1. First off, the disclaimers: I have no insider information but what I do have are pieces of information that I can use to deconstruct the “business” of LFC. In this context, people who separate boardroom ownership to on the pitch issues are truly deluded.
2. Historically, football clubs exist as a recreational and sports club, gathering people with passion for the game. Eventually, football tournaments are organised and victors are glorified. Liverpool historically, is the product of the glory years. Then, commercialism came, and the glories became inextricably linked to the financial muscle of each club, or in other words, buying the glories.
3. The business model was probably constructed way earlier, but MU became the ones who perfected it. As telecasts were privatized by Sky on to cable channels, funded by subscribers, clubs with more games being telecast received more money. Gone were the days that money were solely sourced from conventional means ie match-day goers, merchandising and advertising channels alone. As MU’s increasing revenue coincided with Lorg Ferg’s successful football management, and MU began to scoop trophy after trophy, they could afford higher paid players, higher transfer fees and higher value squads. Mistakes in the transfer market could go unpunished as their financial muscle was enough to stave off the threat, and the footballing success also enabled MU to milk a greater global fanbase. You can also expand the stadium to increase matchgoers. Just off the top of my head: Veron, Kleberson, Djemba2x, Nani(? Though he may come good eventually), Berbatov, Carrick(?) are demonstrations of mistakes a great, but not faultless, manager has done.
4. Liverpool are laggards in every respect of the financial administration, and abetted by Souness in the early 90s, deconstructed a fairly good but aging team to a horrendous one just as the Sky money was flowing in. Evans, Houllier and now Benitez needs to perform a miracle to turnaround fortunes on the pitch while having one hand tied when compared to MU.
5. But Liverpool was still much better off than many others, Southampton, Leeds, Portsmouth, all tried to change their fates by buying their way to success, and in the case of Leeds by introducing innovations such as player derivative transfer fees, but when the gamble fails, the club then falls away without trace. And the objective very much becomes survival and a long term future and eventual return to Premiership, rather than the chase of glorious trophies.
6. It is when expectations are on winning trophies that Liverpool would then be judged against Chelski, MU and Arsenal, and latterly with City and Spurs. And with the first three, for different reasons are why the turnaround would be very difficult to sustain. Chelski has a wealthy benefactor that could afford star names since 2004, but may now be more stringent with his pursestrings, although the momentum allows them to maintain their upward tangent for the foreseeable short term, perhaps for the next 1-2 seasons more, MU with their aforementioned financial muscle, despite Glazers financial incompetence, as long as Lord Ferg’s there will still be there or thereabouts when it comes to trophy accumulation, although with his advancing years, will have to find a suitable candidate very soon. Arsenal, very well maintained financial ship, and very good manager though restrained by his idealism, may still bea fierce competitor in the coming years, but they too face a managerial succession challenge very soon. City has a wealthy benefactor that could catalyse them just as Roman had done with Chelsea
7. What this does show is that the managerial choice is a supremely crucial one to make, and especially so when you lack financial firepower.
8. Benitez has shown he can compete with the best. Twice La Liga winners, FA Cup, CL and UEFA Cup winner on his CV. No doubt, he has his weaknesses even in his tactical strengths, and Hiddink showed them up when we lost 3-1 at Anfield last year, though we gave them a real scare in the last 5 mins before Lampard leveled at 4-4 in the return leg. So, the argument that his replacement shoud be just as worthy is a good one, though that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any – Hiddink, Mourinho, Ranieri are all good candidates – but all with their own set of flaws. I’d go with Alex McLeish, cheap, Scot and has done a very good job at Birmingham
9. But the job at Liverpool is much more. Instead of financials backing up his job, he needs to thrash all his rival teams while generating revenues to shore up his side. While others have sufficient squad cover to chase in all directions for glory, he has to do so with limitations, and there has been a good job at shoring up the reserves and academy sides to secure the long-term future, while also challenging with the first team. And let it be reminded that he won the CL with Traore, Dudek, Warnock, Pongolle, Le Tallec in the squad, and what a difference now!
10. So, whither Liverpool ? Slipping out of CL for next year could be good as it gives Benitez time to reorganize his side for PL matches, provided he prioritises PL over Europa. What happens in summer will be interesting – I’m presuming that Babel
11. Implications to the on-field play? More disruptions as they try to bed-in, inconsistent results for next season though we may end up with a cup or two, Lucas and Masch growing as a midfield pair. If the new style of play exAlonso gels together, we could be a fairly interesting team to watch, but I wonder though seeing how the defence has struggled this season if that really is the antidote in the PL.
12. Conclusion? Until the ownership issue is settled, I’m lowering my expectations for next season.
13. For a corporate manager, and an entrepreneur, the message is stark. If you take care of the finances, the rest will take care of itself.
No comments:
Post a Comment