In the lead up to any Premier League game, the managers of the two teams are required to attend a pre-game press conference. With Southampton primed to head to Anfield this past Saturday, the Liverpool manager seemed to take the opportunity to share some thoughts on the Reds’ transfer strategy. Whereas we were all expecting notifications of player availability, and the usual denial of anything regarding internal politics, what we actually got was some forthright answers that could impact the Reds further.
“The signings of Ali and Virgil, we all know how that happened (Coutinho transfer). How we’ve done it so far, has brought us where we are. But fresh money is no mistake, nothing gets cheaper.” (LFC)
In a quite open and revealing period of question and answer, the charismatic German had the attending journalists utterly enthralled. The past few weeks has seen FSG announce their intention to sell their Merseyside asset, and just about every viable billionaire has been instated as a likely buyer, at one point or another. Apart from the odd comment here and there, talk of the sale (and it’s impact) have been pretty limited (from Klopp), until the reds manager undertook his pre matchSouthampton press conference.
Our beer drinking, rock and roll loving head coach clearly had some things to say, and it can be no coincidence that the upcoming transfer window is a just few weeks away. We can be pretty certain that the likes of Jurgen and Julian Ward (Reds Sporting Director) will have been guided through how the sale will effect them, and Friday afternoon’s comments seemed to challenge any perspective new ownership to back a much needed squad re-build.
We are all aware of the requirements in regenerating any sporting teams roster, and despite our 55 year old manager’s common defence of FSG, it seems this new twist in the Liverpool ownership tale has prompted him to speak more freely. To outline what finances were once required, in order to attain all our recent silverware was very telling. Without any saleable assets likely to leave in the near future, there was most certainly an agenda within his words.
I believe the sale of Liverpool Football Club will ramp up during the World Cup. To have already enlisted the expertise of both Morgan Stanley & Goldman Sachs (to finalise the sale), surely points to a group (or two) very much in the final stages of an acquisition. There can’t be too many viable candidates able to fund this £4bn deal, and our one time Premier League title winning manager is evidently testing the waters, in his attempts to ensure future funds. I don’t actually believe completion of the sale will restrict funds being available, as money spent in January can always be an addition to the end figure. What I saw in that press conference was a man knowing his worth to this football club, and thereby displaying his requirements in order to build another elite footballing team.
When you look at the Premier League table, and consider how awful we have often been this season, it really isn’t all that daunting a view. We won’t win the league this season, but many future titles are often borne out of strong forward momentum. What this team can achieve this year is a top four finish, and a solid run in the Champions League. Our defence of the domestic cup has started brightly, and if we were to bring in some winter reinforcements, then we are exactly the type of side that could go on a productive run.
I’m glad we are finally seeing some constructive use of these often mundane press conferences, and that our ever popular head coach is using his position to help improve our beloved side. How it eventually pans out is anyones guess, but I get the feeling we’re about to see our beautiful big German financially backed, in away we only ever dreamed.
Wouldn’t that be something fun to bring in the New Year.
