Virgil Stallcup

Liverpool have tremendous revenue resources independent of the Red Sox and NESV. NESV have absorbed the acquisition cost of purchasing Liverpool, so you're not going to see Liverpool's revenue being outsourced to service interest payments on loans made against the club to facilitate the purchase of the club. For the first time, we're going to see how an ownership group whose primary mission is to operate sports clubs and sports-related enterprises handle the challenges of operating a football club. This isn't some owner who shows up after making his mint deciding it would be fun to run a club. NESV are in sport. It isn't their hobby. It is their business. In that situation, there is a deeper understanding as to what needs doing on and off the field. I don't know what the future holds for NESV and Liverpool. But I can't think of an owner better positioned to build something special long-term than Henry, Werner, and the others who make up NESV.

If Rafa were working wonders with the Academy, then we would've seen tangible results showing up now. Look at Everton for comparison. Do we anyone close to Rodwell or Coleman ready now to make a contribution to the starting squad? He was a good manager. But he wasn't in Shankly's class, especially in terms of league competition and personnel development. Shankly could set up an organization internally to build home-based Liverpool talent. He had an excellent scouting network helping him identify young players at other clubs who could add to what he was building. He could win trophies domestically and internationally. Shanks wasn't a one-trick pony. Manchester press had nothing to do with it. H&G, however, did put the wheels in motion on the entire series of events. Benitez wasn't going to turn this club around where it needed to be turned around first and foremost: in getting league results. He is a high-maintenance manager who needs constant support and funding from his superiors. In that environment, he can succeed. In the environment he was in, the results were inconsistent. To me, you can't be one kind of manager in Europe and another kind of manager in England. Liverpool should demand more than that. LFC have had better than that and shouldn't settle because of some belief that RB is the best we can get. I'm not convinced he is the greatest thing since Shankly and Paisley. Good manager? Yes. Accomplished European cup manager. Certainly. But I want someone who also cares about getting the job done when it is cup time against Northwich Victoria or the 8:30 match against Stoke. To sit there and say he broke records domestically, considering the legacy of Liverpool Football Club, beggars belief. He was not on the level of the greats we've had before because his approach was inconsistent. He wasn't going to get the job done domestically. Perhaps with someone like NESV backing him, he may have reached that level. This is why I would be willing to see him back, but only after a period of time has passed where we have moved well beyond the events and characters surrounding the whole H&G saga. Liverpool need to move on. Rafa does as well.

Did Shankly have the quality reputation before he arrived at LFC? The results were positive at Huddersfield. But nothing was there to suggest that he was on the way to building an absolute monster at Liverpool. What was obvious about Shankly at the time of his arrival: 1. Tremendous, inspirational leadership skills. 2. An ability to identify, recruit, and develop talent. 3. Strong tactical skills. After Hodgson, what is needed is not necessarily a manager with Continental experience and the trophies to match. We've had that with Houllier, Rafa, and now RH. But it hasn't given us the elite level consistency across the board that LFC had with the Bootroom. It has also led to an alarming lack of attention to internal youth development. I think what is needed (should RH receive his notice) is something different. The best man for the job may not be plying his trade at Marseilles or Milan. He may well be toughing it out in England or Scotland with nothing on his side but his energy, drive, and ability to teach and inspire a squad he inherited to winning football. We don't need someone who expects the place to be fixed up before he arrives. We need someone to set the foundation for dominance domestically and internationally. We need someone like Shankly, someone with experience working and succeeding in rough situations hungry for a shot at an elite club with elite support top to bottom.

All too clear we're suffering the impact of poor transfer decisions made over the last half-decade. That isn't just on Hodgson. He's a good manager with considerable ability (Not easy to develop Fulham from certain relegation fodder to European competition.). But there are times when a situation just doesn't fit the man. Leeds weren't right for Clough. Hodgson may not be the right man for Liverpool. You best know where you stand after a derby match. It should be fairly simple for RH to see the dead weight in the side and move to send them to exile. If he continues to keep some of these players in the starting eleven, then he's all but begging for the axe. There was a vast gulf within our squad between players who were chasing the win and players who were just happy to collect a wage. Hodgson must go into action and do everything he can to help the workers or the bums will drag them down into the abyss with them.

Do you have FSC+? I think it is on there. As for Blackpool, I enjoy watching them. The try to play quality football. Adam is someone I especially like. And Holloway? He's an original. ManUre? Unless they are getting done up "right good" as they say in my native East Tennessee, I avoid watching them.

The phoniest interview I've ever seen is the one with Hicks on Sky. In the background was a picture of the proposed new ground. Now you folks know that picture wasn't the one on the wall before the interview took place.

Had it gone to Mill, I think it would have been an unmitigated disaster. Mill's interest would've been the same as H&G's--only they would've squeezed every last penny possible out of the club. Liverpool's best players would've been sold without money being put back into the playing side. In the end, Mill Financial would've made H&G look like Jack Walker. It says much about Hicks that he would consider such a transfer. I'm familiar with the boycott efforts. Had to be painful because you really want to help your team out in any way possible. The club is smart to time the sale at the shop around the sale of the club.

The moment a few of them (outside the usual small-market suspects) do that, the Union will cry collusion. I'd love to see some backbone from the owners. But it has been some time since I've seen evidence for the existence of such a vital element when it comes to this sort of thing.

