marcus50bucks

Yep. Players can officially sign for a club on July 1st

Arsenal consider fresh approach for Julian Draxler Gary Jacob August 17 2017, 5:00pm, The Times Arsenal are considering renewing their long-standing interest in Julian Draxler after Paris Saint-Germain today decided that the winger is surplus to requirements following the arrival of Neymar. The north London club have attempted to sign him several times, including last summer, and have been told that the French club want around £32 million to complete a deal this summer. The Germany player joined Paris Saint-Germain on a four-and-a-half-year contract just seven months ago for £35.5 million from Wolfsburg. Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund have expressed an interest, with the Bundesliga club facing the possibility of losing Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona. Draxler’s wages, worth about £90,000 a week, could be a problem for both of those clubs. Draxler, 23, started his career at Schalke and was part of Germany’s 2014 World Cup winning squad. He was named captain of an inexperienced Germany squad that lifted the 2017 Confederations Cup last month and he was awarded the Golden Ball trophy as best player of the tournament. Paris Saint-Germain signed Neymar for £199 million and are now attempting to trim the squad. Blaise Matuidi has agreed an £18 million move to Juventus and other players are set to follow. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/arsenal-consider-fresh-approach-for-draxler-c96jd3m6k

INSIDE LIVERPOOL'S FIGHT TO KEEP COUTINHO AGAINST HOSTILE BARCELONA Melissa Reddy Liverpool FC Correspondent 12:58 It was not the statement from the owners that forced the 25-year-old to submit a transfer request to the Reds, but endless external pressure During three hours on the eve of their first competitive 90 minutes of 2017-18, Liverpool were already having to transition quickly with Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho chase intensifying. Friday had begun with the club in an assertive position, through two emphatic sentences from their owners, Fenway Sports Group. “We wish to offer clarity as regards our position on a possible transfer of Coutinho,” read a statement published on the official website at 10am, two days after a second offer totalling little over £90 million for the Brazil international was rejected. “The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool football club when the summer window closes.” Those 44 words, with characters that could comfortably fit into two tweets, allowed Jurgen Klopp to start his press conference an hour later on the front foot. The 'what's happening with Phil?' question had already been answered, and all the manager needed to do was reference FSG’s message - a mirror of his repeated quotes - when the playmaker became a topic. Then just after noon, Sky Sports broke that Coutinho, who reported to Melwood as normal, had submitted a formal transfer request. That news perplexed those within the training complex as one hadn’t been received. Calls to the club to ascertain the veracity of the claim were thus met with a “not true” response, but it didn’t take long to conclude the 25-year-old’s camp had leaked their intentions in advance. Sporting director Michael Edwards was sent an email from Coutinho at around 1pm, spelling out the player’s will to breach the five-year contract sans a release clause he signed in January. By then, a ‘close family member’ had already detailed Coutinho's frustrations and, apart from the annoyance that the development came the day before their season opener at Watford that ended in a 3-3 draw, the Reds were vexed that they had to first read about the request before actually fielding it. Timing, quite clearly, is instructive throughout this whole situation. The theory that Coutinho's hand was forced by FSG's statement is flawed. Their "definitive stance" was long communicated to both him and Barca, and was made public so there could be no confusion or speculation over where they stood. In Hong Kong, following the rejection of the first bid from the Catalans of £72m, Klopp informed Liverpool’s highest earner he would not be allowed to exit as their planning for the season, already at an intensive stage, involved him as a core element. In Munich, FSG president Mike Gordon made this clear again. Liverpool’s position has never altered, and so to suggest the statement underpinned Coutinho’s action would be to ignore the full picture. A day before the afternoon of back and forths at Melwood, Klopp’s former club Borussia Dortmund were coping with the destabilising effects of Barca turning a transfer target’s head. Ousmane Dembele had not reported for training, never provided any reason for his absence, and could not be reached by the Bundesliga side. BVB revealed they had rebuffed an offer - thought to be around £90m - for the 20-year-old as it did “not match the extraordinary footballing and off-pitch status of the player” as well as “the current market situation”. Barca, unwilling to pay top price and having struggled to twist Dortmund’s arm, put the onus on the Frenchman to break it. Another example of similar tactics from Barcelona is Marco Verratti. However, in that transfer war, Paris Saint-Germain eventually outmanoeuvred them and ended up retaliating by activating Neymar’s €222m (£198m) release clause to set the current state of affairs in motion. Barca did not believe they could actually lose their Brazilian superstar and, knowing they could not negotiate for Liverpool’s, have pressured Coutinho - through a media offensive, ‘now-or-never’ threats and a swell of voices in his ear - into taking the antagonist route he wanted to avoid. The player, of course, is not passive in all of this - it is his signature on the letter emailed through, it is his decision. Coutinho’s transfer request could have been made in West Kowloon, or in Rottach-Egern, or when he first returned to Merseyside following the pre-season tour, or after any of the multiple times Klopp insisted he is not on the market this summer, or when either proposal from Barca was rejected. It came, by design, as a distraction in a crucial period for Liverpool. Forcing your way out of a club has to be, well, forceful. The transfer request will undoubtedly be painted as a result of the Brazilian’s long-standing unhappiness at Liverpool with the rewriting of history already in effect. The suggestion that Klopp and Coutinho have had have a strained relationship for six months is not only a convenient time frame as it just excludes the latter’s happiness to ink fresh terms without an exit strategy, but also crumbles under the flimsiest investigation. The manager has, on more than one occasion, told his star performer that he is the main catalyst to Liverpool’s rebirth as a force domestically and in Europe. He has unshackled him from the ‘all-on-my-shoulders’ responsibility that often clouded Coutinho’s decision-making on the pitch, and has geared the team around his creative strengths. The former Inter man's most productive campaigns have come under the German, who gave him positional freedom as a ‘wing 10’ and recruited two more forwards in Mohamed Salah and Dominic Solanke this summer to allow him to dictate their offensive game from deeper. Brazil’s coaching staff, meanwhile, have been in contact with Klopp over Liverpool’s assertive approach, which they wanted to replicate, as well as the 50-year-old’s use of Coutinho and Roberto Firmino to ascertain how to get the best out of both. The former has become key to his national team as a consequence of his advancement at club level. The idea that Coutinho has been substituted too much is also interesting given he was replaced 19 times in 29 Premier League starts last season - 64 per cent of the time - with Eden Hazard, for comparative purposes, brought off by Antonio Conte 69% of the time. The manufactured unhappiness, in contrast to Coutinho’s own words when he returned to Melwood for pre-season on July 11, is all part of the poker game. The tactic of making it personal to Klopp is a miscalculated move, though, as it will only galvanise Liverpool’s owners. Keeping the Rio-born talent is not an issue of pride for the manager - who has previously said what the Reds require is players “pushing the train, not jumping on a running train” - it is about the circumstances for the club. Having realised that being willing to overpay in this window is no guarantee of recruiting a priority target as was the case with RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita, more money to spend with little time is not going to help Liverpool advance this season. They need to build on the core they already have, with difficult work still to be done in the market and adding to their to-buy list now would be unwise given their struggles. "Maybe everybody has a price – in the right moment,” as Klopp explained. “In the wrong moment? No price.” How hostile Coutinho chooses to go remains to be seen, but with a World Cup year on the horizon, Barca’s base offers laughable in the current climate plus too late, and Liverpool’s statement as strong as it could possibly be, he has no space to manipulate. For once around Anfield, there will be crossed fingers that Coutinho can’t find his way out of a tight spot. http://www.goal.com/en/news/inside-liverpools-fight-to-keep-coutinho-against-hostile/8dtvzq8vhudv1dpvbsynam9ya

