Rafa - "I'm Going Nowhere"

[Manofthebog]

I agree. I think what was in doubt is whether he would get everything he wanted.

I'm not sure he'll be with us another ten years but I think at least another three or four is realistic.

aye.

Rarfa is a competitive man, he will see it as a slur on his career that he hasn't won the league with us, that will be his aim before he leaves for Real.

[red g]

aye.

Rarfa is a competitive man, he will see it as a slur on his career that he hasn't won the league with us, that will be his aim before he leaves for Real.

thats very true, his length of stay will be linked closely to how well he does....i mean taking us to 3 titles ont he trot, it might get boring!!

Although dont think there would be a million madrid fans on the street if they won the title!

[AFII]

One for the money?
Mar 22 2007
by Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

WHEN George Gillett and Tom Hicks are handed the keys to Anfield, they’ll inherit a club faced with a variety of challenges on and off the park.

From the quest for the elusive 19th league title and building of a new stadium, through to the performance of The Academy and commercial potential of Liverpool Football Club, it’s clear Hicks and Gillett will have to hit the ground running if they’re to maximise the return on their multi-million pound investment.

In a special series, Liverpool correspondent Chris Bascombe assesses the sensitive, often divisive issues which the Americans must deal with if they’re to lead the club into a glorious new era.

Today, he looks at how Liverpool might recognise harnessing their commercial potential, but still keep their heart and soul.

IN the mid-1990s, the last bastion of Liverpool’s working class heritage succumbed to an American led, capitalist coup.

It came in the form of a giant ‘M’ hovering with sheer arrogance and bestiality above the Kop End.

The sign reading ‘McDonald’s’ stopped short of redefining The Spion Kop as a family stand sponsored by the fast food giant, but in everything but name, the most famous supporters’ section in the world had surrendered to market forces.

Die-hard fans, who only became aware of the takeaway takeover when greeted by Happy Meals on the opening day of a new season, were stunned by a ‘shameless’ sell-out.

More rational minds meekly tolerated the inevitable budge into a modern era, where the quest to squeeze every last million from companies wishing to invest in football was now as competitive as the battle for Premiership points.

In reality, it was a long overdue extension of sponsorship deals which other clubs had already expertly and cynically used to their advantage.

The peculiar paradox at Anfield is the stick often used to beat the outgoing hierarchy by business-savvy supporters is the same one used to beat off critics by those who have welcomed Liverpool’s reluctance to become ‘too much like Manchester United’.

In one rant fans despair at the ‘Liverworld culture’ creeping into Anfield and lament any introduction of a shameless money-making scheme, while in another moan about why Sir Alex can spend £30m on a striker but Rafa can’t.

George Gillett and Tom Hicks will bring a fresh approach to commercial activity and marketing at Anfield, which since the early 1970s has been perceived as a potential gold mine.

But it took less than a minute of his introductory welcome speech last month for Gillett to realise he may have to negotiate a minefield of his own to find any golden nuggets.

His use of the ‘F’ word – franchise – was mocked as an emblem of everything the Liverpool supporters fear from American ownership.

Of course, those howling with derision that Liverpool Football Club should be reduced to being described as a company existing to make money and thrive in the business world ignore a crucial point. That’s exactly what it is. The last decade has underlined how without the capacity to make the cash, the ambition to win trophies is a fantasy.

Whether the Americans can raise profits without being accused of alienating, or worse still, fleecing their public will determine how long their honeymoon lasts.

When Gillett and Hicks spoke about preserving the ‘traditions’ of Liverpool, the word was shrouded in ambiguity.

As the launch of this week’s fans’ survey shows, they understand this heritage isn’t just about success on the pitch.

For all the criticism of the club’s lack of a vibrant commercial department, along with Everton, Liverpool continue to keep ticket prices lower than their Premiership rivals.

Shirts are re-designed on a two year cycle, floating on the stock exchange has never been considered and, on a strictly pound for pound basis, the price of being a Liverpool supporter is far cheaper than being a United, Arsenal or Chelsea fan.

Across the football world, supporters are being exploited out of their hard-earned cash more than ever, but Liverpool have, sometimes reluctantly, dragged themselves along with this hard, financial reality. This is to be applauded for its moral intentions, while at the same time leaving the club open to accusations of being too slow to accept new circumstances. That’s unfair. The club hasn’t failed to recognise what needed to be done, they’ve just had to tread with more care than some rivals.

It’s been an uncomfortable contradiction. The willingness of fans to accept the American takeover – which would surely have prompted irresistible opposition at boardroom and supporter level ten years ago – shows how far opinion has forcibly shifted.

