How to win the League (a book - about LFC)

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/oct/25/signing-roberto-firmino-data-repeat-viewings-and-a-gut-feeling

 

first few paragraphs - 

Quote

 

In the weeks leading up to my first day as director of research at Liverpool [in 2012], I could barely sleep. It was the club I’d supported since I was a child. The new owners had proven in baseball they’d adopt a data-driven approach. I would be working with Eddy [Michael Edwards] again. The combination of his expert opinion on players, honed during his years as a video analyst, and my data analysis would make us unstoppable in the transfer market.

Eddy had also recruited Barry Hunter and Dave Fallows, who would soon arrive from Manchester City. They would overhaul Liverpool’s scouting department. But everything immediately went wrong. Before I, and the other new hires, started, Liverpool had to replace their manager, Kenny Dalglish. The choice was between Brendan Rodgers or Roberto Martínez. Brendan was the stronger candidate and was chosen. FSG were concurrently searching for a director of football to replace Damien [Comolli]. The search was unexpectedly cut short when Brendan used a media interview on his first day in the job to say: “I am better when I have control … I wouldn’t directly work with a director of football … If you want to have a sporting director, get him in and then you can pick your manager from there but if you do I won’t be the manager.”

Brendan was right. We should have appointed a sporting director first. Now he’d made it impossible. It would have been nice to have known Brendan’s feelings on the matter before he took the job. Instead a compromise was reached. A committee would be formed, consisting of Brendan, Ian Ayre, Eddy, Dave and Barry. I was an unofficial member. The transfer committee, as it came to be known, was no different to how many other clubs worked – the difference was that at Liverpool the committee became a matter of public knowledge.

 

 

[Florist Cinema Pond Goal]

2 hours ago, Sir Tokyo Sexwale said:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2024/oct/25/signing-roberto-firmino-data-repeat-viewings-and-a-gut-feeling

 

first few paragraphs - 

 

Listened to it on Spotify, some doozies in there particularly about Rodgers 

Brendan wanted Tom Ince so the only reason we got Coutinho is Blackpool pushed up the price last minute 

Brendan was intent on Benteke even one year earlier, the transfer team were not sold on a typical target man so compromised on Lambert who was a low fee. Brendan got his way a year later 

Transfer team wanted Sanchez and Costa but Brendan was hesitating so lost out on both

We got a bit lucky with Robbo, Mendy and Emerson were ahead of him on the list but Mendy had a bad character reference and Emerson got injured 

We got advised against Mane as bad character reference but Edwards went against it. They thought he’d pick United because of CL but came to us because of Klopp

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

49 minutes ago, Florist Cinema Pond Goal said:

Listened to it on Spotify, some doozies in there particularly about Rodgers 

Brendan wanted Tom Ince so the only reason we got Coutinho is Blackpool pushed up the price last minute 

Brendan was intent on Benteke even one year earlier, the transfer team were not sold on a typical target man so compromised on Lambert who was a low fee. Brendan got his way a year later 

Transfer team wanted Sanchez and Costa but Brendan was hesitating so lost out on both

We got a bit lucky with Robbo, Mendy and Emerson were ahead of him on the list but Mendy had a bad character reference and Emerson got injured 

We got advised against Mane as bad character reference but Edwards went against it. They thought he’d pick United because of CL but came to us because of Klopp

OOOOSH to the first half of that

goes to show how many sliding doors moments there are in footy - didn't we nearly sign Ronaldo before the mancs did? And nor Spurs 'nearly' but actually almost really did