LFC Fan message to J W Henry

[JohnShaft]

Lifted from another forum, what do you fellas think? Don't take it as an attack on baseball or anything it's just an article trying to articulate what LFC is.

 

The true value of LFC is not the stadium, the players, the TV deals, or even the trophies. It’s the brand and the global recognition and competitive business advantage that goes with it. As the owners of Liverpool FC, I assume you would consider that one of your principal focuses should be to effectively manage brand value. If so, then there are some things you need to understand.

 

Football is not baseball.

 

America is not the world.

 

And Liverpool FC is not Arsenal FC.

 

This Is Anfield. Fernando Torres. Steven Gerrard. They’re all brands in their own right. And they all contribute to the allure of the overall Liverpool brand. But above else the brand is three little letters - LFC, And that brand was built by the supporters. With the help and leadership of a few good men -- men like Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley, we created the brand that is Liverpool FC and we are a vital part of that brand.

 

It simply wouldn’t exist without us. The Twelfth Man. The Kop. The Victims Of Hillsborough. More than anything else, in a weird circle-of-life way, the supporters of Liverpool FC are both its core brand and its core customer base. The affinity we feel for the brand is the brand. We are the tradition and unique selling point of Liverpool FC. Do not under-estimate the importance of this truth. Sincerely, we’re the reason people all over the world want to be part of the Liverpool family, to be part of our "brand community". Because - and you should trust me on this one - we're not the same as everybody else. We're the wild-hearted outsiders. We are Anfield.

 

We can quibble over details, like Cuba and Japan, but essentially baseball is an American game. No-one else much cares. Just like helmetball. You can use all the global media marketing and cross-promotional ******** that you can bring to bear, it doesn't matter. The rest of the world doesn't really care. Those games say nothing to us about our lives. And if rap music hadn't promoted the baseball cap internationally, no-one would care at all. Baseball isn't rock'n'roll or Coca Cola.

 

Here I was tempted to say, by way of contrast, that Liverpool FC is the Beatles. But we aren't. We're Bob Dylan. Think about it.

 

America's favourite past-time is supported by a population of 300M and the world's largest consumer economy. The Boston Red Sox brand has a strong tradition and history. But it enjoys a privileged position in a static market that is protected by a long and close mutualist relationship with the media. And the nearest rival for local supporter's affections is 200 miles away. Do you know how many Premier League football teams can be found within 50 miles of Anfield?

 

I'm not suggesting that local Liverpool supporters would turn their backs on LFC and begin to support other sides. It simply doesn't happen like that. However, the loyalty of the long distance supporter has yet to be evaluated and new football supporters - whether they live locally or in Singapore or Bangalore or Shanghai - are not exactly starved of choice. Meanwhile many traditional supporters have already been priced out of the stadium and others are feeling increasingly disenchanted and disenfranchised -- a phenomenon that will effect merchandising as much as ticket sales and that will continue to eat at the strength of your brand.

 

As they tell us repeatedly, the English Premier League is a strong brand, but it's not the only one. And Liverpool, like Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, and others, is a brand that's capable of transcending petty national boundaries and collective bargaining agreements alike. The LFC brand is that strong.

 

But the brand is in danger, and not because of a few embarrassingly bad performances on the field. The problems run much deeper.

 

Accept for a moment, the hypothesis that the supporters are the brand - you can validate it later, maybe ask Joe Januszewski? Well, the relationship between the supporters and the club has been deeply damaged, primarily by the ownership of Hicks & Gillet. You know this, of course. You've all done sterling work to begin to address it. But not enough.

 

In a curious way, the epic swindle that removed Hicks & Gillet also removed the common enemy that was keeping the supporters largely united. Now the bond of unity between supporters has begun to unravel. Things are falling apart. The centre may not hold.

 

The good news is that as supporters we are prepared to dig deep and remain faithful so long, I believe, as the custodians of the club honour our history and our traditions. The bad news is that in Roy Hodgson, you have a manager who does neither.

 

You said recently: "Liverpool values are well known. What makes Anfield so special beyond the history of the ground are the people who populate Anfield each match. They value the club first and foremost. That is what we have to ensure every person who wears a kit or works for the club at any level has in the their minds first and foremost: the club comes first."

 

While you persist with Hodgson, those words are hollow and hypocritical.

