Topic: I'm really genuinely concerned...no rant intended

[walshys_mullet]

..can anyone set me at ease, at all? Anyone?

I've been shrugging off football lately, last year i nearly walked away after the Suarez affair which killed my love for the sport, i've been sticking it on the back burner and trying to put my mind on other things.

After Kenny was sacked those feelings returned, the disassociation came back stronger than ever. After the relief of Rogers being given the hot seat over Martinez, my tiny shred of optimism has recently turned into fully fledged despair at seeing us slowly slip away. It feels like this is happening, i don't feel that this is a new start, i dont have any confidence going forward and faith, it feels more like the epilogue.

I understand theres changes underway, i understand some players have their time and move on, thats football and thats life. But whats happening lately is setting the alarm bells off for the second time in 6 years and i think im finally losing the will to support a club that means a whole lot.

This isn't a post for sticking a knife into the owners, people know my stance on here regarding them which is less than impressed, but the slashed wages cull, the huge links of major squad players being rumoured to be off like Skrtel, Agger, Carroll (whether you like him or not), Bellamy, Aquilani (yes the guy is worth a shot), and even Pepe on top of the loss of Kuyt and Maxi is extremely worrying. The incoming rumours seem to be 20% of the outgoings. The club has no structure at the top and we have Brendan Rodgers who may sink or may swim, and who is actually on a hiding to nothing in the long run, as we've seen before if the results don't follow, the cries will be on him before he's had time to warm his bench seat for half the season.

I've also noticed that henry is getting it from Sox fans too - what effect does that have for LFC in the long run?

So is it time to just let it slide, accept that this is it, this is the fall from grace thats been threatening to happen for a few years and hope that maybe in 10 years time we will have some sort of renaissance, and concentrate on family and work? Maybe it is.

One thing i do regret though, i used to moan about Rafa. I liked him but disagreed at times with some of his policies, but by goodness, the man had a plan and a vision and im so sorry it never got the chance to fulfill. I fear the same for Rogers. I think he has a plan and is a footballing man. i just dont think he will get the backing he needs, i think one of the main reasons he is here is to be 'resourceful' and possibly through grit, determination and fortune, scrape us back into the big time.

No doubt this thread may get locked if the topic strays, but i just want you to understand my frustration, and yeah i may snipe from time to time, but thats through the frustration. I guess we will see in the next few weeks.

[HariLFC]

I'm terrified by not knowing what's going on. Other than that.... as you were.

[Fat Scouser]

Don't worry. There'll soon be a rumble of thunder and lightening bolts will illuminate your troubled times. Don't worry. Be happy. All's well in The God's own little corner that we call Anfield. VIV LA FSG!

[Voltaire]

Under Promise and Over Deliver.

At this moment, it seems they have over promised and under delivered on all counts: stadium/redevelopment, squad, management structure.

It could all change by the time the season starts, and there's a chance it will. It seems I keep waiting for the moment they swing into action, and waiting and waiting and waiting. 

At this moment, I do have this anxiety that we are slowly being positioned as a top seven team rather than fighting towards being a top four one.

[RedinExeter]

Hardly FSG's fault what the papers write is it?

[gazzalfc]

I understand your feelings. But once Thursday comes and the guys take to the field again it will start to fade.

Then once the window closes we'll know exactly who wants to be here and fight and who doesn't care about our cause.

If players leave then they leave. Players come and go. But the club wont die and as long as those players that stay know they have to fight then we'll be fine.

[kelly34]

I've got similar feelings but for now I'm going to sit tight, see what happens come the end of the window and give my full support to Rodgers.  It's all we can do at this point.

[HighSix]

I could not believe how quick FSG changed from the reported senior director of football structure to full power to a young manager, its Berndan Rodgers not Mourinho. They seem to have a new direction each season.

[No666]

Catch 22, mate. End of this transfer season we'll have a clear indication. & by then it will be too late.

[The G in Gerrard]

Let's just see what happens by end of transfer window

[RyanBabelsFish]

It's just the way the game is now. We don't have rich backers. We didn't build the big stadium. We didn't develop our commercial arm when the PL took off. Too many mistakes.

I fear knocking around the top seven will be our fate

[Le Jake]

I think we over analyse everything because theres no football to enjoy, lets just wait till the season starts before we start worrying.

[Fordy]

Let's just see what happens by end of transfer window

Too late.

[Fromola]

The lack of structure and strategy at the club is my biggest worry.

