I’ve more than a few issues with this:
If it’s not 10M, it’ll be there or thereabouts. The main concern with paying 10M for a 29 year old is; what happens if he gets injured, or plays shit, what have you got then? An ageing squaddie that’s lost about 5 times his value? You’ll never recoup anything close to that for him again.
Whereas you spend 10M on a 22 year old, and he can get injured, and play shit, but there’s a chance of salvaging it. You’re not in the same hurry to find a buyer, cos he’s got time on his side and you can work with him. There’s always an upside. There is no upside to having an injured or out of form 30/31 year old on your list.
I read someone the other day saying ‘Well Man United have a history of paying over the odds for Premier League players’ – that’s right they do. But they’re all young, and have an upside. Rooney, 30M. Ferdinand, 30M. Carrick, 18M. Young, 16M. Jones, 16M. Big money, but you’ll get 10+ years out of them. We’re spending circa 10M on someone who is not going to get any better as a player. As opposed to United, we’re investing into what he’s already done, compared to what he could become for you.
Secondly, at that price and at his age – he’ll be in the team every week. You don’t spend 10M on a 29 year old cos he’s got potential, or he can add something to the squad, you’re gonna play him. So, does he fit into the team? He can play, he’s a good footballer, and he’s comfortbale with ball at his feet – prerequisites for a Rodgers signing – but whose place is he taking? At Fulham, he was afforded the number 10 role and had the likes of Etuhu and Murphy working for him. He did nothing going the other way, and I’ve never seen him press whilst not in possession (again, a prerequisite for a Rodgers player) cos he was the big fish in a small pond, and he gave them goals the other way. That’s not the case with us. Suarez takes the number 10 role. And we don’t play a 4-5-1. I’m all for quality players fitting in across the attacking third, and interchanging of roles and positions, but who are you leaving out to give this guy the position, freedom, and space that he needs in order to produce his best football – Suarez? Nope. Gerrard? Nope. Dempsey can’t play outside the lines of penalty box to penalty box so there’s no point in sticking him on a wing. The only option I see for him is in the midfield 3 of a 4-3-3 alongside Gerrard and Lucas, but that’s detrimental to where he plays his best football. He doesn’t track, he doesn’t work very hard without it, and it takes him further away from goal.
No doubt Rodgers has a role in mind, but I’m wary of this one. Big style.
And, can he cut it on the big stage? You’re not at Craven Cottage now Clint, with cunts working their balls off to get the thing to your feet. You’re playing alongside some of the world’s best footballers, and their sole thought isn’t ‘get this and give it to Dempsey’ – you’ve got to fit in with them, not the other way around.
At 29, and a history that shows the biggest stage you’ve ever played on is with the US of A, I don’t know if you’ve got what it takes to bring your game to the next level. You don’t have time anyway, so you better be able to adapt and improve quickly.
Otherwise, we’ve got a 10M 30/31 year old unhappy squad player.
Which does no one any good.
