Welcome back,
For the first time in our series, the Postman's midweek topic (for which there were no prizes for readers who responded) generated more answers than the Question of the Week (for which there are prizes).
What sparked the huge interest was our readers' first thoughts about Liverpool's takeover bid by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum for 450 million pounds ($1.36‚billion).
One blogger on the Postman's blog - SGgooner - called the Reds "Al-Liverpool".
Imagine the EPL with Chelski, Glazer United and an Al-Liverpool challenging each other to see who can splash the most cash.
As you can see in today's The New Paper (Friday), Liverpool have provided quite a buzz.
My first introduction to the world of football came when Liverpool were still grand in 1980. I remember some classmates trying to fight off the undeniable glamour of the club then, with the heart-tugging history of Manchester United.
But we all grew up realising that Liverpool always seemed to have a special soul about them.
But does that have a place any more in a rich club's modern game of "buy, buy, buy" and "rotate, rotate, rotate"?
The Postman's Question of the Week is divided into two parts: If the Sheikh's takeover happens, will Liverpool lose their soul, or as Singapore fans, do you really care as long as they get results?
Or will they become a bubble waiting to burst eventually, as in the case of Fulham's Egyptian owner Mohamed al-Fayed?
Reply by 3pm on Monday, in not more than 200 words.
Click below my sign-off here on "comments" to post your views instantly.
Or click the link right, to e-mail The New Paper's sports desk under the title "The Postman".
Please mention which team you support, too.
Click the link right for a cut & paste text word counter.
The winner of the Letter of the Week will win a clip-styled digital music player - the iPod shuffle - worth $138 from iShop by Club 21 at Cineleisure Orchard (more technical details on its website link on the right).
At your service,
Ernest Luis
The Postman
The New Paper
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43 comments:
Hi all,
I've seen some suggestions from the previous posts for the midweek topic. Food for thought surely.
But here's the next request. A lot of you bloggers aren't even in the reckoning because every week, I get only say...Umar, actually e-mailing his details.
Previous winners don't need to, but what about the rest? q-s, etc...
Those who don't e-mail what's required, I take it you're like SGgooner, Pujangga Malam etc, who've stated they don't wish to be in the running for prizes but just want to express themselves.
Okay?
Cheers,
The Postman
I am a massive Liverpool fan.Like i said, you don't see 50000 fans cheering the team when they are losing 3-0 at half time except for Liverpool fans.Money can buy players but money cannot buy fans.Fans that are truly passionate.
Honestly,i would rather Liverpool to lose more away games than to sign a diver like Ronaldo.
and YES,i prefer Liverpool to have its soul than to just winning games.Of course winning games are good and winning games gives you trophies.However, winning trophies like how we won the CL is the best.In that victory,Liverpool showed exactly what a Champion needs.
Sad to say, in modern football or in life, money sometimes corrupts the soul.
Tradition clubs like Liverpool and Spurs have supporters who believes that playing beautiful passionate soccer is what makes the games beautiful. Liverpool create a dynasty of playing possession football at its finest which help them to win countless trophies in the 70s and 80s. It is the football philosophy and the style of playing which attracts passionate supporters.
Look at chelsea, they may have lots of money and winning games, but they are not gaining the respect of other clubs because they win 1-0 all the time, a little like what the old Arsenal use to be. The clubs may be successful but winning it by playing negative tactics will never gain the respect of others.
with the takeover from liverpool, i hope that they now have the resources to try mount a serious title challenge but not forgeting their football philosophy.
Sad to say, Rafa may not be the right person to bring liverpool forward as his team currently does not play to the traditions of old liverpool and they are already losing their soul alittle with negative soccer. With new investers who sees liverpool as a business venture, i think liverpool will lose their soul and become a commercial club. the legend of the Kop, bill shankly will be buried in the history books as the period where liverpool were great as a football club, not just by its trophies but the way they play their football in general
I believe only Scousers will understand what Liverpool's tradition feels like.Notice the word "feel" I used here.
Lets be frank.Fans are a bunch of result-based people.Who will cares about tradition and culture when the club can get the best chance ever to win EPL title after such a huge investment took place which will see a new larger stadium and better players being bought over for the club just by digging into the Sheik's deep pocket.Results and trophies come before everything for the fans.
These takeover clubs activities only start couple of years back so we havn't see anything destructive yet but theres discourage sign such as in the case of Fulham.