No CEO, no Sporting Director. Nobody of any football knowledge or expertise above the manager. Relying on a man in Ian Ayre with little executive experience in football who made a complete pigs ear of the Suarez affair.

We just don't learn from mistakes.

[fefs]

Let's just see what happens by end of transfer window

[Trada]

I share your worries.

Becoming more and more disillusioned with football right now.

Just want the season to start and the transfer window to close so we can see where we stand then.

[NOTBORNIN1982]

Get behind the manager and shut your dirty mouths!

[Grobbelrevell]

Many of your worries, whilst understandable in many respects, are based on rumours and as of yet unknowns in relation to our transfer dealings this summer. There are two main things that i'd point out with this:

1) There's five weeks left in the transfer window. That's a long time in football and a lot can and no doubt will, happen.

2) Rodgers' has arguably arrived in the single worst possible summer, with two major tournaments massively disrupting his opportunity to hit the ground running, which undoubtedly is centred around assessing the existing squad and on the back of that, formulating a plan in relation to what he feels we need to bring in (or sell). He's barely had that opportunity up to now.

Both of the above factors likely go some way to explain the quiet transfer window up to this point. As others have said, lets wait and see what happens between now and August 31st before we hit the panic button.

[kopite_sg8]

"the incoming rumours seem to be 20% of the outgoings". Really bizarre statement. As a liverpool fan you should already know that the press try every which way to unsettle the club. the same media we rubbish all the time, now we use their rumours for our convenience. if i go on twitter or a shit site like caughtoffside and spread rumours (believe me, you can) about 4 or 5 players coming in and a possible couple of exits, will that make a better transfer window for us because the incoming rumours are more that of the outgoing rumours?

everything else in the OP, i agree with.

[Fanxxxxtastic]

Apart from getting rid of the debt, we seem no better off so far.

Players being shipped out left, right and centre.  Quality players being discussed constantly as on the move, and very little been brought in so far.

Suppose we just have to sit tight and see what unfolds.

[Grobbelrevell]

Too late.

Of course, lets all sream and shout before we even know what's going to happen.

Yes, earlier would be better and no doubt Rodgers would agree with that (and I think he's already said as much), but for the reasons that i've tried to outline above, I don't think that was ever likely this summer as a result of the new manager coming in and his chance to assess what he has already being heavily disrupted by first the Euro's, and then the Olympics.

[scared_person]

I share your concerns. The owners are here for profit and profit alone, therefore the sort of questions they need to ask are not "Do we need to invest in another attacking player to challenge for the top 4?" more "Is the required investment to make the top 4 worth it for the increased revenue that CL football would provide?"

Do FSG need to make Liverpool a major force in European football in order to turn a profit? I'm not convinced that they do, and lets be honest up to this point they haven't exactly shown the ambition

[Garstonite]

Concern is healthy. The owners have a lot to prove.

[Paul-LFC]

I guess we will see in the next few weeks.

I think you summed up my thoughts well with that last sentence. At the moment, the rumours of players that are still here leaving are just that - rumours. We have rumours every season, some seasons more than average, some seasons less. If we start the season having sold some or all of those players and not brought in adequate replacements, then that's a huge reason to worry. But at the moment, we haven't done that, and I'd hope that we wouldn't. So as you say, let's wait and see how we start the season, and whether that's a reason for worry. That's how I see it at the moment anyway, it's quite possible I'm missing something big that should have me worried, but at the moment I think we need to wait and see what happens by the end of the transfer window.

Although I also wish that Rafa was given the chance to finish what he started as you say, the man was perfect for us and loved the club, still does. I was gutted when we has sacked, and still haven't given up the hope that one day he'll be back to continue the job he was doing and get the chance to work with some of the players produced by the academy system he revolutionised.

[Bjinxi]

Great post, exactly my feelings.

Think, as others said, it is down to no football at the moment. But it is really sad, that I cant see us moving forward right now. Instead of going for top players (regardless of if we can get them or not), we are the ones that maybe losing our top players. It shouldnt be only about cutting the wagebill but about who is worth what they are paid footballing wise.

I was really looking forward to the new season but at the moment I am kind of disappointed. Hope that changes soon.

Come on you reds !!

[Matt8Pie]

I'm very concerned too by the things you've mentioned. I'm waiting until the end of the transfer window though before I firmly put my foot in a certain corner.

[geoffstrong]

Hardly FSG's fault what the papers write is it?

what is Jen Chang doing then?

Positive Spin might help.

