On the same day that a former Liverpool manager announced his EURO 2012 squad, former Reds boss Roy Hodgson - and current England manager - would have heard the rumours that his replacement at Anfield, Kenny Dalglish, was on his way out of a club he first joined 46 years ago. The irony of the moment would not have been lost on either football veteran, as they see the Premier League enter a new era with big money franchises getting more and more involved.
Both Dalglish and Hodgson see the sentiment, that for so long was a key part of the ethos of the English game, now go out the proverbial window.
Although the demise of King Kenny at the hands of the new owners, Fenway Sports Management, is set to create fan backlash, perhaps in a similar vein to that faced the previous US owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, long term the game is in different hands. On Mersey side red blood runs thicker than water and despite the hundred million transfer funding provided by Fenway Sports management and John W Henry, Dalglish is Liverpool Family.
His departure will trigger many emotions around Anfield where the Scot rates alongside legends like Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Joe Fagan – perhaps the last living link with the infamous boot room alongside Graeme Souness and Roy Evans. In fact it might be a good weekend for Henry to take Tom Werner to an off Broadway production of the Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel. If only just to understand the origins of the spine chilling Liverpool anthem - You’ll never walk alone.
No doubt Gerry Marsden will be busy over the coming days as the shadow of Dalglish over Anfield's Shankly Gates and the Kop fades - probably for the final time.
Whether those in the Fenway Sports Group HQ in Boston fully appreciate that fact remains to be seen. But for the moment what remains clear is that sentiment no longer has a place and for investors acquiring a premier League club eighth place provides a poor return on a spend of over £100 million pounds in the transfer market. Or a one hundred and fifty million dollars to give it the right currency context - one third of the club’s total turnover.
However as the pundits like to cliché, the writing was probably on the wall a while back as neither Tom Werner nor John W Henry could tailor their schedule to allow them appear at the all Merseyside Carling Cup semi –final given it coincided with a Red Sox centenary commemoration at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees - 100 years to the date that Boston's American League club took on the New York Highlanders for the first game in the ballpark's history.
In the days of the private jet travel that in itself seemed an unusual moment given how vital a win was for the Reds - and how long it had been since they last played at Wembley
But then again the Boston Red Sox franchise is serious business and the parent, Fenway Sports Group, also owns 80% of the New England Sports Network [NESN], a clever concept they pioneered in the mid 1980's which drives a duel revenue model. This year Forbes valued the Red Sox, who generated $60 million from NESN alone in 2011, at a $1 billion, the third highest in Major League baseball.
In contrasts starkly with Liverpool Football Club’s total turnover in 2011 of just under $300m.
With no prospect of Champions League next year to recoup some of their investment the bean counters in Boston would have been keen to make the hard calls, as for them sport is business and sentiment is for Hollywood movies like Bambi. For Dalglish not finishing in the top four in the Premier League put a huge hole in the financial projections for 2013, which could have been somewhat ameliorated in principle had Liverpool added the FA Cup to the Carling Cup trophy.
Without that added silverware Dalglish undoubtedly knew he was travelling to Boston at a significant disadvantage – albeit the club’s most expensive asset – Andy Carroll – had just been selected for England's EURO 2012 squad.
But always keen to face the challenges head on Kenny flew to Boston with Steve Clarke rather surprisingly on the Sunday after the Swansea City game, perhaps tired of all the uncertainty. Keen no doubt to secure the backing so that through the summer he could plough on with his plans. But it is clear now that the perceived media about the owners concerns about the club’s direction had real substance.
So Dalglish returned quietly on Tuesday with a P45 in his back pocket.
No doubt the first half performance in the FA Cup final against Chelsea would have been a topic of concern to the Americans ownership and part of the Monday talks. The off the field handling of the explosive racism issue between Luis Suarez and Manchester United’s Patrice Evra would also have sent shivers through Fenway Sports Management. There is little more contentious in US Sporting life – well policed by political correctness - than race matters in a major franchise.
Under this type of cross examination Kenny Dalglish's own style might have proved difficult for the New England owners too, far more accustomed to fast talking, obliging coaches happy to fight their corner – to a point. All anathema to Kenny who always did his talking on the pitch as a player by scoring goals, then winning trophies as a manager in his first incarnation as the Anfield gaffer, and relying on his cryptic mumbled quips to the awaiting media to fend off any controversy.
Comfortable too that at Liverpool he was a demi-god and few would question his proven wisdom or naturally challenge his deep rooted love for the club.
Sadly though, in today’s world such commitment and legacy matters a whit. It’s all big business and managers are measured on their business plans and places in the take at the end of the season. And not their reputation.
Indeed a stones throw from the FSG offices Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is perhaps next on the list having gone five games without a win recently with his team. If he fails to ignite the franchise after he was hired by the club it could also be curtains for him too -such is the business of sport these days where there is no longer enough time. Last season the Red Sox were booed off by their own fans after the final home game and that sense of hostility at Fenway Park has yet to subside. None of which is consolation to Kenny Dalglish.
Indeed a stones throw from the FSG offices Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine is perhaps next on the list having gone five games without a win recently with his team. If he fails to ignite the franchise after he was hired by the club it could also be curtains for him too -such is the business of sport these days where there is no longer enough time. Last season the Red Sox were booed off by their own fans after the final home game and that sense of hostility at Fenway Park has yet to subside. None of which is consolation to Kenny Dalglish.
But the departure of the director of football Damian Comolli, the club's head of sports medicine and sports science, Dr Peter Brukner, as well as the communications director Ian Cotton, showed the owners were keen to impose their own imprimatur on the legendary club. The rumours that Johan Cruyff had also been contacted with a view to replacing Commolli showed no lack of ambition about seeking the big names.
More worryingly though, it should a naivet̩ too, as everyone knows Cruyff is unlikely to ever relocate from his beloved Catalunya for any job Рas it's a place he has now lived for over forty years.
All of which leaves the Fenway Sports management facing a crossroads – if they have not already prepared a succession plan over the past few weeks.
Appointing the likes of Roberto Martinez from Wigan strikes as way too risky given that the Spaniard operates at the survival level of the Premier League.
No matter how much it may look promising he has no proven pedigree in securing Champions League results. Which then pitches the net wider and touts the bigger names who have do have Champions League pedigree for which Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Louis van Gaal will no doubt get a mention. All of them would require serious contracts however and might be far too rich for Liverpool right now.
Luckily for the Reds Guus Hiddink is currently gainfully employed - and well paid - in Russia.
Buy then again the history, culture and pedigree of Liverpool Football Club would be a Guardiola type challenge. Much more so than the choppy waters of Chelsea where the clocks tick at two time speed and the casualty list is too lengthy to allow sleep filled nights. Or Manchester City where clearly there is no current vacancy now that the Blue Moon is rising .
A quick call to Rafa Benitez would also answer a lot of possible questions for Pep once his team play the final of the Copa del Rey this weekend.
On Friday departing Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola hinted that he could be ready to return to management next season.
Although ahead of Friday's Cop del Rey final he said: "I will receive all calls with pleasure, but for the next month I have to recharge my batteries and my mind.
"I will be ready if one club wants me and seduces me."
Guardiola on Merseyside? Now that is seducing
©OSM
No comments:
Post a Comment