http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor.../liverpool-fc-manager-brendan-rodgers-4010213 Tom Werner says FSG 'excited about the future' after Brendan Rodgers' first season in charge 24 May 2013 08:00 Chairman says intention is to strengthen the squad this summer Tom Werner has delivered a ringing endorsement of Brendan Rodgers’ first season as Liverpool FC manager. The Reds chairman says owners Fenway Sports Group have been delighted by the impact of the Northern Irishman since they appointed him a year ago. Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League – one place higher than in 2011/12 – but Werner believes they are well placed to improve on that next term after a strong second half of the campaign. “I think Brendan has made remarkable progress,” Werner said. “He’s a great strategist and has shown strong leadership as he has led the team through this season. “Obviously there is disappointment that we didn’t finish higher in the table but the team has certainly improved as the season has gone on. “To see the new additions in January, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, perform so well has been very positive to see. “We scored a lot more goals than last season. The 38 away league goals was the club’s highest number in a league season since 1990. “The club is definitely moving in the right direction under Brendan. “Our intention is to strengthen the squad further this summer and as owners we’re very optimistic and excited about the future.” Meanwhile, Rodgers is determined to ensure that Liverpool are ready to hit the ground running next term. His squad have all departed for the summer break but the players will reassemble at Melwood on July 2 for the start of pre-season training. The Reds’ schedule of friendlies is set to include matches in Norway and Ireland as well as the two-week tour of Indonesia, Australia and Thailand, and Steven Gerrard’s testimonial at Anfield. Last year Liverpool’s preparations for the season were disrupted by players returning late for club duty due to their international commitments at Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games. However, this time around Rodgers expects things to be a great deal smoother. “The end of the season gives us an opportunity to reflect and the players will need this rest mentally as much as physically,” Rodgers said. “But we will take the minimum amount of rest we can have. “We will be back in very early for pre-season on July 2. “I want us to be flying and super fit when we kick off. “It will be a different pre-season this year. “They will be back in at the earliest possible moment to get ready and prepare for what will hopefully be an exciting season next year.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friendly in Ireland ???? I haven't heard anything official about this only rumors, but if the Echo has it then there must be something in it I hope
Tom Werner has delivered a ringing endorsement of Brendan Rodgers’ first season as Liverpool FC manager. The Reds chairman says owners Fenway Sports Group have been delighted by the impact of the Northern Irishman since they appointed him a year ago. Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League – one place higher than in 2011/12 – but Werner believes they are well placed to improve on that next term after a strong second half of the campaign. “I think Brendan has made remarkable progress,” Werner said. “He’s a great strategist and has shown strong leadership as he has led the team through this season. “Obviously there is disappointment that we didn’t finish higher in the table but the team has certainly improved as the season has gone on. “To see the new additions in January, Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, perform so well has been very positive to see. “We scored a lot more goals than last season. The 38 away league goals was the club’s highest number in a league season since 1990. “The club is definitely moving in the right direction under Brendan. “Our intention is to strengthen the squad further this summer and as owners we’re very optimistic and excited about the future.” Meanwhile, Rodgers is determined to ensure that Liverpool are ready to hit the ground running next term. His squad have all departed for the summer break but the players will reassemble at Melwood on July 2 for the start of pre-season training. The Reds’ schedule of friendlies is set to include matches in Norway and Ireland as well as the two-week tour of Indonesia, Australia and Thailand, and Steven Gerrard’s testimonial at Anfield. Last year Liverpool’s preparations for the season were disrupted by players returning late for club duty due to their international commitments at Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games. However, this time around Rodgers expects things to be a great deal smoother. “The end of the season gives us an opportunity to reflect and the players will need this rest mentally as much as physically,” Rodgers said. “But we will take the minimum amount of rest we can have. “We will be back in very early for pre-season on July 2. “I want us to be flying and super fit when we kick off. “It will be a different pre-season this year. “They will be back in at the earliest possible moment to get ready and prepare for what will hopefully be an exciting season next year.”
