24 Jun 2023 15:41:35
Can I ask the Ed’s why Liverpool’s transfer budget has not kept pace with the market, we are seeing Chelsea, Arsenal and City spend vast sums of money on multiple players.

Not sure what our owners expect us to do when they cannot fund what is needed to secure some of the best/ better players. It’s very frustrating as a fan of 35+ years. I really would like FSG to sell to an owner who can allow us to keep pace. Klopp has generally been a miracle worker though I do think questions need to be asked about his own performance and inability to sign midfielders last summer. I make no apologies for wanting the team to win things rather than struggle to make the top 4 year on year.

{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of any "budget" as such. The owners have provided funds as required but the reality is all of the very expensive players that people desire are wanted by other cubs as well. The targets this summer seem reasonable. They are dropping away as other clubs become involved, or where clubs do not wish to do business with Liverpool, or players want to move elsewhere.}

1.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 17:06:57
I for one am happy with the way FSG have done things, remembering where we was when they came in with the financial difficulties and so on. We now have the improvements to the stadium the new training complex, Melwood is back as well. Along with bringing in Klopp and all our success since

There’s many clubs that haven enjoyed no where near what we have these previous years and would envy our position, then on the other side you have the teams trying to dominate and in my mind at least not doing it the right way

Our club is Stable, under no investigations, well within FFP and looking to buy the right players for the club now and for the future and not plugging holes with short term expensive quick fixes

Honours should be a fight, a battle hard won, that’s where the satisfaction is. Simply thinking we should just spend our way to glory is neither satisfying or very rewarding. I’d much rather to be “in amongst it” than “expected to win it” then when you do, and we will again, it’s all the more joyous.

2.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 17:33:00
That means we can only afford players who ONLY want to play for Liverpool come what may. ALL THE BEST!

{Ed002's Note - I thought all players are Liverpool supporters - it is what I am constantly being told.}

3.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 17:57:06
Manorbourne, while they've done a lot of good they are not putting their hands in their pockets half enough, even all the infrastructure improvements you've mentioned have been funded by loans put on the club. I'm fine with that but they don't do enough just the bare minimum maybe we'd have more than 1 league title in 30 years. Arsenal who've spent 6/ 7 years out of the cl but are still outstanding us massively. Most fans don't want to see massive spends every summer but they want to see more from fsg, a lot more ambition. We should be in for the likes of Bellingham or rice if their the players klopp wants not running away when the price goes up.

4.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 18:14:52
I hear you mate, but everything we’ve enjoyed is down to the way the club is run and the decisions that have been made, of which there haven’t been many bad ones

If you was FSG looking at from where it was when they took over, compare to now with the infrastructure, trophies in the cabinet and ultimately the saleable value of the club, from a business point of view, and for FSG, it’s been a massive success.

5.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 19:16:32
I really don’t think we’ve been shy of investing in the squad of late: Nunez, Diaz, Mac Allister and Gakpo all high profile signings - and our wage bill is big. Rather than the amount we spend, the problem has been with our overall transfer strategy. We are now playing catch up after the recruitment department failed to sign any midfielders apart from Thiago over a series of seasons. It’s just not feasible, though, for us to financially compete with state owned clubs. But I do agree to the comparison with Arsenal: I just don’t understand where their money is coming from? They had so many problematic players on huge wages, not notable sales (I think? ), and the debt from the stadium.

6.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 19:16:28
{Ed002's Note - I thought all players are Liverpool supporters - it is what I am constantly being told. }
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Ed002: I think someone is teasing you on twatter :-D.

7.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 19:54:24
Manorbourne - they have been good owners but they are not able to compete and I think for the benefit of the club they should look to sell to an owner prepared to provide more funding for transfers. I accept we have spent a bit in the last 12 months but we are missing out on top tier players. We really should have gone for Bellingham for example.

