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Liverpool Learning or Mid-table and Proud?

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RECENTLY Liverpool have been linked in some quarters with moves for David Villa or Wesley Sneijder; two players regarded as world class by most fans.

Undoubtedly they would make Liverpool’s starting eleven better. Attempting to purchase either player would show a remarkable sign of intent from FSG, that they’re serious about getting the team back to the big-time immediately.

Both have achieved glory in the past and know how to win.

David Villa is one of the most clinical finishers in world football and Sneijder is a creative, attaching midfielder who would arguably walk into any side in the world.

Are FSG insane for not snapping up these outstanding players ASAP? They would dramatically improve chances of a top four finish and they would provide a spring board to improve the squad further. Other quality additions are more likely to join when they see Suarez, Gerrard, Villa and Sneijder awaiting them in the Liverpool starting line-up.

They would provide excellent role models for the young players at Liverpool who are still learning and would benefit from a few experience players showing them the way. Would not trying to sign them amount to an acceptance of Liverpool being a mid-table team with mid-table ambitions and transfers?

Currently, they haven’t been snapped up because they are expensive. Villa at 31years of age would cost £16 million and require the best part of £200k in wages a week. Sneijder at 28 years of age is available for approximately £9 million and require wages of £200k a week. That’s £25 million in transfer fees and £20.8 million a year in wages. That’s £45.8 million for the first year alone. If they sign three year contracts they will most likely have no real transfer value at the end and will have cost £87.4 million in transfers and wages over the three years.

Both players are close to or over 30 and as far as the usual trajectory of a footballers’ career goes they may have plateaued and are at their peak, or past their peak with age and injury. Indeed David Villa has recently returned from a lengthy absence due to injury.
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In the past Liverpool have brought in unfinished articles but ones full of promise and solid reputations and it’s just not worked. We all remember the likes of Harry Kewell, Fernando Morientes, Robbie Keane and El Hadji Diouf. Each transfer window Liverpool fans were full of hope more than expectation and these players were signed but failed to live up to the reputations the garnered with previous employers. Who is to say Villa and Sneijder will not do the same?

At such a huge financial outlay the stakes are just too high in my own opinion. Being successful for Liverpool is difficult and for every Torres or Suarez there are more than a few Morientes’ and Voronin’s.

The current policy seems to be taking on players yet to achieve but full of promise. Buying from smaller clubs and giving young, hungry players a platform to be the next Villa or Sneijder. £87.4 million (extra) spent wisely over the next three years of transfer windows would allow a few failures and could still leave enough who prove successful. That’s almost £30 million a year for transfers and wages.

John Henry made it clear in his statement at the end of the summer that short-term expensive fixes were not the way he wanted us to go. Looks like he’s learned from the errors of old – or are we just making new errors. Have Liverpool become a mid-table team with mid-table ambitions and transfers? We’ve tried to buy success by buying players who have been successful elsewhere but time and time again it’s failed so I’m fully behind FSG trying this ‘new’ way.
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An armchair fan who loves the stadium experience but likes the bread and butter of replays, moronic pundits, a drink in a pub atmosphere. LFC is my religion.

Common sense is missing from football but the situation is always complicated so I endeavour to give opinion and encourage discussion and thought about LFC.

36 comments

  • jimmy says:

    the sooner people wake up and realise FSG are sooo harmful to LFC the better . they are not going to sign big players because they are here to make money out of us – not spend it

    as long as FSG are here – we will be mid table club

    • don says:

      make money….since when is that a crime? We had the last yank lot and they bought a few world class big name players and look how that ended. You either have super rich daddy owners or you don’t. We don’t.

  • Patrick says:

    Its easy for us supporters to say buy them and spend when it’s not their money . Sure it would be great to have both players and the £87mik spent can possibly be regained if we end up playing champions league but it won’t guarantee will will make the top 4 and it’s a massive gamble.

    I’d rather FSG be financially responsible unlike hicks and Gillette who sucked the life and finances out of the club and dumped all its debt onto us. Remember we were close to bankruptcy buy the bank of Scotland .

