Go fuck yourselves FSG

[Coro]

 

I accept they're in a different league, but there's no reason why we can't fly closer the Dortmund way of improving - buying up and coming players, using clever scouting, searching places others don't always look - rather than City's 'throw money at it' approach.

 

Just put your imagination to one side and read what's being posted; consider the reality -

 

'Dortmund are floated on the stock market, but the members elect the president and four members of the club's supervisory board – and also vote to decide major issues of club policy.'

 

This is pivotal to Dortmund's recent success.

 

Now, consider who is in charge of policy at LFC and and their footballing pedigree.

 

'Football is more than just a business'

 

There's a huge gulf in mentality.

 

we're one of the biggest spenders in the league over the last four seasons. Actually, ever.

 

What good is this kind of comment without context. Who is it serving. Can we not squeeze it between Moores, Parry, Hicks, Gillett, servicing debts, Purslow, Hodgson, Comolli, Ian Ayre and the fees received for Alonso, Mascherano, Meireles & Torres?

 

The Andy Carroll transfer has, in your eyes, gone from being an abomination, worst in our history etc. to simply being about a record fee. Spin and spin again.

 

 

I'm not saying we're exactly the same as Dortmund. If you've seen me say that, feel free to point it out.

 

It would be absurd for anyone to claim such a thing. You have to ignore a good chunk of reality to even compare us to Dortmund.

[Red Phoenix]

At least Henry isn't growing a beard like Stevie is. Hopefully he'll shave before the first league game.

 

I'd say a few things about what I think of FSG but surely it's already been said in here several times. I don't have any hate for them, but am still hoping they don't screw the rest of this window up.

[Red Phoenix]

Three things will really fuck me off though. 1) Not buying anyone else when we should have the cash to. 2) Selling Luis and not getting a top quality replacement in with the cash before the window shuts + another good player as we should have the cash to also manage that easily. 3) Selling Agger. (Especially after Pepe has gone. That's too much of a change to defence too quickly, we'll almost definitely pay for it. Just selling Agger regardless of the situation is going to really do my head in, unless he badly wants out himself.)

 

If we end up average at the end of next season without Pepe, Agger and Suarez, then surely the major decline is complete and we're fucked. That should never be allowed to happen.

[Ne Moe Imya]

However the core proposition, that Rodgers is a speculative long odds against punt ( who might come off) is difficult to argue against.

 

Not only did Wenger have a league title under his belt when he went to Arsenal, Guardiola had spent a decade at Barca before as one of the finest players of his generation in the world as well as playing in Serie A, Klopp played 338 senior games finishing in the Bundesliga. None of that guarantees success, all three had significantly better football pedigrees than Rodgers.

 

This idea really bothers me, to be honest.

 

Time and time again it's proven to be a mirage, this idea that being a player at the top level makes you a better manager. Someone should do a statistical analysis of former players (and I mean really successful players, not ones who got injured early or played only at a low level for a couple of years a la Rodgers/Benitez) in management at big clubs vs. non-players.

 

I would confidently bet that the non-players were far more likely to be successful. Players are getting the benefit of the doubt simply because they were good players, not because they are good managers. Managers who came up without being big-name players have had to earn their place on merit.

 

What Moyes has just done at United, replacing the likes of Meulensteen with Neville is a perfect example of this. It's unbelievably foolish, especially since he hasn't even coached at a lower level first.

 

And you argue that Guardiola had better "football pedigree" than Rodgers? Sure, hindsight being 20-20, Guardiola worked out brilliantly, but his football managerial career when he was appointed consisted on one year of managing Barca B. One year. It was a HUGE risk to appoint him, though one mitigated by the fact that the club has had a solitary system for years and he was merely to continue it, plus they had excellent players at his disposal. Just because it worked out, though, doesn't mean that his "football pedigree" was the key factor.

 

Rodgers may not have had a 30-year resume of winning titles, but at least he had been successfully managing clubs for 4 years, and prior to that had worked his way up the ladder of youth management for 4 years. I'm not even trying to make the argument that he was the right appointment, but certainly one better than considering a former player because of the "pedigree" argument.

 

Management is a completely different job to being a footballer. Over and over the likes of Souness have proven this. Some are good at both (Kenny), more are not. Let's put the "football pedigree" bit to bed when it comes to evaluating potential managers, unless we're talking a pedigree of successful management.

[Baltar]

FSG need to invest at least £100M of their own money for transfers. Virtually all signings we've made has come out of the club's own coffers. Come on Henry you tight cunt, spend some serious cash. The signings we've made will not get us into the top 4. We will be even further away from reaching the top 4 if Suarez does go without bringing in a quality replacement.

[The Woolster]

I don't see the relevance of Dortmund as the Bundesliga is structured in a completely different way. There is no Abramovich, Mansour or Arsenal there. Bayern fills in nicely for the Mancs. Spurs have spent better but they've only made CL once and could be out of luck if Arsenal starts spending.

 

We are facing a steep hill if we lose Suarez as we will only be Gerrard's retirement away from having no world class players in the side.

 

I know this has been discussed since what I posted, but the relevance of those teams is that they are or have punched above their weight, perhaps in their own league, perhaps in Europe. And its not about copying anyone, as the teams I mentioned have done it differently themselves, they are just examples of teams who have been smart.

 

So Dortmund may well have it easier in their league, but their team cost somewhere south of £50m to assemble I beleive (prior to this season), so apart from the guys who have come from their youth academy, I don't see how them being in a league with a different structure stopped us signing the players that were good enough to get them into the Champs League final did for the money they did?

