06 Mar 2017 17:36:54
We've heard from ed002 on how he would build Liverpool up into a 'competitive title challenging team' (excellent post and certainly worth a read) so ed001 can we hear your thoughts on the matter?
Thanks!

{Ed001's Note - to build up into a title challenging team, well that is dead easy. Just need a top class goalkeeping coach who can bring the best out of goalies and improve them. The reduction in points blown due errors and increase in points due to defensive confidence improving would make us challengers. We are not far off challenging now.

However to win things, there is a lot of other things to fix. Recruitment needs a complete overhaul and a head of recruitment appointed, sadly we missed the boat on Steve Walsh and Monchi, so we need to find someone else. Someone willing to actually do genuine research to check out players' backgrounds and lifestyles etc, as well watch them play.

Players would no longer get rewarded for a few months of good play. If we lose them, then so what? If their sole motivation is to get a bigger contract, then they can easily be replaced by someone with drive and determination to succeed. The best team is not the best eleven individuals. They are either team players, who play for the team or they get replaced by someone who is. Salaries should be lower and bonuses should be much higher, particularly for winning trophies.

Scrap loans, just forget them, in or out, they are of no use. I know Ed002 labours under this false impression it works for Chelsea, but what players has it actually improved? Ake was a top talent who should already be holding down a place at Chelsea, but has been held back by loan spells elsewhere, so they still have the entirely average Cahill in the spot. Moses is still the weakest link and has taken entirely too much time and money from the club through their reluctance to just offload a player nowhere near good enough when they can loan him in the hope of getting a return later. Just forget loans and run with a smaller, tighter squad so the youth players get a chance. It is no longer the 80s and 90s, when it worked for Man Utd, times have changed and we need to change with them. Loans are very rarely a good thing, except for one or two targeted loans for players who are on the fringes of the first team squad but we can't quite get in the team. Not the haphazard 'sign 100 players and send them all out on loan hoping for the best' system Chelsea employ. That just wastes time and money.

The academy needs to be changed to no longer have the best of everything. The youngsters coming through need to learn the benefit of hard work, which you don't learn through it being handed on a plate. Only as they progress through the ranks should they get access to better equipment. At the youngest level all they need is top class coaches, a pitch and balls anyway. Let them just have fun and fall in love with playing the game, to give them desire to become better off their own back. Self motivation makes a much bigger driving force than almost any other. It is self motivation that drives on Messi and Ronaldo, far beyond the need to look after their families.

To be honest though, none of it really matters as much as the fact that we need to overhaul our community and charity work. The club represents the fans (us), and the city and people of Liverpool around the world. It is not Everton that does that, as most people in other countries do not actually know where Everton is. So Liverpool FC need to do better in this area as a priority. The long term future of the club as a viable entity rests on its ability to engage the fans of the future, as well as the current ones. Winning trophies is a part of it, but the fans need to be proud of their club as well, especially in this era of social media etc, where everyone can find out everything, if they want to.}

1.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 08:28:41
Hi ed. Great read and insight. I am wondering, as you have links to the club, do you ever get to represent your opinion to anyone at the club who may take it on board? It would be very satisfying for us fans on the website to think that these ideas could, one day, go further than this forum. I am talking specifically about the goal-keeping coach as a start, but all your thoughts re the community base are very interesting too.

{Ed001's Note - not a chance the club listens I am afraid. I have tried many times but just constantly get ignored. The club is hopeless in regards to looking after the fans, hence why they stupidly allowed the S*n back into Anfield and the ticket price changes etc. If they had proper relations with the fans, things wouldn't keep having to get to protests to make them in charge actually take notice of the people that matter - us fans.}

2.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 08:49:33
Thanks ed, great response.

{Ed001's Note - sorry it took a while, I didn't get a chance to type it up last night, so did it this morning.}

3.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 09:50:15
Always value the insight from our Eds. Since I subscribed to this site many years ago I have become a better fan and better understand what I am seeing. Thanks Eds!

4.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 11:28:01
Great response ed01 esp. ref loan players a much better reply than ed2s rant. YNWA.

{Ed001's Note - just a different opinion from a different viewpoint. He looks at things from a much more financial viewpoint, whereas I have no interest in winning financially other than how it helps us to compete on the pitch. Every single resource we have should be poured into putting the best team on the pitch that we possibly can.}

5.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 12:43:42
The problem seems to be the gulf in between the first team requirements and the 2nd tier (currently u23s)
I think a proper reserve team competition involving all age groups would produce players better prepared for transition to the first team.
The u23 matches seem weaker in the physical side of the game.

6.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 12:44:13
Are LFC or Klopp actually looking for a new goal keeper coach?

Achterberg is a lovely bloke but clearly not up to the task. Is he just too well liked within the club to be replaced?

7.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 12:43:10
I just want to see anfield get some heart back, we need safe standing if football is to survive.

8.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 14:02:23
Someone above has to explain if not loans what are the other possible opportunities for kids? U23? You got to be kidding me. First team ain't happening. So what's left? Black Magic?

9.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 18:13:22
Ed already explained above harry. there's good and bad about it. if TAA was loaned this season when will we see him in our shirt?

theres pros and cons of both, bt to ask what are the other possibilities for kids? what's wrong with the u23s? if they are good, they'll train with the seniors and be integrated into the first team. if not, make sure they go on to have a career elsewhere. simple really.

10.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 19:18:46
Kaizer

That's just another hope like every loans.

11.) 07 Mar 2017
07 Mar 2017 19:52:13
Spot on, Kaizer. If you know a player say TAA, is ready for the first team, you can either loan him out to a team where you know he can develop and then come next season, he's in your first team OR you do what Klopp did with him and lately Woodburn as in, blood them into the first team right away so next season, they are ready to take the next step. It's on a case by case basis, IMO. Life is not that cut and dry as you always project it to be, Harry. Context is always required.