Author Topic: When football exectutives play football manager  (Read 24131 times)

Offline gorgepir

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When football exectutives play football manager
« on: August 21, 2012, 12:16:55 pm »
The search is not working, so I thought I would make a new topic to discuss this very interesting read by Tony Barett. (It is free till 1pm today, not sure if I can post the article or not so I will post and delete after 1)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/the-game/?blogId=Blog0fd8cd80-ce7f-4236-9e9b-6bae16c25d58Postbe70ea94-de1e-4e5b-8eec-7f5de1b0f741&shareToken=1c3d627ba39e79ee88a39f6b5dc9574b

Quote
TONY BARRETT

At lunchtime on Saturday, April 3, 2010, Joe Cole scored a famous backheel at Old Trafford that helped Chelsea towards their last Premier League title and earned him a place in the folklore of the club.

Even when the ball was making its way into Edwin van der Saar’s goal through the legs of Patrice Evra, though, it had already become clear that Cole’s future lay away from Stamford Bridge regardless of any heroics against Manchester United.

Contract talks had long since become protracted with Chelsea no longer convinced of his worth to the club following a serious knee injury and, according to reports at the time, the club baulked at Cole’s demand for a pay increase that would have taken his weekly wage from £80,000 to £100,000. However, there was someone in football who was willing to offer the England international that kind of deal though and in the minutes that followed Cole’s famous backheel he sent text messages boasting of how he was going to make Cole a Liverpool player.

That man was Christian Purslow, Liverpool’s then chief executive, who accompanied the messages he sent with a request for the information to go no further or else the deal would be jeopardised. So clandestine was Operation Joe Cole that even Rafael Benitez, the then Liverpool manager, was not aware of it.

Benitez had already made his feelings clear on Cole, in public as well. Prior to Liverpool’s defeat by Arsenal at the Emirates on February 10, 2010, the Spaniard had held talks with Purslow at London’s Melia White House Hotel with the pair discussing potential transfer targets for the following summer.
Having sold Robbie Keane the previous winter and being left with only the increasingly injury-prone Fernando Torres and the unproven David Ngog as frontline attackers, Benitez made it plain that his priority when the transfer window opened was to sign a forward. Purslow told Benitez that he had a better idea – Cole was likely to become available in the summer and better still he would be on a free transfer.

Benitez’s angry reaction was such that Purslow was left in no uncertain terms that his manager would not even consider the proposed move. So volcanic was it that guests staying at the luxury hotel were left stunned by the exchange that took place in a reception area that was also open to the public.

As far as Benitez was concerned, if a free transfer was the best that Liverpool – then struggling under the weight of the debts piled onto the club by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr – could do then the only position he wanted filling was in attack. His suggestion was to move for Marouane Chamakh who was himself set to become available on a free transfer four months later.

Purslow disagreed with his manager, and with the assessment of the likes of Jose Mourinho, Fabio Capello and Carlo Ancelotti, who all doubted Cole's ongoing ability to cut it at a big club, and continued to pursue the former West Ham United player. Chamakh, meanwhile, joined Arsenal where he remains despite a less than productive spell that seems destined to come to an end as soon as Arsene Wenger can find a new home for the Moroccan.

A similar situation is unfolding at Anfield where Brendan Rodgers has inherited a player who has been taken off injured in the two competitive matches in which he has featured in for his new manager. Rodgers would like to offload Cole but the problem is there isn’t much of a market for a player who has shown precious little to justify Liverpool’s decision to sign him and who, a moderately successful season on loan at Lille notwithstanding, has thus far failed to disprove the opinion of the Chelsea hierarchy that he was past his best.

Even those negatives, though, could probably be overcome if he was not earning astronomical wages and herein lies the problem. Depending on who you listen to, Cole is being paid anything between £90,000-£110,000 by Liverpool every single week. Over the course of the four-year contract he signed when joining the club in July 2010, that equates to a minimum of £18,720,000. In return, Cole has started just nine league games and scored only two goals.

It is madhouse economics and during a period when Liverpool, who recently paid off Alberto Aquilani just to get the Italian (a £17 million fee followed by weekly wages of £80,000) off their books, are striving desperately to get their finances in order, Cole’s nine-minute cameo at West Bromwich Albion at the weekend could not have been more badly timed.

If the sight of Cole clutching his hamstring shortly after coming off the bench was telling, then even more so was the reaction of his manager when the 30-year-old indicated that he was unsure whether or not he could continue. Unlike Cole, Rodgers had no doubts and replaced him immediately with the out-of-favour Andy Carroll.

