Alberto Aquilani - Rejuvenated or Redundant?

Having Signed with the task of filling the void left by kop favourite Xabi Alonso, big expectations were weighed on the shoulders of  Italian playmaker, Alberto Aquilani. Having joined already injured, he endured a frustrating start to his Anfield career, later loaned out to Juventus by Roy Hodgson. But returning to England with a full season under his belt, should ’Il Principino’ be given the chance to prove himself at Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish?

There is no doubting Alberto Aquilani’s quality. Assured on the ball with an eye for a pass, the Italian has the ability to dictate play and the creative flair to penetrate openings in even the best defences. This was again proven last season in Italy, but fans in England have rarely caught a  glimpse of what the playmaker can do. Impressive performances towards the end of his first season against the likes of Portsmouth and Atletico Madrid were not enough to convince Hodgson that he had a part to play - instead shipping him off and signing Christian Poulsen in his place.

Whilst Aquilani’s quality has rarely been questioned, it’s his fitness troubles that are of concern. Although the playmaker notched up 33 appearances for Juventus last season, it was the first time he’d started over 20 league games since 2005.

Dubbed an ‘Anfield Misfit’ by the press, he had been touted to leave Liverpool this summer, with a move to Italy his most likely destination. Now however, it seems there could be a place for the playmaker in Liverpool’s already crowded squad.

After impressive performances against Guangdong and a Malaysian XI, it has been widely debated on whether he should be sold at all. Aquilani was undoubtedly man of the match today, albeit against a team of unknowns. His vision was evident, illustrating the ability to cut through defences with some neat touches and incisive passing, playing a key part in 3 of the goals.

Liverpool owner John Henry seems to think he has a future at Anfield, earlier offering the Italian a lifeline on Twitter. He wrote, “One missing link last year: Aquilani….too much talk of them [Aquilani and N’gog] somewhere else.”

Having already signed Jordan Henderson and Charlie Adam, it is probably still likely that Aquilani is to be moved on by Dalglish, even though he is an admirer of the Italian. But with three years left on his contract, I think it would be shame to see him go. Others my disagree, but having impressed at Juventus last season, letting Aquilani go for a cut price would be a mistake.

With Poulsen thought to be heading for the exit door and rumours rife of the departure of Raul Meireles, Liverpool’s £17million man could still have a point to prove. With a passing accuracy of 80% in Serie A last season, Aquilani could well fit into Dalglish’s system nicely - and we all know Damien Comolli loves his facts. Loan moves for Shelvey and Spearing would, in my opinion prove positive for their development and in turn make room for Alberto.

Should Aquilani leave Liverpool this summer, his name will forever be used as ammunition to attack Rafa Benitez’s record in the transfer market. Should Dalglish decide to keep him though, he could prove to be a revelation this coming season. Wherever the future of Alberto Aquilani lies, my trust is completely with King Kenny.

Craig Hannan

Loyalty - A Virtue Lost in Football?

Every football fan will have at some point or another voiced their displeasure at the departure of their team’s talismanic figure. For ‘small clubs‘ this is all too familiar, as reputable clubs constantly prey on their most prized players. But are footballers obliged to be loyal to their club? After all, it’s only a job, you and I would have no qualms with swapping our jobs, moving on for pastures green and inevitably a bigger bank balance.

As a fan, if given the choice I would choose to play for the club I’ve supported all my life over a trophy cabinet full of medals, won playing for the Barcelona‘s and Man United‘s of this world. Easy. But the key element of that sentence was ‘As a fan‘ - football is a job for players.

As a professional, rejecting lucrative overtures from a bigger club would be seen as senseless and we cannot rule out the small fact that they may actually want to better their chances of silverware and success. Players like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Delpiero, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, all of whom came through the youth system of their respective clubs will forever be held in high regard for the loyal service they’ve provided. But each of the players mentioned have graced Europe’s elite competitions almost year in, year out.

