Season 13/14 Preview ( a Club Castrated by F S G?)

Season 13/14 Preview 

The shame, a sham and a preview of a castrated Club?

STevie and Lucas  are the keys to success this season, not rodgers, nor Luis..

Especially if one of the last of "Rafa's heroes" ; Danny Agger is sold too.. 

No wonder Henry can buy the Globe, with 14 players offloaded (or more by the time this is seen by you) 

Pre-season ticket sales and 3 new kits sold worldwide every summer..he must be laughing his withered socks off...

how stupid can the Lfc fans be????

IF they dont stretch STevie G with Lfc and England games and Lucas returns to the pre-injury form our midfied, (adding Hendos engine and Coutinhos visions and skill.) our midfield will win games... will our defence hold up>...perhaps with kelly in it and an inform Glen on the left it will be safer because BR and co are relatively naive on tactics... and poodles for Henry-Werner to kep on the "accountants leash"

we have a few options in attack , if Daniel Stuuridge starts as he left off and our midfield support too , Raheem to realise 
potential... and the average players purchased help out the youth coming through, like Ibe , yeah we could do something
in spite of Henry & co...and IF Luis stays... 

I Think Chelski, with Maureen, and Arsenal may be more threatening the title than the 2 mancs... Moyes will anyway do what Fergie wants
because like Hodgson, BR & others of that level, He isnt big enough to manage that club. it takes a big character to manage LIVERPOOL
or Man U.


The stupid kids who thought BR is better than Kenny or Rafa, still bang on... yet both of these man WIN TROPHIES, not pose for the media!

Henry & co, along with the F S G clones (a part of the USA based fansection who attack any opposition to the Y A N K E R S) and of course the stupid "fannies" who think the media "experts" are true???

LFC may have a lot of FOOTBALLS at Melwood, but there are few & FEWER amongst the staff and players, as the typical Hedge-fund - accountants @ John Henry's F S G get rid of "rebel voices" almost all of Rafa's team has gone, and when they give BR "his team" the leash will be tightened on Rodgers, because their aim is not to benefit the TRUE REd LIVERPOOL supporters, but for F S G 's "FANchise" to win all net profits (and in turn rescue Henry's sinking empire)

THE DECLINE

when USA accountants & rip-off hedge-fund frauds "run" (down) a global football club,...this summer 14 players OUT (including Pepe, without respect) and 4 "average" players in... ..2007 (pre yankers) we were Champions league finalists for the 2nd time in 3 years..now LFC fannies get excited when we win friendlies...!!

REdAlieN> (August 9, 2013 at 1:32 pm) 
whatever your opinion of Kenny;s managerial ability (HE & Rafa won trophies,  BR has not..) there is no excuse of the way Henry backed him publicly only 2 months before sacking him, if F S G had kept Kenny on a a Director it could have made sense with either Steve Clarke or BR as daily coach

.. but people like Henry dont want “opposition” BR and Ayre will do what “the big boss” wants and that feeds Henry’s ego..

likewise , its no good Henry & Rodgers talking about Luis and “dignity” when they didnt even bother to explain to Pepe their decision before unloading him to Napoli (BR cant be trusted as he had previously talked about Pepe “competitng” for goalie position..

if u think that LIverpool is just about money and results you are not a REd!

http://thetravellingkop.com/1223/writers-columns/draper-digest-rodgers-takes-centre-stage-in-suarez-saga/#comment-1154

an INSULT TO DUMP PEPE

It is a strange feeling for me to think that next season I will not be a Liverpool player. For the past eight years, that is all I have known. The club, the staff, the city, the people and the supporters have played a massive part in my life. Liverpool is special in a way that only those who are lucky enough to experience the club close up can understand. It has given me memories that will live with me forever and friendships that will last just as long.
But more than anything else, it has given me an understanding of what it is like to play for the most wonderful English club. I may not have won as many trophies and medals as I would have liked since joining in 2005 but the experiences I have been a part of are as important as any silverware. I now understand how supporters can lift a team and inspire them to do special things. I appreciate that there is something unique about Anfield and the atmosphere it creates. I believe that anything is possible no matter what the situation is because at Liverpool there is no such thing as a lost cause. And I have been humbled by the fight for justice for the 96 which showed me that the Liverpool people will always fight for what they believe in.
I know that I have been blessed to be part of a Club like that and I hope that in return I have always given my best and represented Liverpool in the right way. There have been good times and bad times but no matter what the situation has been I hope that my passion has been clear. I have been asked what my favourite Liverpool moment was and if I had to pick one it wouldn’t be a save or winning a trophy. It would be my celebration against Manchester United when David Ngog scored a late goal. That is probably the quickest I have ever run in my life! It shows what playing for Liverpool meant to me and also that there was nothing better than winning a big game at Anfield. I used to look at the Kop when we scored those kind of goals in big games and I would be jealous of the supporters going crazy. If the closest I will get to that is running the length of the pitch and jumping on my team mates backs then that will do for me.
Obviously, I won’t be able to do that next season but I hope that the supporters and my team mates will be able to enjoy many more moments like that. They deserve the best of times and it would give me so much pleasure to see Liverpool back where they belong, challenging for trophies and getting back into the top four. That was where the club was when I first arrived and although I am leaving a different club, one with new owners, a new manager, new players and new challenges, I honestly believe that Liverpool can reach those levels again.

