Report: FSG hold meeting with Michael Edwards with Liverpool return on the cards

3 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

My mate and I had a couple of similar texts last night. 
 

Although the Mo situation might already be out of our hands, my thoughts are…

 

Like Messi used to have at Barca (until he didn’t) the club and players agree an automatic extension that kicks in 12/18/24m in advance of the current expiry.

 

That way, the club is protected so players don’t leave on a free and the players are protected that if they are out the side or are unhappy, they can chose not to extend .

That only worked for Messi because his wages were so much higher than the rest of football (with the exception of one player) that a deal like that meant nothing.

The only time you got into any meaningful negotiation with him was when Ronaldo's wages eclipsed his and Barca had to chuck a sweetener on top.

3 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

That only worked for Messi because his wages were so much higher than the rest of football (with the exception of one player) that a deal like that meant nothing.

 

The only time you got into any meaningful negotiation with him was when Ronaldo's wages eclipsed his and Barca had to chuck a sweetener on top.

I don’t see us giving Mo or VVD new 3 year deals, so what is the alternative? 

1 minute ago, Scott_M said:

I have to admit, I don’t understand where Edwards would fit in all this. IMO, it just adds an extra level to the structure. 
 

If / when it’s announced, I’ll be interested to see what the reports are of who controls what aspects of their roles. 

Sounds like he's going to be an FSG level appointment (like Theo Epstein on the Baseball side) and Richard Hughes would be the day to day sporting director at the club.

It's the Gordon/Hogan roles that need clarity (not for us we don't really care at that level), Gordon in particular, as you'd assume Hughes will be the facilitator bringing data/scouting, manager and Edwards together where previously Edwards was doing that with Klopp and Gordon.

It does sound like Edwards is being lined up to take Gordon’s role.  Maybe Gordon wants to move to another role in FSG now his mate Jurgen is leaving.  

18 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

I don’t see us giving Mo or VVD new 3 year deals, so what is the alternative? 

The Utd approach under Ferguson, which might have been what you meant, it was just different to the Messi example because of the power he wielded at the club.

It'll be partly data led but I'd be surprised if they dish out three year deals to players that data suggests only have 2 years before a cliff edge, that doesn't stop them adding club or player trigger-able add on years based on appearance/performance for protection.

Wouldn't be shocked if Salah got a two year deal and VVD a three year deal (or 2 plus 1).

Let's be honest, they last time Edwards had any say in this team, he helped assemble, arguably our greatest ever team. 

OK, this time he won't be the sporting director, but he's still got his fingers in the pie. So I for one am extremely excited about the future

Salah is 31, fit as a fiddle and atleast as fit as Ronaldo who was still banging in goals left, right and centre for Juventus at the age of 36. Salah's attitude is miles better than Ronaldo and he will be invaluable in guiding other players like he is doing for Harvey.

Salah can easily play at the highest level for atleast 3-4 years. 

Virgil can also easily play at the highest level for next 4 years. His organization, positioning and passing are second to none. 

We will absolutely mental to not tie them on new contracts. 

22 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

The Utd approach under Ferguson, which might have been what you meant, it was just different to the Messi example because of the power he wielded at the club.

What was the Ferguson deal? 

38 minutes ago, aws said:

It does sound like Edwards is being lined up to take Gordon’s role.  Maybe Gordon wants to move to another role in FSG now his mate Jurgen is leaving.  

Isn’t Gordon on the FSG board? 
 

Don’t Hogan, Klopp and (previously) Edwards / Ward all report to Gordon?

6 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

What was the Ferguson deal? 

For his older players they'd get a 1 year deal with an option, occasionally a two year deal.

Football has changed a fair bit though and as others have said VVD and Salah could play longer so I'd expect closer to two years/ two years plus one (or even three outright if there's sufficient confidence).

Either way no new manager, with a new sporting director, is going to come in and make their first action to sell two of our most influential and productive players.

Letting them run down their deals amounts to the same thing so high on the to do list will be Salah, Trent and Virg.

13 minutes ago, TD_LFC said:

 

For his older players they'd get a 1 year deal with an option, occasionally a two year deal.

 

Football has changed a fair bit though and as others have said VVD and Salah could play longer so I'd expect closer to two years/ two years plus one (or even three outright if there's sufficient confidence).

 

Either way no new manager, with a new sporting director, is going to come in and make their first action to sell two of our most influential and productive players.

 

Letting them run down their deals amounts to the same thing so high on the to do list will be Salah, Trent and Virg.

 

 

Yeah, that’s more or less what I meant.

The rest makes sense. Fingers crossed. 

52 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Isn’t Gordon on the FSG board? 
 

Don’t Hogan, Klopp and (previously) Edwards / Ward all report to Gordon?

Not sure about the exact details of the current management set up but this all sounds like Edwards will be the main interface between the club and the FSG board. 

@Scott_Mpersonally hoping both plsyers sign new deals. Agree on your point regards vvd and thiago silva. Though you couldn't blame the club for cashing in on Mo given the size of fee we'd get and I think we'd be very confident in Edwards and Co's ability to reinvest the funds.

Saying that, both are pretty much irreplaceable given where they're at  currently. 

14 hours ago, dave u said:

 

Nice job by him taking what the LFC reporters have already written and then talking like he's got the big scoop himself. Romano-esque that.

Didn’t take that cunt long to jump on the bandwagon either. 

18 minutes ago, Freddo said:

@Scott_Mpersonally hoping both plsyers sign new deals. Agree on your point regards vvd and thiago silva. Though you couldn't blame the club for cashing in on Mo given the size of fee we'd get and I think we'd be very confident in Edwards and Co's ability to reinvest the funds.

Saying that, both are pretty much irreplaceable given where they're at  currently. 

I hope both players stay as well. Obviously we don’t know Mo’s intentions, sounds like VVD still intends to be here for the long term.
 

I’d be surprised if we weren’t to extend VVD, hopefully Mo as well. However, given recent comments on Edwards being emotionless and how he seemed to be against some of the previous extensions, I don’t think it’s a guarantee anymore. 

He doesn't have to be emotional to see the value of Salah to this team.

He can be an idiot to not see it though.

Looking forward to quality reasoned debate about manager versus transfer committee.

Pick a side folks. 

11 minutes ago, Carra_is_legend said:

He doesn't have to be emotional to see the value of Salah to this team.

 

He can be an idiot to not see it though.

Yeah, there's a difference between giving an older player an extension because of what they've done for the team in the past despite a declining skill set and giving players who are still valuable and productive extensions.

The first one is an emotional decision, the second one isn't.

We're not hiring the Terminator we're potentially re-hiring somebody previously very successful in a different position alongside a sporting director, these weird lurches to the extreme based on the use of words by journo's is, well, weird.

Never heard of that cunt.

3 hours ago, Scott_M said:

I have to admit, I don’t understand where Edwards would fit in all this. IMO, it just adds an extra level to the structure. 
 

If / when it’s announced, I’ll be interested to see what the reports are of who controls what aspects of their roles. 

I've always had the impression that when Edwards was sporting director , he and klopp would need to speak to Gordon as FSGs man to get things done and set budgets, spend outside of club guidance etc. at the same time we've had a CEO, but they've normally been not much more than a glorified chief commercial officer. But as CEO , they have some scope over football, because ultimately it's the CEO and that's the job. 

My guess is Edwards wants a role that takes Gordon's position from the escalation path. Takes whatever the CEO would be responsible for on the footballing side. And if there's multi club model, he owns that too. But day one he becomes a sort of managing director, allowing Gordon to do other things. Ultimately the idea will be Edwards is FSGs man on the ground for football. 

Wrong thread!