"How a meeting with John W Henry convinced me he's the perfect owner"

[King Binny]

MirrorFootball's Simon-Mullock:

I was lucky enough to meet John W Henry this week, the new owner of Liverpool Football Club.

It was hard not to be impressed.

Unlike the club’s previous American owners, the head of New England Sports Ventures has refused to commit himself to promises that he may find impossible to achieve.

Instead, it is clear that Henry wants to learn everything he can about Liverpool’s unique heritage and traditionbefore deciding on the best way to deliver a future that’s just as golden.

This week he invited north west-based journalists into club offices near the city’s historic waterfront.

We were invited in two and a time expecting the chance to ask Henry about his vision for the club.

Instead, it was Henry asking all the questions.

“What would you do if you owned Liverpool,†he asked. “How would you achieve it.â€

After just 20 minutes in his company it was clear that Henry will leave no stone unturned in his efforts to repair the damage inflicted by Hicks and Gillett before restoring past glories.

He will take in the opinions of anyone he feels can help him in his quest.

For Liverpool’s fans, that means he will be listening to their hopes, fears and aspirations for the club they love.

Henry may not have the wealth to deliver a new stadium and a team of £50million players.

But he has got the qualities that Liverpool supporters have been craving for years – someone who sees them as the central pillar of the club.

If first impressions are anything to go by, Liverpool have got the perfect owner.

 

[King Binny]

AS EVER with Billy Beane, there was an eye-catching number to grab the attention.

Fabled general manager of the Oakland A’s baseball team, Beane has burst on to public consciousness at Liverpool given his close ties with the club’s new owners. And his words of reassurance carry weight.

“John Henry knows how to run his sports clubs,†said Beane. “He wants to win not just for today, but for the next 100 years.

“Liverpool fans should be really happy that John decided to buy their club.â€

Just six weeks ago Beane’s name would have meant little to Anfield supporters. Yet now, a closer study of what Henry is trying to do on Merseyside means Beane’s career, already chronicled in the book Moneyball and soon to be transferred to the silver screen with Brad Pitt in the lead role, is an unmistakable reference point.

It was Beane who put Henry in touch with Damien Comolli, prompting his appointment as Liverpool’s director of football strategy. Beane’s fondness for sabermetrics, the use of statistics to narrow the risks involved in player recruitment, has also been closely followed by both men.

Many a misconception abounds regarding this new principle. Henry’s Fenway Sports Group are undoubtedly opportunists, lured to Anfield not by a deep-rooted love for the club but a £300million deal that was too good to turn down. But the perception they will now fund the club’s renaissance on the cheap is flawed.

The Boston Red Sox, one of Henry’s other sporting loves, have one of the highest payrolls in baseball. They are not afraid to spend, and spend well – as two World Series testify.

“Football’s strength is its spontaneity and the fact it is free-flowing,†said Beane. “It is far easier to measure a player’s worth in baseball and cricket.

“John won’t simply try and impose something that works in baseball on football. But what he is likely to do is look to see whether the practices we use can make his football team run more efficiently. Surely that’s a good thing.

“People take a step back whenever stats are mentioned, but measurements are used in every sport. Every day, people look at the Premier League table. Who’s top? How many points are we behind?

“There is a perception with metrics that we are not looking to spend money, but that is completely incorrect. Good players can cost a lot of money, but just because someone is paid a lot of money doesn’t automatically mean he’s good.

“We are just trying to avoid the mispricing of players.â€

Given all those millions squandered over two decades on the likes of El-Hadji Diouf, Alberto Aquilani and Andrea Dossena, Liverpool more than most would benefit from that approach. However, scepticism remains – also in regard to the director of football model that Henry has introduced. It has not worked in England thus far, but that does not mean that it cannot.

Frenchman Comolli returns to White Hart Lane tomorrow having been sacked in 2008 by Tottenham as Juande Ramos’s reign nosedived – but with his credibility seemingly enhanced by the passage of time. More than half of the Spurs side who swept aside Werder Bremen on Wednesday were signed during his tenure. He first established contact with Beane after reading Moneyball, and they spent time together at the World Cup in 2006. Beane visited Tottenham. Comolli visited Oakland. And they remained in touch.

“Recommendation is too strong a word. I introduced John to Damien, but John is savvy. He makes his own decisions,†said Beane, who was on the verge of becoming Henry’s general manager at the Red Sox until a late change of heart. “I have known Damien for a long time and we are friends. He’s a clever guy and I’ve enjoyed seeing the success the players he took to Spurs have since had.

“We have general managers in baseball, but it is the same principle as a director of football. You are just spreading the knowledge around and if everyone pulls in the same direction, it will work. But if it’s fragmented then that is when problems can arise. John is putting a strategy in place at Liverpool.