I am disappointed that I will not be part of that and although it was not my decision to leave I will accept it just like I have always accepted any decision that Liverpool have taken for me. They signed me, picked me, gave me some of the best experiences of my life and looked after me. If they feel that the best thing for me and for them is for me to go on loan to Napoli for a season then so be it. Napoli is a new challenge for me and I know that the fans are just as passionate about their team as the Liverpool fans, so I am really looking forward to playing for them this season and I will give my all.

But if I have one regret, it is the way that I am leaving. It is only natural that I would be disappointed that the Liverpool management agreed to loan me to Napoli without telling me first, I thought that I deserved better than that even though I understand that difficult decisions have to be taken in football. A lot has been made about me informing the club that if an offer came in from Barcelona that I would have liked them to consider it. But I had also spoken to the club about the possibility of extending my contract if the offer was not made. I told the manager that I wanted to play for Liverpool and that Barcelona would only become an option for me if the opportunity arrived, like the rumours said it would, as it would be a chance for me to go back home. When it didn’t come I was happy to fight for my place so I was surprised that Liverpool decided it was in the club´s interests to send me to Napoli instead.

None of this will change my feelings for the club or the people in any way and now I have to look forward to a new challenge with Rafa Benitez, who I consider to be the best manager I have worked with, and I am fortunate to be going from one great club to another. Napoli remind me in many ways of the Liverpool I found in 2005, in all the affection they have shown me on my arrival, in having an ambitious project, even in coinciding and working with Benitez again…This memory which in part unites me with you, makes me happy and feel very motivated to begin this new project.

This is my chance to say thank you to everyone for everything that you have given to me and to my family. My children consider Liverpool to be their home and hopefully their love for the city and also for the club will only grow while we are away. I would have liked to have been able to say goodbye in a different way but because of the way the move came about this was not possible.
Maybe in the near future I can do it properly so that I can show my appreciation to you but all I would ask now is that you keep on inspiring the manager and the players just like you always have done and help Liverpool to become the club that you deserve once again. I would like nothing better than to come back at the end of my year away and for Liverpool to be back where they belong.
Thank you for everything. Good luck. I will see you soon.
http://pepereina25.com/en/2013/07/29/carta-de-despedida-para-los-aficionados-del-liverpool-gracias-por-todo-os-vere-pronto/

The SHAME & INSULT TO SHANKS!

I support no other biography of Shanks than his own "Shankly by Shankly"

 its the only one that Shanks agreed to!!! so yes! ... IMO, its a matter of respect, who has the right to tell a story about a man i respect , who cant say if he agrees with it or not, as he is no longer alive? ... we all have written comments about the man, but a "biography" belongs to the man, ..but of course people should have supported him more when he was alive and when the board of Lfc disrespected him!...mind U whats happening at Lfc now is terrible too!

anyway, Global RedS boycott official products and the online shop, from Moores through to Hicks & F S G our supporters loyalty has been exploited ..and the global "wake up" is being extended to Lfc ..

the "Lfc office propaganda machine" that Henry & Ayre have developed is being exposed..

Shanks would never have allowed S.O.S or the "plastic supporters committee" set up by Ayre via  a "panel" &  NOT voted on by our supporters!) to use HIS name, or allow Karen to be "figurehead" to fool fans into sanctioning the selling of our club's soul, bleeding money out of fans for 3 x new kits EVERY season, advance cash for tickets and becoming a "selling club" for players, back-stabbing Kenny, using Anfield as collateral, and so on...) NO,  BILL SHANKLY was a great MAN and this site should remember all he did in or outside of football...........

An FB website SHAMEFULLY using HIS name.. spouts ...

F S G Propaganda
(F.raud S.upports G.its?)


Shankly's Red Crusade> How our finances stood in March 2012. 
Written March 2013.
We had to pay a lot of money to ex-managers on severance pay.(£9.5m)
FSG made an interest free loan to LFC for £46.8 million.
Our wages bill was 70%. That means that for every £1.00 LFC earned, 70p of that went on players' wages!

Thanks to FSG we have come a long way since then, but read the following report, remembering it was written last March about 2012.

Liverpool FC – It’s a numbers game
By Si Steers on March 12, 2013
Si Steers explains how recent headlines from the latest accounts don’t paint the full picture of the financial situation at the club.

If the headline news from your company accounts is a £40.5m loss and a rise in debt by a third that isn’t an immediate reason to feel optimistic.

But looking beyond the headline numbers at Liverpool has become an important part of the process when looking towards progression. Whilst there are always areas for concern when you post a loss with rising debt; the recent headlines from the latest accounts don’t paint the full picture of the financial situation at the club.

Making the right appointments

Unlike the previous year when the club made a loss of £49.3m (the vast majority of which was cleaning up the mess of the previous regime); these accounts bring into focus the decisions of the current owners. £9.5m in exceptional payments was a circumstance of replacing the management hierarchy at the club in the summer.

Exceptional payments have become an unwanted part of the clubs balance sheet in recent years. The amount of money that the club has paid to Benitez, Hodgson, Dalglish and staff probably equates to 3-4 top players.

