25 Sept 2012

Transfer fail! 28-goal striker explains why LFC deal collapsed. Who's to blame?

At the end of the recent ill-fated summer transfer window, Liverpool lost out on the signing of Clint Dempsey in the most frustrating of circumstances. The deal seemed like a formality, but the Reds' abject failure to push through with the deal allowed Tottenham Hotspur to swoop in at the eleventh hour and snatch the American goalscorer away. Why exactly did the deal fall through?

In an interview over the weekend, Dempsey - who grabbed 28 goals and 7 assists in all competitions last season (Fulham and the USA) - revealed that the Spurs deal was completed with only two minutes of the transfer window remaining, and he also revealed why the London club gained the upper hand in the chase for his signature. He explained:

"There was definitely interest there [from Liverpool], but there was nothing agreed to the point that you'd be going to get a medical done.

"Tottenham wanted me that much that they made things happen, and that's where you want to be; somewhere that you're wanted".


It seems, then, that Liverpool just weren't as interested in Dempsey as everybody thought, and that prompted the American to ultimately choose Spurs.

The implication is that Liverpool were unwilling to commit to the deal, and Dempsey clearly felt that at the time. There may be truth to the paper talk that Liverpool refused to meet Fulham's valuation, but that notwithstanding, Dempsey seems to suggest that Liverpool didn't take any real action to move the transfer along, which perhaps suggests that Brendan Rodgers didn't see him as a priority.

I don't agree with the decision to lowball Spurs on the transfer fee (if indeed that's what actually happened), but in the context of FSG's transfer policy, I can at least understand it.

Ultimately, Dempsey was an absolute steal. He will score goals for Spurs, and you just know that he's going to bang one in against Liverpool when the two clubs meets later this season. It's always the way...

Jaimie Kanwar


38 comments:

  1. I'm just so happy with the performance of our younger players I don't really care anymore we fukced things up in the transferwindow. I think what Clint's saying makes sense tho as the saga dragged on for most of the summer and it was all about a measle 5-6 million pounds.

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  2. there's no doubting that CD would have vastly improved our first 11. However, as long as we buy a couple of forwards in jan, i think most reds will get over it.
    Sterling may not have played had we bought clint, and imo, sterling at 17 is worthy of more love than clint at 29.
    walcott for 5m and an other in jan and our matchday squad will be looking very good and very young.
    i reckon as many as 4 youth players could break through(suso, wisdom, shelvey+robinson) and become regulars this season. if you include sterling in this, thats saved us AT LEAST 30m.
    i can see why the board did what they did. however, i think any club would benefit from having CD. we'll miss him when he starts scoring for fun for spurs.
    hopefully sterling and suso will give us a different kind of lift...an even better one.

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  3. Thats all well and good, but we are in the relegation zone because we do not have a striker focused solely on putting the ball in the onion bag and Dempsey would have been that man. Walcott would be a great addition and even Andy Caroll would have given us more goals than we have.

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  4. @ Chris Rogers. Come on mate. It's 5 games. One misplaced pass and 2 horrendous calls stands between our current 2 points and a deserved 7. Noone wins the title in September, nor gets relegated. The way we outplayed both City and United suggest we'll finish way better this season than last. But more importantly, we will have implemented a system which I'm sure will finally bring us no.19. Onwards, upwards!!!

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  5. What more do we need?, a striker and that is it. How could the club get it so wrong, FSG should have had other targets and not only Dempsey. We play great football but never look like scoring a goal.................anyone can see what a mistake we have made, SCANDALOUS!!!!

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  6. Gano1, you make it sound as we might just as well hand in a relegation request to the FA. How's that supporting the club, the manager and the players????