    At £200k per week I’d rather look at younger good players who would jump at being paid £150k per week and that would be at the club for 5+ years with some resale value.

    • Stab says:

      I like this strategy too Patrick but we aren’t even going after these types of players anymore. We are scalping from the bottom of the barrel and still struggling to clinch deals for ” up and coming ” ” fringe ” players.

  • fotheringham says:

    What do FSG and Mr Henry know about running a football club ??? Nothing , nearly every decision they have made is the wrong ones . I see NO difference really between FSG and H&G – both ruthless american businessmen , out to take our money

    FSGs ‘strategy’ is ridiculous , and has no chance of working ……. erm duh .. lets get a cheap championship manager ,, and not buy any top players …. its nonsense . it has never worked in modern football and never will .

    • don says:

      and you know what about running a football club? John Henry is a businessmen a wealthy successfull businessmen. I would rather have FSG any day over you mate.

    • Matt says:

      What makes you think they have no idea? And what proof do you have that their strategy won’t work? Are you a businessmen? Because u you sound very intelligent.

      • Mac says:

        They have no clue . horrendous decision after horrendous decision since they came in . They need to plod of off back to US and hire someone who knows football

  • Joi says:

    Morientes was old when bought, was supposedly “world class” and never delivered…. that could also happen with Villa and Sneider.

    I actually think these wages are way of what we can realisticly look at. Its okay to buy good playsers but not when it means taking the chance and if we fail we can´t buy anyone the next 2-3 transfer windows because we´re trying to offload.

    Its much more sensible to realise that this season is a building one and the club should be judged on the results in a years time.

  • Honeyneny says:

    Fotheringham i belive with u, an average championship manager who goes for average players. There is nothing wrong with injectn experienced players into the squad, it must not necessarily be Sneider or Villa. If u dnt get experienced gud players liverpool wil end up middle table club as there r now win 2 n lose d next 1. Luk at Borini, Allen they cost quit a fortune n d former has nt given any contribtn cos of injury, how much wil lorente cost Liverpool to get, he wil add a much needed flare to d attack wit his experience.
    Sorry to say this Rodgers is scared of Big players, he feels he cant coach them him being a championship manager. If he continues lik dis our big players lyk Suarez, Agger, Skertel mite look elsewhere for champions league football

    • Norris says:

      Cant see Suarez stayin if Rodgers is manager . Rodgers cant or wont attract any big players to our club >therefore no champions league any time soon

      • Matt says:

        BR has got the best out of Saurez so far, he loves playing this system of football and 15 goals show for it. He loves this club, the fans and his family are very happy in Liverpool.
        With Agger, Skrtle, Sterling, Suso, Wisdom, Shelvey, Saurez all signing new contracts just shows the belief they have in BRs philosophy, and with Gerrard coming back to good form and possibly signing a new contract it doesn’t look all that bad.
        We are 7 points off 4th spot and still have 17 games to go I think more faith is required from us fans.

  • alex says:

    @Honey,you are damn right!……its not necessary we sign Villa or Wesley but there are great players out there!
    Iam no fan of Rodgers!

  • Norris says:

    FSG must go for the sake of our futures . If we dont buy top players , then we dont compete at the top and we dont win anything .
    Yeah under FSG we will be stable , stable and mid table , might as well call ourselves Everton
    FSG have also proved inept at running a football club , hiring a Mickey mouse manager the latest in a long line of foolish decisions

  • simon says:

    FSG must go . They are tricking the fans will pleasant smiles and friendly manner . Their strategies are not in our interests , they cant get us success without spending big . they are blatantly stalling over the whole stadium issue , and have shown no signs of any intelligent decisions to do with the playing side of the club

    Fans need to wake up to FSG , just like we eventually woke up to Hicks n Gillet

    • Ozred says:

      U pack of idiots.

      They r not the football experts

      King and commoli were trusted with:

      35 m Carroll
      20m downing
      16m Henderson
      9m Adam
      15m Allan

      Etc etc. They r 18 months in and have trusted football people with more money than most clubs on the planet. Kenny proved to be a DISASTER and the Allen signing doesn’t look much better.

