Ruthless Rodgers: How Liverpool's boss is taking big hits to push Kop flops through the exit in quest to build his own empire For lovers of symbolism and Liverpool, the afternoon of May 13, 2012 was an interesting day. It was Kenny Dalglishâs last game in charge of Liverpool and Brendan Rodgersâ final match at Swansea City. That Sunday at the Liberty Stadium, Liverpool rounded off their poor 2011-12 season with a 1-0 defeat. Stewart Downing was poor, Jordan Henderson was largely ineffective and Andy Carroll was taken on and beaten by a dribble from Michel Vorm, a goalkeeper who cost £1.5million and would now go for far more. Ruthless: Brendan Rodgers has gradually ushered out the over-priced players who came to symbolise the regime of his predecessor, Kenny Dalglish, including Andy Carroll (below left). Stewart Downing (below right) may also leave Ruthless: Brendan Rodgers has gradually ushered out the over-priced players who came to symbolise the regime of his predecessor, Kenny Dalglish, including Andy Carroll (below left). Stewart Downing (below right) may also leave It was a metaphor of sorts for Liverpoolâs season, rounded off by Dalglishâs minor tantrum in the post-match press conference when asked about his future. It was strangely poetic that as it turned out Rodgers had landed the last haymaker. Now one of the last remnants of that Dalglish dynasty, Downing, is understood to be considering an option to join Newcastle. Rodgers is building an empire of his own at Liverpool and the expensive recruits of Dalglishâs second reign are going, one by one. Andy Carroll and Charlie Adam went for a combined loss of £23m. Should Downing also leave, the reported fee of £5m for a £20m winger-turned-left back would take those losses of the Dalglish-Damien Comolli era to around £38m. Expensive taste: Liverpool will lose £38m selling Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli's signings Expensive taste: Liverpool will lose £38m selling Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli's signings And why should I keep you? Jordan Henderson could be another one sold by Rodgers And why should I keep you? Jordan Henderson could be another one sold by Rodgers Gone: Charlie Adam was sold to Stoke City for a loss after just one season at Anfield Gone: Charlie Adam was sold to Stoke City for a loss after just one season at Anfield BRENDAN'S BUYS Rodgers' signings since becoming Liverpool manager... Summer 2012 Fabio Borini (£10.5m from Roma) Joe Allen (£15m from Swansea) Oussama Assaidi (£3m from Heerenveen) Samed Yesil (£1m from Bayer Leverkusen) January 2013 Daniel Sturridge (£12m from Chelsea) Philippe Coutinho (£8.5m from Inter Milan) Summer 2013 Kolo Toure (Free from Manchester City) Luis Alberto (£6.8m from Sevilla) Iago Aspas (£7.5m from Celta Vigo) Simon Mignolet (£9m from Sunderland) . Understandably, the Fenway Sports Group who own Liverpool were reluctant to immediately hand the next manager the same sort of money. But there is no doubt that in 14 months Rodgers has established his employers' trust and increased control over playing affairs. Last summer, he didnât make any great effort to conceal how he felt about the collapse of a move for Clint Dempsey. Fulham had quoted Liverpool £6m after reportedly offering him for £4m to others. FSG refused to sanction to extra cash and Rodgers didnât get his man. But, with the possible exceptions of missing out on Gylfi Sigurdsson last summer and Henrikh Mkhitaryan this year, little else has gone wrong. He spent nearly £50m last summer, including £15m on pass master Joe Allen, and this time round has been backed to develop the squad as he sees fit. The level of trust from FSG seems to be increasing all the time, not least because since Comolliâs departure last year Rodgers, along with head of recruitment Dave Fallows and head of analysis Michael Edwards, is part of a three-man committee that rules on transfers. In the case of Mkhitaryan, whom Rodgers desperately wanted, FSG were convinced to spend upwards of £20m, before he opted for Borussia Dortmund. And the board were happy to sanction his move for goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, even though it spelled the end for Pepe Reina, a favourite among the fans. His signings of Luis Alberto and Kolo Toure could yet look extremely shrewd and Iago Aspas was wanted by several clubs. Missed targets: Clint Dempsey, who has joined Seattle Sounders in the MLS (above), and Gylfi Sigurdsson (below) didn't join Liverpool despite being on Rodgers' shortlist Missed targets: Clint Dempsey, who has joined Seattle Sounders in the MLS (above), and Gylfi Sigurdsson (below) didn't join Liverpool despite being on Rodgers' shortlist Missed