Summer Transfer Window 2023

[Colly]

I think I'm on record somewhere as saying despite the ex-mackem tag that I really like Henderson (unlike fellow Jordan Pickford...), needless to say he'd go well down in my estimation. I've seen people on Twitter saying it secures his future, as if he hasn't been a Premier League player for well over a decade, he could go to the States if he's desperate to top that up.

[Hobo]

Well that's probably that.

[DavidMarrio]

Yeah that's really disheartened me that. I'd be a bit sad him leaving cause he's been a great captain and great off field but some of the pictures used by journalists say it all. He's wearing a rainbow captains armband in some of them and now he's going somewhere where the people he was meant to be an ally would be viewed in an abhorrent manner. 

[Colly]

And again I've seen on Twitter people say that while he's there he can try to change minds, and if he does fair play. I won't be preparing the hat sauce anytime soon though, suspect he'll keep his head down for the length of the contract then get out as fast as he can.

[Hobo]

My gut feeling here is that Henderson has made a reputational mistake taking the money and running to Saudi Arabia.

He had a fairly principled reputation to this point. He was the captain of captain in the Premier league during lockdown. The LGBTQ advocate.

His personal career story that saw him go from being on the verge of being swapped by Brendan Rodgers for Clint Dempsey to being winning everything for Liverpool.

The image he had fostered over the years is at odds with a move like this.

It feels like that is all quite tarnished now.

Kop Outs Issued a statement about Henderson (and Gerrard later in a reply) earlier today:

 

[METALMAN]

It’s almost as if Jordan Henderson doesn’t give a shit about these things but has a PR and social media team telling him it would be a good idea to pretend to care.

[Szumi]

Yeah, fuck Jordan Henderson. Dude is making like £8 million a year already. He's set for life. His kids are practically set for life. Does he really need to make £32 million a year for a few years just so his great grandkids are too? 

He's the biggest hypocrite of all of them, and he can get the fuck out of Liverpool then.

[Colly]

On the plus side, Stevie G is doing well.

 

 

[gunnar hendershow]

An FSG team inexplicably shortening its contention window by not keeping a ton of star players is remarkably on brand.

[stokeriño]

26 minutes ago, damhausen said:

An FSG team inexplicably shortening its contention window by not keeping a ton of star players is remarkably on brand.

I've not come across the term 'contention window' before. I tried googling it (I had to include 'sport' to filter out all the answers about wifi) and, other than figuring out it's an American term, I'm still not really certain what it means.

Is it as simple as "a time period where a team might actually be good"?

[gunnar hendershow]

40 minutes ago, stokeriño said:

I've not come across the term 'contention window' before. I tried googling it (I had to include 'sport' to filter out all the answers about wifi) and, other than figuring out it's an American term, I'm still not really certain what it means.

Is it as simple as "a time period where a team might actually be good"?

Yes, basically. FSG recently won a World Series with Boston and had the chance to keep the entire heart of the team together for another 5-7 years, potentially winning one or two more championships, but chose to get rid of nearly all their star players in 3-4.

It's certainly different in football with transfer windows and loans, but I just found it funny that of course it's Liverpool jumping at transferring out still good players who could be central to them bouncing back and competing for the Champions League.

[DavidMarrio]

54 minutes ago, damhausen said:

Yes, basically. FSG recently won a World Series with Boston and had the chance to keep the entire heart of the team together for another 5-7 years, potentially winning one or two more championships, but chose to get rid of nearly all their star players in 3-4.

It's certainly different in football with transfer windows and loans, but I just found it funny that of course it's Liverpool jumping at transferring out still good players who could be central to them bouncing back and competing for the Champions League.

Comes in cycles. The people who have gone or who are going have all declined. 

Mane post covid was never the same player. He had that good run after the AFCON but he was the drizzling shits that season before that. Chamberlain and Keita couldn't stay fit. Milner I'll miss but he's 37.

Firmino wanted to leave and we've added Jota/Nunez/Gakpo/Diaz to the front line so makes sense him going. 

Henderson is still useful but if he wants to go get Saudi money then can't really stop that but if we let Fabinho go as well I think that would be mental. I just hope last season Fabinho was due to missing out on the quad and that he returns to the levels he shown in the 21/22 season. 

This summer strangely looks like it's turning into the first Klopp summer when Mane/Matip/Gini came in then the following year we got Salah/Robbo/Chamberlain and then Van Dijk in the January when we sold Coutinho

[Hobo]

1 hour ago, damhausen said:

Yes, basically. FSG recently won a World Series with Boston and had the chance to keep the entire heart of the team together for another 5-7 years, potentially winning one or two more championships, but chose to get rid of nearly all their star players in 3-4.

It's certainly different in football with transfer windows and loans, but I just found it funny that of course it's Liverpool jumping at transferring out still good players who could be central to them bouncing back and competing for the Champions League.

My understanding is that big player turnarounds after a period of success is a thing in baseball because you can just have a few crap seasons and there's less risk (ie no relegation).

I think there's an element of that here. As well as the shake ups behind the scenes, the knock on effect of the 21/22 season, Klopp's attitude of not wanting to keep anyone who wants to leave. 

Henderson is leaving is certainly ahead of schedule due the whole Saudi thing. I think in another universe (perhaps one where hitting the post counts as a goal ) where the Saudi thing isn't happening Henderson would stay a few more years.

I think its a faustian deal for Henderson. It makes him look like a poseur or naive to think his previous pro LGBTQ stance will be something he can carry on in the Saudi League.

It also damages the very cause he had championed. I listened to a spokesperson from Kop Outs on a podcast earlier say the amount of abusive messages they've gotten speaking about this news.

It looks like done the thing that football always does which is put money over everything. I don't personally think I can look at his time at Liverpool the same now.

I have no such qualms about Firmino nor would I have for Fabinho. They've never made having a social conscious part or their brand.

Some comparisons were drawn to Robbie Keane for taking a job in Israel. Keane hasn't ever come out and said anything about Palestine in his life. I think both he and Gerrard (especially Gerrard) are pretty much admitting defeat as managers at this point.

[Szumi]

This would be huge if Villa add Diaby as well.

 

 

 

 

[Bobfoc]

Forest are apparently close to signing Willian.

[METALMAN]

As far as I’m aware, Onana is the only footballer Rihanna has ever sung a song about.

[FLiam]

Apparently Arsenal will finally confirm the Declan Rice transfer tomorrow. 

[Colly]

12 hours ago, Hobo said:

It also damages the very cause he had championed. I listened to a spokesperson from Kop Outs on a podcast earlier say the amount of abusive messages they've gotten speaking about this news.

I was pleased to see Kop Outs speak out though, far more conviction than our United With Pride. Hope they realise that Twitter isn't the world, Newcastle announced they were sponsoring Newcastle Pride yesterday, and even then the number of normal people slating the Saudi bots was well above the number of dickheads.

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

Bored of waiting for Rice it seems.

 

[Lineker]