      Other than providing the cash and looking for the best available support, they can only do so much. They have spent more than united have. But they have inherited a culture of stupidity and incompetence.

      • Ozred says:

        Before u all fall over yourselves in fits of crying shame. Yes Allen was brought by the Rogers regeim.

        Fsg r a quality organization with a proven history in results. Idiots expecting them to pick up the basket case that we were and win a title the next year r just that. Idiots.

        • Dave says:

          Your the idiot . EVERY comment i have seen from u on this site shows a total lack of understanding and knowledge about football

          Try educating yourself before spouting nonsense

        • kirbyking says:

          They are obviously smart business people but they know nothing about football . They are here to take our money and are incompetent in running a football club .

          And if you actually bother to check your facts – they have spent damn all net . Liverpool is a huge global brand making millions every year , FSG have bought us on the cheap and are not spending whats required

  • Dave says:

    Wake up people . FSG are a company, here for profit not for fun

  • Scouse Ed says:

    FSG have made very poor decisions . Their choice of managers, management and staff have been poor, their documentary makes us look like fools .

    Everything FSG have done has been wrong . We need new owners , FSG wont spend , and they keep messing up like hiring a total nobody to manage our club

  • Vikas dhingra says:

    I’m a little surprised by the negativity towards FSG. They threw money away under KD n DC but that was a completely crazy time. We all know we were paying far far too much for ‘suspect’ players. We’re a club that gives people time and no Chekski! Rodgers needs time. I respect FSG trying to do things differently. Just really hope it works. It’s going to take a few transfer windows before we can really say if anything has failed or succeeded only results on the pitch will tell us that. Players and staff need time to show us their true worth.

  • Ozred says:

    Dave. It’s not hard to understand numbers. 35 million 20 million, 16 million etc etc.

    Kenny hàs put us at least 2 years backward with his moronic buying. He’s made us a laughing stock in the process and he’s also put a massive sign over the gates that says “charge us 4 times the worth, we are stupid”.

  • Derek says:

    FSG have spent damn all net . They continue with their ridiculous stategy of unproven manager and spending damn all . They are taking us backwards

  • Hal says:

    LOL , its january and some morons r still thinkin rodgers will turn it round , we wer better off wit king kenny

    • Matt says:

      That’s right it’s January only half way through the season, we are 8th same place as we finished last season, with 3/4 less of a budget and 17 games to go. We gave Kenny a year why not Rodgers?

      • wesker says:

        because he is a no mark and has signed rubbish . Last years squad was miles better

        We hasnt even beat 1 good team all season – not 1 . What kind of idiot manager has that record , even QPR beat a top team

  • wesker says:

    People said give him 10 games to settle in …….people said he needs 3 months to get his team going …….. people said he needs til Xmas for his (bullsh*t) philosophy to work ……… NOW people are saying the whole season

    At end of season , people will say give him another 30m to buy more Joe Allen’s , then judge him

    RUBBISH
    he needs the boot NOW

    Or do all u fools like Liverpool being mediocre , signing mediocre players , playing mediocre football , behind a mediocre manager ?

  • Dan says:

    Sneider and Villa could be attractive propositions for any club but there are only a couple of categories of clubs where it would probably work for both the, and the club.

    Firstly there are e huge clubs who pay huge wages and have regular champions league football and gigantic sponsorship deals to finance it. That leaves Barcelona, Real, Man U and Bayern. As big as Liverpool are, they’re not in that financial league to be able to cope with the financial stress of dealing with that sort of player.

    The second sort of club would be one with not quite as deep pockets and on the edge of champions league qualification, That sort of club may see getting these sort of players as a risk that may be worthwhile when considering the benefit.

    Liverpool right now aren’t quite there. They are improving but the addition of these players whilst it would help improve results, it won’t get to the point where Liverpool have a good enough chance of getting into the champions league.

    For that reason, I think Liverpool would be wrong in signing these sort of players.

    If they did sign them, they wouldn’t play as we’ll as they could do at other clubs as the talent around them whilst good isn’t the likes that clubs like Barca can offer. The players confidence would drop, they wouldn’t belikely to win as much as they are used to and ultimately it would be there performances as well as their values which would drop.

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