Hence I will say the fans might be suffering from Prospect-Myopia.They only see the short-term advantages but what about in the long run?Look at Fulham,their owner Al-Fayed at first wanted to make Fulham the "Manchester United of The South",forking out about 30m pounds in transfer deals.Now,its just another department of Harrods selling Fulham football merchandises.Fulham has become just a business that he wouldn't care much judging from his effort.Gone were his dream and promises made to the fans.
These mighty rich investors could jolly well just abandone the whole investment(Liverpool in this case)when they found a better one or when they get tired of it as they won't have emotion value tie to it.Whos going to pay for the massive wages,maintenence fees and debts etc. then?
Fancy seeing Liverpool in adminstration and extinct?Til then fans will then know what tradition and culture of the Reds is all about when only that are left behind.
I won't want to see that "You Will Never Walk Alone" comes true cos the soul that never rest in peace will be walking with the Reds' fans forever.
Cheers
This is something quite personal to me... I’ve seen sometimes on online forums, the local Scousers’ apparent prejudice towards the OOTers (out of towners), and initially, I felt very offended. It seems like they feel foreign supporters can't understand what supporting the club really means, and OOTers are often blamed for many other things too.
But after a while, I started understanding their point of view. We, as Singaporeans, also don't always welcome the “foreign invasion”, despite Singaporean roots being foreign in the first place, whereas Scousers are more protective of their local roots.
But LFC is more than just a local football team; it is also a hugely globalised business entity. Thus it’s no longer realistic to separate football from the foreign currencies.
Still, I honestly believe Liverpool won't lose its soul just because it has a foreign owner. Liverpool, over the years, has made itself more than just about their Scouse owner. Their "soul" also comprises of the rich history, the Kop and Anfield, the red shirt, and the club motto YNWA. If tearing down the legendary Spion Kop terraces didn't break the club's soul, why should this?
Oddly enough, I was just talking about this with my boyfriend yesterday. We were sort of arguing over this whole "soul" talk. He said we should be practical and just be results-oriented, while I believe one needs to have more passion for something you support, or else any victory just feels hollow and lack of soul.
Football has become pragmatic. It all depends on what the new owner intends to do with the club. We have seen the likes of United and Chelsea controlled by foreign investors but that’s where the similarities end.
What sets United apart is its rich heritage and playing philosophy. Fans still remember the “Busby” babes and the Munich disaster because United took pains to preserve their memories. They continue to play their attacking football while Chelsea remains dryly efficient. Hence, being commercialized does not necessarily mean a club loses its soul.
Liverpool can still play their famed passing football but they need the right players to do that and a coach who believes in that philosophy. Thus, Liverpool needs to do a Chelsea first. However, Liverpool should then do a United by spending wisely to ensure the bubble does not burst. Only then can Liverpool focus on preserving its great heritage and traditions.
Fans are pragmatic enough to realize that as long as Liverpool win, nothing else matters. It is all about the results at the end of the day. But as long as all Liverpool fans remain passionate and united, there is no chance of Liverpool ever losing its soul.
Definitely, a takeover will not means that club will lose its soul.. We see that in Man United. Glazers allow Man united to function as it is, giving Ferguson the freedom to do what he sees fit. Which means it is a question of whether Sheikh Mohammed ulterior motive for the takeover, is it purely money making, or it is for the love of the club. So is he the right owner? Time will tell. The club will takes on the personality of the owner
Of course a blank cheque offers by Sheikh doesn't means instant success, we saw how a prolific striker liike Shevchenko can turn into a multimillion flop. Liverpool needs to gel together and good tactical trainings are what Liverpool needs
A takeover for Liverpool is definitely a good thing. Helps Liverpool to be 'relevant and in trend'. With a good financial backing it will release Rafa to do more things and dare to tap on the heavily-priced talents for the club. Issue is, do liverpool really need better players? I feel that their problem is that players ain't consistent and confident enough. Very obviously they are affected by the rotation policy. Rafa must do something about it. He don't need more players he needs to moltivates and train his players
In long run, it's beneficial for Liverpool. But I think Rafa may not be around by then.
If the Sheikh is indeed the typical Arab tycoon, expectations for Liverpool would be to win the major championships and nothing else. The Arabs have a low tolerance for failure and standards will definitely have to be maintained to achieve excellence.
