This week’s talking point has been on Rodger's inability to excel and succeed in the transfer market and his failure in attracting big names. These points have always been debated by Liverpool fans. However, more so, this week, after young Memphis Depay chose our bitter rivals Manchester United as his next club over Rodger's Liverpool on Wednesday morning.
I seem to get the impression, it's not that these transfer targets are doutful of representing Liverpool Football Club, I mean, Why would they? Who's bigger than Liverpool? I Believe, it's more the case of: Do the top players actually want to play for Rodgers?
Obviously, for a player, having to decide on their future is a massive decision for them, as their careers are so short. Modern day players, will probably only be given the chance to move 2 or 3 times in their entire career as a professional footballer. Therefore, managers have to sell their clubs to them in order to convince them they are making the correct decision. Moreover, and more importantly, they have to get across their philosophy, direction, style of play, what the club can offer the player and vicesversa.
Personally, I don’t believe these players trust in what Rodgers can offer them. Why should they? He doesn’t have the CV to prove it. Up until now he’s not a winner. Not counting winning the play-off final with Swansea, he’s not won a single trophy at the top level. Furthermore, he’s not been able to keep hold of his top players, namely Luis Suárez. Finally, which potential incoming players would ask themselves why he hasn’t been successful in persuading young players, such as Raheem Sterling to commit their long term futures to the club.
The fact that “camp Raheem” suspended all contract negotiations until the end of the season couldn’t have helped Rodgers in convining Depay to join his team. Raheem Sterling is one of the world’s best young talented footballers. Therefore, If a player of Raheem's caliber isn’t sure whether Liverpool is the right club for him and his development, when he’s been there for the last 5 years, then what sort of image does this give Liverpool to these players such as Mempthis Depay when deciding on their future destination.
Joining Liverpool, at this moment in time would be a risk for any player who is looking to improve. Rodgers, can only set out his own plans and goals. Yet, with the possibility of only being given one more year to achieve them, unfortunately, won’t be enough to satisfy players who are hungry and eager for success.
Having a top class European manager at the helm doesn’t guarantee marquee signings. However, it certainly helps. Players who are going to play for a manager who has already enjoyed many years of success, some in different leagues, winning various titles, know that they are going to play for someone who knows exactly what they are doing. Sadly, Rodgers doesn't have much experience, with only 7 years as a top flight manager and winning no trophies along the way.
This is how he fairs up against the Top four managers:
Rodgers, since day one and to this very day has been Fenway Sports Group man. Nevertheless, the appointment of such an unexperienced manager was a risky one, especially at a club as big as Liverpool where the expectations are so high. Mr Henry’s idea at the time was to invest in the club by rebuilding it with young players and a young manager, as well as implementing new transfer policies, a wage structure and setting up a new transfer committee.
Let's not forget, Brendan Rodgers is the only Liverpool manager to spend over a £100 million in a single summer. An amount which should be enough for Liverpool to compete in the Premiership Leauge and in the Champions Leauge.
Has he blown it all on totally average players? Since Brendan took control of Liverpool we have signed 25 players for £212,380,00 million, with no trophies won.
I don't agree much, that our squad needed improving so deeply after finishing 2nd last season. A couple of £40 million stars would have replaced Suárez & made us stronger. To sell Luis Suárez and not prioritise a decent enough replacement was negligent in the extreme. Let's just hope Balotelli has been a stop-gap until the summer because with all due respect to the lad, he is not a Liverpool player.
Therefore, "Squad players" in my opinion should be made up of lads from the "academy" that's why we invest so much into it, but when will they get a chance? when players like José Enrique aren't even making the bench these days. Therefore, the young kids will get nowhere near the bench due to the wages these players are earning automatically puts them before the academy lads.
Needless signings such as: Borini (10m) Alberto (6.8m) Aspas (7m) Llori (7m) Balotelli (16m) Lovren (20m) Assaidi (3m) Lambet (4.5) Allen (15m) Markovic (20m) is more than a 100 million just in itself. How many of the above are realistically going to have successful careers at Liverpool Football Club?
Being successful in the transfer market isn't easy. However, managers who have been around for many years' seem to enjoy more success due to the contacts they have made over the years, knowing the right people and having made strong ties and friendships. When Rodgers arrived at Liverpool in 2012 he signed a former player in Fabio Borini & brought with him Joe Allen. We have missed out on endless targets, not only to teams above us but also to teams below us. Do you remember when Christian Eriksen and Gylfi Sigurosson chose Spurs over us? and the lengthy transfer sagas of Mohamed Salah and Yevhen Konoplyanka
Furthermore, I strongly believe, not offering a player, especially young players, Champions League football in their first season isn't an issue. LVG was able to attract Di Maria & Falcao without any European Football at all.
The final straw for me, was not the fact we lost out on Depay to United and yet again history repeats itself through Liverpool's inability to tie down transfer targets. However, for Rodgers to come out in a press conference at Melwood this morning and say;
This of course is a blatant lie, as we all know we were interested in him. So why would Rodgers say otherwise? Liverpool fans arn't daft and with it been a sticky uncertain time for him, for me, just makes him look worse.
Trusted and reliable journalist from the Liverpool Echo, James Pearce, can be quoted in a recent article of his stating:
Therefore, am I missing something here? Or if the club were trying to convince a player to join Liverpool, it goes without saying that we were interested in him, right? Rodgers Lied.
I also checked with Tony Barrett from the times who also was reporting Liverpool's interest in Depay. Tony also confirmed Rodgers wasn't being honest.
It getting embarrassing now. We are Liverpool Football Club and our manager is sounding as if his girlfriend dumped him and then he tells her "Oh, I never fancied you anyway"
Nothing seems to be going right these days. Suárez left, Stevie is leaving. Sturridge is never fit. Sterling is not renewing, not winning trophies, no top 4, and finally, being ineffective in the transfer market makes being a Liverpool fan very frustrating at present.
I apologise for any negativity of late and I can assure you I'm not part of any "Rodgers Out Brigade". I just do what I have done for the last 30 years and fight for the success of Liverpool Football Club.
I'll always defend Liverpool Football Club as "a club" but sometimes not the people, they come & go, apart from us, the fans, and WE aren't going anywhere far soon. So let's be strong, stick together and hope this storm passes.
As always, thanks for reading, and please voice your opinions in the comments box on the Twitter below.
@Anfieldeurope
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