Parker absolutely nails it!

Liverpool's under-fire Brendan Rodgers 'facing sack if he loses to Everton in the derby' 22:30, 3 OCT 2015 BY STEVE BATES Owners FSG have shown no sign of firing the manager but Anfield sources suggest demoralising defeat at Goodison WOULD have an impact on their thinking Brendan Rodgers is facing D-Day in the Merseyside derby, with Liverpool’s owners ready to pull the trigger if they lose at Everton, writes Steve Bates in the Sunday People. So far, the Boston-based Fenway Sports Group who own the Reds have shown no appetite to sack Rodgers, who ended last season with a 6-1 hammering at Stoke and has had an erratic start to the new campaign. The poor 1-1 draw with Swiss minnows Sion in the Europa League in midweek did little to lift the pressure on 42-year-old Rodgers. And Anfield sources have suggested a demoralising defeat in the 225th Mersey derby at Goodison Park on Sunday will shift FSG’s thinking. Former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti and former Borussia Dortmund chief Jurgen Klopp head a list of available managers who would jump at the Kop job if FSG do dump Rodgers. Ajax boss Frank de Boer has also expressed interest in work in the Premier League and would also be a candidate if the club’s American owners decide to make a change during the international break which begins on Monday. Senior Liverpool figures believe that 12-day period to be a key window of opportunity for FSG if Rodgers and his stars suffer defeat against their neighbours. Owner John Henry and his management team in Boston are not prone to knee-jerk reactions, especially concerning one game. But informed sources close to FSG point out that while the owners have always been strategic planners with a long-term view over the direction of the club, the game at Everton is a major moment for Rodgers. Henry and chairman Tom Werner backed their manager in the transfer market during the summer with a slew of arrivals which will amount to around £85million once a compensation tribunal sets a fee for ex-Burnley striker Danny Ings. That will take Rodgers' gross spending in his three years at Anfield to £300m, and FSG are concerned Liverpool are no closer to winning major titles. But club officials are also keen to point out that a Liverpool win at Goodison could change the picture entirely — even though Rodgers faces another tricky game away to Tottenham in the first fixture back after the international break. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpools-under-fire-brendan-rodgers-6565960