Maybe its not a bad thing given Liverpool's standards have been in decline for the past few decades and the Sheikh could be the right man to turn things around and whip the club back to its greatness.
The fans only concern is the prospect of losing the special bond and association they may have with the club is the Sheikh makes too many changes to the club. However, a club of Liverpool's pedigree and long history will not lose any of its appeal and soul even with a foreign investor at the helm. If it’s run as a proper organization and not a plaything, there is no reason why Liverpool shouldn’t be title contenders in the coming seasons.
However, we do hope Liverpool starts picking the right players worthy of wearing the famous red jersey and stick to a tried and tested formation or else, all the money in the world would be of no consequence.
Scouse Affair! Definitely personal to a Liverpool fan like me.
I always have this belief that a club must be run by someone who loves the club, someone with the passion and not one who sees it as a money making opportunity(look at Glazers) or a weekend toy(Chelski). Therefore with the rich spirit of Liverpool, i definitely encourage a dedicated owener who do not just provide in terms of money nto someone like Thaksin who trid his hands at my beloved club but is actually a Man Utd fan. If the Dubai Man loves the club, i have no objection but genuine love sprung in an oil-filled desert? I doubt.
The possibility of being taken over by by the 5th richest in the world increases the probability of being another Cheski where players are bought in and paid just to sit and stay pretty on the bench.
It will also be difficult to meet players' needs for playing time and it causes arguments which does not benefit the club at all. Even the Special One(Moan-rinho) has trouble with it.
Although the money will make transfers easier, whether or not a club will lose its soul depends on the way the club is run and the mindset for the players. However fear not, Carragher and Gerrard will always provide soul for any wandering souls...
Lastly, if the takeover is realised, i keep ym fingers crossed TIGHTLY that Benitez will nto start a trasition of "Splurging".
I am prepared to be shot at by saying this but i will still say this- to a typical Singaporean fan, you probably won't feel much about the takeover except that it would bring in much more cash and a bigger stadium. When the Glazers took over Man U, i was concerned, but only because they took on huge debts in order to finance their acquisiton. I feared that money would not be made available to improve the squad. However, if the takeover of Liverpool materialises without compromising the buying power, i think most fans would feel happy IF the manager buys the right players. As we can see with the money spent so far, Liverpool's problem has not been with money but actually with buying the RIGHT players. Yes, but perhaps Gonzalez, Pennant etc may eventually come good. At the moment, this seems farfetched. The manager has to gain by experience from the transfer duds that he has bought so far.
As long as the team gets results, I think people will tend to forget about the takeover in time to come. Only winners gets remembered. When R.Madrid won plenty of trophies, no one questioned their spending power. People only recognised them for their ability to attract the biggest names. No one complained about them buying trophies. Thus, only the minority of the fans will oppose the takeover. The new stadium will still be filled and memorabilia will still be sought after. Status quo for the supporters except that the manager has greater spending power which COULD result in better players.
Cheers,
kel
But Kelvin, don't you feel that Liverpool didn’t buy the right players because of the lack of money? Players like Simao, Joaquin and Alves seemed to be Rafa's targets at some point or another, but we seemed unable to meet their clubs' asking price. We couldn’t meet Blackburn’s terms for (just) Lucas Neill too!
But I do agree with you that a typical Singaporean fan won't feel much about the takeover. I don't want to diss my own kind, but you'd probably find there're many fans who only care about results, and not this whole SOUL thing. I do believe supporting a club should be more than results, but it's just me preaching...
Sometimes, certain things we value have to be sacrificed for a “greater good”. Despite being a huge part of the club’s culture, the Kop terraces were torn down for safety reasons, because Hillsborough made us realise crowd safety was more important. Similarly, David Moores now realizes he has to hand the club he loves over to someone else, because he believes this will help us attain greater success.
I still only see it as just taking yet another step away from the traditional path, but saying Liverpool is losing its soul seems a little too exaggerated at this point.
A takeover is good for Liverpool, since they are struggling at the moment. But they will still be struggling, if they do not replace Rafael Benitez with a World Class Manager (WCM).
Jose Mourinho of Chelsea is surely a WCM. His satistics are there for us to see. Sir Alex Ferguson of Manchester United is definately one WCM. The Old Trafford cabinet is filled with all the trophies he have won for Manchester United in his 20 years in charge.. Arsene Wenger is another WCM. But Benitez? I doubt so.