The injury means Cole could now be out for the next four weeks, a layoff that would mean the midfield player will only be fit for action once the transfer window has closed. In the meantime, Rodgers is likely to be imploring his physiotherapy team to work some magic, more out of a desire to stand at least an outside chance of moving Cole and his wages on than out of a belief that he can become the first Liverpool manager to extract value for money from him on the pitch.

None of this is the fault of Cole. He merely did what any professional would do when offered such a lucrative contract after realising that his future lay elsewhere. He arrived at Liverpool with the best of intentions and his professionalism and value as a team-mate has never been in question even though his worth to the team and value for money quite clearly are.

In some ways, albeit not in a financial sense, Cole is a victim in all this. His career is stagnating to an alarming extent, so much so that his name is not even mentioned in dispatches when England squads are mentioned. He moved to the wrong club at the wrong time and now appears trapped there by a contract that makes potential buyers run a mile. For someone who has always lived for football and for the joy of playing the game that is a tragedy, even if it is an extortionately well remunerated one.

Somehow, Cole and Liverpool need to be put out of their mutual misery. The past two years have shown that they are not good for one another and Rodgers is now the third Liverpool manager, following on from Roy Hodgson and Kenny Dalglish, who is struggling to find a use for him.

Should Rodgers manage to add to his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of this month then it is almost inconceivable that he will be keen for Cole to remain but for a parting of the ways to occur one of two things must happen. Either Cole must accept that his Liverpool career is over and look for a new club in the knowledge that wherever he goes he will have to accept a significant pay cut, or else Liverpool will have to come up with a pay off to help ease him through the Shankly Gates.

Whatever happens, that backheel at Old Trafford must be starting to feel like it happened in another lifetime for Joe Cole.


Offline gorgepir

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2012, 12:18:22 pm »
I think the real sad part was this:

Quote
Benitez’s angry reaction was such that Purslow was left in no uncertain terms that his manager would not even consider the proposed move. So volcanic was it that guests staying at the luxury hotel were left stunned by the exchange that took place in a reception area that was also open to the public.

As far as Benitez was concerned, if a free transfer was the best that Liverpool – then struggling under the weight of the debts piled onto the club by Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr – could do then the only position he wanted filling was in attack. His suggestion was to move for Marouane Chamakh who was himself set to become available on a free transfer four months later.

Chamakh didn't really amount to anything, but it was obvious for awhile now that we need another attacker.

Offline .Mike

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2012, 12:18:31 pm »
The cecil and Rafa exchange is interesting. No wonder we are in so much shit with wages.

Offline Fat Scouser

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2012, 12:20:31 pm »
Christian Purslow, the self proclaimed, "Fernando Torres of the financial world." What an arse, but sadly bean counters are still running the gaff and ruling the roost.
"A peasant you are. A peasant you will remain. And we shall use all our wealth and power, to make your lot even worse and keep you exactly where you are, Bondage!"    The Boy King, Richard II, after  putting down the The Peasants Revolt in 1381.

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Offline scared_person

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2012, 12:21:58 pm »
Fucking Hell Purslow was bad for our club. I still don't understand how somebody who is clearly an intelligent and successful man could be so clueless when it comes to football. Was it simply arrogance?

I cringe when I hear Purslow on the radio talking about football governance. He was a disaster.

Offline Crosby Nick

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2012, 12:23:19 pm »
£18 million in wages over the course of the contract. Ouch. I know that shouldn't be a surprised - footballers are ridiculously paid and he was always known to be on a high wage but seeing it in black and wide really brought it home to me. Mental.

Offline El_Pistolero

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2012, 12:23:32 pm »
Fucking Cecil. c*nt.

Offline Geppvindh's

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2012, 12:26:36 pm »
If this doesn't show what a scarily difficult job Rodgers has on his hands, then nothing will. It will take more than one transfer window to just iron out the unwanted money, let alone buy better players and make them play well.

Offline Bob Loblaw

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #8 on: August 21, 2012, 12:26:48 pm »
Puts the perceived job Ayre is doing into some perspective.

Offline Fat Scouser

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2012, 12:27:06 pm »
Was it simply arrogance?


"Fernando Torres of the financial world."
"A peasant you are. A peasant you will remain. And we shall use all our wealth and power, to make your lot even worse and keep you exactly where you are, Bondage!"    The Boy King, Richard II, after  putting down the The Peasants Revolt in 1381.

