Liverpool F.c.

[bkkjames]

You're doomed.

that's about the size of it, yes.

I am not sure of it. I know you are doom and gloom about monies from the sales of torres, gerrard, kuyt, mach and bene. On one hand it would be easy for the owners to keep the monies to pay down the debt, however then you are left with a shell of a team, incapable of winning anything next year, let alone qualify for CL.

For prospective buyers - these facts alone will surely drive any offers downward.

So what to do, reinvest - get the team rolling again - then sell on the up or do the opposite? I know what I would do.

[StevieH]

You're doomed.

that's about the size of it, yes.

I am not sure of it. I know you are doom and gloom about monies from the sales of torres, gerrard, kuyt, mach and bene. On one hand it would be easy for the owners to keep the monies to pay down the debt, however then you are left with a shell of a team, incapable of winning anything next year, let alone qualify for CL.

For prospective buyers - these facts alone will surely drive any offers downward.

So what to do, reinvest - get the team rolling again - then sell on the up or do the opposite? I know what I would do.

yes, but re-invest with what though james? hicks' and gillett's credit cards are maxed to the max, they can't borrow any more money. which is not to mention that if they didn't invest in the squad and club when we'd just finished second in the league, or when we'd been to our second european cup final in three seasons, why would they suddenly do it now?

the answer is that they have absolutely no interest in the club succeeding on the pitch. tom hicks is all about brand affinity and selling shirts around the world and he knows that that alone will still get him a massive profit when he eventually sells.

[bkkjames]

You're doomed.

that's about the size of it, yes.

I am not sure of it. I know you are doom and gloom about monies from the sales of torres, gerrard, kuyt, mach and bene. On one hand it would be easy for the owners to keep the monies to pay down the debt, however then you are left with a shell of a team, incapable of winning anything next year, let alone qualify for CL.

For prospective buyers - these facts alone will surely drive any offers downward.

So what to do, reinvest - get the team rolling again - then sell on the up or do the opposite? I know what I would do.

yes, but re-invest with what though james? hicks' and gillett's credit cards are maxed to the max, they can't borrow any more money. which is not to mention that if they didn't invest in the squad and club when we'd just finished second in the league, or when we'd been to our second european cup final in three seasons, why would they suddenly do it now?

the answer is that they have absolutely no interest in the club succeeding on the pitch. tom hicks is all about brand affinity and selling shirts around the world and he knows that that alone will still get him a massive profit when he eventually sells.

I think I made it clear Steve: Take in 100+ million for the players mentioned above. Bring in some new (younger) blood like Dzedko, Milner, Carroll, Ireland, Richards etc for say 75 million + lowering your salaries. Hicks Gillette can pocket 20+ million for paying down debt: then flip the club.

[StevieH]

I think I made it clear Steve: Take in 100+ million for the players mentioned above. Bring in some new (younger) blood like Dzedko, Milner, Carroll, Ireland, Richards etc for say 75 million + lowering your salaries. Hicks Gillette can pocket 20+ million for paying down debt: then flip the club.

that implies some level of logic and common sense being involved in the process though james, something which has been absent so far. where did the money from xabi alonso's sale go? where did the money we recouped from selling robbie keane go? straight to the banks or into the £50m given so far to an architect for design work on a stadium which will never be built. we will not spend more than about £10m this summer, in fact if that. but we'll sell plenty.

[smokie36]

I think I made it clear Steve: Take in 100+ million for the players mentioned above. Bring in some new (younger) blood like Dzedko, Milner, Carroll, Ireland, Richards etc for say 75 million + lowering your salaries. Hicks Gillette can pocket 20+ million for paying down debt: then flip the club.

that implies some level of logic and common sense being involved in the process though james, something which has been absent so far. where did the money from xabi alonso's sale go? where did the money we recouped from selling robbie keane go? straight to the banks or into the £50m given so far to an architect for design work on a stadium which will never be built. we will not spend more than about £10m this summer, in fact if that. but we'll sell plenty.

There is no long term business plan only this months balance sheet..

[StevieH]

I think I made it clear Steve: Take in 100+ million for the players mentioned above. Bring in some new (younger) blood like Dzedko, Milner, Carroll, Ireland, Richards etc for say 75 million + lowering your salaries. Hicks Gillette can pocket 20+ million for paying down debt: then flip the club.

that implies some level of logic and common sense being involved in the process though james, something which has been absent so far. where did the money from xabi alonso's sale go? where did the money we recouped from selling robbie keane go? straight to the banks or into the £50m given so far to an architect for design work on a stadium which will never be built. we will not spend more than about £10m this summer, in fact if that. but we'll sell plenty.

