Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney recently signed a new contract at Old Trafford reportedly worth a sickening £300k a week, and on the surface, it seems like a good deal for Moyes and co, but Liverpool legend Jan Molby believes it could all 'end it tears'.
Since grossly disrespecting Man United in 2010 with his nakedly self-serving attempt to ditch the club, Rooney has brazenly courted speculation about his future, and Molby believes that his new contract could ultimately end up being worthless. He told ESPN:
"Rooney was inches from leaving in 2010, and has been strongly linked with an exit since last spring.
"What’s to say he won’t become unhappy a third time, even after signing a lucrative extension?
"Rooney’s history and tendency to rub the wrong people up the wrong way leave me fearing it will all end in tears. Very expensive tears".
I have absolutely no doubt that if Man United tank next season, Rooney will start pushing for another move. The Glazers have bought him off for now, but if things go down the pan, his 'loyalty' to Man United will quickly disappear (just like United's title challenge this season). After all, during the Ferguson era, Rooney had the incredible chutzpah to accuse his club of not having ambition, which is a ridiculous notion considering Man Utd's constant success under Ferguson.
At the time, United legend Paul Scholes described Rooney's behaviour as 'disrespectful', and if the striker can show such contempt for the club with one of the greatest managers in the history of the game at the helm, then the presence of Moyes won't make the slightest bit of difference when he inevitably decides to make a mockery of Man Utd once again.
Rooney's new contract is one of the reasons I hate modern football. £300k a week - or £85m over the 5.5 year duration of his contract - is absolutely sickening, and just shows once again how football is woefully out of touch with the average fan on the street.
Like so many other players in Europe's elite leagues, Rooney doesn't give a toss about the Man Utd's fans, or the club itself; all he cares about is money. If that isn't the case, why did it take £300k a week to convince him to stay at Old Trafford?
If Man Utd had offered Rooney £200k a week, he probably would've told them to shove it, as if £800k a month is not a deliriously amazing amount of money to earn (!). How much money do these pampered ladyboys need to earn?
I seriously can't wait until football fans WAKE UP and revolt against the money-obsessed culture of modern football. Whether it's rising ticket prices, or the cynical practice of releasing 3-4 new shirts a season, football is set-up to brazenly fleece fans, but this shameless, unapologetic rip-off is not sustainable forever.
Ask yourself: why is it necessary for teams to change their shirts every single season? Would the league collapse if, heaven forbid, Man Utd, Liverpool et al kept the same shirts two seasons in a row?! NO. The whole thing is obviously set-up to rip people off, and it all comes back to the same thing: Money.
Premier League clubs are complicit in this exploitation of fans, as are players like Rooney, and Luis Suarez etc, who demand ridiculous salaries, which are inextricably linked to pricing fans out of the game. The laughable irony of the whole situation, though, is that fans constantly beg to be exploited. They buy the shirts, and pay through the nose for tickets, and all the while they're seemingly unaware (or in denial) that they're being ripped off.
This is one of the reasons I don't go to games as much as I used to, and don't have Sky TV etc. When I pay for a ticket/subscription, I'm lining the pockets of players who collectively earn the GDP of a small country. It's obscene, and I'd rather not contribute to the financially immoral black hole that's sucking the heart and soul out of the game.
Revolt!
Author: Jaimie K
Since grossly disrespecting Man United in 2010 with his nakedly self-serving attempt to ditch the club, Rooney has brazenly courted speculation about his future, and Molby believes that his new contract could ultimately end up being worthless. He told ESPN:
"Rooney was inches from leaving in 2010, and has been strongly linked with an exit since last spring.
"What’s to say he won’t become unhappy a third time, even after signing a lucrative extension?
"Rooney’s history and tendency to rub the wrong people up the wrong way leave me fearing it will all end in tears. Very expensive tears".
I have absolutely no doubt that if Man United tank next season, Rooney will start pushing for another move. The Glazers have bought him off for now, but if things go down the pan, his 'loyalty' to Man United will quickly disappear (just like United's title challenge this season). After all, during the Ferguson era, Rooney had the incredible chutzpah to accuse his club of not having ambition, which is a ridiculous notion considering Man Utd's constant success under Ferguson.
At the time, United legend Paul Scholes described Rooney's behaviour as 'disrespectful', and if the striker can show such contempt for the club with one of the greatest managers in the history of the game at the helm, then the presence of Moyes won't make the slightest bit of difference when he inevitably decides to make a mockery of Man Utd once again.
Rooney's new contract is one of the reasons I hate modern football. £300k a week - or £85m over the 5.5 year duration of his contract - is absolutely sickening, and just shows once again how football is woefully out of touch with the average fan on the street.
Like so many other players in Europe's elite leagues, Rooney doesn't give a toss about the Man Utd's fans, or the club itself; all he cares about is money. If that isn't the case, why did it take £300k a week to convince him to stay at Old Trafford?
If Man Utd had offered Rooney £200k a week, he probably would've told them to shove it, as if £800k a month is not a deliriously amazing amount of money to earn (!). How much money do these pampered ladyboys need to earn?
I seriously can't wait until football fans WAKE UP and revolt against the money-obsessed culture of modern football. Whether it's rising ticket prices, or the cynical practice of releasing 3-4 new shirts a season, football is set-up to brazenly fleece fans, but this shameless, unapologetic rip-off is not sustainable forever.
Ask yourself: why is it necessary for teams to change their shirts every single season? Would the league collapse if, heaven forbid, Man Utd, Liverpool et al kept the same shirts two seasons in a row?! NO. The whole thing is obviously set-up to rip people off, and it all comes back to the same thing: Money.
Premier League clubs are complicit in this exploitation of fans, as are players like Rooney, and Luis Suarez etc, who demand ridiculous salaries, which are inextricably linked to pricing fans out of the game. The laughable irony of the whole situation, though, is that fans constantly beg to be exploited. They buy the shirts, and pay through the nose for tickets, and all the while they're seemingly unaware (or in denial) that they're being ripped off.
This is one of the reasons I don't go to games as much as I used to, and don't have Sky TV etc. When I pay for a ticket/subscription, I'm lining the pockets of players who collectively earn the GDP of a small country. It's obscene, and I'd rather not contribute to the financially immoral black hole that's sucking the heart and soul out of the game.
Revolt!
Author: Jaimie K
Ladyboys?
ReplyDeleteThe players cannot be blamed for the wages they get. Jan Molby you weren't exactly on the same amount as the rest of the league when you were at Liverpool and if you were still playing would you say no its OK I don't want to make loads of cash ? It is the people that run clubs that are to blame not the Wayne Rooney types.
ReplyDeleteJust for once, I have to agree 100%. Once the new TV deals begin these money grabbing idiots will just want more, at a time when the average supporter has little chance of affording a ticket.
ReplyDeleteThe problem the mancs will have is trying to sell him at his age and on wages of £300,000 a week, no sane club will pay him that elsewhere. They were in a tight spot as him leaving looks bad, he shafted them and won the lottery!!!...................they will regret it in time!!!.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, but all the same I'm loving the fact they're becoming a laughing stock. The glazers and Rooney are fleecing Utd for every penny they can and RVP, Vidic and Evra are coming across as mercenaries who can't wait to leave a sinking ship. Wonderful and long may it continue :-)
ReplyDeleteThey are bleeding money as well as paying off a £350m debt!!!
