Heaven preserve us...
By Chris Bascombe
10:30PM BST 11 Aug 2014
Liverpool’s pursuit of a new striker has prompted Brendan Rodgers to consider a short-term deal for Samuel Eto’o.
The 33-year-old Cameroon striker was released by Chelsea at the end of last season and is currently a free agent.
Ajax are in talks with the former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward, but Rodgers has a pressing need for more firepower and there have been discussions about the merits of a deal for the African.
Liverpool have more expensive and younger targets, but price, availability - and in the case of the recent aborted deal for Loïc Rémy, fitness - have scuppered Rodgers’ plans so far to sign a direct replacement for Luis Suárez.
Not everyone at Anfield will be convinced recruiting Eto’o at this stage of his career is the ideal solution, but in the absence of obvious alternatives it may prove a necessity to ensure Liverpool do not go into a new season with only Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert to choose from.
Eto’o spent last season at Stamford Bridge but it was not a happy reunion with his former Inter manager Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho made a reference to the African’s age, and did not hide his feelings throughout the season about what he felt was a poor return from all his strikers.
Eto’o scored nine times at Stamford Bridge before being released, although if Liverpool are to move they will have to do so quickly with Ajax confirming advanced talks.
Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars says Eto’ is close to moving to Dutch football.
“Samuel seemed very hungry to play for Ajax,” said Overmars. “He is fit and has a great drive to succeed once again.
“We don’t want to block the growing process of our talents but if it is possible to sign a world class player like Eto’o, then why not? It will be fantastic.”
Despite the loss of Suárez and Rodgers’ difficulties in replacing him, Liverpool have been backed to continue their impressive form of last season by Jürgen Klopp, the Borussia Dortmund manager.
Klopp, who remains one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe, can relate to the difficulties in readjusting following the sale of a prized asset. Dortmund have become accustomed to seeing their best players lured away, Bayern Munich waving the chequebook in recent years to attract the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Götze.
Klopp has been able to protect Dortmund’s Champions League credentials during that period and his two Bundesliga titles challenged the dominance of Bayern for a long period.
Having lost 4-0 to Rodgers’s team in Sunday’s friendly at Anfield, he sees no reason why Liverpool cannot evolve and continue to compete against the more heavily fancied Premier League sides.
“It’s a great club and they did well last year - I saw it,” Klopp said. “If you make the right decisions after you miss [the title] you can be stronger. Maybe Liverpool this year is the big team in the Premier League. We will see.
“At the moment it seems to be no problem [without Suárez]. They have a plan maybe, but I don’t know. We can play better than we did on Sunday, and Liverpool can play better too. This was not the ideal time to face Liverpool.”
Rodgers has often described Dortmund as a prototype club for Liverpool, developing talent rather than hunting for the most expensive, highest-earning superstars, like Bayern Munich do in German football, or Chelsea and Manchester City in England.
“He is an inspirational figure,” Rodgers said. “What his team have done over the last number of seasons has been nothing short of incredible.”
Klopp was happy to accept there may be certain similarities between his and the Liverpool manager’s approach.
“With the way he has developed the team? Yes, maybe a little bit,” Klopp said. “He’s a good manager. We did what we did. When we started we tried to create football moments that will hopefully be more successful than the past.
“We didn’t think about what happened in the past, just how we can develop the team. That’s what we did at the time.”
Liverpool’s similarity with Dortmund also comes with words of caution from Rodgers, however. The German side’s domestic form suffered when they enjoyed their run to the Champions League final two years ago, and Rodgers is wary of the impact of a hectic schedule this year as his team – if not the club – enter new territory.
“Champions League brings extra reward but also extra burden,” said Rodgers, who hopes to complete the signing of left-back Alberto Moreno from Seville this week.
“Fighting on multiple fronts is something our rivals are used to and well prepared for. Our challenge is to remain competitive at the top end of the table domestically while also mounting a European campaign worthy of a club of our stature.”
Liverpool’s £20 million signing, Lazar Markovic, is struggling to be fit for the season opener with Southampton due to a slight tendon injury.
