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FSG made their bed – now should continue to lie in it

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Tom Werner & John HenryA friend once suggested Gringo is short for ‘Green go’; a phrase he claimed used to describe unwelcome American army personal in Vietnam. This imaginary origin of the word, in my opinion, is particularly apt in describing the mercenaries who claim to be ‘custodians’ of Liverpool FC.

The word actually just refers to people who have a certain type of accent which prevents them from speaking Castilian (or Spanish) easily and naturally. I believe, so far, the ‘accent’ (the spirit and way) of FSG seems to not sit well with the ‘accent’ (the spirit and way) of Liverpool FC.

Rodgers’ Liverpool stumbled and bumbled to a fortunate win over Villa. Not convincing but an okay display. Villa will feel hard done by, quiet rightly as they dominated for much of the game. If Villa do go down by one point then Gabriel Agbonlahor will be haunted by the point-blank-save-by/shot-hit-straight-at Pepe Reina. The European dream, nay the Europa League dream isn’t over – but we never dreamt of Europa League football…

We dreamt of Champions league football and that dream, like our season, ended long ago.

As this season officially starts to draws to a close, I wonder if FSG (those Football Club Spoiling Gringos) will be writing us another letter of apology. I hear the rumours of Carlo Ancelotti replacing Rodgers and feel nothing. I’m not full of joy or despair, and there is no excitement or anything else. I’m indifferent. Why?

Last season Kenny Dalglish lead Liverpool FC to two cup finals, wining one and an eighth place finish. Andy Carroll struggled but started to look like a real footballer at this point of last season (much like he did this weekend, maybe it’s his lucky time of year). FSG backed Kenny Dalglish with money but not time.

This season Rodgers has not been backed financially when compared to last season. A great deal of the ‘dead wood’ on big salaries and underperforming, has been cut away from the LFC teat. They now suckle elsewhere, and shall never darken our door again, amen. FSG are expected by many like me to back Rodgers with time, a luxury not afforded to Kenny. Looking back now, last season was even more of a success.

We’ve heard a great deal of noise referring to Carlo Ancelotti heading to Anfield. If this is the case then why have FSG wasted Rodgers and LFC time and money?

If FSG wanted a proven manager with experience and respect in the game then King Kenny was here and succeeding; given time, I firmly believe his way would have worked. In my opinion Sterling would have come through just the same and Coutinho and Sturridge were already on the LFC (and everyone else’s) radar. I believe Jonjo Shelvey would have had a better season under Kenny. The support from Rodgers seems to be inconsistent while Kenny always stands firmly, shoulder to shoulder with his players. Maybe Kenny had to go because of the support he gave his players (Suarez-Evra-gate). In my opinion this would not have been a good reason to sack King Kenny, and I hope that played no part in FSG’s thinking (or lack of).
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Carlo Ancelotti is a good manager, but he will want real money to bring in his own players. I would like Rodgers to be given another season to prove his ideas work, or don’t work. Life is short but two seasons is a fair crack at being a top manager for a top club. If we’re not top four or narrowly missing top four next season then I will meet anyone outside Anfield with a banner begging for Rodgers to go and a Carlo Ancelotti type to come in during May 2014.

What point was there to the ‘Rodgers experiment’ if we change now?

Chopping and changing managers has only worked for clubs with almost unlimited funds such as Chelsea. We aren’t like Chelsea, and need to heed the warning of managerial change radiated by Newcastle United in the past, Blackburn Rovers and others.

Imagine building an extension where you suddenly lost faith in the builder and sacked him halfway through the job. You still have to pay him the full amount owed (unless he finds a new job sooner, when you can pay him less). You still need the extension, so have to pay a new builder. In the beautiful game, you have to sack the support staff too; they need to be paid and new support staff must be hired. Usually all the people coming in have jobs elsewhere, so they need to be bought out of their contracts.