The reason for Liverpool's downfall is due to the manager's fault. Chelsea have its success due to Mourinho. The same for Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Man U's Sir Alex. Winning 2 cups in a big deal. But what the fans want is the biggest deal for Liverpool. The English Premiership Title. With Rafael Benitez at the helm, they will not improve and may even deprove if Mr Thinkerman continues his thinkering.
For Liverpool to really succeed and launch a serious title challenge to Chelsea and Manchester United next season, we have to bid goodbye to Rafael Benitez and perhaps bring in better managers. I think Big Sam will fit the bill. Just look at how Bolton manage to get into Europe with its shoestring budget. Big Sam surely know how to spend wisely and we can see the new Liverpool within Chelsea and Manchester United or perhaps even Arsenal.
If the takeover is successfull, Liverpool should chop off the thinkerman. If not, Liverpool will be another Real Madrid.
Yes, i agree that players like Simao etc were on Benitez's shortlist. But by buying the likes of Pennant, he showed poor judgment didn't he? I believe Simao being fiercely loyal to benfica would not come to Liverpool too. Money was made available. Just Kuyt and Pennant cost almost the amount Man U spent in the summer. So money was made available. Just that Benitez did not spent it wisely. Okay, may be he could have better choices if there was more cash made available.
I agree with what was published in TNP today where it was mentioned that no star would come to Liverpool until it was evident that Liverpool is going to challenge for the EPL season in,season out. As what Claudio Ranieri has shown for Chelsea, u can spend all the money and still end up second. Benitez, with due respect to him, with his continental knowledge of football and tactics is hardly going to succeed even if all the money in the world is made available, simply because he has not yet understood the british spirit and the players u need to win the EPL unlike the seasoned campaigners like Mourinho and Fergie who built their teams around a core of pure Brits.
Cheers,
kel
I feel the English football governing bodies should set stipulations on foreign takeovers to ensure the club’s finances are not in jeopardy. A thorough background check must be done on these investors; to find out what their intentions are and where the money is coming from to buy these clubs.
We certainly do not want rogue owners who are in it for the short term to make a quick profit. We would certainly not want to see clubs going into administration or worst, forcefully ceased to exist due to the bubble bursting due to huge debts and loans. When that happens, the “soul” of the club will be destroyed.
The popularity of investing in English clubs is not surprising. English clubs are cheap investments. Plus, with an astounding amount of TV money being pumped into the game, clubs present investors with a highly profitable piece of business.
Liverpool, being a highly global commodity, could become highly valuable within the next few seasons if it does well. Therefore, I feel the Sheikh would have no qualms pumping in the money to ensure success. Liverpool will be major title contenders but not with Rafa at the helm given his poor transfer record.
Well Hadi,in business world this kind of reality check on investors is just a formality of administration work done in order to calm those whos unsure of such takeover events.The Sheikh here whos buying Liverpool is the ruler of Dubai and VP of U.A.E..Checking on such a powerful & influential man agenda on the whole takeover project?Its easier said than done.
if the sheikh takes over liverpool,yes,liverpool will have money to spend but now the soul of the club would be gone.why?because they have money to spend on players such as etto,ronaldinho etc why would they need the fowlers,bellamys and kuyts they could follow chelsea and buy their way to the top.As a liverpool fan,i would love to see us win the epl no matter what
phua tzai wei,11
Aren't the likes of bellamy and kuyt bought too?
What sets United apart is its rich heritage and playing philosophy. Fans still remember the “Busby” babes and the Munich disaster because United took pains to preserve their memories. They continue to play their attacking football while Chelsea remains dryly efficient.
I think this has more to do with the manager's style rather than the owner. Mourinho is more interested in the final result rather than the process. He once commented that as long as you can keep a clean sheet, you have at least drawn the game. That's the reason why his team are famed for their defensive qualities. Imagine Man U hiring Mourinho, i think the team will mould into a 'boring point clocking machine.'
Regarding making the quick profit theory, I don't really think is possible in the short run. It will definitely take time. Therefore if the takeover is successful, expect the partnership to be blossomed. If nurtured in the right way, it will be a win-win situation for both parties. Liverpool with a massive fan base to tap into and DIC tons of money to explore possibilities!