Suarez and Coates likely to be the only two. Lucas and Coutinho not currently in Brazil squad and Reina could be a Barca player by the time it comes around. Italy are also in it but can't see Borini being in there.
Statement on behalf of Brendan Rodgers 24th May 2013 - Latest News http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/statement-on-behalf-of-brendan-rodgers The following statement has been issued on behalf of Brendan Rodgers and his family following a court case involving his son Anton that ended today with a not guilty verdict: "The last 18 months have been extremely traumatic for us as a family, but we are relieved that Anton's name has been cleared. "As a family and on behalf of Anton, I would like to thank Liverpool Football Club, the owners, management, coaching staff, players and fans for the way they have all supported us through this distressing process. "I am also pleased for the other defendants and their families, that they can now get on with living their lives without these hurtful allegations hanging over them."
I nearly bust a gut listening to him talking about carra last night. He said carra had one of the best passing techniques he had seen and he could pick a pass anywhere. I'm not sure where that came from.
I beg to differ on that. Something we saw a lot under Houllier and Rafa from our centre backs was that long diagonal crossfield ball from centre half to opposite winger. Carra and Sami were probably up there with the best when it came to that particular pass.
I take your point on the cross field ball but he was talking about him like he was a silva type player. In recent years he's looked very uncomfortable on the ball and he's been lumping it quiet a lot.
Fabio Borini will be playing in Israel this summer with Italy in the U21's in the European Championship finals. http://www.figc.it/en/204/36350/2013/05/News.shtml Italy and England in the same group.
I never saw Carra when he played CM for the England U21's maybe he did have a bit about him as a passer just his pace worked against him. As a CB you dont really get to display any real passing technique its usually either a short lay off to the midfield or a punt up the pitch.
Question of progress falls upon Rodgers In a circular season -- circular arguments, circular results, circular arguments -- it would always finish how it began. Television cameras followed Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers on his first day as Liverpool manager as part of a documentary series; television cameras would trace his final movements off the Anfield pitch after a 1-0 victory against QPR, his first year in charge completed. He did not want to be the last man to depart, to walk alone in the customary lap of appreciation on a day when all appreciation had been reserved for the retiring Jamie Carragher. But as Carragher and his teammates applauded the four sides of the ground, Rodgers was halted by the club’s television channel. After a season of his quick words and thoughts, this was the final request. In the time he had engaged in those thoughts and words, the pitch had emptied. He did not want to take a solitary lap with his grandson Oscar, nor did he want his first months as manager documented on prime-time American television. No matter, no dice. That microscopic obsession of Rodgers is a microcosm of his first season on Merseyside. When Liverpool appoint a 39-year-old manager whose main achievements came at Swansea City, expect scrutiny. Every word was analysed, every change of tactic and substitution forensically examined. Journalists, writers, podcasts and pub-dwellers pulled everything apart and restructured it how they felt fitting. If this was a season to learn on the job, there would be plenty on the curriculum -- in the generation of mass media accessible to all came a fascination never witnessed before. All reminiscence and review of the season falls upon Rodgers. Bad performances from Liverpool were his failures; good showings the result of his mastery. The players often became abstract beings, puppets controlled by every decision in the dugout. And so this is how Liverpool's season will come to be defined. The buck begins and stops with Rodgers. In his first season, did he bring the progress required? Vindication of outlaying £15m to sack Kenny Dalglish and appoint Rodgers is clambered for, yearned for by many. Some are still searching. Progress, that indefinable beast, has been a caveat to everything in Liverpool’s season; it has served as a rope to either hang Rodgers or pull him ashore. Both victory and defeat, good and bad, were followed by the request to judge everything at the season's end. Even then, arguments arise over whether nine months of football is long enough to solidify opinion on a concept so subjective. Here is the objectivity: Liverpool won more games and scored more goals than last season, amassed more points and finished a position higher. They also failed to go beyond two proper rounds in any cup