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| Jurgen Klopp |
Jurgen Klopp has told Liverpool that he will only come to Anfield as
Brendan Rodgers' replacement if he is given final say on transfers at the Barclays
Premier League club.
The charismatic German is Liverpool's overwhelming first choice to replace
Rodgers, sacked rather callously on the phone by the club's American owners
after Sunday's Merseyside derby draw with Everton at Goodison Park.
It is understood that Klopp and Liverpool have already
been in contact and it is the club's eagerness to recruit him while he is
available that was the driving force behind a decision to sack Rodgers that was
actually taken more than a week ago.
The former Borussia Dortmund coach is keen to come but
has told the club he will not bow down to the infamous Anfield transfer
committee that has overseen so many poor incoming deals over the last two or
three years.
Klopp has told Liverpool that he is happy to take advice and
recommendations on players but that he must have the final say.
This is not a privilege that Rodgers has told friends was
afforded to him during his time at the club.
The 42-year-old was a member of the committee and had a significant say.
The club have always insisted that a player would never be signed unless the
manager ultimately agreed to the deal.
There were set parameters that Rodgers feels undermined him, though. It is
understood, for example, that Rodgers was told that the club would not, as a
general principle, sign players over the age of 24.
This is why the Northern Irishman's wish to sign Swansea defender Ashley
Williams and left-back Ryan Bertrand were scuppered last summer. Williams is 31
and Bertrand is 26.
Rodgers wanted both players as he sought to repair his team's leaky defence
and has told associates he put Williams in particular before the committee on
more than one occasion only to be told he couldn't have him.
The outgoing manager believes this impacted on his job hugely as he was
effectively left with a defensive line up that he did not want and knew wasn't
good enough.
Bertrand eventually signed for Southampton from Chelsea while Liverpool
took the promising but green teenager Joe Gomez from Charlton. The 18-year-old
started the season in Rodgers' line up but has subsequently been replaced by
the Spaniard Alberto Moreno.
Liverpool's transfer record under FSG has on the whole been very poor, with
millions spent on players who have not made the grade.
Klopp is understood to have studied this in detail and has already said
privately that he doesn't want his own reputation tarnished by being landed
with players he hasn't chosen himself.
Rodgers' own belief is that FSG's desire for success on the field will
always be put against the background of a desire to sign young players who will
subsequently increase in value.
It is understood, meanwhile, that the former Swansea manager knew in the
week that followed a home draw with Norwich last month that he would soon be
sacked, despite his ongoing public insistence that he was not under pressure.
The atmosphere at Liverpool's Melwood training ground has been dreadful
ever since the defeat at Manchester United in September with players picking up
on Rodgers' clear understanding of his fate.
FSG STATEMENT
FOLLOWING RODGERS SACKING
In a joint Fenway Sports Group statement, owner John W Henry, chairman Tom
Werner and president Mike Gordon said: 'We would like to place on record our
sincere thanks to Brendan Rodgers for the significant contribution he has made
to the club and express our gratitude for his hard work and commitment.
'All of us have experienced some wonderful moments with Brendan as manager
and we are confident he will enjoy a long career in the game.
'Although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides us
with the best opportunity for success on the pitch.
'Ambition and winning are at the heart of what we want to bring to
Liverpool and we believe this change gives us the best opportunity to deliver
it.
'The search for a new manager is underway and we hope to make an
appointment in a decisive and timely manner.'
