Standing up to Modern Football

I think it's frustrating or even despressing how money is ruining football. International ownership, wages, agents, transfers, TV deals, sponsership, corporations, ticket prices and players contracts are beginning to control how our game is run. Obviously, these factors have always existed in football but not to this excessive greedy extent. Measures need to be put in place immediately to prevent football from becoming a corporate event which only the rich and wealthy are able to enjoy.

          (The Kop voice their opinion)

The sooner fans from all football clubs come together and fight as one against these modern day issues the better, if not, without wanting to exaggerate, we are in danger of loosing the game we and passed generations loved and cherished.

Anyway, moving on, regarding the Raheem Sterling Saga. I strongly believe, as long as Fenway Sports Group "dig deep into their pockets" as Stevie stated on Sunday and provide us with more than a sufficient transfer kitty, then in my opinion there is no need to cash in on Raheem Sterling.

Make a statement. This is Liverpool Football Club. Shankly's club. Yes, Raheem is good but he's not world class and certainly is not in the same leauge as Luis Suárez at the time of requesting and demanding ridiculous amounts of money and insisting everything is done on his terms.

(Raheem and his agent have called off all contract talks with Liverpool FC until the end of the season)

We all know it has been widely documented that he has had issues with his agent and advisors. Nonetheless, loosing a talent, a potential world class talent that Liverpool have nurtured since he arrived from QPR as a 15-year-old kid would be giving out all the wrong messages with regards to where the club is at. Not only to our rivals but for potential signings who are mulling over joining Liverpool Football Club or not. Letting this type of player go isn't what Brendan Rodgers should be doing, not yet anyway.

  (Raheem was signed in 2000 by Rafa)

It's obvious, Raheem isn't looking for a move abroad and is keen to carry on playing in the Premier Leauge, with London or Manchester more likely to be his preferred destinations. He wouldn't want to be too far away from his mum, who now lives in the capital and his daughter, who he already sees a lot less of than he would like. 

Im sick of football players refusing to respect their contracts and along with their agents think they've got the run of the green, showing little respect to their clubs, forcing them to give in and surrender to their greedy demands. Liverpool Football Club should always be pulling the strings no matter who you are.

(In 1995 Jason McAteer sent his agent to Anfield and said to him "Money isn't an issue, just don't mess this up!" Long gone are them days)

My proposal to deal with this current situation would be; Ok, fair enough if Raheem doesn't want to renew his current contract at Liverpool then nobody's going to hold a gun to his head until he does so. However, let's not make it that easy for him either. At the moment, he's earning £35,000 a week and has already turned down a £100,000 a week contract which is a 186% wage increase. Ludicrous really isn't it?

Let's just say hypothetically he did sign for that amount and played out the last two years of his current contract of £35,000 a week. Liverpool will be saving £65,000 a week for 2 years on wages which would be around £7m.

(Raheem's goal against Chelsea in the League Cup earlier this season, will be one of his highlights of the current campaign.)

This small amount doesn't sound that much if he eventually leaves on a free, but this way would also give Brendan Rodgers two more years to add, build and improve to his squad which Raheem would be apart of. If Brendan finally delivers success then Raheem could quite easily turn round and say, "Go on then", and sign a long term deal with Liverpool.

Realistically, Rodgers only has one more year to improve the club's current situation. Therefore, if the Gaffa goes at the end of next season, still with one year to go on Raheem's contract, then his replacement and new faces might be enough in itself to persude Raheem to stay.

   (Will we be seeing this next season?)

Let's not overlook, that we only paid £600,000 for Raheem 5 years ago. So, if we take the figure of 7m mentioned before, again hypothetically speaking, we would have still made or saved around 6m which ever way you want to look at it. Of course, that's if we decide to keep him on a low wage contract.

When it all boils down to it, Liverpool Football club should never be seen to be a feeder club. Especially, with the  lads we have brought through our very own academy who have learnt the game the Liverpool way.

Let's see how this one pans out and as always I'll always defend Liverpool Football Club as "a club" but not the people, they come & go, apart from us, the fans, and WE aren't going anywhere far soon!

Thanks for reading. Please leave any comments on the Twitter below:

@anfieldeurope