Has Frank de Boer run out of ideas at Ajax? Oct 2, 2015 12:30:00 The former Netherlands international was once seen as a future Barcelona coach but, after making history with the Dutch side, his reputation is in danger after a terrible year By Peter McVitie Despite becoming the first coach to lead Ajax to four consecutive league titles in his first spell as a senior manager, Frank de Boer is scrambling to save his reputation. Taking over from Martin Jol in the Dutch capital in December 2010 and immediately leading his side from fourth place to first to secure their first Eredivisie title in seven years, the former Netherlands international was immediately seen as one of the continent's most promising coaches. Labelled a future Barcelona boss, a potential successor to Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, offered the job at Liverpool before Brendan Rodgers and narrowly beaten to Tottenham by Mauricio Pochettino, De Boer's stock has risen a great deal over the years. However, over the last 12 months or so, his limitations have become evident and it is becoming clear that this is a man who still has a lot to prove if he is to fulfil his earlier promise. Put in charge of Ajax's first team amid Johan Cruyff's 'Velvet Revolution' after impressing with the Under-19s side, De Boer immediately instilled in the Eredivisie giants a more attractive style of football, taking them back to something more resembling the club's Total Football philosophy. With his flexible formation allowing for a fluent transition in play, Ajax were a joy to watch as they stormed through the second half of the season, beating league leaders Twente on the final day to overtake them and secure the title. Over the years, his belief in youth, the way in which he helped to develop his young players and his new tactical ideas coupled with his constant demand for perfection showed him to be an all-round impressive boss with a very bright future. The Amsterdam side have lost a whole host of key players during his near five year spell there, including Luis Suarez, Christian Eriksen, Siem de Jong, Gregory van der Wiel, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Vurnon Anita and Daley Blind, yet De Boer has been able to get the best out of his side through his understanding of Ajax's youth system and scouting network. Ajax had some luck in their march to the four league titles, having capitalised on the inefficiencies of PSV and Feyenoord at certain times, but not many coaches would have been able to deal with the constant changes of the club and make history in the way that he has done. The problem is, though, that football is constantly evolving and developing. While De Boer's methods and execution showed signs that this was a precocious coaching talent, the last two years of his career have shown his limitations, or at least that he has stagnated in his development. It has become evident that he is still relying on the same ideas which saw him emerge as a future coaching star, regardless of how unsuited to it are the players at his disposal. For instance, using Eriksen and De Jong as central strikers to force open space in key areas against big opposition was quite an innovative, daring and intelligent move which proved effective. However, last season, with his team slow, lacking creativity and any effectiveness whatsoever, his solution was to simply thrust the underperforming Lasse Schone into that role, leaving summer signing Richairo Zivkovic out of the squad despite impressing for Groningen the previous year. It was a decision which never looked like working and it never did. He soon went back to throwing on central defender Mike van der Hoorn to play up front towards the end of matches as Ajax scrambled for points. They completely crumbled under the challenge of Phillip Cocu's PSV, who, although lucky in the opening half of the season, developed into an excellent team led by their star players and eventually won the league with a 17-point lead over Ajax. The runners-up failed to develop in the same way and remained a flat and turgid group who would have struggled even more without Davy Klaassen and player of the year Jasper Cillessen. This season, again De Boer has already indicated that he will end up relying on similar tactics. Against Celtic in the Europa League, he started with Klaassen up front, even though the 22-year-old is the absolute star of the midfield. Lining up against a very defensive Scottish side in the Amsterdam Arena, they were severely lacking direction in the middle of the park and relied heavily on crosses, making 33 of them in 90 minutes. Ajax trailed 2-0 to Celtic and, although they came back to earn a point after Emilio Izaguirre's red card, there was luck in their equaliser as goalkeeper Craig Gordon misjudged a Schone free-kick. When it was put to him after the game, De Boer would not acknowledge that his team failed to create any intricacy in central areas during that game and insisted that their wing-heavy gameplan was fine. "We were waiting for the equaliser," he said. "It's not the cross that you have to finish but sometimes the ball drops well for you. I'm satisfied with how things went." When Ajax are 2-1 down in their stadium against 10 men, having completely dominated possession, it is hard to believe that they should feel happy about "waiting" on a lucky goal, especially when they have relied upon one futile attacking style throughout the game. Things have continued for Ajax in this way throughout the season. While they sit top of the table and have dropped points in only one of their seven games, they have been underwhelming in attack and completely one-dimensional. Only three teams have made more crosses in open play than them this season and smart sides will sit deep and restrict the space in the centre and force them wide. Such a strategy could be a weakened PSV outfit's main hope of taking points from them on Sunday. Overall, De Boer has done remarkably well with Ajax and no one could possibly argue that he is a failure, even if he fails to win the league this term. He is a talented coach for sure but, if he is to fulfil his early promise, he simply must move away from the Ajax philosophy which consumes him and the club. He has to develop a new dimension to his gameplan to ensure that he continues to develop. That could be the difference between going on to become a great coach or just an average one. It's down to De Boer to make sure that the former is the case. http://www.goal.com/en/news/1686/eredivisie/2015/10/02/15921732/has-frank-de-boer-run-out-of-ideas-at-ajax