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Offline El Festino

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #10 on: August 21, 2012, 12:29:57 pm »
The search is not working, so I thought I would make a new topic to discuss this very interesting read by Tony Barett. (It is free till 1pm today, not sure if I can post the article or not so I will post and delete after 1)

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/the-game/?blogId=Blog0fd8cd80-ce7f-4236-9e9b-6bae16c25d58Postbe70ea94-de1e-4e5b-8eec-7f5de1b0f741&shareToken=1c3d627ba39e79ee88a39f6b5dc9574b


What a cock Cecil is. Fucking retarded transfer.
With regards to Cole, 'now appears trapped there by a contract that makes potential buyers run a mile'. If Cole does feel trapped he could take a pay cut and kindly go away. However, he's not going to is he. I read elsewhere here people speculating Rodgers rates Cole and that why he was played him last Sat. Surely he came on in the hope he would do something remotely useful that might tempt someone to take a punt on him. That in itself is wrong too.

Offline stewy17

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #11 on: August 21, 2012, 12:31:56 pm »
Frightening.

Football decisions should be made by football people.

We're still suffering from the decisions that this gobshite took, and Cole is the tip of the iceberg. For all the shit H and G caused, Cecil has set us back 4 or 5 years. Not to mention the fact that he's responsible for sacking Rafa 12 months after he built our strongest side in 20 years.

Offline scared_person

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2012, 12:34:47 pm »
"Fernando Torres of the financial world."

Clearly it was arrogance! Amazing and scary how far someone can go in the financial world with an attitude like that - no doubt it contributed to the economic shit we're all neck deep in.

Still, I doubt anybody would be too pissed off if he turned up at Chelsea for £50Million.

Offline TipTopKop

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2012, 12:35:13 pm »
At least such baffling, bizarre astronomical fee signings ended once that idiot Cecil left, right ?.

Offline sirjames

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2012, 12:36:55 pm »
everything that needs to be said on this matter has been.

Purslow was a fucking idiot.

For me it was simple, if you wasnt behind rafa you was behind purslow. And it saddens me that so many 'fans' went against him.
If we win, its normal because were Liverpool Football Club
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Offline Wee Red Steve

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #15 on: August 21, 2012, 12:36:56 pm »
I dont like the C word but in on some occasions it is unavoidable

Purslow, you sir, are a bonafide c*nt
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Offline Chakan

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #16 on: August 21, 2012, 12:37:40 pm »
Are we really that surprised?

Offline Fat Scouser

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #17 on: August 21, 2012, 12:38:19 pm »
Clearly it was arrogance! Amazing and scary how far someone can go in the financial world with an attitude like that - no doubt it contributed to the economic shit we're all neck deep in.

Still, I doubt anybody would be too pissed off if he turned up at Chelsea for £50Million.
Mate, he wears stacked heels... I think that says it all.
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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #18 on: August 21, 2012, 12:39:39 pm »
Not surprised. not fucking surprised at all.
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Offline Zeb

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #19 on: August 21, 2012, 12:41:14 pm »
It wasn't idiocy. It was an attempt to win over people (whether press or some of our beloved support) with a big name signing. It worked at the time. True story. So not idiocy, just short termist lunacy.
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Offline LondonRedMan

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #20 on: August 21, 2012, 12:41:43 pm »
£18 million in wages over the course of the contract. Ouch. I know that shouldn't be a surprised - footballers are ridiculously paid and he was always known to be on a high wage but seeing it in black and wide really brought it home to me. Mental.

Offline elbow

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #21 on: August 21, 2012, 12:44:35 pm »
It wasn't idiocy. It was an attempt to win over people (whether press or some of our beloved support) with a big name signing. It worked at the time. True story. So not idiocy, just short termist lunacy.

Did it? I remember the day we were linked with and his wages then were already reported to be 100,000 a week. Somebody (might have been L6 Red) posted in the transfer forum that was what we were paying in interest every day. Bad days them.
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Offline Malaysian Kopite

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #22 on: August 21, 2012, 12:45:17 pm »
Roy admitted as much. He also claimed how Purslow was trying to sell several other players as well, including Lucas.
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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #23 on: August 21, 2012, 12:46:35 pm »
Clearly it was arrogance! Amazing and scary how far someone can go in the financial world with an attitude like that - no doubt it contributed to the economic shit we're all neck deep in.

