IN his latest article for the Daily Post, former Liverpool FC defender Mark Lawrenson has stated that the Gylfi Sigurdsson snub – and the message it sends – is cause for concern.
Lawro believes that:
“if Brendan Rodgers didn’t already have an idea of how tough it will be to drag Liverpool back among the upper echelons, it has come via an Icelandic midfielder”
In his column he continued:
“Rodgers’ failed pursuit of Gylfi Sigurdsson isn’t so much a body blow in terms of squad strengthening. Instead, it’s the message it sends out that will be a cause for concern.
“Tottenham Hotspur offered Sigurdsson a great deal, and clearly Fenway Sports Group weren’t prepared to pay over the odds despite promising the midfielder more money than he would have received at Swansea City.
“Liverpool’s owners didn’t want to be held to ransom, and they have already had their fingers burned. After all, don’t forget why Damien Comolli was jettisoned – for agreeing to pay over the odds for players such as Stewart Downing, Jordan Henderson and Andy Carroll.
“FSG now want value for money, and they clearly didn’t see that with Sigurdsson. Clearly the influence of Rodgers, who managed the Iceland international at Swansea last season, wasn’t enough to sway the player.”
The BBC pundit finished speaking on the issue by writing:
“A pity, because I believe the Liverpool manager is right to target a goalscoring midfielder to help ease that burden on Steven Gerrard. Liverpool have it all to do to finish in the top six next season.”
Lawro is particularity famed for his ‘doom and gloom’ outlook on all things – you only had to listen to his pessimistic co-commentary during Euro 2012 for latest examples of this – but has he got a point here? Is losing out on Sigurdsson to Tottenham a cause for concern?
Have your say below…
[ad_pod id=’DFP-MPU’ align=’right’]
Live4Liverpool is recruiting columnists. For further info contact the site editor at live4liverpool@snack-media.com
Follow us on Twitter here: @live4Liverpool and ‘Like’ us on Facebook
This guy is a terrible analyst!
Maybe so, but who will want to play for LFC if they are not prepared to pay?
Brendon worked with the guy and he STIL snubbed him??
… and we still being linked with Demba Ba and also other teams that finished lower…
If he was worth paying more money for then I think BR would have said “pay it, he’s worth it!”
I haven’t seen much of a fight, and if a team like Hoff… Don’t want him then, maybe we’re better off with out him ! Plus, I think if BR can get J Cole and Aqualani back and performing we don’t need him…
Does lawro not think that as he’d been with Brendan at swasdea,Brendan might not believe he was worth a bigger wage than offered?after all we are going for Gaston Ramirez in same position but are paying more money,perhaps he wanted Ramirez all along & got spurs out of our way! If lawro wants he should put his cv in for manager,so put up or shut up lawro
We want players who want to play for the badge not the cash – he’ll do nothing at spurs anyway
Excellent point – he has his reasons why he chose Spurs (be it cash, or whatever else), but the fact remains that he had the opportunity to join us and didn’t want to so stuff him, move on, and make him regret his decision.
Warrior you say players who play for the badge. Players dont play for the badge. Why would Siguardson play ‘for the badge’ he didnt grow up supporting liverpool, livng there, watching them. Gerrard, Carragher, Spearing…they play for the badge because they grew up there and played since they were 8(ish). I dont like the phrase playing for the badge, because you only do when you love that club.
Really have a massive dislike for all things Lawro related. Only time will tell if losing Sig was for better or for worse. One thing’s certain tho. paying a 22yr old who’s had 4 good months with Swansea more pw than Luis Suarez, a proven International and our top scorer makes no sense. Sig has not earned the right to a 70 grand a week contract. If Levy wants to pay him that, fine. FSG don’t and I can’t say I disagree with that stance. I’m certain that if BR had pushed it & really believed Sig was worth it, FSG would’ve backed him and Sig would be at LFC. Nobody knows Sig better than BR, a point worth remembering Lawro!
i totally agree with what neil says about disliking anything lawro related.ive been saying the same for the last decade. he must be our only ex player who constantly looks at everything liverpool related and only sees the bad. yes he was a good player in a great team,but somebody needs to slip a superglue sandwich in his butty box because i for 1 am fed up hearing his gloomy thoughts through his moving mouth
Agreed. Lawro is a first class whopper and you would never think he used to play for us. FSG & BR have made an informed decision on what he was worth paying (per week) and it’s worth respecting. Everyone would soon be up in arms if we started throwing money at ‘unproven’ players again – and that’s what he is – 4 good months does not constitute ‘proof’, after all, who remembers Amr Zaki?
