Liverpool FC Forum

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:14 pm

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has broken the dressing-room silence on the ownership debacle to claim the boardroom struggles are no excuse for a wretched season.

He said the reign of Tom Hicks and George Gillett has had no impact on players' performances and insisted big changes are now required at Anfield if the club is challenge at the top.

The Dane said: "The ownership has nothing to do with us. You can't use that as an excuse. The problem is on the pitch. A lot of things have to change. It is not up to me to change them so I won't bore you with what I think those changes should be , but we just have to realise it has not been good enough and we need to do a lot better if we want to win trophies.

"We've tried to put things right every day in training. This is part of football. Sometimes form goes up and sometimes it goes down. The fans certainly deserve a better season next time."

Chelsea will be hoping to pile on the agony on a pivotal afternoon in the title race. But Agger delivered a stark warning to Londoners, insisting the Kop stars will be fired up because they're playing for their futures.

Agger said: "It surprises me people doubt we'll give our all against Chelsea because when you wear the red shirt and play for a club like this, you have to give everything, every time.

"We will definitely do everything we can to beat them. It should be the case we are playing for our future. If you don't perform, you shouldn't play."

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:16 pm

Benny The Noon wrote:
s@int wrote:
Benny The Noon wrote:I would happily bet you money that kenny would not repeat his success for us in the current climate . And why the need for the little dig at rafa ?! He is more than just asking for money . Drag yourself into the modern era and stop living in the 80s , that time and kennys time is long gone

He doesn't need to repeat his success of the 80's mate......he just needs to do better than Rafa. Anytime you want a bet on that I am your man. I am pretty confident he can better 7th place.

What about previous seasons then ? Will he do better than them as well or just this one poor season ? Let's not forget the last time he managed a club in the prem he was sacked while they were 13th in the prem .And to please our current set of fans he would have to be winning he league for them not to turn on him in a flash

its just sentimental mate, he hasn't managed for 10 years and now you are quibbling

by **Kharhaz** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:16 pm

S@int: Kenny for manager

Benny: why?

S@int: as he is a better option

Benny: why?

S@int: well, although he has been out of the game a while, the experience doesnt just disappear

Benny: why?

S@int: well he will add stability and unite the fans behind the team once again

Benny: why?

:laugh:

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:20 pm

I must be as daft as him mate to keep replying

by **Benny The Noon** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:25 pm

Ok quick question then saint - what happens if kenny doesn't succeed ? What happens if he does no better than rafa and in fact does worse ? Will you and others subject him to the same sort of treatment rafa gets and demand for him to be sacked ?

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:26 pm

Rafa Benitez has paved the way for his Kop exit by accusing Liverpool of breaking the promises which prompted him to pen a new contract.

The beleaguered boss expects today's clash with Chelsea to be his last game at Anfield as Liverpool manager.

Only the terms of his departure stand in the way of him going after next weekend's final Premier League game at Hull.

But there's no chance of Benitez going quietly. He believes his board have failed to stand by guarantees on transfer funds they made a year ago.

And he's also disillusioned by what he considers a lack of support from the Anfield hierarchy.

Benitez knows the board of directors want him to resign to prevent them from paying out a massive £16million if they sack him. They will also seek compensation for themselves if they can prove an illegal approach was made by Juventus for his services.

However, Benitez is sure to argue he's entitled to his own costs on leaving the club, especially as he claims he's been forced to work under disagreeable conditions.

Benitez said: "I decided to sign an extension because the squad was good and the money could be there. At the end, things changed. We've had a bad season and hopefully things will be different in the future, but at the moment I can't talk about the future because I don't know what's going on.

"I decided to stay under some conditions which have changed. I left Valencia because the conditions changed. The season has not been good, that is clear. We know why and what has to change."

Just over a year ago, Benitez signed a five-year deal worth £20m.

He believed he'd get an annual £20m transfer kitty on top of the money he raised in sales.

He also fought for complete power over all transfer decisions and thought former chief executive Rick Parry's departure gave him the control he wanted.

But managing director Christian Purslow's appointment last summer ensured the board would continue to have their say on how the budget was spent and how transfers were negotiated.

Most of the funds were swallowed up by contract extensions for Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Dirk Kuyt, Yossi Benayoun and Benitez himself.