Still, I doubt anybody would be too pissed off if he turned up at Chelsea for £50Million.
It's exactly that attitude that gets you far in that world. The meek and humble get eaten for breakfast.

Offline GBF

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2012, 12:50:35 pm »
this was public knowledge during Cecil's time here but not one main stream newspapers wrote something like that.  Instead they were all blaming everything in the world on Rafa.

This article is just a couple of years too late
01111001 01101111 01110101 00100111 01101100 01101100 00100000 01101110 01100101 01110110 01100101 01110010 00100000 01110111 01100001 01101100 01101011 00100000 01100001 01101100 01101111 01101110 01100101

Offline Fat Scouser

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #25 on: August 21, 2012, 12:50:43 pm »
It wasn't idiocy. It was an attempt to win over people (whether press or some of our beloved support) with a big name signing. It worked at the time. True story. So not idiocy, just short termist lunacy.
He'd just sacked Rafa. He probably thought he was doing the right thing. He'd probably seen Joe Cole on Saint and Greavsie when he was about 10. He is such a fucking knobhead, he probaly thought he knew better than Rafa. We still haven't recovered. It's starting to look like we won't for a long long time. It's fucking criminal, but there's only 2 choices... fuck it off and do something else, or ignore all the cack and carry on regardless. I'm in the carry on mode right now, but I know it won't take much to push me into the fuck it off bracket.
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Offline Red Genius

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #26 on: August 21, 2012, 12:50:49 pm »
Thank Fowler that snake is no longer here.

I like Fats, became incredibly disillusioned when Rafa was ousted and the responsibility (control / power) vacuum was gobbled up by these b(w?)ankers.

No good has ultimately come of those decisions (other than seeing Kenny beam out infront of the Kop again and win a piece of silverware)

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Offline Malaysian Kopite

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #27 on: August 21, 2012, 12:51:19 pm »
His attitude may have been right, but him equating football with business was why he failed spectacularly.
Football without fans is nothing.

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Offline filopastry

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #28 on: August 21, 2012, 12:53:01 pm »
It wasn't idiocy. It was an attempt to win over people (whether press or some of our beloved support) with a big name signing. It worked at the time. True story. So not idiocy, just short termist lunacy.

I think it was also to win over some of the squad as well, didn't Stevie commit his future to the club a day or 2 after the signing?

It looked a big gamble at the time though when you stopped looking at Cole's reputation and looked at what he'd actually produced over the previous couple of years, by my recollection most fans were delighted with the signing, albeit that upbeat mood didn't last for long.

Purlsow was a fucking scumbag though, it's a shame for the club that his opinion of his own abilities and his actual abilities weren't a lot closer together.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2012, 12:56:15 pm by filopastry »

Offline sirjames

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #29 on: August 21, 2012, 12:53:15 pm »
this was public knowledge during Cecil's time here but not one main stream newspapers wrote something like that.  Instead they were all blaming everything in the world on Rafa.

This article is just a couple of years too late

Is right. 

The media was happy for rafa to take the stick and interview tossers outside the ground then came to the party when we had already done the hard work.
If we win, its normal because were Liverpool Football Club
Rafa  25/1/05

Offline Red Genius

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #30 on: August 21, 2012, 12:53:37 pm »
..but I know it won't take much to push me into the fuck it off bracket.

If you do that these clowns win, they dilute what connects us to our past, our roots, our ideals. I know it's hard but life long fans, people like yourself are the soul of the club. Owners / directors / boards - come and go, but our support should always remain.
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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #31 on: August 21, 2012, 12:54:20 pm »
The cecil and Rafa exchange is interesting. No wonder we are in so much shit with wages.

First I'd read about that too. Shouldn't be surprised though, the actions of those poisonous snakes at the club at the time is frightening, something we're still paying for today. What a mess.
We have to change from doubter to believer. Now.

Offline scared_person

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #32 on: August 21, 2012, 12:55:06 pm »
I think it was also to win over some of the squad as well, didn't Stevie commit his future to the club a day or 2 after the signing?

It looked a big gamble at the time though when you stopped looking at Cole's reputation and looked at what he'd actually produced over the previous couple of years, by my recollection most fans were delighted with the signing, albeit that upbeat mood didn't last for long.

I think a lot of people in here were pretty sceptical of it, especially the ones who knew that sacking Rafa was a monumental fuck up.

**Rushes off to search his opinion on Joe Cole at the time**

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #33 on: August 21, 2012, 12:56:16 pm »
I think it was also to win over some of the squad as well, didn't Stevie commit his future to the club a day or 2 after the signing?

