Champions League return a must (ESPN article)

[dave u]

Between 2005-09 Liverpool FC were arguably the most consistent team in the Champions League. In that five year period under Rafa Benitez, the Reds reached two finals; winning one they should have lost and losing one they should have won. In addition to those finals, there was also a narrow semifinal defeat to Chelsea, while the following year saw a loss to the same opposition at the quarterfinal stage. The lone 'failure' was a loss to Benfica in the 'Last 16' stage in 2006.

For that five year period, Liverpool were genuinely big time again. Maybe not top dogs in their own country, but around Europe the Reds' reputation was sky high and attracting players was relatively easy for the most part. When you combined the name and rich tradition of 'Liverpool FC' with 'Champions League Football' and those incredible European nights at Anfield, there were very few players who didn't fancy experiencing a bit of that.

Sadly, things have changed now. The name and rich tradition is still there but Champions League football is no longer on offer and it's beginning to have an impact when it comes to attracting -- and indeed keeping -- players.

Read the full article here.

[PaulMcC]

Good article, Dave. We have also hampered our chances of getting back in by appointing an experienced manager ahead of experienced managers who have proven they can punch above their weight like Louis Van Gaal.

[magicrat]

Article hits the nail on the head although plenty still in denial.

[bonesman]

Good read that Dave, spot on too

Thanks..

[Russ Atmosphere]

Good article, Dave. We have also hampered our chances of getting back in by appointing an experienced manager ahead of experienced managers who have proven they can punch above their weight like Louis Van Gaal.

 

I'd probably go along with that, but good managers have to start somewhere and only time will tell if the owners have titted this up again. Last season improved upon the one before it with the vastly more experienced manager.

[ZonkoVille77]

Any chance of flooding FSG with multiple copies of that article?

[Captain]

Any chance of just posting it here?

[Mark M]

Good Article. Agree 100%.

[PaulMcC]

I'd probably go along with that, but good managers have to start somewhere and only time will tell if the owners have titted this up again. Last season improved upon the one before it with the vastly more experienced manager.

 

Everything we seem to be doing as a club is making it harder for us to get back in. Appointing an inexperienced manager, cutting the wage bill, buying players for future instead of now. When Van Gaal wanted the job (or Benitez, don't want to start an argument), he should've got it as he has far more proven record than Rodgers and has brought through loads of good young players.

 

We are making it harder for ourselves.

[Russ Atmosphere]

Everything we seem to be doing as a club is making it harder for us to get back in. Appointing an inexperienced manager, cutting the wage bill, buying players for future instead of now. When Van Gaal wanted the job (or Benitez, don't want to start an argument), he should've got it as he has far more proven record than Rodgers and has brought through loads of good young players.

 

We are making it harder for ourselves.

 

Well they have been saving wages on the playing side so you could say they wanted a young cheap manager with potential.

[PaulMcC]

Well they have been saving wages on the playing side so you could say they wanted a young cheap manager with potential.

 

Sounds like one big cost cutting exercise. They can point to Rodgers past in youth football where he was apparently good, but Van Gaal has a brilliant record of bringing through young players, too.

 

I just wish we'd make decisions that made it easier to get back up there than taking loads of chances that imo make it harder.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Everything we seem to be doing as a club is making it harder for us to get back in. Appointing an inexperienced manager, cutting the wage bill, buying players for future instead of now. When Van Gaal wanted the job (or Benitez, don't want to start an argument), he should've got it as he has far more proven record than Rodgers and has brought through loads of good young players.

 

We are making it harder for ourselves.

 

A high profile manager would certainly help attracting players.

 

However, not lowering the wage bill and buying (likely pricier) players for the here and now would come at a high cost; for a club already losing money and a fanbase worried about debt is it so odd that FSG decided not to gamble with the finances?

 

Spending significantly over-and above income may work, but without bottomless pits of cash it can only be tried in the short term, and comes with the risk of debt and a slide into repayment driven mediocrity.

 

Sustainability allows for repeated attempts to build a top four side, but runs the risk of us never really getting close.

 

Neither's ideal, and the decision isn't simple.

[MLB]

The flaw I see in the argument is that we weren't in the CL when we signed Suarez in the first place. Therefore it makes no sense to say that we can't sign players of that quality without CL football. Will it be easy? No. But that's what the scouts are there for.

 

Dortmund are an excellent model for us. They have built themselves into a formidable team both domestically and in Europe through excellent scouting and developing players. What makes it a bit harder for us is the ridiculous spending power of City and Chelsea (and to a lesser extent Utd). It's also vital that if Suarez does leave, it isn't to go to Arsenal or anyone else in this country.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

The flaw I see in the argument is that we weren't in the CL when we signed Suarez in the first place. Therefore it makes no sense to say that we can't sign players of that quality without CL football. Will it be easy? No. But that's what the scouts are there for.

