Liverpool Football Club is steeped in the glories of the 70s and 80s. A national institution with an international reputation, the Anfield giants have struggled in recent years to match both the commercial and on-field success of their neighbours in Manchester and West London. After years of turmoil, which very nearly saw the club suffocate under a mountain of debt, a Liverpool revolution is now well underway, fuelled by the cash of American owner John Henry. However, it would seem that Kop legend, Dalglish, has been given free reign to identify the talent required to bring the English Premier League title back to Anfield. Despite this summer of spending, is the money being spent wisely?
The red half of Merseyside had grown weary of never-ending stories from the Liverpool boardroom, describing bitter disagreements between former owners, Hicks and Gillett. The collective sigh of relief gasped by the Liverpool fans could be heard from the Wirral to Birkenhead when John Henry completed the protracted take-over. The promise of a new era quickly followed - and so did the departure of Kop hero, Fernando Torres. However, the board kept to their word by re-investing every penny of the Torres cash and more besides. Luis Suarez arrived at Liverpool from Ajax for a reported £23 million, with a reputation for the guile and trickery desperately needed at Anfield. However, more was to come, with a sensational transfer deadline day move for Andy Carroll. The British record transfer fee of £35 million raised eyebrows around the entire football world.
Carroll, with only a handful of Premier League appearances under his belt, has courted much controversy for such a young player. Stifled rumours of a dressing room fist-fight with Newcastle centre-back, Steven Taylor, suggested the six feet four centre-forward had a fiery off-field temperament every bit as fearsome as his stature on the pitch. Carroll had also made the front pages for a very public dispute with an ex-girlfriend and her family, resulting in the torching of his car. Night-club bust-ups and charges of assault all added to Carroll's image of a gifted, yet troubled footballer - yet Dalglish still recommended Liverpool smash the record for a British footballer to secure his services.
Given time and development, that cash may well prove to be well-spent, but it is a very expensive gamble, given Carroll's explosive temperament and relatively short top-flight career. Many of the Newcastle faithful liken the Gateshead-born striker to a former Toon number 9, Duncan Ferguson. If that comparison proves accurate, Dalglish, the club's board and its fans are in for one hell of a time! Whatever the talent, off-field issues are never good for team and club harmony and have ended many young and promising playing careers.
This summer has given the Liverpool faithful its clearest indication yet of what Dalglish's policy and vision for the future is. Acquiring the best of British talent is an admirable quest in these days of multi-national team selections, however, British talent with a history in the Premier League comes with an added premium. The balance of getting value for money while recruiting ready-made performers is a treacherous one and Dalglish is gambling with someone else's money to get it right. Proven British talent costs money and at the moment, there seems to be plenty of it. Spending more than £50 million in the summer comes with its own price tag - Champion's League qualification. Not to secure a place in Europe's footballing cash-cow will be a disaster for the Club and its high profile owner.
John Henry has limited knowledge of European football and seems to have put total trust in Dalglish with his millions. He may not know that £20 million signing, Stewart Downing, has not exactly set the Premier League alight. He may also be blissfully unaware that Capello's team selections have been very sparse in the Downing department. Henry may also not be aware that Jordan Henderson, bought for £16 million, was the subject of boos from his own fans during his last days as a Sunderland player. His undoubted talent is often counteracted by his tendency to drift in and out of play when his team is struggling.
Henry may be oblivious to the fact that £8 million signing, Charlie Adam, could not get a game for Rangers in the comparatively weaker SPL only a couple of years ago. Having left Rangers for only £500,000 as recently as 2009, Adam is clearly vastly over-priced, despite being a more than capable player. The Liverpool owner must have a clear and unflappable trust in Dalglish's vision and judgement to spend these inflated sums on players with undoubted talent, but a plethora of unanswered questions surrounding other aspects of their careers.
John Henry recently stated the club are not just investing for the now, but also the future of the club. That is an admirable stance to take and will no doubt be music to the ears of most Liverpool fans. However, the prices Liverpool are paying are 'finished article' prices. With the exception of distorted transfer fees paid at the Etihad Stadium and Stamford Bridge, £16 million on a midfielder would usually demand instant results and a history of achievement - Henderson offers neither. Is there another club in the world that would value Stewart Downing at £20 million? Barcelona have just paid £22 million for Uruguayan sensation, Alexis Sanchis, so does that make the £35 million Liverpool paid for Andy Carroll seem a little on the high side? Time will tell the whole story, but for these sums, John Henry will not expect to wait too long for success.
No comments:
Post a Comment