Damien Comolli

[Red Nick]

The main focus is going to be british youngsters very much along the lines of Spurs with only the very best youngsters from Europe coming over. The reason is its much easier to do background checks on UK kids than it is if your not based in the country

[moof]

We have never done that.

 

Just an obvious one I can think of, we tried to sign Kenny when he was a nipper. He cost us an arm and a leg years later...

[The Dude Abides]

We have never done that.

 

Alonso and Pepe would be two examples imo. Bought at just the right time, before they would have cost two and three times what we paid. Babel was the same kind of gamble that just never paid off.

 

Arsenal are great at this alright, but a lot of that comes down to how they are used, and how Wenger gives them the platform to show what they can do. There's just no way, if say, we'd of signed Nasri when they did, that he'd be anything like the player people see now.

[usernameunknown]

Encouaraging quotes and lack of support here for the manager.

 

BBC Sport - Football - Reds in no panic to buy - Comolli

 

Director of football strategy Damien Comolli says Liverpool are under no pressure to make any signings in the January transfer window.

 

The Reds are struggling this season and find themselves down in 11th place in the Premier League table.

 

But Comolli said the club will not panic buy to turn things around.

 

"If it can be done in January, great," he said. "If it can't because we feel it is the wrong market or players are overpriced, then we will wait."

 

He added: "I'm not going to say we won't do anything in January because that is not the idea at the moment.

 

"We will do what is right for the long term. What is right for the long term can be something we do in January. We have a pretty good idea of what we would like to do and we have identified targets."

 

Comolli said Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson would have the "final say" on transfers.

 

"Roy will have to be comfortable with all targets we bring to him," he said, adding that they had a good working relationship and knew each other before the Frenchman's arrival at Anfield.

 

Comolli joined Liverpool from St Etienne, where he was sporting director, on 3 November.

 

The 38-year-old, who is also a former director of football at Tottenham, was appointed by club co-owners John Henry and Tom Werner following their takeover of the club in October.

 

"If there's a possibility of us getting a world-class player, we will have the backing," added Comolli.

 

"John and Tom want to win - and you win with top players. The big thing is making sure the academy produces players for the first team.

 

"The club's not in a bad state. We've had some great results. It's not in ruins. Everything is there to be successful.

 

"We have to win and bring back trophies. For a club this size, it's not about top six or top four - we must win everything that's winnable."

 

Comolli, who was also a scout at Arsenal, also rejected suggestions he had taken the job with Liverpool in a bid to repair his reputation following his sacking by Spurs in October 2008.

 

"I didn't come thinking I've got a point to prove, I came because its a fantastic challenge," he said.

 

Hodgson, 63, certainly has to prove he is the right man for the job after a stuttering start to his Liverpool reign.

 

But Comolli refused to discuss the future of the former Fulham, Blackburn Rovers and Inter Milan boss, who took over from Rafael Benitez in the summer.

[TheHowieLama]

 

Comolli said Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson would have the "final say" on transfers.

 

"Roy will have to be comfortable with all targets we bring to him," he said, adding that they had a good working relationship and knew each other before the Frenchman's arrival at Anfield.

 

 

heh heh....that is some fine print between the lines there. Gotta have a magnifier to read that.

[dirty_sanchez]

To use the Essien example, at Bastia by all accounts he was good but raw. At Lyon (who bought him for around £8m I think) his rough edges were refined a little and he became successful, making a name for himself, which led to a £24m move to Chelsea and more success. You can't get the finished article at the beginning of their career for peanuts, and the player being successful goes hand in hand with his team being successful.

 

If you want to take Arsenal as an example, all their numerous players developed with the club and made their name with the club. They weren't unqualified successes prior to this. The likes of Vieira and Anelka got successful with Arsenal, not before.

 

I've had a few drinks so cannot find the exact point I want to make (I can still be coherent after a few drinks without leading anywhere it seems!) so you have to deduce it from this little ramble.

 

Vieira was at AC Milan before Arsenal bought him. It's not like he was shit.

 

There were rumours around that Houllier tried to sign Essien for us, but the board wouldn't sanction it due to the shite he'd spent on that season.

[Xherdan]

"We have to win and bring back trophies. For a club this size, it's not about top six or top four - we must win everything that's winnable."

 

 

 

 

Well said lad.

[Barrington Womble]

Vieira was at AC Milan before Arsenal bought him. It's not like he was shit.

 

There were rumours around that Houllier tried to sign Essien for us, but the board wouldn't sanction it due to the shite he'd spent on that season.

 

it was because houllier sanctioned sending him back to bastia (i think thats where he was) on a 12 month loan after agreeing a 5m fee. i was sat next to him at a game v man city at the end of the season when he was joining. he was in a LFC baseball cap!!

[Cardie]

Comolli 'we'll go to the manager and say this is the way you play we think this player fits in with your philosophy.

 

Nailed on our first two signings will be Stephen Gostkowski and Zoltan Mesko.

[Trumo]

Vieira was at AC Milan before Arsenal bought him. It's not like he was shit.

