It is three years since Liverpool were last in the Champions League, and the longer they are missing from Europe’s premier competition the harder it will be for the club to return to their former glories.
Quite an end to Liverpools season. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) have acted ruthlessly, dismissing not only their Director of Football, Director of Communication, and Club Doctor, but also iconic manager Kenny Dalglish. A Carling Cup success was not enough to make up for some very poor purchases and an 8th place finish in the Premier League. It is three years since Liverpool were last in the Champions League, and the longer they are missing from Europes premier competition the harder it will be for the club to return to their former glories. However, it is not simply a new manager that the Reds need. FSG have a very busy summer ahead if Liverpool are to challenge for major trophies next season. Here are their top five priorities for the summer
1. Get The Right Man In As Manager
Dalglish, despite his ties to the club, was not meeting the expectations of the owners. The bar has been set a trophy is not enough (although had they won the FA Cup, would Dalglish still be in charge?). Liverpool need a man that can bring Champions League football back to Anfield, and possibly more. But where do they find that man? FSG have stated they want a younger manager who can bring long term stability. However, the market is very short on young managers who have experienced Champions League football or won league titles. There are a few names Andre Villas-Boas, Jurgen Klopp, Rudi Garcia but although Liverpool has the history, will the challenge of resurrecting the Liver Bird be attractive when bigger teams battling for titles will also be after the men mentioned? It will depend on finances (to be covered in a moment) as much as anything else. Below that top tier of young managers are the likes of Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rogers, Paul Lambert, who have some Premiership experience and are more likely to consider the Liverpool position as one of the top jobs in Europe. However, there is a danger that these are simply the flavour of the month, or season. Next year we might have forgotten them and be talking up Brian McDermott, Nigel Adkins, maybe Ian Holloway again. FSG admittedly know little about football. Damian Comolli was meant to be the football man on the board, but without him one wonders if John W Henry and company know what they are doing. A reported short list of 12 men does not instil confidence, but at least FSG have gained time having acted so decisively in removing King Kenny. Who FSG settle on might depend on what they want to do with the club, speaking of which....
2. Select A Strategy
The Moneyball concept was more a media fascination that a club philosophy, but if FSG did have any delusions of implementing their Baseball strategy on this side of the Atlantic, they now know better. They trusted footballing men to make footballing decisions, but Dalglishs targets have failed to produce and Comolli failed to negotiate value for money deals. So what now? Do FSG put different football people in charge, or do they take a hands-on approach? They went to sign young, hungry players with potential and build up their value. They want a young, hungry manager to lead them. But if they want Champions League football, they will need to spend money. The squad has a few decent players, but even if the current team performed to expectations, or their price tags, the squad still needs a right winger, a backup winger, a backup striker, possibly a central midfielder and a centre back. Thats with Downing, Henderson and Adams performing consistently, which we have yet to see. So do FSG splash the cash now in the hope of an immediate bump up the league, or do they act more prudently and look for steady accumulation? Given Dalglish and Comolli did not last 18 months, steady accumulation does not seem to be the American way.
3. Make Money Available
If they are to entice a new manager and achieve Champions League football, money will need to be made available. They wasted a huge amount on transfers last summer, so will FSG write big cheques this time round? Will the new man have to generate his own transfer funds by offloading players, or will he have to free up money in the wage budget? Dirk Kuyt is already rumoured to be on his way, so too Maxi Rodriguez. Joe Coles future is still to be resolved, and no doubt FSG would prefer his £70,000 a week wages was shared between two or three players. And how can we forget Alberto Aquilani? Liverpool could do with getting rid of the deadwood straight away so they know exactly what they need, and exactly what they have. FSG might be better spending money now and saving money later.
4. The Liverpool Stadium Mystery
While the identity of the next manager will be the principle influence on the fans morale, a long overdue announcement on the stadium problem, even just an update, would help quell some of the discontent. Liverpool have needed a new stadium for what seems like a millennia. Youd forgive Liverpool fans for looking back at the proclamations of Hicks and Gillet (spade in the ground within 60 days) and ruefully laughing. Henry and Werner have got no nearer a solution and as long as the issue remains unresolved Liverpools long term future is compromised. It would also act as a signal that FSG are in it for the long haul. Even if they did break ground tomorrow, the new stadium would not be up and running for another three years, and with any funding likely to come from outside sources, the additional matchday income would have to service debt. However, resolution is long overdue and any owner not simply looking for a fast buck must make a move on the stadium soon. No time like the present.
5. Sort out the Admin
Will FSG restructure the clubs hierarchy? They went with the Director of Football/General Manager setup that prevails in American sport will they look to do so once again? My intuition says no, because they are going after a new manager straight away, not getting in the Director of Football first and then tasking that director with finding a new head coach. If FSG are controlling the recruitment process they should control everything putting in a middle man will only shift responsibility and cloud the decision making process. No doubt the Americans will have advisors nothing wrong with that but they need to take hold of the Anfield boardroom. The vacant position of Director of Communications gives FSG the chance to control the message that comes out from the club, make the owners position every matter clear, and hopefully avoid the kind of shambles that arose out of the Suarez affair. Commercially the club is doing well but that success needs to be replicated in other areas too. Its a sizeable task but one FSG need to tackle right now.
