---
title: "Liverpool FC: Kings of PR Cock-Ups"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/liverpool-fc-kings-of-pr-cock-ups/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Tim James"
section: "Articles"
published: "2014-02-01T19:13:05Z"
modified: "2014-02-01T19:13:05Z"
---

# Liverpool FC: Kings of PR Cock-Ups

The clock strikes eleven and Jim White (#FuckJimWhite) begins to overload into a state of hyperactivity. Liverpool fans have spent the day sitting at their computers in the hope that Yevhen Konoplyanka would eventually sign for the club. Heck, we’ve even learnt to spell his name now. Even as the 11pm deadline came and went, Liverpool fans remained optimistic, suggesting the deadline could be stretched until 1am at the latest.

Well, that was shite. The news was eventually reported that the deal was off – but the logistical farce Liverpool had created was not yet done.

Just over an hour later, the official LFC twitter account invited us to read the latest interview with Brendan Rodgers. This interview was based almost solely around the controversial subject of a lack of incomings in the transfer window. However, this interview is done with the same Rodgers who appeared to leave Melwood at 8pm (something I have no problem with – what was he supposed to be doing?). Therefore, we can only conclude that the club called Rodgers back to conduct the interview – did they really feel that this would be the way to calm the fans? Well, it certainly didn’t work.

Another camp of thought suggests that the interview was conducted before Rodgers went home at 8pm. Now, I won’t go into this because it’d be utterly scandalous if true, but it’s worrying that this is actually a conceivable option.

I’d like to clear things up at this point. My issue is not with the non-signing, I won’t discuss the needs of the squad at all in this article – it’s with the logistical farce that we appear to have become during the transfer window. There’s so many unanswered questions, and even staunch supporters of FSG such as myself, are beginning to become worried about our transfer policies. Why did we wait until the final three days of the window to pursue Konoplyanka? If the Echo are to be believed, the sale didn’t actually happen because Dnipro’s owner did not want to sell; but this doesn’t really cut it. The Telegraph reported that negotiations between the two clubs “went on until 4am” – what is it that they were talking about? “Please sell”, “no”, “how ’bout now?”, “err… no”, “.. and now?”, “please leave”.

We’ll spend the next few weeks looking up pictures of Roy Hodgson photoshopped onto a leather-clad Ian Ayre in an amalgamation of orgasmic ineptitude. But is Ayre really to blame? Despite FSG’s overhaul of the club’s most senior people, Ayre remains in an extremely vital role, even with his role as off-pitch scapegoat. Presumably, he’s doing something right. FSG know the facts and we don’t. Simple as that.

However, there are some facts we do know – Mohammad Salah was clearly a big target of the club, and the player suggested the reason he eventually went to Chelsea was because Liverpool took too long to complete the deal (he is quoted as saying it took over two months). The deal with Konoplyanka looked almost complete and if the club had an extra day of negotiations it looks like it would’ve been settled – why did we not simply start a day earlier?

FSG clearly know their stuff and looked like they were creating Liverpool into a ruthless machine of efficiency. However, that image is slowly slipping. The buzzword is “value”, and I for one support this. We’ve not got the budgets of a Man United, City or Chelsea. However, what value would Konoplyanka have been to the club? How can you quantify the value of the difference between 5th and 4th in the Premier League?

Whilst, in my opinion, we’re still marginally favourites for 4th, the signing of Juan Mata for United has really closed the gap and it’s now something of a 50/50. For the first time in years, the club had a real opportunity to nab a Champions League spot. If we make it? Fair enough. If not? Well, inevitably, serious questions will once again be posed of the infamous transfer committee. But it’s far more serious than that – Luis Suarez will tell the club he once again wishes to leave as his desire for Champions League football is not satisfied, and we’ll be right back to square one.

Could do with three points at West Brom, lads.