If there is no money why did we miss this obvious opportunity to enhance the squad?

[Guest simon]

If money is so tight, why did Liverpool FC miss this obvious opportunity to enhance the squad?

With plenty of talk about players Liverpool wanted and couldn’t afford to sign this summer, it seems strange to me that our squad wasn’t bolstered with some proven, experienced players on free transfers. As I will outline, there were quite a few players available who could’ve provided much needed competition in the squad.

 

After success of several good value ‘free agents’ down the years such as Gary McAllister and Karl Heinz-Riedle, I cannot believe that, in the current climate, more wasn’t done to secure some decent, experienced squad players to enhance the team in the short-term.

 

Gary McAllister was 35 when he signed for free back in 2000 and he later went on to be our most inspirational player in the famed ‘Treble’ season. I’m not saying that there is somebody around who can provide that sort of magic for Liverpool again, but surely it would make sense to have an experienced top flight veteran on the bench as opposed to some of the young guys that seem just to keep the bench warm and don’t get a game anyway!

 

I would like to highlight some of the gifted players who could have played a part for Liverpool in some way during the course of this season and possibly beyond.

 

Dietmar Hamann

Why not? He would love the opportunity to get the odd 10 minutes here and there for his beloved ‘pool. His legs may have gone, but he could provide ample cover for our current central midfield partnership and let’s be honest he would probably do as good a job as Lucas anyway.

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Danny Murphy

His contract expired with Fulham only for them to renew it as he has proven his worth and is club captain now. He was fantastic last season and again would really have given Lucas a run for his money in our starting 11.

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Robert Pires

I have no doubt that he could have provided us with much needed width and experience in the last third of the field. Could've been a last hurrah for one of French footballs generation of great players.

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Pavel Nedved

I am not just excavating dinosaurs here (!) - I said from the beginning that these players would provide good competition for the squad and possibly provide a few crucial passes for Torres or Gerrard. Nedved was one of the finest players in Europe up until a year or so ago. His vision and flair kept him at the top of Italian football for over a decade and the influence he could have on the youngsters and some of the senior squad who idolised him would be worth its weight in gold.

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Sol Campbell

So he’s signed for Notts County? Surely he could have filled the Sami Hyypia role perfectly. Sol played 33 games last year for Portsmouth; he has still got the legs and would have provided valuable cover for when our first choice partnership clashed heads!

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Michael Owen

I wanted to resist putting this one in for obvious reasons, but I just cannot understand why we didn’t make an approach for him. We could have done with some of his influence in the last third, and even though he hasn’t been the force he was for the last three or four seasons, Owen coming on in the last 15 minutes would have given everybody in Anfield more hope than when Andriy Voronin stripped off his tracksuit the other night.

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Most of this select few have now gone and done their own thing, but you can’t help wondering what if we had a couple of these names in our squad. Would we have lost against Spurs and Villa? Possibly, but I think we may have stood a better chance of salvaging something from both games.

BY DAVID CLARKE

Liverpool-Kop: If money is so tight, why did Liverpool FC miss this obvious opportunity to enhance the squad?

 

You thought's?

[Josef Svejk]

Please don't mention Didi and Judas in the same breath.

[TheHitman]

Do these so called free transfers work for free as well. Nedved is retired Pires is happy in Spain. Sol Campbell decided to go down to Notts County so you have to question his desire to want to play at the highest level. As for the didi man is the author suggesting we play Didi and the Chief in the middle bloody hell. I thought Murphy had one year left on his contract so I doubt Fulham would have decided to give him away on a free when he had a contract to 2010. As for Owen the less said about him the better.

 

I do actually agree we could have looked at a couple of experienced players especially a striker but the players he has suggested I doubt would have been free or suitable. Ill reiterate again the word free transfer is very misleading.

 

It's also worth mentioning I doubt the owners want to many players on the book who are not sellable assets. I think Carragher is now the oldest player on the books now at 31.

[WhiskeyJar]

Par from Murphy, who I might add I would love to see back for a pure emotional reason, I dont think the rest are what we need.

 

What we do need is a young cheap exciting player who can make an instant impact in our attack.

 

I think in defence and DM we are pretty much covered once all of our players are fit.

[Paul]

I reckon Rafa was only told about the money situation at the very last minute, or else he'd have negotiated a player exchange deal for Xabi and told the owners it was all he could get from Madrid.

[sh#t waffle]

I reckon Rafa was only told about the money situation at the very last minute, or else he'd have negotiated a player exchange deal for Xabi and told the owners it was all he could get from Madrid.

 

Definitely. Which certainly begs the question of why on earth he's stayed so calm about it all. I'm not sure I buy the 'gagging order' thing as it's just not workable long term.