Everyone needs to be paid, money spent here, there and everywhere! The costs of each managerial change must be at least £9+ million (last season LFC spent £9.5m on exceptional payments which included payments to King Kenny and costs of hiring Brendan Rodgers).

Would you run your own finances like this? Not me (at these prices, I’d have kept Kenny).

The idea of giving a relatively unknown, young ambitious manager, a shot at the ‘big time’, in my opinion needs to be explored properly before we throw in our cards and play a new hand.

Now we’ve rolled the dice let’s play the game properly and find out if we’ve won or lost. Let’s get behind Rodgers and see if he can take us to the top (ish) of the table.

Disclaimer: Rafael Benitez is welcome back any time, he’s got unfinished business and more importantly he’s one of us. In Rafa we Trust.
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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.

165 comments

  • fotheringham says:

    The rRodgers experiment had failed miserably. Keeping Rodgers will only cost us more money

    We won’t get champion league next season either . He is wasting our money on rubbish players
    We are missing revenue from being knocked out early in all the cups

    We are becoming mediocre under Rodgers. I was in Singapore and China recently and I saw more Chelsea arsenal and spurs shirts than Liverpool

    We can not afford to keep Rodgers .he is costing us a fortune

    • Fj says:

      Stay on the MU sites you troll. And by the way you’re boring the arse off us.

    • Vikas Dhingra says:

      May be your right may be your not but these are all people like us. Before we sack a number of men and make them and their families move. Kids uproot to new schools. I think we should honour our deal with them. Is one season enough to get new footballing ideas across? is that what he was told? Was it top 4 in your first season or your fired??

      Liverpool FC aren’t Chelsea, we have history and respect. I think we (to some extent) owe Rodgers more time.

      Some transfers will always fail but here he has got Henderson playing well, Coutinho and Sturridge have improved the first team. Suarez and others are playing better than they did last season. Joe Cole aint here no more…all major improvements to our team.

    • redrum says:

      Excellent comment fotheringham

  • Gee says:

    It’s articles like these that make me angry fsg have been excellent for our club so far, it’s supporters like this that are harming our progress more than anything,negative rubbish anyone who thought we would be up there challenging this season is deluded,there has been progress but it will take a little more time.I would rather it took a while and when we arrive at the level that Rodgers talks about we will have one hell of a side.

    • nigwel says:

      Spot on Gee……negativity and grand delusion is the biggest problem we face as a club….yes it hurts getting knocked out of the cups….yes it hurts watching united dominate….however those billionaire owners arent ten a penny and we dont have one…..consequently we need to build on youth and astute signings….if you think couthino is a bad buy then i feel your delusion is deeper than assumed!

      Time is the most painful thing…..but we have progressed since the start of the season….are we the complete package…far from it…..are there at least 4 other teams better than us and deserving of a CL place….yes….just because we are Liverpool doesnt mean we have the devine right to get all the top players, best managers, qualify for the CL each season and challenge for the title….need i remind everyone its over 20 yrs since the title was ours! Patience….no matter how painful is what we need….chopping and changing managers isnt going to provide the magic potion to make us world beaters….we have to earn that again!

      • stevieG says:

        Excellent owners ?? Are you for real ?

        FSG are hicks and gillet mark 2. They are not as blatant as h& g but they are still here for our cash

        Don’t tell me you are one of the gullible fools who believe all their bull. LOL. Haven’t you learned from the last lot ?

        Wake up. Or do you still believe Santa will bring us a new stadium

        And Rodgers out. The guy is out of his depth

        • daboy says:

          there is a huge difference h and g took money from the club and borrowed to buy it thus huge repayments this lot have taken nothing and put every cent back in .
          I think you should check your facts before blurting utter tripe, and if u cant go and support Everton or Man U.