Just purchased the monthly subscription to LFC.tv online today. Watched Henry's interview and couldn't help but notice the contrast between it and the interview Hicks gave to Sky Sports earlier today. Hicks: Self-serving, litany of excuses, wants all the credit and none of the blame. Attitude: What is in it for me? Henry: Reserved, focused on delivering quality to fans, service-oriented. Attitude: What can I do for you? Two men who didn't grow up all that far from each other (Hicks in Texas; Henry part-time in Arkansas). But they are worlds apart in approach. Hicks viewed Liverpool as a get-richer-quick scheme. He's upset because he ended up with a loss on an investment whose debt he intended to load partially onto Liverpool and partially onto a future owner of his preference. Henry views Liverpool as a long-term investment. NESV took up the acquisition debt for LFC instead of loading the purchase price onto the club itself. That shows a commitment to truly building something solid and lasting. In that scenario, you are going to be more committed to getting things done on the stadium, on personnel development, in marketing the club, and on improving the matchday experience for the fans. Hicks said something to the effect that there were far better owners for Liverpool than NESV. To the extent that this has always been about what was best for Hicks instead of what was right for LFC, he is right. Hicks probably had a better deal for him set up or close to completion. What was best for LFC never entered his equation at any time he operated the club. Thank God someone was in charge who had as his mission finding owners who would fit the bill for what was best for both the club and its main creditor. In another time and place, H&G could've gotten away with this and put this club at the mercies of an asset-stripper while laughing all the way to the bank. Welcome to the family, Liverpool fans. I think you are going to like the approach and the activity your new stewards will bring to your club.

NESV have done all that a fan can expect and more. They bucked a trend and saved a classic ballpark with ingenuity in terms of bringing it up to modern standard. They found baseball people to fill management positions at the club. They've brought in players and at the same time developed the farm system (Equivalent of LFC youth development structure, except the players involved are much older when they start in the Sox system.). They've expanded the fanbase nationally and internationally. There have been increased ticket prices. But the sellouts continue. I don't think these would mirror what the Yankees have done at their new stadium or what the Glazers have done on a yearly basis at Old Trafford. These guys are everything H&G weren't: professional sports businessmen with the acumen and the funds necessary to do the job for Liverpool Football Club.

I get that sense about Shankly. You know someone is truly great when he is memorialized at multiple clubs and fondly remembered even on the Everton side of things. Generally think Ted Williams when it comes to Liddell because of what they both meant to their respective clubs. But in his build and athleticism, he looks much closer to the likes of Mickey Mantle or Jim Brown. Like those guys, he was a like a man playing amongst boys.

The use of the curve he showed against the Rays was genius. They did an interview with him down here and he explained he threw it more in this game because he felt he had strong command of it during the warmups. Not only is he a pitcher with great ability. He's also someone who has a feel for what will work well for him before a game and uses it to his strategic advantage. Some guys will stay in the same box and pitch the same way regardless of the command they have with certain pitches. What makes Lee special is that you simply can't get a good read on him from one night to the next. He's just not the same pitcher you faced before. What a weapon to have in the arsenal!

It will be more difficult for him to establish relationships in business with anyone but his closest friends. And you can bet they will have their lawyers dot all the i's, cross all the t's, and read every last bit of fine print on a contract. I would also imagine his ability to get credit will take a further beating as well. RBS have a strong reputation worldwide. Other banks will look at his actions with more than a suspicious glance. There appear to be a number of options open to the other side. I wonder if they'll try to have a Court rule on the validity of a Texas TRO over a case being heard entirely in England? Also wonder how quickly they can rush in to Dallas to get the TRO overturned? The folks involved are way too intelligent not to have seen this coming from H&G. I'll bet they anticipated this move and have a counter-attack in place for this Axis gambit.

I love the history of football. Caught Albert Stubbins on Liverpool's website talking about Liddell and found myself wishing I could've seen that man play. He was that championship-level player trapped in a mediocre side just before the light was to shine on his club.

Nice post, Redguard. I hate it for you long-term core Liverpool folks. It appears H&G have taken advantage of the American business interests of NESV and RBS to buy time through the Texas Courts. To me it is a mark of desperation. I think H&G are in worse financial position than what meets the eye. There is no other reason to hold on to something when the best you stand to make from it still will not be nearly what you expected to make out of it in earlier estimates. The big losers in all this will not be Liverpool, RBS, or NESV. The defeat, in fact and in reputation, will fall upon the head of Hicks and Gillett.

It could be a quality relationship, Redguard--if you can get clear of the lawyers. Apparently Hicks admits to breaking the contract he made with Broughton. Now all it may come down to is the judge. How much does he buy into the Hicks spin? Or does he throw it into next week in another court? It should be a slam dunk. Hicks admits to breach of contract. And the only way he can claim there were better bids is to produce (or convince others to produce) offers after the fact. If the judge can get past the lawyerly sophistry, then he will understand the time Liverpool's Chairman spent trying to get the best bid possible for the club. He will see Hicks for what he did to try to scupper it out of blatant self-interest. And he will rule in favor of RBS.

They do: New England Sports Network. I get the national channel on cable tv. It would be interesting to see how that angle gets played out.

Reading Sunny's post reminds me about Liverpool's official website. It is one of the best, if not the best, official website in the world regardless of what sport you follow. I've been a subscriber from time to time and it is value for money. Not just game highlights and interviews with current players and officials. But also historical footage and interviews with their legends. I would love for the Red Sox to be able to go off on their own and develop a website like it. But the Sox are stuck on the MLB template.

$275 million line of credit "partially drawn down" according to the article. Wonder when the line was set up and how far it has been drawn down?

Careful...Steve Bloomer's watchin'... http://www.cradleylinks.com/images/steve_1892.jpg

RTW, the Yankees are everything you've ever learned to hate in life. England has an interesting baseball history, especially at Derby County. The name of their old ground (The Baseball Ground) caught my eye when I first started getting into English football in the 1990s. Apparently, the Rams Chairman was a huge baseball fan and tried to import baseball to his local community as he was building up the football club.