[JohnHobbes]

Concern is healthy. The owners have a lot to prove.

Yes, they do. Healthy distrust/wariness is fine. Rampant paranoid, conspiracy theories and fearmongering is not. BR said he'd do transfers late due to the two major competitions this summer, so let's wait and see.

[Melbred]

Yes, they do. Healthy distrust/wariness is fine. Rampant paranoid, conspiracy theories and fearmongering is not. BR said he'd do transfers late due to the two major competitions this summer, so let's wait and see.

[Kage]

Agree with most of the OP. Worried about the direction in which we are headed. Mediocrity. Even many of our own fans now accept it. Head over to the transfer forum and every few posts you read "we can't offer this, we are not attractive that". Acceptance of mediocrity in droves.

[JohnHobbes]

what is Jen Chang doing then?

Positive Spin might help.

He can try as much as he wants but if a paper wants to ignore that or has an editorial bias then nothing he does would change that. I think we can agree that this side of the club is much improved so far under Jen though...

[Grobbelrevell]

Healthy distrust/wariness is fine. Rampant paranoid, conspiracy theories and fearmongering is not. BR said he'd do transfers late due to the two major competitions this summer, so let's wait and see.

I couldn't agree more.

[silver 5 star]

All Fenway seem to be doing is trimming the wage bill. They kept season tickets down this season ( but fucked the arse off the corporates ) but in future we are going to have a tiered price structure on season tickets and match tickets - you'll pay more for a seat on the half-way line etc.

No movement on the stadium. I see all the arguments about our "global support" but I don't see anything that would allow us to cash in.

Plus if we spend too long out of the CL and with no trophies then that sort of support drops away anyway.

They are cutting the wage bill and sweating the "asset" which is Anfield.

This is Doug Ellis, Aston Villa stuff.

City are already in a different league. United and Chelsea well ahead too.

Spurs have a better squad, Newcastle performed better than we did last season and have a bigger stadium.

If we do lose the likes of Skrtel and Agger and Reina then the arse will fall out of the club.

Fenway seem lost to me and the rumors about them looking to sell would not surprise me at all. Especially if they are ready to sell with a low wage bill for the squad and maximizing the revenue from Anfield...

[myliverbird]

We the fans have our part to play and if we don't play it we're destined for failure.

[Anfield Mob]

you need nerves of steel to believe we are running up the correct path at present. too much talk of players on their way out (terrible season really so makes sense) but nothing to grasp onto that would ease any fears we are nothing but a struggling former powerhouse of european footy.

really dont know what to think, not pure pessimism but not overjoyed with developments either. hmm.

[geoffstrong]

He can try as much as he wants but if a paper wants to ignore that or has an editorial bias then nothing he does would change that. I think we can agree that this side of the club is much improved so far under Jen though...

Nope your wrong we cant agree on that at all, its no better than before in my opinion we are still clueless !

[jimmyjr86]

Worried that the players linked with leaving to fund are of better quality than who we sign. Its pretty clear we're on a shoe string budget. Otherwise the targets would be signed by now.

If we got rid of the perceived 'shite' kept our backbone of a side and gave the likes of Shelvey/Coates/Pacheco/Sterling/Robinson/Suso and Morgan a chance i would accept we're building for the future.

[Incognito]

Totally understand where OP is coming from.

I'm still weaving after the K.O. blow on my so called supporting attitude towards Liverpool F.C. dealt by people I was trying to build trust on.  So having degraded myself into a follower I am a bit worried in all this talk of cost cuts and the total surrender to the idea that we're starved of funds.  That without really saying it we've reached an agreement on how the club has become mediocre and mid-table.  An assumption taken by reading between the lines and the actions, or lack thereof, from those holding the reigns.  I could be, and hoping, that I'm wrong in all this though.  Yet I am finding it hard to bother myself reading or taking part in football discussions.  Even watching games with the same interest as I had not many months ago...

...deluded, guess that's the word that could describe my attitude concerning the club these past weeks.  I do try to build up towards being a supporter again and have some hope I will succeed.  Guess only time will tell.

[Melbred]

We the fans have our part to play and if we don't play it we're destined for failure.

You're right. Let's just say the fans all decide to turn against the owners and the manager before even having a chance to prove themselves, I wonder what will happen.

[geoffstrong]

You're right. Let's just say the fans all decide to turn against the owners and the manager before even having a chance to prove themselves, I wonder what will happen.

As always they will still support the team on the pitch like before when we had the wrong owners followed by the wrong manager!