Whilst Liverpool generates healthy revenue (evidenced by the Deloitte football money league) they can only operate competitively with a massive caveat. That caveat is that they make the right appointments first time thus avoiding expensive pay offs and a continual phase of transition.

This leaves very little margin for error. There are no guarantees in football; and replacing a management team is a costly business. The changes made by the owners in the summer have put into place a more collaborative structure where the future of the first team manager doesn’t have to result in wholesale changes.

That is the right way forward for the club. Too often in our immediate past there has not been enough focus on looking long term. The only way Liverpool will succeed is if the owners and management hierarchy look beyond the ‘now’ and avoid short term, populist decisions and keep a firm focus on sticking to a long term plan.

Rodgers' appointment is for the long-term.

Hedge-FUND VULTURE + Bimbo..fools the young fans!

That is why the appointment of Brendan Rodgers was an important step. Whether or not he proves to be the right long term solution, he has a three year contract to prove himself either way. Rodgers is perhaps a low risk appointment with a potential high upside if he reaches his potential.

These are the kind of decisions that will influence Liverpool’s future direction. It is about finding the right formula to reduce the risk of expensive failures whilst injecting the talent and ambition for the club to grow and succeed. When you look at the Rodgers appointment in that context; it points to the idea that the owners are keen to make sure ‘exceptional payments’ in the millions become a thing of the past on the club’s balance sheet.

Manageable debt isn’t always bad

The last accounts pointed to an increase in overall debt to £87.2m. Whilst that looks a scary number; it doesn’t really tell the entire story. FSG have made an interest free ‘intercompany loan’ to the club of £46.8m (essentially a cash injection that can be paid back when the club is in profit or on sale). This reduces the bank debt to £40.4m – a far more manageable sum.

As Ian Ayre alluded to most clubs require an injection of cash flow at various points; most significantly the transfer windows where player trading requires investment of large sums.

What Liverpool has been doing is managing debt sensibly. If you project your future earnings (which we will be able to do on our contracted sponsorship deals, fixed match day revenues and TV cash) then you broadly know what you can afford to spend over a period of time. On occasion you will need to spend money that you have not yet earnt to progress; and that is where Liverpool’s increase in debt has jumped.

It is essentially a short term cash facility that allows the club to operate whilst it has been going through the process of re-shaping its financial and business model. The £46.8m interest free loan that FSG have injected has given the club the flexibility to invest in players against a backdrop of losses.

Based on Liverpool’s revenue and potential future earnings £40.4m of bank debt isn’t a significant amount. The debt will rise even further (by up to £150m) once the stadium expansion plans navigate the complexities of local barriers.

But once again; repayment of any stadium debt can be factored into projected future earnings. This may have an impact on ticket prices (will come on to that later) – but the club has to be careful that expansion doesn’t come at the sacrifice of progression. You only need to look as far as Arsenal to see how a new stadium has stalled the progression of the club – not to mention the increased ticket prices.

The stadium expansion is a very complex issue. The club needs 60,000 seats but it also needs to invest in the team if it isn’t to full further behind. No club should rely on Champions League revenue in this environment (it should always be seen as a bonus – not guaranteed revenue). So finding a model that can pay for expansion without stalling progression isn’t easy – especially if naming rights aren’t an option (although the reality maybe that they will be necessary if we want a redeveloped Anfield).

But the rise in our short term debt does give some much needed context to another area that the club have been focusing on in the past 18 months…

The wage bill

FSG inherited a poisonous financial situation when they acquired the club in 2010: at the heart of that was the wages to revenue ratio which stood at a staggering 70%.

When you are paying 70p in the £1 on wages where do you generate profit to re-invest in squad and infrastructure? The simple answer is – you can’t. The mismanagement of the previous regime was a staggering case study in how not to manage a football club. It was a completely dysfunctional structure – and I am not sure to this day people recognise the damage that was done to both the culture and the operating of the club.

The biggest issue with the wage bill is player contracts give them all of the power. For example, Joe Cole on a 4 year contract being paid £100k a week – we had no option but to retain and pay him despite him being surplus to requirements for 3 of those years.

Reducing the wage bill has been a time consuming, challenging, but much needed process. Indicators suggest that the wage bill after almost 30 months of ownership is between £95-100m at this point (the last accounts were only up until the end of May 2012).

That reduction in wage bill v’s an expected increase in revenue in 2013/14 (based on new deals with Warrior, other commercial partners, and the revised TV deal) will make the wages to revenue closer to the magical 50% target.

To put that into some form of context: if our revenue is touching £190-200m a year and wages are £95-100m of that there is a very healthy margin there that can turn into profit: cash that can be reinvested back into the club (something FSG have regularly committed to from the outset).

Buying players

The January transfer window was the first real opportunity for the new collaborative transfer committee at Liverpool to work together. The signings of Coutinho at £8.5m and Sturridge for £12m both look like excellent business at this early stage. Both players are under 24 years old and both have been able to make an instant impact in the first team.

Dave Fallows and his team have a very broad reach across multiple countries and leagues. Finding those players either at home or abroad that provide both value and impact is exactly what the owners expect from the transfer committee.

The summer will be another test of the committee with the club looking as though it is only 2-3 players short of being genuine contenders for a top4 finish; getting the summer signings right will be essential. The collective authority of the committee is another method to mitigate risk with player transfers.