targets: Clint Dempsey, who has joined Seattle Sounders in the MLS (above), and Gylfi Sigurdsson (below) didn't join Liverpool despite being on Rodgers' shortlist Not enough: Liverpool were prepared to bid £20m for Shakhtar's Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but he opted to join Borussia Dortmund Not enough: Liverpool were prepared to bid £20m for Shakhtar's Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but he opted to join Borussia Dortmund Swanseaâs failure to sign him was one of the key reasons behind Michael Laudrupâs rift with the club this summer. Going the other way in the past year have been 18 players, from Reina to Craig Bellamy to Alberto Aquilani to Jonjo Shelvey, a midfielder in whom there was so much hope. The net loss of transfers in building the Rodgersâ empire is reportedly close to £50m. That will change if Luis Suarez gets his way. Irrespective of that particular saga, for now results are a more important barometer of whether the trust was justified. Rodgers has been allowed to build an empire and now he must prove he has done a better job than his predecessor. On his way: Goalkeeper Pepe Reina has joined Napoli, with Belgian Simon Mignolet brought in On his way: Goalkeeper Pepe Reina has joined Napoli, with Belgian Simon Mignolet brought in DALGLISH'S MAIN BUYS AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM Luis Suarez (£22.8m from Ajax in January 2011) - Likely to move this summer Andy Carroll (£35m from Newcastle United in January 2011) - Moved permanently to West Ham for £15m after season-long loan Jordan Henderson (£16m from Sunderland in June 2011) - Still at the club Charlie Adam (£9m from Blackpool in July 2011) - Sold to Stoke City for £5m in August 2012 Stewart Downing (£20m from Aston Villa in July 2011) - Being offered to clubs for £5m Source:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...rt-Downing-Jordan-Henderson-build-empire.html .
A Derail but at the derail. Also sounds like a collection of porn clips. I think with the leftovers from a succession of quick changes, and failures it needed a ruthless touch, he surely realised we were never gonna recoup cash on the likes of Stewie. Cut away the deadwood and move on, I like it
credit to rodgers or credit to the board... who knows... in any event stability is required to move on.
We paid stupid money for players during Kenny's tenure. As said, we could never hope to recoup it all. I think we've done the best we could with what we were left with. Just as importantly, I think we've killed off the presumption that we're a soft touch.
First he's Dribbling, now a stammer- what next? Maybe Tourette's- that wouldn't be out of place on here.
It is just cringeworthy the money we spent under Kenny's reign! And what sucks is who is to blame, Kenny or Comolli?? Or this... http://sportsvibe.co.uk/news/footba...dan-henderson-over-dortmund-star-gotze-21679/ ( credit to hendo with getting his head down and working hard but.....) Or that we were after Matuidi and then dropped it....... only for him to become a force with PSG.
"But, with the possible exceptions of missing out on Gylfi Sigurdsson last summer and Henrikh Mkhitaryan this year, little else has gone wrong" .....Apart from the small matter of slashing Mandys value overnight and the £26 million flushed down the ****ter on Joe Borini...oh and sending out our best keeper in years on feckin loan
- What value did you think Andy held? Overall we got £19m back for him - ****ing good job if you ask me. - Allen & Borini are just getting started, these aren't lost causes - Reina left us little choice
We were never going to recoup money on Carroll so I don't blame him. What else we were supposed to do with Reina? Wipe his arse as he continually flirted with Barca and expect us to stop making plans for his replacement? Borini and Allen - agree with you on that!
there was that i suppose but those are minor compared to downing... who he told the f off then picked him so.... anyway anyone see dempsey has gone to the US to play now... spurs really got money worth for that 6 mil eh? and sigurdsson... oh yeah they really always get it right so we've no change now they've 85mil to waste.
1. carroll money could have been more last summer if he'd shut his mouth and tried to sell up fast for 17mil or more. 2. yes you should likc riena's hole cos it would have been like mascherano... everyone knew wher ehe was going.. buy minger... no problem.. pick the two like utd did... no problem. If we've jones in again there';; be a lot of grinding of teeth. 3. borin and allen... quality... pure wlesh beef there... allen will get 15 goals this year and borini will be sold for more than he was bought for to lazio.
