Liverpool FC

[arbboy]

Maybe it isn't about the money I agree.  But if it is (and this would be why he gets negative press), he's just doing what all of us would do and move to a bigger company who will pay him a higher wage.  Seems fair enough to me.

but it isn't.

For him to be on £35k a week as a full England international at a 'so called' big club which he has no ties to at all emotionally it is no wonder he wants to leave.  Jesus Ryan Shawcross and Crouch are on nearly twice that at Stoke!

Which is why we've trebled his wage, and offered him that last season.

He just probably doesn't fancy a lot of Europa League Thursday night trips to far flung Eastern European countries then obviously as that is the cold hard reality for the foreseeable future.  Carragher's comments were funny though how he thinks every player should be a lifer like he was even though the kid is from London and the scousers poached him from QPR now the same is happening in reverse as bigger clubs in the food chain are now poaching him again.

[TightEnd]

Liverpool are a selling club. most clubs are selling clubs these days

without the almost one off of having suarez and 31 goals for a season, there's little hope fo consistently breaking into the top 4 because signing players improving on what you have is difficult as you are in competition for them with the big boys, yet if any of your existing players develop to the stage where they need to be playing champions league and being paid £150k+ a year they'll be sold   

[arbboy]

With the new TV deal coming in £100k a week salaries are going to be pretty standard for the vast majority of EPL first teamers.  Think we have to stop saying people are not worth £140k a week when they have 50 England caps and contribute massively statistically (if not in a glamour role) towards one of the top 4 teams in the league on a week to week basis.  On top of this he is English which carries a premium as well given the EPL squad rules.  Given the circumstances and loyalty/professionalism Milner has shown to England and his club i would say £140k was more than fair.

[DungBeetle]

Maybe it isn't about the money I agree.  But if it is (and this would be why he gets negative press), he's just doing what all of us would do and move to a bigger company who will pay him a higher wage.  Seems fair enough to me.

but it isn't.

For him to be on £35k a week as a full England international at a 'so called' big club which he has no ties to at all emotionally it is no wonder he wants to leave.  Jesus Ryan Shawcross and Crouch are on nearly twice that at Stoke!

Which is why we've trebled his wage, and offered him that last season.

No - your opinion (and his spin) is that it isn't about the wage.   Only Sterling and agent know the truth.  Trebling the wage is irrelevant. It's how he compares to players at other clubs given that he is a full established international.

[arbboy]

I have said it for years that tanking to avoid the 5th/6th spots might start to happen in the epl.  As the only way to make the jump into the Champs League is going to be to play once a week for a whole season and get lucky with the scheduling advantage it gives you.  Liverpool had/did this but didn't back it up the 2nd season to retain the top 4 spot as they had to sell their best players.  Now they are back to square 1 with an even bigger disadvantage that the main man/driving force of the team has retired so you are even further behind the 9 ball then you previously were in terms of financial competitiveness and the ability to attract talent to your club.

[Waz1892]

Maybe it isn't about the money I agree.  But if it is (and this would be why he gets negative press), he's just doing what all of us would do and move to a bigger company who will pay him a higher wage.  Seems fair enough to me.

but it isn't.

For him to be on £35k a week as a full England international at a 'so called' big club which he has no ties to at all emotionally it is no wonder he wants to leave.  Jesus Ryan Shawcross and Crouch are on nearly twice that at Stoke!

Which is why we've trebled his wage, and offered him that last season.

He just probably doesn't fancy a lot of Europa League Thursday night trips to far flung Eastern European countries then obviously as that is the cold hard reality for the foreseeable future.  Carragher's comments were funny though how he thinks every player should be a lifer like he was even though the kid is from London and the scousers poached him from QPR now the same is happening in reverse as bigger clubs in the food chain are now poaching him again.

Glad you are in agreement it isn't about he money, despite your first statement.   Main decision is about CL football and not what we are offering him, or what he can get elsewhere.

[arbboy]

Maybe it isn't about the money I agree.  But if it is (and this would be why he gets negative press), he's just doing what all of us would do and move to a bigger company who will pay him a higher wage.  Seems fair enough to me.

but it isn't.

For him to be on £35k a week as a full England international at a 'so called' big club which he has no ties to at all emotionally it is no wonder he wants to leave.  Jesus Ryan Shawcross and Crouch are on nearly twice that at Stoke!

Which is why we've trebled his wage, and offered him that last season.