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists pressure is off after Ajax's Frank De Boer reveals interest in Anfield job Ajax manager is latest to make availability known before Liverpool owners discuss club’s long-term strategy By Chris Bascombe 10:30PM BST 02 Oct 2015 Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, insists he does not fear the consequences of a Merseyside derby defeat this weekend, despite the growing threat to his job after a series of poor performances. As Ajax manager Frank De Boer became the latest high-profile coach to alert Liverpool to his availability – Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp are frontrunners if the manager’s tenure comes to an end – Rodgers says he is not worried about the repercussions of another serious setback. Liverpool’s trip across Stanley Park comes amid a period of intense scrutiny on Rodgers and his side, with the international break seen as a time when the club’s owners will reflect on the team’s start to the season and determine if the current direction has longevity. Rodgers’s side sit five points off the top and within two points of a Champions League place, but have been booed off in three of their last five home games. “I am not worried. Not at all,” said Rodgers. “That is not being arrogant or having been given any assurances. It’s not something I look for or that I am worried about. I am not looking for reassurances or seeking any. I enjoy being here and enjoy the challenge of working with these players. It’s a long season and we will make progress as we go along. Once we get everyone fit we have the squad to challenge. “You lose games at a club like this and there is an investigation that is deep and the analysis is huge, but that is part of being at a prestigious club. “Every game here has been like that. There is no more or less pressure than before. It’s very simple – we have drawn a number of games we should have won but the reality is we are a couple of points off the top four and five off the top. We are calm and enjoying our work.” Rodgers has spent recent weeks re-emphasising the idea of another rebuilding job at Anfield following another summer of recruitment. Winning over the hearts and minds of a Liverpool fan-base increasingly fatigued by the idea of being in perpetual transition is a battle for both the manager and the Anfield board. “It is rebuilding a group again, new players and going again,” said Rodgers. “In the first couple of years we did well and over the last 12 months we’ve had to manage change and a lot of disruption in the squad. “When you win games you have the support and when you lose there is disappointment. My worry is the club and for it to be the best it can be but as manager you will always have critics and if you don’t win the level can increase. “I also know there is great support and those who want us to do well are behind the team. It is also about perspective. There is a lot of pressure on the players and they are dealing with it very well. Perspective keeps us calm.” In recent weeks Rodgers has robustly defended his performance at Anfield and noted the 'hysteria’ surrounding the manager’s position. That will only intensify if he fails to get a positive result at Goodison Park. A week after Ancelotti was linked with Rodgers’s job and Klopp made it known he would be keen to move to Anfield should a vacancy arise, De Boer went public with his interest. The Dutchman has stated previously he rejected an approach from Fenway Sports Group in 2012 – when Rodgers was appointed. At that time, De Boer was committed to Ajax but now he is open to offers. Asked specifically about Liverpool and Newcastle United, where Rodgers and Steve McClaren have had early-season problems, De Boer said: “They are fantastic clubs. Liverpool and Newcastle, with supporters behind them it is a fantastic environment to coach but this year it is important for me to do well at Ajax and then we will see.” De Boer’s remarks in an interview with BBC’s World Service are significant given their timing. He says he will take a Premier League position in the near future. “Yes I think every year it comes closer, of course,” said De Boer. “I’m looking maybe for another adventure. If there is an interesting club that I think with my quality I can make that team better – if I can, than I will take that chance.” Meanwhile, Liverpool will be without Christian Benteke, who has not recovered from a hamstring problem, for the Everton game. Daniel Sturridge returns to the squad. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11908823/Liverpool-manager-Brendan-Rodgers-insists-pressure-is-off-after-Ajaxs-Frank-De-Boer-reveals-interest-in-Anfield-job.html

Brendan Rodgers reveals he is not worried about his job if Liverpool lose to Everton BRENDAN RODGERS faces Everton on the brink, but insists he is not worried about the personal repercussions from the fall-out of tomorrow's Merseyside derby. By PAUL JOYCE PUBLISHED: 00:02, Sat, Oct 3, 2015 | UPDATED: 00:10, Sat, Oct 3, 2015 The Liverpool manager’s embattled position is set to be scrutinised by owners Fenway Sports Group at the start of the next week's international break with Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti alternative options for the hot-seat. A defeat at Goodison Park at the hands of their rivals will further heighten the pressure on the Liverpool manager, who heard more fans' dissent against his reign with boos following Thursday's Europa League draw with FC Sion. Rodgers has acknowledged the threat to his job, but does not fear the sack primarily because his faith in his methods has not been affected by a downturn in results and he feels his stock is such that he would find work again. Asked if he was worried how the hysteria around a derby could manifest itself, Rodgers said: "No, no, not at all, not at all. "We will go into the game with every notion to perform and win well. If we get a wee bit of luck, if we earn a bit of good fortune, we can win the game. "I am not worried and that is not being arrogant, or having been given any assurances. I will do my best with what I am working with and our notion is to win the game. "It is about rebuilding a group again, new players and going again." His comments come with Ajax boss Frank de Boer also indicating a desire to move into management in England after being asked about Liverpool and Newcastle. "They are fantastic clubs," said De Boer. "Liverpool and Newcastle, with supporters behind them, it is a fantastic environment to coach but this year it is important for me to do well at Ajax and then we will see." Everton are a point above their neighbours in the Premier League, but manager Roberto Martinez said Rodgers' lavish £290m spending spree meant Liverpool went into the game at Goodison Park as favourites and added the pressure his counterpart is under was "normal". "If you look at the amount of money that Liverpool have spent in the last three seasons, then clearly they need to be favourites and carry the expectation," said Martinez. Rodgers responded, saying: "We will always take the favourite tag. It just shows you're a big club." http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/609574/Brendan-Rodgers-not-worried-about-job-Liverpool-lose-Everton

