Realistically if Saints and Liverpool are competing for the same player on equal terms it is not unreasonable to expect the player to choose Liverpool over Saints is it? Even though Liverpool are not a shadow of their old selves they are still expected to do better than Saints. Saints however are trying to change that and to prove that they can compete on the same level with the big boys. They are trying to get the kind of team together that can compete with the very best. It is going to take time just as it is for Liverpool to put their team together. It is strange to see Liverpool fans on here making statements like "You don't hear Our fans carrying on about our past it is other fans that keep on about it" That simply is a load of cods wallop.....as soon as any smaller club start sniffing around players that interest Liverpool. The first thing your fans say is "why would they choose that team over ours" The inference being we are bigger than you and a better history, get back in your place. Liverpool have had some better results than us and are further up the league but we are in the same league. At this moment in time you do have a small edge but it isn't that big, as you will find out over the next couple of seasons. Saying "you can't compete with us" is not winning Liverpool many friends down here or with any of the other clubs. The premier league is slowly but surely evening out........The Man U's, City's, not forgetting the Chelski's of this world are finding out just how much more difficult it is to beat the teams in this league. Man u has had some good results and seems to be running away with the league. Yet in truth they shouldn't be, just look at the number of times they have had to come from behind, to get a draw or a result. The conclusion then is yes we are competing with the Liverpools of this world and they are just going to have to accept it!
It's worth buying a copy of "Soccernomics" if only to read the chapter on Lyon's transformation. Some of the things they do: The don't sign anyone under 20 - too much chance of their failing The sell players at around 29 - you still receive plenty of cash despite the player is often going over the hill If they think they can get more than they think a player's worth, they sell him without sentiment - the players all know this is the policy, by the way As a result of all this, they are on a very sound footing. All from memory, as I've lent my copy out AGAIN. Vin
A journo close to the club & an Italian one have implied we didn't make an offer in this window, though we were interested in the summer.
Gazetta saying we're contacting Inter again following Liverpool offer being accepted, but that Inter want the deal done on Monday.
See that word in bold? Got nothing to do with history. At present, we're a more enticing prospect to most (not all) players than Southampton owing to our league position. That is regardless of what we've done in the past. I agree with most of your post, but that line about us banging on about history is weak. You even go on to provide an argument as to why we're slightly above you now. And I would say the larger percentage of Liverpool fans today are realistic in their opinion of the club. We know you can compete with us, and have done so.
Liverpool bid a lot less than Southampton for Coutinho and signed him. So no, you are not competing with us.
We didn't bid (in this window), they were using us to try and jack up his price. To your credit, it seems you called their bluff.
No offence, but why would they use you to jack up our bid? It failed for Forren. If anything they should have said Spurs were sniffing around
I was prepared to debate the point then an arrogant Liverpool fan comes on and spoils it as usual.........If you weren't a bit worried what brought you on to our site if it wasn't to brag........
Because we have several reasons to make a bid from us believable - Italian connections, Coutinho's old manager, a previous interest in Coutinho etc - and we have enough money to make a high fee believable.
