Liverpool: Where a shirt is fungible with points
Arsene Wenger comes in for regular criticism for his re-definition of success. Gems like “if it means coming fourth, I’ll take it for the next twenty years” or the simpler “coming fourth is like earning a trophy”.
You may disagree with him but at least his premise is within the ballpark of an acceptable milestone. Coming forth at least guarantees you a shot at the coveted Champions League.
Kenny Dalglish just took it to another level altogether.
Kit sponsorships? Player satisfaction?
The new multi-million dollar deal struck with sports apparel company Warrior Sports happened because of its connection with New England Sporting Ventures, Liverpool’s parent company. A move necessitated after Adidas dropped Liverpool because they did not meet their criteria of success. The equivalent would be Arsenal being sponsored by Stan Kroenke’s Dick Sporting Goods.
Happy players? This is not some sort of teacher satisfaction survey. Was the course material presented in a clear, concise way? Did the professor answer your questions satisfactorily? Did you get enough bathroom breaks? John Henry spent over £100m on four players because money in football can buy you happiness. Just ask Roman Abramovich because he continually hankers for that warm, loving feeling.
Today, Liverpool face David Moyes and the Toffees coming into the Merseyside derby on a high. With the spate of recent losses, Liverpool’s Champions League aspirations are pretty much over. In Everton they have a Europa Cup rival and a loss could see them lose their grip on the 7th spot.