Kenny's Revolution with Young British Talent (Overpriced Of Course)

We are a week into the transfer window, and though no deals have been official, there is a continuity that explains our strategy for this summer's transfer window. When John Henry came, he said he wants the title by 12-13 season, and he wants to trim the deadwood and go for the best young talents available. We started it off with Carroll and Suarez, and this is how it's continuing in summer:

When Houllier was our manager for 6 years, we were mostly linked with French and African players and bought a lot of them.
Then Rafa came along and for 6 years, we were mostly linked with Spanish and Latin players and bought a lot of them.
Kenny is a jock. 30 years ago, when he was playing for Liverpool under Sir Bob with a pretty much all British team, they won every single trophy available, and when he became a manager he won his Premier League title with Liverpool AND Blackburn with teams dominated by British players. So I can see why 90% of our targets are British.

Manchester United have been the most dominant team in the league for years, but they've always kept their British core (as opposed to Chelsea and Arsenal) and have a habit of taking huge gambles and over-paying for young players and grooming them into players they want for their style. Sometimes they succeed (Nani), sometimes it's an enigma (Anderson). but HELLOOOOOOOO, It's won them f*ckloads of titles over the years.

Recently, we've been very strongly linked with 4 players for example who are all English. Downing, Henderson, Wickham, and Jones.
Barring Downing who'll turn 27 in July and is one of the very few natural out and out wingers left in the league, the rest are young and all full of potential. Of course the English tax will apply to them (see Carrick for 20 odd million 5 years ago, or Rooney and Ferdinand), but there is something seen in them in a man who's won A LOT in his career.

People are disappointed why aren't we linked with Zoozooinho from Corinthians, or Alvaro Groudriquez from Betis, or Fabio Balcanioni all those players with sexy names, that could be cheaper, but I can totally understand and see that Kenny wants a British core, with a few Foreign additions to act as engines of this machine which is LFC.

People cry, if we sign those English players, it means no Mata. Clueless eh, because we can't officially deal with non-English clubs until July 1st, and Mata will be playing for his country until June 25th anyways, and no deal can be mathematically concluded by then. Back to English Players, here is the common thing and reasoning. Kenny isn't building a galacticos teams with amazing names and world class stars. We are not in a position to do that. We are not in Europe. We may get lucky with deals like Suarez (and hopefully Mata), but it's a one off. We need these English players who WANT to play for LFC, and don't mind no CL in the coming season to help us restore our status, so we can in the next step attract big stars:

The core of our team, bar our attack are aging. Carra and Gerrard are both in their 30s. We shouldn't leave it like Chelsea, and then decide to fix it all in one summer. It should be a transition.

Here we are, linked with Steward Downing. very un-flashy player. He is English, and as a result of course average and over-rated. but for example, he's created the 3RD Most goal scoring opportunities in the league last season. 85 !!!!! John Henry and Comolli mentioned that stats will play a big role in transfer targets. He has had the second most # of crosses in the league (something we couldn't give to Carroll during his first half season here, though injured mostly), and he'll give us a new option in the squad which is lacking (Width, and Speed). He's had 7 goals and 7 assists this saeson too, all from open play, and for half season, he was feeding no hopers like Heskey and Carew.

Then we have Henderson. A player whose best position is still unknown. Sunderland fans believe he should be a RM, while Bruce has mostly played him in CM. He is 20 and has played 2 full season in PL already. One thing in his game is obvious. He is always on the move. Henderson is behind Downing in creating most goal scoring opportunities in the league, and 4th in the entire league for last season, for a striker-less (for much of the season) Sunderland team. He has talent, pace, eye for long pass, and short passing too. United have been very strongly linked with him. Most of Ferguson's buys are British that leaves everyone saying WTF first, but then they deliver (10M for Smalling when he was a liability for Fulham team). I can see what Kenny wants to do.

Then we have Jones. An Absolute beast. Amazing recovery pace, great heading ability, and fantastic with the ball on his feet. All signs for next John Terry, and everything Alan Hansen was for Kenny's team. We may have to pay over-the odds for him, but we won't then have to watch him inevitable join one of our rivals and start picking trophies with them (see Rio for example, or hell Roy Keane). Carra is likely to retire in 2 years after his current deal expires, Jones can cover for Lucas in DM and has all the tools for a world class defender.

