Liverpool FC

[AmiĐa_Idriz]

Ja sam brutalno bio razočaran nakon zadnje tekme na OT, izrešetani oni povredama, sve 3 izmjene potrošiše odma, i ništa. Još ona scena na kraju kad Klopp maše rukama i govori igračima da ne srljaju

Što rekao veella nekad bolje izgubit neg remi odigrat

[Gerro]

Previse oprezno smo tada ušli u meč, imali smo 3 boda prednosti nad Cityem i smjeli smo sebi tad dopustiti kiks pod uslovom da dobijemo sve do kraja ali nismo (Everton X i Salahovi ziceri), ali sada nismo ni pod tolikim pritiskom imamo odlican bodovni saldo i mozemo odigrati opusteno i razbiti ih jel

[King_Kenny]

United će učiniti sve da ne izgubi, gori im pod nogama. No, Liverpool ove sezone dobija i kad igra loše. Vrijeme je da proigraju i poigraju se.

Edit: Martin Atkinson nam sudi.

[zomri]

Comment: What Manchester United would do for a sporting director like Liverpool’s Michael Edwards

By James Pearce 5h ago

The current contrast between English football’s two genuine superpowers is stark.

Liverpool will walk out at Old Trafford on Sunday looking to equal Manchester City’s all-time record of 18 successive top-flight victories.

The European champions are operating as one slick, cohesive force under the guidance of an elite manager who commands universal respect.

Just eight games into the season, Jurgen Klopp’s buoyant side find themselves a giant 15 points clear of a shambolic Manchester United, who are enduring their worst start to a campaign for three decades.

There will be plenty of envious glances cast at both the team-sheet and the technical area when the Premier League leaders walk out in enemy territory. How different things may have been had Klopp accepted the United job when he was offered it in 2014. What shot-shy United would give for the kind of firepower provided by Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Yet, arguably, what Liverpool boast and United are crying out for more than anything is an astute sporting director.

There’s a romantic notion that United need someone who is fully immersed in the history and the culture of the club in order to fill the gaping void between under-pressure boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. But that concept flies in the face of how Liverpool’s resurgence has been masterminded in recent years.

The rise and rise of Michael Edwards at Anfield is testament to the value of having a shrewd operator who takes the emotion out of making key decisions. Someone with Edwards’ footballing acumen is exactly what United need.

The 40-year-old lives in Manchester with his wife and two children but Liverpool can rest assured that he won’t be looking for a job closer to ‘home’ anytime soon.

It’s nearly three years since Edwards was officially given the title of sporting director by Fenway Sports Group. His stock with the owners has never been higher with impressive recruitment so pivotal to the club’s eye-catching progress.

FSG president Mike Gordon, Edwards and Klopp are the Holy Trinity behind Liverpool’s pursuit of a first top-flight crown for 30 years. It’s a collaborative structure that works soundly with Gordon, who divides his time between Liverpool and Boston, in overall control of the club.

“The respect and value Mike Gordon places on Michael Edwards is almost impossible to quantify,” a senior source at FSG told The Athletic. “In fact I’d go as far as to say it’s on a par with how much Mike values Jurgen Klopp. There’s a great dynamic between the three of them.”

Their personalities are key. All three readily embrace the input and expertise of others. All three have the best interests of the club at heart. There are no personal ego trips.

Like Gordon, Edwards shuns the limelight. He has no interest in having a public profile like fellow sporting directors such as Sevilla’s Monchi or Stuart Webber at Norwich City.

There’s no hint of jealousy when Klopp is showered with plaudits. It suits Edwards for much of his work to go under the radar.

The scenes in Madrid’s Wanda Metropolitano Stadium shortly after Liverpool had been crowned European champions for the sixth time back in June spoke volumes. At the request of Klopp and the senior players, all members of staff — from video analysts to sports science interns — stepped up on to the podium to join in the celebrations.

Where was Edwards? He was around the back of the podium taking photos of the scenes of jubilation in the Liverpool end. It was a moment of pride for him to see the ecstasy etched across the fans’ faces.

Good luck trying to find photos of Edwards from that night. It’s not his style to grab the trophy and wrap his arm around Klopp for the cameras. He was more interested in ensuring that the kitman got his picture taken with the European Cup.

When Edwards initially went pitchside after the final, he did so to console some of his former colleagues at Tottenham, including chairman Daniel Levy. He appreciates the role that the London club played in his development.

It would be easy to view those tales from Madrid as the actions of a man who is secretive and aloof. But those who work with him on a daily basis insist there’s a massive difference between that perception and the reality.

“Michael is a private guy but he’s very approachable,” a member of staff at Melwood told The Athletic. “People outside the club don’t see it but he’s funny with a dry sense of humour. He’s decisive but compassionate.

“His office door is always open and he plays a big role in ensuring that everyone here feels content and valued. After Madrid he was determined that everyone should share in that achievement.”

Edwards, who grew up in Southampton and played reserve-team football for Peterborough United, was a business management graduate from the University of Sheffield. He initially moved into video analysis at Portsmouth and, after six years on the south coast, he was snapped up by Tottenham after Harry Redknapp moved clubs.