There is no long term business plan only this months balance sheet..

there isn't even that - there's a fundamental misunderstanding of what a football club is. it isn't just any other company where executives come and go but the brand remains a powerful, global thing. that's what kicks thinks - that you can get rid of a european cup-winning manager and a couple of your best players and it won't impact the brand perception. he's wrong.

[StevieH]

new kit for next season. looks brilliant.

[StevieH]

i miss the man already. what a truly lovely gesture from a real genuine gentleman.

BBC Sport - Football - Rafael Benitez makes donation to Hillsborough families

Rafael Benitez makes donation to Hillsborough families

Former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has made a £96,000 donation to the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

The group was founded by families who lost loved ones in the Hillsborough Disaster in April 1989 which resulted in the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.

Benitez, whose Anfield reign ended last week, supported the organisation during his six years in charge of the Reds.

The 50-year-old Spaniard was confirmed on Thursday as the new coach of European champions Inter Milan.

"When he handed the cheque over to me he was very emotional, as I was and the committee was, especially when we saw the amount," said Margaret Aspinall, chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group.

"He just said that he wanted to help with the cause and hoped we get what we rightly deserve.

"We have lots of things that we spend money on; a memorial every year, upkeep of the office and expenses but Rafa just said as long as it helps the group then that's all that matters."

Edited June 11, 2010 by StevieH

[carmine]

Great generosity to a very worthy recipient. Top man.

[smokie36]

Actions speak louder than words....top bloke.

[bkkjames]

Liverpool star Javier Mascherano reveals he's learning Italian

Argentine fuels rumours of Inter switch...

By Zack Wilson

14 Jun 2010 10:20:00

[/url] Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano has revealed that he is learning to speak Italian, as speculation grows that he could be set to join manager Rafael Benitez at Inter.

Reports in Italy have suggested that the Argentine, currently away at the World Cup in South Africa, has become one of Benitez's main transfer targets for next season, with Liverpool's financial situation making player sales at Anfield more likely.

Mascherano has not given any direct indication that he is set to leave Anfield, though he expects his future to be resolved after the World Cup.

"I am learning Italian while I'm here in South Africa," he told reporters.

"I don't know what I will do after the tournament. We shall see."

[StevieH]

yossi benayoun on his way to chelsea as well. let the dismantling commence.

[bkkjames]

yossi benayoun on his way to chelsea as well. let the dismantling commence.

If you can get 7-8 million for him, good business. Weaken Chelsea and get paid for doing it.

[StevieH]

yossi benayoun on his way to chelsea as well. let the dismantling commence.

If you can get 7-8 million for him, good business. Weaken Chelsea and get paid for doing it.

hardly weakens chelsea does it? he's a good player and that's a decent price for him. of course we won't get the money to spend on a replacement mind.

[sharecropper]

Who are the likely leavers this summer? Benayoun has gone, Mascherano and Kuyt look to be wanted by Rafa at Inter Milan, Real are confident Gerrard will leave (but don't want to pay 25m for him), and it looks like Barca are set to offer 70m for Torres. Given his injuries, 70m is a lot of money for Torres, and I suspect Liverpool would be mad to turn it down, so let's assume he's on the likely leaver's list.

Who else is likely to go this summer?

With the manager money and owner situation, i don't think any big names will come in.

StevieH - do you reckon without the above, and knowing who is left who can cover these positions, that Liverpool will be OK next season - not top four but mid-table, until the ship is stabilised?

[StevieH]

Who are the likely leavers this summer? Benayoun has gone, Mascherano and Kuyt look to be wanted by Rafa at Inter Milan, Real are confident Gerrard will leave (but don't want to pay 25m for him), and it looks like Barca are set to offer 70m for Torres. Given his injuries, 70m is a lot of money for Torres, and I suspect Liverpool would be mad to turn it down, so let's assume he's on the likely leaver's list.

Who else is likely to go this summer?

With the manager money and owner situation, i don't think any big names will come in.

StevieH - do you reckon without the above, and knowing who is left who can cover these positions, that Liverpool will be OK next season - not top four but mid-table, until the ship is stabilised?

i can well envisage the leavers that you say, particularly mascherano who i think is nailed on to go with rafa to inter. i think a lot now depends on the world cup and what the two idiots in charge - purslow and broughton, not hicks and gillett in this case - do this summer. if they appoint roy hodgson then i can well see gerrard and torres coming back from the world cup and thinking 'sod that' and heading off to madrid and barcelona respectively. if that happens then other players' thoughts will turn to their own futures and we could lose two or three more. if glen johnson has a good world cup for example we can probably expect a bid from man city for him. agger and reina would be up for grabs as well.

very, very little, if any, of the money made on sales this summer will be reinvested in the squad in terms of good players. what is attractive about moving to a club which has less than no money, is shipping its best players, has no manager, no champions league football and a bunch of lunatics in charge who are determined to destroy the club before selling it?

midtable next season based on the above is about our best hope at the minute. if they for some reason appoint kenny dalglish and gerrard and torres are persuaded to stay for another year then it might be a bit different. but i'm not convinced they're going to give it kenny 'cos he won't do what 'they' tell him to.