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  7. The fact is Dempsey is not what the americans want we all know that, They want young players with a re saleable value, Dempsey is not that. same time 6mil worth the buy. Rogers is getting away with this lightly. After last season we all know we need a striker, who can put the ball in the net. He has 30mil to spend, if you were the manager who would be the first player through the door. A striker who can score goals. Not 2 midfield players, then see what pennies are left to buy a striker that the Americans dont want. Dont build your hopes up for the Jan transfer market, every striker available has just gone up by 5 / 10 mil because Liverpool need one. The Yanks wont pay out for overpriced players.
    Just pray we stay away from relagation, and look forward to next season.

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  8. What are you talking about?????, read it again!!!. The youngsters are fantastic but they need experienced men to help them, tell us who is that man?????.....................get a grip!!!

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  9. Not times to flashback and regret about something is passed away.Think positive,keep using all material we have around the clubs.Used maximum as you can because they are still young,fasters and tough.Improve the system technique and skill and good result will come soon.Promote Suso, Assaidi,Wisdom,Pacheco,Yesil,Morgan and other players with permanently.

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  10. The truth is we are playing well and not winning.Heard that one before?
    The problem remains goals.This was evident last season.Yet still it has not been addressed.So although I'm still staunchly behind Rodgers and what he wants to do there is still cause for some concern.The squad is wafer thin and the injuries against Utd will hurt.
    Good business will need to be done in January, no easy task. I already feel top four will be beyond us again.

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  11. I don't think anyone is really to blame. Dempsey wanted out and Fulham decided to blame us for that and therefore wanted us to pay more than anyone else. Rightly we said no and he didn't come.

    Rodgers is doing everything right so far, he's just a bit of luck away from a few more points. We're so lucky KD has gone. It pains me to see Downing and Henderson come on occasionally, so to have to watch them start each week again would be torture.

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  12. Americans are too blame, they even posted on a website he was joining. The same Americans who have guided Boston Red Sox from top of the league to bottom of the league and are doing the same here.
    This is a business to them they cant even be bothered to show up for the game on Sunday were they would of shown what it does mean to them.

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  13. 38 times hitting the woodwork and 6 missed penalties last year also. I agree we are playing some good stuff especially against the top sides with the youngsters, but we have been here before. Liverpool need results and hopefully we start getting them. I have the utmost faith in BR but we need wins and no excuses.

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  14. Spurs signed him for less than Villa offered, so your point about having to pay more than anyone else is rubbish. We were too tight. Ray12858 is right, a forward first, then midfield players.

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  15. He'll eventually end up on their scrap heap. He's had one decent season in the prem in terms of goals and he's 29. Would have been a massive gamble. I'd rather wait for a promising young striker to come along. (not Carroll)

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  16. Hopefully we will buy Demba Ba, he will bang them in and then we could do with getting a leftback, and if possible a good defensive midfielder, then it will give the squad that boost it so needs and give the youngsters a little more time too progress. January can`t come quick enough.

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  17. said it after transfer window closed will not see the yanks at anfield much this season and when they[ if they] turn up i predict mutiny on the kop

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  18. Personally i don't know what is being gained by going back into the deadline day debacle. The whole affair left a bad taste in the mouths of many Liverpool faithful so much so that principal owner John Henry had to write a long letter to the supporters telling them just how committed he remained to Liverpool FC and to her continued growth. Most people at the time couldn't not understand the logic behind his refusal to make a mere 6million pounds available for a 29 year old player who despite his age was still capable of scoring goals at the highest level. We all saw another 29 year old make the leap from Arsenal to Man United. Sir Alex who has always seemed to be a good judge of character and talent did not feel that Robin Van Persie's age was a factor in signing him for the club. What happened with Dempsey would be illegal in any other field of work. If you were not allowed to apply for a job you wanted at your place of work simply because of your advanced years of age and nothing else you would be on the phone with your lawyer as soon as humanly possible. Discrimination based on age for most jobs is against the law. Scoring goals is something that can be done by teenage players like Raheem Sterling and older vets like Steven Gerrard. The decision involving Dempsey should have been made solely on goal scoring ability and nothing else IMO.