ReplyDeleteLove it! Can't wait for the game at Old Trafford!
ReplyDeleteWhy do you hate modern football so much? You are getting your share from the game albeit indirectly aren't you
ReplyDeletebeware of big money.
ReplyDeletebetter watch yourself .. or you'll be visited by men in black coats looking to snuff you out.
So you don't pay to watch liverpool play? How are you watching the games then? On the free online streams? Fans' money does go into the pockets of players, but it also helps buy the best players too.
ReplyDeleteDo you not pay for music or films? Or do you not like musicians, producers, actors and directors to be rewarded for entertaining you? Do you not pay for books, or do you think that writers make too much money too? You disable right click on your site to discourage content theft, so I'm assuming you have some integrity and don't steal content from the premier league, sky, lfc, musicians, film companies etc?
If 500 million people around the world watch a liverpool vs united game a £300 000 salary suddenly doesn't sound too ridiculous. Yes, footballers get paid a lot, but so do the world's top actors, writers, musicians, producers.
Totally agree. Would love to know what his team mates think, even hardened Manure fans must think it's crazy. Now top players going there are going to want Whopping wages. Thought manure were about £800 million in debt and just paying the intrest payments? What do their creditors think of it, must be rubbing their hands, more intrest for them to gather. Would'nt be so bad if he was Messi or Ronaldo.
ReplyDeleteI know it's wrong, but I'm a big fan of Rooney. People that I know who have met him only say nice things. When I watch him play he plays for the team first and himself second. I'm sure United can afford his wages, however ridiculous they are and if they didn't someone else would...
ReplyDeleteAlthough it seems ludicrous how much these footballers earn but think firstly how much does the club generate in revenue & profit. The footballers are the reason for the success/failure and therefore the economic health of the club and it is for that reason they deserve to have the majority of the money. None of us would reject the opportunity to earn these sums and you have to remember footballers aren't grounded and have a different lifestyle (pampered to and some of that is the club).
ReplyDeleteAlso a critical thing the media and everyone forget to mention. How much do other sportsman earn like NBA, NFL, F1 stars etc? More than footballers. Then also football is entertainment - how much do movie stars earn? How much do musicians earn? The best get paid the best and sometimes the fortunate get paid the best also. Fact of life unfortunately. CEOs, MDs, traders etc all earn ridiculous money also.
Everything we do revolves around money from the government, education, NHS and entertainment is no different.
Yep that is the real world.
ReplyDeleteGood article Jaimie,
ReplyDeleteHowever I don't care enough about the plight of Manchester United a great deal.
The ONLY way they will return to success would be for the Glazer's to sell the Club.
It would need to be in the region of around £1 billion and then the benefactor who bought it would then have to outspend Manchester City, Chelsea PSG and Monaco.
All this without champions league football and a inept Manager.
BIG LIKE JK
ReplyDeleteI'm in agreement. I understand the elite always get paid more however it's not relative. It's football, a game and generally a working class game. The money has made the best of players lose touch as well as forget all loyalties.
ReplyDeleteOf course I am also highly jealous, these guys play football for a living and get paid (too well) for it.
Maybe less wages would bring us better gate prices or players playing for more than money, that'd be nice.
yap yap yap , you think youre saying revolutionary ideas , every footy fan knows this and they still but the shirts , still go to the matches ,still pay the bill for skysports .If you dont like it dont go , stop supporting footie, no one is forcing the fans to pay money. Football players work hard and make sacrifices to get where they are and deserved to payed (perhaps not as much as they are ).People just need to enjoy things in life , football is business , but a beatufil one as well.
ReplyDeleteif rooney deservred it give it to him, i think it was stupid hes had an average season by his standards, suarez has been the leagues best player he deserves every penny
ReplyDeleteWith you all the way comrade!
ReplyDeleteRooney was already on sick money before this contract. Personally as much as it sickens me at least it's United and they are still hilariously bad at the minute.
ReplyDeleteEvreryone knows they are being ripped off but it is a self destructive circle that the fans are a part of. Every fan wants success, so to get that success the team need the best or better players, the best players want the best deals they can get (who wouldn't? Anyone ever left a job because they could be paid more somewhere else?) if one team doesn't pay the money another will. If one team decides to only bring a kit out every two years can they then afford the wages of the better players? Probably not but the team who has a new kit every week might. And if that player they get success and with success they get more fans. Other than a global football revolution nothing will change. Just like everything else football will be gentrified. Us serfs will watch on the internet for free, if the big businesses haven't got a monopoly on internet providers and search engines and limit what we can take for free.
I don't think he knows what a ladyboy is. Makes me wonder how I know.
ReplyDeleteYour right. It is wrong!
ReplyDeleteViva la revolucion!
ReplyDeletewtf is this molby for jamie speeking. what a horrid article
ReplyDeleteYou don't have Sky? Liar. You don't buy newspapers either because that lines the pockets of the devil also. Such a hypocrite Jamie.
ReplyDeleteif he doesn't have sky. how can he write all these articles and criticize things or players, and other teams. And give us all these stupid rumours linked with other players....its okay tho, hes got youtube.
ReplyDeleteYes, because you know me.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't have Sky, and haven't had it for 10 years, And no, I do not buy newspapers either. I don't even have terrestrial TV in any form, so I don't pay the UK TV licence (which seems to pays the salaries of countless sex offenders). Why is this so hard to understand/accept this? Just because you have Sky (and that's fine), doesn't mean I have to.
I watch LFC in bars/pubs, and/or online sometimes. These places may have Sky, but I don't pay for it, so I'm not funding it.
The footballing version of a ladyboy = elite players who are overpaid, pampered, out of touch, and waited on hand and foot by a team of lackeys.
ReplyDeleteYou Sir are an egg. I fart on you.
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons I hate modern football, and I'm sure you can glean some of them just by reading this site. As a kid in the '80s, I loved football, but I've grown to despise it over the years, which is one of the reasons why this site is critical in its approach.
ReplyDeleteI love LFC, though (and being a Scot, I'm proud of the historical influence of Scottish managers/players etc on Liverpool); but it's hard to maintain that given how I feel overall about football.
As for me 'getting my share' from the game. What exactly do you mean? I don't rip anyone off; I don't charge extortionate prices for anything; I don't gain any direct personal benefit from football. I merely write about it.
Oh, I though that was just called a footballer.
ReplyDeleteThat's the common euphemism, yes :-)
ReplyDeleteDon't let LFC hear you using that term.
ReplyDeleteI agree Jamie, but who is to blame? Anyone here would take it if we were offered that much money.
ReplyDeleteJust throwing this out but is Rooney any good? I have never been able too see what all the fuss is about... I know I might get pelters but I just don't see it. Would take sturidge any day.
Thailand is littered with footballer in that case. I hope I never get the wool pulled over my eyes by a footballer. Plus the footballers in Thailand won't need a super injunction to keep me quite, I'll take my tryst with these type of footballers to grave with shame!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, but if you or I get offered huge salaries, it doesn't impact on tens of thousands of other people, who end up getting ripped off to keep us in jobs.
ReplyDeleteAs for who is to blame? Fans are to blame. They're the ones who keep deifying players like they're gods.