It looked a big gamble at the time though when you stopped looking at Cole's reputation and looked at what he'd actually produced over the previous couple of years, by my recollection most fans were delighted with the signing, albeit that upbeat mood didn't last for long.

i seem to remember a lot of fans being happy. Especially since we'd apparently beaten Spurs to his signature. And Gerrard spouting that nonsense about him being as good as Messi.

Offline Fat Scouser

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #34 on: August 21, 2012, 12:59:15 pm »
If you do that these clowns win, they dilute what connects us to our past, our roots, our ideals. I know it's hard but life long fans, people like yourself are the soul of the club. Owners / directors / boards - come and go, but our support should always remain.
No, mate. I'm one of millions. I stopped going after they sacked Rafa. The seat didn't stay empty. It's took me 2 years to decide that I'm going to start going again. I've only took that decision because I miss old friends and the laughs. Maybe my laughs are finished for good. I'll soon find out, but it's always about the next generation and the buzz they get from it. If us auldies have a job and a duty, it's to make sure the next lot in behind us have something left to buzz on.
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Offline Red Genius

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #35 on: August 21, 2012, 01:00:00 pm »
I think it was also to win over some of the squad as well, didn't Stevie commit his future to the club a day or 2 after the signing?

It looked a big gamble at the time though when you stopped looking at Cole's reputation and looked at what he'd actually produced over the previous couple of years, by my recollection most fans were delighted with the signing, albeit that upbeat mood didn't last for long.

Let's face it, members of the playing staff should not be influencing who the club buys, that has never been, and never will be, their job.

Some fans may have been excited by Joe joining, but then you have to forgive that opinion. He had been a useful player, we'd got him at no transfer fee - we weren't aware at the time what we were going to be paying him. We'd just lost a manager many felt a connection with, and the on-going battle with the ownership continued.

Whilst some called the Cole signing out for what it's transpired to be, he was a house hold name arriving on a free transfer. I can forgive and sympathise with those who may have been excited by him arriving. But ultimately the manager should identify, target and recruit the players he wants. Purslow should have kept his beak out.
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Offline Red Genius

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #36 on: August 21, 2012, 01:03:45 pm »
No, mate. I'm one of millions. I stopped going after they sacked Rafa. The seat didn't stay empty. It's took me 2 years to decide that I'm going to start going again. I've only took that decision because I miss old friends and the laughs. Maybe my laughs are finished for good. I'll soon find out, but it's always about the next generation and the buzz they get from it. If us auldies have a job and a duty, it's to make sure the next lot in behind us have something left to buzz on.

You're not wrong fella, and that's precisely what I mean. If you guys are not around to teach the young en's - then the connection to our past and the ideals our club was built on, our foundations if you like, get lost in time, and we become just another club.

There's so much wrong with the football of today, but that's for another thread. But there should be no circumstance where affectionate and travelled hard fans of yesteryear feel they shouldn't be attending Anfield to support the club they love, despite their strong and arguably right opinions of how that club is run.

"I have been privileged and lucky to wear the legendary red shirt. No one can take it away from me. YNWA, I don't have to walk alone because Liverpool FC will always be in my heart."

The Legend - Sami Hyypia

Offline RedMichelFerri

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #37 on: August 21, 2012, 01:05:37 pm »
First I'd read about that too. Shouldn't be surprised though, the actions of those poisonous snakes at the club at the time is frightening, something we're still paying for today. What a mess.

Unfortunately mate there are lot of knob heads who lapped the decisions of these c*nts and were happy when Rafa got the boot. Hopefully we recover from this under Rodgers but what a mess these guys made which really set us back. I know Rafa made few mistakes but poor guy never got a chance to correct them after that wonderful 2009-10 season.
“Seeing these smiling faces is the greatest pleasure. They have been magnificent all season. They have been our 12th man. I have always said our fans are the best in England. Now I know they are the best in Europe too.”

- Rafa Benitez : RIP Ray.

Offline GBF

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #38 on: August 21, 2012, 01:08:43 pm »
it is not like things has changed anyway with the new regime - Carroll, Downing, Comolli and Ayre
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Offline jimmyjr86

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Re: When football exectutives play football manager
« Reply #39 on: August 21, 2012, 01:08:51 pm »
Barratt was at the u21 game having a long chat with Rodgers. Must've been a briefing of some sort. He definitely wants Joe moved on.