      • stevieG says:

        Gee and nigwel are the same person . LOL . This fool is always doing this everytime FSG needs defending

    • Johnboy says:

      another gullible mug who belives all the Rodgers bull and sits patiently while FSG milk our club, it’ll take a few years, then 3 years down the line it’ll take a few more years, Dalglish shoulda had longer his record deserved more time, he took 2 clubs to the league title, BR has had 1 season at the top and still has a lot to prove

    • stevieG says:

      Excellent owners ? You takin the pi$$ ?

      FSG are hicks and gillet mark 2 . They are not as blatant as h&g – but they are still here for our cash

      Don’t tell me you are one of the gullible fools who believes all their bull. LOL. Didn’t you learn from the last lot ????

      Wake up . You will see pigs flying before FSG spend money in a stadium

      And Rodgers OUT . The guy is out of his depth

    • Vikas Dhingra says:

      talk is cheap. I’m all for given BR more time but FSG haven’t supported BR enough. They could have done more for him. Think describing FSG as excellent is very generous. Lets hope there is serous investment this summer.

      • daboy says:

        there has been get your facts straight there is FFP rules and these owners are very generous and if it wasnt for Dalglishes stupidity in the transfer market the club need not to spend much at all.

        • redrum says:

          You don’t have a clue. Rodgers has spent more net than Kenny did

          FSG are greedy cowboys just like the others

          • daboy says:

            prove it with figures u cant no owners in liverpools history have spent what fsg are spending and the club is in debt you really only are a troll arent you go off and play in the traffic oh and stop your facist behaviour

  • Johnboy says:

    we need to build up a backroom staff of experienced ex reds and keep them in place when managers come and go, its ridiculous when a new manger comes in and wants to fill the place with his friends, i cringe everytime i see Colin Pascoe on our bench, i think back to Joe Fagin, Ronnie Moran propper Liverpool men who lived and breathed Liverpool fc, bring back Steve Heighway, Roy Evans & Ron Yeats for scouting and advising, bring in someone like Steve Nicol or Thomo as manager, John Barnes/Jan Molby/Aldo to coach, throw the barca blueprint away and start playing like Liverpool again

  • Alan says:

    Agree. I would give Rodgers next season. I think most people are still very skeptical he can produce the goods next season but changing again would be too tiring.

  • Olsen says:

    Rogers has had time and over 50 mil . He is not good manager . He is useless tactics and most of his transfer are terrible

    Only a decent manager will restore pride .not BR

  • simon says:

    Few things……….as much as i love Kenny and the 2 cup finals last year cup finals dont bring champions league either!! Also he brought alot of crap players…..Andy Carroll scored twice at the weekend and everyone wants him back but in all honesty hes useless. He was useless for us last year and the same for west ham this year. The main mistakes FSG have made is bringing Damien Comolli and letting him and Kenny spend over the top of average players. Also they should have given Kenny another year. But they didnt so we have to get behind whos in charge now. Rodgers has lowered the wage bill no end and some of the football we have played this season has been electric! We are just not consistent enough. We werent consistant last season or the season before either.

    I really hope our defense gets alot of money spent on it in the summer…..every opposition attack has my heart in my mouth. Yesterday was a good win though.

    I hope Rodgers gets another year at least.

    • stevieG says:

      Carroll is better than Borini by a mile. If we don’t get a top manager .Suarez will be off

      • Vikas Dhingra says:

        I think Carroll is better but think his off field, i like a drink statements and may be something behind closed doors effected his Liverpool departure. Suarez is off 90% sure, only a lack of top offers for him or serious investment from us will change that.

  • fod says:

    when i was a kid i was told that if you played april fools pranks after midday then you were actually the fool yourself. i that not true?

    cos this article is a joke and it was posted at 6pm. me thinks the writer is a fool.

    • Vikas Dhingra says:

      The article was written yesterday. So Fod, your not keen on giving BR another year? what do you want to see happen? More chopping and changing?