“When decisions, particularly in football, are made purely with the short term in mind you can see what happens. Portsmouth and Leeds did that and have not recovered.â€

The supporters might raise eyebrows that Henry should turn to a legendary figure in a sport that remains alien to many in England for advice. Yet Beane’s interest in football runs far deeper than that of casual observer.

When Liverpool brushed aside Chelsea he was huddled around his television, blown away by the majesty of Fernando Torres’s goals but also picking up on Dirk Kuyt’s performance.

“It was great to see Kuyt come straight back into the team and immediately provide an assist for Torres.His energy is so important to the way Liverpool play,†said Beane, who has also worked with Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes. “I liked Yossi Benayoun, too, and it’s a shame he left.

“Everyone thinks their own particular sport is best, but I started taking a personal interest in football because the rest of the world is so engrossed with it.

“From visiting Damien at Tottenham, Chelsea’s academy, and studying Arsene Wenger, I have applied things from the Premier League to baseball.

“The detail with which you look at nutrition for players is something I bought back over here. Now, I can’t wait to come to Anfield.

“Hopefully, there’ll be good times to come.â€â€˜The new owner has a great strategy so fans should be really happy’

 

[juniormember]

First article was a meh for me but I enjoyed the second one. Thanks Binny.

 

[Frogfish]

Thanks for posting Binny.

After the last 20 years I think it's best to adopt a 'wait & see' policy. So many promises, so many false dawns .....

 

[King Binny]

Hodgson, who reveals he has not been handed a transfer budget, is keen to prevent the huge turnover of players that has occured at Anfield in recent years.

“The owners have deliberately not made it as simple as ‘here’s some money, now spend this how you want’,†he said. “They want to make us a better team for now and the future as well. They have give Damien and myself the clear understanding that if the right players come along in January, they would be just as happy to buy them then than in the summer or a year down the line.

“I don’t want to spend a sum of money just for the sake of bringing in players that are 14th, 15th or 16th in line. They have to be players that everyone who watches us, the fans, the journalists, can see why we have bought them. Like with Meireles. Players who can make us better. That’s what we are looking for.

“I don’t know if that will happen in January. I’m not saying yes. But I’m definitely not saying no either. I sincerely hope we can be strong enough to stick with this. If I don’t see myself something what we really want that will make us better, I hope I have the strength to say we will stick with what we have got and keepgoing with it.â€

 

[Judge Jules]

In principle I agree with that, but we're still going to suffer if (a) in the meantime Roy can't get more out of the players we already have, which I don't think he can, and/or (b) poor decisions are made about whom to sign by an incompetent manager and a DOF whose previous record is decidedly mixed.

Still and all, it's got to be more hopeful than looking into the indefinite darkness of Hicks remaining in charge.

 

[SummerOnions]

I hope I have the strength to say we will stick with what we have got and keep going with it.â€

I wonder who or what thats a dig at.

 

[singlerider]

At least he seems to recognise that Ming is the only purchase that's been any good

 

[Squiggles]

I love Meireles and have done from day one.

He's only had one bad game and that was when he was forced onto the right - other than that he's been faultless. A very complete CM.

 

[manwithnoname]

He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237598#msg1237598 date=1293219243]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.
[/quote]

I still lay part of the blame for that (cole's poor form) at roy's door because of how we approach games.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237600#msg1237600 date=1293219620]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237598#msg1237598 date=1293219243]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.
[/quote]

I still lay part of the blame for that (cole's poor form) at roy's door because of how we approach games.
[/quote]

Why? It's not like our attacking play has been blunted, not alot has changed really in that sense. If anything, at times it's looked alot more fluid. The problem with Cole is he's never really had a defined role that he's held down and we're now finding out why. I hate all this shit about us being 'defensive', we're not, we're just fucking shit.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237606#msg1237606 date=1293220013]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237600#msg1237600 date=1293219620]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237598#msg1237598 date=1293219243]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.
[/quote]

I still lay part of the blame for that (cole's poor form) at roy's door because of how we approach games.
[/quote]

Why? It's not like our attacking play has been blunted, not alot has changed really in that sense. If anything, at times it's looked alot more fluid. The problem with Cole is he's never really had a defined role that he's held down and we're now finding out why. I hate all this shit about us being 'defensive', we're not, we're just fucking shit.
[/quote]

because the attackers/forwards have often been left isolated therefore we expect mircles when they get the ball because the opposition usually doubles up on them.
when I see the forwards given support and passing options if they are still fucking up then I'll write them off.