Agree with you Rooney - I would take Sturridge over him without hesitation. If LFC ever signed Rooney, I'd quit supporting the club. He is the epitome of everything that is wrong with football (IMO)
No, at that level, football, like it or not, is a business. They "play" football for a living, but if they don't live up to expectations, they are considered a flop and get the sack, same as managers. Yes, what they get paid is, to you or me, ridiculous, but they are employees of a multi-million, sometimes multi-billion dollar, pound (whatever currency you want to put on it) global corporation and because some of these players are considered the better players, they get paid the most, but it's all relative, if a business that bring in 40k a year wants to pay it's highest ranking employee, depending how many employees the business has, they can't pay that said employee more than say 20k a year. Players like Molby weren't getting paid that kind of money, but when you consider "football inflation", then maybe what Molby was getting paid back then equates to the 300k/wk figure.
ReplyDeleteIf a bar/pub has Sky, then indirectly, you are paying for it. You are paying more for your drinks than they are worth to have the privilege of watching Sky, even if you don't watch it at the pub, you are still indirectly paying for it, how else would the pub be able to afford sky, for businesses, pay/cable TV is more expensive than private use because of all the copyright laws involved. So although you may not be paying a huge chunk of the pubs' license to have Sky, by going there with your mates and spending an afternoon/evening there buying drinks, you are going someway to funding their Sky license.
ReplyDeleteThe question is, "How do you know about them in Thailand?" :-)
ReplyDeleteRooney has flashes that make me understand what the fuss is about. But the way he takes care of himself and the petulance he displays is not good though. Perhaps it was a purely commercial decision. Shirt sales, etc.. Because it does not appear to have been a footballing decision.
ReplyDeleteDarn, where did I put my Che Guevera t-shirt. Searching frantically.
ReplyDeleteI think he means you "get your share" by making money from all the adverts on this site.... which is purely based on the game you claim you despise so much!!
ReplyDeleteUsing your logic, anyone who pays taxes funds Police corruption, and the ongoing occupation of Afghanistan.
ReplyDeleteIt's a matter of intention. I am not directly funding Sky - and by extension NewsCorp - with my own money.
The rise of the football agent helped increase the obscene wages of players, even our own players like Stevie G have fleeced the club for every penny. Like you Jk there is lots about todays game I hate
ReplyDeleteNice rant!!!!! Football first became professional when enterprising businessmen realized that if you built a roofed terrace and charged in, a profit could be made.
ReplyDeleteThis was ok up to a certain point.
But now it is utterly obscene. Leveraged buy out of a fantastic club like Man Utd by utter profiteers who then bleed the club dry. It is horrendous.
I look forward to the day that the bubble bursts on the whole debacle, but it will get much worse with BT Sport money.
Look at that lazy sod RVP. £250k per week and he doesn't even try a leg anymore. At least Suarez and Rooney actually run about a little.....
You yourself said it @Jaimie K and then deny it.
ReplyDeleteWhat @Stuart C is saying here is you writing about modern football itself on LFC with a critical approach which generates controversy from a fans POV, your website being one of the most visited by LFC fans globally which I am sure generates a lot of hits which is what a webmaster craves for. Then you put up ads on the website which I am sure generates quite a handsome revenue.
We don't know if you donate every single cent to some charity as we all don't know that and the common perception would be it going in your pocket barring the maintenance cost of the website.
So basically yes, you are earning from modern football itself. :-P
His logic is right @Jaimie K, we all in some way contribute to what we are fed up of. :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree its wonderful. Been waiting a long time for this. Plus the fact that Noisy Moyes suggested that LFC won't make CL, because ManU will win CL this season, and eliminate LFC from the fourth spot. Well, they have to get over Olympiakos yet and anyway he is suggesting that LFC cannot finish higher than fourth. Wrong again undermanager Moyes.
ReplyDeleteI met him a couple of times oddly.
ReplyDeleteBy met him, I mean an interaction of the following quality: The first time I 'met' him, I walked past him, not realising who he was, and then he let on to me with a little nod of the head. I squinted my crap eyes to see who it was and then became confused as to why Wayne Rooney had acknowledged me when I wasn't paying any attention to him. I spluttered the following:
Me: "Er...you alright, lad?"
WR: "Yeah..."
Me: "Sound. In a bit."
A wonderful encounter. Not much more was said they other times I ran into him.
He means you make money off it. I don't think it is an accusation of any sort, but the truth is, you wouldn't be able to make a living through writing about football if not for the concerted effort to make football an industry and grow interest and support.
ReplyDeleteThat logic works though. It is why some people refuse to pay taxes.
ReplyDeleteIt is the clubs and the people who run football who are to blame.
ReplyDeleteWith so much ill-gotten money floating around the game, why shouldn't the players get a taste?
I'll always say that players have a right to demand a fair salary based on the turnover of their club. If the club is making a certain amount of money then the players should rightfully be paid accordingly. If the club is more profitable then so should the players. It's ultimately not the players who decide the marketing strategy or the ticket prices. Yes, by demanding more salary they might stretch club finances and in turn the club might rise ticket or merchandise prices more but it's ultimately out of their control. At the end of the day someone is making all the money and I'd rather it went to the players than the businessmen.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I think players should genuinely do is start a voluntary ticket scheme where they can put aside a portion of their salary to provide a good portion of more affordable tickets. This could be done within the club itself or even through a supporters group. That way the truly appreciative players could give back to the fans. This could even go as far as discount merchandise. It somewhat undermines the corporate strategy of the club but I think the corporate strategy of the club should never come at the expense of the fans.
Fans already pay their fare share through TV rights, merchandise and ticket sales. This should be kept level, not constantly increased. If they want more money they should look to increase their fan base, not fleece the long term fans they've already got.
Your picture shows you have cleaned up well from your OWS days...but your message still sucks. I'm pretty sure Rooney wasn't born to the upper crust you rail against. He made it through perseverance and work. More power to him. If you honestly believe your 'global revolution' is some sort of cathartic cleansing of the human soul...you haven't lived through one...most 'working men' don't you know...they just get killed or starved to death while the 'enlightened ones' become the new bosses in the name of the 'working men' they now claim to represent. No thanks.
ReplyDeleteI keep waiting for him to balloon out like Gazza. 300K a week buys a lot of bangers, mash and jellied eels.
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm quite younger than you Jaimie I too have grown to despise the modern game. I'd rather play in a park with my mates than pay to watch pansies. That way, the game maintains its beautiful essence. Wages are ridiculous, but it's no different in other sports or even other industries, what about actors and such? The only players I warm to are players like Henderson, the head down work hard people who don't make a fuss or run their mouth. It's the only positive I can find.
ReplyDeleteFinancially supporting my local team costs a fortune, to the point where I may stop, but to financially support any team is an individuals prerogative. No one is forcing tickets or new kits down your throat.
It's a simple concept though. No fans no money, no players no professional game. There's a mention of the money you earn from this site. The fact is, that money would not exist if not for football's global fan base and more importantly the stature of Liverpool. You'd make pennies with a Yoevil Town website wouldn't you? In that way, it's not so much different, you are taking advantage of the capabilities of the internet, similarly, Rooney accepts the wage that Manchester United put on the table.
