There was a very popular saying, spoken, sung and written during Rafa Benitez’s reign: In Rafa We Trust. Rafa is long gone, for better or worse; that debate is for another day but since his departure, we’ve seen old Roy come and go and be replaced by Kenny Dalglish. A legendary figure; our greatest player and last manager to win the league. Now, that mantra – at least in thought – has carried over and there is emerging a sense among a very vocal set of fans that Kenny can do no wrong. Not so much ‘In Kenny We Trust’ as in ‘In Kenny We Trust Absolutely’, almost blindly in some cases.
For the record, I think Kenny has done a fine job. He has turned us around – more so in performances – and we clawed our way out of a veritable mire in the last 3 months of last season, as much because of the elation at his appointment as from the managerial and tactical experience of him and his backroom team. But either way, he earned his permanent contract and I would never have anybody else say any different.
However, he can not be let off the hook regardless of the decision, particularly during this summers’ transfer window: perhaps the most important for any Liverpool side for the past few years. So far we have made a very questionable signing in Jordan Henderson. A promising young England midfielder, of that there is no doubt. But the fee we spent on him? Extortionate.
Like most fans, though, I was prepared to let it slide, trust in the men at the top and keep my mouth shut. If it works out, we will have been vindicated, if it doesn’t, then isn’t that the whole point of potential, of promise? Like a rough diamond, you know there is something there, you just have to do what you can to make it shine.
What has transpired in the past week or so though, has raised some more questions from me than I am comfortable with. A prolonged attempt to sign Charlie Adam is fine by me, he seems a useful player. But to let Jonjo Shelvey go on a years loan, when – in his brief appearances so far – he’s appeared at least as good as Henderson?
This makes no sense. Nor does allowing Blackpool to haggle us higher and higher from the initial £6 million bid (if you believe what you read). I believe in signing the players you want and need but not at any cost. And certainly not when that player has just been relegated and has 12 months left on his contract.
Then we have the recent speculation that Raul Meireles has been transfer-listed due to some internal wranglings at the club. Now, I am be putting 2 and 2 together here and coming out with 5 but with all these central midfielders we’ve been signing, it would appear to me to be too much of a coincidence that Meireles, probably our most valuable midfield asset (besides Steven Gerrard, who would never be sold) is seemingly being readied for a £15+ million transfer out of the club about the same time as us being linked with Charlie Adam.
keep meireles, not fair to sell him after having such a good first season….. where is the logic in selling him??? :S doesnt make sense, and its really frustrating :@
Hi Marti, I to am a big fan of Meireles, but sadly I dont think fairness has any place in the businesss of football – if the same player was offered a big contract at say Barcelona or Real he would probably say it has always been his dream to play for that club! However, if he is sold and Adam is bought (and I don’t think he is good enough) it will be because adam is greatly different and will be seen as an alternative to Aquilani at those times when KK wants to change things during a game. its not about how good or bad Meireles is its about having greater options.
No,,no you cannot win anything by selling a good player like meireles….its simple like that..
God this really is the silly season.
Total crap like this getting repeated from one website to another.
jog on!!!
Your absoluely right we should not trust KD we should have stayed with Hodgson then we would only have had to find signings fit for the championship.
We may never win a trophy under KK but those who go to the games will always come away knowing they have seen good attacking football and that their side has put everything into trying to win the game. That’s KK’s way.
I do not believe there is evidence of wanting to buy Adam. Had it been a priority it would have happened last month.Mind you it is good camouflage for other things!The whole exercise has been orchestrated out of Blackpool and their desire to milk as much as they can out of LFC (seen to be suckers for overpaying whatever they say in the boardroom). Notice all that so-called interest from United and Villa and even Spurs that magically disappeared? Adam is simply an ageing mid-talented player who happens to have half his contract owned by the man who is trying to sell him – the Blackpool manager! Now things get clearer??
“In Rafa We Trust” was the latest incarnation of “In Ged We Trust” under Houllier, which was an obvious echo of America’s “In God We Trust”.
So, in summary – it’s a load of garbage, because it never stopped most fans wanting Houllier out, and a vocal minority wanting Rafa gone.
Saying “In Kenny We Trust” is just embarassing when he’s the 3rd manager in 7 years to get the epithet.
Stop hating and wait to see what develops before you start criticising KD…. How many of us really knows what goes on behind the scene! I suggest the author stop reading and listening to the media go on holiday with the misus and make babies..
The football that we played in the last few months under kenny has been the best in say the last 5 years so is it wrong to put trust in him just because things are not moving as fast as you would like it to or should he tell the world like an idiot all his potential signings and be outbided by richer clubs..??
Do the maths you numbskull. 🙂
This article is a load of bollocks. From what I have read I trust KD’s opinion over yours. So Henderson was expensive, he is not the first and not the last over priced player. He is young and had a great season and clearly Kenny thinks his style of play suits the style of football he is aiming for. Shelvey did not play better than him. Shelvey accomplished pretty much nothing in the games he played. He is still young and needs a season playing every game to hone his skills. Therefore the loan makes sense. Charlie Adam may not be the worlds best player, but his quick passing and vision makes him a good addition for pass and move. Merieles, had a decent season, but he is not the class of player that is irreplaceable and if Kenny would rather raise funds to bring players in other areas then it makes sense to sell him.
I have started to see many websites now calling on liverpool fans to doubt KK. I believe it is the same fans who are putting imaginary teams out after having played a bit of football manger and thinking they could run a football club. KK came back to liverpool knowing his reputation was on the line, he told us he could do a beeter job, he did. for any liverpool fan who does not support KK then you are not a liverpool fan!!!
This is a site full of wingers who probably never go to a game but sit and watch on TV. KD took us from being almost relegated to almost finishing 5th in 5 months. If he signs noone this summer
NO!!
jonjo shelvey is a marshan and definitely isn’t good enough to play centre mid for lfc on a regular basis so he goes out on loan and if he doesn’t develop into a player worth keeping he will be sold but i think if you placed him on the transfer list now you would be lucky to get 5m for him,I do think meirelles had a decent season and is technically a good player but is lightweight for the premier league and pulls out of tackles on a regular basis and if Kenny can get a good price for him and wants more solid midfielders then why not let him go? Henderson does look a bit pricey at the moment but he is a good young player and only time will tell whether it was good value or not but one thing for sure is the new owners are showing they don’t mind putting there hand in their pocket if they hadn’t bought anyone am sure everyone would be moaning then. RED TILL DEAD
I DON’T MIND WHOEVER THE COACH IS I’M NOT A FAN OF DALGLISH I SUPPORT MY TEAM LIVERPOOL THAT’S IT .