It must be difficult for him to walk under the weight of his massive pair, after what he's said and done today. Honestly, when is the last time one of our owners has come out and done something like this? What a legend. He's basically said all the things he's needed to say to completely mitigate what was actually very damaging by Luis. The entire situation has been flipped in a matter of days and we're back on top. I don't know his address, but I wish I could send him a bottle of something . Remember when everyone hated FSG and thought they were the soul sucking leech descendants of H&G? I think that over time they have proved to be pretty capable owners, who aren't afraid to back their manager. The stadium issue is the only one I think they've dawdled on but that's a pretty massive investment that was years backwards when they took over. What do you lot think of Henry now? Edit: before this gets moved, let's keep the thread about Henry, Werner, and the owners themselves.
My only concern is if a big offer comes in from Arsenal (highly unlikely, but say 50-55) or a reasonable offer from Real (who will still make a bid in the last week of 40 or so) which are too good to refuse; has he then shot himself in the foot PR wise? From certainty in Suarez staying to, well, we got a good offer and flogged him with a week to go. He's said a few things now. That's great, it keeps up Suarez's price and keeps us in the driving seat. Now we're in the driving seat, backed the manager and shown the owners are around - but we've almost backed into a different corner whereby we can't sell him without losing some face. Has he said too much?
No. I believe that he has said what is/was needed. At this point he is not prepared to repeat the Torres experience. He understands that replacement targets are no longer available even if the cash would be. Therefore for this window no deal is possible. He has clearly illuminated Arsenal's part in grubby transfer activity. He has specifically stated that he will not countenance the sale of Suarez to that club. You cannot get more categoric than that - no matter how much Arsenal offer. Henry is not prepared to deal with a club that he has no respect for. Where he is less clear is what happens to Suarez over the coming season. He will still be a Liverpool player after the window closes but what transpires after that is up to the attitude and actions of Luis Suarez. If he makes no further comment during his whole ownership of Liverpool, I truly thank him for being firm and business-like on this issue.
Perhaps he has but does it matter? The player has forced our hand, he's made it so that this situation must be resolved. He either gets over it or leaves. Henry has made it so that in either case, the club is going to profit. Maybe not as much as we would have in optimal circumstances (if the player was happy), but that isn't Henry's fault. This way, Arsenal won't get him, X will get him for a massive price tag, only slightly reduced, abroad, or the player will rot in the reserves until he apologizes to the fans.
It's more than that! He has used a statesman-like stance to deliver a clear policy decision that identifies the true relationship between the player and the club. He has also shone a light on the grubby dealings by Arsenal without getting involved in a slanging match.
WHy do you think Linda chose him? His money? No! Those ****ing cajones! Perfect response from BR and now Henry. Keep talking to the media you hate Suarez, we have made our stand.
If you think about this and also how Liverpool dealt with the potential of losing our keeper and not having a back up (we got mig in before selling reina thus not looking desperate, allowing Sunderland to raise the price) you gave to admire our business this window I've just seen this on twitter and quite frankly I'd rather we did business our way then create this mess... please log in to view this image
Suarez totally behaved like an idiot, if he had kept quiet during the summer he would be long gone by now. I strongly believe Real Madrid or any other club outside the premiership would have come for him. He was trying to engineer a move to Real Madrid and they snubbed him. The only club interested in him (Arsenal) Liverpool are not going to sell to them I can only hope that he is going to learn from this mistake and move on By attacking the club openly is not going to help John Henry and the Chief Executive of Arsenal getting involve cannot be more serious any more. Sorry Suarez you are the architect of your own downfall.
As I suggested on the other thread I don't believe it's as tight a corner as people think. He said it was a footballing not financial decision based on the lateness in the window and the fact that too late for replacements. Now if true I like this for many reasons: We obviously had targets. The priority was keeping Suarez, no club we would sell to came in on time. To me that says that any target replacement has already moved or yes turned us down. So no point in taking the money now to either sit around Arsenal style or panic buy like after Torres. Calm planning. Now if a club comes a long and offers enough money and for some reason one of our original replacement targets becomes available again then I think if explained that's perfectly reasonable. But I don't think this likely or it would have been done already. And if anyone is prepared to match our asking price of 55 million then they'll be back in January. So I think this was the perfect move by Henry/FSG: the situation has allowed them to put a player (& future players) in their place, thwarted a wrecking move by a rival, got one up on the pundits & media hacks and created a sense of stability at the club. Now it's Brendan's job to do what he's paid to do: "manage" he can't get more backing than that statement.