 

There is a story - perhaps a fable - about a very successful football club called Leeds United and a very successful football manager called Brian Clough. Clough was appointed to succeed Don Revie, the manager who built Leeds up to be one of the most powerful in Europe. At his first team meeting, Clough told his new players, Don Revie's players, to throw all their hard-won medals into the trash because they were won by cheating and ugly football. 44 days later, Clough was fired. Leeds has never been a true football power since.

 

The point of the story is that Clough had no respect for the history or traditions of his new club.

 

Brian Clough was a remarkably successful football manager. Following the debacle at Leeds he went on to win two successive European Cups with the far from wealthy or glamorous Nottingham Foreset. If Dan Quayle was no Jack Kennedy, then Roy Hodgson is no Brian Clough. And yet Roy Hodgson is our Brian Clough.

 

We are the wild-hearted outsiders who need to bond with our manager and our players in a battle against the rest of the world. Hodgson's addicted to media and peer approval and considers us to be, at best, an audience and, at worst, a nuisance .

 

We expect to win. He's scared of losing.

 

We love talented, attacking footballers. He prefers effective automatons.

 

We call a spade a f***ing shovel. He calls it a metallicized digging implement with an extended handular leverage structure and will talk for 45 minutes about how he invented it 35 years ago in Sweden.

 

I could go on. And on. And on. But I imagine you are all being inundated with complaints about Hodgson, so I won't. I shall simply say that:

 

- You should listen to supporters, not the media. The media has no love of Liverpool FC and conspired at the appointment of Hodgson. They have a corpse in their mouth. Some of our players are just as bad.

 

- You should protect the value of your brand - the reputation of the relationship between supporters and club. The foundations took decades to build. The edifice can be toppled in a matter of weeks, And rebuilding it - if possible - will be a lengthy and costly exercise.

 

Of course, you don't have to respect our history, our traditions, our supporters and the immense contribution we make to the brand. There are other ways to manage the business that is Liverpool FC. Other ways to succeed. You can rebrand us if you like. But ask yourself, how did that work for Coca Cola in 1985? If you don't want to own Liverpool Classic, why didn't you just buy Blackburn, or Portsmouth?

 

Love and kisses

[Dojji]

My understanding of this issue is ridiculously shallow. What is the actual problem with Hodgson? That epic missive was a little indistinct on the actual issue.

[JohnShaft]

My understanding of this issue is ridiculously shallow. What is the actual problem with Hodgson? That epic missive was a little indistinct on the actual issue.

 

To put it plainly, he just doesn't get us. LFC manager has to be more than just a job to the incumbent. It's nearly killed 3 of the last 4 managers and this doddering old bastard just doesn't get it. Pardon my French. Liverpool as a city is a city full of fight and no fear regardless of the odds, it had to be, it's different to all other cities in the UK, it sees itself as different and the rest of the country see's it as being different. If abroad somewhere and you meet and you ask someone from Liverpool where they come from they won't say England, they'll say Liverpool. It's that natural pride, the city as a port has always looked out to the world never inland and if the manager doesn't get that then nothing he does can save him. I hope this helps your understanding.

[CoralGirl]

Dojji, I agree with everything JohnShaft says, but you may want more details specific to on-field tactics? What JohnShaft and the rest of us are saying is that Hodgson's tactics are far too conservative. He has the team play defensively, trying to prevent the other team from scoring by fielding a very defensive squad and having them play "deep" to protect our goal from the other team, rather than offensively, attacking the other end in effort to score or drive them batty trying. Obviously there's more risk in focusing your personnel on the attack because it leaves you vulnerable, and, more obviously, teams that win in any sport have the right balance. But it was shocking at the weekend to look at the pitch and see 8 of our outfield players lined up deep in our own half for such long stretches -- with the other two not that far ahead. It wasn't a happy group at our house.

 

Mid and lower table teams may play more defensively when they might be happy with a draw, in which they take away one point instead of 3 for winning. We would rather attack, play boldly and tirelessly, and if we lose then, in international sport terms, we have left it all on the field. If we are going to lose a match we would prefer it to at least have been exciting and and hopeful to the end, to enjoy some beautiful plays and/or thrilling efforts before the whistle blows (in this we are very much like baseball fans, minus the whistle).

 

Regarding Hodgson and the press. Just like in any sport, when managers (or players) read the papers too much, it can get in their head and make them play scared to lose, as described above, which is what many fans ascribe Hodgson's tactics to. Others think he is just that way. Either way, his nervousness in front of the media is not the chin out attitude Liverpool is known for.