The manager insists he didn't realise that would be the case - and the tensions have grown ever since. Instead of heralding a new era, the relationship between Benitez and Purslow is now at breaking point.

Club officials were stunned to be accused of failing to back Benitez given the length of his contract and the public support they gave during this season's disappointments.

Liverpool's profits will take a major hit this season due to their early cup exits and likely failure to finish in the top four.

At the same time, Juventus have been openly courting Benitez since January, when the Spaniard admitted he was proud of their interest. Privately, Benitez wanted Real Madrid to come calling too, but they've turned to Jose Mourinho.

AC Milan is another potential destination for Benitez, while last year he says he turned down Manchester City.

He'll leave behind a club in state of depression following Thursday's Europa League exit.

Purslow must make one of the biggest decisions in the club's history.

He and his board must decide whether to act immediately after the Hull clash or wait to see if Benitez accepts another job. That risks losing potential targets.

With first choice Mourinho seemingly heading to Spain, the frontrunners for the Anfield post are now Martin O'Neill and Roy Hodgson. Further afield, Benfica boss Jesus Jorge also has admirers at the club, if they choose to look abroad.

The Liverpool players are dreading returning from this summer's World Cup to be faced with the same problems and there are no guarantees star players will stay, regardless of Benitez's position.

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:29 pm

Benny The Noon wrote:Ok quick question then saint - what happens if kenny doesn't succeed ? What happens if he does no better than rafa and in fact does worse ? Will you and others subject him to the same sort of treatment rafa gets and demand for him to be sacked ?

What happens if he does succeed, what happens if he does better than Rafa. Stop being so negative and look to the possibility of success rather than failure for a change.

by **Benny The Noon** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:31 pm

If he was to succed then I would be delighted , now as he chances of him failing are just as likely maybe more so IMO can you answer my question or are you going to avoid it again ?

by **account deleted by request** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:37 pm

I think I have answered enough of your questions mate. I will not look for failure just to please you, I will look to success no matter who takes us over. I think we have had enough failure over the last few years to last a lifetime, and I certainly won't answer questions when put like that!

by **Benny The Noon** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:41 pm

Just as I thought , well I expect that whoever the next manager is if rafa is to leave gets the same treatment as rafa does if things don't go the way they want - the insults , the digs , the demeaning of any positives and the demanding to be sacked . Off course it will be just be on the forums though.

by **mart** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:52 pm

s@int wrote:They make me laugh mate, they call Chelsea for buying the league, then want Rafa to be allowed to do just the same

Thats pretty much what the premier league is these days. Money wins. It doesnt matter if the manager is Moureen, Kenny or rafa when the financial situation of this club sucks.

by **Scottbot** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:52 pm

Benny The Noon wrote:Just as I thought , well I expect that whoever the next manager is if rafa is to leave gets the same treatment as rafa does if things don't go the way they want - the insults , the digs , the demeaning of any positives and the demanding to be sacked . Off course it will be just be on the forums though.

Poor old Rafa eh? You can be so dramatic Benny. All the posters on here needlessly aiming digs at our beleaguered manager. Seems to me Rafa is angling for a way out with his recent comments. It also seems likely he will refrain from publicly conceding our disastrous season has anything to do with his decisions, choices or actions and that it is all down to the "changing conditions" at the club.

by **Benny The Noon** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:55 pm

No not at posters Scott , there is still some that despite wanting him gone can still show respect to the man

by **Ben Patrick** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:56 pm

Benny

'football is a simple game made complicated by people who should know better'

quote was obviously from Shanks, and never has it made more sense to me than watching our manager at work.

I am reading Brian Cloughs book at the moment and he criticises the over analytical managers.
Rafa to me is one of those, spends too much time thinking about tactics and fitness and not enough just on the basics.

Thats why we watch games scratching our heads and then the odd mad thing he does comes off and he probably goes home feeling all clever.

Kenny could still manage nowadays if he wants to.
Its still 11 against 11, the goals remain in the same place and the rules are virtually the same bar the mad ne offside rule.
People like Rafa seem to want to make us think football is more difficult than it actually is.

by **Ben Patrick** » Sat May 01, 2010 11:57 pm

Benny The Noon wrote:No not at posters Scott , there is still some that despite wanting him gone can still show respect to the man

The majority still show respect.

I think there is about 3 or 4 people that come on here that have been openly disrespectful, but hardly anyone when you se how many posters there actually are.

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