ALEX Manninger was on trial with Liverpool earlier this week. He might still be today, but I don’t really know the minutiae of how these things works. Either way, Liverpool decided they needed a third-choice goalkeeper.
Manninger offers someone who speaks English, has a pair of hands, and has banked some experience of being a back-up keeper for the best part of 20 years. Doesn’t seem a bad idea, does it?
Apparently it was, though. The Liverpool Echo ran a piece on Monday evening – ‘Liverpool FC fans divided over Manninger’
They also ran a poll and 51 per cent of people who voted deemed it to be a bad idea. Without asking the obvious question of ‘Why did you vote in that poll?’ we have people that appear to hold a strong opinion on a goalkeeper that will basically be used in training and at no other time. How can so many people care? Have you not got anything better to do than get really angry about who Liverpool’s third-choice goalkeeper is?
It’s practically an epidemic though, isn’t it? Moaning about all things Liverpool FC. If something happens, it’ll annoy someone. People forget that this football lark is supposed to be enjoyable. Getting angry with no end game. What’s the point?
The biggest bugbear of the serial complainers at the minute appears to be transfers, which given it’s July 13 makes perfect sense. The window opened 12 days ago so countrywide, teams are getting deals done, building their squad for next season, and getting things in place as they put their players, old and new, through a strenuous pre-season campaign.
Read: What Is The Signing That Excites The Mane Moaners?
We started pre-season training on July 2. On the first day of pre-season four new players turned up. Four. In this time I’ve heard people getting quite annoyed that we haven’t got our business done earlier — I’m not quite sure you can do much more than sign four players before you’ve started pre-season training (yes, Grujic and Matip weren’t signed over the summer, but they weren’t playing last season either).
A new goalkeeper, a centre back, a young exciting midfielder and a proven Premier League attacker in place on July 13. Presumably there’s more to come, but either way it’s a good start.
Compare and contrast with the clubs we’re supposed to compete with: Arsenal are at one signing, Chelsea are at one signing, Tottenham are at two, Manchester City are at two, while Manchester United are at three. So if you still believe in the concept of a big six, we’ve bagged more players than any of the other five.
You point this out to someone and the argument moves along to something that’s far more valid. You move on to the profile of player that has been signed. A young goalkeeper, a defender on a free transfer, a 20-year-old who hasn’t played outside of Serbia, and an attacker from Southampton.
It doesn’t really get the pulse beating does it? It isn’t Henrikh Mkhitaryan, it isn’t Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and it isn’t Ilkay Gundogan. The rest though, are you looking at Granit Xhaka, Victor Wanyama, Michy Batshuayi, Nolito and Erik Bailly and really thinking, ‘God I wish we had them?’. I honestly can’t say that I’m particularly bothered about them.
Three signings that City and United have made seemed to have moved people to anger. Two that Klopp has previously managed in Mkhitaryan and Gundongan. There is also Ibrahimovic, who, for all of his undoubted quality, will be 35 before United have played 10 league games.
What it has done, however, is cause people to look longingly down the M62 and question why we can’t sign those players. It’s a perfectly valid question. Why can’t we buy players that Manchester City and Manchester United are buying? Well the simple answer, sadly, is money and profile.
We aren’t poor by any stretch of the imagination — we’re the ninth richest club in world football. However, you hit a bump in the road when you convert that to the Premier League and we become the fifth richest club in this country. Arsenal, Chelsea, United and City are all richer than us, in some cases not by that much, but richer nonetheless. They have a financial edge. Paying £200k a week in wages to a string of stars isn’t really something we can compete with at this moment.
Instead of competing with them with money then, the most logical thing to do is compete with them in terms of scouting. You need to put the battle in your favour, and while we aren’t paupers — and there’s an argument that the owners could commit to higher wages or transfer fees — we have less money to play with. We also have the unfortunate reality that since Rafa Benitez left in 2010, Liverpool have played one season of Champions League football (and didn’t get out of the group).