    Clearly not bring in Dempsey was a decision made by someone who is not really all that well versed on football and all it's concepts. I personally have a problem with owners who are involved in making footballing decisions if they do not actually know enough about the game to make the best ones. Sometimes you just can't run a club like you would any other business, there are some factors that you have to consider when assessing a player or making other decisions that simply do not translate well to other types of business.

    I see a problem in the future with Brendan Rodgers and FSG involving the signing of older players. While there is a policy to bring in a lot of youth exceptions should be made to bring in veterans simply because of their experience and the effect to lift the whole team. As of yesterday it was rumored that BR was interest in Ricardo Queresma who is on the wrong side of 20 if you want to go with the current policy of bringing on youth players. If Rodgers is not allowed to sign and occasional older player who he feels can make an immediate positive impact on his squad he may decide to part ways with Liverpool. He has to feel that he has the authority to shape the squad anyway he sees fit. If it became some sort of power struggle we could see him leaving Liverpool ultimately. The bottom line here is that FSG has to simply "trust " the manager. The knowledge that BR has been active in foot-ball for a long time he is no Kenny Daglish who was hired after a hiatus from the game. He should be allowed to pick his team and turn things around in his own way.

    I guess i am still upset about deadline day debacle because I had a too much to say. Thanks for bringing it up Jaime. We will really struggle for goals this season unless we break the bank for a 27 year old Llorente or someone else of his caliber.

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  19. did u write tat in ur sleep

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  20. We're in the market for a number of free transfers/soon to be out of contract players. This is what FSG are after, transfers where LFC are able to get some value for money. I could see us picking up Llorente as he can sign a pre-contract agreement with us in January and leave for free, so his club will probably look to cash in. Same too with Walcot. A front three of Walcot, Suarez and Llorente and our great end of season run in would surely see us leap up the league. Dempsey may have gotten a number of goals last year, but he is not a striker and would not have led the line in the centre. Where he was good was playing in the 'Lampard' role arriving late in the box.... Does not fit our style and I think we were right to let him go by us...

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  21. I think Liverpool should have bought Dempsey but this comparison to age discrimination is absurd. Making decisions on goal scoring ability and nothing else makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Resale value is incredibly important and Dempsey has very little. That being said, offloading AC and not replacing him was foolish and Dempsey clearly should have been bought as he could bring 3 or 4 years of attacking threat to Liverpool.

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  22. LOL!! Dude you made me laugh like for real hahahha

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  23. 1 Decent season? had 13 the year before from left midfield. 36 in the last 2 seasons is more than any midfield player in England lmao. He's scored 60 for fulham in only 4 and a half seasons of regular first team action. Massive GAMBLE?????? 6 mil on the most productive midfielder in england over 2 seasons is not a gamble whatsoever it is a steal. A gamble would be offloading your 35 mil striker and not replacing him. Check yo' self burt.

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  24. correction. he's had one incredilbe season, 1 great season, and 2 decent seasons. he's scored 60 goals from midfield in 4.5 seasons of regular first team action. 36 goals is more than any midfielder in the premiership since the world cup. at 6 mil he is the furthest thing from a gamble. liverpool gambled by not replacing AC.

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  25. just a calamity from liverpool, considering borini doesnt offer half of what carroll can, and he was only getting better.
    dempsey is what liverpool need, a fighter with class week in week out (effort) we have no one in the box (now) naturally good in the air.
    pride needs to be swallowed and carroll bought back asap and given a propper chance. far to much expected of suarez like it was torres.
    we are 2-3 top players away from being a decent squad again.
    its obvious we need to start from the back. slate me i dont mind, we need 2 reliable tough centre backs for starters, agger has to go and skrtel is a good sub.
    the only bleesing about our small squad is the top young talent we have seen come through.

