Fenway sportsgroup - The LFC and Redsox connection.

[omji]

Hello everyone!
I'm a Norwegian Liverpool supporter, so please excuse me for the typo's i will certanly be making in this post.

Soccer, as you call it, is a passion of mine. Not just the game, but the economics and almost everything else that goes into running a proffesional sportsclub.
FSG has now been in charge at LFC for over a year, and invested heavily during their first year in charge. The total price og players bought during the 2011/12 campaign amounted to a total of over ?100 million. (Though the sale of star striker Fernando Torres for ?50 million makes up for half of it.)
My question to you, and the reason that I joined this messageboard, is simply to ask the people who hold the Red Sox close to the heart, how you feel about FSG as owners?
I know they have brought success to the team, I know about the "moneyball" principle (I've seen the movie and done some reading online, haven't bothered to read the book as of yet.)
Everything points towards FSG trying to put moneyball into practice within soccer.
During their first summer-transfer window, Liverpool aquired alot of players who were in the EPL's top when it came to stats such as crossing, passing, attempts at goal and so on.
I see what they were trying to do, but it seems to me like they were trying to set an example by getting these players at any price.
The ?18million transfer of Stewart Downing from Aston Villa, whom has failed to score a single goal in the EPL in the year since his transfer, is a good example of this.

Anyways, i hope you can give me a better understanding of what FSG are about, without quoting what their promovideos and interviews say. I find that things said through private production only show one side of the story, and therefore turn to the fans to see what information can be gained here.

I appreciate any answer i can get.
Thanks.

[Thunder]

Since Theo Epstein left, FSG's been hell.

[cbbosox]

This is a sore subject around here.
As someone who loves the Red Sox and hates soccer there is a feeling(warranted or not)
that when they bought Liverpool they stopped paying enough attention to the Sox

[Lionbush]

Wouldn't worry about that. They just fucked LFC over today too.

[Taz]

INS: Fabio Borini (?7.8million, Roma), Joe Allen (?15m, Swansea), Oussama Assaidi (?3m, Heerenveen), Nuri Sahin (loan, Real Madrid), Samed Yesil (?1m, Bayer Leverkusen).

OUTS: Fabio Aurelio (free, Gremio), Dirk Kuyt (?880,000, Fenerbahce), David Amoo (free, Preston), Stephen Darby (free, Bradford), Maxi Rodriguez (undisc, Newell's Old Boys), Toni Silva (free, Barnsley), Alberto Aquilani (undiscl, Fiorentina), Henoc Mukendi (loan, Northampton), Craig Bellamy (free, Cardiff City), Jay Spearing (loan, Bolton), Andy Carroll (loan, West Ham), Charlie Adam (?4m, Stoke), Nathan Ecclestone (undiscl, Blackpool).

The main worry for Reds fans is once again scoring enough goals. FSG unquestioningly backed Kenny Dalglish during his time, but that has proven a disaster and FSG have taken a complete bath on that. So far as Liverpool are concerned FSG are better than Hicks & Gillette, as the damage these 2 bozos did is still being felt & needing to be rectified.

Now FSG are in the position of owning 2 iconic sporting institutions that are both well below their potential. The signs are there, that a massive shift coming in European football over the next few years which will change the face of the continental game forever. FSG are treading water with Liverpool in anticipation of this IMO.

[Johnswallet]

I'd just like to let it be known that Liverpool fans are becoming suspicious with regards to FSG's behaviour. Granted they are new to the sport but they have had enough time to get to grips with English football.

What they did to our manager on Friday was disgusting, they literally shit on him and as a result, the team is seriously weakened. The manager isnt happy and the fans are furious.

I know their plan is to reduce the wage bill etc.. Which they have done, so the business side of things are looking good. (Thats good for them) But its left the football side of things weak. (Not so good for LFC and its fans.)

The thing that bothers us is dishonesty and disloyalty, thats exactly what FSG are guilty of recently, its just another notch, another line on the list of grave errors they have made since buying this club.

Liveropool fans are the last fans on this earth who will stand for being messed around. The club means too much to the people of Liverpool to allow it to happen. The people of Liverpool literally eat, sleep and breath Liverpool FC. Its in our blood, always has been and always will be.

We used to be the best domestic footballing side on the planet.

Today we are a laughing stock, and its FSG's fault.

No noises from Boston, Jen CHang hasnt tweeted anything since Thursday and we all want answers.


If any of you guys are interested in us or can enlighten me into what or why these things are happening. Please feel free.

Thanks. One guy from Liverpool.

[Taz]

LFC are in deep. Red Sox are in deeper. FSG's lifeblood is primarily based in Boston, but with the Sox in an absolute freefall, huge cuts have been made to the salaries of both the Sox & LFC squads.

LFC are going to be in for a tough time this first half of the season, at the very least, given the derth of striking options and if any of them pick up long term knocks then it becomes even thinner. That said, according to the LFC website the 1st team squad has 34 players. Obviously not all of those players are up to the standard needed, and even on the site the lack of depth in forwards is all too plain & precarious.

Not sure what LFC have in the way of youth & if any of those u/19 or u/20's are kicking about, they'd have to be excited at the prospect of perhaps emerging if they work hard and are good enough. Is there another Robbie Fowler or Michael Owen amongst them, though? That's the million pound question now, ian't it?

The Sox are in a much worse position.

The manager's position needs attending to. With the exception of perhaps 2, virtually a new starting rotation is required, in addition to an overhaul in the bullpen and that's just the pitching. There is also extensive surgery required with the positional line up also.

From top to bottom the Sox are riddled with problems. LFC, by comparison have one major problem area, which is admittedly a pretty significant one.

[Gomez]

I'd just like to clarify, FSG didn't 'literally' sh*t on the manager, as bad as it was, it wasn't quite that bad.

FSG are continuing to make a string of mistakes at Liverpool, and they all seem to stem from the fact that they have failed to appoint a competent CEO that can actually run the club day to day. They said they were scouring the world to find a world class CEO, then gave up and over-promoted Ian Ayre to MD and then left him too it.

[Taz]

I'd just like to clarify, FSG didn't 'literally' sh*t on the manager, as bad as it was, it wasn't quite that bad.

FSG are continuing to make a string of mistakes at Liverpool, and they all seem to stem from the fact that they have failed to appoint a competent CEO that can actually run the club day to day. They said they were scouring the world to find a world class CEO, then gave up and over-promoted Ian Ayre to MD and then left him too it.

They tried to poach Peter Lawwell from Celtic, but apparently he flat out told them no chance.

He is already on money term with among the best in the EPL, but at Celtic he has everything going nicely, the good times at CP look set to continue for the foreseeable future, he's a Celtic man through and through & judging by some of his wee digs at the goings on at Ipox over the past year etc, he is having the time of his life.

Why give all that up to go to LFC?