This week, Liverpool FC have been dominating the ‘off the pitch’ headlines. Between their failure to retain their champions league status, Steven Gerrard’s emotional farewell, and Raheem Sterling’s continued contract wrangle, this summer will be a revealing one for the future of the club.
A couple of months ago, I wrote on my blog about Raheem Sterling’s contract situation. Back then, I was complaining about what I perceived to be unfair comments made by ex-Liverpool FC alumni. And here this week it is happening again. Phil Thompson and Jamie Carragher’s remarks in the last few days have been nothing short of disgraceful. Trying to bully him into a contract by abusing him in public is a risky strategy from Liverpool, but it is indicative of the way the club is run. It amazes me that they can throw around words like loyalty, when they poached him from QPR in the first place, he’s not ‘mr Liverpool’ like Steven Gerrard. Does he want to make as much money as possible? Of course, who wouldn't, but I dare say Liverpool will be offering him as much as any other club. The fact is that he is an ambitious player. The kind of ambitious player that recognized at age 15, that he could move from QPR to Liverpool in order to elevate his game and his status in it. And now, he has not handed in a transfer request, he just said he wants to win things. As they showed when arsenal bid for Suarez, they are under no obligation to sell. But why would this ambitious 20 year old, commit the crucial next 5 years of his career to a team that appears in decline.
Liverpool have long been a club steeped in tradition and one look at the kop on Saturday tells you everything you need to know about them. The result didn't matter, it was about Stevie’s farewell. This is an emotional club. However, I can't help thinking that the club’s emotions have gotten the better of them, and this has contributed to their inability to keep up with the premier league's’ elite.
They never ‘sold out’ the way Man United did in the early days of the premier league, going on pre-season trips to the far east, expanding the brand, and now they have fallen behind. They have as much if not more history, and great support in the UK and Ireland, but they didn't make the most of that. Now they can’t compete financially with Europe’s top clubs, including the other four in the premiership.
The club still seem to think intangible things like cult hero status, playing in front of the kop and following in the footsteps of former greats should be all the motivation a player needs to play for Liverpool. It smacks of naivety, and these outbursts from Phil Thompson and Jamie Carragher this week compound that. Although they are certainly designed to pressure the boy into signing by turning him into a villain, if he doesn't and if Sterling sticks to his guns, I think it deserves an awful lot of respect. The comments are childish, they are effectively throwing a hissy fit because he doesn't want to stay at a club that they perceive as great, but in reality is a club that will struggle to get back into Europe’s elite competition for the next decade. These are the desperate attempts to keep arguably their only elite player with Mr. Gerrard leaving town.
Assuming Manchester United spend big and improve next year, Liverpool won’t even be in contention for the champions league places, as they just can’t attract the same calibre of players. Liverpool fans, including Thompson and Carragher, need to recognise that Liverpool will most likely be competing with Tottenham for 5th place for the next few years. A hard thing to accept it may be, but Liverpool need to stop letting emotions overrule reality.
Source: DSG