Yes Boon Hock I agree how a team plays depends on the manager. But owners are responsible for hiring managers and indirectly, they are responsible for how the team plays. Roman wanted Mourinho and hence, indirectly, Roman is responsible for the ruthless and dryly efficient way Chelsea plays football.
The Glazers, on the other hand, made little changes to the United setup.
Sir Alex, despite being accused of being too old and past it, is still managing United and United are cruising, top of the league. The Glazers adopted a "If it isn’t broken, don't fix it" motto which has served them and the club well.
Therefore, having a foreign investor doesn't mean a club will lose its identity or soul. It all depends on who the investor is, what his intentions are and the direction he wants to take the club.
Hence, to ensure the long term survival of clubs, the FA and EPL should be prudent to ensure these investors are financially sound and in it for the long term. We certainly do not want to see clubs going into administration due to huge debts. For Liverpool’s case, there shouldn’t be any problem given the Sheikh’s reputable reputation.
Hadi,
Roman being responsible for the style of football that Chelsea plays?Nah..yes, he had a hand in hiring Mourinho. But that was only because Mourinho had a reputation of turning unheralded teams like Porto into European Champions. Just how much did Roman know about Mourinho's style is debatable. And if my memory serves me right, Ranieri was still allowed to serve when Roman took over. Only when it was broken, when Chelsea failed to win the EPL was Mourinho hired.
Intentions of the person in charge of the takeover will definitely be hard to decipher. With the ongoing popularity of takeovers lately, how is one going to distinguish what the motive is? Talk is cheap and i can say what i want to do for the club if i am an investor.
With regards to the financial status of the clubs, that is up to the owner who is selling his stake in the club to ensure. I am sure the owners do not want to end up being shortchanged as a result of the investor facing cash flow problems. Thus, this point is negligible.
I guess the real problem for the FA or UEFA is deciphering the real motive which as i mentioned is going to be difficult and dealing with the widening income gap between the rich clubs and the clubs which have not been taken over. They certainly do not want a situation where the rich investors compete to see who buys the best players ala auction style just for the thrills.
Cheers,
kel
The imminent Sheikh takeover could potentially transform Liverpool into a genuine title contender. Money won't guarantee immediate success but Liverpool will be in a better financial position to compete for the honors. Fans must be realistic, learn to manage their expectations and not heap unnecessary pressures on the club.
The key is getting the right team mix to achieve the result without compromising on the Scouse presence in the team. Quality signings coupled with commitment to develop local Liverpool lads could go a long way to allay the suspicions that Liverpool might be trading its soul for cash as suggested by some of the fans.
There is no promise that DIC won't attempt to a 'Fulham act' on Liverpool if the club fails to attain success in the long run. Ultimately, DIC's main objective is ensure that Liverpool is financially and strategically beneficial to Dubai and Dubai Holding. There must be some form of a substantial return for a £450m investment.
Nonetheless, I can understand why most Liverpool fans are excited about the investment. It's about time that Liverpool makes a more concrete effort to wrestle the league trophy from Chelsea, Man U and Arsenal and not fizzle out so early every season. It's going to be exciting times at Anfield if this takeover goes through.
I thought Liverpool were so proud of their history, fans, etc. With the combination of money, surely, many players would LOVE to come to Liverpool?
If players can come to Chelsea who have say, no history as they call it, a combination of the factors above would make Liverpool the sort of heaven every footballer wants to go to, wouldn't it?
And this links to how Chelsea supposedly bought the league. Wouldn't Liverpool then have all they need to buy success?
If the Sheikh's takeover happens, will Liverpool lose their soul, or as Singapore fans, do you really care as long as they get results? Obviously in hidden ink, like Chelsea?
The Liverpool today is a far cry from the days of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley. Liverpool was the best EPL team with an all time record of 18 League titles with no more EPL titles after that!
Before Chelsea came in the last 2 years, the predictable Manchester United and Arsenal hogged the EPL championship titles. We see a foreign-owned Man U and Chelsea on course for the title. Today’s EPL players’ salaries have rocketed sky high. Is there a way back to salary caps or a cap on foreign ownership? I don’t think so.
I think injection of funds whether foreign or British is not necessarily a bad thing. At least we can see more teams challenging for the league championship titles. If foreign owners like to interfere with their managers, let them see the effects on the games as in Scottish team Hearts. But for Chelsea and Man U teams, we do not see such interference. Keeping traditions alive is one thing but who wants to keep a tradition when Liverpool team cannot win the EPL title for 26 years? Scousers should put their money if they want to keep traditions alive, whatever that means!