Manchester United have missed three seasons of it since the 1993-94 season — they might not be in it this season but they can put it down to an anomaly. They can tell the top players that these things happen from time to time, and with the recruitment of a new manager they clearly see it’s wrong and the aim is that in 14 months’ time they’ll be back in it.
Get into a fight with Manchester United or Manchester City and nine times out of 10 the sad reality is that you will lose the battle. So don’t bother. Clever scouting is what we need.
Write yourself a list of the best 10 or so strikers/attackers in world football. I’ll go with Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Karim Benzema, Higuaín, Lewandowski, Aubameyang, Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Aguero, Muller, and Bale.
Strike off the ones who came through the youth system or their clubs, like Messi and Muller, and you’re left with players who Liverpool could at one stage have signed. In the case of Luis Suarez we actually did.
Aubameyang is probably the best recent example here. Remember in 2009/2010 when Liverpool played Lille in the Europa League? He was on the bench for Lille. He didn’t really make it during his loan spell from Milan though, scoring two goals in 14 games. He then went to St-Etienne and blossomed into a striker that Borussia Dortmund signed and has now become one of the hottest in Europe.
If we want him now then we have no chance, few clubs do. Robert Lewandowski was at Lech Poznan, Luis Suarez was at Ajax, Sergio Aguero was at Independiente in Argentina, Ibrahimovic Malmo and Ajax. Football is one big pecking order, and we’re higher up than all of them.
Get out there and get these players before they’re good. Or while they’re good and no-one has noticed. Taking a knife to a gun fight isn’t going to push Liverpool on to the next level. We’ve got players who fit this profile already — Coutinho, Sturridge, and Can definitely do, and hopefully the likes of Karius, Joe Gomez, Origi, Grujic and Matip will also end up in that bracket.
We have to box clever here, we don’t have to become a club who farms players, has them for a season or two and sells them on — and selling our players isn’t something that I want to see us do. However, Liverpool’s goal should be to build a team that piques the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
These clubs sign the top players generally. They play the game in a way that we can’t — they cherry pick the top talent from across Europe. Again, I don’t want to sell our players by any stretch of the imagination, but if they’re looking at our players and thinking that they’d do a job for them then that’s only a good thing. It means that we’ve got lots of good players and we’re probably doing well on the pitch.
So, if we aren’t getting the chequebook out to compete with United and City, don’t get angry — embrace the pragmatism and hope that they get it right.
The reality of the situation is that it has to be brains over brawn. For now.
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I remember reading the same thing on here after Liverpool signed Borini – “ooooh we can’t financially compete with anyone of note, but don’t worry we’re going to outsmart everyone”.
Was nonsense then too, Glen’s son could outsmart Liverpool – I don’t give a fuck who the manager is, there is some kind of institutional epigenetic stupidity that pervades throughout the place.
Liverpool have blown through £400m in the last five(?) years and are currently paying out the best part of £500k a week to nothing players like Benteke and Balotelli.
Money isn’t the issue, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, is.
Do you think all transfers are successful at other clubs? Not saying Liverpool have been perfect in their recruitment by any stretch, they haven’t, but if you look around transfers fail everywhere, all the time. So what is it you want Liverpool to do differently?
If you’re trying to sign the next big thing before they’re the next big thing, you’ve got to make some big gambles. And such with gambling, its not going to go well more often than not. With these punts you’re going to end up with a lot of Borini’s, Illoris, Aspi (plural for Aspas).
But if it’s the price you pay for your Coutinhos every now and then – It’s worth it.
Also im not sure Liverpool have done “the same thing over and over”, their transfers actually differ quite a lot.
Some are gambles on young talent – Origi, Gomez
Some are older, more experienced heads – Milner, Toure
Some are ‘premier league proven’ – Mane, Clyne
Some are unwanted from big clubs – Sturridge, Can
Some are straight up cheap – Matip, Karius
Some are players bossing in another league – Firmino, Markovic
(just as a few examples)
Excellent point, Alex, including plural for Aspas :)
All the players you have mentioned in the last paragraph , in my opinion, are success.(Will be success) no doubt. And as the article says we just have to be brain over brawn to continue to compete.