It’s no coincidence that Manchester United have been home to some of the premier league’s most loyal players, they’ve been competing for trophies annually for just under twenty years. Surely it wouldn’t have been the same for Ryan Giggs, had he been at Cardiff or Scholes at Oldham. If only loyalty was not lost in Giggsy’s private life…(apologies for the jibe - it‘s my last). Could investing more money in club’s youth academies instead of throwing thousands in wages at talented foreigners instil a little more loyalty in the English game? Not according to Phil Jones, Jordan Henderson and Connor Wickham.

Or should the influx of foreign stars in the premier league be expected to stay totally loyal should a bigger club come knocking? Players are always going to use ‘smaller clubs’ as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. But fans demand respect, a move to a rival team and the perpetrator will endure a backlash.

 Twice, Spaniard Fernando Torres reiterated his commitment to his Anfield faithful, amid rumours of a Chelsea switch but was quick to jump ship in favour of Roman’s Russian Roubles. Left with a sour taste, it’s easy for us Liverpool fans to brand Torres disloyal but at the end of the day he didn’t grow up supporting the club. Torres has never won a major honour in his club career and his intentions were probably pure. Just don’t go telling us you’re committed to the club and it’s fans first, Fernando. After a torrid first 6 months, I wonder whether Torres will live to lament his disloyalty, ponder what could have been under Dalglish. If he wins titles then probably not, but legend status was surely within his grasp had he stayed at Anfield.

Loyalty far from exists as an absolute, but there are still glimpses. Just as Alex McCleish causes a stir by joining Villa, just one month after relegating city rivals Birmingham, Robert Martinez proves there is still a little left in the game by committing his future (albeit probably short term) future to Wigan Athletic. However, let’s note that Martinez left Swansea City, the club which gave him his chance in management, for Wigan after preaching the importance of loyalty in his programme notes each week .

We are now in an age, where footballers and their agents are more powerful than their club and contracts mean nothing, thus loyalty is seldom seen. Fans will continue to bemoan the lack of respect shown by professionals, but at the end of the day it’s their career. I’m taking the pragmatic approach, but yet when Torres left Liverpool for example, I was as angry as anyone else. Money talks, whether we as fans like it or not.

Craig Hannan

Paying the Price for English Players - For Passport as much as Promise.

The extortionate premium slapped on English players has been thrown to the forefront of the sporting media as two of the country’s most promising youngsters, sharing only 1 England cap between them command a combined fee of up to £40million.

Those in question are Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones who, as you will know have signed for Liverpool and their bitter rivals Manchester United respectively. Although it’s obvious that they have not been signed on the basis of their current ability, the inflated fees of English players has come under scrutiny - but is it justified?

As FIFA implement a new quota where by eight players from a 25 man squad have to have been developed under said country’s national association, the big club’s scurry - sparking bidding wars for home grown players who possess the most potential.

The influx of foreigners in the Premier League over the past decade is sure to have affected youth players pushing through and so with less young British talent around, transfer fees have obviously rocketed. Although there is no incentive for lesser clubs to spend money on British talent when they can acquire cheaper foreign options, it may entice clubs into giving the home grown youth a chance at the top level on a more frequent basis.

Even if Liverpool’s current transfer policy under Dalglish in particular is commendable, it is widely debated as to whether it is practical, despite FIFA‘s new ruling. A record transfer fee of £35 million for a striker who had only played half a season in the premier league could be seen as unreasonable to say the very least. Whether Liverpool will get their moneys worth - only time will tell.

With the likes of Ashley Young, Stewart Downing and Gary Cahill all likely to move clubs in the close season, their eventual fees are sure to be compelling. Both Young and Cahill have only one year left on their contracts, yet both are sure to be sold for around £15million - with United already in talks with the Villa winger.

A poll in The Guardian asking readers whether British talent is overpriced, illustrated clearly that the public are undivided in their opinion - with 92.2% answering yes.

Yes, FIFA’s new rule has driven prices to the extreme and will continue to force clubs into paying big money to meet their quota. The truth is, the English player himself will command a certain fee, but it’s his passport that most clubs are paying for. There is no doubt the likes of Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and Phil Jones have a bright future in the premier league, but the extravagant price tags put on players who are so far unproven at European and International level is exorbitant.

