24 Apr 2015 13:44:38
Ok. So we accept that we are in debt and are in breach of FfP rules. We need to become more self sufficient, live within our means as we have been constantly advised. We would need to accept that we could not compete finacially with the teams above us in transfer fees and definately not wages. Do Fsg need to accept then that Champions League would then be a pipe dream? A league title is pie in the sky? What gives? Does a possible new manager accept such a position? More importantly how then do we close the gap? Try the youth players? Possibly but its no certainty. Find up and coming players, the new Aguero? wouldn't the other clubs be doing the same? Ed002, you mentioned in a previous post to me that Liverpool would need to be bullish going forward. Would you care to elaborate? Cheers.
24 Apr 2015 13:51:13
Liverpool are in the mess they are because money has been badly spent, not because of the lack of investment by the owners. The club need to be financially responsible and meet the FFP criteria in the same way all other clubs have to. The gravy train has gone and now is the time for the owners to act firmly - they have made a significant number of changes with the structure and management of the club already. They are taking on further debt due to the improvement to Anfield. They will have significantly increased television revenue in a couple of years and that only further helps the commercial success the club are already achieving. They will continue to look to sell naming rights, and whilst the fans will not be happy, it is the source of additional revenyue. In terms of bullish action, I would suggest that:
(a) Michael Gordon needs to look to his advisors to find a third party to look at all of the loaned players and see if they have a future at the club. This should see the agents of Aspas, Ilori, Coates, Alberto and probably Wisdom told to find them new clubs. Realistic sale prices need to be given to the agents as a guideline.
(b) I would suggest that a third party talks to a number of the first team players about their future with a view to having them agree that it might be best for their career to move on. I would think Balotelli, Yesi and Borini fall in to this category - and possibly Brad Jones, Sterling and Enrique.
(c) The club need to find out if Toure will sign the extension he has been offered.
(d) The owners need to find a new head coach/manager and move Rodgers on. It has not worked, he is a PR minefield and is responsible for the complete failure of the club in the past three years. The owners need to act as the did with the Red Sox and that gave them the success they craved.
The owners will certainly not see the Champions League as a pipe dream. They want to be challenging and they want to be winning the league. The club is far more of a money pit than they imagined. They need to look to other clubs and see how no rebuild is necessary when you change manager, no two or three years of transition. No "long-term plan" rolled out as an excuse for mediocrity. The owners will be aware of the potential devastating impact that a breakway pan-European league could have on those clubs not involved and I am sure that is reflected in their exit strategy.
24 Apr 2015 14:15:29
Champions league or a title isn't a pipe dream just a difficult task. FFP situation means LFC will have to make sure they have the right people in place to ensure we stop wasting money and chances. Have a lot of players leaving or who need to be moved on and try get in 2 or 3 signings of quality to improve the starting XI as have a talented and young squad.
Think most of our young players that can contribute next season are realistically ibe, sterling, wisdom, ilori, flanno and origi.The rest should be used for Europa and Cup ties to give them experience and a chance to break the starting XI as Rossiter, Ojo, and Sinclair are all very young!
Don't think it is about us spending a fortune on big signings as such but making sure we get the right player to fill specific roles, so a striker and a DM.
Need a striker that fits how we want to play (not a carroll) and can come into the first team straight away and not be one for next year (Luiz Adriano or ings would be a good shout).
For DM think Lucas and Couqelin for Arsenal - neither are exciting or gifted players but know their role and play that role really well. Would like us to get a good athletic DM who can protect our back four - only seen him a few times but Kondogbia looked perfect when I saw him.
Fill those two roles and improve managing of our team (by either getting help for BR or replacing him) and could easily get top four or if we have a great season challenge for the title - though don't see us winning it as Chelsea just have such a strong squad and a great manager.
24 Apr 2015 14:20:28
I personally think you need at least 4-5 experienced key anchors to a team if you want to compete for top 4, particularly in midfield and in the CB's. This season that's been lacking with arguably only Skrtel, Hendo and Coutinho living up to that seasoned campaigners in any form (and some will question Skrtel). Lucas only played half the time, Lovren was out of form, Llalana injured a fair bit, Sturridge always injured etc.
I think if we can get to a point where we have a spine of the side being Lovren/Sakho at CB (and hopefully in form), Hendo + 1 (Milner/Illara?) + Llalana in midfield and an attack of Coutinho/Sturridge then we can genuinely compete with the top of the league with talented youngsters like Moreno, Can, Sterling, Ibe, Markovic, Origi hopefully finding form around them.
We clearly can't buy top top talent in every position to compete with the likes of Chelsea, so my view would be buy top top talent in a few key positions and let the younger members learn and develop around them over 2-3 years. That's better than buying a team of nearly good enoughs.
24 Apr 2015 14:46:00
Ed002,
Fantastic reply, concise and let's all be honest here it's the truth too.
Would be great for you to set up a link to this explanation so when you receive the hundreds of questions asking for your opinion on any of the above points you can just attach the link to the reply, should stop the countless repetitive queries on the same topic.
Excellent response.