Jimmy let’s not be unfair on Lawro! He’s a self deluded fool who clearly would have a problem with anyone who replaced his mate Kenny. This isn’t a go at the king but Lawro who is obsessed with man u and openly acknowledged he was happier when Beckham scored against Greece than when the Republic of Ireland won the same day (thus ensuring a playoff against Iran which saw them qualify for 2002 world cup). I was finished when a few days after Alaves in 2001 I watched the game on video and saw the reactions of Hansen and Lawro. Let’s say if big Al had said this I’d give far more credence. And yes I remember Zaki at Wigan, so glad we never touched him.
I think it simply proves that he is a big Utd supporter because he’ll be there in a couple of seasons from their feeder club Spurs!
We’ve already got Gerrard for that position along with the potential for other younger members of the squad, Henderson/Shelvey etc (Gerrard was not a goalscoring midfielder when he was the same age as Henderson/Shelvey and therefore they can be developed)
Pound puppy face putting down his old club yet again.Yes it,s frustrating him picking Spurs, but the owner,s are taking it very slow as a result of the complete transfer mess of last season. We are all paying the price for the rubbish that was brought in and correction will now take years.
Get behind them and see how it pans out.. you as well Saggy jowels.
I can only say that this is quite an accepted backlash to the rather ridiculous profligacy of last season. I suppose it is a ” someone has to be seen to pay for” knee jerk for last season. It is going to be a few more years yet before progress really is made if we are to have cock-up on the managerial side followed by cock-up on the playing side. It looks remarkably likely to be such a case..
I do not think he was as good as we are thinking. If he was really good, then Hoff.. would have kept him. he is young and have plenty of time to show how good he is. That is why BR did not go to extra miles to buy SIG. We need some one like Suarez on the side and have Caroll in the middle to create better option to score goals.
He had a choice work with someone youve played great football under and appreciates you or go somewhere else for the money! Dont need mercinaries at Anfield we need players who play for the badge, especially to make Rodgers philosophy work.. I think the transfer says more about the player and whats important to him than Liverpools inability to lure him….
The squad is unbalanced as it is. We don’t need another central midfielder and to be far I’m delighted we didn’t him.
Gerrard
Lucas
Shelvey
Henderson
Adam
Cole
Aquilani
Spearing
We need to get shot of some before we can spend in the key squad areas where we are weak (i.e left back cover)
Well said, and it’s simply common sense.
^We are weak in midfield and up front. of the list above only Lucas, Gerrard and Aquilani (maybe Henderson) would stay for me. The rest including Maxi and Downing can be replaced. LFC finished 8th FFS – team is not good enough. Plus two forwards are required.
Shelvey must not go anywhere, he will be a solid player for years to come, how did you disregard him?
Lot been said about this. Got to believe that Rogers has prioritised other areas like the wings.I’m glad to see an end to crazy spending on unproven players.anyway we have shelvey who I think could do a better job anyway, and he wants to play for the club!
Liverpool Fc Trust too much on others team players that’s will keep us every time down the Academy what for??
I’d rather listen to BR explanation on why he didn’t sign him than listen to people like Mark talking rubbish as per usual. The reason he didn’t sign we all know now Spurs gave him more money. I say well done to BR for let go. LFC should never b held to ransom. WELL DONE BR.
He’s same type of player as Nico Kranjcar, and look what he’s done at Spurs, nothing! He doesn’t fit system AVB is used to playing, would have been better off playing for manager who understands his game and how to use him.
All seems to have become a bit clearer since BR statement. Fee and wages were agreed with Swansea. After moving BR then tried to shift new deal to LFC. Spurs then offered higher wages which BR refused to go any higher than offer that was on offer by Swansea. With increased revenue at LFC compared to Swansea think that offering same is a crazy sign have we really come to this ??
Snubbed!! What a load of media bull. There isn’t one shred of evidence that Liverpool made an offer!!
Also there is nothing to say that we pulled away when he wanted more money, meaning we thought better of the deal and decided to spend on better players, players more suited to our needs. So even though I was put off by this, there is no reason to say that this is a concern.
Utter class Liverpool. The risk is gylfis. Can you imagine bill shankly giving in to a young upstart whom he had given his chance to shine. He woul not have been as polite as rogers is being. He wont fit avb system . Redknapp will be a tough act to follow.
Its a forgone issue lets look at other target just as brendan said……but is he working alone, how about assistance and first team coach? Any official or unofficial assignment