The January 2013 transfer window has only been open just over a week and has already shown us that we are struggling to bring in the required reinforcements to assist the depth of the squad to get to where we want to be.
There have been so many players linked to us already even before this transfer window was opened, with all these players as likely to come to us as seeing a Rafa Benitez statue at Stamford Bridge.
The fiasco of not bringing in the required players in the striking dept in the summer transfer window leaving us with just Suarez to provide goals from that position was thought to have been temporarily resolved by signing Daniel Sturridge for 12 million pounds in January and with the inexperienced striker Fabio Borini being close to a first team return after a long term injury it would be hoped that we have better cover for the second half of the season.
With us quibbling on whether to pay an extra 1-2 million for Tom Ince to come back home to us and now struggling to provide the funds to bring in further goalkeeping competition for Reina by signing Jack Butland from Birmingham it will be seen as a poor transfer window by only bringing in one player in this transfer window so we have to delve deeper into seeing what has now gone wrong with FSG finances.
Turning attention to matters off the pitch brings Fenway’s ownership into focus. For all the sound bites and pledges, John W. Henry and his board misled their new chosen coach in August. Failing to reinforce a painfully thin frontline was unforgivable. The error of their ways may well have now been corrected but that initial indifference effectively tied Rodgers in a straight-jacket.
FSG would be strongly advised to re-assess the current organisational structure (or rather lack of it) at LFC. Before Rodgers appointment we were told of this grand scheme that would involve a Director of Football, Chief Executive and the like. Yet faced with resistance from their manager-elect Rodgers they abandoned that thesis entirely. The Spirit of Shankly at the start of the season called for FSG to appoint a Liverpool based Chief Executive feeling that business decisions had thwarted Brendan Rodgers attempts in the transfer market.
Now, in a sorry state of affairs they have only Ian Ayre as their go-to guy. Just what the latter contributes is a matter of lengthy discussion. Undoubtedly an extremely competent Commercial Director, his reign as DM has been less impressive. When CEO of Huddersfield he hardly covered himself in glory and at Liverpool his capabilities have also been called into question.
Point in question was the Clint Dempsey transfer debacle. FSG refused to sanction his transfer despite the relatively cheap transfer fee of £6 million because they felt that at 29 it was too much despite the fact that he had scored 23 goals the previous season.
Strangely, Tom Werner - chairman, had said previously that "any team would be lucky to have Clint Dempsey in their squad". If the chairman is unable to push through a vital transfer in conjunction with the Commercial Director it makes one wonder what actual influence they do have in terms of major decisions concerning Liverpool football club.
Point in question was the Clint Dempsey transfer debacle. FSG refused to sanction his transfer despite the relatively cheap transfer fee of £6 million because they felt that at 29 it was too much despite the fact that he had scored 23 goals the previous season.
Strangely, Tom Werner - chairman, had said previously that "any team would be lucky to have Clint Dempsey in their squad". If the chairman is unable to push through a vital transfer in conjunction with the Commercial Director it makes one wonder what actual influence they do have in terms of major decisions concerning Liverpool football club.
The poor decision to let Carroll leave the club on loan to West Ham when a striking replacement had not been secured has to be apportioned to Ayre's naivety in the transfer negotiating business. Of course nobody knows the exact workings of the boardroom but would the Raheem Sterling stand-off have dragged on under say Brian Barwick or David Dein? Failing to tie the teenager down to a long-term contract as soon as he turned 18 smacked of incompetence rather than naivety.
Moving Bellamy, Kuyt and Rodriguez et al trimmed £23 million off the wage bill, but without Luis Suarez there is a gaping hole in the Liverpool attack, let alone probably the weakest squad of all the teams competing for third and fourth Champions League qualification.
Moving Bellamy, Kuyt and Rodriguez et al trimmed £23 million off the wage bill, but without Luis Suarez there is a gaping hole in the Liverpool attack, let alone probably the weakest squad of all the teams competing for third and fourth Champions League qualification.
Messers Henry and Werner know precious little about our game and need men on the ground to run operations for them. The present power vacuum is debilitating and also detrimental to the man that opposed it in the first place. Both Rodgers and the club as a whole would benefit from a newly formed hierarchy. Reorganisation should be high on a list of New Year resolutions.
The information on players we are trying to bring in as transfers given out to the media should also be looked at as Spurs within the last year have beaten us to three players with Sigurdsson, Dempsey and now Lewis Holtby who is due to join Spurs in the summer. Everything should be kept in private until the targeted player has been signed, sealed and delivered and is being shown around the club by our chief executive or manager.
With a new structure in place and more privacy and common sense used in transfer negotiations instead of the current chaos, we can then move forward to trying and securing the required investment to revamp our stadium to assist us getting back to the top of the game in this country.
On the flipside FSG's lack of money or reluctance in the transfer market is understandable. Under their stewardship they have sanctioned transfers of Andy Carroll (£35 million); Jordan Henderson (£16 million); Stewart Downing (£20 million); Joe Allen (£15 million) and Fabio Borini (£11 million) none of whom could yet be considered a success. But for Brendan Rodgers to get the club back to where it belongs he has to be allowed to put the foundations in place to get the club back on an even keel.
