Liverpool Thread 2011/12

Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

BrianW said:
No one can deny Liverpool's 'history'; but history is only helpful if it a) means you have more fans than most and b) encourages good players to join.

So far Liverpool fans have done a lot of moaning and bellyaching (God knows what they'd be like in the third tier) but they have generally stayed loyal. They will still turn up at Anfield and buy the shirts and stuff and give the club a good revenue. In principle, they're also an attractive employer to many players - it's just they can't compete on wages with us, Chelsea and (probably) United, and they haven't got the Champions League thing.

Problem is, their squad looks threadbare at best. Some of the players are mid-table quality, a few are just dross. The quality players (Reina and Gerrard in particular) look to be mostly past their best. So they need to do a fair bit of recruitment, and their recent record in that department is poor. They need to learn from Newcastle and Spurs as to how to get decent players for relatively little.

Next problem - new manager, whoever he is, will have to be a freaking genius. Anything less than top 4 will not do for the owners, and the fans have high, probably unrealistic expectations. They don't just want to win, but win pretty and at the same time maintain the 'Liverpool tradition' whatever that is exactly.

Next problem - the owners. These guys are rich compared to the average Joe, but paupers next to Mansour. In addition, having wasted £100 million last year, I doubt they want to lash out again. In fact, I have a sneaky suspicion they want to sell the club as soon as they find a way to turn a penny. They've probably already had a nasty shock, discovering the PL is not like whatever league it is they know about in the USA. That it is, essentially, a money pit unless you are extremely shrewd/lucky or can afford to take a long-term-view.

Next problem - the stadium. Outdated dump, albeit nowhere near as bad as their neighbour's. Needs expansion and redevelopment or a whole new stadium. Not cheap either way. In fact, extremely costly.

My prediction - they have to find the next Shankley/Matt Busby/Clough (and they have to find him quick). Do that and they'll be OK, albeit it will take 5-7 years to sort out. Otherwise - the new Aston Villa. If they're lucky.
Click to expand...

Agree with virtually all of that.

I only wish they could have a bit more grace and accept things aren't going well, rather than a really quite aggressive side to many fans - blaming City and Chelsea for 'ruining' the league, United for breathing, the FA for having a grudge and whoever else crosses their path.

They seem to think any valid assessment of their current situation as a provocative mickey take, rather than being a simple 'view' on matters.

It's staggering that such a great club (and they are) can't keep a big of dignity and just say "yes, it's not our finest moment, but we'll do what we always do and come back".

I have a rule of thumb that bears up well.... judge people not by their actions when things are going well, but how they act in the face of adversity.
 
Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

BrianW said:
No one can deny Liverpool's 'history'; but history is only helpful if it a) means you have more fans than most and b) encourages good players to join.

So far Liverpool fans have done a lot of moaning and bellyaching (God knows what they'd be like in the third tier) but they have generally stayed loyal. They will still turn up at Anfield and buy the shirts and stuff and give the club a good revenue. In principle, they're also an attractive employer to many players - it's just they can't compete on wages with us, Chelsea and (probably) United, and they haven't got the Champions League thing.

Problem is, their squad looks threadbare at best. Some of the players are mid-table quality, a few are just dross. The quality players (Reina and Gerrard in particular) look to be mostly past their best. So they need to do a fair bit of recruitment, and their recent record in that department is poor. They need to learn from Newcastle and Spurs as to how to get decent players for relatively little.

Next problem - new manager, whoever he is, will have to be a freaking genius. Anything less than top 4 will not do for the owners, and the fans have high, probably unrealistic expectations. They don't just want to win, but win pretty and at the same time maintain the 'Liverpool tradition' whatever that is exactly.

Next problem - the owners. These guys are rich compared to the average Joe, but paupers next to Mansour. In addition, having wasted £100 million last year, I doubt they want to lash out again. In fact, I have a sneaky suspicion they want to sell the club as soon as they find a way to turn a penny. They've probably already had a nasty shock, discovering the PL is not like whatever league it is they know about in the USA. That it is, essentially, a money pit unless you are extremely shrewd/lucky or can afford to take a long-term-view.

Next problem - the stadium. Outdated dump, albeit nowhere near as bad as their neighbour's. Needs expansion and redevelopment or a whole new stadium. Not cheap either way. In fact, extremely costly.

My prediction - they have to find the next Shankley/Matt Busby/Clough (and they have to find him quick). Do that and they'll be OK, albeit it will take 5-7 years to sort out. Otherwise - the new Aston Villa. If they're lucky.
Click to expand...

Unless and until the stadium issue is resolved they are condemned to tread water, at best. If this is not sorted out in the next couple of years I think they will be left so far behind the rest, that assuming FFP has the widely predicted consequence of 'pulling the drawbridge up' they are fucked imo.
 
Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

gordondaviesmoustache said:
Unless and until the stadium issue is resolved they are condemned to tread water, at best. If this is not sorted out in the next couple of years I think they will be left so far behind the rest, that assuming FFP has the widely predicted consequence of 'pulling the drawbridge up' they are fucked imo.
Click to expand...
Could an unsuccessful Liverpool fill a 60k stadium? I don't think they could. Under Woy they got 35k against Bolton. Our attendances even during Pearce's era never dropped that low and yet I don't think we'd fill 60k right now.
 
Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

Skashion said:
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Unless and until the stadium issue is resolved they are condemned to tread water, at best. If this is not sorted out in the next couple of years I think they will be left so far behind the rest, that assuming FFP has the widely predicted consequence of 'pulling the drawbridge up' they are fucked imo.
Click to expand...
Could an unsuccessful Liverpool fill a 60k stadium? I don't think they could. Under Woy they got 35k against Bolton. Our attendances even during Pearce's era never dropped that low and yet I don't think we'd fill 60k right now.
Click to expand...

I believe that if they could flick a switch and have a 60k stadium right now they would fill it.

They still have an enormous appeal among people of my generation throughout the UK and within your generation in Asia. Although their global following is, to some extent built on sand, the same could not be said of their (lower;-)) middle aged suppporters in this country.

Do not forget the impact that building a new stadium has had on demand for tickets at Sunderland, Bolton and, yes, City. I am sure that the attendant goodwill that such an undertaking generates would give them sufficient impetus to fill a 60k stadium for a couple of seasons based on their showing this season.

That is hardly the point, however. There is no switch to flick and the longer they go without a stadium to reflect their ambitions as a club, the less likely those ambtions can ever be realised.
 
Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

Skashion said:
gordondaviesmoustache said:
Unless and until the stadium issue is resolved they are condemned to tread water, at best. If this is not sorted out in the next couple of years I think they will be left so far behind the rest, that assuming FFP has the widely predicted consequence of 'pulling the drawbridge up' they are fucked imo.
Click to expand...
Could an unsuccessful Liverpool fill a 60k stadium? I don't think they could. Under Woy they got 35k against Bolton. Our attendances even during Pearce's era never dropped that low and yet I don't think we'd fill 60k right now.
Click to expand...

Oh fucking dear, didn't know that tasty little stat.

And I got called a glory supporter by a dipper the other day... the irony is lost on them.
 
Re: Liverpool Thread 2012

BoyBlue_1985 said:
Hamann Pineapple said:
Been told Laudrup next 'pool manager, anyone know what the odds are with the bookmakers ?
Click to expand...

He already declined the opportunity to speak to them
Click to expand...

Maybe Laudrup as well as having likely read "Gangsters and Football", can see through the NESV spin.
 
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