competition and conceded more goals. Though they kept 16 clean sheets -- the second-highest in the league -- they also conceded two or more goals in 17 matches, a record matched by relegated QPR and beaten only by five other sides. Arguments can be formed on both sides -- this, more than anything, is the underlying issue. In a season so undulating and inconsistent, a firm grasp of progression becomes more difficult. That disequilibrium in itself is somewhat alien to a club that has viewed things through binary in recent times: the hero of Suarez versus the villainy of Fernando Torres; the deifying of Dalglish versus the demonization of Roy Hodgson; themselves against, essentially, the world. Paradise is either lost or regained, never just simply regarded as home. That Rodgers does not immediately elicit such fluctuating feelings is also an adjustment needed at Anfield. There will always be extremists towards the management of any club, but he is a manager who, mainly, retains indifference amongst supporters. How different it is to the usual doctrine of being loved or loathed; he does not possess the Messianic aura of Dalglish or Rafael Benitez, nor does he sit in the dugout, like Hodgson, as the embodiment of what had gone wrong at Liverpool. But still he is scrutinised punctiliously, even when there is little to peruse through. It is said he talks too much, even though he spends the same amount of time conversing with the media as any other Premier League manager. His supposed philosophy -- passing the ball -- is used against him detrimentally, even though he has never truly said how Liverpool would play and despite winning a number of games with counterattacking tactics. But still the question remains. If a season-to-season approach fails to answer it, sights must be shifted. Of all the major criticisms of Rodgers -- talking, tactical inflexibility and man-management skills -- they were criticisms more prevalent in the first half of the season. His talking -- paint-by-numbers rhetoric designed to stir the fans’ emotions -- was honed and more natural when results improved. His tactical inflexibility -- and reticence to tweak a style not entirely fruitful -- loosened significantly when results improved. The man-management -- and marginalisation of £35m worth of talent in Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing -- looked far more forgiven when results improved, the aforementioned duo playing important roles in that. Spot the constant. Liverpool progressed along with the season, albeit from a very low starting position. The opening months produced fearsome figures: two points from the opening 15, three wins in their first 14 matches, 12th in mid-December after a 3-1 home defeat to Aston Villa. But the January transfer window brought the opportunity of redemption for the summer debacle, which saw a summer-long pursuit of Clint Dempsey end in futility. Liverpool began the season with Luis Suarez being supported by Suso and Raheem Sterling, with Jonjo Shelvey featuring often in midfield. Regardless of how the young trio are rated, all three are unquestionably inexperienced. Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge may be young, but both have played Champions League football. For a combined £20 million, they brought Liverpool two things that had been lacking earlier in the season -- ready-made quality in attacking positions and speed on the break. Their arrivals saw a different Liverpool, as Sturridge's pace and running stretched teams, while Coutinho dazzled. The 20-year-old's capability to play the right ball at the right time is unparalleled by anybody else in the squad. The figures were far more favourable after that: two defeats in their last 16 games, including an eight-match unbeaten run at the season’s climax. Sturridge scored 10 league goals, most involving the wizardry of Coutinho in some way, big or small. The worries from the beginning of the season should not all be placed upon the travails of the transfer window, nor is it accurate that Rodgers found the perfect formula as the season wore on. Defeats to West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, as well as back-to-back goalless draws with Reading and West Ham, demonstrate that -- so, too, his simple-minded substitutions against Zenit which killed all momentum when it resided so strongly with Liverpool in the second leg of their Europa League tie. There is plenty to improve. Worry rightly remains on Rodgers’ inability throughout the season to amend the defensive frailty, with his decision to consign Sebastian Coates and Martin Skrtel to non-playing purgatory after the FA Cup defeat to Oldham helping little. He also must spend the summer figuring out the combination that suits his midfield best; in a season of twisting the Rubik’s Cube, he never quite matched everything together. These are problems to be solved during the off-season, problems to be explored as the summer sun blazes. For now, all revolves around that one, constant