It all points once again to having a competitive business model as one part of the blueprint at Liverpool: but spending every pound wisely will be what defines success or failure.

NOT "F S G PROPAGANDA"

Methods to identify players are evolving all of the time. Whilst scouting and instinct are always going to be part of the process; statistics and data based research can also help to identify players. This excellent model by data analyst Lee Mooney is evidence of how being innovative and thinking outside of the traditional recruitment models can begin to give clubs a competitive edge as the game evolves.

Despite a rise in debt the club now has a far more sustainable business model in place. With the new revenue drivers (sponsorships, kit, TV) our commercial income remains on an upward curve.

This means that there will be money to spend in the summer; and there will not be pressure to sell our best players. We are now in a position where we have a sustainable model that isn’t beholden to external market factors (unless somebody comes in with a ridiculous £200m bid for Suarez then any club would be duty bound to consider). But the point is we don’t have to sell. In fact, we have proven under FSG we are committed to keeping our best players.

Slowly, methodically and patiently the club has been nurturing a squad of players that has the youth and capability to grow and challenge the top 4 in the next few years. I am sure that the owners recognise strategic investment in the right areas will dictate the speed of progress. A return to the Champions League will of course accelerate our ability to compete at the top of the game – and I expect that will be the focus of everyone next season.

Ticket prices and fan engagement

This is perhaps one of the most emotive issues for supporters. In an era where many working class fans are already priced out of the game, increased ticket prices are never welcome.

Like all clubs Liverpool have to move with the times and react to what is happening in the market. Despite an increase in ticket prices across the board Liverpool still remain below the ‘big’ London clubs and Manchester United on ticket cost. With a smaller stadium than both Arsenal and United as well; keeping ticket costs affordable whilst trying to compete is perhaps an impossible task.

There is a bigger issue at stake than simply an increase in ticket prices. At the very heart of the issue is finding a formula that allows the cultural identity of (all) Club’s to be defined in the communities they exist. The culture of Liverpool Football Club has to reflect Scouse culture – the very reason why many fans from outside of the City love the club anyway (all Reds should want to be an adopted Scouser in my view!).

Liverpool’s cultural fabric is a complex one. Football is reflective of society; and clubs with a strong link to communities like Liverpool and Barcelona have a very unique identity that goes beyond football. It is about a way of life and values that make you different. Liverpool has a very socialist heritage; from Robbie Fowler supporting the Liverpool dock workers to the campaign for justice; the Scouse culture that Shankly tapped into defines the existence of the club for many in the City.

So the balance of keeping your heart and soul versus economics isn’t an easy one. In my view I’d like to see a small discount given to people that live inside the City on tickets: either that or an allocation of tickets made available at the ground to make them accessible to local fans.

The purpose of this isn’t to create a divide; it is about respecting the culture and identity of the club and celebrating what makes it unique. And that is the Scouse mentality. Every single Liverpool fan is equal standing shoulder to shoulder on the Kop: and the diversity of our fan base is something we should be incredibly proud of. But if we dilute our identity too much we will lose what is special about our club.

The Germans have the right model for football clubs. It is easy to cast an envious eye over at the Bundesliga. Record attendances, healthy profits, supporter ownership and engagement, and teams competing at the business end of the Champions League. It can be done.

That is why that our recent progression on the pitch under Rodgers can be married with optimism off it. The model at Liverpool under FSG has similarities to the successful German sides; finding a way to increase fan engagement in the core fan base as well as the international one should be a priority.

There are methods either through ticketing or a share based scheme that can turn detachment into engagement. And those methods don’t have to dilute the economic model of the club. Like anything, it is about finding the right balance and making sure that Liverpool Football Club always feels like Liverpool Football Club: and that our global supporters are given the honoury titles of adopted Scousers.

Where the club goes in the future very much depends on what happens now. So a healthy relationship and dialogue with our owners may one day pave the way for a supporter share or ownership model.

And following a period of financial turbulence; our financial health will look a lot brighter this time next year, as will hopefully our progress on the pitch.
ThisisAnfield. March2013.

As I stated at the beginning of this article, it was written back in March about the previous year, but I for one am glad that FSG took us in hand. They saved us from the banks foreclosing on us and stopped us going the way of Rangers and now, possibly, Coventry.

Mariaan Viljoen Great Article. One every Red fan should read & digest. The club finances was a royal mess & there was no magic wand to wave. Planning & perseverance are key words in these circumstances & I too am grateful it was FSG who took the reigns. Middle-Eastern easy money come at a price that would not have recognised the Scouse & Liverpool mentality. Thank you John Henry &Tom Werner! YNWA

Chris East-west Invest Ursun Mariaan, these "stats" are not verified, this is a F S G backed article, F S G do not recognise our culture at all, they just build a franchise that rips off the supporter! with over 7 million registered Lfc fans the only TRUE solution is a supporter owned CLUB...

REdNET
rednet-alien.blogspot.com

Mariaan Viljoen> Chris, we are all entitles to our opinions. I truly believe that FSG has got it right this far. We are far more stable now than ever since the club went up for sales 10 years ago. We were nearly bankrupt & that is a fact. Creating that stability after what we've been through is almost on level parr with what happened to our country & it will take more sacrifices before we are out of the woods. Easy money is what got us in this mess & I personally like the vision of FSG. But as I've said, we are all entitled to our opinions... 