8.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 19:59:38
Some fans won't be happy until we go down the road that Leed's a few years back.
Remember, it's only a game. ;)

9.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 21:44:15
I'd be dissapointed if top players in positions we badly need moved this summer and we didn't go for any of them eg Rice Caicedo Gvardiol. Im not sure what our ambition is. Feels like we've gone from "mentality monsters" to thinking we can't compete with City anyway so why waste money trying. I think when Klopp leaves we'll regret not giving him the tools to win more.

10.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 22:06:41
OneKiss - we do things differently, remember.

11.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 22:21:03
Exactly, One Kiss. This was the summer to have really gone for it. Maybe we will still sign a few players but the top tier players are moving elsewhere. I do think MacAllister was a great signing.

12.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 22:38:31
The transfer window has been open for all of 10 days and we already have Mac Allister in. I think people just need to calm down a little.

13.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 22:43:35
IF the transfer budget has not kept pace with the market (pure speculation) then the reason should be obvious:

Man City, Newcastle, PSG and Chelsea all have wealthier owners who find ways to invest a lot of money in the team. Then you have Real Madrid.

Responsible ownership depends on the club operating within its means. I’m satisfied FSG are responsible owners.

14.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 23:02:40
'Struggle to make top four year on year' is the sentence that gets me.

I don't mind fans saying they are ambitious and wanting FSGout. But the complete amnesia about where we were before FSG, and what they have achieved really unsettles me.

15.) 24 Jun 2023
24 Jun 2023 23:25:01
Very disappointing we didn't get 1 out of Bellingham, rice or caicedo. considering how well we have done in recent years we shouldve been well capable of signing 1 of them . needed 1 of them at least i feel to challenge city.

{Ed002's Note - So you are upset at Liverpool not signing players they had no interest in? Wow.}

16.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 00:00:30
I continue to find it odd that people seem to think that the only thing the club needs money for is transfer fees and that the only way to secure revenue is by winning cups. It would be brilliant if it were that simple. It’s similar with the constant questions about external investors putting money into the club seemingly not understanding what it means that the club is an asset owned by FSG.

Look at Arsenal, talking about buying Rice, Havertz and Timber and spending £ 200m. I say good luck to them. They have built steadily since financing the building of the new stadium, they were limited in what they could do in the transfer market and, in general terms, took the revenue generated from the ne w stadium to pay off debt. Having broken the back of what they owed they are now in a position to spend more on players.

Now take us - two massive stadium redevelopments and a brand new training complex and (nice touch from the owners which largely went unrecognised) the repurchase of Melwood - there are parallels with Arsenal. When we open up the new stand we will increase our revenue (at least potentially) and our financial position will be stronger. A couple more signings this window to keep us in the mix for the next couple of seasons - not world domination but an acceptable step in the right direction for our medium to long term position.

17.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 00:29:29
WDW3 I had that same opinion pretty much wrote out earlier but thought the post would be too long and removed, without FSG people forget where we might have been now and with the infrastructure spend and increased revenues they are protecting our future. Sound business planning in my mind.

18.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 00:18:51
And the job is complete. We have been brainwashed into accepting that we are poorer than Arsenal.

19.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 02:14:07
@FPF, To be honest, I’m not sure what you are talking about.

Nobody - least of all me - has said that “we are poorer than Arsenal”. I suspect that you might mean that we don’t have as much ‘money to spend’ in this window as Arsenal? If so, you are possibly correct but, again, and without trying to mess with your mind, that doesn’t actually mean that we won’t spend more than them.

The point I was making is that Arsenal took the hit in terms of paying the costs for infrastructure updates a couple of years back that we are currently going through now. The impact to their revenue is easing, out perhaps not so yet. I’m not sure how you get from there to me being ‘brainwashed’ to be honest.

20.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 04:23:33
‘Out perhaps’ should have read ‘ours perhaps’.

21.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 05:20:37
The club should pay people who can find and train the next Bellingham, Rice or Caicedo.

Not spend 100m on the current ones. Which anyone can do. In fact, I'll do it for free. Tell them to contact me.

22.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 08:45:56
You will never be happy with your own house if you’re constantly looking over the fence at the neighbours next door.