Football is ultimately a business if you watch. If you just play it, then it is a Saturday afternoon with your buds for an hour or two of exercise and competition. It's as much a business to the Glazers as it is to Wayne Rooney. You want the spectacle of the match, but then you rail against the spectacle that brings you the match, You can't have it both ways. You want a Champion's league team, but then are dissatisfied with the grandeur a Champion's league final presents. Make up your mind.
ReplyDeleteI agree much of what you say, but when it comes to football, it's something that the working man can actually effect, as opposed to, say, illegal war. Same goes for consumer items.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there are many fans who are pi$$ed about being fleeced, yet they continue to hand over their cash. They could just stop buying merchandise; stop buying tickets to games et, and hit clubs in the pocket. One person doing that makes no difference, but thousands doing it makes a dent.
For example, I have a friend who repeatedly bitches about being a Portsmouth fan; constantly moaning about how he hates the owners; how they're fleecing the club; how money is being wasted and blah blah blah, yet he still buys a season ticket every year; still buys his kids new shirts every season, and seems blissfully unaware that he's part of the problem.
That's why fans are to blame (IMO). Without fans spending money, football would collapse. By being too weak to make a stand, fans perpetuate their own exploitation.
As for putting the time in to support something; you'd be surprised. I'm an anarchist and a non-conformist at heart, and believe me, I stick my oar in ;-)
I don't think that's what Simon is suggesting at all. Football is a business, yes, but that doesn't justify a player earning £15m a year in what is, essentially, a working class sport that just ceaselessly and shamelessly rips-off and exploits the man on the street.
ReplyDeleteThose ten's of thousands keep showing up every year. I'll believe you have a point when they quit showing up every year. I think I'll be waiting a long time. If they feel like they're getting ripped off, then they'll vote with their wallets. They aren't deifying players...they're identifying with something bigger than themselves...a team. Some do that with their football teams, some do it in public service, some do it through their church...some do all three and more. You err when you presume to speak for them. In America you can do that all you want. When you presume to ACT FOR them without their permission then you are called a Democrat and would do well to remember that half of America hates your guts with the heat of a thousand suns.
ReplyDeleteYes, managers get the sack, but football is one of the only businesses on the planet where managers are handsomely rewarded for failure.
ReplyDeleteHow many tens of millions has Rafa Benitez accrued through being sacked over the last 6 years? How many millions did Dalglish get for failing at LFC? If you or I get sacked, do we get paid off to some obscene degree? No chance. This is just another financially spurious aspect of the ridiculous world of football.
Business doesn't seek your justification...business seeks to be successful. I'll never understand why non-business people don't get that.
ReplyDeleteNot really...golden parachutes exist in every walk of life.
ReplyDeleteI don't presume to speak for them; it's my observation on the fanbase.
ReplyDeleteFootball trades on the entrenched love of fans, and when you loved something for decades, it's hard to give it up, even if it's expensive.
As a comparison, consider nurses. Horribly paid for doing a vitally important job, yet they don't quit in droves because they love helping people. It's the same sort of thing with football fans.
And please - fan deification of players is one of the defining characteristics of football.
I don't get why you're going off on tangents that have absolutely nothing to do with what's being discussed.
ReplyDeleteThat's your theory...but it hasn't happened yet so your theory has not one valid example in its defense. Fans disappear not because things are expensive, but because the team doesn't win. How do you get a team that wins? You can't make an omelet without breaking eggs.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm right on point in disagreeing with Simon. He likes football but not the enterprise of football. I'm saying you can't have one at this level of competition without the other. If he just wants to watch some dudes playing football for free, then he should just go to a local park and watch a pick-up game. He is ambivalent about what it takes to build an exciting program that people want to support. I'm not.
ReplyDeleteDepends on the nurse--surgical nurses are paid quite well...in America anyway. And the nurses also are football fans. Some pay money to support teams because it is a release from their everyday life of working hard to fulfill other needs and wants. If the nurse could score like Luis Suarez, they wouldn't be a nurse...ask them and you'll see.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big sports fan...most everyone I know is a big sports fan...nobody I know deifies any player in any sport. We have favorite players sure but deification...just doesn't happen.
ReplyDeleteSorry, but you're spectacularly wrong.
ReplyDeleteNo, you're just taking the contrary view for the hell of it.
ReplyDeleteAll I have to go on is my personal observations. They lead to my conclusions so I'll stick with that.
ReplyDeleteI never do that...wasn't on the high school debate team either. I just believe that a man is exactly what he makes himself out to be. He defines his own worth whether it be money, friends, giving back or whatever...and judgement is a first step down a dark path.
ReplyDeleteAltho' never always agreeing with your comments Jaime I applaud your stance and convictions regarding the exploitation of football........well said Sir......
ReplyDeleteAn anarchist, non-conformist blogger on the internet. I can't think of a better oxymoron for the new millenium.
ReplyDeleteOK, this sentiment is all very well and good but do you not see that by calling for the constant overhauling of the team every 5 minutes by way of this throwaway mentality you embrace, that you too are caught up - and backing - this money driven culture. I am always left speechless at people's lack of loyalty to players or at least their refusal to believe that maybe if you gave them your backing in harder times and buck the trend to just resorting to ditching them at the soonest opportunity then you might begin to turn around the Murdoch empire. The players are just pawns in this game my friend.
ReplyDeleteCEOS get massive payouts everyday from companies they sent broke its stupid but the gap between rich and middle class and poor is widening every day.
ReplyDeleteFootball is not the only sport which started at grass roots level supported by working people that has become elitist its sickening.
I think Allen has a lot to offer as well of course, this season, a lot to prove. We were all raving about him against Man C in our first home game last season and all the players were talking about his quality on the LFC website. But one point I'd like to make is that BR has a system or formation that Allen knows how to play and what is expected, having been together at Swansea. Bringing someone like Allen to the squad had to happen. He's got great technical ability and can pick a pass. Be a shame to lose him.
ReplyDeleteTend to agree Pete but what is making a meal of football at the highest level is these oil rich pricks that spend money like nothing and drive up wages and costs.
ReplyDeleteAlso clubs that borrow up big time like United have to stay at the top.
But the worst thing i find in most professional levels of sport is the cost just to take a family.
Once it was a cheap day out for the family now its a rare treat for the average family.
Good points, Pete, but there is absolutely no comparison between Rooney, and this site. I don't do this for the money; if LFC were not a rich club, or were in the third division, I'd still be writing about the club. For the first 4 years of the site, I didn't have any ads here. Additionally, this is not my main job. If everyone stopped visiting the site tomorrow, I would still write about LFC.
ReplyDeleteI've read your stuff for years now and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that you are not a genuine writer. You may not do this specifically for the money, but money does come in. If the financial incentive was 0, you would remove all ads. Even though your primary focus is to write, you still earn what you can, and this is the mindset of Rooney and other players. In no way am I defending such atrociously inflated wages, I'm just pointing out a mindset.
ReplyDeleteThe best content you produce is stuff like this article, it's well thought out, critical and authentic. But then there are those short articles that link us to some 17 year old random in which you say the same thing over and over again. Recently, I did no post a single comment for 9 days, I find it impossible to have an opinion on everything. It's part of the reason I canned my own site - designed and coded it all, then canned it. You could have a genuine opinion about small matters like random transfers (fair enough) or it could just be to get views for CPM ads (fair enough). See what I mean? It's just a mindset. Fans are not directly to blame.