It's clear he's not going anywhere after these words from Henry, from the start he made it clear a move to Arsenal wasn't going to happen - he's clearly just reiterated that fact with stronger words. The other thing to make clear is Suarez will have to get on with it and settle back down for a new season - If he refuses to play or anything as stupid as that he'll just scupper a move to another club next summer. If he just deals with it and plays like we know he can then maybe more clubs will show interest next summer - So for him as a player it's a lose-win situation. For Arsenal it's a lose-lose situation.....for us it's a pretty ****ed up situation!
Henry is well within his rights to deny a move this window. Especially after what happened with Torres leaving it so late in the window before deciding to leave, leaving Liverpool with very few options to replace. If Suarez wanted out he should have handed in a transfer request as the window opened, then he most likely would have went.
I am happy Henry has said this, completely, he has essentially done what needed to be done, show that the club is not going to bend over for a player, that the club will not be held to ransom by a player who hasn't any options and used the media, that he claimed hated him, to try force the clubs hand, using the media was a clear indication to the simple fact that Suarez and his agent knew that they'd better get out the credit card and log on to www.legshop.com With all them down south defending Wenger so much lately, and even defending Saurez it will be funny to watch them turn on Arsene if they sign no one of note and have iffy results of at the start of the season
As critical as I've been of FSG for their naivity when they came to the club and the debacle of last summer I have to say Henry (and Rodgers) have dealt with this just about as well as any of us could have hoped for. Either sort a deal early or you're staying put. As much as I love what Henry says here it was Rodgers little speech the other day which I really enjoyed. He spoke like a man wounded but ready to fight for the club and its values and now in effect he has been backed by "his corner". Of course Suarez and his "advisors" may well continue the fight. This may get even messier before the end of the window but we have now drawn a line in the sand and we must not go back over that line come what may.
I loved reading his statement, he's the man alright. There's no way he's going to Arsenal full stop. What's the offset of CL qualification failure for us versus Arsenal qualifying again? The £50m+ would be worthless & Arsenal would be quids in again with a great player on the books. JH knows his money. If he went to abroad for £50m+ then JH played a good game, you never know he might secretly want rid of the Uruguayan runt anyhow.
look this is fine... here's a corner let me paint myself into it. it resolves the arsenal stuff and put them in their pace which is the most important point... however if real do come in we now can't sell without him looking bad. anyway... arsenal.. debacle. if they agreed terms with higuin they should have completed it. end of. thats two purchses IN not anything like pepe and minger. thats one out one in. Arsenal... go figure...
Brilliant words. And that tweet about Arsenal dithering over Higuain is hilarious. Couldn't they have had both, surely their 100£m will cover it....
I think we would just say to Real - too late now, come back in January and he's yours. I also think the statement is clever in telling Suarez that he will get his move but it's too late in this window and you were never going to be sold to Arsenal so wait and see what happens in Jan or next summer. Very well played BR and Henry on this, about ****ing time we stood up for ourselves.
I actually think for once that naivety or "non football background" has finally been a positive. As soon as Suarez put out the unhappy feelers a month ago we as club have been told: "He's leaving: nothing you can do about it" "You can't keep an unhappy player" "Contracts mean nothing in football" Everyone told us this: the press, pundits, rival fans and the PFA. It's just the way it is in football apparently. Players have all the power. Except our owners are American sports owners, who just don't get the idea that a guy can sign a contract and then not have to honour it, that another club can just ignore what you say and think they can walk in and take your player anyway. They don't accept it's the norm because while its their money and their assets they'll decide what the norm is. That's what they pay the lawyers for. Thank god for the Americans! Well these Americans anyway...