As for the English national team, many have blamed the arrival of foreign players in England for the lack of confidence shown in youth, arguing that it is to the detriment of the national side. But with so many young English players sought after by big clubs playing at the highest level, surely only England can benefit.  Then again, if any managers were watching England under 21’s versus Spain on Monday, you couldn’t pass blame if they were inclined to continue signing players from abroad for better value. The likes of Javi Martinez and Juan Mata controlled the midfield, even with Liverpool’s new £20 million signing present for England.

As a fan, I’m happy enough to watch my team spend big on home grown talent as long as it pays off in the long run. Whether the likes of Henderson, Carroll and Jones are the future of English football or just more over-hyped youngsters remains to be seen. In my Opinion, only one question remains. If an unproven central midfielder such as Henderson costs £20million in 2011, how much will Jack Wilshere be worth in 3 years time?

Craig Hannan

Luis Suarez - A Linchpin to long awaited success at Liverpool?

It’s the end of a whirlwind few hours in January’s transfer window and Liverpool fans are left licking their wounds with the loss of fan’s favourite, Fernando Torres. Many fans, including myself felt betrayed by the Spaniard, left pondering ‘what could have been’. How is any player going to live up to Liverpool’s now former number 9, a player who scored 50 goals in 84 appearances in the league?

Step up Luis Suarez. The striker, signed originally to partner Torres is world renown for his ’heroic’ handball in Uruguay’s World Cup Quarter final against Ghana more so than the 81 goals he scored in 110 appearances for Ajax. With a British record fee spent on Andy Carroll at the same time, it would have been easy for ‘El Pistolero’ to have been overshadowed.

Four months on and the Kop have a new hero in Suarez, a striker with a very different style of play to their former golden boy.  A creator as much as a goal scorer (illustrated perfectly v Man United), he could be described as a deep lying secondary striker, who can exploit gaps in even the tightest of defences with his sublime movement. A debut goal against Stoke and promising performances following, Suarez became one of the most exciting signings of the season.

His eye for a goal is unquestionable, he’s shown that at the Amsterdam Arena. But asking whether he can fill the boots of Fernando Torres in terms of goals, is probably a little unfair - he offers so much more than that and maybe that’s the key difference. I’m sure if you asked players such as Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez who they’d rather play alongside, the answer would not be ‘El Nino’.

Despite a brace against City, Andy Carroll is yet to hit the ground running as a Liverpool player but certainly shouldn’t be judged on the last 5 months. If a solid striking partnership can be formed with Luis Suarez, they could certainly be a force to be reckoned with.

If Suarez can continue the form he has shown this year going into the new season then surely the team should be built around Liverpool’s new strike pairing. Whilst the Uruguayan’s stock continues to rise, optimism grows around Anfield - and so it should. I’m about to write the last paragraph of this post and I haven’t once mentioned the return of the King.

With Dalglish at the helm and the new owners obviously keen to invest, illustrating their intent with the £16million signing of youngster Jordan Henderson, the future looks bright at Liverpool Football Club. As players such as Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Juan Mata are linked with a move, transfer activity at the club will not be in short supply over the coming months. But no matter who signs for Liverpool this season, may it be young English talent or that marquee signing we all long for each summer, Liverpool new boys should take a leaf of out Luis’ book. With fans longing for a league title, Luis Suarez is most certainly our linchpin.

Craig Hannan

A Foreign Invasion - Updated

It’s the summer of 2003 and Roman Abramovich splashes millions of Russian roubles to take control of Chelsea Football Club. The Russian billionaire embarks on an ambitious programme of commercial development, with the club’s aim of becoming a worldwide brand, brushing shoulders with Europe’s elite. With this, Abramovich transformed the footballing landscape, funding the most remarkable spending spree the English game had ever seen.

With Dispatches recently highlighting the shocking lengths that foreign businessmen will go to bend and break the rules to make money, it's worrying how little a club's success on the pitch actually matters to some prospective owners - unless profit is being made.

As experts investigate prospective takeovers in the premier league, attention once again turns to the ownership of football clubs. Foreign investors threaten to change the very fabric of the English game forever. But the question is, do I really care as long as my team are winning?

