Hi there, first time on your board, much more civilised than my own club's (Liverpool obviously). Anyway, I'm sure we've all heard the rumours about Dempsey coming to Anfield. I know he's enjoyed a great season, but I've a few questions, if you feel like answering. 1 - Will he leave? 2 - If so, for what price? Value for money? 3 - Could he play the Barca/Spain/Swansea (lol) style? 4 - Can he make a step up in what is the prime of his career (no disrespect)? In short, would you sign him if you were Rodgers? Cheers.
A big yes to 1,3 and 4. With respect to 2, it's anyone's guess. Given his age and that he's entering the last year of his contract, we'd probably be happy with £10m-£12m, when in reality nearer £20m would be fairer (given the climate - £35m for Carroll [not taking the piss]). However we hear all kinds of reports of bids of £4m from clubs like Everton, which is derisory to put it kindly. If I was Rodgers, I would most definitely sign him, but (and it's a biggun) Demps wants Champions League football and to play for a top club. I'm not on the wind up, but Liverpool finished level on points with us last season, so a move to you would not represent the 'step up' Dempsey wants. Nice to have you on our board
Yeh I imagine £10M+ is easily what it'll take. The Carroll factor in transfer fees probably won't be an issue, it was ridiculously inflated due to circumstance (English, young, January, Torres). However, Comolli/Kenny's buy British policy was ludicrous when you look at the fee for Henderson. Realistically, you finished even on points with us because we had a freak and terrible season - our lowest tally and position since the 50s wasn't it? Combined with a bizarrely unlucky and barren run in front of goal. Our truer position was probably 5-6th last year based on performances - we drove teams into the ground but just never got the goals. Very very frustrating. In terms of club, prestige, wages, team-mates, stadium, fans, ambition and potential to win things, Liverpool are still quite a step up. It'll be hard for us to persuade people to join ahead of Arsenal etc though. Thanks! How many regular posters do you have on here?
Yeah, I didn't use the Carroll deal as a true measuring stick, if I did Dempsey would be worth £50m! You did have a freak and terrible season, and you are by definition a 'bigger club', I don't deny that. Like I say though, Demps has publicly said he wants Champions League football, and being 29, do you think you can offer that to him? I'm sure you will get back into the CL - under Rodgers or someone else - but will you realistically get there in the next couple of years? It'll be tough, there's a lot more competition these days, and Dempsey knows that. Of course I could be talking total nonsense and he signs for you tomorrow, but I'd be surprised if he did. We have about 10 or so regular posters here, it's fairly quiet (certainly after we did the double over our own noisy neighbours last season - putting 6 past them made them unusually silent) but that's how we like it. Lots of knowledgeable and decent blokes on here, it's a good place to be.
That's all fair comment - Liverpool are (and always will be) a bigger club than Fulham, and would certainly be a step up for Dempsey. However, Clint has stated several times that his ambition is to play in the Champions League. You can't offer him that this season, and there are no guarentees that you'll be able to offer that in the next two or three years either - you say yourself that your true position is probably 5th or 6th at the moment. At his age, he might not be inclined to gamble on whether Rodgers can put you back into the top four in double-quick time. I'm not optimistic on him staying, but I'm not sure that Liverpool tick all the boxes for what he's looking for in his next club.
It seems much nicer, our board has good posters but is inundated with United, Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal supporters/Wums all the time. I think, a miracle notwithstanding, it'll be another 3 or 4 years until we're back in the big time. I'd love it to be with Brendan. We just need to make good signings, and hopefully some of our brightest youth prospects flourish (Suso and Sterling). Saying that, our biggest failure last season was not putting a run together after the CC win. We lost out on fourth place when Arsenal beat us. If you watched that match it typified our season - we played them off the park but Arsenal (or rather RVP) buried Arsenal's two chances. Story of our season really. I'd imagine Dempsey says that sort of thing to reassure the fans that he'd never leave unless it was an offer far too good to turn down. Whether he would leave or not is another issue. Another factor is our new American identity - American owners, sponsorship from an American shirt maker (Warrior) and monetary endorsement from the US (Michael Jordan for example). I think our owners would LOVE us to land the biggest American name around, for commercial value he'd easily make back his fee and more. Look at United with Park and now Kagawa - they're in for a fortune. If I was you I'd be more annoyed at the rumours surrounding City moving for Frei - it'd be terrible for you and him, but money talks unfortunately.
Spirit - is Dempsey's age likely to be a problem? The big signings that Liverpool have made since the new owners came in - Suarez, Carroll, Henderson, Downing - have all been comfortably the right side of 30 which isn't the same for Dempsey who'll hit that milestone next season. If - as most people agree - Rodgers is likely to need 2-3 years to build a team that can compete at the top of the table is Dempsey the right kind of player for Liverpool to be signing? Or will the emphasis this summer be on players who can make an immediate impact? Of course, the fact that he's American won't have escaped the owners' notice.
No problem. After I posted I saw that Bidley had more or less said everything I wanted to while I was typing. He talks a lot of sense, that boy. I think we have more regulars than Bidley suggests, although I'm including the ones who drift in and out as well as the ones who look in most days. I agree with you that our board is less aggressive than some, which is how most of us like it. It's also the reason that we've never bothered to sort out a moderator - we just haven't needed one, and long may that continue. How long do you think it will take Rodgers to get you back into the Champions League spots, with or without Dempsey?