Then we have a 18 year old striker who has scored 9 goals in 20 games in second half of Championship and has been part of u-21 England set up even when he was 17. Ngog is as good as gone, and Kenny wants to replace him with Wickham. Now watch him against Arsenal @ SF of Carling Cup and how much trouble he gives to big guys like Djourou and Eboue. He is very raw, but again, he is big, Faster than all Carroll, Suarez and Kuyt, and very good on the ground and most important very decent passer for a striker. He is a very very raw Fernando Torres.


You see what Kenny wants to do? He sees those players who have raw potential, he trusts his own skills and Clarke's to make them much better and teach them to play the style he wants them to play. I can totally see that this is what he wants. Once the British signings are over for a young core and deadwood is shipped, then get the last couple of piece of the puzzle from Abroad (Mata for example) and take every one to pre-season tour and let the teaching begin.

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In this process, we'll surely over-pay. They are English, and that's 5M at least automatically on their price. But we are an English team like it or not. Long term, those young players will be on much lower wages than established world class players who probably won't come to us due to no CL this year. We are thinking beyond just next year. We weren't far off top 4 anyways, and even all of these very young English players we are linked with will strengthen the squad for us. Our first XI can beat and is as good as any others in the league, it's lack of depth that has bothered us. Instead of having wasters and past it players like Jova and Cole, we'll have hungry, young talents as squad members.

Think about it, we may end up over-paying since they are British, but we may have the last laugh. life is a gamble!
going foreign for 13 years didn't win us the PL title (the title we crave most), let's give a chance to the seemingly Young British Talent Revolution and our best player and one of the most successful managers in our history.

Thank you for reading this, I know it was long, but had to put it out there.

I applaud you Sepi....That is a hell of a nice read, and you do have a point.
But what do we do if we paid 20mill for a 19 year old prospect who ends up not living to his potential. I mean we can take one or two gambles but paying over the top and see the youngsters fail (and I truly hope they all succeed and take LFC where we belong). Henderson, Wickham, and Jones would combine over 40 mill and we can get a world class player for that amount from any team.

Good article . But i dont think we will sign Downing TBH . All the rumours have died down . No one in the press knows who we are interested until we approach the selling club and they leak the news .

No one had a clue we are interested in Henderson and wickham until we lodged a bid . Dowing rumours are circulating based on his quotes and Young turning as down . I have a feeling we are signing Henderson ( as a replacement ) for Young . Can play on the wings and AM and is only 20 .

Well done Sepi.

Do you think that we will get Mata? And, how will that affect the signing of the Brits?


EDIT: Nevermindddddddddddd

Just read the transfer thread.

Good piece, made a lotsa sense.
The only thing is that I don't think we (or the press) have got any idea of who we are after for. Henderson, Wickham, okay... are they really gonna happen? No way of knowing. But in principle I agree with the things Sepi said.

Art Morte wrote:Good piece, made a lotsa sense.
The only thing is that I don't think we (or the press) have got any idea of who we are after for. Henderson, Wickham, okay... are they really gonna happen? No way of knowing. But in principle I agree with the things Sepi said.

Generally Guardian and Times seem to have reliable sources inside Anfield and get their stories spot on usually about our rumours . So when they continuously run the same story for days u feel there is some truth it IMO .

Another great advantage buying English youngsters with great potential is they will have their best years with us . Most foreign players want to go to Real or Barca once any interest is shown .

Nice post sepi, rep duly given.

Personally I don't really care if we pay over the odds for players as long as they want to be here and are willing to fight for the club.

At the end of the day, its a lot better to be complaining about over paying for payers instead of complaining about paying interest on our loans.

Great post.

I think nobody is against the idea of having a British core or buying British talents.

1. Possibly the thing that worries us is the rumored prices. Well, to begin with those prices are still rumors and might turn-up as more realistic ones. We possibly fear that if those prices really stick, then that might affect our other transfers. Unlike the owners of City or Chelsea, NESV will be very calculative on funds.

2. Other point of concern might be the fate of young players. Yes, Carragher & Gerrard (along with Kuyt) are over 30 and need to be replaced. However, with players like Ayala, Wilson, Shelvy, Spearing hardly been used there is the fear of loosing some present talent.

3. Let's take Downing (for this point) for example. We could have opted for Albrighton instead, still British but younger & more talented for (probably) the same price.

iftikhar wrote:Great post.

I think nobody is against the idea of having a British core or buying British talents.

Look at the ManUtd team, Its full of players from Great Britain and look how w*ll they are doing.. :X
I think Henderson will be a good signing and i have no idea about Wickham.

Great post Sepi, And your spot on about Chelsea and fixing in just one summer..