Re: Football Chat Thread : Mon Feb 07, 2011 11:14 pm  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

The past few years we've drifted to our lowest point during the decade, but we are still a huge club. I'm uncertain about finances at the moment, but if we act as competitively as we did in January, we'll be competing for top players just like everybody else, and I don't see any reason why young players with aspirations won't come here. There are rules being brought in that potentially work heavily in our favour, we have a huge fan base globally, the potential extension of Anfield or new stadium will also be massive. Things aren't so bad, but the damage Hicks and Gillett caused will set us back a couple of years, though.

On the other hand though that could also speed up with performances on the pitch too. No reason why them two can't be put in the past and the club move on quickly. Liverpool as a brand, I'd guess, will makes huge amounts of money each year. Finances seem stable now with the new board in place too.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:20 am  

Dan_FC wrote:

On the other hand though that could also speed up with performances on the pitch too. No reason why them two can't be put in the past and the club move on quickly. Liverpool as a brand, I'd guess, will makes huge amounts of money each year. Finances seem stable now with the new board in place too.

That's also where we've been sort of left behind. Purslow loaning out Aquilani and Insua, signing players like Joe Cole and Jovanovic (Benitez) on big deals, whilst there are plenty of other players on large deals that probably don't justify it. Shipping them out and filtering out the dead wood will probably done this summer, but if we end up selling 5-10 players and bringing in a similar amount, then you're talking a good season to gel things and build. We're in a rebuilding process, basically, that should have been taking place last summer, but is instead taking place this summer.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 12:42 am  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

That's also where we've been sort of left behind. Purslow loaning out Aquilani and Insua, signing players like Joe Cole and Jovanovic (Benitez) on big deals, whilst there are plenty of other players on large deals that probably don't justify it. Shipping them out and filtering out the dead wood will probably done this summer, but if we end up selling 5-10 players and bringing in a similar amount, then you're talking a good season to gel things and build. We're in a rebuilding process, basically, that should have been taking place last summer, but is instead taking place this summer.

It doesn't always have to take a long time to gel though, does it? We have this myth, amongst others, in the Prem that new signings take months, if not years to work but it doesn't have too. We've seen plenty of players come in and work within a few months. I was discussing your club with a red supporting work colleague yesterday, the rebuilding's started with Suarez and Carroll, it seems the next step will be Dalglish signing up. I know you weren't keen early on but you think he's the man to sign up on a longer contract? The nucleus of the squad is still there, add the signings of Suarez and Carroll and things are as bad as it seems. As you say the process is beginning this summer instead of last but it only puts you a year behind which can easily be made up. You're nailed on for a top 6 finish this season, that in itself is already brighter than how it looked a few months back.

It could be worse too, over the last few years we've been on the verge of breaking the top four on numerous occasions, fifth placed finishes, FA Cup final, Carling Cup semi final and a decent attempt at UEFA Cup and Europa League. That's not a million miles away, we're going backwards at a huge rate and without investement we're in big trouble. Falling behind a lot of clubs, the future doesn't look great.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:03 am  

Roofs wrote:

Because Liverpool have been established as a huge force in British football since the 60's / 70's for so many reasons, not just football but what they mean to the city e.g. culture. The trophy record is fantastic, they have supporters in countries around the world (something I doubt Chelsea have), and are firmly established as the second most famous British club after Man U. I just can't see Chelsea ever reaching the level of fame, support and therefore size that Liverpool have.

I live in America. I've just moved house so haven't got Fox Soccer Channel any more, but in the old house I did have it. Pretty much every week I'd get to watch Chelsea play live. If the game wasn't on FSC, ESPN would have it.

The reason Chelsea are shown live every week is because we are one of the top 2 sides in the Premier League right now. The TV channels know this and that's why they put us and Utd on every week.

I don't particularly look out for the other games that are televised, but the fact is if Man Utd and Chelsea are having all their games televised live every week, Liverpool won't be. Most soccer fans who are getting into the PL in the USA will support Chelsea or Manchester United, simply because it's who they get to watch the most of.

I'm guessing the situation will be the same over in Asia. In Africa we're pretty much going to be an automatic choice for Africans because Drogba, Kalou and Essien play for us.

Chelsea will have grown massively in support over the last 6 years simply because they've spent virtually every year winning titles or being mighty close. Liverpool have become a joke where every season is going to be their season until they finally admit the truth and wrte the season off again.

If you think Liverpool have added to their fan base with anything like the numbers that Chelsea have then you're nuts.

And personally, I could give a **** who has the most worldwide fans. It's important to a guy like Peter Kenyon, it's in no way important to me.

Liverpool have traditionally been a bit bigger than us in terms of gates, but not glaringly bigger. In terms of trophies Liverpool hoovered them up while we were a trophy free zone like Citeh.

But ultimately I couldn't give a to55 about the size of the club either. I started supporting Chelsea when they were in the second division. It took 20 years for us to even get close to winning anything. If I cared about the size of the club then I'd have done what you did and just picked the side I liked most from the top 3.

If size is so important to Liverpool, and you, then they should really be supporting Manchester United.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:08 am  

Roofs wrote:

Tbf though Liverpool won their top flight titles as opposed to buying them....

If you weren't so dumb I'd tell you to research the ownership history of LFC and find out when Liverpool were owned by the Littlewoods pools billionaires.

But you'll be too dumb to find.

I'd also ask you to look at the managerial records of Shankly and Mourinho, and ask you to point out the manager who looks to have got lucky with one rich club, while the other had success pretty much everywhere he went.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:09 am  

Roofs wrote:

You know it's true. Liverpool are a massive club around the world, Chelsea are a fairly big club in Britain. And I say that as someone who doesn't support either, so have no bias.

You may not have bias, but you more than make up for it with stupidity.

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:03 am  

Pepe Reina says much the same as 'nando' and won't rule out replacing vds at united - Warning - may contain traces of links to the sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... nited.html

Pepe Reina says much the same as 'nando' and won't rule out replacing vds at united - Warning - may contain traces of links to the sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... nited.html

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:13 am  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

The past few years we've drifted to our lowest point during the decade, but we are still a huge club. I'm uncertain about finances at the moment, but if we act as competitively as we did in January, we'll be competing for top players just like everybody else, and I don't see any reason why young players with aspirations won't come here. There are rules being brought in that potentially work heavily in our favour, we have a huge fan base globally, the potential extension of Anfield or new stadium will also be massive. Things aren't so bad, but the damage Hicks and Gillett caused will set us back a couple of years, though.

Surely you're not that naive that you don't realise that you only spent 35 on Carroll as you knew the Torres money was coming. £1 million spent in the window was it?

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:21 am  

Mark wrote:

Surely you're not that naive that you don't realise that you only spent 35 on Carroll as you knew the Torres money was coming. £1 million spent in the window was it?

I think the word is 'net'

Re: Football Chat Thread : Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:28 am  

Mark wrote:

Surely you're not that naive that you don't realise that you only spent 35 on Carroll as you knew the Torres money was coming. £1 million spent in the window was it?