NEIL ATKINSON was joined at the top of the Radio City Tower by Mike Girling, John Gibbons and Andy Thornley.
The lads discussed the newly published #LFC accounts, FFP and the implications on summer transfer targets.In part two, Peter Guy and Yaw Owusu joined the lads to talk about Liverpool’s answer to the Mercury Music Prize, The GIT Awards.
Music this week from Dominic Dunn and John McGrath
Download Issue 8 of #TAW Monthly via iTunes or at app.theanfieldwrap.com for other devices.
Why is there an apostrophe on spirit’s?
Spirit is
Neil almost apologised for talking about the accounts but unfortunately, as was pointed out, it’s directly linked to what we see on the pitch and therefore of interest. I can remember a few years ago a lot of people were saying Liverpool are not being marketed properly and we’ve fallen behind as a result. Well, you can’t have it both ways. There has to be a trade off between the club being about a game for the fans and it being a global brand. There have been some skirmishes with the brand flexing it’s muscles that fans can’t taint the image with pyro and such but overall I’ve hardly noticed our exploitation. While Liverpool are at Anfield it’ll never feel the same way it must do going to Old Trafford. We’re also lucky, as fans, that we have Spirit of Shankly fighting our corner. My impression is FSG bought the club to expand the brand in Asia, Australia and the U.S and will pretty much leave England as it was.
I remember all the sound bites when they took over – reduce the wage bill and pay players what they’re worth, but both high or low. Mix youth and experience. Get one of those young dynamic managers, realise the potential of the brand, increase match day revenue, improve the squad, get Liverpool winning again but most importantly (and i mean in regards to keeping us winning) was to make us sustainable. Obviously there was FFP and increased TV money too but it’s fair to say they’re on their way to achieving those goals. The bigger stadium capacity, though not the magic wand many think it is, will go ahead soon. It keeps the fans happy, looks good on the books for FFP and then when they come to sell it they get more – like you would if you built an extension on your house. It’s mutually beneficial.
They don’t take money out the club so one has to assume all their decisions involve what’s best for LFC including keeping Suarez. So, I was pleased with the report. I feel we’re exploiting the brand but, in truth, it’s not that noticeable, yet extremely necessary if we want to be competitive. There has been some concerns in the transfer market but I’m confident we’ll have a big budget this summer due to the CL money both this year and next year when it increases, making the coming season even more important from FSG’s point of view, plus the TV money. Now’s the time to buy, now we can attract CL players. We’ve all thought we’ve known best in the past but looking at how everything is coming together for the club I’ll be thinking twice before criticising decisions again. I’m sitting here with about £8.20 in my bank account and yet I feel I know better than a bunch of multi-millionaires about how Liverpool should be run and how they should invest their money. We’re in good hands and I’m happy for them to get on with what it is they do.
Finally, Dunkin Donuts doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t affect me. I’d be happy for us to sign a sponsorship deal with Putin and his secret police if it means better players on the pitch. It feels to me like a sleeping giant is awaking.
well, money is an incredibly necessary evil these days. Just to put a roof over your head let alone play footy.
Like it or not, we are competing with oil barons.
To keep players like Suarez we have to pay him £200K / week and that is a bargain compared to what he could get at other clubs. To buy CL players this summer we will have to pay over £20m each for them.
The fact is, next year’s revenues will be the big jump. While this season there are increased sponsor deals which will help the accounts released next year, next season’s revenues will show extra PL tv money, CL money including more game receipts.
Even though we don’t see those accounts until 2016, they will show that 2015 revenues shot up by at least 25% to over £250m. That is a big deal.
The main aim for next year again is to get top 4. We can’t afford to be a one season wonder and Utd will likely be a different proposition, especially if they sack Moyes (next Xmas I predict). So signings are critical this summer and money is key. In future we have to replace aging players too and it won’t always come from the academy. We will want CL quality players who cost a lot and expect to be paid a lot.
FSG will continue putting money in (as they continued to do last year) if they see that future accounts show marked increases in revenues to go along with the improvements on the pitch. It’s just how it is. And we agree to pay. Because we’re weak.
They don’t put money in though do they? They put £50m in 2010 as a loan but all the money they spend is Liverpool FC’s money. They just manage how much we can spend and on what.