 

Dortmund are an excellent model for us. They have built themselves into a formidable team both domestically and in Europe through excellent scouting and developing players. What makes it a bit harder for us is the ridiculous spending power of City and Chelsea (and to a lesser extent Utd). It's also vital that if Suarez does leave' date=' it isn't to go to Arsenal or anyone else in this country.[/quote']

 

We hadn't been out the champions league for four years at that time either, though.

[moof]

It's not Rodgers fault that we're not in the champions league, either. If people think van Gaal would've come in here, stuck it to Arsenal and Spurs and got us in the champions league in one season then they must be a bit daft.

 

You don't go from a steady decline to a massive jump in the space of one season.

[MLB]

We hadn't been out the champions league for four years at that time either, though.

 

 

Maybe not, but we are a much better proposition to get back in there now than we were then.

[Ted]

It's not Rodgers fault that we're not in the champions league' date=' either. If people think van Gaal would've come in here, stuck it to Arsenal and Spurs and got us in the champions league in one season then they must be a bit daft.

 

You don't go from a steady decline to a massive jump in the space of one season.[/quote']

 

Spot on

[FrenchEyeGlass]

It's not Rodgers fault that we're not in the champions league' date=' either. If people think van Gaal would've come in here, stuck it to Arsenal and Spurs and got us in the champions league in one season then they must be a bit daft.

 

You don't go from a steady decline to a massive jump in the space of one season.[/quote']

 

Exactly. How people can have a go at Brendan for last year when he had to rely on a bunch of teenage novices is beyond me.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

 

We hadn't been out the champions league for four years at that time either' date=' though.[/quote']

 

I agree but our reputation as a European powerhouse is far more of a distant memory now. When Luis was coming in, it was far easier to explain our slump as simply due to a shit owl faced cunt of a manager and some yank twats screwing the club.

[Guest San Don]

The flaw I see in the argument is that we weren't in the CL when we signed Suarez in the first place. Therefore it makes no sense to say that we can't sign players of that quality without CL football. Will it be easy? No. But that's what the scouts are there for.

 

As has been pointed out before, we hadnt been out of the CL that long never mind not even in the EL.

 

Dortmund are an excellent model for us. They have built themselves into a formidable team both domestically and in Europe through excellent scouting and developing players. What makes it a bit harder for us is the ridiculous spending power of City and Chelsea (and to a lesser extent Utd). It's also vital that if Suarez does leave, it isn't to go to Arsenal or anyone else in this country.

 

I agree to an extent about Dortmund. But let's not kid ourselves either. They have lost a couple of their top players to Bayern despite all the progress they have made.

[ZonkoVille77]

The flaw I see in the argument is that we weren't in the CL when we signed Suarez in the first place. Therefore it makes no sense to say that we can't sign players of that quality without CL football. Will it be easy? No. But that's what the scouts are there for.

 

Dortmund are an excellent model for us. They have built themselves into a formidable team both domestically and in Europe through excellent scouting and developing players. What makes it a bit harder for us is the ridiculous spending power of City and Chelsea (and to a lesser extent Utd). It's also vital that if Suarez does leave, it isn't to go to Arsenal or anyone else in this country.

 

I'd like to point out something else about Dortmund. Their fans stood by the club and manager through good and bad. The majority of our fans these days are just a bunch of blubbering fuckwits who want instant success.

[Nightcat]

Absolutely spot on.

 

But how can Liverpool return in the Champions League, when their manager has never managed in the Champions League, when most of our signings have never played in the Champions League and when we are consistently selling/loaning our key players?

[Trumo]

Absolutely spot on.

 

But how can Liverpool return in the Champions League, when their manager has never managed in the Champions League, when most of our signings have never played in the Champions League and when we are consistently selling/loaning our key players?

 

Why don't you just say you want the club to be owned by some multi-billionaire who is prepared to spend big on players and coaching staff as well as build a new stadium? Because it's clear from your posting record that this would be the only way to make you happy.

[Nunavut Patrick]

I see Dave eventually taking over from Steve McManaman next to Ian Darke; he can be the token Scouser to edumacate us foolish North Americans on 'sawker'.

[Nightcat]

Why don't you just say you want the club to be owned by some multi-billionaire who is prepared to spend big on players and coaching staff as well as build a new stadium? Because it's clear from your posting record that this would be the only way to make you happy.

 

I would love fan ownership. If this was not feasible YES, I would want a wealthy investor who would invest BIG money on a World Class manager, world class players and a new stadium.

 

I'd rather have Mansour than this crap Broughton has sold us to.