Edwards was headhunted by Damien Comolli and arrived at Liverpool as head of performance and analysis in November 2011. Two years later he was promoted to director of technical performance and then technical director before being made sporting director in November 2016.

There was friction between him and former manager Brendan Rodgers, who saw him as a threat to his authority. Some dismissed Edwards as merely a number cruncher and an image was portrayed of him walking around Melwood armed with reams of data and spreadsheets.

But he’s always been much more than that. Klopp, who had worked with sporting director Michael Zorc at Borussia Dortmund, has always embraced Edwards’ input.

“Michael is incredibly knowledgeable about the game,” another staff member told The Athletic. “He’s very much part of the Dave Fallows (head of recruitment) and Barry Hunter (chief scout) brigade in that they always talk about how the best data is what you see with your own eyes.

“Michael is very big on getting out and speaking to people, getting character references on potential signings and watching training sessions.”

Edwards rarely attends Liverpool matches. With Klopp’s men flying high he could take his seat in the directors’ box and bask in the recognition that would inevitably come his way, but he would view that as being self-indulgent. He believes his time is better spent travelling across the world, watching other games to gather information and meeting other sporting directors or agents.

There used to be an element of mystery about Edwards at Melwood. Some didn’t know what to make of him.

As technical director he was already the quasi sporting director before being officially given the title three years ago. Yet until that point his desk was in the far corner of the open plan recruitment office with the likes of Fallows, Hunter and Ian Graham (director of research) — as far away from the heart of Melwood as is possible.

“If you had been offered £1 million to pick out the most powerful person in the room you wouldn’t have guessed it,” one staff member said.

Klopp found it funny that Edwards was so deferential when the title of sporting director was initially bestowed on him.

“Come on, of course you’re the sporting director, you built this team, the team that made me want to come here,” Klopp told him.

Since then Edwards has had the office opposite Klopp’s. There’s a strong professional rapport. Klopp trusts his judgment and mutual respect abounds but they don’t socialise together. They rarely schedule official meetings, preferring instead to wander into each other’s office to discuss things. They often have lunch together and also communicate regularly via WhatsApp.

Occasionally there have been heated discussions. One of the things FSG like about Edwards is his willingness to speak his mind. He’s not a ‘yes’ man.

“They might disagree over a contract extension or something to do with squad planning but there’s never any brooding if someone doesn’t get their own way,” the senior FSG source continued. “One of Michael’s big strengths is how comfortable he is saying ‘no’ to something if he doesn’t agree. That’s where Mike Gordon refines the arguments and makes a decision. Everyone buys into what’s decided. It’s a very healthy relationship.”

Liverpool’s success in the transfer market in recent years has been remarkable. Around £400 million has been invested in the squad since Klopp took over in 2015 but the net spend is only around £80 million. Edwards is the chief negotiator and has pulled off deals for the likes of Salah, Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson. He pushed hard for the signing of Firmino from Hoffenheim when Rodgers had his doubts back in 2015 and his faith has been handsomely repaid.

In a bid to beat off competition for Naby Keita’s signature, he out-gunned rival suitors by thrashing out a complex agreement with RB Leipzig which saw the Guinea midfielder stay in the Bundesliga for one more season before moving to Anfield in 2018.

He has also driven a hard bargain in terms of sales. When Liverpool agreed to sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in January 2018, Edwards held out for a £142 million deal. Having stood firm the previous summer, he was pragmatic enough to realise that keeping Coutinho against his will any longer wasn’t sustainable. Fringe players such as Mamadou Sakho (£26 million, Crystal Palace), Dominic Solanke (£19 million, Bournemouth), Danny Ward (£12.5 million, Leicester City) and Danny Ings (£20 million, Southampton) are also among those to have left for bumper fees.

When there was a clamour to sign an alternative to Van Dijk after Liverpool’s initial pursuit of him collapsed in the summer of 2017, Edwards insisted they would weather the storm and wait until the following January to get their man.

No player is ever bought or sold without Klopp’s agreement but Gordon always has to be convinced that each deal makes financial sense.

Edwards has also proved adept at getting Liverpool’s star-studded cast to commit their long-term futures to the club with no release clauses.

“Michael doesn’t suffer fools gladly,” an agent who has negotiated a contract renewal with Liverpool in the past year told The Athletic. “He’s a tough negotiator and a very strong character. He tells you things straight and he sticks to his guns.”

Edwards, a keen cyclist and runner, rarely dons a suit and is usually spotted around Melwood in trainers, jeans and a polo shirt.

Away from recruitment, he has also been the key figure in masterminding Liverpool’s new £50 million training ground complex in Kirkby which will be completed next summer.

He is always quick to deflect the praise that comes his way. Talk about Salah’s heroics and he’ll tell you all about the importance of Fallows in getting that deal with Roma done. Joe Gomez from Charlton? Signing him was all down to Hunter’s persistence. Harry Wilson doing well out on loan? That’s all about the work done by Julian Ward (loan pathways and football partnerships manager) in finding the right place for him.

