Jump to content

  • Sign up for free and receive a month's subscription

    You are viewing this page as a guest. That means you are either a member who has not logged in, or you have not yet registered with us. Signing up for an account only takes a minute and it means you will no longer see this annoying box! It will also allow you to get involved with our friendly(ish!) community and take part in the discussions on our forums. And because we're feeling generous, if you sign up for a free account we will give you a month's free trial access to our subscriber only content with no obligation to commit. Register an account and then send a private message to @dave u and he'll hook you up with a subscription.

CITY SET UP EVERY LIVERPOOL FAN'S WORST NIGHTMARE

JohnnyH

By JohnnyH,
in FF - Football Forum

 Share

Recommended Posts

JohnnyH Grand Master

JohnnyH

Posted
Posted

Billionaire owners can make £140m double deal happen

 

By Rob Shepherd & Aidan Magee, 20/02/2010

 

WHEN Garry Cook courted Kaka, he became the laughing stock of world football.

 

But the sniggering has stopped. And now the Manchester City chief executive has turned his attention to Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, nobody should take him lightly.

 

The chase for fourth place in the Premier League won't be decided at Eastlands today.

 

The clash between City and Liverpool is more a symbol of a seismic shift between a waning power beset by internal and financial problems and a club that knows no limits.

 

Even a defeat for Roberto Mancini's side does not alter that landscape.

 

There are those at Anfield only too aware of the threat from City, not least to Liverpool's two biggest stars.

 

After the false dawn of Thakskin Shinawatra, the pledges of owner Sheikh Mansour are proving to be no mirage.

 

That sends out a compelling message to both Torres and Gerrard - that they may have to re-evaluate their futures in the summer.

 

It's not even a secret within the City corridors of power that the hierarchy are plotting a £140million double swoop for both Torres and Gerrard this summer.

 

City officials are already planning how they can pull off what would be one of the most audacious transfer coups of all time.

 

Fourth place and Champions League football would inevitably help sugar the pill of an Anfield parting but even without the lure of football at the highest level, City believe they hold more than a few aces.

 

If the injured Torres chooses to watch the game from the Eastlands stands, he will be taken by the modern facilities and the potential to increase the capacity to 65,000 - while visions of a new state-of-the-art Anfield remain a pipedream.

 

Then he will look at Emmabuel Adebayor, a striker not remotely in his class, who picks up £140,000 a week, substantially more than the £95,000 a week Torres earns from a four-year deal signed last summer.

 

Torres might then just to do some calculations not entirely based on money. He will wonder where Liverpool are heading.

 

That's exactly the question one of Torres's advisors put to the Liverpool hierarchy recently.

 

As it stands, it is difficult for the club to offer any conclusive answers.

 

As diligently as chief executive Christian Purslow has been working to stabilise what has become a very rocky ship under the tiller of joint American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the future remains uncertain.

 

What is certain is that Liverpool's owners must come up with £100million by the end of March to settle loans taken when the Americans bought the club.

 

Hicks and Gillett could wipe out the problem at one stroke by agreeing the £100m sale of Torres to City during the close season.

 

Selling Gerrard as well would then give the club an enhanced transfer kitty.

 

Last summer, Liverpool rejected an £80m approach by City for their Spanish striker but this time around the club simply may not be in a position to refuse such an offer.

 

City have moved up another level from the Kaka farce and whatever the wisdom of replacing Mark Hughes with Roberto Mancini there is far greater credibility to the club's aspirations of becoming not only a superpower in England but Europe too.

 

There is no doubt that should City beat off the challenges of Tottenham and Aston Villa and eject Liverpool from their Big Four status, then Torres could have his head turned.

 

Even if Torres could be lured, Gerrard would be much more reluctant to follow him down the M62.

 

Part of Gerrard may still regret not moving to Chelsea five years ago. And while his red-blooded Mersey roots prohibit even the thought of defecting to Manchester United, the prospect of becoming part of City's adventure would not be out of bounds.

 

The plain fact is, unless things change at Liverpool - and change quickly - Gerrard, 30 in May, might have to resign himself to never winning a Premier League winner's medal, while at City the potential is now palpable.

 

Those who counsel Gerrard may suggest that if he did opt to leave Liverpool it would only be to play abroad, with Real Madrid a distinct possibility.

 

Yet why not City?

 

After all, if the blue half of Manchester roll back the red tide of United's dominance then, in a way it will be a mission well received on Merseyside, for a while at least.

 

And how much more loyalty does Gerrard owe Liverpool?

 

To cash in one or either may smack of heresy to the Kop faithful but if it helps finance a complete rebuilding of a tired team, then it may be a sacrifice worth making.

 

Whatever the outcome of today's game and the race for fourth place, City would seem on the brink of breaking through the glass ceiling and, in the process, ensuring Liverpool's fall from greatness continues.

 

Perversely, maybe the only way for Liverpool to alter that inevitability is to take the money for their two great talismen before it is too late.

 

CITY SET UP EVERY LIVERPOOL FAN'S WORST NIGHTMARE | News Of The World

Link to comment
Share on other sites
razor Grand Master

razor

Posted
Posted

I always scan read these articles for quotation marks. When they are not there, it's not worth the two minutes it takes to read, when they are there, I compare the direct quote to the sensationalised headline and smile to myself.

 

They aren't there in this, so it is worth nothing.

 

The number of 'if' / 'could' / 'would be' phrases in these types of articles just mean they are redundant of any kind of genuine information, and if I read this, I bet I would find some.

 

But I won't.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Timão Enthusiast

Timão

Posted
Posted

I had a chat with an old mate from Liverpool this afternoon and we had a bet about how many

 

'City to make bids for Liverpool stars because they have money and Liverpool have not'

 

stories there would be and by whom. I bet on one this rag and one in the Mail. 2+2 = etc, etc

 

One down, one to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
rage Enthusiast

rage

Posted
Posted

as if! that has got to be one of the worst billy bullshit articles i've ever read. someone put a picture up of the cunt that wrote that and i promise if i ever walk past him in the street i'll beat the fuck out of him, sell his wife into prostitution and if he has any kids i'd try my best to put them in a catholic care home.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...