By Chris Bascombe
10:30PM BST 11 Aug 2014
Liverpool’s pursuit of a new striker has prompted Brendan Rodgers to consider a short-term deal for Samuel Eto’o.
The 33-year-old Cameroon striker was released by Chelsea at the end of last season and is currently a free agent.
Ajax are in talks with the former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward, but Rodgers has a pressing need for more firepower and there have been discussions about the merits of a deal for the African.
Liverpool have more expensive and younger targets, but price, availability - and in the case of the recent aborted deal for Loïc Rémy, fitness - have scuppered Rodgers’ plans so far to sign a direct replacement for Luis Suárez.
Not everyone at Anfield will be convinced recruiting Eto’o at this stage of his career is the ideal solution, but in the absence of obvious alternatives it may prove a necessity to ensure Liverpool do not go into a new season with only Daniel Sturridge and Rickie Lambert to choose from.
Eto’o spent last season at Stamford Bridge but it was not a happy reunion with his former Inter manager Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho made a reference to the African’s age, and did not hide his feelings throughout the season about what he felt was a poor return from all his strikers.
Eto’o scored nine times at Stamford Bridge before being released, although if Liverpool are to move they will have to do so quickly with Ajax confirming advanced talks.
Ajax sporting director Marc Overmars says Eto’ is close to moving to Dutch football.
“Samuel seemed very hungry to play for Ajax,” said Overmars. “He is fit and has a great drive to succeed once again.
“We don’t want to block the growing process of our talents but if it is possible to sign a world class player like Eto’o, then why not? It will be fantastic.”
Despite the loss of Suárez and Rodgers’ difficulties in replacing him, Liverpool have been backed to continue their impressive form of last season by Jürgen Klopp, the Borussia Dortmund manager.
Klopp, who remains one of the most sought-after coaches in Europe, can relate to the difficulties in readjusting following the sale of a prized asset. Dortmund have become accustomed to seeing their best players lured away, Bayern Munich waving the chequebook in recent years to attract the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Mario Götze.
Klopp has been able to protect Dortmund’s Champions League credentials during that period and his two Bundesliga titles challenged the dominance of Bayern for a long period.
Having lost 4-0 to Rodgers’s team in Sunday’s friendly at Anfield, he sees no reason why Liverpool cannot evolve and continue to compete against the more heavily fancied Premier League sides.
“It’s a great club and they did well last year - I saw it,” Klopp said. “If you make the right decisions after you miss [the title] you can be stronger. Maybe Liverpool this year is the big team in the Premier League. We will see.
“At the moment it seems to be no problem [without Suárez]. They have a plan maybe, but I don’t know. We can play better than we did on Sunday, and Liverpool can play better too. This was not the ideal time to face Liverpool.”
Rodgers has often described Dortmund as a prototype club for Liverpool, developing talent rather than hunting for the most expensive, highest-earning superstars, like Bayern Munich do in German football, or Chelsea and Manchester City in England.
“He is an inspirational figure,” Rodgers said. “What his team have done over the last number of seasons has been nothing short of incredible.”
Klopp was happy to accept there may be certain similarities between his and the Liverpool manager’s approach.
“With the way he has developed the team? Yes, maybe a little bit,” Klopp said. “He’s a good manager. We did what we did. When we started we tried to create football moments that will hopefully be more successful than the past.
“We didn’t think about what happened in the past, just how we can develop the team. That’s what we did at the time.”
Liverpool’s similarity with Dortmund also comes with words of caution from Rodgers, however. The German side’s domestic form suffered when they enjoyed their run to the Champions League final two years ago, and Rodgers is wary of the impact of a hectic schedule this year as his team – if not the club – enter new territory.
“Champions League brings extra reward but also extra burden,” said Rodgers, who hopes to complete the signing of left-back Alberto Moreno from Seville this week.
“Fighting on multiple fronts is something our rivals are used to and well prepared for. Our challenge is to remain competitive at the top end of the table domestically while also mounting a European campaign worthy of a club of our stature.”
Liverpool’s £20 million signing, Lazar Markovic, is struggling to be fit for the season opener with Southampton due to a slight tendon injury.
