Summer Transfer Window

[Tes]

if they are the type to run down their contract, then you have to ask if you want that type of money grabber at your club......i.e. is he joining you for the right reasons.

And if he wasn't offered a new contract, then why not? Theoretically, you'd avoid 'frees' like the plague.

I have no problem with a player that makes it clear 2 years from the end of his contract that he won't be signing another as he wants a new challenge (genuinely, not just hoping for more cash) and the club decide to keep him for those two years and take advantage of what he offers as a player and said player gives 100% during those two years.

If Daime has refused to sign a new contract because he lost his place in the team, then it shows him to have either zero fight and desire to earn his place and prove the manager mistaken through hard work, or no faith in his own ability to regain his place even with the necessary application.

Our track record with frees is poor. Houllier's was good - Macca and only injury and illness robbed us of 3/3 with Litmanen and Babbel.

Ironically, Dalglish has 1/1 with Bellamy.

[Juan]

free transfers can work.....but like you say often don''t..........one has to examine the reasons that the player is leaving their previous club.

if they are the type to run down their contract, then you have to ask if you want that type of money grabber at your club......i.e. is he joining you for the right reasons.

There are no brainer free transfers, Markus Babbel fitted that category, Gary Macallister was a risk that paid off. Throw Bellamy into that category and Id say that I cant think of anyone else we have signed on a free that has more than just made up the squad numbers.

In the case of Diame if I were manager Id ask is he better than what we have already got. If the answer to that is not a categorical yes then Id see no point in signing him. What we pay for free transfers in wages could be better spent on bringing top young talent to the club.

[Tes]

There are no brainer free transfers, Markus Babbel fitted that category, Gary Macallister was a risk that paid off. Throw Bellamy into that category and Id say that I cant think of anyone else we have signed on a free that has more than just made up the squad numbers.

In the case of Diame if I were manager Id ask is he better than what we have already got. If the answer to that is not a categorical yes then Id see no point in signing him. What we pay for free transfers in wages could be better spent on bringing top young talent to the club.

Frees, are anything but. They expect a greater signing on fee and higher salary as no fee is needed to be paid out. But unless he's a dead cert first teamer, why pay the salary of such for a bench warmer. I'd rather give a younger player a season. At best we find a solution, at worst we buy ourselves some time until someone more suitable and worthy of the financial outlay becomes available.

[Juan]

Eden Hazzard has confirmed he will be playing for one of the Manchester clubs but hasnt said which one yet.

I think that just shows how far off we are going to be from winning the league for the foreseeable future. We officially can no longer compete with the other big clubs. If its United hes signing for it shows how they mean business in trying to win the title back. If he signs for City it shows how they are already strengthening their title winning side.  All that on a day ourselves and Everton are being linked with opening talks with Diame.

[Tes]

Juan, we need to be smarter. We need to find the 'next Eden  Hazard' etc.

City can only field 11 at a time and the more 'big name' players you collect the more egos potentially have to be juggled and pacified.

I know what you're saying about the title, but I'm looking no further than challenging to get back in the top four. One step at a time in the climb back. Even Taggart's not immortal (at least I don't think so) and as we've proven, no matter how high you appear to have reached you can still fall, and descending is always much quicker than ascension.

[the dude abides]

financially, we can't compete with the Man Citys, Utd's or Chelseas of this world (nor do we genuinely want to).

instead, we need a manager in charge who has a track record of fighting far above his weight division - such as a Benitez, a Klopp, or an O'Neill.

and we have to run a highly efficient operation re transfer activity.

[Tes]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants to make Gylfi Sigurdsson his first signing following arrival at Anfield

By Chris Bascombe 11:59PM BST 02 Jun 2012


Sigurdsson was heading to the Liberty Stadium prior to Rodgers’ appointment at Anfield, but the change in circumstances appears to have scuppered the deal.

A £6.8 million fee was agreed between Swansea and Hoffenheim while Rodgers was still in charge, and personal terms were also negotiated with the 22 year-old.

But now the Northern Irishman has moved to Merseyside, Sigurdsson is destined to follow.

While Rodgers fully respects Swansea’s wish to conclude a deal, he says he feels compelled to pursue a player whose career has flourished under his charge.

“If he comes onto the market, I have to be interested,” explained Rodgers.

“His initial chat has to be with Swansea, because he had a good period there.

“I said when I had the chat with the chairman (Huw Jenkins) the other day, when I told him I was going to go to Liverpool, that Gylfi came to Swansea because I was there as manager.

“I said to Huw if I speak to the kid I’ll tell him to make sure he certainly comes down and speaks to the new (Swansea) manager, whoever that is, and that if he’s still not comfortable with that, he’s in the marketplace then — and then I have to look at him.”

Rodgers, meanwhile, has paid tribute to the roles his father and grandfather played in him becoming Liverpool manager.

“He was my hero. He’d be very proud,” said Rodgers of his father, who died last year. “Both my mum and dad passed away in a short period of time and I’m representing them.

“My grandfather was a Liverpool supporter. That’s where it started for me. I was born 1973 and in the late 70s I sat down with both him and my father [to watch Liverpool]. That was the emotional attachment to be here as well as the footballing challenge. They loved great football. My dad was a big lover of Johan Cruyff so that’s where one of my influences came from.

“My biggest influence were my parents. I’ve learnt from many people — good and bad — but my parents taught me the value of working hard. It’s an obligation to work hard, not a choice.