For every Carroll, benteke etc, we will always have coutinho, Sturridge and Co. As long as we get more rights than wrong, we will be on the upward trend surely.
This transfer winder seem to be leaving the club in net profit position.
Up the smart selling reds!!!
Liverpool have spent loads of money in the last 5/6/7 years on players, more than the vast majority of the league bar a few clubs but still finish 6/7/8th place.
That deserves criticism.
We do have to find a way past the mega spenders of Utd, City and Chelsea (who arnt the mega spenders they once were) but that doesn’t excuse regularly finishing behind Arsenal who arnt mega spenders. Spurs wouldn’t normally outspend us yet they now regularly finish above us.
We spend plenty of money on players but we’ve spent it poorly often.
Hopefully that’s changing now.
Smart spending, strong manager and a cohesive, consistent squad is what will help us take the next step to regular top 4 finishes and thus CL football.
It’s from that base that we can consistently mount title challenges.
If all you can do is moan then it’s seriously time to sit down and ask yourself what you want out of supporting LFC.
How many who constantly carp actually attend games?If they do then I for one fail to understand why.
Accept it for where we are look for the good points and get behind Klopp and the team.
We have made many mistakes in the transfer market but I truly believe Klopp will not repeat them. The man is a realist, why don’t you be the same.
Spendings, spendings, spendings … shop until you drop.
You will never learn. Klopp showed us the way, but you still don’t see it. So much about the believers over doubters.
Great article! Sums up the current financial realities at the club. Also remember Klopp was the manager who brought two of those guys to prominence.
It not about the money, but mindset.
Example:
Why did Leicester achieved so much last season? Everyone top to bottom knew what they were doing, what their goals were and all pulling in one direction. Why did Chelsea do so badly last season? Not everyone was pulling in the same direction (players revolt against Mourinho, probably triggered by the Eva Carneiro incident).
Bring in technically skilled players that wants to wear the shirt and not the pay packet. There are hundreds of Vardy up and down the land waiting by the phone for that lucky break.
How do you know there are “hundreds” of Vardys up and down the country?
The country has leagues where talent is noticed.
Fare point…got carried away with my exaggerations.
I don’t know how wide and far our scouting network is, but we a hampered by our status. We sniff about and it will be on tomorrows back page rumours with vultures, the likes of Spurs ready to pounce on our prize. Whereas as the likes of Bournemouth, no one batter an eyelid.
Leicester pulled off a fluke that we’ve failed to. You put your eggs in that basket and you may as well try to make up your salary down the bookies.
G
G…are you offering me a wager?…5000/1?
Kudos, credit and thanks to Liverpool fan Colin Murray for quitting Talk Sport due to its being taken over by Murdoch’s News Corp (home of The S**). Top man
& collymore (not having his contract renewed) having no such ethical/ moral/ personal gripes.
Fair play Colin.
Is it not unreasonable for the 5th richest club in the country to be regular Europa league competitors and top four contenders with the odd cup every other season?? Consistently achieving the aforementioned???
Instead, we are mid table with a squad so shallow we have a casino transfer policy that focuses on age, potential and future transfer profit rather than building a competitive team based on a players capabilities today.
Thus is why moaning is widespread amongst supporters who care about the club.
Because like burger franchises, the product behind the brand is particularly good quality.
Errata:
Because like burger franchises, the product behind the brand isnt particularly good quality.
I want the transfer policy to focus on the value that exists in the clubs above us, buying players who for obscure reasons are not getting regular first XI games but have huge ability and have a point to prove. Sturridge being a good example.Thrse players are frustrated and in the prime of their career. They will depreciate but have proven ability and are experienced. Enough of this money ball speculation on fucking kids. That is for the U21s.
And if you don’t like listening to moaning just remember people with a gripe are sick of listening to inane imbecile franchise brainwashed positivity that has no basis in the reality. Football is about opinions and banter, and always has been in this city
Top banter.
Well said.
G
Tell me who these lads at the clubs above who aren’t getting games that we should get? And ones who’ll come to us?
Kolo, Milner, Sturridge, Mane (and 5 more from saints :) are all great buys actually. Above average at least.