Chris> well u are but ....if those opinions are based on lies, do u care,? that F S G get their money by cheating & luying do u care? that they tell the 2nd most important man in the histiory our club, that he has their backing, then sack him 2 months later ?? the office has been a mess, but often a deliberate mess, they ignored Rafa, internationally accepted as a genius in football strategy, didnt even interview him and gave Kennys job to a novice, because he says nothing provocative, if u want us to another business without the soul us kopites built up then continue to swallow the Henry & co's BS! p.s. I have been in global projects and know these people, they con u by slick PR and slkowly drain everything of value, because they dont have a soul. if thats who u back then I feel sorry for U, Mariaan! i know it seems that I am in a minority, and if results stay favourable the sheeple wont care..but one day, when it all collapses, remember that u were one who discarded our chance to own OUR club, because WE are LIVERPOOL, not a franchise!

 SRC> articles represent the facts. Of course Shanks was a socialist but he was also a realist. The last thing he would have wanted was to see his beloved Liverpool go the way of Glasgow Rangers and possibly now, Coventry. In this day and age more than at any other time, Football Clubs have to be run like a business. The Club cannot run on fresh air. I suggest you take a good look at that article and then think again. For every £1.00 Liverpool earned, 70 pence went in wages. Thank goodness they have started to tackle the overpaid players who just sat on the bench week in week out.. Why bring politics into it? Just be grateful that we have someone with sense managing our finances.

H-T> u obviously know sweet FA about Shanks, because he said it was a form of socialism that is not politics, and if our club had been run as a unit and not badly by Moores, parry, Hicks, Purslow, broughton, Ayre and Henry-Werner, and shared with 7 million plus supporters we would noto need to be a franchise.. your "facts" are manipulated... and obviously u bang the F S G drum! - and they are opuer hedge fund financial sharks - have you got any evidence that Henry transfered 300 million at the time of G & H s departure?

SRC > What right wing crusade. What are you talking about?

Chris>well all of your article support Henry & F S G ...Shanks was a socialist, and those are the ideals that TRUE REDS identify with..not commercial fascism

there has been no net investment by Henry or F S G into Lfc!

Shankly's Red Crusade >Obviously you have not read the article posted earlier in the week about investment and players' wages etc. Judging by your comments, you only appear to look at the pictures. I shall re-post the article for you to read.

Chris>answer the question??? what would Bill identify with in your "Crusade" ??? YOU have missed the point, hiding behind an "anonymous crusade" ...BS! ..F S G arew destroying Shanks ideals and ripping off the fans with their "fanchise" ... this article covers up the actual draining of cash FROM OUR CLUB!

Shankly's Red Crusade> This article reiterates an article posted here earlier this week.
John Henry talks LFC finances – Reds “finance themselves”
Principal owner John Henry has explained that Liverpool FC, like each entity owned by Fenway Sports Group, “finance themselves”.

In an interview with Boston radio station WEEI FM , Henry discussed the finances of Fenway Sports Group and their operations.

Supporters of Boston Red Sox baseball team, who FSG have owned since 2002, have queried the finances of FSG, with the WEEI FM reporter wondering whether Liverpool are a “financial black hole that threatens to swallow the operating revenues of other FSG operations”. To which Henry categorically replied “Fenway Sports Group expansion has never and will never take place at the expense of the Boston Red Sox.”

Speaking specifically about Liverpool, Henry hinted at the ownership groups desire to grow the commercial side of the club, writing that “At LFC we have only just begun there to build revenues. It has a global fan base and a global commercial appeal.”

What FSG are not going to do though is pour millions upon millions into Liverpool, or any of their other ventures, in a similar manner as we have seen at clubs such as Man City and Chelsea in England and now in France with PSG and Monaco.

But any investment into LFC would not be at the loss of the Red Sox, and vice-versa. “We have cash flow from all of the other entities. There has not been a year in which FSG as a whole had an operating loss. And there hasn’t been a year in which we’ve paid a dividend.”

The club are expected to make further announcements this summer with regards expanding Anfield and Henry explained that “renovations at Anfield will finance themselves”. By This Is Anfield on May 29, 2013 (As you will see, this is an old article, but links nicely with one posted earlier this week).

Chris > there has been no net investment by Henry or F S G into Lfc! ..and our club's socialist heart has been stabbed by the likes of Henry & Ayre ...

Chris > (Shankly new book?) authorised by whom???

Victor Gill > Possibly the club

Chris East-west Invest Ursun then i wouldnt buy it! Shanks wrote his own story thats good enough for me..! the club via Hicks, henry & F S G are destroying commercially every reason I fell in love with it..

Nassos Siotropos (FSG clone) > 1996 publication nothing to do with the current ownership at the club

Chris> actually the commercialization increased with the beginning of the premiereship, and the erosion of our (Shanks) social ethics simply escalated along with the infestment BY Hicks & Henry.. in 96 Willie had long since passed..so it certainly wasn't sanctioned by THE MAN!

LUIS , LUIS

View from the (SOLD TO F S G ) Kop: Not Down and Out!

