LIVERPOOL FC’s principle owner John W Henry has been moved to write an open letter to the club’s supporters in the wake of the latest transfer deadline day debacle.
During the transfer window, it appeared that manager Brendan Rodgers was given assurances that if money was recouped by allowing non-cert starting high earners to leave the club, funds would be available to bring in reinforcements – something the manager himself reiterated during Friday’s deadline.
As we all know by now, a number of players left the club during the deadline day period, however none came in to replace them; culminating in a late slap in the face when Spurs stole in to sign Clint Dempsey in the 11th hour – a player who was desperate to join the Reds, who in turn, were not willing to meet Fulham’s asking price.
Rumours spread (perhaps more sensationally than the situation really justifies), and suspicions were cast towards FSG’s true intentions at the club, however things were to then be magnified tenfold, after the Reds’ toothless display at Anfield on Sunday – during the 2-0 loss to Arsenal – condemned them to the worst start to a league campaign in over 50 years.
After the game, Brendan Rodgers refused to point the finger at the club’s owners, however did acknowledge that there are some operational difficulties that need to be ‘ironed out’, and with the media hype machine going into further overdrive, John W Henry released ‘an open letter to fans’ on the club’s official website this morning. In it, Henry wrote:
“I am as disappointed as anyone connected with Liverpool Football Club that we were unable to add further to our strike force in this summer transfer window, but that was not through any lack of desire or effort on the part of all of those involved. They pushed hard in the final days of the transfer window on a number of forward targets and it is unfortunate that on this occasion we were unable to conclude acceptable deals to bring those targets in.”
Henry also goes on to state his belief that the transfer window period should be looked at in a positive light, in regards to the capture of “three young, but significantly talented starters in Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin and Fabio Borini as well as two exciting young potential stars of the future – Samed Yesil and Oussama Assaidi”. He also reminds us that “keeping our best players during this window” (Agger, Skrtel, Suarez) should not be underestimated, before continuing:
“The transfer policy was not about cutting costs. It was – and will be in the future – about getting maximum value for what is spent so that we can build quality and depth. We have been successful in improving the commercial side of the club and the monies generated going forward will give us greater spending power in the coming years.
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“We are still in the process of reversing the errors of previous regimes. It will not happen overnight. It has been compounded by our own mistakes in a difficult first two years of ownership. It has been a harsh education, but make no mistake, the club is healthier today than when we took over.
“Spending is not merely about buying talent. Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years. We will invest to succeed. But we will not mortgage the future with risky spending.
“After almost two years at Anfield, we are close to having the system we need in place. The transfer window may not have been perfect but we are not just looking at the next 16 weeks until we can buy again: we are looking at the next 16 years and beyond. These are the first steps in restoring one of the world’s great clubs to its proper status.”
Henry then reiterates that the club will not overpay for players, and promises not to put Liverpool Football Club in danger of financial collapse, but does state – and is now on record as saying – that the board will sanction spending to compete “with the very best”.
“We will build and grow from within, buy prudently and cleverly and never again waste resources on inflated transfer fees and unrealistic wages. We have no fear of spending and competing with the very best but we will not overpay for players. We will never place this club in the precarious position that we found it in when we took over at Anfield. This club should never again run up debts that threaten its existence. Most of all, we want to win. That ambition drives every decision. It is the Liverpool way.”
Finally, Henry ends his letter by hoping to put to bed any claims that himself, and FSG, are looking to make a quick profit at the expense of the football club.
“Finally, I can say with authority that our ownership is not about profit. Contrary to popular opinion, owners rarely get involved in sports in order to generate cash. They generally get involved with a club in order to compete and work for the benefit of their club. It’s often difficult.
“We have only one driving ambition at Liverpool and that is the quest to win the Premier League playing the kind of football our supporters want to see. That will only occur if we do absolutely the right things to build the club in a way that makes sense for supporters, for us and for those who will follow us. We will deliver what every long-term supporter of Liverpool Football Club aches for.”
What are your thoughts on our owner’s latest remarks? Convinced, and can you see the positives? Or are you still suspicious of the direction the club is taking? As always, leave your comments below…
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It’s pointless we had a lot of time to move in for our targets during our transfer window , we huffed and puffed and then its all smoke and no fire crap
Transfer target is all crap, no one come in at the end of the day. Very disappointed since Rafa Benitez left..