They have to, they signed a contract, they had their contract terminated, and because of that, they get the remainder of their contract paid out. I have had the misfortune of being sacked from a previous job (the job sucked anyway) and I got a severance pay. What is the difference between a lowly worker like me getting a severance pay and managers getting paid off when they leave by mutual consent? They only difference is the amount of money they are getting paid and because they are higher up in the company, they are on a higher salary and therefore get a higher severance pay. And as far as if you or I get sacked, do we get paid off to some obscene degree, if we were management or executives, then yes we would. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with it, but that's the way it is and I understand it.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree about the cost thing. For me, there's a season ticket and then parking as well as road tolls, it costs $35 to drive to a game. A bottle of water is 5 bucks, I mean come on...
ReplyDeleteOil rich clubs are a different topic. I'm against sugar daddy owners as much as you, but what real element of control do fans have over that? City sponsor themselves and spend hundreds of millions with nothing coming in. I have one Liverpool shirt and one Sydney shirt, I'm sensible, I'm not going to can my Fox Sports deal in outrage though.
You probably mean we'll defend our title successfully but I agree anyway. And selling to Everton is simply not an option. Not ever.
ReplyDeleteIn the first sentence of my reply, I stated that you are indirectly funding it, with your own money. I recently watched a travel show and they were talking about in St Mark's Square in Venice, it's said you pay 10 pounds for a cup of coffee, but what was also explained that you only pay that 10 pounds when you choose to sit at one of the tables outside, if you go inside and get the coffee, you pay the normal price, so in fact, what you are actually paying the 10 pounds for is the view. What pubs do is charge exorbitant prices for their drinks and advertise the footy games on Sky. I'm in Australia and they do it here too, although Fox Sports is our football channel, not Sky, but it's the same thing, being that Fox is also owned by Rupert Murdoch. That's your choice and I'm not having a go at you for making that choice, but I'm also saying don't be naive enough to think that the pubs charge double and sometimes triple the cost price of alcohol, in effect, ripping us off, without trying to push the sporting events that they are paying through the roof onto us, those sporting events, on Sky, that everyone is funding by paying the exorbitant prices for a pint of beer.
ReplyDeleteYou raise some good points in some of your previous articles, but my god you sometimes give me a headache with your disregarding of peoples views.
ReplyDeleteThere are a few points people are raising here, and its clear to see, which are:
1. Allen will fit into the squad next season when we have a lot more games, CL (fingers crossed) footy etc.
2. Style of play changes, i.e. with LFC conceding a lot more goals, who can predict that BR will begin to enforce a lot more control in our midfield, new formations etc.
3. Squad depth, rotation etc
4. Ageing of players i.e. Gerrard, with players who understand the managers views and the direction of the club, i.e Allen to step in and develop in that position
5. Injuries
How can all these points not be suitable in answering your point, which is "Allen getting regular first team football in EPL/CL"?
hey man you gone too far about it,,,, this is nature of football... would you expect to watch the game free without tickets or they will give you a free shirt,,,, NO NO NO NO NO that is impossible.... But i know they also gone too far
ReplyDeleteSometimes there's no explanation in football terms just look at SAS! Who have expected them to score so many goals, do u want to explain to me??? And who have expected the EPL champion to be at the mid-table??? Who had expected Reina to be loaned out! Under BR, anything is possible, don't be surprised the "Elephant" will be thrown out in the wild next season!
ReplyDeleteAllen and Henderson will def be in this club for a very long time!
This is all total fabrication. LFC will not have given any thought to selling him
ReplyDeleteGerrard's fitness needs to be managed so he will not play every game. He is 33 after all. Lucas has been picking up injuries more frequently now so between him and Allen (also injury prone) we will need a squad of players that Brendan trusts. Allen goes nowhere as we need to plan for a world post Gerrard.
ReplyDeleteClubs can change their shirt every week for all I care. If fans are stupid enough to pay up then by all means fleece them. When shirt sales plummet the clubs will rethink their strategy.
ReplyDeleteAs for Rooney questioning Man U's ambition he was spot on. He realised 2-3 seasons ago that they weren't signing top players any more. Man U fans knew this as well as they kept moaning about the quality of their midfield. The lack of quality signings is coming home to roost now but I am personally very happy with their demise! :-)
Well in my humble opinion i think Allen will play more games next season ( if he is injury free of course) for the next reasons:
ReplyDelete1. We will need to play more games because of CL and i bet we will compete on all fronts in all cups next year so the number of games will be much higher.
2. Gerrard, like it or not ( i admire him and i think he is the best all round football player on the planet ) isnt getting any younger so i think that he will need to rest a bit to be in top form for the games which he will play.
3. We need big squad couse the accidents always happen and always will be some injurys to players that are injury prone ( like Lucas....to name one )
4. We see that in 2nd half our middle is not so effective and i think that is because some of our players just cant keep the tempo and they get tired so some rotation and subs are needed and maybe Allen will be the right player to do that.
So i think Allen will stay and he will play as a part time player, playing in cups and in BPL for about 10-15 games a season. Remember, we still need some reinforcements and i think that Allen still brings some quality in the middle especially when we want to press high and we need that stability in the middle ( just look at the last game against Swansea ). And to be honest, as much as i rate Lucas, he is nowhere near the kind of form he was in before he injured himself in that game against Chelsea last year, plus he is not getting any jounger either and i think he needs more time to get back to be match fit after injury like other players do. :)
Overall, we need players that will come into the team and not the other way.
Come on Reds, finnish the season on high and bring that BPL trophy back to Anfield:):) YNWA
Yup that's the rub
ReplyDeleteAll references to a persons or peoples sexuality are best left alone especially when used in a pejorative sense. But hey we're talking about football which is so down the pan that anything goes -. apparently.
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing Jaimie re television online. I don't have a telly. I do buy papers like. Just none of Murdochs.
ReplyDeleteIn fairness I don't know anyone who deifies or lionises sportsmen either. More likely to call them wankers than laud them that much. Perhaps its an age thing, perhaps its just a social thing. I mean we have all seen people with tattoos of players names and faces in the news but always just assumed they were an idiotic minority. Having said that my mum's cousin's son (whatever relation that is to me) is named Kenny Dalglish (surname). So perhaps in some social circles, but certainly not all and I would argue not the majority.
ReplyDeleteIf Jaimie thinks it is the majority perhaps he would like to show some form of evidence to make the point?
Without getting in to politics too much your talking about some Orwellian example which is based on very few occurrences. Despite the fact that people can come form poor backgrounds and make it as very well paid players doesn't mean that that is the norm. In fact it is become less and less normal. How many players in the prem now or professionals are the sons, cousins etc of ex pros? Is a football class being created? I know it sounds mad but with not enough money in grass roots football, less money for local councils to clean up areas to play football on, building houses on every bit of greenery in sight etc how do new generations even get a chance to get filtered to the nth degree to become a Rooney? On my old estate there were two whole leagues of football teams when I was growing up. Now there are two teams. I am only 30.