If you want to see Dempsey's goals for us this season http://www.fulhamfc.com/Club/News/NewsArticles/2012/June/PlayerOfTheSeasonResult.aspx Then make your own mind up. He scores left foot, right foot and headers. It will show you why my nickname for him is 'The Ghost' as he seems to get into scoring positions with no one closing him down. Most Fulham fans would hope we get £10m+ for him, as that is what it would take to replace him, although we already have a few youngsters coming through like Frei, and it's possible that Bryan Ruiz could adapt to take his role. He's stated he wants CL football, and being 29 time is running out, not sure Liverpool is the team for him, could see him fitting more into either a Dortmund or Munich team.
Very true, I hadn't thought of your new American connection. You're right, he could be (and probably is) just saying he'd only go to a really big club in the Champions League to reassure the fans - we all know footballers have no problem saying one thing and doing the other - but I like to think more of our Clint than that. So stow it Yeah, the (rumoured) derisory offer from City for Frei, when another promising young winger (A. Johnson) is on his way because he's not getting a game, seems daft. Frei would be better off staying here and playing football, but like you say, money talks. I like to think we babble a similar brand of sense Now I think of it, we do have a few more posters than I initially thought. Guys like frogster, Tosh, WDWW and Gera pop in from time to time. I wonder how Rocky and Valj are doing...
My take on the questions asked: 1 - Will he leave? Yes, sadly. I can't see him staying given his desire to play CL football, the great year he has just had and the fact he has one year left on his contract. Someone will come in for him. 2 - If so, for what price? Value for money? £10-12m is the right amount. As I have said previously, I'd prefer to sell him to a CL German team ahead of aspiring English teams, especially if we get a repeat of the Arsenal-type low-balling offers. 3 - Could he play the Barca/Spain/Swansea (lol) style? Honestly, I don't think so. But he can play the Madrid style - he ploays a similar game to Ronaldo, in that he is nominally a winger but pretty much goes where he wants/is needed and bags a ton of goals. I think he'd be wasted in a system like Swansea's but is more than capable of playing in a good attacking (and honestly far more attractive) style of football as in Madrid-light. 4 - Can he make a step up in what is the prime of his career (no disrespect)? Yes. He works very hard and arguably plays beyond his physical gifts. Given the chance to succeed, I have no doubt he will. The potential issue comes if he goes to a team where there is a big ego player ahead of him; a Lampard, a Gerrard, a Van der Vaart. In short, would you sign him if you were Rodgers? Honestly? It depends if he intends to persist with the Swansea style. I think he'd have more success with playing a Fulham style team and Dempsey would obviously thrive in that. It is a huge fallacy that the only way to play the beautiful game is to play like Barcalona/Spain/Swansea (lol). I trust that Rodgers is smart enough to build a system based on the talents available to him.
I expect Dempsey to leave us this summer but I would be disappointed if he left us to join Liverpool. They perhaps had a freak season last year but without Champions league competition I cannot see what the benefit is to him. To me Liverpool would be a big gamble in what will be another transition season for them. Hate this time of the year - so many rumours. If we do lose Dempsey then we need to keep the likes of Frei !
Um no. Luck hasn't got anything to do with it. Your barren run in front of goal was because you paid £35m for a striker who had half a season of PL experience under his belt and the other striker missed a large part of the season because he couldn't keep his nasty mouth shut. Your true position was the position you finished in. I don't particularly care how many times you hit the woodwork, that's due to poor accuracy and composure not bad luck. You paid well over the odds for average players, and Kenny got the chop for it. That version seems to make a lot more sense. The great thing about having a season with 38 games is that you can be unlucky/lucky in a few games and at the end it still wouldn't make much of a difference. To answer the original question. Dempsey will go, but not for the £5m quoted. He's worth more to use if he stayed for 12 months and left on a free than if we were to cash in on him for that price. I have no doubt he can make the step up, he is an incredibly driven and motivated individual and if given the chance he will deliver. Your chances of signing him? No CL will be the deciding factor, it's the only reason he wants to leave Fulham.
I'd love to see Spurs pick him up as a replacement for the departing Kranjcar. I think he'd be a great addition to the squad, rotating with van der Vaart and Lennon, primarily. He'd suit our style of football, giving us some additional firepower and a bit of grit, too. Might suit him to stay in London, but we haven't been linked with him.
A replacement for Kranjcar? That's what we're all afraid of - he'll go somewhere and become the forgotten man who warms the bench. No disrespect, but if his role at Spurs would be the new Kranjcar, I hope he goes elsewhere. The general mood among Fulham fans is that nobody resents him moving up, but we'd like him to go somewhere where he'll play. And, as mentioned to the Liverpool fan, he's said he wants Champions League football. Spurs are closer to offering that than Liverpool, but not next season. Sorry if that hits a sore spot after you finished fourth. If it's any consolation, I was cheering for Bayern as fervently as you undoubtedly were.
I'd be disappointed if he went to either Spurs or Liverpool. Spurs he would sit on the bench most games; Liverpool isn't much of a step up in terms of the squad around him (but I'm sure the money is better) and, although he's probably got another 3 years at the top level left in him, I don't think Liverpool will be in the Champions League anytime soon. The Italian league would suit him- I'm sure Juve remember his chip still. If he does go for less than £5m we would be as well to stick a buy back clause into his contract. To answer the original post - I wouldn't sign him if I was Rodgers (and I would go to LFC if I was Dempsey).
I think we need a mixture of impact and future potential. Dempsey has maybe 2 or 3 years in him before he has to move on or change his game (and play deeper). I'd much rather have Dembele to be honest, but I'd take both