24 Apr 2015 14:56:52
Zimbo you mentioned leaders
One player who has attracted interest elsewhere and will be available is cech. He will have a few top clubs seeking his service and CL may be an issue but I hope we atleast look at him or make an offer if he's available for a decent price. We are desperately missing a leader at the back.
And I'm sorry mate but skittles isn't a leader or good enough player. Lovren I still have hope he can turn into the player he was but he wasn't a leader either. That's why I would love a top defensive coach or ex player maybe like carragher to come in and work on the communication of our defenders. Someone to shout and organise defence. But you can't work on building that with skrtl in at cb. Its like having a hole in a cup full of water
24 Apr 2015 14:57:27
Ok, going forward if all the loaned players were off loaded as well as some of the fringe first team players and a new manager/coach was put in place. Do you honestly think that it is enough to close the gap on the 4 teams above us, remembering that i will assume that each of these clubs will again improve their squads each season? Personally i don't and as i have said before that we need to get lucky in youth players coming thru, finding the next generation of new superstars, a top manager/coach (the new Mourinho) etc. None of which are by any way a guarantee. By all means work within FFP rules, become more self sufficient but also be realistic while we try to "get lucky"
{Ed002's Note - You can be more positive - Ibe is coming through and I have said I was told even at 15 that Ojo would be a real winner, there are no doubt others. The basis of the squad is already very good. A little fresh blood every year and the club is well placed.}
24 Apr 2015 15:03:01
Ronaldinho
Doesnt every club waste money in bad signings? I could name a player that cost more than Alberto, Aspas, Ilori, Balo put together. Is it more magnified if you aren't succesful? But is it any more acceptable?
24 Apr 2015 15:11:25
Zimbo
The issue being that the 2/3 top talent won't come without the lure of CL football or possibly the offer of obscene wages. Not going to happen i don't think.
24 Apr 2015 15:24:15
Mcgoveb
You would think Ed002's detail response would stop numerous similar post? It should, but it wont? Even Ed002 knows that!
24 Apr 2015 15:41:16
I would not describe the 3 yrs that Rodgers has been in charge as a complete failure.
{Ed002's Note - You are easily satisfied Jonny. No trophies, one dreadful Champions League stint, no league titles, a quarter of a Billion pounds pissed away, ....}
24 Apr 2015 17:01:33
Big Al, I'm tempted to agree. Skrtel has been one of our better defenders at times but seems to struggle to form partnerships. As much as I love the guys commitment and passion, I suspect Lovren/Sakho would form a better long term solution hence my last comment to make them part of the spine of the team.
Rover, I am not 100% sure I buy that, man utd managed to get some pretty top signings in without CL, I personally think players will still buy into a manager, vision, and an ambition to get back into CL over one season without (plus wages of course). The trouble is we're close to being seen as not ambitious enough. That's why I think it's time to try Klopp and I suspect bringing him, plus the lure of more playing time (esp for the likes of Illara, Immobile, Milner etc. ) will draw the 2-3 we need so badly. Failing that we can also always go for the likes of Janmaat or Benteke who won't get any CL action anyway but are good players in key positions we need.
24 Apr 2015 17:22:40
Irish Rover,
I know not every signing can work and that every club makes bad ones, but we have a long list of bad ones.
Main issue is you see clubs sign players that don't work out (torres for chelsea, di maria & falcao for united, lamela for spurs, etc) but with most those signings you can see why they were signed and what their role was and in fairness before most of them signed you thought they'd work.
We bought loads of players in the summer who we didn't need, take lallana and markovic. Both good players but majority of people on here said not really sure they were needed or explain why manquillo was bought in? I personally thought mario would work but him and Lambert both being bought didn't make sense because if sturridge got injured (which he did) they weren't players who could fill his spot for months at a time.
Get you get signings wrong but we just don't seem to have any reasoning behind most are signings.
24 Apr 2015 19:16:25
Ed2 agree with your posts, unai emery is he highly rated? Looks like an excellent coach?
Thabks
{Ed002's Note - Unai Emery is very well thought of.}
24 Apr 2015 19:52:05
Is he related to Dick Emery? (One for the older posters)
24 Apr 2015 20:15:51
That is the prob, Ed. Many of us are easily satisfied instead of looking at the big pictuere. With su desire and ambition, no wonder BR feels comfortable and not afraid to be the PR minefield he is and the abject failure he has become. The good thing is that many fans like myself and FSG, want more for our club and we have the owners who crave success like we do. Hopefully, the owners will act because atm, this farce and appreciation for mediocrity can no longer continue.
As for the poster who said Skrtel is one of our better defenders, i suggest you go watch him again and see how porr he really is.
24 Apr 2015 20:56:27
My wife says that all the time ed!!!
I want what every Liverpool fan wants which is success.
You used the words complete failure and that simply is not true.
Partial failure, mixed bag any of those descriptions are true but complete failure. sorry I am not with you on that.
It is a game of opinions though.
24 Apr 2015 21:44:56
Ed2 Liverpool may look to a coach like him in the summer? He's done an excellent job at Sevilla
THdbks
{Ed002's Note - I have no idea what you mean "a coach like him".}