  • redsamoan says:

    dear fotheringham… what are u on? “experiment”? when rogers was appointed it was a given that this would be a long term project. we’re fortunate to get games live here in samoa and what i’ve seen has been pleasant on the eyes. and out of all of rodgers’ singnings the only questionable one so far has been assaidi and why he
    hasnt been given a shot in the premier league. i’ll wait another two years before assessing… too long for some i know but i honestly think we’re on the right track. remember we are not chelsea with kneejerk sackings!!!… unless you’re hodgson and play ugly football. YNWA.

    • stevieG says:

      Only questionable signing aassaidi ????

      Are you drunk ?? Allen is the worst and weakest midfielder I’ve seen

      All his summer buys are total dross.

      You need to get your eyes tested. Quick

      • redsamoan says:

        quite sober actually. and how did u know i wear glasses? allen showed at the start of the season he’s a good player, but has since been playing with an injury. need i remind u of a certain brazilian everyone thought was crap? now one of the first names on the team sheet!… im seeing my optometrist tomorrow thanks. when will u be seeing your proccy…gist?

        • redrum says:

          No comparison between Allen and Lucas . That’s ludicrous . Totally different scenarios. Allen is rubbish. A total waste of money

          • redsamoan says:

            just like no comparison between lucas and alonso at the time? not saying lucas is better than xabi just that allen should be given as much of a chance as lucas.

          • David Tobin says:

            I agree .Allen wouldn’t even get in the Swansea team this year . Laudrup wouldn’t have someone like that

            Allen has had over 40 games. About 30 to many in my opinion

      • daboy says:

        you need to watch more football if Allen is the worst my god.

  • Darren whittle says:

    Id give br time best football we have played in years he mite not be the most expirenced manager in the world but given time they will domanate

  • Voland says:

    A little too hard on FSG – they have after all sunk money into the club after saving it from H&G. The other points made however strike a chord, while the conclusion (that they should stick with the Rodgers experiment) might be the only way forward … the disclaimer aside of course. As Vikas rightly points out, “Rafael Benitez is welcome back any time, he’s got unfinished business and more importantly he’s one of us. In Rafa we Trust.”

    • Voland says:

      “A little too harsh …” was what I meant to say in the opening sentence.

      • Vikas Dhingra says:

        Thanks Voland. May be you’ve got a point. I look at what we need and what we’ve got and feel FSG need to put some real money in the team this summer.

        • Bailey says:

          They wont . They don’t care .

        • Darren whittle says:

          Hi vikas ive been watching lpool 36 years through hysel and hilsborough and beleive me there as been some qualty teams down the years and also poor teams exsample souness and hodgson but br as been in the job not even a season and people are getting on is back they should be getting behind him if you look he as turn poor players like henderson and downing into not world class but half decent players people need to get off is back

          • redrum says:

            Darren .he has also turned our top class defenders into bumbling idiots. Skrtel was player of the year supposedly worth 30m – and now ?

            None of our defense looks good anymore. The man is clueless. And his continued selection of Allen when fit is preposterous

  • macca says:

    I love Kenny, but the football last season did not cut it. Give Rogers a chance. Yes, Allen and Borini have been poor but so were Downing and Hendo last season. If we don’t start like last season and add a couple of quality starters, especially in defence, then we have a top 4 squad. Think positive.

  • Clopeck says:

    BR needs to stay good football being played and within 2 of 3 seasons we will be challenging for sure

  • sanebrain says:

    Gee’s comments are spot on.Liverpool have never been a club for changing managers every season.Anyone can see that it will take time to produce a top four side.We cannot compete with the moneybags clubs for top signings so we are going down a different route.I am convinced Rodgers will get us there.Look what his former club Swansea are achieving with attractive football,sensible buying and a sound financial policy.

  • Bailey says:

    Another season of Rodgers will mean another season of mediocrity

  • RoytheRed says:

    Rodgers is out of his depth, no more than a championship manager, with a championship managers mentality. Maybe this is what FSG want, a man that does’nt have too much ambition, so won’t kick up too much fuss or moan when his ambition is’nt being matched by the board. LFc are at best are a mid table club, can’t beat teams above them and struggle to beat the teams around and below them. Looks like FSG have bitten off more than they can chew, so i don’t believe in them or their manager.