Luis Suarez rocked Liverpool supporters yesterday by publicly stating his desire to leave the club and talk about broken promises. Of course this a blow, however, we cannot and should not let him distract us from what should give a sense of optimism across the Liverpool fans, players and the manager ahead of the 2013/14 season.

Save for the buzz around Suarez, the overall positivity surrounding this pre-season represents a marked change from previous pre-seasons which have been blighted by poor transfer windows, managerial changes and poor results.

Here are my reasons why every Liverpool fan should feel optimistic about the forthcoming season.

Brendan Rodgers – Perhaps the most important reason to be optimistic about this coming season is that Brendan Rodgers has been at the club for a year now and has settled into the role of manager at Liverpool. He spent last season trying to instill his ways on the Liverpool players, manage the bulging wage bill at the club, recruit without a scouting team in place and gain the trust of the players and fans. A year on, Rodgers knows the task ahead of him and is now ready to implement his plans at the club. Liverpool Managing Director, Ian Ayre said:

“I think it took him most of last year to understand the size of Liverpool Football Club – and he said some of this himself in the final couple of months of last season”
Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge – Sturridge and Coutinho were bought in last January and both made an immediate impact on the first team. Importantly, both fitted into Brendan Rodgers’ system and style of play. Because of this, they find themselves embedded into the first team. Now that they’ve had more time with the rest of the squad, they supposedly have a greater understanding of each one’s strengths which would help them this coming season. Much is expected from this pair – let’s hope they step up with more goals and assists!

Joe Allen – Allen seems to be the equivalent of Marmite at Liverpool – dividing fans’ opinion. However, his good form at the start of last season cannot be ignored and it was no surprise that his form then deteriorated after picking up his shoulder injury. Now fully fit and impressing in pre-season, Allen can be an important option for Rodgers in midfield and can play a key role in hounding and pressing opposition players whilst keeping the ball moving in midfield.

Raheem Sterling – Like Allen, Sterling started last season in fantastic form which resulted in an England cap. After starting so many games and then picking up an injury, Sterling’s form dipped and he was given time to recover. This summer, Sterling has looked fitter and notably much stronger resulting in impressive displays in the pre-season games with a couple of goals. Sterling can provide width to the team and lightning pace which is a great asset to Liverpool. A big season lies ahead of the 18-year-old at the club.

New signings – Liverpool were rightly praised for signing four players ahead of their pre-season tour. Simon Mignolet, Kolo Toure, Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas have settled into the club nicely and all played their part in the pre-season games. Being on tour has also helped them understand how big the club is and the pressure Liverpool players are under when playing in front of their fanatical fans. All four players bring real quality into the squad and provide healthy options for Rodgers.

Competitive spirit – With new signings coming in and promising youngsters like Jordon Ibe and Sterling making their mark, there is a healthy, competitive spirit amongst the players which can only benefit Rodgers. Every player has been eager to prove a point to the fans and importantly, Rodgers.

Little battles are emerging in the squad – Allen versus Jordan Henderson, Aspas versus Fabio Borini, Toure versus Martin Skrtel, Martin Kelly versus Andre Wisdom, Sterling versus Ibe. With possibly new signings to come, the squad depth and competition for places can only help Liverpool.

Winning habit – Recent pre-seasons have seen unconvincing displays and often included a number of players who were then moved on. This pre-season reads: *played 5, won 5, scored 13 and conceded none. The standard of opposition has admittedly not been high, however winning is a habit and we can hopefully take this form into the new season.

Fixture list – At the start of last season, Rodgers had a difficult start with Liverpool playing the so called ‘big-boys’ early on. Liverpool found themselves in the bottom half of the table and low on confidence. Looking at the 2013/14 fixtures, Liverpool only face one team from last season’s top six – Manchester United – in the first nine games. Liverpool have a great chance of collecting a fair few points early doors and increasing the confidence levels before we tackle the might of the Premier League.

The reasons above give me great optimism for the upcoming season and give me hope that we can at least challenge for the top four in the league and in the cup competitions. A couple of new signings can also give us the final push that we need to push on with Rodgers at Liverpool. Let’s hope the players and the manager continue to give us optimism in the coming season.

The travelling Kop and the Echo. *Written before tonight's result. (Played 6. Won 6. Scored 17. Conceded 1.)===============

Phil Pedlow > Hi Rob. Hope you had a good view!  I'll go on record as sayin I wasnt sure about Rodgers at the start, a big gamble at the time to my mind. Said all the right things in his initial press conference which I still remember vividly, 

Robert Riddell >When he was appointed i thought he can bring the glory days back its going to take time but with the right backing our time will come i cant wait to ram it down the mancs and plastics mouths lol

Paul White> Took Shanks a wee while...

Chris > dont compare BR with Shanks....FFS!

Paul White > No offence. But everyone has to start somewhere. And the seeds of better times are being sown. And I remember Shankly times...just about. YNWA

Scuse me mate I did not compare him to that. Be fair. I'm just behind the modern Liverpool FC....as I was 40+ years ago. ARE YOU  ?? YNWA

"WE are the CLUB" , not a Y A N K E R "FAN-chise"

Chris >  NO, I am NOT! ...the "modern liverpool" is Henry and co & the F S G clones ripping off supporters .. and dishonourign all Shanks stood for! .. 3 new kits for cash every season, backstabbing Kenny & becoming a selling club... I'd rather "walk alone" than put one more penny in Henry's pocket..wake up, man!