Our top ten biggest signings range from around £35 to £85 million ish, have all come in the last 8 years and there's a big chunk in the last three/ five.

In their respective history’s (using trans market figures for consistency) in respect of £50 million or more signings-

Liverpool - 4
City - 14
United - 12
Chelsea - 15
Arsenal - 6
Spurs - 3
Newcastle - 1

As for £30-£50 million signings:

Liverpool - 14
City - 14
United - 19
Chelsea - 23
Arsenal - 9
Spurs - 10
Newcastle - 5

All but two of those Liverpool signings have come in FSGs ownership.

We can’t compete with City or Chelsea spending wise and City’s considerable FFP charges highlight theirs haven’t always been legal. For too long United gained a commercial advantage over everybody and that gap is still being bridged. So if you want to look at our failings economically you need to go way further back than FSG to start that conversation.

there are a handful of owners worldwide who are happy to just throw money at a project to win silverware. We don’t. You could also blow money all over the shop but let your stadium / training facilities fall well behind the curve (like United have) . We haven’t.

The reality apart from City/ Chelsea/ United (who all have unique circumstances) is we have consistently spent as much if not more than our other rivals. Our wage bill is also around that mark.

That’s not being an FSG apologist - thems just the facts. FSG have done some good things and some very bad things but the idea they have stopped us being competitive is a myth.

{Ed025's Note - good post that Wassa..

23.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 09:40:45
Good post Wassa.

To tell the truth, I’m happy that we don’t have the money just to buy whoever we want.

What’s the point in trophies if you buy them rather than actually earn the right to win? To me, it’s great to see teams spend £ 600m in less than a year and finish 12th. Perhaps if they aimed at building a team rather than just bought the most expensive individuals available they would eventually earn the term Champions.

Same goes for City - they have won the League a lot in recent years but I wouldn’t necessarily refer to them as Champions.

24.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 09:49:07
But with all the spending by City and the charges re FFP will anything actually come of it? A fine? Will they retain all their trophys and will the record books show they dominated the PL in recent years winning 5 out of the last 6 titles?
It's hard to see anything bar a fine happening and if that's the case then hard to really see us winning another title when City and Chelsea and maybe Newcastle soon can buy 14 or more players over the 50million value. Klopp is great for the club and FSG spend money but you would wonder is Klopp envious of Peps budget, or Reals or PSG's and even Newcastles. He's still a young man and I'm sure Real, City, PSG and Newcastle would all pay handsomely to have him as their boss, time will tell if his head gets turned and he decides he'd like to play on a level playing field with the big spenders.

25.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 08:48:01
Hello ed2.on the 3 playerers named i think if we weren't interested it due to the price of them, as it an area we badly need top level players of which al 3 are imo. Weve Been in 3 out of last 5 champ league finals and if can't afford these players now i can't see us ever been under currebt ownership.

26.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 11:13:28
The club pumps out “we’re poor” propaganda to play the recruitment market and half the fanbase uses it to contort themselves to wear a “I prefer it this way anyway”. It’s quite the thing to see.

27.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 11:20:31
FSG are good owners but can't compete? We need to compete for top 4 year on year? And my personal favourite - they don't dip I their own pockets enough.

Just make me laugh. At some point, ya'll meed to recognize were not London Paris, Madrid. and there actually sint anything wrong with how we do things.

28.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 11:21:57
Digger - can you not see the irony I your own post? That we've made 3 of rhe last 5 finals is a testament to how we do things.

29.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 11:50:14
I don’t think my original post was not about them not being responsible owners, just the feeling that we are being left behind. Their model probably is no longer going to be able to take us forward. Just being honest.