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  26. Is somebody listening ? We need a striker in mould of Torres .. A true goal poacher who hits the target when he is provided a chance to shoot..He dont have to create chances , he dont have to dribble..he just need to shoot..
    Can we sign one of that kind in January plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz? Can the owners for once support BR ????????? Kenny's mistakes is not BR's fault ...... Plz back him in January..Apart from scoring goals we are miles ahead of teams like ManU and City .. We want Liverpool to play in this style....SIGN couple of sharp shooters in January plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

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  27. Q: How much time do you guys think BR has to get it right? ie if we stay in the relegation zone for the next few months, or worse until X-mas..? We're not gonna move up the table unless someone either starts banging in the goals, or we stop leaking at the other end.. Ultimately there no point playing "nice" football if there is no end product.

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  28. Another blunder from our defence, Agger, Johnston, another goal.
    Suso done them no favours with his poor pass.
    FSG are totally to blame for our lack of a goalscorer, and Brendan is becoming an apologist for them, citing a lack of scouts as the problem, + "I would be a nutcase to let Carroll go out on loan".
    Well you did Brendan, and you reap what you sow, and Borini is not exciting me at all.
    However I trust BR will come good eventually, we definitely have been improving in each game so far this season, and his style is very easy on the eye.

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  29. where were the red sox before fsg? and how exactly does them not showing up for a match reflect their commitment?

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  30. Are you serious? pray we stay away from relegation? Come on get a grip.

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  31. it was the first match since the Hillsborough verdict against the clubs biggest rivals apart from Everton. They should of shown up to show their support for the families, they can afford a first class air ticket for a 36 hour return trip
    Red Sox were 2nd before FSG behind the Yankees, 2 great years and then a massive decline over 3 years to bottom the leaugue. New manager who is a joke is called Bobby Valentin, he was a pundit on ESPN baseball channel and only managed before in the Japanese league. It was bit like giving Mark Lawrenson the job. Now all the top players have gone to reduce their wage bill and they brought in alot of new players on far less wages who cannot cut the mustard. The owners are also nearly always absent from home games and they play 162 games in a baseball season.

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  32. Im actually hoping he gets a hatrick against us... just to bring hom how completely ignorant and clueless the a$$clowns at fsg really are!! GET OUT OF LIVERPOOL!!

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  33. Dempsey is welcome to score against us as long as we win the games against Spurs ...

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  34. And you also hope we win 4:3 right?

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  35. The balls up in the transfer window may in time be a blessing in disguise.
    Like some of you have said that if Liverpool had got Dempsey,well stirling would not be playing in the fisrt team like he is doing.
    Theres also Suso,Yesil,Morgan,Ngoo.
    If these players can step up to the mark before January,I cannot see Liverpool buying any strikers in January,this is what FSG would want to happen,that is what they had in mind when the dempsey deal was on the table.
    Ok letting Andy Carrol go to west ham was a big mistake,but rogers dint see carrol in his plans,but he would have been a massive back up plan if Liverpool should ever loose suarez through suspension or injury.
    King Kenny would never have given our young boys a chance like Rogers is.
    Brenadn Rogers Y.N.W.A

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  36. Fernando Torres,yes we could do with him up front with Suarez.
    That is why suarez was bought in to help Suarez.
    We have the Torres type player already in our ranks.
    Suso and he`s Spanish.
    He will come good over the next month or 2 if BR will give him a chance and he will,he has no option with Borini out with injury.
    Lets not forget yesil as well.
    Dont panic liverpool fans we will hit the ground running soon and we will rocket up the table,starting this Saturday.
    Y.n.w.a

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  37. Jaimie, I don't think you can say that Liverpool didn't want it done. They didn't get it done, but despite it being close, according to Dempsey, the why remains uncertain. Obviously LFC didn't come up with enough, but it is very hard to bargain with minutes remaining. I'm sure if Rodgers threw an extra 5 million into the pot the deal would have been done. Would Clint have been worth the extra Five? Who knows. A manager has to set limits and stick with them.

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