question of progress; a question which sees 99 people offer 100 different answers. Maybe the question is a red herring. Maybe, amongst all the examinations and evaluations, this truly was the Year Zero so exalted by Fenway Sports Group and simply a year of settling for Rodgers -- that he halted three seasons of decline in terms of points was expected of him, but to deal with the sweat-summoning spotlight thrust upon him is still impressive. And so in a season in which the focus has been on the Northern Irishman, the final tweaks and twists of the microscope should fall upon him: Disregard the progress of the squad for now -- points tallies and finishing positions included -- for this season has seen the progress of Rodgers himself as both a person and manager. He will be far better prepared for it next season, though if his side continue to perform as they did in the second half of the season, that spotlight will become dimmer by the day. In a circular season -- circular arguments, circular results, circular arguments -- it would always finish how it began. With his first year over and the comforting caveats to be removed when his second season begins, Rodgers will be under pressure to make sure it finishes even better next season. http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/liverpool/id/1039?cc=5739
I generally like this guys articles. Speaks with what seems a good knowledge and sense of pragmatism that's sadly lacking from many these days. Si Steers takes a look at the jigsaw that is Liverpool FC, assessing the club on and off the pitch and discussing the numerous signs of progress. Liverpool is a City with a rich musical heritage; and whilst the anthem of Liverpool FC is You’ll Never Walk Alone, made famous by Gerry and the Pacemakers, it is perhaps Liverpool’s finest export, the Beatles, that now provide the soundtrack to the club’s current state. Whilst some natives may think ‘Day Tripper’ is appropriate (tongue firmly in cheek) – ‘The Long and Winding Road’ is perhaps a fair assessment of the journey the club is on at present. The first season under Brendan Rodgers has been a mixed bag, but has not thrown up any real surprises. In a year zero project you expect inconsistency; what you have to do is look for signs that what you are building is laying foundations for long term progress. And there have been plenty of signs that we are heading in the right direction. There has been some naivety on and off the pitch; but there has also been signs that when mistakes have been made, the people leading the club are learning from them. A great sportsman once said: “I’ve failed over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed”. That man was Michael Jordan, possibly the best basketball player of all time. There are many people and organisations that have achieved success by learning from failure. Whilst the majority of supporters might scoff at the thought of failure, linking to mediocrity, it is true that throughout history the greatest successes have arisen from failure. It is how you learn. Liverpool shouldn’t be afraid to fail – it is that fear of failure that has possibly held us back for a generation. You can sometimes sense it at Anfield. Whilst there is still healthy scepticism about the direction Liverpool are going in under FSG; there is a strong case that the club is finally facing the ‘right’ direction. And this is why: On the pitch ‘A seventh place finish with 61 points will never be good enough for Liverpool Football Club’ – that statement has a tinge of arrogance to it. Whilst it is true that our ambitions should always be first place, there are moments in time where reality and resources dictate otherwise. We have no right to success, we have to earn it. This season has been pretty much par. It has been the first year of a long term project, where a number of youngsters have been blooded in. It has had its ups and downs; with some brilliant performances giving hope that a new philosophy and style is starting to take shape, and a few stark reminders of the mental fragility that has plagued the club for what seems like an eternity. We were given a horrendous start with City, Arsenal and United in our opening five games. The stats show that after our first six games, our form was very close to top 4 (thanks to Andrew Beasley). Of course you can’t write off the opening six games, but that is an indicator we got much better as the season progressed. The first half of the season was difficult as we had a real shortage of attacking players. But with the arrival of Coutinho and Sturridge in January we had a much better second half of the season, with some excellent performance and real green shoots of a very good team. In summary this season has been underwhelming, but many expected it to be. This season was always going to be about getting ready for next season. That was my expectation. There will be a much sharper focus on the manager next season; but there is a hybrid of reasons both on and off