It's 16 years, grandpa.
The last title was won in 89/90 season, so that makes it 16 years since the last league title arrive at Anfield and not 26.
The glorious years of the 70s and 80s is clearly weighing on the current Liverpool management team. The Liverpool fan's support can be faulted. They have been magnificent. The same cannot be said about the Liverpool team, which has been playing second fiddle all this while.
Most Kopites attribute this to the lack of transfer funds to purchase quality signings. The truth is whenever the money was there, was the club attractive enough? I remember when Abrahimovic first took over Chelsea, not many quality players were hopping onto the Chelski bandwagon. Chelsea ended paying millions above their valuation for sightly above average players. Players like Parker, Joe Cole, Bridge, Johnson, Geremi, Kezman, Smertin weren't exactly established quality compared with Essien, Carvalho, Petr Cech, Ashley Cole, Ballack and Shevchenko. It's only when Chelsea started winning league titles and cup competitions that established quality players are starting to consider Chelsea as one of their possible destinations. Success breeds success.
The takeover is only the first step. The future ahead lies many uncertainties depending on how committed DIC is towards Liverpool's success.
I personally think that Liverpool will not lose anything from this takeover bid but we may never know.Some takeovers did more harm than Good(West Ham United).The Kop Might find the Bid Appealing but if it was me I wouldn't take the Bid. Since Liverpool has no financial woes what so ever,they should stick to their Current Board of Directors.Another Reason why i would reject the bid is the case Of the Fulham "Saviour" Al-Fayed,What Did he do after?He ditched them and that might happen to the Kop if they don't win titles and start earning a profit to please their Arab Masters.
I personally Support Arsenal because Of the way they play.They also have no difficulty in the Financial Area So it doesn't make it to the Scandal Area except the infamous "Cashley Cole" incident but other than that they have no difficulty running the club. First it was Chelski,then Manglazer United and soon enough it gonna be Al-Liverpool.3 of the big fours are down Arsenal may be next or should i say Al-senal...
Will Liverpool lose their soul when the Sheikh's takeover happens?
Seriously, as a Reds fan, I hope we don't ended up as arrogant as Man Utd was or Chelsea is now. Yes, we need the Sheikh's money to progress. To be a force to reckon with again. With today's age kind of football, pride and passion from wearing that red shirt just can't do it alone anymore, and I think if Bill Shankly is still alive now, he would have to agree with this. He won't liked it though, but he would agreed. Backed then pure passion alone for the game and the club was enough and plus you can't get good, talented, committed players at peanut prices now like you did before. Nowadays, thanks to Chelsea of course, to win players' hearts you not only have to pay them ridiculous sum just so they play for you but have the shyness of scoring goals, you have to help their family settle in comfortably as well. Even Shanks brilliant words, which could even move mountains last time just won't make it these days.
Its cruel but true. I guess the differences between us and others are that we are not like other clubs. We have a rich history no club could match. Yes we need his money but no we won't lose our soul and even if the bubble did burst eventually, we will stick together as no one walks alone in this club. Thats because we have the most passionate fans in the world, and yes even here in this country and yes we do care even though we are half way across the world. I can't say for those fans who watch matches because they bet but I am talking about those Reds fans who stay up at 3am even though tomorrow is work day. Those fans who will forever support no matter what the results the next day. Those Reds fans who had trouble saving up money but they did just so they could go to Anfield to catch their beloved Reds play footie live right infront of them and they never felt so complete.
Yes, Singapore do have these kind of Liverpool fans and we are Singaporeans and we do care and not just because just as long as they are getting the result, because if we are like that, then I guess we won't called ourselves Liverpool fans.
The takeover cannot change our history! It may very well change the present & the future but it cannot take away or spoil our glorious past!
It’s pretty obvious we need the money to cover our debts & pay for the new stadium as well as investing in the team. I still find it hard coming to terms that Man U is worth 1 bil pounds and we are getting left behind. It’s getting to the stage even smaller premiership clubs are starting to compete with us financially. Furthermore, if you look at Godolphin, the racing operation owned by the same people, they don't get involved with the day to day running.