If you flip the dictionary and look for “Empty but Grand Promises” you would see JH picture there, right next to the 2 Cowboys.
If you look for “Great PR sound Bites that means exactly Nothing” they are there too.
JH had said we should judged him with his actions. We can’t, there are not many to begin with. From the Stadium to Players to Managers, all a total failure.
A lot of waffle. That could be an open letter from Arsenal’s owners to Arsenal fans. Or Aston Vill’s owners to their fans. Empty rhetoric aimed at calming the masses, but to any thinking person, it’s just a firefighting exercise and a smokescreen. What is in the letter? Claims that all will be well eventually, and that they’ll keep the club from financial hardship. Terrific. Of course there will be no financial hardship if they aren’t buying players when they are needed! Then again, there WILL be financial hardship if they save money today and there’s no success tomorrow.
well said
We did not let the 2 cowboys get away with ruining our club. Why should we let these bunch of new cowboys then?
Too late for excuses,what a load of crap,there was more than enough time.FSG did not want to depart with their $$,now it’s time to focus on not being relegated.
what a load of b88l. They had 3 Months t sort this out. Even Dempsey refused Villa in the morning thinking Liverpool gonna back in the day. Wheres the Stadium???? May Lebron can ask JAYZ and Kanye WEST to invest in liverpool too. This letter is to calm the storm. YNWA
These days YNWA stands for “You Would Never WIN Again”. Sad, but this is all we can expect from FG and BR.
Go f@@k off
See if the investors stay if we finish 15th
Manchester utd pay 20 mill for van persie w/c s 29 nd Liverpool cant meet 5 mill price for Clint. for the first time in my whole 8 yrs as a fan, i’m very disappointed.
shame FSG STUPID!!!!!
How old are you? I was 6 when i started supporting them!!! Im 35 now!!!
i agree . no money , no goalscorers and NO HOPE .
yanks out
Only 8 years of suffering? I suffered for 26 years and still counting. he only exception is the CL winning year.
Protest
Don’t get me wrong I’m gutted what happened in this transfer window but in the first 18 months of there ownership they were convinced to p!!s 100 mil against the wall on 2 bench warmers, a striker WHO we have given away and a fantastic player that will never score more than 15 goals a season as he isnt à natrual striker, so i can kind of see they are reluctant go pay over thé top!
You mean they did not do their homework before buying into LFC? They did not know what it takes to compete? Did anyone put a gun to their head?
FSG out now!! Liverpool FC is moving backwards since they take over..load of crap excuses because they not willing to spend. All people is laughing at us now, what a shame! YNWA!
Die hard fans…. no. I’m gutted about not getting a striker in but your going over the top. The problem is the massive loss that we have made thru kennys signings. I suppose you would want us to get oil owners in and become a plastic club. We are a work in progress and we are moving forward.
I can understand were they are coming from, but this club was built on success and if they want the revenue they need success which these both go hand-in-hand!
i feel so disappointed and hurt, for the first time in my 24 years of living, i have realised liverpool whill never be as good again. its virtually impossible to compete with the best now. i just cant wait to see liverpool relegated, atleast maybe that is needed for them to rebuild properly. so long liverpool, im definately walking alone now forever.
Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
DON’T COME BACK
I’m willing to tog off! I’ve scored a couple goals in my career. LOL!!!!
A OPEN LETTER TO FSG
excuses excuses excuses .
we dont even want dempsey or borini or assaidi , they are all second rate . we should be competing for top players not dross .
llorente ,adam johnson ,ramires , cazorla , kagawa , lewandowski , martinez , even van persie is what a club like liverpool should be trying to buy .
2 sets of yanks have ruined our once great club and there is NO HOPE until the yanks sell up .
please go FSG , i want a club to be proud of again .
ps – take warrior with you ( all the kits are rubbish )
WHERE WERE YOU LAST WEEK. WIN OUR NEXT 2 GAME’S ARE YOU STILL GONNA BE A TW**! bob
Yes, rubbish kit. Oh don’t forget to take the manager as well.
i will not put the blame on Rodgers is a good couch that needs time to excell in liverpool, i will put the blame on FSG and the liverpool board they are wicked to Rodgers they can not buy striker .