    • GF says:

      Signing Coutinho was more ambitious than signing any of Kenny’s buys. In Brendan We Trust!

      • David Tobin says:

        Rubbish.
        Firstly Kenny signed Suarez

        Secondly .only a fool would trust Rodgers

  • Mike says:

    This is a joke, we are all meant to support and believe in our club. Liverpool Football Club is one of the biggest and greatest in our country. People are writing on here as if its a playstaion game and they can buy and sell and sack managers as they want, this is real this is prpoer life. The project liverpool are trying to do is brilliant they are trying to build a great club again around supporting its self rather than selfless teams like Chelsea and man city! We will be great again if that’s under Rodgers or sometime in the future! he is laying the foundatiotions for a wonderfully sucsessful future. He may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the philosophy and game he is trying to play Is brave and great! And winning ways are starting to come back! People are starting to fear us again, we go to stadiums and teams hope for draws we play at home and people don’t want to get the ball down and play against us!! STOP MOANING AT OUR YOUNG FORWARD THINKING TALENTED MANAGER. IN RODGERS WE TRUST! YNWA

    • RoytheRed says:

      Hey, i LOVE liverpool, but i have never seen us as bad as this, let’s face it we won’t be buying proven class players, like we used to, just youngsters with promise that FSG (hopefully for them ), sell on for profit. Hope you’re right about our ‘Talented forward thinking’ Manager ( made me laugh, that ) for the future of our beloved liverpool is at stake. You’re right about one thing though..YNWA.

    • redrum says:

      Winning ways ??? What you on about

      We have beaten just one decent side ALL season .that was a lucky win against Tottenham

      Rodgers is NOT the right man .we are building nothing ..so to continue with bad manager is detrimental.

      That’s why people want him out..not because ee expect instant success

    • David Tobin says:

      Delusional .it’s not going to happen .still believe in the tooth fairy too ?

    • David Tobin says:

      Forward thinking talented manager lol.

      Wake up fool. Rodgers is a failure

  • Kostas says:

    Thank God Shanks is not a manager today! He would have been shown the door during year 1 from all those “fans” who do not understand anything on planning for medium and long term. Gents, do you want immediate success? Well… Chelsea and Man City are 2 obvious choices. Paris St Germain seems to be another overseas! Please take your creative thinking and patience with you while leaving! The team inherited by Rodgers WAS/IS NOT Champions League material. It needs shrewd business in the transfer market, 4-5 more players of the Coutinho-Sturridge mould and tons of patience. Can you live with that?

    • redrum says:

      Like Allen assaidi BorinI ?

      You must live with the pixies if you believe Rodgers can bring success

      This guy was sacked by Reading for being useless

      • daboy says:

        So was many managers who made it to the top were sacked by lesser teams Klopp for example its the nature of the game of course someone with a better knowledge would know that.

  • paul says:

    Benitez is not coming back, he’s not welcome for all his faults (forcing alonso out)

    Kenny spent 100m on bad players (fact)

    Ancelotti is not coming, he’s got a job

    back the manager and give him time

  • Tony says:

    Great read and I agree 100%.

  • Greg says:

    I find comments a bit hard to swallow as it feels like your commenting on our beloved football club with your head in the sand. You seem to have forgotten that King Kenny spent a fortune on some average players and based on the 2nd half of last season out results would have us placed in 17th position. That is what lost Kenny his job. Brendan to me has spent wisely on two players who seem to be a good fit and performing very well. (Sturridge & courtiniho) and not to mention that our style of play is really transforming in to some great football. We have had a few defensive problems this season but I honestly believe we ARE heading in the right direction. Mike you talk sense unlike those who think they do (vikas) Lets get behind this revolution and back Rodgers. YNWA

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