Phil Pedlow > Chris, can you not have a heated debate on my wall with others please be it related to my status or otherwise, its not the place for it. Cheers man

Chris >  Phil, u can always defriend me if u dont like what i believe, whats the point of u wanting me to add u, then "censoring" opinion about the thing that dominates our lives? i'd rather have enemies that respect my opinion than "friends" who want me to shut up!

Phil Pedlow > Chris, u misunderstand me, no one is censoring opinion, i well know that facebook is all about offering it. My point was u weren't talking to me but doing it on my wall and I was suggesting that this isnt the place, ta.
3 hours ago · Like

Paul White>  I always get a bit miffed if I'm being honest, when I post a positive status, as was this one, and the whole 'feel good factor' is hijacked by negativity
3 hours ago · Like

Phil Pedlow > I hope your upbeat mood wasnt hijacked by one single opinion Paul, it shouldnt be. My recent status wasnt far removed from what you said as you know and you are as equally entitled to one as we all are.

Chris >  Phil as I said defriend me, if u want to stay with "wishful thinking mode" and ignore the state Lfc is in , becoming a simply y a n k e r "franchise" for Henry and co to bleed supporters of their money, ignoring that they insult Shanks legacy and insult Kenny , ignore Rafa and you all just play along like sheeple.. 

Paul I really do hope i "hi-jacked" your status, because its not negativity, its honesty, and its you lot who are the traitors of our club, who stand by whilst OUR club gets INFESTED by commercial machinery, you have lost your REd soul..!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrMZlYMHge0&feature=youtu.be if the Reds should lose to anybody, let it be the Celts..my ancestors ..! ;0

Celtic vs. Liverpool / ''You'll Never Walk Alone'' ,Dublin

Celtic vs. Liverpool , friendly match. Aviva Stadium,Dublin. The Bhoys and The Reds singing ''You'll Never Walk Alone''.

CS> * the CELTS were a bit more like a decent side though, 1-0 to the Bhoys!!!  http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/142215-daniel-makes-return-in-defeat-by-celtic

Celts spirit ...the difference; the Lfc team didnt have it..!

Daniel makes return in defeat by Celtic

www.liverpoolfc.com

Daniel Sturridge made his return from an ankle injury as Liverpool ended their 2013-14 pre-season preparations with a 1-0 loss to Celtic in the Dublin Decider at the Aviva Stadium.

2Like ·  · Share

• 

  REdNeT i always questioned the value of tarvelling log distances and playing mostly 2nd class teams , as "preparation" for a strong EPL..but of course BR & F S G are "experts" arent they?

Chris >  p.s. what has your right-wing crusade got to do with Shanks??? , Bill was a SIOCIALIST, you back capitalist & commercial hedge funders Henry & F S G?

(the BLUE Script prepared by John Henry & Ian Ayre?) laughable
                                                                                                                          ==========
(13807) Lfc PR*T>PHil>  Still say we shouldnt sell the twattin nonce to the gooners. Should stick him outside Anfield until January and hope he freezes his goolies off and make him sell programmes on matchdays and let him be answerable directly to the 1000's of fans he's let down and U-turned on. Luis Suarez - You Will ALWAYS Walk Alone. Not even Tesco's would give ya a loyalty card.

Chris >  u are full of sh*te , lay the blame where it belongs , the Y a n k e r s back stabbing of Kenny , and dumping Pepe shows that they deserve no loyalty, and fickle fannies neither..FFS!

Michelle Mcneill > Would really just like to see this settled..,soon. It makes no sense him goin to arsenal but its hard to know how much of the stories are just the media scavengers & really don't want us to be lookin for another forward as id rather we could just concentrate on strengthening our back 4 now!

Mariaan Viljoen I'm just sick of the conflicting messages out there. One paper says he's happy & comfortable at Liverpool & another says he wants to leave. I think we must all ignore what's in the news & the papers & not get carried away until we hear from our club

Mia Hough > Look how Kenny,Reina,Carroll and Skrtel have been treated and tell me why exactly fans expect Suarez or any other player to be loyal to the club Phil? They tried this shit with Agger last summer as well.When Torres spoke about being lied to,

John Henry? Phil, all the "LFC fannies??  ;)

Dean Newlove > Spot on status Phil, no footballer is bigger than the club but that prick Suarez thinks he is, your spot on when you mention the word loyalty as Suarez does not know the meaning of the word loyalty,....

Mia Hough>  It's no different to the situation when he was at Ajax.His disloyalty wasn't an issue for Liverpool fans then was it?

CS> well done Mia, theres a massive amount of fickle fannies, Like Dean, F S G clones who havent got a clue what loyalty means, and then expect Luis to ignore his own interests and commit to the y a n k e r s "fANchise" .. they go along with the sellign out of our club, and are nothing more than hypocrites! YOU'lll never walk alone, lass!
................and to us e this sort of language about a player who still is a Liverpool player, makes them certainly no better than him!

Mia Hough > Nonce is particularly vile in my opinion.F S G can do no wrong apparently,but Suarez is in the same league as Jimmy fuckin Savile!

Chris >  its like all the same BILE they aimed at Torres.. FFS, Purslow etc was F**king everyone left right and centre, how many of these fans woudl want to stay workiing for employers that they couldnt trust, REBEL!!! 