Liverpool news: Under-pressure Brendan Rodgers hits out at 'hysteria' over his Liverpool future Rodgers has blasted the “frenzied” campaign to undermine him, as stand-in captain James Milner rallies behind his "top-class manager" By Chris Bascombe 10:30PM BST 27 Sep 2015 Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, has claimed that he is the victim of a “frenzied” campaign to force him out of Anfield. Rodgers refused to identify those whom he felt were campaigning against him but James Milner, Liverpool’s acting captain, suggested that the rise of social media was a contributor to the “hysteria”surrounding the manager. There have been hints that Rodgers believes that former Liverpool players working in the media have not been supportive enough during his troubled spell. “There has been a frenzy to get me out of here. There is no question about that,” Rodgers said. “Whether that’s a Liverpool hysteria or big-club hysteria, I am not so sure. “The scrutiny here is obviously greater, for me, than any club. But it is a huge club and as a manager you know that and deal with it. “It’s not about proving people wrong. I think I have shown in the early stages of my management – without being arrogant – that with a talented group of players I can compete at the top end of the league. There are very short memories in football. “The team was eighth when I got here and we built and produced a team to excite people throughout European football that should have won the league. It didn’t but nobody even expected us to be near the top four. “I know how to manage top players and manage the group, but when you lose that or those players are not available and you have to piece it together, that takes time. Then all the good work gets forgotten. That’s how it works. “It seems the focus has not been on what’s gone on and what we’ve been missing, but more about getting me out of the club. That’s sad. I am the same man who nearly won us the league, but better. If you give me the tools I’ll do the work. “I know last season and this, there have been a lot of things going against us, but we’ve always managed to stick together. The players are very much fighting and with players returning we can have a great season.” Milner, who scored the first in Liverpool’s 3-2 win against Aston Villa, argued that the possible consequence of every poor run gets magnified due to changing nature of football coverage. “That is the way football is now – social media and Sky Sports apps, and everything like that,” Milner said. “There is so much scrutiny. It is important we pay no intention and focus on the work. “A lot of things that have been said are disappointing and frustrating really because you see how close they went to winning the league a couple of years ago and then with the players that have left the club it is going to take time to get back to that point. But with patience he [Rodgers] has shown he is a top-class manager and with the players we have we can get to where we want to be.” Milner believes that the scrutiny at Anfield is comparable to that at Manchester City. “I would say it is as big. They are both big clubs,” he said. “There is always going to be that pressure when things aren't going well. That comes when you play for big clubs, as I’ve been fortunate to do for the last few years. There is going to be scrutiny. “When things aren’t going well there are going to be things said but it is important that we stick together. When things are going well it gets blown out of context and the same when it is bad. “Someone has told us we are five points off the top so things change so fast in football. If we can put a couple of good wins together then it will different. I think things are starting to click. “There are people giving criticism from outside the club but I think Manchester City have lost more games than us this season so you know it is so early.” Working with Rodgers was one of the factors behind Milner’s decision to join Liverpool. “I’ve been really impressed with him,” the England international said. “Preparation is second to none. We go into every game with a game plan. Training is very good and any problems as a player you can see on the pitch, he has seen them as well rather than him not knowing what the problem is. “I’ve talked with him after a game and whatever I’ve thought he has already said ahead of me so I think he is well on top.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11894708/Liverpool-news-Under-pressure-Brendan-Rodgers-hits-out-at-hysteria-over-his-Liverpool-future.html

Jurgen Klopp will only take Liverpool job if transfer committee is scrapped Jurgen Klopp could end his sabbatical to take over the reins at Liverpool However he would only take job if club ditch transfer committee system He also wants to be given assurances that he is wanted by whole club Carlo Ancelotti is also being considered to replace Brendan Rodgers Brendan Rodgers blasts WITCH HUNT trying to force him out of Liverpool By JOE BERNSTEIN FOR MAILONLINE PUBLISHED: 09:36, 27 September 2015 | UPDATED: 12:43, 27 September 2015 Jurgen Klopp would demand the end of Liverpool's transfer committee if he is to succeed Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool manager. And the German tactician has also made it clear he would only be interested in ending his sabbatical by taking a job at Anfield if he is a unanimous choice rather than just elements within the club. Klopp, 48, is regarded alongside Carlo Ancelotti as prime candidates to replace Rodgers should owner John W Henry and the Fenway Sports Group decide to make a change. The former Borussia Dortmund manager is open to the idea of managing one of Europe's traditional big clubs but only on his terms. Rodgers has not been able to dictate transfer policy during his time at Merseyside, having some players like Mario Balotelli pressed upon him and denied other targets like Swansea City and Wales international Ashley Williams because they were deemed too old and not glamorous enough. Having taken Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final, Klopp is in a strong negotiating position and could prolong his time out of the game until the summer when the Bayern Munich job should become available. He is also concerned about splits among the hierarchy some of whom are more favourable towards Rodgers than others. The key decision-makers at Liverpool are Henry, chairman Tom Werner, Merseyside-based American director Mike Gordon and managing director Ian Ayre. Liverpool have denied making contact with any other potential manager to succeed Rodgers and Klopp, who left Dortmund this summer, has said: 'I have nothing to do with the Liverpool rumours.' Having finished second two seasons ago, Rodgers has lost star players Luis Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard and been hampered this season by injuries at various times to Christian Benteke, Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino, Joe Allen and Daniel Sturridge. After beating Aston Villa on Saturday, he faces a crucial week with Liverpool's Europa League clash against Sion on Thursday followed by a Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday. Rodgers said last week about speculation surrounding his job: 'What I'll always do is give my best to the club and if they decide they need to change, I' ll totally respect that.' http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3250749/Jurgen-Klopp-Liverpool-job-transfer-committee-scrapped.html

Brendan Rodgers: I know Liverpool could axe me Tony Barrett Last updated at 12:01AM, September 26 2015 Brendan Rodgers insists that he will respect the decision of the Liverpool owners should they opt to replace him as manager, but he has ruled out resigning despite the mounting pressure he is facing. In a frank assessment of his situation, Rodgers accepted that recent poor results have made his position vulnerable despite retaining confidence in his ability to revive Liverpool and regain the backing of supporters who have turned against him. Rodgers was also relaxed about Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp being linked with the job, even though their availability is likely to make them an even more attractive proposition to Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the club’s owner, should Liverpool fail to defeat Aston Villa at Anfield today. Tellingly, Rodgers repeated an assertion that he made last season, saying he had proved himself capable of delivering during the previous campaign when he had “the tools” to work with, the clear inference being that he no longer believes he is blessed with the kind of quality needed to make Liverpool title challengers. “It [people being linked with your job] is something that happens, and it happens through every level, but you can never be too worried about it,” the Liverpool manager said. “Sixteen months ago we nearly won the league, I was manager of the year, and 16 months later you are not so good at your job when you are actually better at your job. “I don’t like to go on too much about it, but I think I have shown what I can do when I have the tools to work, what I can deliver. I don’t lose confidence in that. What I will always do is give my best to the club and if they decide they need to change, I totally respect that. “I know I have given it everything and I would walk away and hopefully walk into another job where I would get a chance to create something special. But my focus is still very much on the now, and the now is making us the best we can be.” Asked whether he would consider resigning if results fail to improve, Rodgers said that is not even under consideration. “No. No chance, no,” he replied. “My target in my own mind is to get to 1,000 games as a manager, and I know that over the course of that you are looking at the next 20-odd years.” Having signed 31 players and sold 33 in the three years since he became manager, Rodgers believes that one of the reasons why Liverpool are struggling is that they are “constantly rebuilding”. “There has been a lot of change and we have lost some big, big players here in terms of both character and quality,” he said. “You have to manage that change and do the best that you can.” http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/clubs/liverpool/article4568256.ece