On the flipside FSG's lack of money or reluctance in the transfer market is understandable. Under their stewardship they have sanctioned transfers of Andy Carroll (£35 million); Jordan Henderson (£16 million); Stewart Downing (£20 million); Joe Allen (£15 million) and Fabio Borini (£11 million) none of whom could yet be considered a success. But for Brendan Rodgers to get the club back to where it belongs he has to be allowed to put the foundations in place to get the club back on an even keel.
The patience of our fans has to be commended as they again prove they are the best and most knowledgeable but if FSG do not fulfil the promise of rebuilding the stadium and back the manager's plan long term - the patience will begin to wear thin and we will end up resenting them like the previous owners.
There were reports last September that FSG were hawking the Red Sox around under the radar with the premise of selling the organisation. They paid £300 million for Liverpool in 2010 and the Red Sox sold over £155 million worth of contracts to the Dodgers last season. Sounds like there maybe troubles ahead.
ReplyDeleteThe first two transfer windows under FSG saw them sanction spend around £102 million on 7 players and Adam and Carroll (£35 million) are no longer even at the club and also only Suarez and Enrique look even closely like long-term members of the first team. Also, with Allen and Borini (before his injury) not looking like world beaters when they cost a total of £26 million (with Assaidi for another £4 million) the owners may feel that are quite right to be circumspect in their spending.
For instance, Sahin’s signing was nearly of the Alberto Aquilani variety. Liverpool took on a player who was injured for most of last season, only starting two games for around £4 million with no hope of recouping any money should he have a fantastic season and the fact he now moved back to Germany means it’s been an ignominious failure.
That being so, we need the Liverpool doctrine of young players for the future to be spiced up with class experience players who have done the business. The Liverpool bench often looks threadbare and we need to be bolster the squad to be able to compete on an even footing with those fighting for Champions League players or else we could loose our very few top players in the not to distant future and not having Champions League football will ensure that without that lure Liverpool supporters will satisfy themselves that Suarez and Gerrard will be the only world-class players walking under the famous sign and on to the hallowed Anfield turf for quite some time.
Very good, well written and I agree with what you say. We were made to look right fools over Clint Dempsey. Andy Carroll not a good move. Aquilinni or whatever his name is what was that all about. Management in disarray I fear. Second rate types in charge. WHERE do they find these people?
DeleteJan
I read this over lunch:
ReplyDeleteLiverpool hold no interest in signing Wesley Sneijder
Inter Milan playmaker Wesley Sneijder has been linked with Galatasaray and Liverpool
However, Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has also been heavily linked with a move for the playmaker, as he looks to strengthen his Anfield squad further this month, following the recent addition of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea.
In a recent interview, Ayre revealed that Liverpool are working on a number of targets, and says that money is not an issue for the Premier League club.
"It is about who Brendan has got his designs on. What he wants, we will always say the same thing, if we find the right deals for the right players we will get it done.
"Everyone who operates in January knows it is always a difficult window, but we will do what we can. We have got targets in sight and if we can resolve those great, if not then we will move onto summer and do what we need to do.
"We don't have any issues with finances, it is about doing what is best in the long-term interests of the football club.
"With the advent of financial fair play it means everyone should be running the club prudently and that does not mean not investing but investing wisely and at the right time, and we will always do that."
Back in January 2011, Liverpool broke their transfer record when they forked out a whopping £35million on the signing of Andy Carroll from Newcastle United, just days after bringing in Luis Suarez for a reported £22.8million.
Both strikers have enjoyed varying levels of success since arriving on Merseyside, with the latter currently out on loan with West Ham United. The Reds have been rather more conservative in the transfer market since splashing out on a number of high profile signings who have failed to live up to the hype, and expectations at Anfield.
Sadly our chief executive Ian Ayre is a delusional puppet to our American owners FSG – who has stated we have the most balanced squad in the Premiership – I would like to ask him why are we struggling in 8th place then and not competing at the top end of the Premiership with Utd and City.
DeleteHow can we have a balanced squad where if Enrique gets injured we have to move our best right back over to cover because there is no ready made replacement for Enrique at left back?
How can we focus totally on youth and ignore the fact that there are quality footballers available over aged 25? Such as Sneijder available and wanting to perform at the top level of the Premiership?
I know his wages are astronomic but he is a player unlike Joe Cole that is worth paying the £125k a week because he can produce the goods to a very high level.
We will regret not buying or at least loaning him in until the end of the season.
The experience of Sneijder alongside our captain Stevie G in midfield will improve our team’s general play and also have the experience to know what to do to win in the very big games.
As Gerrard has already stated its not just about youth players you also need experienced players to guide the younger ones.
Totally agree, we cant just buy and build our team of youth, under 25. We need to mix it up.
DeleteJust look at yesterday game Man U v West Ham, Giggs and Scholes still pulling strings on the pitch, just shows experience still accounts to win games. We cant just turn down players like this if they are committed to play for us.
As our main goalscorer Suarez has stated "Youngsters win you matches, Experienced players win you titles and trophies!"
ReplyDelete