Seven years on since the Abramovich regime took hold and over half of all premier league clubs are now in control of big money businessmen, each with varying degrees of success. Club’s are being run just as they would if they were Corporate businesses. To some owners, the commercial aspect of the club is on a par or even more important than what’s going happening on the pitch.

“You don’t make money because 11 guys run around the pitch,” claims former owner of Portsmouth football club, Sulaiman Al-Fahim. “You make money because of all the other commercial aspects that go with a football club, particularly real estate and television rights,” these the thoughts of a man who played his part in the near liquidation of the football Club.

Or could English teams take a leaf out of Barcelona’s book? The Catalan side are not a public limited company, it isn’t possible to buy shares in the club and so decisions are made by those who actually care, the fans. Football over finances - that‘s what we‘re after, right?

Lets not hold our breath though. Anyways, money from overseas continues to influence the status and popularity of clubs all over the country and it would be foolish to argue against the positives of foreign investment. After all, the Premier League is now the most watched league in the world, furnished with the game‘s finest foreign talent.

Since the wave of foreign investors began in 2003, English clubs have dominated the most sought after prize in European football, the UEFA Champions League. In the last seven years (minus 2010), each of the Premier League’s top four have participated (at least once) in the final, all of whom are owned by foreign investors. From 2006 - 2009, the semi finals of each competition included 3 English teams, domination personified.

As English teams continue to dazzle Europe’s elite, the national side regress. When expectations soar, England bow out in the quarter finals at both Euro 2004 and the World Cup in Germany . Under Steve McClaren, they fail to even qualify for the 2008 European Championships while Capello's side performed miserably in South Africa last summer.Although foreign investors cannot be blamed directly for the demise of the national squad, young hopefuls’ chances of breaking through are deteriorating, with instant success the soup of the day.  Anyways, I’m from Northern Ireland, why should I care how England fair?

Nevertheless, many worry that if the current crop of youngsters aren’t tried and tested on the top stage of club football, Team England will suffer.

In Manchester, there are contrasting opinions on foreign ownership. Manchester United is owned by Malcolm Glazer, an American businessman who was recently brought under scrutiny by Panorama. Fans fiercely opposed the takeover, as the Glazers have been running the club in huge debt, paying a reported £60million in interest each year for their debt.

Adversely, the blue half of Manchester are now finally able to compete with their city rivals financially. The arrival of the Abu Dhabi group in 2008 provoked a flurry of high profile bids, paving the way for over £200million of talent, including Carlos Tevez and David Silva. With Champions League status secured and an FA Cup final win, City fans can now expect to attract the World's most sought after talent - with Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez linked this summer.

Manchester City is further evidence of the legacy that Abramovich will forever impose on the premier league, inadvertently setting the trend and in doing so, paving the way for astronomical transfer fees and higher salary. Whether this is healthy for the game is widely debated, but one things for certain, City fans will not disapprove.

As a Liverpool fan, I had been forced to listen to countless empty promises made by a (now former) custodianship which saddled the club in debt, all whilst the team underperformed on the pitch. But when the new owners announced deals for Luis Suarez (£22 million) and Andy Carroll (£35 million) in January, I felt like a city fan - and enjoyed it. Not for one minute did I think, “Oh no, now our up and coming youngsters are less likely to get a look in.”

In saying that, I have enjoyed watching the likes of Martin Kelly, John Flanagan, Jack Robinson and Jay Spearing flourish under the guidance of Kenny Dalglish, having been given a chance to gain vital premier league experience.

With the backing of their American owners, Liverpool fans can enjoy the best of both worlds this summer - signing the likes of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing whilst knowing their young scousers will again be given a chance next season. Not for one moment am I placing owner John Henry under the bracket of greedy investors as seen on Dispatches, there seems to be a genuine care for the club as a whole.

But in a modern game, littered with disenchanted fans and unaccountable owners, deliberation is only expected. Fans can debate for or against foreign ownership, but if their club are successful, are they really bothered? My opinion - as long as there’s success, the answer will be no.

Whether the future of  club ownership lies in the ways of an idealistic democracy much like FC Barcelona’s remains to be seen. Foreign owners have left their stamp on the English game, for better or worse, and will continue to do so. With all it‘s riches, football is not just a sport, but now a business model.

Craig Hannan