The FSG model.

[Ranxerox]

Spurs finishing above us is going to become more common if not permanent. 

[A Red]

American companies are ruthless. They spin everything to fuck but its all about adding value.

 

They run to a model and re-structure constantly should the model not be seen to work. They have no long term goals and care fuck all about their customers, its all about adding value. They will spend any amount of money re-structuring but are reluctant to spend it on the product. 

 

FSG are running to a model - age of signings, young manager, transfer committee, moneyball etc etc. They are not scared to pay out money sacking people but will resist paying money to attract the right people. The model is god, it wont change much if at all. Do that and the owners, who think themselves as godlike, are basically admitting failure. Expect it to stay pretty much in place.

 

Consistent top 4 is the goal, that adds value. A new stand adds value, increased brand awareness adds value. When in place they will fuck off. 

[TownHead]

Next seasons winners of the Champions League will pocket £71 million there or thereabouts in total prize money.

 

Whoever finishes bottom of the Prem when the new TV deal kicks in gets £99m.

 

The money in owning a footbal club in the Premier League now even compared to when FSG bought us is staggering and only getting bigger.

 

The cost of being competetive footballwise outweighs the cost of stability in the ridiculously lucrative league.

 

The parachute payments for relegated teams means that the owners of relegated clubs are coining it too. The clubs that yo-yo do very well financially indeed.

[KMD7]

Maddock's hair is shit.

 

Beat me to it.  It's spectacularly shit in fact

[Trumo]

The best sides of the past 20 or 30 years who have brought through excellent young players have also kept a nucleus of experienced top-class players in their teams and squads. “Fergie’s Fledglings” (*throws up a bit*) would have struggled if they didn’t have the know-how around them both on and off the pitch to help them develop. The same is true of the Ajax sides in the 90s, and again with Barcelona over the last decade and a half. It helps reassure the youngsters in tricky situations (which there will always be in games even if the team isn’t losing), gives them room to develop, keeps them hungry and full of desire to win things, and gives them tactical know-how and experience of how to prepare for games when the schedule includes both domestic and European games, plus international fixtures.

 

To give some examples at Liverpool, Fowler benefitted from Rush’s presence. Owen was influenced by Riedle. Redknapp and McManaman had the likes of Barnes, Molby and Whelan to help them. Gerrard had Hamann and McAllister. Carragher and Hyypia could rely on players like Babbel. Lucas had reassurance from the likes of Alonso, Mascherano and Gerrard. Sterling benefitted from having Suarez around him. How much more difficult will it be for the likes of Ibe when we have so few (if any?) reassuring presences in the squad?

 

FSG’s model and Rodgers’ approach to squad building seems to ignore this key point and in my opinion is the major flaw with their approach. And it’s not just amongst the players but amongst the coaching staff and club hierarchy too. Everybody seems to give the impression that they’re still in the early stages of learning their job but they’re up against clubs that are still learning themselves but have a lot of experience and know-how underpinning it all.

 

A lack of reassurance and know-how can quickly lead to a lack of confidence when times are a bit tough, and can turn a tricky period into an insurmountable obstacle. Assets that were invested can be made to look like liabilities because they weren’t given the best possible chance to prove how much of an asset they could be.

 

We have previous for this too. Souness wanted to freshen up his squad and inject some youth into the side. It’s not a bad idea but how you put it into practice will determine how successful you are with it. Souness got rid of too much experience and know-how too quickly while at the same time trying to cope with an injury crisis. He made matters worse by bringing in too many of the wrong kind of player - one-season wonders and never-will-bes. We’ve continued with that bad habit ever since.

 

Shankly got rid of the successful old guard in the late 60s and started afresh. We had a few underwhelming years but he got it right and we kicked on to explosive effect under his successor Paisley. It was a different game back then though, and the money at the top end of the game now means you really cannot afford to get left behind. Experience and know-how is even more vital these days.

 

The question now is whether or not those in charge are willing to recognise it and act on it.

[Anubis]

True, Trumo. But those young players didn't have Rodgers to educate them. Apparently that is what FSG expect him to do.

[Mad Erik]

There's nothing wrong with trying to build round young players. It can and does work. It also mitigates financial risk. However there's two important caveats:

 

1) You have to have some players in their prime. Good ones at that.

2) When your young players flourish, you have to keep them happy, reward them and make sure that when they become world-class players, in their prime, it's at your Club.

 

Get either of those two wrong and you'll permanently have a team for tomorrow. At present, we're getting both of them wrong. Spectacularly so.

[Russ Atmosphere]

Despite the years of turmoil at our club, when FSG took us over we were still the 5th ranked team in Europe by UEFA, behind only Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

 

Today after almost 5 full seasons under FSG (five seasons are used to compile UEFA's ranking) we lie 42nd in Europe between Anderlecht and Metalist Kharkiv.