System failure has left the American dream in tatters Tony Barrett Last updated at 12:01AM, September 25 2015 Fenway Sports Group had an ambitious vision for Liverpool, but its policy is stuttering ‘The model” as it became known was non-negotiable. A director of football was an absolute requirement. In the transfer market, “short-term, quick fixes” and overpaying for players were out of the question. A “talented young manager” was appointed to “instil a philosophy”. Almost five years on from the purchase of Liverpool by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), all that remains of that blueprint is Brendan Rodgers. Given what was the model, it is not looking good. Perhaps partly because he represents the last vestiges of the vision that they arrived with, Rodgers is yet to be dispensed with by FSG in the same manner as Damien Comolli, the director of football that they appointed, although there is no question that his position is subject to heightened consideration. Presiding over a run of form that has seen Liverpool win five matches out of their past 15 means that Rodgers can have few complaints about the mounting pressure that he is coming under, particularly with Jürgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti being available. Having his tactics criticised, his signings rubbished and his approach questioned has become as much a part of the Liverpool manager’s daily routine as taking training at Melwood. There is no escape from the spotlight. But for all the scrutiny Rodgers is coming under, much of it as justified as it is inevitable, the question of whether the club he manages are giving him, or his potential replacements, the best possible chance to succeed is in danger of being lost in the clamour for change. The focus on FSG and the decisions that it has made has become minimal. There is, though, a sense that Liverpool, on the pitch at least, are back to square one under their ownership. The league position they occupy, 13th, is only five places and two points better than it was in October 2010 when the American investment vehicle bought one of world football’s most famous clubs. Then, their arrival came after an ignominious exit from the League Cup at the hands of League Two opposition, Northampton Town, a repeat of which was narrowly averted on Wednesday when Liverpool scraped past Carlisle United on penalties. Just as Roy Hodgson, the manager FSG inherited, was beleaguered in 2010, Rodgers is under pressure in 2015. What took place in the intervening five years, save for a remarkable and wholly unexpected title challenge in 2013-14 has been wholly underwhelming: a single trophy - the Carling Cup in 2012 - and Champions League qualification achieved once. Financial stability off the pitch, something that should not be underestimated, has not been followed by success on it. “Most of all, we want to win,” John W Henry, Liverpool’s principal owner, once stated. “That ambition drives every decision. It is the Liverpool Way.” It may have been once but whether that is still the case is a moot point. Recently, Liverpool enlisted Ask Ten, an international leadership consultancy, whose website presents a case study of how a global football brand can “obtain commercial success off the pitch when the team is not performing on the pitch”. As an indication of where Liverpool are, it is compelling. Were it not for the implications it would have for his job security, Rodgers would be entitled to cite the restrictions that he works under in mitigation. In the recent past, he has claimed that “fifth is par” for Liverpool, an argument that does hold weight when one considers that they have the Premier League’s fifth biggest wage bill, its fifth largest revenue and, when the redevelopment of Anfield is complete, they will have the country’s fifth biggest stadium. The problem for Rodgers is that last season Liverpool did not achieve that limited objective and they are several shots over par this season. That is why his job is in jeopardy. Regardless of Rodgers’s failings, FSG needs to ask itself whether or not it has given him the best possible opportunity to deliver. If it is as honest as it was when Henry used an open letter to Liverpool fans to admit that mistakes had been made, it will acknowledge that its shortcomings, revolving primarily around an inconsistent approach with numerous deviations away from the course that it intended to follow, has not created the ideal conditions for any manager, particularly a relatively inexperienced one, to thrive in. Five factors in Liverpool’s fall from grace 1 Losing Luis Suárez His move to Barcelona will go down as the turning point if this downturn under FSG continues. In the 38 league games before Suárez left, Liverpool scored 101 goals; in the 44 games since, they have scored only 56. Suárez’s infectious will to win has also been lost. 2 Failing to replace Suárez Armed with £75million from the sale, Liverpool went on a spree. Instead of replacing Suárez with one player of similar talent, such as Alexis Sánchez, they went for quantity. Of the nine players recruited, four, including Mario Balotelli, aren’t at the club this season. 3 Playing an understrength team away to Real Madrid In terms of dressing-room morale and supporter confidence, the damage done by Rodgers’s decision not to pick his first-choice team for the Champions League tie cannot be understated. Steven Gerrard admitted later that the episode played a key role in his decision to leave. 4 Allowing Gerrard to leave By his own admission, Gerrard, at 35, is not the player he was at 25. But given the lack of leaders, his departure should have been avoided. The brain drain that has seen Jamie Carragher, Pepe Reina and Daniel Agger leave has had a profound effect on Liverpool’s stature within the game. Allowing Gerrard to follow Carragher, Reina and Agger out of Anfield was a mistake. 5 Too many symbolic defeats It isn’t just losing games, but the manner in which they lose. A pitiful performance in the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa; capitulation to Crystal Palace in Gerrard’s Anfield farewell; surrender at Stoke on the final day of last season, left; West Ham winning at Anfield for the first time since 1963. Each one has caused significant collateral damage. Words by Tony Barrett The transfer committee system that replaced the director of football template that was initially implemented has misfired. The idea of sharing votes on potential new signings between the manager, recruitment staff and executives may be democratic and reflect a desire to provide checks and balances, but its implementation has resulted in no one involved getting exactly what they want. While Rodgers has been able to sign players such as Christian Benteke and Nathaniel Clyne as his first-choices, he has previously been prevented from pursuing interest in Ashley Williams and Ryan Bertrand. For their part, the committee, and particularly the owners, have been frustrated at the way that Rodgers has deployed signings that they have prioritised, with Lazar Markovic and Mamadou Sakho being two of the most obvious examples. That disconnect has been apparent from the summer that Rodgers took over as manager when he blocked a move to sign Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea only to backtrack the following January in the wake of pressure from FSG. It is that dysfunction in their relationship that is at the heart of everything that is going wrong at Liverpool. Rodgers has long harboured doubts about whether he can succeed given the conditions that he works under, while FSG has had its own concerns about the Northern Irishman’s willingness to work collaboratively. Those mutual misgivings coupled with Liverpool’s slump mean that Rodgers is at growing risk of being replaced. Should either Klopp or Ancelotti succeed him, “the model” will be gone for good. Next five fixtures facing Rodgers Tomorrow Aston Villa (h), Premier League Oct 1 Sion (h), Europa League Oct 4 Everton (a), Premier League Oct 17 Tottenham (a), Premier League Oct 22 Rubin Kazan (h), Europa League http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/premierleague/article4567112.ece[/url