He just probably doesn't fancy a lot of Europa League Thursday night trips to far flung Eastern European countries then obviously as that is the cold hard reality for the foreseeable future.  Carragher's comments were funny though how he thinks every player should be a lifer like he was even though the kid is from London and the scousers poached him from QPR now the same is happening in reverse as bigger clubs in the food chain are now poaching him again.

Glad you are in agreement it isn't about he money, despite your first statement.   Main decision is about CL football and not what we are offering him, or what he can get elsewhere.

He is still on £35k a week though in reality because he doesn't want to tie himself up for £90k a week for 5 years in his prime earning years when he could easily achieve £150k a week on the open market.  Just because you have offered him £90k a week doesn't mean he is currently earning it and probably doesn't want to still be earning £90k a week in 2020 at the end of the contract when reserve right backs will probably be earning that with the new TV money flowing into the game. 

[Waz1892]

Maybe it isn't about the money I agree.  But if it is (and this would be why he gets negative press), he's just doing what all of us would do and move to a bigger company who will pay him a higher wage.  Seems fair enough to me.

but it isn't.

For him to be on £35k a week as a full England international at a 'so called' big club which he has no ties to at all emotionally it is no wonder he wants to leave.  Jesus Ryan Shawcross and Crouch are on nearly twice that at Stoke!

Which is why we've trebled his wage, and offered him that last season.

He just probably doesn't fancy a lot of Europa League Thursday night trips to far flung Eastern European countries then obviously as that is the cold hard reality for the foreseeable future.  Carragher's comments were funny though how he thinks every player should be a lifer like he was even though the kid is from London and the scousers poached him from QPR now the same is happening in reverse as bigger clubs in the food chain are now poaching him again.

Glad you are in agreement it isn't about he money, despite your first statement.   Main decision is about CL football and not what we are offering him, or what he can get elsewhere.

He is still on £35k a week though in reality because he doesn't want to tie himself up for £90k a week for 5 years in his prime earning years when he could easily achieve £150k a week on the open market.  Just because you have offered him £90k a week doesn't mean he is currently earning it and probably doesn't want to still be earning £90k a week in 2020 at the end of the contract when reserve right backs will probably be earning that with the new TV money flowing into the game. 

the money isn't the issue, imo and from what Sterling has said out loud.  And the argument about end of contract worth is the same for any player anywhere.  If he signed for £150k, chances are that'll be worth 30% less at the end of the contract. 

We can't offer him Trophies and CL.  So he'll go eventually.

As we don't have a big enough investment to compete year in year out and the money to keep doing that gets bigger and bigger, so the gap itself gets bigger and bigger, it is becoming very clear the top 4 will be the top 4 for many many years, with only the odd break for a season or so.

[neeko]

I think pay rises are often back dated to when talks started, so if he did sign for £100k per week, then he would get a lump sum back to the start of the season or whenever. It's better that and make these contract talks at the end of the season rather than mid season when talks can distract the player.

Liverpool seem to be losing every game they play at the moment - perhaps we were aiming for 8th

[DungBeetle]

Europa league is a funny one.  If you're a Swansea/Stoke/Southampton it feels like a great adventure and a positive if you can make it.  If you're a team like Spurs/Liverpool who harbours outside chances of making the top 4 the folllowing season then it feels a big negative.

[booder]

Sterling has been really poor recently. Let him go (he can take Johnson with him) and replace him with Walcott IMO.

[arbboy]

Sterling has been really poor recently. Let him go (he can take Johnson with him) and replace him with Walcott IMO.

How do you plan on tempting a southern like Walcott to take a big step down in footballing class by moving to Merseyside without paying him much more than Sterling is asking for?  Walcott has probably reached his career peak whereas Sterling is open to so much improvement.  Doesn't seem that smart a plan even if you could carry it out.

[mulhuzz]

Sterling has been really poor recently. Let him go (he can take Johnson with him) and replace him with Walcott IMO.

why not replace him with Messi? Or Ronaldo?

might as well get the world's best in if we're playing Champ Man.

[TightEnd]

Arsenal are in the champions league, year after year

walcott would never go down a rung to Liverpool

[vegaslover]

Of course it is about the money, bullshit from him to state otherwise.

If his performances this season were anywhere near as good as he thinks he is he would have CL next season. If he could kick a ball further then 12 yards and in a direction he wants it to go, he would have scored at least another 20 goals this season.

Get rid and get someone in who actually wants to play for the club, been non-existent on the pitch last few months