.

But hey, you carry on being optimistic however if it's all the same to you I'll start being optimistic when I see a different approach to our transfers and actually see the "world class talent" arrive at Anfield 

Our owners are on a journey and they employed people who were responsible for signing Carrol Downing and Adam, these people have now been sacked, so you could say they are learning as they go. I have to say I am optimistic re our current squad and If Sterling does decide to leave ( its his choice not ours ) with Ibe and Markovic we have sufficient cover in that area.

In another of you threads you asked who we need to take us forward, well we have more than enough cover in Raheem position so I really am not worried about it.

We went for the expensive options when Carroll came it didnt work and i can understand out owners being a little cautious, we also snubbed Falcaos wage demands was that a mistake??? i think not. WE also got outbid for Salah again where is he now, our owners are getting there.

 our owners are getting there.

Bollocks, our owners are getting there by being on the back of our manager who has worked extremely hard with the cards he has been dealt, of course by the owners.

Bollocks, our owners are getting there by being on the back of our manager who has worked extremely hard with the cards he has been dealt, of course by the owners.

Rubbish show us the cards he has been dealt, we spent more than most, anyway this is a broken record our accounts are readily availible so please show the world where we can spend more than we are.

yawwwwwwn its getting that boring

Our owners are on a journey and they employed people who were responsible for signing Carrol Downing and Adam, these people have now been sacked, so you could say they are learning as they go.

You could say that, or you could say that expecting immediate success for your money was ridiculous in the first place, and that Kenny was made a scapegoat for THEIR mistakes!

I have to say I am optimistic re our current squad and If Sterling does decide to leave ( its his choice not ours ) with Ibe and Markovic we have sufficient cover in that area.

Based on what, the few games you've watched Ibe play? He's still a raw talent, much like Sterling was a couple of seasons ago, so to think he's ready to play regularly might be jumping the gun. Markovic is another with potential, but at the minute it's only potential.
Sterling starts before both these guys if it's a straight choice.

We went for the expensive options when Carroll came it didnt work and i can understand out owners being a little cautious, we also snubbed Falcaos wage demands was that a mistake??? i think not. WE also got outbid for Salah again where is he now, our owners are getting there.

So we bought a few high price placers that didn't work out! We spent a shitload more on bargain basement players that didn't work out either!
The owners know exactly what they're doing with their small risk, big reward model.
On field success is of little importance to them, if they can get 50 million for Raheem they take it, maybe some fans would too, but then we'd just be following the same cycle of letting our best players leave. Two steps forward, one step back as usual.

Rubbish show us the cards he has been dealt, we spent more than most, anyway this is a broken record our accounts are readily availible so please show the world where we can spend more than we are.

yawwwwwwn its getting that boring

Yawwwwwwn is right! As has been stated many times, it's not the amount of money spent, it's how it's being spent.

Yawwwwwwn is right! As has been stated many times, it's not the amount of money spent, it's how it's being spent.

exactly and Brendan has said many times he has the final decision.

exactly and Brendan has said many times he has the final decision.

Yes, the final decision on the cheap options he's offered!