Roy Hodgson insists he will not be rushed into signing players despite Liverpool's unusually early start to the season. The Reds have already recruited England star Joe Cole and teenage defender Danny Wilson so far during a busy summer, with Milan Jovanovic also arriving on a free from Standard Liege. Any further recruits must be registered today to take part in our Europa League third qualifying round games against Rabotnicki on July 29 and August 5. However, Hodgson has told fans not to expect too much last-minute transfer activity. "I don't think deadlines are realistic," he said. "It takes time to get the people you want and the most important thing is getting the people you want. "If you can do things quickly then that's great because you have them in but if it takes time it takes time. "It would be nice to have someone in before the deadline but it's pretty unrealistic and I can't see it happening. "We need to strengthen at both ends and we need to have some very good young players that are really worth working with for the future, so we can hopefully start producing a few more Gerrards, Carraghers, Owens and Fowlers. "We need to strengthen at the top end as well and someone like Joe Cole is very important in that respect, and I hope he won't be the last one." Work on other targets continues behind the scenes but in the meantime Hodgson is faced with the dilemma of navigating a European tie with all 13 of his World Cup stars a long way from full fitness. He said: "These will be two unbelievably difficult games for us at this stage of the season but it really depends where we put the Europa League in the grand scheme of things. "If the club puts such emphasis on it and they want all our top players to play, the sports scientists are telling me quite clearly that is not going to help us further down the road. "It is a balance that not only I can sort out but it will be a decision for the club to take on." Rabotnicki earned a glamour tie with the Reds following a 1-0 aggregate win over Mika on Thursday. The first leg was due to be played at Anfield but the clashes have now been switched after fellow Macedonians FK Teteks also progressed. The change will make top seeds Liverpool even stronger favourites to progress but Hodgson will not be taking anything for granted. "The sports scientists have a very clear idea of when players come back training after a World Cup and a three-week break. They also have an idea about how much work they need to do physically before you can start throwing them into competitive matches," he said. "They tell me it would be wrong if I look into using these players that early if we want to use them throughout the season. "If we don't throw them in then we don't have the players with experience to play the games, so it is a cleft stick at the end of the day. "You lose if you don't play them and you lose if you do play them."
He said: "These will be two unbelievably difficult games for us at this stage of the season but it really depends where we put the Europa League in the grand scheme of things. "If the club puts such emphasis on it and they want all our top players to play, the sports scientists are telling me quite clearly that is not going to help us further down the road. "It is a balance that not only I can sort out but it will be a decision for the club to take on." Interesting statement. The manager is basically saying to the board--is this cup a priority?To my mind also Hodgson while trying to toe the party line has said one or two things which suggest he is realising the enormity of the task he has taken on. I think when we scrape below the surface we can see the depth of the squad or lack of it.
Good man Roy. The league should be the priority this year & I really couldn't care less about an early exit from this. We have the team to take on anyone on our day but our squad depth just cannot manage 60 odd games a season. Play for the league & FA cup. I said last year when we fell into it. If Rafa takes this serious we will not finish top four. Sadly i was proved right & i'm pretty convinced we'd still be in the champions league if he hadn't
Reading between the lines it looks like Roy has decided this competition isn't a priority. Right too. Use to give the young lads experience and fringe players more game time. Personally don't want to see the established first teamers playing in it this side of Christmas. Don't like to see us losing games but if we did get knocked out I reckon I could get over it very quickly. Getting back in the champions league has to be the priority.
No reason why the reserve and young players shouldn't get us through the qualifying round if they are good enough. Take the Wenger approach to this Competition and the League Cup, play the youngsters and let's see how they get on. It'll be great experience for them.
so we got Cole & Jovanovich on free's and Wilson for how much? So far so good lads IMO Hopefully Jova can settle quickly and make a good impression.
Roy is right, if he is saying this ain't a priority... The league is vital, we need to restore our position within the Top 4 and then, by extension, our place in the CL. Thats first in my mind, anyway.
Spot on - thats the only way you will test and develop young players and see what they are made of. Its only then you will find out how good/bad the depth of your squad is.
I dont think Roy is saying it isn't a priority think he wants to know if the club think it is or not .. "The sports scientists have a very clear idea of when players come back training after a World Cup and a three-week break. They also have an idea about how much work they need to do physically before you can start throwing them into competitive matches," he said. "They tell me it would be wrong if I look into using these players that early if we want to use them throughout the season.
I dont think Roy is too interested in this league and is looking to be told by the board thats the case. The fact is they yanks are going to be gone in 12 months so realistically wheather the club makes money this year or not isnt really going to effect any new owners coming in one way or the other but they will want the club to be in the Champions League. It shows Roy has his priorities straight, Im not having a go at Rafa but he always seemed to be more intersted in Europe than the domestic league and he certainly isnt the only foreign manager to be than way either. Roy knows the depth of the squad, knows that getting a top 4 is priority and is basically telling the board its one of the other, play our main guys now from the start and have them burnt out like Villa do every year or focus on the league.
Been happy with Roy signings so far and also has good rid of a lot of deadwood and hopefully the trend continues.
Who all have we actually got rid of to date? Insua, Riera, Soto, El Zhar, Plessis...please delete as appropriate or add any in who I've forgot!
Only Benayoun & Aurellio have completed moves. Riera looks nailed on to Olimpiakos and Insua to Fiorentina. Unless im forgetting someone.
This is below list I believe for all out this summer so far Confirmed Benayoun -£6.m Miyhalov- £1.5m Mikel San José - £2.6m Athletic Bilbao David Martin - £0 Mk Dons Aurelio - end of contract Duran - released Christopher Oldfield - released Robbie Threlfall - released James Ellison - Burton Albion Insua - Fiorentina £5m Albert Reira - Olympiakos £3.3m Total 18.4m
Not sure, I heard someone else on about how we made a profit on him but hadn't heard anything myself about him moving
I like big Soto but time to ship him out. Plenty of cover in this position and much better to give the young lads minutes to gain experience
LIVERPOOL STAY BOTTOM OF PREMIER LEAGUE SPEND TABLE DESPITE BUSY WEEK Betfair: 23 July 2010 Every Thursday, we update our Premier League net spend table to reflect the events of the previous seven days, and after not having to perform much maintenance to our masterpiece last week, we're delighted to report that there has actually been some activity since then. The biggest climbers have been West Ham after they paid £4 million to bring ambitious Mexican winger Pablo Barrera to east London and a fee in the region of £1 million to sign Frederic Piquionne from Lyon. The one-time France international worked with Avram Grant at Portsmouth last season. Liverpool have also been busy, but despite confirming the arrival of two new players at Anfield, remain the top tier's chief profit-makers thanks to the sums recouped for Yossi Benayoun and Mikel San Jose, though a chunk of that may have gone towards Rafael Benitez's compensation payout. Joe Cole was the signing that calmed Reds fans fearing the worst for the next few years, as they beat of competition from Tottenham to nab the former Chelsea man. However, it's 18-year-old Rangers defender Danny Wilson who they had to write a cheque for; he'll cost £2 million initially, a figure which could rise to £5 million. Arsenal were in the unusual position of being the country's four wildest cash-splashers last week, but the £6 million exit of Eduardo da Silva to Shakhtar Donetsk pushes them into mid-table. The other notable transfer news is that Newcastle have captured Dan Gosling for nothing following his departure from Everton, while Sunderland are close to buying ex-Magpie Titus Bramble. That move hasn't been completed in time to impact on this week's standings, which are as follows... http://www.sportingpreview.com/premnews/09100467.php?