Yes, our track record over the past 5+ (10+) years has been terribly poor. And while most fans think the same of their clubs, Liverpool have spent a helluva lot of money. Our average league position over the past 5 years has been unacceptable, and I understand the temptation to moan and complain.
That said, Klopp hasn’t been at the club a year yet. As a fan, it’s not unreasonable to believe that he can make an actual difference in this regard. For one, he surely has a significant say in who is purchased (the last word on the matter according to him). Secondly, his past record of getting the most out of players is there for all to see.
Surely we need to give him the benefit of the doubt, at this early stage? If we end outside of the top four this season, there will be questions asked, and rightly so. But surely we can suspend the criticism for now, until he has at least had a fair go at it?
What’s more irritating than moaning fans is self righteous “real fans” taking to their high horses to belittle fans who aren’t happy that the Club has spent and spent to build big, mediocre squads.
G
It doesn’t have to turn into a fan v fan argument like some are so desperate to make it. Just have a conversation. No one is claiming to be a ‘real fan’ or anything else. Just offering an opinion. And people will get frustrated if they see moaning for what appears to be for the sake of it. You think the club got it wrong? Sound. So what is they realistically should have done and should be doing? It’s a fair question. It doesn’t need abuse or anything else. Just answer the question. Have the debate. Up the Reds.
Excellent piece that, agree with all of it . its not a far game and we have to do things differently to the mega rich clubs which means taking a gamble on a young player or buying off clubs who arent as rich as we are ( which is quite a few). the only problem is its getting harder and harder to find hidden gems with the amount of scouts top clubs have now there is very few secrets left in football.
Insightful article. I never want to see us employ the scattergun approach the likes of City, Chelsea and Utd are using. People will say it brings success but it’s so boring. Zlatan and Mkhitaryan? Genuinely don’t want them thanks. How would either fit in? Zlatan – great character though he is – is a short-term thing and wouldn’t fit into what we want our front-line to be and Mkhitaryan stuck the boot into Klopp when he left Dortmund. Little snide.
I want us to achieve success with signings like Karius and Grujic. Under the radar sorts. It’s just better that way and I don’t care what anyone says. Who’s heard Karius’ interviews? That lad is hear for Mignolet’s shirt. You can tell he is glfull of himself and I think that’s great.
*here
And the way that boy Grujic celebrated that goal – he will run through brick wall for this club and for Klopp (so will Emre Can, Origi, Mane and whole bunch more).
Reds will be alright
We haven’t been boxing clever though have we, Phil? We’ve just been doing what City, United, etc do without the willingness to pay the market value wages to players who win you trophies which has left us spending a load of money anyway but on mediocre return. Paying £30m for a Southampton player rather than £20m for a Borussia Dortmund player because the owners are fucking obsessed with wage bill being an example of this. A folly of a project up to now six years in but with Klopp in who knows.
This opinion’s baseless so anyone can tell me to shut up if they think I’m chatting shite but I honestly reckon the wages Benteke and Balotelli are on combined could have and could still snag a Sanchez/Goetze/whoever type for us. Just give aiming higher a go. Where were Bayern in the champions league mix when we were getting to the semis and finals ten years ago? And now look at them. (Juventus were in the Serie B weren’t they?) It doesn’t happen by accident. They had an ambition to become one of the top sides in Europe and made it happen. It starts by wanting it.
Juventus were in Serie B because they were caught cheating in 2006 and got dropped to lowest division and were working their way back up. Prior to 06 were still big spenders and have continued to be so. But nice cherry you picked there.
Last year wage bill was 166 million. Not exactly on the cheap but YMMV.
Goetze doesn’t want to be here or Klopp doesn’t want him. It’s not a case of the owners now wanting to spend on him. All the reports I’ve seen are that Klopp makes the call. Period. Should be fun to watch.
Ibrahimovic though??? I for one have never rated the player, more ego than talent.
Like you said – this football thing is supposed to be an enjoyable pastime – not some some people who see it as there right to depress the f*ck out of everyone else with heir holier than thou views.
Our football club is in good health. Enjoy it.