the pitch to believe we can really kick on next year… United Leadership Unlike the poisonous divisions of the past the people leading the club all seem to be looking in the same direction. I am sure there is healthy dialogue at a senior level within the club; but there does seem to be a better sense of unity. Whilst the business side of the club rests uncomfortably with some sections of the fan base, unless there is a unity with the football operation the club will forever be turning in circles. We have had enough of turning in circles. Billy Hogan has now been at the club over a year and is making huge strides in the commercial space. Given that he is part of the FSG management structure (previously the Marketing Director at FSG) you expect that his influence at Liverpool will continue to grow. If FSG decide that they want to delegate more of the day to day decision making then Hogan may be the man to take on a more holistic Leadership role at some stage. With Ian Ayre taking on the complex and critical role of player negotiations it maybe that the club needs a CEO operating at a level above to shape strategy and direction. One of biggest issues in the in-tray of those leading the club is finding a formula that can re-connect the club to the traditionalist supporters. This is a critical phase of development for the club, and the way it interacts with supporters is diversifying in a global and digital age. This presents challenges in retaining a local identity. It will be important to get the balance right. If as expected Kenny Dalglish returns to the club at some stage in an ambassadorial role, and the club perhaps looks at a reconstitution of a democratic supporters committee, then I think we will start to see a better sense of unity between supporters as well. There are of course many others factors that are covered in more detail in ‘A club caught between ideals’ – but those two would at least be a start in providing a more influential supporter voice at the heart of the club. Player transfers & finance In the past 12 months the club has made huge strides in shipping out the ‘bad contracts’ and bringing in younger, hungry players on sensible deals. Not all of those players have worked out as yet, but they are all still in a phase of development. The club is hopefully now in a position where it has a wage bill that is controllable and sustainable. Taking into account increased revenue and the reduction in players on high wages, you could make an assumption that the wage bill going into the summer is between 55-60% of total revenue – down from a high of an eye watering 70% – and now far more in line with Tottenham and Arsenal. Although the recent accounts indicate that the club has had short term issues with cash flow (e.g. actual cash in the bank), the clubs finances are slowly recovering from the haemorrhaging of cash that was taken out of the club under Hicks & Gillette. Respected financial blogger Swiss Ramble estimates that number to be £300m. The club has slowly been building a structure and financial foundation under FSG. There has been little fanfare, and the headline numbers have not told the real story. It isn’t until you deep dive beyond the headlines that you see writing off bad debt and restructuring has created some short term pain (e.g. the need to reduce the wage bill last summer) but has had the objective of long term gain. The transfer committee Whilst it is still early days, the new ‘transfer committee’ is already starting to show its worth with the recruitment of Coutinho and Sturridge for a combined £20m. Repeating that kind of success is going to be challenging, as each transfer presents a level of risk. But it is the role of the committee to take ‘luck’ out of the equation as much as possible. It is about working with Rodgers to identify the attributes he wants in positions in the team, and identifying players that fit that profile. The transfer committee also have a critical role to play in determining the value parameters for transfers. What a player is worth. Once those parameters have been set, it is up to the ‘negotiator’ to drive the best possible deal. In fairness to Ian Ayre, one of his obvious strengths is negotiation. You do not reach his level in the cut-throat commercial world if you do not have the ability to drive a good deal. And since he has taken on the role of transfer negotiations, he has been broadly successful. The transfer committee (including Ayre) will continue to improve as relationships develop. But we have a strong team with expertise in a range of areas now leading our transfer strategy. On occasion that will lead to less obvious names being linked with us, but it is important to bear in mind that the transfer committee’s role isn’t to identify the obvious target; it is to find value by identifying players like Coutinho. The Suarez issue The Suarez issue will no doubt dominate the summer transfer agenda. But the reality is that if Suarez stays or goes, we are well set to