The roots of many of the financial problems which prompted the sale stem from the golden period of the 1970s and 80s.

While Manchester United toiled on the pitch, off it they were quick to exploit their global ‘brand’ name. Despite fewer European Cup and League titles than Liverpool, they justifiably claim the title biggest club in Britain because they had the foundation in place to benefit from the Sky revolution.

They consolidated their market position while Liverpool were collecting trophies but priding themselves on being the family club which didn’t need to ‘sell its soul’ to maintain success.

To suggest the Reds were Luddite in their approach would be misplaced romanticism, of course.

They were the first club in England to agree a shirt sponsorship deal as Hitachi TVs and videos became the essential purchase for Kopites in the early 1980s.

But if Liverpool could be seen as pioneers who had a vision of how the football landscape was changing, they seemed paralysed by the fear of brazenly copying United to exploit the fact. The structure of the club hasn’t changed since the 1960s. The fans liked it exactly how it was. Who, in 1990, would have thought a 17-year title drought was on the horizon?

There has never been a commercial director at Anfield, nor a department set up solely to execute policies in this field. In recent times, Granada held responsibility for the commercial strategy and were blamed for a poor shirt sponsorship deal with Carlsberg in 2005, just before Liverpool’s Champions League win. However, they are also chiefly responsible for the unqualified success of website liverpoolfc.tv.

They’ve now sold their shares and the future of the joint venture company set up in 1999 will also be high on the Americans’ agenda if Granada pull out of the club completely, as expected.

Rumours are rife Hicks and Gillett have been in talks with Ian Todd from the hugely influential International Management Group and his name has cropped up as a possible appointment to oversee commercial activities. Todd has most recently been Nike’s Vice President for Global Sports Marketing.

Whether this is little more than an unsubstantiated city rumour remains to be seen, but it would certainly underline the new owners’ intentions.

For all the talk of ‘tradition’ and ‘heritage’, no-one can deny Gillett and Hicks have ultimately bought Liverpool to make money.

If they do so, it will be mutually beneficial to all sides.

The more they make, the more will be available to the manager, the more seats will be filled and the more merchandise will be sold.

If the Americans can achieve this by keeping ticket prices among the lowest in the land, and without making their hardcore supporters feel like little more than consumers, they’ll be respected in the same way as departing chairman David Moores.

After years of takeover fatigue, Gillett and Hicks may be benefiting from sheer good timing.

The sight of the ‘McDonald’s Kop’ caused a commotion ten years ago.

How revealing it is, then, that the revelation the new stadium on Stanley Park will definitely be named with the help of a sponsor’s logo hasn’t even prompted a letter of protest to the ECHO.

CLICKY - The Echo

[kurtangle01]

I've managed to get hold of a computer whilst up here on my hols to see what all the fuss about Rafa to Real madrid was. From what I've seen in the press it looked like he was on his way so it's reassuring to know that he has comitted his future to the club.

What else have I missed? Eto'o to us along with Villa and Alves??!!

[friedk]

I've managed to get hold of a computer whilst up here on my hols to see what all the fuss about Rafa to Real madrid was. From what I've seen in the press it looked like he was on his way so it's reassuring to know that he has comitted his future to the club.

What else have I missed? Eto'o to us along with Villa and Alves??!!

yes, straight swap for Crouch, Bellamy and Pennant

[kurtangle01]

yes, straight swap for Crouch, Bellamy and Pennant

RESULT!!!!

[Red Chilli]

I've managed to get hold of a computer whilst up here on my hols to see what all the fuss about Rafa to Real madrid was. From what I've seen in the press it looked like he was on his way so it's reassuring to know that he has comitted his future to the club.

What else have I missed? Eto'o to us along with Villa and Alves??!!

We're signing Jason Euell, Phill Neville and John Wark's son on loan

[kurtangle01]

We're signing Jason Euell, Phill Neville and John Wark's son on loan

BOLLOCKS!!!!!! We need better.

[IrishPaul]

Irish Paul in 'News post' shocker

I know, I actually shocked meself Marko!!!

[IrishPaul]

Good man Paul, trust a southsider to be reading the Mirror and not working.

Me Bollix!!! Actually, I was just finishing a night shift (and no I don't mean burglary either before ye say it, ye Northside **** ye!!!)

[IrishPaul]

The bottom line is Rafa is staying so now that's that sorted we can all get on with life

[Mumsafan]

Oh calm down

[Guest]

I have to say that Chris Bascombe writes very well.

[Mumsafan]

Fancy him do you?

[Guest]

Fancy him do you?

Mmmm ... Never seen him but I've seen you.