Investment would be nice in terms of being able to afford the players we actually want. Being able to afford a player who is deemed first choice, for example, Daniel Alves or Simao. We spent money back then too. Record transfer fees. Dalglish moved to Liverpool in 1977, for a then-record £440,000 transfer fee. Beardsley moved to Liverpool in 1987, for an English record transfer feer of £1.9 million. It's only in the last decade that we haven’t been competing for signatures.
Back in the 70s and 80s,world class players like Dalglish and Beardsley had no qualms moving to Liverpool because Liverpool were English and European champions then. Hence,they had no problems attracting the big players.
Liverpool's buys in recent times, however, has been less than impressive. Apart from Kuyt, maybe Alonso and Bellamy, you cannot say the rest are world class players.I agree with Boon Hock;the best players will move to more successful clubs.
Presently, Liverpool is living of its rich tradition and past glories. Yes, they have been winning cup competitions, the best being the Champions League in 2006,but the one that all Kopites want is the EPL.
Maybe the Sheikh's arrival will allow Liverpool to buy the best players in the world. But are they willing to come to Liverpool? And if so, how will Rafa be able to accommodate these star players if he continues to stick to his rotational policy?
I guess we have to wait and see.
sorry, it should be Liverpool winning the Champions League in 2005.
Cheers..
Hadi
Bubble waiting to be burst? I don't think so. Liverpool's illustrious achievement coupled with the massive worldwide fan base injected with the Sheikh's funding could be the right formula to attract the right talents to build a brand new Kop dynasty. This could possibly be the dawn of a brand new era of success. The 19th elusive league title could now be within Liverpool's grasp.
"Al-Liverpool" or not, the league title is the one that the Kopites craves. It has been difficult times living in the shadows of Man U, Chelsea and Arsenal. This could potentially turn out to be the best 'signing' of the season in Liverpool's club history.
It's easy to see why there's less protest this time round with the takeover. Competition in EPL is no longer fair - richer clubs are becoming richer and more powerful. If nothing is done, laggard Liverpool will become 'irrelevant', just making up the numbers in the league. Champion League qualification is no longer enough to pacify the Kopites. It's the summit that they're aiming for in EPL.
Liverpool's takeover is causing more uproar than Chelsea's or West Ham's is because unlike the other two, the foreign takeover concerns one of England's traditional big clubs.
Liverpool has a long and rich history so the new ownership will be a worry for all supporters, regardless of their nationality. Fans are worried that Liverpool would undergo major changes which would turn the club into something unrecognizable. They want to maintain the club’s rich traditions and cultures. But I truly feel they need not worry about Liverpool becoming a foreign entity. Liverpool will forever remain a fan’s club.
However, fans have realized that in order to compete with Chelsea and United, Liverpool need that financial muscle. Liverpool needs a bigger stadium and some genuine superstars along side Gerrard to mount a serious challenge on the championship.
With this new financial clout, Rafa can finally buy players worthy of the famous Red jersey but do not expect it to be an open cheque book. DIC is a reputable company and Liverpool will be run sensibly so fans should not be concerned about the bubble bursting. But Rafa has to get it right this time around. It’s time the sleeping giant awake.
I don’t think LFC will lose their soul. LFC soul is embedded in the fans. Liverpool fans should be respected as they are very loyal. They will always be there even though LFC have not win the the EPL for 16 years. The energy of these fans is the same compared to the past 16 years.
The takeover will not effect LFC soul as Liverpool fans will know that Sheik will invest on LFC, as a result LFC can have a better chance in winning the EPL back. Some traditional LFC fans would not like it but they want it. All EPL clubs are changing; no more a local cub instead a global-business club. So its good to have an investor on the club to keep pace with the changing world.
Singapore fans will not care as long as they get result. In Singapore there is no culture of Football fanatics. Singaporeans see football as a relaxation or fun but the England fans see a football as a part of their live. They are willing to travel, pay for the expensive tickets and fight for their clubs. (EG some ‘football riots’ happened before and after a match).
Every time a club comes under the control of a rich foreigner (Sheik in this case), many would question whether the tradition and values of the club will be uphold. It seems exaggerated that Liverpool will lose its soul because of the takeover. A long history like Liverpool does not come easily and will no go easily too. In fact, it would make economic sense for Sheik to tap into Liverpool rich culture than to make significant changes.
Furthermore, this investment is not a case of 'momentarily passion and temporary dreams’ (eg: Mohammed Al-fayed) nor ‘too much money, don’t know what to do with it’. Rather, it's a strategic one. A bubble that will not burst.