Edwards cringes at the mythical idea that he does the lot when it comes to buying and selling players. He regards himself as merely one cog in the wheel.

That might be the case but he’s an incredibly valuable one.

What Manchester United would give for someone of his calibre pulling the strings behind the scenes.

[todd_smith]

Ma sve mi se cini kao da ce United izvuci neke bodove vala, FUJ.

spremni su da ih natamburaju kao nikad, na papiru bi trebalo da bude gore nego kad ih je City 6-1 nabio, ali dzaba, prgav je to klub.

[AmiĐa_Idriz]

Pozdrav

[drug_profi]

Evo se Zomri obradovao sto vidi JA...

[King_Kenny]

obojica će, izgleda, u nedjelju biti u prvih 11.

[AmiĐa_Idriz]

Evo se Zomri obradovao sto vidi JA...

[zomri]

Dan mi je ionako sjeban bio

[Gerro]

Gleda'l ko od vas vani Liverpoola ? Dje se moze u Sarajevu sad pogledati tekma a da ima zvuka ?

[todd_smith]

Gleda'l ko od vas vani Liverpoola ? Dje se moze u Sarajevu sad pogledati tekma a da ima zvuka ?

kuci

[Gandalf]

Katalonski klub je za Coutihna ostao dužan još devedeset miliona eura engleskom klubu, ali to nije više situacija. Klub sa Anfielda je "prodao" ovaj dug investicionom fondu tako da će od sada Barselona morati svoj novac da šalje na drugu adresu, dok je Liverpool dobio novac i ranije nego što se nadao.

Je li moguće da je Edwards baš ovoliko genijalan lik

[drug_profi]

Zamisli ovakvog lika da mu das Energoinvest, Energopetrol... bogtenejebo, kupili bi Simens i Inu za 5 godina.

[todd_smith]

Katalonski klub je za Coutihna ostao dužan još devedeset miliona eura engleskom klubu, ali to nije više situacija. Klub sa Anfielda je "prodao" ovaj dug investicionom fondu tako da će od sada Barselona morati svoj novac da šalje na drugu adresu, dok je Liverpool dobio novac i ranije nego što se nadao.

Je li moguće da je Edwards baš ovoliko genijalan lik

Nema edwards nista tu, to je standardna praksa u fudbalu kada su klubovi u pitanju

[AmiĐa_Idriz]

Za vikend prvi put u bijelom dresu na zvaničnim utakmicama

[AmiĐa_Idriz]

David Maddock on Klopps reason for cancelling Fekir Deal - ' We can't have that personality in our squad'

"They nearly signed Nabil Fekir from Lyon last summer and in the end the reason they didn't sign him was not because of the injury - and he did have an injury, which was a problem but they could have done the deal. There were other problems: he got his brother involved, began demanding more money, wouldn't speak to the Liverpool people. Klopp was like, 'we can't have that personality in our squad'.

[zomri]

David Maddock on Klopps reason for cancelling Fekir Deal - ' We can't have that personality in our squad'

"They nearly signed Nabil Fekir from Lyon last summer and in the end the reason they didn't sign him was not because of the injury - and he did have an injury, which was a problem but they could have done the deal. There were other problems: he got his brother involved, began demanding more money, wouldn't speak to the Liverpool people. Klopp was like, 'we can't have that personality in our squad'.

Upravo ono što Unitedu fali: čovjek koji će reći da igrač ne može u klub pa taman da se radi o Messiju lično. Ti nas trebaš, ne mi tebe - ko te jebe.

[todd_smith]

Za vikend prvi put u bijelom dresu na zvaničnim utakmicama

jos jedan los znak

[zomri]

Za vikend prvi put u bijelom dresu na zvaničnim utakmicama

jos jedan los znak

tako je. bijelo znači predaja

[todd_smith]

Za vikend prvi put u bijelom dresu na zvaničnim utakmicama

jos jedan los znak

tako je. bijelo znači predaja

kad su zadnji put uzeli na traffordu a kamoli u bijelom dresu

[zomri]

evo spominje se allegri kao zamjena za oleta. igrači će poginuti na terenu samo da ne moraju na njegove treninge

[Gerro]

Ma ne vjerujem da će jos dobiti otkaz. Daj da ih razbucamo, pa da im smijenimo drugog trenera u nizu nakon Moua ( poraz od 3-1 na Anfieldu prosle sezone). Nisam nervozan nimalo prije utakmice, niti razmisljam o njoj puno kao nekih proslih sezona. Nadam se da i igraci tako ulaze u utakmicu kao da je bilo koja druga, obzirom da je United trenutno takav klub poput Burnleya, Sotona ili Brightona...

[sve_ovo_ja]

Kako je krenulo United bez De Gea-a, Pogbe, Wan Bissake, Martiala, Bailya, Lingarda, Jonesa...
Rashforda zatvoriti, a nazad Dalot, Young, Tuanzebe, sve odbrambene sile. Ovo ako ne napadnu od prve minute i tricu spucaju nisu normalni.

[BHF_Manijak]

Bas hocu da pitam ima li kakvog habera iz protivnickog tabora, koga nema?

Sta je sa Salahom i Matipom, spremni?