Dan Walker, of BBC Football Focus fame, was kind enough to give us some of his time as to answer a few questions about his views on Liverpool Football Club. We talked about topics from Suarez’s controversies to his beloved Crawley Town. It’s fair to say he answered the questions in a way that can only be described as Dan Walker-esque.
1. How are you enjoying Football Focus? To be working with people like Didi Hamann week in week out must be a dream, surely?
They are all great to work with. Hamann has a great sense of humour but talking about football is the next best thing to playing it.
2. Have you ever been to Anfield? Thoughts? If not, has anyone told you anything about it?
No never… of course I have! I’ve been loads of times. Great stadium but the club need a new ground desperately to compete with the likes of Manchester United, City and Arsenal.
3. Looking at foreign ownership in the English game, how do FSG differ and are they doing it the right way, in terms of buying for the future?
They are all businessmen who are looking for profit but the current bunch are certainly more popular than the last lot. There were some bad purchases under Dalglish but the sentiment of building for the future of the club is a very sound one. It will be much easier to judge them in a few years time.
4. Liverpool’s squad age this season has been a key talking point for pundits, with many of them claiming the team doesn’t have enough experience. Are you of the same view as these unnamed pundits or do you think that having a young squad is fine or even a recipe for success?
Look at Aston Villa – youth is great and vibrant (as they proved at Anfield) but as we’ve seen more recently they need a few steady old hands on the pitch too. Most of the best squads out there seem to be a mix of both… there is a reason for that.
5. FSG chose Brendan Rodgers as the next Liverpool manager last summer. Do you think that Rodgers is the man to take Liverpool to the next level? How do you think his tenure has gone so far?
I think he’s done well. I do think that the ‘Being Liverpool’ programme – although entertaining – was perhaps not the best idea but if you spend time with him he loves his football, understands the club and I hope he gets time to implement his ‘project’.
6. Even though as a team Liverpool have sunk to relative mediocrity in the middle of the table, which individual Liverpool players have stood out for you this season?
Suarez has been the stand out man. Some of Liverpool’s traditional stars have been slightly off the boil but Suarez is the best in-the-box-dribbler there is and his goals have been invaluable.
7. Luis Suarez has certainly stood out in terms of controversy in the last year or so; what do make of the media storm that seems to follow him?
I don’t think he cares about it in the slightest. Robbie Fowler said he’s condemned ‘before he steps on the pitch’ and he doesn’t help himself sometimes but I also think he comes in for undeserved criticism on occasions too.
8. Is new signing Daniel Sturridge the answer to Liverpool’s scoring woes?
He looks very impressive so far but this is a pivotal time in his career. He’s struggled to become a permanent fixture at both Manchester City and Chelsea so he needs to do the business this time.
9. If you were to take any 3 Liverpool players to your beloved Crawley Town – who would they be, and why?
Suarez, Gerrard and Sturridge… we haven’t scored that many from our strikers this season so I think those 3 could ‘do a job’ in League 1.
10. What are the realistic targets for Liverpool for the remainder of the season?
Top 4 would be an impressive achievement and when you consider how many points were won and lost in the last few weeks last season… anything is possible.