30.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 12:31:25
Andy Robertson cost £7m can you name a better left back over the past 5 years in Europe? Price tags are irrelevant liverpool could’ve got Bellingham from Birmingham same as dortmund did. They didn’t but there will be another Bellingham out there another Robertson. There are few individuals who are above the rest. Salah was mid table can’t get into chelsea team as was de bruyne. It’s the manager the squad and the right attitude. I prefer to see Trent go cm Elliot and Jones step up another level. Mcallister and by the sounds of it thruam. Hopefully Nunez can kick on with salah and Diaz. Need cb cover konate still looks clumsy to me. Squad is quite bloated even with the departures. Firmino big loss would still be first team in my eyes. Tough season behind them they’ve got to earn the right to play again. I think Thuram and a cb though I’d like to see sepp van de berg get a look in.

31.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 13:09:32
Fanbase very clearly divided on the FSG issue. Half would prefer richer owners, and most of this group despise FSG. Some even make up rumours about them. Fans perceive FSG as being unambitious and greedy. They think FSG just want to get paid at the end of all this.

The other half of the fanbase want to see Liverpool grow in strength financially by expanding the stadium and pushing revenue streams to their limit. That way - in a few years, we will be able to compete with Utd but be self sustainable.

This second model will take time. But I think FSG are doing a good job of getting there.

32.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 14:48:31
Spot on, Wassa-lfc. That is a big problemm with many in our fan base esp. the FSG outers. They keep judging our club based on what other clubs do or spend without knowing a single thing bout how those clubs are run, what financial hits they are or have been taking in the past to get to spend more or just how much debt to asset ratio they have. It really does my head in.

Look at Arsenal. They have been able to out spend us cos they have paid off their stadium and most importantly, they have lowered their wage bill by a lot which helps them sign big players on big wages whereas we are essentially where they were back then, paying for the infratstructure and increasing our wage bill cos HELLO? We have been winning and to do that, we had to pay the wages our big players earned, something these same people complained about in the past.

As for looking for richer owners than FSG, there are only two ways to do this right now, IMO. Either we go and join the State ownership model or go do a Todd Boehly type thing. That's it. Me personally, I wan neither.

33.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 16:19:06
We have outgrown FSG. They know it. We are for sale.

This is not a call for state ownership or sugar daddies. It's just a fact.

The football landscape is changing. Even the wealthiest owners are going with the multi-club model to allow them to mitigate the hyper-inflation of transfer fees in the future (as well as make the finances opaque) .

FSG could/ should follow this model. If not, sell to someone who will as the club's value has now peaked and we need to shift the model to remain competitive.

PS 14 clubs in the PL have ownership that are participating in more than one club.

34.) 25 Jun 2023
25 Jun 2023 18:39:03
All FSG is bare minimum someone said. Bare minimum. I bet you think scraping by until next pay day is only 1 take away this week.

Enhancing the playing squad, training ground, stadium, commercial assets and general success of the team can not be cobsidered bare minimum.

Man United have left Old Trafford to rot under the Glazers, but have invested heavily in their squad, that is still not bare minimum.

Newcastle were carried along with little hope by Mike Ashley for years before he sold, that was closer to bare minimum but he still bought various players.

Southampton have spent the last decade selling their best players and not reinvesting the money very well, that may still be considered better than bare minimum.

Bare minimum is Venky's taking over Blackburn and not knowing they could be relegated.

Scraping by to payday for me was beans on toast every day, that was bare minimum, so maybe my reality is a little different but I really am fed up of the whole 'FSG haven't done anything for us' thought process, its nuts.

35.) 26 Jun 2023
26 Jun 2023 01:37:25
When did FSG say we are poor? I missed that bit.

36.) 26 Jun 2023
26 Jun 2023 15:28:07
Not sure why my FSG view point isn't being put up, I have been probably the most vocal on them for a long time.

{Ed002's Note - Because it is tiresome and repetitive.}

37.) 26 Jun 2023
26 Jun 2023 20:58:29
WDW3, you missed it cos it never happened, of course. We seem to have a lot of mind-readers out there who have this unique "ability" of being able to know what FSG is thinking or saying even tho, they don't know them personally nor do they know what they say cos they don't even speak in the media nor make statements at all.

Hence, these people make stuff up about them and then post it as fact about what J. Henry and his bros. said or did whereas they couldn't post you the link of their actual quotes . Weird, isn't it?