 

Par, or just shit at running a fine club?

[moof]

Shall we talk about the context?

[Russ Atmosphere]

Shall we talk about the context?

 

All ears.

[Dr Nowt]

Shall we talk about the context?

Outside. Now.

[J-V]

Despite the years of turmoil at our club, when FSG took us over we were still the 5th ranked team in Europe by UEFA, behind only Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

 

Today after almost 5 full seasons under FSG (five seasons are used to compile UEFA's ranking) we lie 42nd in Europe between Anderlecht and Metalist Kharkiv.

 

Par, or just shit at running a fine club?

 

When Rafa gets sacked next Summer he'll come and sort it out...

[moof]

All ears.

I'm no great lover of fsg and I don't want to look like an 'apologist' but you must understand that fsg took over AFTER our period of fantastic European form. They took over a team going downhill rapidly that just survived going out of business with Roy Hodgson as manager. The 5 years prior to that included Istanbul, another CL final, a couple of semi finals in the CL and one in the Europa league. That's why our coefficient was high. They didn't take over the 4th best team in Europe or whatever. They managed to get us back to Europes top table but Brendan fucked that up. So their tenure has been very much a rebuilding effort and any fair minded individual couldn't have expected a similar performance to before they took over. The domestic league is also more difficult since they took over.

[Russ Atmosphere]

I'm no great lover of fsg and I don't want to look like an 'apologist' but you must understand that fsg took over AFTER our period of fantastic European form. They took over a team going downhill rapidly that just survived going out of business with Roy Hodgson as manager. The 5 years prior to that included Istanbul, another CL final, a couple of semi finals in the CL and one in the Europa league. That's why our coefficient was high. They didn't take over the 4th best team in Europe or whatever. They managed to get us back to Europes top table but Brendan fucked that up. So their tenure has been very much a rebuilding effort and any fair minded individual couldn't have expected a similar performance to before they took over. The domestic league is also more difficult since they took over.

 

They didn't include Istanbul, and I hear what you're saying about including other good performances that improved our ranking, but couldn't you just say then that we were a club that was good owners short of repeating a similar situation if we did it so consistently well over those earlier years, ie. we appointed good managers and scouted well etc.

[moof]

Yes but the club they took over was different to the club that performed so well in Europe previously. We were torn apart and had hosgson as our manager, continually losing our best players year after year. They were on the back foot from the start. I thought last season might have been a watershed moment but we managed to screw that up, which is why I wanted Rodgers sacked. What happens this season is absolutely vital to how fsg are percieved from now on, to me.

[Tyler Durden]

Yes but the club they took over was different to the club that performed so well in Europe previously. We were torn apart and had hosgson as our manager, continually losing our best players year after year. They were on the back foot from the start. I thought last season might have been a watershed moment but we managed to screw that up, which is why I wanted Rodgers sacked. What happens this season is absolutely vital to how fsg are percieved from now on, to me.

And it seems they have pretty much supported our tactic of selling our best player every year seens we appear to be doing it again this year for the 3rd time is it?

[moof]

Who have they sold other than Suarez? Bearing in mind they managed to get another year out of him when it looked like his head was out of the door.

[Ranxerox]

Despite the years of turmoil at our club, when FSG took us over we were still the 5th ranked team in Europe by UEFA, behind only Barcelona, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.

 

Today after almost 5 full seasons under FSG (five seasons are used to compile UEFA's ranking) we lie 42nd in Europe between Anderlecht and Metalist Kharkiv.

 

Par, or just shit at running a fine club?

They're not shit, they're just not very good.

[dennis tooth]

Come back hicks and gillete

[moof]

Come back hicks and gillete

Yeah it was so much better with them

[Harry Squatter]

They are fucking clueless and not arsed anymore either.

[dennis tooth]

Yeah it was so much better with them

Well they didnt have the clout to bring dunkin donuts on board and loaded leverage debt on the club but gave the manager control of transfers for most of the time and gave him a similar amount of funds to do so as this lot, which is essentially what the manager brings in by selling players or CL money.

On the pitch its no argument hicks and gillette were better owners by being more neglectful.

Which just shows how incompetent fsg are.

[moof]

Well they didnt have the clout to bring dunkin donuts on board and loaded leverage debt on the club but gave the manager control of transfers for most of the time and gave him a similar amount of funds to do so as this lot, which is essentially what the manager brings in by selling players or CL money.

On the pitch its no argument hicks and gillette were better owners by being more neglectful.

Which just shows how incompetent fsg are.

Indeed how I long for the days of waking up wondering if the club has gone out of business.

[Jairzinho]

They're not shit, they're just not very good.

 

They're just not arsed if we're successful in a sporting sense.

[dennis tooth]

Indeed how I long for the days of waking up wondering if the club has gone out of business.

Effectively, we have.