Mia Hough> Torres....wasn't he the player they told Suarez he'd be partnering,even though they'd already agreed a deal with Chelsea to flog him in order to buy Suarez? Ian Ayre has settled nicely into Cecils cubans and Brendans a slightly more articulate version of Hodgson,and he has no business talking about bloody loyalty! This is what is laughably being referred to as progress!

Chris> 4 players signed, none of whom of the calibre of Pepe, whom Rafa will surely bring back to world class standard again, (Napoli outside bet for CL finalists?) and F S G OFF_loaded 12 (TWELVE) players this summer, big cash injections from yet another 3 new kits , advance ticket sales and increased Tv revenue, sponsors etc,,, its a f**ing joke ...6 years of Hicks & Henry etc,, 2007= CL finalists in Athens, now sheeple get excited if we win our friendlies..Ayre just a commercial poodle, ideal for Y a n k e r "biz" and BR the "young media face" who says all the "right stuff" and will never "do a Kenny" on the scum sky journos!! and they still claim to respect Shanks, as we near the 100 years since the great man was born, i'm glad he's not alive to see what sos soft committee, F S G clones & the fannies allowed to do to our club.. FFS if anyone out there truly loves Lfc they shouldt campaign to get supporter ownership and drive Henry & co out (as we did with Hicks) with 7 million odd registered fans , we could do it...IF the "will" is there..

Mia Hough>  Most of them buried their heads in the sand with H&G as well Chris.FSG lent the club 50 mill.FSG want 50 mill for Suarez.Doesn't take a genius.Needs his 50 mill back to pay for the Boston Globe.

Chris> Mia, do u know there is no actual evidence that they transferred cash for the "purchase" from G & H?? ==========================================

REdNeT shared a link.

Saturday

http://www.rafabenitez.com/web/index.php?act=mostrarContenidos&idioma=in&co=2347

Benitez: "I am satisfied, we are growing" | Rafa Benitez Official Website

www.rafabenitez.com

Napoli coach Rafa Benitez, was pleased when he analysed the match that his team played against Benfica. "There are many positive signs and I am satisfied," he said. The tournament 'MSC C

Stevie G's TEST?

http://chrismithlog.blogspot.com/2013/08/stevies-test-chris-story-intro-and.html

Stevie G ; (pics) most complete player since EPL started, in defence or attack, in the tackle, on the ball, pass, free kicks & that shot!  #GerrardTestimonial

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/141554-stevie-medals-over-milestones

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/141569-stevie-it-s-not-just-a-friendly

MORE LINKS

http://rednet-alien.blogspot.com/

http://www.thisisanfield.com/2013/08/youve-not-seen-nothing-like-the-mighty-emlyn/

please note changes of venue...

https://www.facebook.com/events/291348497676986/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/REdNeT/245954208796041

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-fc-star-raheem-sterling-5685648

MORE ;

Background; short version ; 

born to scots-english parents, grew up in Liverpool, in love with the "beatles", rock, reggae, motown & soul music & of course "the REdS" ... started as "office boy" in London @ 16, without qualifications ..(migrain attacks as teenager & love for football distracted me ) ;)

@ 19 was Logistic manager; married & adopted wife's 6 month old daughter,Sarah, we had son, Adam, but wife ran off with a younger man (!) because I worked "too much" and divorced, (I payed 3rd my income  for her & kids) i changed employers, based Paris or London, and travelled throughout europe negociating in wine services for each company, at 26 started own business, at 29 was millionaire, but fought with business  partner, and walked away with almost nothing. started freelance strtegic managment, took me all over the world (well, at least 1/2 of it) 

I was married again, to the lovely Jaqui, who died 8 years ago, very young , of cancer..

1995 , after completing a satelite network contract with Ukrainian Space Agency in Kiev, in the last week of finalising a pan-european  multi-media project, based near Brussels I went into a "meningitis - induced coma"!
a week later I woke up and surrpised the doctor who "didnt think i would survive" - for the first time in my adult life I was "stopped" ...

I went "Alternative" had a new son "Leon" with a hippy girl (Annika) and later a daughter (Noela) with environmentalist (Margit)
both children were stolen from me by mothers with help from german state apparatus (which became part of 54 complaints made Versus "germoney" Judges, police, attorneys & "Beamte" social services "SS") I organised human rights campaigns, ("human shields") ..a "Medinezt" for
illegal refugees, formed a Union to help people oppressed by govt. and moderated a "pirate" radio station, made a journal. and so on...

I moved to belgian-flemish/dutch regions, played in & organised international fun football parties & coached "for fun" and planned to drive to Ghana to be volunteer coaching football & teaching english, but when I was in Bucharest , (february 2010) the project got suspended so I came to Podgoica because of a "spontaneous invitation" from a Liverpool fan (I have co-ordinated supporters meetings all over Europe)  my vehicle BROKE on the journey and I came down the mountains without brakes, and I discarded the vehicle here,

since then I have organised some fun events, Football meetings, a free academy, a not for profit club for visitors have several "blogs" several Facebook groups , 3 web sites and write mostly in winter when its not so sunny...
why am i here?  I joke that I am a spy.... but main question is why should I leave???
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