Liverpool FC season preview: Why Brendan Rodgers is at the crossroads 05:00, 6 AUGUST 2015 BY JAMES PEARCE James Pearce on why Reds boss now has the tools he asked for to deliver - and it's sink or swim time Brendan Rodgers’ Anfield reign is at a crossroads. The 2015-16 campaign is sink or swim time. After the wheels came off so spectacularly in the closing months of last season, the Northern Irishman has been given the opportunity to put things right. The decision by owners Fenway Sports Group to keep faith with Rodgers divided opinion among a fanbase whose patience had been stretched to the limit by the events of the spring. Many were calling for change after a campaign when Liverpool trailed home sixth in the Premier League - their tally of 62 points was 22 less than 2013-14 and their haul of 52 goals was 49 fewer. Not since the 1993-94 season, which saw the club part company with Graeme Souness, had the Reds’ goal difference been as low as plus four. Their return to the Champions League proved painfully shortlived and two promising domestic cup runs faded into insignificance when Rodgers’ side delivered such a woeful display in the FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa at Wembley. A spirited mid-season revival had long since been forgotten when Stoke City provided the final humiliating chapter with a 6-1 thrashing - Liverpool's worst defeat for 52 years. In the bowels of the Britannia Stadium, Rodgers looked a broken man and admitted that his job was in jeopardy following such a spineless capitulation. Few managers of elite clubs come back from a body blow like that but FSG duo Mike Gordon and Tom Werner refused to reach for the panic button. The belief in Boston was that while under-achieving in 2014-15, Rodgers had been hampered by circumstances beyond his control. The owners accepted that Liverpool made mistakes in the transfer market last summer that Rodgers couldn’t be held solely responsible for. They failed to adequately replace the world class talents of Luis Suarez and that glaring error was compounded by Daniel Sturridge’s injury woes. When a team implodes like Liverpool did during the run-in serious questions will be asked about the man at the helm but the 42-year-old still had credit in the bank with the owners. Just 12 months earlier he had been crowned Manager of the Year by his peers and handed a new four-year contract after masterminding a thrilling title challenge. Can Rodgers get back to those heights? That’s the challenge facing him as he enters his fourth season at Liverpool. He has to silence his critics by recapturing that exhilarating brand of attacking football and prove that 2013-14 wasn’t just a Suarez-inspired one off. Liverpool lost their identity throughout the struggles of 2014/15 and they need it back and fast. When Rodgers arrived from Swansea City in 2012 many fans doubted his credentials to bring success to Anfield and in truth little has changed. Yet his bid to win over the army of doubters and put his reign back on track has been bolstered by a summer of sweeping changes. This time around Rodgers can have no complaints about either the backing of the owners or the work of Liverpool’s transfer committee. Where last year they dallied, this time around targets were secured quickly and decisively. Areas of glaring weakness have been addressed. Trying to replace Steven Gerrard was always going to be a fruitless task but the Reds have taken steps towards filling that gaping void by buying both experience and goals. Securing the services of James Milner on a free transfer from Manchester City was a major coup. The England international was lured to Anfield by the promise of the central midfield role denied him by Manuel Pellegrini. A model professional, Milner is underrated and exactly what Liverpool require. His work rate and athleticism are ideally suited to Rodgers’ pressing game and he will be a leader on and off the field. When Liverpool flopped on the big stage last season, they stood accused of lacking character and mental strength. Milner will strengthen that backbone. The lion’s share of the Reds’ £84million summer spending spree went on Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino. Benteke was always Rodgers’ No 1 target and the fact that FSG agreed to trigger his £32.5million release clause was another demonstration of their unwavering support for the manager. How Rodgers must hope the Belgium international repays that faith by firing Liverpool’s into the Champions League spots. Kopites know all about Benteke having watched him torment the Reds for Aston Villa but Firmino, who arrived from Hoffenheim in a £29million deal, is more of an unknown quantity. The prospect of watching the versatile Brazilian attacker link up with fellow countryman Philippe Coutinho is mouthwatering. With Danny Ings and Divock Origi also on board, Liverpool’s striking department is well stocked for the campaign ahead. The squad looks deep enough to cope with the added demands of the Europa League. Nathaniel Clyne, a £12million buy from Southampton, is the perfect replacement for Glen Johnson at right-back, while teenage defender Joe Gomez has already shown his class after moving from Charlton. Wisely, the focus in transfer policy has shifted from trying to find value in rookies from overseas to buying more proven players who know what it takes to succeed in the Premier League. That should enable the new boys to hit the ground running. It hasn’t all been plain sailing with the departure of captain Steven Gerrard to LA Galaxy followed by the sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City. The disgraceful antics of Sterling and his camp – coupled with the eye-watering fee of £49million – meant that most supporters were simply glad to see the back of him. However, the reality is that Liverpool have lost their most gifted youngster to a domestic rival. The hope is that Jordon Ibe will realise his rich potential and prove to be the perfect replacement. The armband which belonged to Gerrard for more than a decade has been passed to Jordan Henderson. It’s a tough act to follow but the England international has already embraced the extra responsibility and commands the respect of everyone in the dressing room. Rodgers ruthlessly showed assistant boss Colin Pascoe and coach Mike Marsh the door and installed a new backroom staff of Sean O’Driscoll, Pep Lijnders and former Kop favourite Gary McAllister amid talk of moving in a “new technical direction”. As well as the influx of new faces, much will hinge on Rodgers’ ability to get more out of those who remain from last term. How he needs the likes of Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno and Lazar Markovic to belatedly live up to their price tags. The fixture list is laced with danger – with Stoke and a trip to the scene of May’s debacle first up. The importance of a flying start to the campaign can’t be over-stated. All eyes will be on the Britannia to see whether this really is a ‘new’ Liverpool. This season there will be no room for excuses. Rodgers has the tools he asked for. Now he has to deliver. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-season-preview-brendan-9798613