Edited June 15, 2010 by StevieH

[bkkjames]

yossi benayoun on his way to chelsea as well. let the dismantling commence.

If you can get 7-8 million for him, good business. Weaken Chelsea and get paid for doing it.

hardly weakens chelsea does it? he's a good player and that's a decent price for him. of course we won't get the money to spend on a replacement mind.

Let's see, send Joe Cole packing for free and sign Benni for 7-8 million: that's not an upgrade in my books.

[StevieH]

Let's see, send Joe Cole packing for free and sign Benni for 7-8 million: that's not an upgrade in my books.

joe cole barely played for chelsea anyway. plus joe cole isn't jewish like the chelsea owner is who also wants to shift a load more chelsea shirts in israel by the way.

[StevieH]

Who are the likely leavers this summer? Benayoun has gone, Mascherano and Kuyt look to be wanted by Rafa at Inter Milan, Real are confident Gerrard will leave (but don't want to pay 25m for him), and it looks like Barca are set to offer 70m for Torres. Given his injuries, 70m is a lot of money for Torres, and I suspect Liverpool would be mad to turn it down, so let's assume he's on the likely leaver's list.

Who else is likely to go this summer?

With the manager money and owner situation, i don't think any big names will come in.

StevieH - do you reckon without the above, and knowing who is left who can cover these positions, that Liverpool will be OK next season - not top four but mid-table, until the ship is stabilised?

oh and if as expected maicon follows mourinho to madrid there's talk of benitez having a go for glen johnson as well.

[bkkjames]

Let's see, send Joe Cole packing for free and sign Benni for 7-8 million: that's not an upgrade in my books.

joe cole barely played for chelsea anyway. plus joe cole isn't jewish like the chelsea owner is who also wants to shift a load more chelsea shirts in israel by the way.

So what you are saying is we should be expecting a Portsmouth defender arriving soon at Chelsea too? Probably not Zaki though.

[StevieH]

Let's see, send Joe Cole packing for free and sign Benni for 7-8 million: that's not an upgrade in my books.

joe cole barely played for chelsea anyway. plus joe cole isn't jewish like the chelsea owner is who also wants to shift a load more chelsea shirts in israel by the way.

So what you are saying is we should be expecting a Portsmouth defender arriving soon at Chelsea too? Probably not Zaki though.

if you mean tal ben haim he's already been at chelsea and was shipped for being crap. benayoun's the israeli national team captain and a big catch in that regard.

[bkkjames]

From what I have seen on the footy forums this AM regarding this news, the Chelsea fans are enraged by this move. They don't want a another 30 year old in an already old team. Hope is spirals out of control , hehehe

[StevieH]

From what I have seen on the footy forums this AM regarding this news, the Chelsea fans are enraged by this move. They don't want a another 30 year old in an already old team. Hope is spirals out of control , hehehe

they just won the double with a team of 30 year olds. idiots.

[bkkjames]

They didn't win it, we lost it Stevie. Get with the programme mate.

[StevieH]

you never had it. they nearly threw it away but righted the boat.

[bkkjames]

you never had it. they nearly threw it away but righted the boat.

Stevie, you need to get over Rafa's departure mate, depressing I know, cause it won't be possible to make fun of Hodgson, however you need to move on mate.

[carmine]

They didn't win it, we lost it Stevie. Get with the programme mate.

I think you have to be very careful here James because you lot could be in exactly the same position as Liverpool ver soon,

Last season you only managed to stay in the race due to Rooney and some great management, but in all fairness if Chelsea had not been slightly derailed by the JT saga they would have strolled.

[bkkjames]

Hmmm ok, Chelsea are unbeatable. Next.

[carmine]

Hmmm ok, Chelsea are unbeatable. Next.

Not really, just that the rest of us were all too beatable!

[NADTATIDA1]

I think United are in a lot more debt than Liverpool,i see the banks have started putting a squeeze on the Glaziers in the States with a few of there busineses/shops

I fear we could end up in the same boat as Liverpool very easily now,i just hope we can heed what has/is happening 35 miles from greatness to stop it before it actually happens.

It is a serious possibility now