“My father brought me up that way and I was the one that always created rather than waited. I went out there and travelled to Spain, Holland and Germany to travel right the way through. It’s about having the courage and bravery to expose yourself to that.”

Rodgers makes no attempt to hide how he wants Liverpool to play, or what formation he intends to impose. His philosophy appears to be if he can make good players fit the system, opponents will know what’s coming but won’t get enough of the ball to undermine it.

“They say the best football coaches and managers are the best thieves so you look to pick up bits and pieces from everyone,” he said.

“Brendan Rodgers might not sound as good as someone from Italy or Spain. British managers have often been overlooked as not being impressive. I’m very proud that people here can see my vision, philosophy and work. I know Liverpool spoke to a number of European coaches but they went with an Irishman.

“What is new about my appointment is a British manager getting a job like this. When I started in management I wanted to show that British managers can get teams to play the way continental teams do, and that we have players who can adapt to that. I would say my style is a fusion.

“I’ve got a good idea where the group’s at. I think the biggest thing if you look at the team, it’s goals. It’s not rocket science. I think we’re defensively strong. They need more goals in the team. I think that’s the key. Whether that’s going to involve bringing players in or adapting the style to have a more high pressing game we’ll see.

"But that’s a challenge I’m looking forward to. My philosophy is simple — I’m here to educate. I’m not here to train. You train dogs, you don’t train players.

“Working with Jose Mourinho gave me great confidence. He saw something in me, and being at Chelsea gave me the opportunity to work with big players, and know that I could get my ideas across to them. It was a great experience, because I was there for the biggest year in Chelsea’s history.

“Jose and I keep in contact on a weekly basis, and I’ve got great respect for him. But I’m very much my own man. I had my own identity and my own ideas before I arrived at Chelsea.”

Rodgers could have been celebrating the title last month had he accepted an offer to become Roberto Mancini’s assistant two years ago.

Instead, he was drawn towards his managerial ambition.

“I went to Milan and met Roberto Mancini but then I got the call from Swansea,” said Rodgers.

“It was destiny really. It’s fate. I’m a big believer in that.”


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9307817/Liverpool-manager-Brendan-Rodgers-wants-to-make-Gylfi-Sigurdsson-his-first-signing-following-arrival-at-Anfield.html

Hopefully BrenRod will be aware of what salary he was offered at Swansea and we'll offer similar, not twice as much. A goalscoring midfielder is a valuable commodity and he has the advantage of knowing the way the manager works. There shouldn't be any sort of 'settling in' period either.

Hopefully the manager will make the overhaul of scouting a priority. In fact we could do with one person responsible for all scouting at all levels, setting up and organising a proper scouting network at all levels, who will make sure the scouting network put in place delivers on all the different requirements for each age group/level as the requirements would differ slightly from level to level and it would mean it wasn't piecemeal level by level. It deserves a department and department head all to itself.
We've been weak on scouting for too long as our results and purchases have shown. 

[the dude abides]

i hope that sigurddson, and people of his ilk, are up to playing for liverpool fc.

we cannot afford (neither in a financial or footballing context) another summer of poor quality inputs at anfield (after hodgson and dalglish's dire efforts in the market).

[Edward224]

Kuyt gone to Fenerbache. Fee is between 1-2m euros.

[the dude abides]

scandalous.

[Tes]

Exactly. What dumb@ss inserted a £1M buyout clause for the last year of his contract? I know he only had one year left and was never going to get a further two years (3 years in total like his Fene deal) but he would have been worth keeping for the year.
You can't buy experience like that, especially for £1M, unless you're buying off us it seems.

His off the ball movement and ability to create space for others would have been invaluable to BrenRod's style of play.

I hope we don't lose him long term like we have with Sami.

Ah well, we can have Mr and Mr Liverpool instead. 

[Ageing Stick Insect]

I suspect he was on pretty high wages which may have helped ease him out of the club.

[Tes]

I suspect he was on pretty high wages which may have helped ease him out of the club.

There's no doubt about that, Ray, as one of the senior's he is one of the highest paid, but there's a long list of players I'd rather save wages on than Dirk.

I think he must have made his mind up during the season and nothing was going to change it. A 3 year deal is good for a player of his age.

Let's hope we 're-invest' his salary sensibly.  Maybe we've just witnessed an 'Emlyn Hughes moment'.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

There's no doubt about that, Ray, as one of the senior's he is one of the highest paid, but there's a long list of players I'd rather save wages on than Dirk.

I suspect Maxi is another who is but given his goal scoring record per game I think he may be retained. In any case Dirk's contract was in its last year.

I think he must have made his mind up during the season and nothing was going to change it. A 3 year deal is good for a player of his age.

All players want to play and he'd be daft to refuse a move with a 3 year contract. I am sad he's going and I think he's sad he's leaving but nothing lasts for ever and it's better to go out whilst people still love you.

Let's hope we 're-invest' his salary sensibly.  Maybe we've just witnessed an 'Emlyn Hughes moment'.

Sigurdsson coud be a decent replacement for far fewer wages hopefully.

[Tes]

Sigurdsson coud be a decent replacement for far fewer wages hopefully.

This is a very interesting situation. Rodger's most likely will know the salary offer made to Sigurdsson and therefore we shouldn't be looking to pay more than he would accept to play for Swansea.

Let's hope we finally get our wage inflation under control. For years we've paid out more than a lot of our rivals but haven't been rewarded with the success that level of renumeration should have produced.