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers favourite for next Premier League managerial departure 20:01, 10 JUNE 2015 BY AARON FLANAGAN Rodgers' position at Anfield is under threat after a disappointing campaign which saw them under-perform both domestically and in Europe Brendan Rodgers is expected to be the next manager to leave the Premier League, according to bookmakers. The Liverpool manager is the overwhelming favourite to depart their club as teams begin their preparations for the new campaign. Rodgers' future is in doubt after the Reds failed to follow up their 2013/14 title challenge with a similarly successful season, slumping to fifth place. Jurgen Klopp is one of the names reportedly ready to take over at Anfield, as pressure continues to grow Rodgers. Ladbrokes have priced Rodgers as the 3/1 favourite to be the next manager to leave their post in the Premier League, with new Watford manager Sanchez Flores following. Meanwhile, his top four rivals, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal and Manuel Pellegrini are the least likely bosses to leave their job in the near future. James Curtis of Ladbrokes said: “As you’d expect, last year’s top four look safe for the time being but the betting suggests Brendan Rodgers is on borrowed time at Anfield. “The Liverpool boss in under immense pressure to perform and with Jurgen Klopp waiting in the wings we’re not even sure he’ll make it to day one.” Next Premier League manager to leave odds Brendan Rodgers 3/1 'Quique' Sanchez Flores 6/1 Gary Monk 10/1 Tim Sherwood 10/1 Nigel Pearson 12/1 Dick Advocaat 14/1 Tony Pulis 14/1 Roberto Martinez 14/1 Mauricio Pochettino 16/1 Alan Pardew 16/1 http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-boss-brendan-rodgers-favourite-5859651

Out-of-work Jurgen Klopp looms large over Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers THE shadow of Jurgen Klopp continues to hang over Liverpool and Brendan Rodgers after the German coach's agent specified he would be prepared to take charge of English clubs outside the top four. By PAUL JOYCE PUBLISHED: 22:30, Tue, Jun 9, 2015 | UPDATED: 22:35, Tue, Jun 9, 2015 Liverpool have insisted Rodgers' position as manager is safe, but the departures of Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh from his coaching staff have served to raise doubts as to his long-term future. Klopp is taking a sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund, although it is understood Liverpool is one club that could a change of heart. And his agent, Marc Kosicke, did little to counter that by indicating Klopp would consider an English club outside the Champions League, while highlighting the importance of an ownership model that would ensure he does not become bogged down in negotiating transfers. Liverpool's transfer group works in tandem with Rodgers at present and is close to securing Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan on a free transfer. "The Premier League is very exciting," said Kosicke. "And we do not only think about the top four because there are some other great clubs below them. But I am not sure the profile of the job could work. "In Germany there is a clear separation between manager and sporting director and I think in principle this is very good. "Jurgen does not like to speak to player's agents or to carry out a transfer. So we have to see which is the most useful arrangement. "It is always all about the challenge. "When Jurgen signed for Dortmund there were other clubs who had better prestige and were in better financial mood at this time. Nevertheless he decided for Dortmund. "He has the great ability to develop things. "If he goes into a stadium, feels the energy and thinks that he can make a difference here, this could be more attractive to him than going with the big deals and aim for the treble." Rodgers finds himself under intense pressure following a campaign which fell short of expectations and it is not simply who fills the vacancies in his backroom staff, but by what process they are appointed, which is now intriguing. Former defender Sami Hyypia is keen for a role, but no appointment is imminent. Liverpool will continue to look to bolster their squad for next season, although the signing of Bogdan before the end of the week does not feel like the sort of deal that will push current No1 Simon Mignolet. James Milner and Danny Ings join on July 1, while discussions over Aston Villa's Christian Benteke and Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne continue. http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/583309/Jurgen-Klopp-Liverpool-Brendan-Rodgers