05 May 2026 16:34:21
I think Alonso will be here come next season. I think a lot of the talks stopping will be down to players losing respect for Slot even more than he had done by his own standards with knowing he was going.
I said yesterday I would not be surprised if we win Chelsea Saturday that an announcement is made before the last home game saying Slot is leaving at the end of the season to return to his family.
So he can get a good send off. I think everyone will give him one for last season title and two people will be just happy he is going and taking his style of football and work ethic with him.
05 May 2026 18:30:56
Don't think Alonso comes unless he gets full control, and we are reluctant to do it.
05 May 2026 18:53:15
No manager should have "full control". Our transfer strategy was at its best between 2016 and 2018 when Klopp had final say but the data and research guys weren't afraid to challenge him and had a model they stuck with.
Our transfer strategy went off when Klopp wrestled control off from them, only to listen to Lijnders instead, thus ending up with Gakpo and the very expensive flop Nunez (sorry, Nunez defenders, but he undoubtedly is). Klopp also started gifting ridiculous contract extensions out. I remember he went on record in his final season about how he thought we should give Matip a contract extension after his injury because apparently it was the right thing to do. Matip would retire from his injuries.
Now, the data boys seem to think they're the stars of the show. It's been a disaster. Mamardashvili and Frimpong don't even fit our style of play, so who cares what the stats say? Our squad has also been depleted of leadership and characters as the data boys seem too obsessed with the statistics to remember that football is a game played by humans and you don't win football games on a spreadsheet.
The manager and the recruitment team need to be able to challenge each other instead of one side trying to assert their dominance over the other. There needs to be an overall vision that supersedes the manager so we aren't chopping and changing every time we change manager.
{Ed001's Note - it wasn't Klopp giving the contracts out mate, that was Edwards purview.}
05 May 2026 19:06:34
Would Alonso demand full control? I very much doubt he got that at Madrid and still took the job.
05 May 2026 19:11:05
I'm a Nunez defender, I'd have him over Isak every day. He probably missed less chances than Isak misses games.
05 May 2026 19:13:19
You think we'll beat Chelsea?
05 May 2026 19:26:41
John, if you're a (Nunez) defender you'll probably find him 10 yards beyond you in an offside position.
05 May 2026 19:10:09
Im not sure Alonso wants full control. I think he wants "a say"(per Carra or Ed01, I think) in who we sign, which is not far-fetched as that happens at other clubs.
Now as Ed01 has responded to one of my questions on this topic, the two bozo's don't want the next manager to have any say/input in player personnel decisions. Just saying.
05 May 2026 20:00:35
Doubt he wants full control. More so, assurances to not be stitched up in key positions, either with misprofiled players or no player at all.
05 May 2026 20:38:31
Honestly, think people are setting themselves up for disappointment here. Slot is staying and having a third season. And it'll go wrong.
05 May 2026 23:09:35
@jk23, At least he will be on the pitch.
05 May 2026 22:30:54
Cheers Ed, wasn't Klopp pushing for the contracts though? I thought that was one of the reasons they fell out. I think I remember reading about Klopp wanting players like Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams to have their contributions rewarded with contracts and he advocated for fringe players like them and staff members to be on higher salaries to create less hierarchy.
That's not to excuse Edwards, mind. His job was to be the sensible one balancing the books and should have never allowed it.
{Ed001's Note - he didn't as for Williams to be given a contract so huge that he is impossible to shift. All he asked for was that they be given a bit of security in life with a longer term deal, as a thanks. Edwards was his boss and doing the negotiating, not Klopp. Edwards messed up big style and just paid well over the odds to everyone.}
06 May 2026 07:04:58
Scouse, unless he's in Saudi, mate, where he was binned from the squad in January.
06 May 2026 09:23:35
Indeed, Ed. I think you said back then, that Edwards was giving starter wages (150k, I think) to squad guys like Ox and Naby.
Even Chiesa who would have be a rotational option when he signed, got 150k a week. I mean, who does that? Edwards must think LFC's funds are his funds to blow recklessly.
There is a reason why he was the wrong guy to be the Sporting Director at the time.