I feel that most Singaporean fans care only about the results aka the money that can be won with the goals and the score line. It might be an understatement but seriously, besides true Liverpool fans, who cares who is in charge of the club.
Chelsea fan
Hi ernest, must we email you our details every week?
I'm another Liverpool fan here in Singapore and of course it's sort of a mixed feeling. As a great brand, we have been effectively falling behind in terms of revenue and on the financial side, we could not compete with the likes of Man USA and Chelski anymore.
Face it, football is just a reflection of the society out there. Like it or not, money is the thing that keeps the world going round now.
With money, the possibilities are quite endless. Money buys you stadium and players. Instead of Pennant, we could've had Alves if only we had more resources over the summer and I must say that's a big difference.
But of course we shouldn't go down the Chelski road as to pay OVER the odds but to keep a principle in terms of spending. We should limit and go for players that are in Rafa's good books and not 'buy him the sofa when he needs the lamp'.
Selling the soul to the club? Ultimately it's up to the fans to create the 'soul' and there's something you can't take away from Liverpool that is our proud tradition, history, heritage and our endless support.
Good to see that most of us here agree that its the fans who make up Liverpool's 'soul'. I suppose most Singaporean and international fans are not too concerned about the takeover bid by DIC, as long as it takes the club forwards in terms of infrastructure and on-the-pitch results. The British Reds fans, however, may not like the idea as much because they are proud of Liverpool being a wholly British-owned club and they prefer for this to remain so.
I read with concern that Benitez is excited at the prospect of more money for player purchases. We all know his dubious record in the transfer market. I hope the club will use most of the money for youth development. Merseyside is, afterall, a hotbed for bright young English talent. Instead of paying inflated prices for big foreign names that may not guarantee instant success, the club should scour for young overseas talent and incoporate them into the youth academy, like what Wenger did with Fabregas and Eboue.
Did Manchester United lost its luster when the Glazers tookover? Did the Reds become Blues when Benitez took over from Gerard Houllier? Did Chelsea won over fans in hordes after taking back to back Premiership titles?
It's obvious isn't it. Owners may come and go. Managers hired and fired. Star players could seek greener grass elsewhere. But despite all that the club lives on. Stevie Gerrard undoubtedly is the heart of the liverpool team but its soul is in the stands. The fifty five thousand screaming fans game in and game out is what keeping the game alive. A club may change its business philosophy, a manager may opt for a defensive strategy but end of the day there is the fan celebrating for every win and contemplating every loss.
It doesn't matter who is the owner, neither who is the manager. The beautiful game of football survives as long as the soul of every club is there to support them. Tell me, how would you feel Man U and Liverpool playing on a near empty stands.
Liverpool will lose their soul. Gone are the days when Liverpool groomed apprentices like Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen into superstars. The scouts will not be needed to uncover gems like Ian Rush. Liverpool will have the license to be the highest bidder for any player they desire. Most Singapore fans should welcome this takeover as they have been deprived of a League title for a very long time. League Cups, FA Cups and even the Champions League are not good enough for Liverpool Football Club as long as they can win another League title to cement themselves as the all time great of English Football. Liverpool's bubble will never burst. Even if Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Al Maktoum one day dumps Liverpool Football Club after he has used them, there will be many other top investors waiting to pick Liverpool up again and turn them back into genuine title contenders. As a Chelsea fan, I'm glad about this takeover that is more luxurious than Roman Abramovich's. I hope the anti-Liverpool wandbagon will be bigger than the anti-Chelsea's!
The fans forms the major the heartbeat of the team or most managers will refer them as the '12th player' on the field. It easy to understand why fan support forms the soul of team. A strong fan support can easily instil fear into the most experience team. AC Milan vs Liverpool in the champion league final was the classic example of what fan support can inspire and motivate the team to go the extra mile on the field.
The tradition and the culture will not be wiped out just because of this takeover. It's forever engraved in the hearts of the Kopites. It will provide a strong foundation for the club. The investment will be the funds needed to take the club forward.
Perhaps a portion of the fund can be used for youth development. This is to allow local talents to develop and also ensure that there is new batch of 'Gerrard, Owen, Flower and Carragher' type of players to progress to the first team and keep the Scouse presence in the team going strong!! 'Al-Scouse Liverpool' here we come!
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