 

Didn't say he was shit. Just that he hadn't done anything up to that point, so didn't fit TheHowieLama's apparent definition of "successful".

 

There were rumours around that Houllier tried to sign Essien for us, but the board wouldn't sanction it due to the shite he'd spent on that season.

 

I didn't realise a deal was as close as that. I thought it was just conjecture. In any case Houllier had already signed both Diao and Alou Diarra in summer 2002, one of whom flopped and the other who never actually played for us. On that basis I can understand the board being reticent to sanction a deal. Mind you, they were also reluctant to complete a move for a certain Portuguese player at the time too.

[Chinandeler Bong]

Nah, I just dont get why we need a 'Director of Football Strategy' .

If this had happened under any other manager we'd be going mental.

 

Its weird and something aint right about it.

[MLB]

Nah, I just dont get why we need a 'Director of Football Strategy' .

If this had happened under any other manager we'd be going mental.

 

Its weird and something aint right about it.

 

 

I feel like it's a bit weird as well. Why change the structure before bringing in the manager? What if a top class manager becomes available but doesn't want to work within that structure? It's putting the cart before the horse... unless they really do see Roy as a long-term appointment.

[coop]

I feel like it's a bit weird as well. Why change the structure before bringing in the manager? What if a top class manager becomes available but doesn't want to work within that structure? It's putting the cart before the horse... unless they really do see Roy as a long-term appointment.

 

To be honest mate i would expect Comolli will play a part in advising who to appoint as manager so therefore they would be happy to work alongside one another.

[Trumo]

I feel like it's a bit weird as well. Why change the structure before bringing in the manager? What if a top class manager becomes available but doesn't want to work within that structure? It's putting the cart before the horse... unless they really do see Roy as a long-term appointment.

 

It's too soon to say whether it will work, but the idea is to base the success around the structure. The success of a club shouldn't begin and end with the manager. The point is to put a stop to the "5 year plan" sort of strategies where everything gets ripped up and started again.

[MLB]

It's too soon to say whether it will work, but the idea is to base the success around the structure. The success of a club shouldn't begin and end with the manager. The point is to put a stop to the "5 year plan" sort of strategies where everything gets ripped up and started again.

 

 

I can see the sense in that, and I'm (largely) reserving judgement for the time being. What really worries me is the possibility that Roy might be here for the long haul.

[ngogswilly]

Maybe Comolli is someone else's choice. Someone whos at a club till the summer and is going to come then?

 

I just refuse to believe NESV see Roy as a long term appointment for no other reason than i'll go fucking insane if hes still here next September.

[Funkasy]

If roy is here for the long haul there will be no success, simple as that.

[Trucker Paddy]

 

it was because houllier sanctioned sending him back to bastia (i think thats where he was) on a 12 month loan after agreeing a 5m fee. i was sat next to him at a game v man city at the end of the season when he was joining. he was in a LFC baseball cap!!

 

Jesus I didn't realise it was that close, put me in bad form that

[Trucker Paddy]

 

Didn't say he was shit. Just that he hadn't done anything up to that point, so didn't fit TheHowieLama's apparent definition of "successful".

 

I didn't realise a deal was as close as that. I thought it was just conjecture. In any case Houllier had already signed both Diao and Alou Diarra in summer 2002, one of whom flopped and the other who never actually played for us. On that basis I can understand the board being reticent to sanction a deal. Mind you, they were also reluctant to complete a move for a certain Portuguese player at the time too.

 

Alou Diarra, I thought Rafa signed him in 2004, could be wrong

[Trucker Paddy]

Maybe Comolli is someone else's choice. Someone whos at a club till the summer and is going to come then?

 

I just refuse to believe NESV see Roy as a long term appointment for no other reason than i'll go fucking insane if hes still here next September.

 

There's no chance he'll be here then, they have a target my own opinion is it'll be deschamp, it's just when they get him soon or next summer

[Deepz]

Alou Diarra, I thought Rafa signed him in 2004, could be wrong

 

Signed in 2002 by Ged, left in 04.

[Trucker Paddy]

 

Signed in 2002 by Ged, left in 04.

 

Cheers wasn't sure, just knew he was on the books but was on loan all the time

[TheHowieLama]

Nah, I just dont get why we need a 'Director of Football Strategy' .

.

 

It's putting the cart before the horse... .

 

To be honest mate i would expect Comolli will play a part in advising who to appoint as manager so therefore they would be happy to work alongside one another.

 

You gotta realize these guys come from baseball which has at its heart, in terms of team development, a General Manager. All of the theory that has been espoused (see Moneyball) and all of the stats used to back it up came out of the Oakland A's 10 years ago. Theo Epstein is more important to NESV than anyone in their organization. TBH the gaffer is the least of their concern right now.

[StevieH]

Does anyone know if Eduardo Macia is still working at LFC, or was he dispensed with when the club appointed Damien Comolli as Director of Football Stratgey?

[redsoxs]

yes he's still here...