ReplyDeleteI expect Rooney would still play football if he was not paid millions. But he is and you also earn money out of it and that's fine. You are a bit spikey and sometimes OTT (lady boys, cloying man love etc ) but actually not bad at what you do. That's why people visit your site and also why people go to watch Rooney. In many ways you could be regarded as the Wayne Rooney of journalism.............:-)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you some way on this but i don't think it'll ever change that's just modern sport. I also think it comes down to the person ,there are people who'd happily play for their club for less then what they could be getting because they have a connection, then you have your rooney's and ibra's who are money hungry ****'s. :)
ReplyDeleteSuccession planning. For anyone who has any semblance of integrity or intellect, they can see Allen is all about succession planning.
ReplyDeleteAmazing. You're not shy of a straw man argument are you?
ReplyDeleteAm I banned before starting? Every time I offer a contrary post to JK it drifts away into the ether.......
ReplyDeleteFinally ... even though in some respects I agree with some of your comments, when you profess year in year out that you are a dedicated LFC fan I find it rather hypocritical. Furthermore it explains why you often condemn most every player in the squad and even suggest they should be sold, then you advocate purchasing every untried man and his dog.
ReplyDeleteLet me advise you that when you "choose" to be a LFC supporter it is a life-long commitment, I was there when we were in the 2nd division and never did I hear the whining and grumbling that you espouse.
Without a doubt you should look to your inner-self and if you cannot change your negative attitude may I suggest you change your allegiances by becoming a Manc supporter, where whinging is accepted as part of the day.
I think Allen will be utilised more and more when we are struggling to finish out a game, as he was against Swansea at the weekend, he comes on, can keep the ball and will just look for simple passes
ReplyDeleteHe will be bought on to replace Sterling/Coutinho, who can both at times be bullied out of a game. He will be perfect against say a Chelsea where a player such as Willian bullied some of our younger players, so Coutinho wasn't allowed the time on the ball.
It all depends really, he might want to go to Everton and if they don't get Barry permanently, then it could be a good choice for both player and team. I doubt they will be looking to spend 10 mill on a player like Allen, when they will need to replace Lukaku once he returns to Chelsea, which will be their biggest worry!
Gotta move out of Sydney Pete get to Adelaide and support us more value for money lol.
ReplyDeleteTransfer In:
ReplyDeleteJan Vertonghen £22
Luke Shaw £22
Adam Johnson £12
Yevhen Konoplyanka £15
Total £71
Transfer Out:
Pepe Reina £05
Glen Johnson £08
Oussama Assaidi £04
Fabio Borini £07
Martin Skrtel/Daniel Agger £10
Iago Aspas £05
Total £39
With our Loan Players, Suso and Wisdom this would be a strong squad and we could save some Wage-Budget...
There are many reasons to love modern football too, but if you despise it, there are plenty of other things to do in life.
ReplyDeleteRoss Barkley has never said he wants to join LFC. Do you think he would fit into Liverpools team with his massive Everton FC tattoo on his arm?
ReplyDeletewell youve outdone yourself this time jamie k. there is no use fantasising about how you want football to be, without all the money you wouldnt be able to watch any of the games you have watched this week and there wouldnt be hundreds of blogs and forums for you to pollute with your deluded opinions
ReplyDeleteyea apparently he will make it back for the club. still utter madness
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'm not much of a Rooney fan either, I think roy has gotta put DS up front and build the team around him, not Rooney. Im not english but want to see them do well in the WC.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to the wages, the clubs have got to come together and agree a wage cap. No one should get more then 40k and even that is crazy.
There are some players that do good with that money though. I think Drogba apparently gave 50% of his wages to his charity. I may be wrong but that is what I heard.
It is sickening. I've been saying for some time that a salary cap should be brought in. If players could only earn a maximum of say 100k a week, no matter where they went then it would encourage loyalty and footballers to make decisions based on footballing reasons not just money. 100k a week is surely more than enough for anyone. Just my opinion
ReplyDeletein the past, Lucas & Henderson weren't excelling in any role either, but now they do. The same thing will happen with Allen, trust me ;)
ReplyDeleteI think Brendan is missing a trick with Allen! I think he would make a great full back. He would keep possession well, is fast and plays with intensity, and would I'm sure kick in with assists and the odd goal. If we get all our midfielders fit then some could be used to strengthen the full back positions, Henderson also has all the skills a full back needs. Why have have the likes of Allen or Lucas on the bench when players with inferior skills are playing regularly at full back, and I don't mean Johnson by the way.
ReplyDeleteHow? The same as ever...will power. The same will power that leads songwriters to be heard, or nano-chemists to discover, or starry-eyed kids to be fighter pilots. It seems to me sometimes that we have generalized human life so much that we tend to forget that each of us is an individual first.
ReplyDeleteI don't often agree with you Jamie, but on this I have to say your spot on. I'd happily play for LFC for a grand a week, not excessive but still, in some folks eyes it would be deemed too much (mind you, you ain't see me play lol). Greed is killing football and society as a whole
ReplyDeleteYes...good summation of the law of supply and demand...a hale and hearty Scotsman first explained it.
ReplyDeleteAgree...and he's not getting any younger or faster...he might be getting smarter...but there's limit to how far that can go. I believe MU will regret this deal because it will make it harder to offload a sputtering Rooney when the performance inevitably drops off... but we'll have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your point of view and respect to you for having the courage of your convictions . Just wondered how you manage to be so well informed and have ' finger on button ' with the lack of these sources of information ?
ReplyDeleteI think I remember Jamie somewhere you saying that you are a freelance Jouno so probably you are privy to alternative means etc.
As a footnote I am an old school LFC supporter and remember the good old days of Shanks and co when players played for the honour , pride and respect of club.
Money now is ruining the game and MU were the first to exploit fans ........ We can see now where it has got them and I think will be their downfall . Our beautiful game has become big business and Globalisation , greedy agents and players have a lot to answer for !
maybe Gerrard will be moved to Keeper then Allen can get in the team
ReplyDeleteJohnson 8m you got to be joking
ReplyDeleterather have Mirralas
ReplyDeleteget Romulu
ReplyDeleteTotally agree about Fans shod wake up to the money obsessed culture of modern football! It's disgusting!!
ReplyDeleteDon't think LFC will buy to replace Gerrard. IMO they already have the guy it's Henderson. But they will need a dead ball specialist when Gerrard retires. I also think Hendo will be the next captain.
ReplyDeletehard to understand the reasoning here. Rooney hasn't looked that brilliant this season and last. Sure he shows flashes but not a consistent game changer such as Suarez. I think Fergie would have offloaded him the end of this season if he was still the manager. Wouldn't have him in my team if I owned one he can be a very dirty player. They should have sold him while he still has good value. But on the plus side it's always good to see manure shooting themselves in the foot.
ReplyDeleteVery constructive post Pablo
ReplyDeleteAblett was the last before that Beardsley
ReplyDeleteAnd I do them, believe me.
ReplyDeleteI don't disregard views; I disagree. Is that okay with you, or should I just change my opinion everyy 5 minutes when someone offers an alternate view?