 

[mark1975]

[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237609#msg1237609 date=1293220372]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237606#msg1237606 date=1293220013]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237600#msg1237600 date=1293219620]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237598#msg1237598 date=1293219243]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.
[/quote]

I still lay part of the blame for that (cole's poor form) at roy's door because of how we approach games.
[/quote]

Why? It's not like our attacking play has been blunted, not alot has changed really in that sense. If anything, at times it's looked alot more fluid. The problem with Cole is he's never really had a defined role that he's held down and we're now finding out why. I hate all this shit about us being 'defensive', we're not, we're just fucking shit.
[/quote]

because the attackers/forwards have often been left isolated therefore we expect mircles when they get the ball because the opposition usually doubles up on them.
when I see the forwards given support and passing options if they are still fucking up then I'll write them off.
[/quote]

You mean like Spurs away? You make it sound like they're feeding off scraps all the time, creatively have we been that bad? Torres has been well off form, he'd normally create situations but he's failing to even do that, and he HAS been guilty on numerous occasions this season of passing up opportunities he'd normally put away and looking half interested. As for Cole, well he's been given a go in his favoured role and wide and he's looked shite in both positions, and it's not about support or anything else, that's got nothing at all to do with his inability to maintain possession or create openings.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237612#msg1237612 date=1293220621]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237609#msg1237609 date=1293220372]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237606#msg1237606 date=1293220013]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237600#msg1237600 date=1293219620]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237598#msg1237598 date=1293219243]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=42596.msg1237597#msg1237597 date=1293219089]
[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237596#msg1237596 date=1293218539]
[quote author=Brendan link=topic=42596.msg1237594#msg1237594 date=1293216620]
He's been pretty good. Not amazing. Certainly not faultless.

He just seems that good playing next to The Mong
[/quote]

I agree he's not been faultless, he shit out for the 3rd goal against Newcastle, but he has been good, steady but extremely reliable and composed.
[/quote]

he's the only one of roy's purchases that is earning his pay but I haven't written of cole yet.
[/quote]

Yeah. The other three have been shite and Cole, whoever can lay claim to him, is looking pretty poor tbh.
[/quote]

I still lay part of the blame for that (cole's poor form) at roy's door because of how we approach games.
[/quote]

Why? It's not like our attacking play has been blunted, not alot has changed really in that sense. If anything, at times it's looked alot more fluid. The problem with Cole is he's never really had a defined role that he's held down and we're now finding out why. I hate all this shit about us being 'defensive', we're not, we're just fucking shit.
[/quote]

because the attackers/forwards have often been left isolated therefore we expect mircles when they get the ball because the opposition usually doubles up on them.
when I see the forwards given support and passing options if they are still fucking up then I'll write them off.
[/quote]

You mean like Spurs away? You make it sound like they're feeding off scraps all the time, creatively have we been that bad? Torres has been well off form, he'd normally create situations but he's failing to even do that, and he HAS been guilty on numerous occasions this season of passing up opportunities he'd normally put away and looking half interested. As for Cole, well he's been given a go in his favoured role and wide and he's looked shite in both positions, and it's not about support or anything else, that's got nothing at all to do with his inability to maintain possession or create openings.
[/quote]

liverpool were excellent at spurs but is that the exception or the rule?
truth is liverpool should be going after players who have pace, who are direct and who don't come inside every five seconds. that's not cole but cole is here now so play to his strengths and that is getting him as close to goal as possible support and passing options, the deeper cole plays the worse he gets.

 

[mark1975]

I meant more in regard to passing up opportunities. Away at Bolton, Torres missed a one on one and he's done it in a few other games this season too. I think you're overplaying our caution, the central midfielders, for example, are playing alot more advanced than they were under Rafa (and perhaps that's why we're seeing the faults more often in defence), while we've played most games with two up top.

Our general play has been hit and miss but my biggest concern now when entering games isn't about who will put the ball in the back of the net, but who's turn it is to fuck up at the back.

 

[spider-Neil]

[quote author=mark1975 link=topic=42596.msg1237616#msg1237616 date=1293221343]
I meant more in regard to passing up opportunities. Away at Bolton, Torres missed a one on one and he's done it in a few other games this season too. I think you're overplaying our caution, the central midfielders, for example, are playing alot more advanced than they were under Rafa (and perhaps that's why we're seeing the faults more often in defence), while we've played most games with two up top.

Our general play has been hit and miss but my biggest concern now when entering games isn't about who will put the ball in the back of the net, but who's turn it is to fuck up at the back.
[/quote]

I not arguing with any of that I'm just saying I think a better manager will get more out of the likes of cole.

 

[mark1975]

Any news on the game on Sunday anyways??? 🙂

 

[Fabio]

Think there is a pitch inspection at 12 on boxing day

 

[SaintGeorge67]

is kick off at 3?