Liverpool FC

[TheDazzler]

This guy apparently worked for FSG for a decade and here he talks about the workings of the transfer committee. I'm not sure how authentic he is but interesting reading nonetheless;

http://mikebernardboston.com/?p=141#more-141

[Waz1892]

123rd Birthday today.

Keeping Rodgers a good present!?

[arbboy]

Scousers love giving pensions to past their prime England internationals. No sooner is Johnson off the books than they commit to a long term deal at huge money for a workhorse.  Haven't seen the length of milners contract yet but I hope it isn't too long.  He should regress rapidly with age with plenty of miles on the clock from a very early age and total reliance on his fitness.

Is this the marque signing for the summer?

[Tal]

Scousers love giving pensions to past their prime England internationals. No sooner is Johnson off the books than they commit to a long term deal at huge money for a workhorse.  Haven't seen the length of milners contract yet but I hope it isn't too long.  He should regress rapidly with age with plenty of miles on the clock from a very early age and total reliance on his fitness.

Good deal for everyone on a free, though, no?

[arbboy]

Scousers love giving pensions to past their prime England internationals. No sooner is Johnson off the books than they commit to a long term deal at huge money for a workhorse.  Haven't seen the length of milners contract yet but I hope it isn't too long.  He should regress rapidly with age with plenty of miles on the clock from a very early age and total reliance on his fitness.

Good deal for everyone on a free, though, no?

It is if it's a two or three year deal but paying upwards of £150k a week for a work horse deep into his 30s on a four or year year deal seems very expensive. Whatever way it is a cracking deal for Milner as he wants to play rather than win stuff.

[Tal]

Scousers love giving pensions to past their prime England internationals. No sooner is Johnson off the books than they commit to a long term deal at huge money for a workhorse.  Haven't seen the length of milners contract yet but I hope it isn't too long.  He should regress rapidly with age with plenty of miles on the clock from a very early age and total reliance on his fitness.

Good deal for everyone on a free, though, no?

It is if it's a two or three year deal but paying upwards of £150k a year for a work horse deep into his 30s on a four or year year deal seems very expensive.

He'll play most weeks, will offer massively needed protection to the fullbacks and is handy going forward. And he fits Rodgers's system.

Way worse signings this summer to come.

[arbboy]

Scousers love giving pensions to past their prime England internationals. No sooner is Johnson off the books than they commit to a long term deal at huge money for a workhorse.  Haven't seen the length of milners contract yet but I hope it isn't too long.  He should regress rapidly with age with plenty of miles on the clock from a very early age and total reliance on his fitness.

Good deal for everyone on a free, though, no?

It is if it's a two or three year deal but paying upwards of £150k a year for a work horse deep into his 30s on a four or year year deal seems very expensive.

He'll play most weeks, will offer massively needed protection to the fullbacks and is handy going forward. And he fits Rodgers's system.

Way worse signings this summer to come.

He will be the first name on the team sheet I would imagine. 

[Marky147]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

[Marky147]

Seems similar to those making a fussl when United paid Rooney £300k a week on his new deal.

Would have cost them 30m+ and 200k a week to replace him, so they effectively paid £5m a year to not have the aggro.

[arbboy]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

Agree but he is 29 with 13 years solid epl grind on his body plus all the summer events with England.  Players like him in any sport don't age well with his talent base.  He has the work of someone older than 29 on his body IMO.  I like him now but I wouldn't want to be committed to paying him 150 large a week when he is 33.

Man city didn't seem that bothered about holding onto him which was surprising.  STATS wise he was a huge part of their system doing the blue collar stuff.

[TheDazzler]

He's a good signing imo.
The only problem is the wages. I think he was on £120k at City and I presume he hasn't taken a cut. So even though he's on a free, the wages over 3/4 years will soon add up to £20m+.
Having said that, he's a teetotaler and very fit so I wouldn't worry about him going downhill quickly. I think he'll be more like Frank Lampard than Steve Gerrard. Also he's very versatile and can play in a number of positions. I think this was part of his downfall at City. Pellegrini loved him but these utility players end up never being regulars coz they end up 'filling in' all the time rather than nailing a specific spot. He'll be 1st choice at Pool.

[Tal]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

Agree but he is 29 with 13 years solid epl grind on his body plus all the summer events with England.  Players like him in any sport don't age well with his talent base.  He has the work of someone older than 29 on his body IMO.  I like him now but I wouldn't want to be committed to paying him 150 large a week when he is 33.

Sell him in 30 months (before the one year clause kicks in) for £10m. If the plan works, they will have a CL spot and the investment worked. Big if obviously.

[arbboy]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

Agree but he is 29 with 13 years solid epl grind on his body plus all the summer events with England.  Players like him in any sport don't age well with his talent base.  He has the work of someone older than 29 on his body IMO.  I like him now but I wouldn't want to be committed to paying him 150 large a week when he is 33.

Sell him in 30 months before the

[Marky147]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

Agree but he is 29 with 13 years solid epl grind on his body plus all the summer events with England.  Players like him in any sport don't age well with his talent base.  He has the work of someone older than 29 on his body IMO.  I like him now but I wouldn't want to be committed to paying him 150 large a week when he is 33.

Man city didn't seem that bothered about holding onto him which was surprising.  STATS wise he was a huge part of their system doing the blue collar stuff.

Pay on the front, or pay in instalments, you still pay.

PAYG footballer, can't be a bad idea, for a player in his late 20s



First 3 years of his career, he only played 50 games in the league.

[arbboy]

He's only 29, fwiw.

With Tal here, in that we'll definitely see money utilised much more poorly this summer.

Agree but he is 29 with 13 years solid epl grind on his body plus all the summer events with England.  Players like him in any sport don't age well with his talent base.  He has the work of someone older than 29 on his body IMO.  I like him now but I wouldn't want to be committed to paying him 150 large a week when he is 33.

Sell him in 30 months (before the one year clause kicks in) for £10m. If the plan works, they will have a CL spot and the investment worked. Big if obviously.

He wouldn't go now for £10m with 18 months in a contract never mind in 3 years given his £150k a week salary the scousers will be paying him.  This is his pension he won't be going anywhere.