ReplyDeleteGood man :-)
ReplyDeleteGaz is correct in what he says, ask yourself this Jamie, would you go to the pub on say a Saturday afternoon for the heck of it, or do u mainly go because there is a football match being televised, the pubs use the televised games as a marketing ploy/tool to get bums on seats an part them from their cash. Nothing in life really comes for free, it's obvious that pubs have to pay to have the games showing,it also stands to reason that obviously that cost gets passed on to the consumer. Successful businesses are those that can exploit the market place, lets not over complicate things here, it is a fundamental of business and is simply supply and demand.
ReplyDeleteI see what you're saying but you've reiterated the key problem: "one person doing that makes no difference, but thousands doing it makes a dent". The reality of getting thousands of people behind a cause is very difficult.
ReplyDeleteIt is so difficult to get a season ticket at Anfield, I don't know many people who would give it up in order to show disapproval for something, on the off chance that it might provoke wider consternation amongst the fans, because they might never get it back.
Fear tends to be a stronger motivator than principle.
It is pessimistic (I'm the guy who has been writing off our top 4 chances all season), I know, but I can't see any major changes any time soon. Hopefully I'm wrong.
I got pointed to this site by a friend of mine, and I have to say, great work!
ReplyDeleteHowever, as a sabermetrics analyst, I have to say, that looking at current trends, Manchester City is the better run club in Manchester. Their international investments will allow them to simply over-run United.
Lets look at what they have done recently shall we?
Manchester City's global outreach is simply better than United. They are more forward thinking, and understand the HUGE potential of the brand internationally. City partially owns Legends Hospitality, the company that provides sports marketing and stadium services worldwide. This is a revenue and marketing stream that United simply doesn't have. Premier League, NFL, MLB, NBA, La Liga, and Serie A stadiums and teams all use their services, and City is doing "co-marking" with them. You can walk into a basketball arena in goddamned Salt Lake City and see City's marketing.
Secondly, their investment in New York City FC will pay off. City is in a strategic partnership with the goddamned New York Yankees. The Yankees are probably the biggest powerhouse in sports today, for them, 85 million pounds contract is nothing. The Yankees signed over half a billion USD in contracts with their players this offseason. The Steinbrenner's, the guys who own the Yankees want to win, and they are willing to spend money to win.
Now this is where City comes in. Baseball is a cyclical sport, no matter how much money you have, it is impossible to win all the time. Dominance like United in the premier league is impossible in the MLB. Thus the Yankees are pouring in money into soccer. They are willing to pour up to 150 million USD/ year into New York City (with 90% of it going to Manchester City in a roundabout way). That is like more than one Rooney a year!
Now if you are familiar with North American soccer, you would know that they have a salary cap. You simply cannot spend all the money and buy all the good players. This is where City comes in. The Yankees would simply give Manchester City hundreds of millions of dollars, for them to buy and pay players. Than, during the off season in the Premier league (the MLS plays from Spring to Fall), the players would be "loaned" out to New York City.
The Yankees are so rich they own their own TV station. With their strategic partnership, Manchester City will now be broadcasted all over North America, making their TV deal much more lucrative than United.
By buying Melbourne City, Manchester City is extending their reach to Oceania. That's 20 million more people who would be able to tune in and watch City play.
Personally, I see City easily overtaking United in becoming the premier team in Manchester. After all, they are simply more savvy.
Rich owners + smart management = $$$$$
85 million pounds contract? That's nothing. With the amount of money that Manchester City is getting, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up breaking the 100 million line, repeatedly.
I have nothing against the 'upper crust'. If someone has earned money, fair enough. Even if they've been born into it, not their fault that they won the genetic lottery- I have no bitterness toward them. I have repeatedly defended the money players make (I've defended Rooney in this thread and in another last week), so you got this 'upper crust' thing wrong.
ReplyDeleteYou've misunderstood my intent. I'm not inherently anti-capitalist. In theory, it is fine. The system we have at the moment though is patently unfair. The lack of social mobility and opportunity is pitiful. The fact that you are putting Rooney forward as an example shows that. One lad from Croxteth made it good, so everything is fine and everyone else
Also, where do I advocate a revolution? I simply stated that power structures are so entrenched that if things are going to be changed via the usual channels it will takes decades for any meaningful change.
You've basically read my dissatisfaction and then decided I'm some sweaty student in a Che Guevara t-shirt.
Interesting post.
ReplyDeletePut some bloody paragraph breaks in though, you lunatic!!
I am quite sweaty though.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt that sheer determination of will can get you places but luck is always a factor. In every success story there is an amount of fortune. But with less opportunities the odds fall for the average kid. How can you be determined to succeed at something (which in itself is a misnomer considering how young football players start at) when the opportunities to even participate at it are limited? Rooney was more than just determination too he had a lot of natural ability. If you look at him, his build, his face. If he had not have been playing football from a young age he could have easily gotten quite fat. Less opportunities to play young then get spotted by a scout, what could have been?
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, this isn't something that just happens in football. One of the most famous brands that have sold billions, if not trillions worldwide is Air Jordan and Jordan 23, then there is Shaq, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and that's just in basketball, go into baseball and you have players like Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, rugby league, especially over here in Australia has them as well, any sport that is followed intensely and in some people's opinions insanely, will have fans who see the elite as godlike figures. We make role models of these players, who are afterall human, and then chastise them when they make a mistake, either on or off the field.
ReplyDeleteforgot about that ;)
ReplyDeleteI have a tattoo of the Liverpool crest, does that make me an idiotic minority? If that doesn't make me a fan for like (which I have been for over 30 years) then I don't know what will. I plan on one day getting to Anfield, but logistics and money don't allow that, being I live in Australia and am a uni student.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
ReplyDeleteI doubt it will even be a big issue in the summer. I expect him here next season (barring a massive end of season collapse).
I disagree, if a team is successful, a big reason the team is successful is because of the players in the squad, some more so than others. If the team is successful, that means they bring in more revenue, why then, if they bring in the revenue shouldn't they pay the players more to reward them for being successful and give them the incentive to keep being successful. Everything is relative. If a club, which is a business, whether people like it or not, are successful and bringing in 10s of millions of pounds every week, then 40k wages is not enough. Put it this way, if you worked for a company, say as a salesman and you were on a flat wage and yet the team of salesmen that you were a part of were very successful and brought the company a lot of money in the process, would you want to be rewarded for your success and hard work? I know I sure as hell would. So why can't football players, who work their socks off 7 days a week to become the best in the country or the best in the world. It is afterall a job.
ReplyDeleteEven then they aren't free. For instance the local league in my area charge $10-$15 admission (I'm Australian, so I go by $), a sausage sandwich, depending on the ground, is $2.50-$4, a can of soft drink (soda) is $3, a can of beer is $5+, so an afternoon at the local football if you go by yourself, $20-$30 and if you take your family, upwards of $100 and this is just the local league, not even the state league or the national league.
ReplyDeleteAll we can do as fans of LFC is to speculate, have an opinion etc. Some people back up their opinions with facts, others can't as its impossible. But this doesn't mean what they say is invalid.
ReplyDeleteI've given you 5 points above, a lot of them speculations as who knows what BR will pull out of the bag. Can you see any of them being a possibility? Cos if you can't them I'm not sure if we both support the same team.
If you can then that should be enough to answer your question about if "Allen can get regular first team football in the EPL/CL...