[xerxes]

This idea really bothers me, to be honest.etc

 

.

It’s a question of degree.

 

I agree with many of the points you raise. What I disagree with is your disregard for factors which can contribute to success.

 

It is simply not true that pedigree is a mirage. Quite the reverse. Your footballing pedigree is all- it establishes your case. That pedigree is a combination of factors, but the fewer you have, the worse your chances of success.

 

You don’t have to have been a successful player to become a successful manager ( Mourinho, Wenger)- but it can help. Check out the 92 PL and FL managers and count the number of non-players in there, your claim that “I would confidently bet that the non-players were far more likely to be successful” is simply not borne out by the evidence.

 

Meulensteen being replaced with Neville is evidence of nothing other than your opinion. Whether or not it comes off remains to be seen.

 

If you do not accept that Guardiola’s footballing credentials are vastly superior to Rodgers’ on appointment then there is little point in any discussion with you as the evidence is overwhelming. There is not enough space to enumerate it.

 

Any appointment is a risk. Guardiola’s appointment was not based upon his managerial track record, but his footballing pedigree, which rather makes my point, doesn’t it?

 

Rodgers did not have four years league management on appointment. A past playing career is not a “trump all “ card – but it may be factor. On appointment, going into a euro tie, would you have listened to Guardiola, or Rodgers?

 

“Let's put the "football pedigree" bit to bed when it comes to evaluating potential managers”- perhaps we should toss a coin?

[Coro]

[stringvest]

should have thrown him right off the balcony there. Chance missed.

[Coro]

The bit in Goodfellas where Joe Pesci is getting booted and suited cos he's been fooled into thinking that he is going to be made. That's what flashed up when I first saw that picture.

[Rafa Shankly]

:"What do you think they're smoking there at Emirates"

 

Haha fair fucks john.

[Guest San Don]

:"What do you think they're smoking there at Emirates"

 

Haha fair fucks john.

 

It was quite funny reading the arse forum (anubis posted the link last night) when this story broke. Loads of them giving it large and having a laugh at our expense over the £1.

 

Who the fuck is laughing now, eh, gooners? They thought they'd rub our noses in it publically but, like an owner house training a new pet, Henry's just rubbed their noses in their own shit very publically.

[Major Tom]

Yeah, well, we better not sell him to Arsenal now or Henry is going to look pretty fucking stupid.

[Tommy Lawrence]

I'd keep him IF we can.

[Timão]

Yeah, well, we better not sell him to Arsenal now or Henry is going to look pretty fucking stupid.

 

He was talking about the value of the player, rather than any deal in and of itself.

 

If we sold him for 50m+ I don't think we'd look stupid.

 

Don't want him to leave but he is 27 and 50m would be a lot of money.

[Major Tom]

He was talking about the value of the player, rather than any deal in and of itself.

 

If we sold him for 50m+ I don't think we'd look stupid.

 

Don't want him to leave but he is 27 and 50m would be a lot of money.

 

£50m is a lot of money, I agree. But, he's one of the world's top strikers, and we couldn't attract anyone anywhere near as good to replace him. We would be stupid to let him go for anything shy of a fuckload of money. And, even then, I don't know if it would make footballing or economic sense.

 

And he's 26!

[Tyler Durden]

£50m is a lot of money, I agree. But, he's one of the world's top strikers, and we couldn't attract anyone anywhere near as good to replace him. We would be stupid to let him go for anything shy of a fuckload of money. And, even then, I don't know if it would make footballing or economic sense.

 

And he's 26!

 

Even if he was 27 he doesn't really rely on pace and I think he will only get better as he gets older, you'd get another 6-7 years out of him I reckon.

[Baltar]

This Suarez-Arsenal thing is a pivotal moment for FSG. If they cave in and agree to see Suarez to Arsenal it will show that FSG are not interested in improving the club or wanting to achieve success. It will show they are not worthy of the club and should sell us to someone who wants to make the club successful.

[Tony Moanero]

What if Suarez has made it clear that he doesn't want to play for us this season and no-one else comes in for him?

[Major Tom]

You and your possible scenarios, Tony.

[Tony Moanero]

You and your possible scenarios, Tony.

 

Ha Ha.

 

It's all guess work anyway, Tommy, lad. Football Clubs tell their supporters fuck all.

[JermainePennant]

This Suarez-Arsenal thing is a pivotal moment for FSG. If they cave in and agree to see Suarez to Arsenal it will show that FSG are not interested in improving the club or wanting to achieve success. It will show they are not worthy of the club and should sell us to someone who wants to make the club successful.

 

No it doesn't, if we sell for stupidly low price there is a problem.If we sell for our valuation we are selling a troublesome player who is causing problems to the only team that meets our valuation.

[TheHitman]

What if Suarez has made it clear that he doesn't want to play for us this season and no-one else comes in for him?

 

Send him on loan to Accrington Stanley and hopefully he bites Ian Ayre on the way out.

[Guest San Don]

What if Suarez has made it clear that he doesn't want to play for us this season and no-one else comes in for him?

 

If he doesnt hand in a transfer request and the 'buying' club doesnt bid what we want, he goes nowhere.

 

What's he going to do, go on strike?

[xerxes]

If he doesnt hand in a transfer request and the 'buying' club doesnt bid what we want, he goes nowhere.

 

What's he going to do, go on strike?

 

It's judgement call on the part of Rodgers.

 

Maybe Suarez is professional enough to put any disappointment behind him and play his best with us,or maybe he will be a petulant disruptive nuisance.