[TommyW]

they're not free though, instead of paying the club a fee you pay the player a whacking great signing on fee

[Paul]

they're not free though, instead of paying the club a fee you pay the player a whacking great signing on fee

 

Usually spread over the course of a contract though.

[Torvald Utne]

Usually spread over the course of a contract though.

 

which come out of transfer budgets these days apparently

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

If money is so tight, why did Liverpool FC miss this obvious opportunity to enhance the squad?

 

Because we're shit at this and always have been?

[B3n]

Pires isn't capable of playing on the wing anymore is he?

[RedinSweden]

I think it is the timing, as Paul said. I noted with interest that one of the cheap signings we were supposedly linked with, Distin, is now linked with our blue "special" relatives, at a price of 5m.

[bri]

Danny Murphy is better than lucas and owen is better than voronin, ngog and babel put together

[RedinSweden]

Danny Murphy is better than lucas and owen is better than voronin, ngog and babel put together

 

Ngog has scored as many as Owen so far though.

[Carra_is_legend]

I reckon Rafa was only told about the money situation at the very last minute, or else he'd have negotiated a player exchange deal for Xabi and told the owners it was all he could get from Madrid.

 

Didn't Purslow do the negotiations? The cunts may have appointed him to do exactly that - him being spanish speaking and all.

 

Even if they appointed him just to negotiate the Xabi deal and if they got £2m to £3m because of that, job done for the cunts.

[bri]

Ngog has scored as many as Owen so far though.

 

i'll have 100 jamican treacle cakes that own scores more

[RedinSweden]

i'll have 100 jamican treacle cakes that own scores more

 

Up yours bumface

[Ezekiel 25:17]

None of those players are worth a fucking carrot,that's right a carrot. Especially, Didi and Nedved, premier league title challenging class, are you freakin' kiddin' me ??

[Guest]

None of those players are worth a fucking carrot,that's right a carrot. Especially, Didi and Nedved, premier league title challenging class, are you freakin' kiddin' me ??

 

What he said

[Josef Svejk]

i'll have 100 jamican treacle cakes that own scores more

 

From the Offal, my friend - which makes it official:

 

 

Striker David Ngog arrived from Paris Saint Germain in July 2008.

 

The hotshot is one of the brightest young talents in French football.

 

His tally of just one goal from 18 league appearances in 2007-08 was largely down to PSG's disappointing form - a contention backed up by his prolificacy on the international stage.

 

Ngog has scored goals at every youth level for France, including two absolute corkers against England U19s last season.

 

He made his Liverpool debut as a substitute against Aston Villa on August 31, 2008. A first goal followed away at PSV on December 9.

 

The lightning quick forward is the cousin of former Newcastle United defender Jean-Alain Boumsong.

[Guest davelfc]

From the Offal, my friend - which makes it official:

 

 

Striker David Ngog arrived from Paris Saint Germain in July 2008.

 

The hotshot is one of the brightest young talents in French football.

 

His tally of just one goal from 18 league appearances in 2007-08 was largely down to PSG's disappointing form - a contention backed up by his prolificacy on the international stage.

 

Ngog has scored goals at every youth level for France, including two absolute corkers against England U19s last season.

 

He made his Liverpool debut as a substitute against Aston Villa on August 31, 2008. A first goal followed away at PSV on December 9.

 

The lightning quick forward is the cousin of former Newcastle United defender Jean-Alain Boumsong.

 

Bollocks, we have his inept identical twin. :wallbutt:

[Guest simon]

None of those players are worth a fucking carrot,that's right a carrot. Especially, Didi and Nedved, premier league title challenging class, are you freakin' kiddin' me ??

 

You read it wrong Zeek it player's as back up or to challenge for the first team. I agree with Didi, Murphy and Sol But that's it. I don't think Didi and Murphy would want that big of a signing on fee to be fair i'm sure Sol wouldn't want a great deal too. He may have got 5 mill for County but it doesn't have the same appeal as the best club in the world now does it?

[shaunstrudwick]

Rafa out

 

i must admit that Rafa's transfer nouse has once again been called into question this summer - and it just isn't good enough imo

[t1971]

Rafa out

 

i must admit that Rafa's transfer nouse has once again been called into question this summer - and it just isn't good enough imo

 

How has it when he hasnt been given any money to spend?

[Ian Sea]

I reckon Rafa was only told about the money situation at the very last minute, or else he'd have negotiated a player exchange deal for Xabi and told the owners it was all he could get from Madrid.

 

Aye. I'm sure Rafa would have spent all of our money on Johnson and Aquilani if he knew he wouldn't be able to bring in any other players. The goalposts have obviously been moved late in the day.