 

BTW, having lived in Boston for several years, I can say that many, of at least the old, Red Sox fans might be dropped into the KOP with a scarf instead of a cap, some new lyrics, warmer beer, and no one would know the difference. You can't find two more stubborn, mad, loyal and sentimental groups of fans in my eyes. Hope the boss fits in that well.

[JohnShaft]

Dojji, I agree with everything JohnShaft says, but you may want more details specific to on-field tactics? What JohnShaft and the rest of us are saying is that Hodgson's tactics are far too conservative. He has the team play defensively, trying to prevent the other team from scoring by fielding a very defensive squad and having them play "deep" to protect our goal from the other team, rather than offensively, attacking the other end in effort to score or drive them batty trying. Obviously there's more risk in focusing your personnel on the attack because it leaves you vulnerable, and, more obviously, teams that win in any sport have the right balance. But it was shocking at the weekend to look at the pitch and see 8 of our outfield players lined up deep in our own half for such long stretches -- with the other two not that far ahead. It wasn't a happy group at our house.

 

Mid and lower table teams may play more defensively when they might be happy with a draw, in which they take away one point instead of 3 for winning. We would rather attack, play boldly and tirelessly, and if we lose then, in international sport terms, we have left it all on the field. If we are going to lose a match we would prefer it to at least have been exciting and and hopeful to the end, to enjoy some beautiful plays and/or thrilling efforts before the whistle blows (in this we are very much like baseball fans, minus the whistle).

 

Regarding Hodgson and the press. Just like in any sport, when managers (or players) read the papers too much, it can get in their head and make them play scared to lose, as described above, which is what many fans ascribe Hodgson's tactics to. Others think he is just that way. Either way, his nervousness in front of the media is not the chin out attitude Liverpool is known for.

 

BTW, having lived in Boston for several years, I can say that many, of at least the old, Red Sox fans might be dropped into the KOP with a scarf instead of a cap, some new lyrics, warmer beer, and no one would know the difference. You can't find two more stubborn, mad, loyal and sentimental groups of fans in my eyes. Hope the boss fits in that well.

 

You going to watch The Coral on Sat night babe?

[daveymac]

MESSAGE TO HENRY & WERNER SACK ROY TODAY [22.12.10] AND BRING BACK RAFA!

 

HE'S ONLY ON LOAN,

HE'S ONLY ON LOOOOOOAAAAAAAN,

SACK ROY HODGSON

AND BRING RAFA BACK HOME!!!

 

Paul Jones

 

Quote:

Rafael Benitez: The Summary

 

Has Liverpool Football Club ever had a more divisive manager than Rafael Benitez?

 

We all know lads that adore him, some that like him, some that aren’t too keen on him and some that absolutely despise him; all for various different reasons; some more valid than others.

 

When he first came to the club, he arrived on the back of toppling Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain; guiding his impressive Valencia side to a UEFA Cup win and two La Liga titles, earning them the title of “the crushing machine” due to their high pressure pressing game. They played high up the field, pressed the opposition, passed the ball well and hunted in packs to win the ball back, very similar to the Barcelona side of today. They crushed the opposition, as we witnessed for ourselves when his Valencia side came to Anfield and destroyed us. We couldn’t get near them.

 

He immediately imposed his style of play to our side. We came from behind to beat Man City in his first home game, achieving something we hadn’t done for a very long time; coming from behind to win a game. He added Alonso and Garcia to the midfield and began to drill his ideas into the side from the minute he arrived at Melwood.

 

It was going to take time to adapt to The Premier League and English football, and he failed to understand the importance of the FA Cup when fielding an under strength side at Burnley in the 3rd round. He was slaughtered for that, but he learnt from it. So much so we went out and won the FA Cup the following year.

 

During that first season, our league form suffered due to the prioritisation of The European Cup. He was criticised for that approach by some, but I always believed it was because he knew we didn’t have the squad capable of winning the league, so he prioritised a competition he could win. We didn’t have a squad capable of competing on both fronts, so efforts were concentrated on the achievable, while gradually working to improve the size and strength of the squad to be able to challenge on both fronts in the coming years.

 

That season, we had the amazing night against Olympiakos, the destruction of Bayer Leverkusen, the toppling of Juventus in the quarter final, and the unforgettable night against Chelsea in the semi final. That journey to Istanbul will never be forgotten, and it was all masterminded by Rafael Benitez. It was a season that’ll never be forgotten. By some of us anyway.