The one that become the new bosses, the 'enlightened ones' as you put it, do so because of two fundamental things, hard work and because they are bloody good at what they do. Sure there are exceptions to that where they get there because of being born into money or whatever, but the majority do it through hard work and because they are talented. Look at John W. Henry for example. He wasn't born into money, his parents were soybean farmers, however he worked his socks off to get the experience in the industry he chose and now, 30 something years down the road, he has bought out first the Florida Marlins baseball team, then sold them and bought out the Boston Red Sox, owns a Nascar racing team, owns Liverpool FC, and most recently bought the Boston Globe newspaper. He has done this all through hard work, which, although he has made millions, still makes him working class.
ReplyDeleteAhh mate that is the club. It is an institution its a community (no matter where you live). I was talking about players names and faces tattooed. it was about the deification of players. Rather than deification of the club. Hopefully the club will last foreverish but players come and go. Even the best ones. Even Fowler's God monicker was a bit tongue in cheek.
ReplyDeleteSoy bean farmers? So they owned a farm and farm land? Producing something in a time when vegetarianism has grown and grown and are skint?
ReplyDeleteThere are groups who are looking in to and working towards getting caps put on ticket prices and want clubs to do more work in local communities and grass roots football. I take it your involved in that kind of thing Jaimie?
ReplyDeleteYet the reason why clubs bring out 2 or 3 different strips every year is because the fans demand it (which is demonstrated by your Pompey supporting friend), business is all about supply and demand, we, the fans as a whole (not the minority of fans like yourself, and I don't use minority in this case as a bad thing) demand that our favourite clubs come out with new shirts every season, so the club sees that demand and they use that opportunity to supply. Football is a sport, but football, like any other sport at a professional level, is an industry. And like any other industry, if the consumer refuses to spend the money, the industry falters or fails altogether. An example of this is video rental stores like Blockbuster and countless other ones, both franchises and independents, they are going bust and closing down because people don't want to spend the money renting dvds and videos when they can download the movies/shows off the internet. You may see this as going off on a tangent, but as a scientist (a biologist in fact), to maintain credibility, I have to back up my findings with examples, which is what I am doing.
ReplyDeleteYou raise some good points and I fully agree there has to be brackets for the better players.
ReplyDeleteI actually think LFC have got a great idea with the bonus related wages so if you score/assist/cleansheet/tackle you can top your wage up.
Don't believe you should get 300k just because. where is the incentive in that?
Out of curiousity, do you still write off our chances of a top 4 finish? Or do you see us, being only 4 points off the top, see us pushing for the title? Off topic I know, but just curious.
ReplyDeleteOn a bit of a side note, did you read the story doing the rounds about the disabled kid who through the Make-A-Wish foundation got to go to the Liverpool training session before the FA Cup clash with Bournemouth and Daniel Sturridge then organised tickets for the kid and his parents to go see the match, that wasn't part of the Make-A-Wish foundation deal. When I read that, Sturridge earned a lot of respect from me, absolute class act.
ReplyDeleteEven if Sydney suck? This coming from a fellow Aussie (Wollongong in fact), wishing Wollongong would bring a team into the A-League, but to be fair, that's not much different to the local leagues. $5 for a can of beer, up to $4 for a sausage sandwich, steak sandwiches even more, admission cost $10-$15. The cost is there regardless unfortunately. By the way, I'm probably going to really piss you off, because if I was to choose one A-League team I like, it would be WSW.
ReplyDeleteI think when we signed Allen it was to implement Rodgers totally possession based "death by football" mantra. However what I like about Rodgers is his flexibility. If something isn't working he changes it to work to his teams strengths, which are our forward lines pace and ability. I feel our style has been more Dortmund than barca this season and joe Allen doesn't naturally fit into that style IMO.
ReplyDeleteI find Rodgers flexibility very refreshing. Rafa could be so infuriating at times with his stubbornness in things like his constant rotation in his first 2 seasons or taking gerrard or Torres off even when we were chasing the game. Br isn't perfect but I really feel that we're in good hands with him at the helm. Haven't felt this positive about Liverpool for years
Agree with this 100% Jamie ol boy...Should be interesting to see how the players will react if they don't make it to the CL.
ReplyDeleteI know they will probably beat Olympiakos at OT but doubt they will do much more. It weird because they have 3 class players in Mata, Rooney and V.Persie.
Like I said this is the Souness effect, and it happens to all clubs with a long serving manager.
Long may it continue!!! :0P
Allen proved himself incapable of handling the defensive midfield role.
ReplyDeleteWhy would we put him in a position to fail, and make the team weaker?
In pre-season, he showed improvement when he played more advanced. And I feel that was reflected in the game this past weekend.
The problem for him is that there is even more competition in an advanced role that he's better suited for, as opposed to a holding role where he is weaker.
I have no problem selling him if the price is right, but I don't think we need to sell him just for the sake of it.
The size of those squads have a lot more quality in depth than ours do.
ReplyDeleteDefensively, we are deep enough to handle several injuries (as proven by this season).
But attacking wise, if Suarez and Sturridge were to go down at the same time, we'd be in deep trouble. Thankfully, we've been lucky as when one has been unavailable (injury, suspension, etc.), the other has been able to take his place.
And our midfield quality in depth is also lacking.
Yes... it's called "score goals, and pray we don't knock 'em in our own net"... :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw this headline, I was waiting for you to show up! :p
ReplyDeletewe nee depth in our squad especially and this crucial time when our chances of going to European champions are much alive and you are planing to sell our star players ,at time s i wonder liver pools ideology secondly it is a grave mistake to sell Pepe Reina and coates come on brendan style up .coates never wanted to get an injured and Reina never bade farewell to Liverpool fans these are all lies,infact you decided all this behind his back and now you are blaming him?
ReplyDeleteWhy would we sign Adam Johnson AND konoplyanka? Also you would sell our first choice right back and replace him with a teenage left back? Put down ur crack pipe
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting how people with coaching and managing experience at youth and adult level recognise Allen's contribution (possession, tackles, simple passing, enegry and coverage), whilst those who have limited playing experience seem to expect him to be a Gerrard, Coutinho or Henderson ?
ReplyDeleteAllen is not that player, he may start fewer games then those players, but as a defensive, midfield-controlling player, he is essential in the modern game. As Jose Morinho has proven, 4-3-3 as a formation requires different personnel in key positions dependent upon the opposition, and their reaction to your method of play. This means a manager has to actively change players without seeking to change formation - this is how Rodgers is adjusting the team across each game.
I would expect Allen to be a feature for Rodgers for some time to come, and the only reason he has seen less game-time this season has been due to the injuries he started the season carrying and has suffered so far.
How can you explain how a player will come good or fail, no one has a crystal ball and all players are different. For every player that succeeds from poor start points there are those who fall from grace. No one can say for certain but if you look at our own recent history you will see a couple of players who have had almost identical start's to Allen's....Hendo/Lucas. How could it be proved all those years ago that Lucas would progress into a deep lying effective midfielder or Henderson to be the engine man we have found useful this season, especially after his first couple of seasons.
ReplyDeleteThat's why you need a good manager to coax the extra percentages out of the player and in Brendan I think we have the man to do that, in Allen's case. Do I have any evidence Jamie K... no... but then football isn't a science and sometimes the evidence unfolds before your eyes rather than fans being in a position to point it out before it happens.