progress next season. If Suarez wants to go, then Ayre has to drive the best possible deal for the club. There is no point keeping an unhappy player, and as both Paul Tomkins (The Pros and Cons of Selling Suarez) and Kopology (From Tika Taka to Luis Suarez future) have summarised brilliantly, life without Suarez may mean a better balance in the team. If Suarez does decide to stay at Liverpool, he needs to channel his world class ability into helping the team become the best they can be. Next season, success is going to depend on the strength of the team dynamic, not on any one individual. If an offer north of £40m comes in for Suarez, then I think he will go. Anything less, I hope and think that the club will play hardball. He has three years left on his contract, so the cards are stacked in the club’s favour, and despite his character flaws, Suarez remains one of the world’s great individual talents. The Stadium There are noises emerging that Anfield redevelopment is moving towards a reality. A £150m redevelopment project that will transform Liverpool’s historic home into a 60,000 stadium fit for the modern game. Despite being told for 20 years that redevelopment was impossible – FSG seem to have navigated the complex local political landscape to find a solution. Of course, the timing has also been kind. The area around Anfield has been trying to regenerate for an eternity, and there are now plenty of empty houses around the ground. But if a timetable for redevelopment is confirmed, I think it lays down a marker. One of the biggest gripes supporters have had with FSG is the lack of movement on the stadium. So, to actually deliver a redeveloped Anfield would be a game changer, and would secure the long term future of the club. Prior to FSG’s acquisition of Liverpool my view was that a new stadium was the only solution. I didn’t believe redevelopment could work, and I didn’t believe it would provide the regeneration Anfield desperately needs. But since looking at the economics of a new build v’s redevelopment, and looking at the excellent Peter McGurk’s ideas on how redevelopment could work, I have changed my view. Of course a £150m price tag is a huge investment, and any debt needs to be structured in a way that doesn’t stall progress on the pitch. It is also possible that sponsorship can help fund redevelopment. The idea of changing the name of Anfield is an emotive one, but if there is money on the table, the club is duty bound to consider the option. The additional revenue a new stadium will provide will hopefully allow the club to provide a better range of affordable tickets. But critically, it will bridge a financial gap in match day revenue that has held the club back in the Premier League area. ‘Revolution’ At the moment I see the club like a giant jigsaw puzzle, like any jigsaw puzzle you cannot see the whole picture whilst pieces are missing. It is only when it is complete you can see how all of the pieces come together. Mark Twain once said: “A person with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds”. I think one of the characteristics of FSG is a passion for innovation and new ideas, new ways of doing things. Whether that is in the commercial or sporting space, it seems to be a feature of how the club now wants to move forward. When people look at progress at Liverpool the natural tendency is to look purely to the pitch to make a judgement. But the club has made progress in its 3 strategic themes of football, stadium and commercial. It is sometimes easy to forget. Every summer at Liverpool seems to be a critical one – and it truly has been a ‘Long and Winding Road’ over the past two decades. But to end on another Beatles classic, if the club is truly starting a ‘Revolution’, then there is the opportunity this summer to lay down a marker.
Thanks for posting Babbs. I totally agree with you Si Steers articles are always well thought out and always looking at the bigger picture.
Definitely pal,he's a refreshing change from the outrage and black and white opinions that seems to be the fashion on the Internet these days.
Just seen this post now, and reminds me of a time a while after Rafa took charge of us and Gerrard said that when they played Valencia in 02, he knew they wouldnt win as Rafa had Valencia super fit in comparison to Liverpool and could not keep up. Pointless post but I said I'll post it anyways.
Very diverse. I was a little skeptical about this transfer committee when I heard about it first, still am but they havnt left us with huge money spent. Very interesting point, one we are probably all guilty of at some point, its not our right to win things, we have to earn it.
huge summer for brendan. with carra gone, suarez coates carroll and skyrtel on the way we are going to need a lot of players in. i think with that much movement next season will be one of transition again. i cant see the fans tolerating it so i think rodgers will come under a lot of pressure if he signings dont hit the ground running.