 

The following year our league form improved, and additions of Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger, Momo Sissoko and Peter Crouch strengthened the squad considerably. In his first season we finished on 58 points and ended the year as European Champions. In his second season we posted a figure of 82 points in finishing 3rd, which was an enormous improvement on the previous year. It is no coincidence our league form improved after being knocked out of Europe by Benfica, allowing full concentration on the league at the business end of the season with a bigger and better squad than the year before.

 

The progression was there for all to see. We also had that brilliant FA Cup semi final against Chelsea at Old Trafford, and the dramatic Final against West Ham in Cardiff.

 

In his third season, we again finished 3rd in the league, but also reached yet another European Cup Final in Athens; beating Chelsea yet again along the way.

 

People will always have criticisms of decisions a manager makes – I thought the decision to leave Crouch out of the starting line up in Athens was a huge one – but over his reign as manager, Rafael Benitez made far more good decisions than bad ones, and that is what is sometimes missed by those that want more, more and more.

 

In his 4th season in charge, we finished 4th with 76 points, while Fernando Torres was bought from Athletico Madrid.

 

In his 5th year, we recorded our highest points total in over 20 years, when finishing in 2nd place with 86 points. We came within a whisker of winning the League Title, and everyone at Craven Cottage that afternoon when Benayoun scored the late winner really believed we would do it.

 

United had huge strokes of fortune in home games against Aston Villa and Tottenham, while we drew 4-4 with Arsenal despite battering them all game, and they scored with their only 4 shots all night. We were that close to the title.

 

Of course people will point back to the draws with Stoke, Everton and Wigan earlier in the season for the reason we missed out on the title – and they have a point – but the poor decisions made in those games are far outweighed by the good decisions made in others. It’s all about looking at the bigger picture rather than pin pointing specific games or incidents.

 

Just like people point to him taking off Torres at Birmingham, Gerrard at Wigan (I was guilty of that) among others, yet fail to acknowledge his superb record with substitutes that change games. For every poor substitution like those listed above, there were 5 good ones that changed games. The bigger picture.

 

People criticise his record in the transfer market, but then fail to acknowledge the signings like Torres, Reina, Agger, Mascherano, Alonso, Garcia.....

 

People criticise his policy of buying dozens of youth players, yet fail to acknowledge that no player had come through from the Academy since Steven Gerrard, and it obviously wasn’t working. We now have a handful of top class prospects on the verge of the first team that Rafael Benitez brought to the club. He was buying for the future, developing our youth system, bringing over top class coaches from Barcelona to develop our younger players and change the system that had failed the club for the past 10 years. People want to see a quick fix though. The bigger picture.

 

Last season was a disaster and everyone knows it was far from acceptable. But was it the right decision to sack the manager on the back of one bad year?

 

Was it right to dismantle the work he’d done with the youth set up? Was it right to ignore the mess that Gillett and Hicks had caused and the effect that had on Rafa and the players? Was it right to ignore all those other factors that combined to result in a 7th place finish and just blame it all on the manager? The bigger picture.

 

A decision was made to sack him and look where we are now.

 

History will be kind to Rafa’s reign at Anfield.

 

It might take a few years for people to sit back and reflect upon everything he achieved here, weighing it up against the factors involved, competition we were up against and how difficult a task he actually faced; and who knows what would have happened had Gillett and Hicks not walked through our doors in 2007? The blame for our demise lies firmly at their feet for me – not with the manager. Criticise him by all means, but blame him for everything? Not a chance.

 

Roy Hodgson is a joke of a manager, and without Hicks, Gillett and Purslow darkening Anfield, he wouldn’t have been within a mile of becoming our manager.

 

There is one manager in the world at the minute that is the perfect fit for the Anfield hotseat: the one that was kicked out of it 6 months ago.

 

Reflect on the past 6 years in full and decide if he’s too negative, wasted money on sh1te, too stubborn or whatever else you want to accuse him of. Maybe you had become bored and wanted a change. Maybe you had your expectations raised by the man you now criticise.

 

New owners, new strategy, new start, old manager.

 

Unfinished Business and the real LFC fans want the gaffer back home.

[LiverpoolRedSox]

Bring back Rafa?

 

What are you smoking mate? King Kenny is here to stay, Rafa had his chance and blew it, Rafa lost the plot sometime after our F.A Cup win.