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At Last, some Ruthlessness in Management

Rob Dragon 1

Juniors
Messages
172
I have always liked Tariq Sims. Wholehearted, full of fire and brimstone, but alas he is past it. The temptation must have been strong to extend him for another year or two but it would be a heart v head decision.

This is the ruthlessness we need to rebuild the joint. Make head decisions not heart decisions. You need to think of this as a business and be ruthless when required. The great Liverpool FC Manager of the 1970's, Bill Shankley used to say that you cut players when they were at the top of the mountain and had just started looking over the other side. He was ruthless and they got on with winning.

The cull of the roster has begun and continues with earnest. We need this continued ruthlessness in decision making. No sentiment allowed. Not an inch. The culling of Dufty, Clune, Norman, Vaughan etc will continue at some pace next year as many contracts end in 2022. I can see green shoots appearing but I still think it is a 2023 & 2024 mission.

And again Bill Shankley used to say that "football and winning matches isn't a matter of life and death, it is much more important than that". When opposition clubs came down the tunnel at Anfield they were met with a 30 foot sign that read "This is Anfield, home of Liverpool FC, European Champions", and then they were greeted by 50,000 Scousers who wanted to kill them. That is what we need.
 

Trifili13

Juniors
Messages
780
I have always liked Tariq Sims. Wholehearted, full of fire and brimstone, but alas he is past it. The temptation must have been strong to extend him for another year or two but it would be a heart v head decision.

This is the ruthlessness we need to rebuild the joint. Make head decisions not heart decisions. You need to think of this as a business and be ruthless when required. The great Liverpool FC Manager of the 1970's, Bill Shankley used to say that you cut players when they were at the top of the mountain and had just started looking over the other side. He was ruthless and they got on with winning.

The cull of the roster has begun and continues with earnest. We need this continued ruthlessness in decision making. No sentiment allowed. Not an inch. The culling of Dufty, Clune, Norman, Vaughan etc will continue at some pace next year as many contracts end in 2022. I can see green shoots appearing but I still think it is a 2023 & 2024 mission.

And again Bill Shankley used to say that "football and winning matches isn't a matter of life and death, it is much more important than that". When opposition clubs came down the tunnel at Anfield they were met with a 30 foot sign that read "This is Anfield, home of Liverpool FC, European Champions", and then they were greeted by 50,000 Scousers who wanted to kill them. That is what we need.
Agree wholeheartedly, I'm a Man Utd supporter and a major problem with Liveroool IMO was sentiment when Paisley and Shankley left that they rested on their laurels, appointed jobs for the boys (Souness and Evans) and it took them 30 years to win another title. Sounds familiar with the Dragon's after Bennett.

Although it's a game, it's also a business and hard and difficult decisions need to be made. The clubs that make the tough calls generally succeed.
 

Rob Dragon 1

Juniors
Messages
172
Agree wholeheartedly, I'm a Man Utd supporter and a major problem with Liveroool IMO was sentiment when Paisley and Shankley left that they rested on their laurels, appointed jobs for the boys (Souness and Evans) and it took them 30 years to win another title. Sounds familiar with the Dragon's after Bennett.

Although it's a game, it's also a business and hard and difficult decisions need to be made. The clubs that make the tough calls generally succeed.
I'm a Chelsea supporter but from back in the old 1st Division days. I used to live at Putney on the Southside of London and we would wander up to The Bridge a couple of times a month to watch a game, followed by a 1,000 beers at the Slug and Lettuce, followed by a curry somewhere and then wander home around 2am. Great days. I can hardly recognise the Chelsea of now to then.

Here is the most salient point of your entire post. Of all the brilliant Liverpool players of that era, you did not mention one of them. You mentioned Paisley and Shankley, the management team. Interesting isn't it? It all starts from the top.
 

Gippsy

Bench
Messages
4,688
I get the sentiment of the OP but this ruthlessness has come all too late and aimed at the wrong player.
So many others in the past we held on for too long. Tariq still has plenty to offer. I’m not ok with this.

Yeah, sort of agree with this. Its okay to be ruthless when we have quality palyers to replace them. Who are our quality backrowers and why aren't we as ruthless with Alvaro, McGuire, Kerr, Ford etc?
 

OneEyedDragon

Juniors
Messages
1,432
I get the sentiment of the OP but this ruthlessness has come all too late and aimed at the wrong player.
So many others in the past we held on for too long. Tariq still has plenty to offer. I’m not ok with this.
I get what you are saying. Remember that Tariq is still contracted for 2022. He is seeking an extension beyond 2022. If he was offered that extension for 2023 and maybe 2024 and he played as inconsistently as he has been, I doubt that you would be ok with that either. You might perhaps wonder why he was offered an extension at all. The club has to make a call, and we all hope it is the right one.
 
Messages
994
I get what you are saying. Remember that Tariq is still contracted for 2022. He is seeking an extension beyond 2022. If he was offered that extension for 2023 and maybe 2024 and he played as inconsistently as he has been, I doubt that you would be ok with that either. You might perhaps wonder why he was offered an extension at all. The club has to make a call, and we all hope it is the right one.
He’s a good club man. These are all too rare. I say give him what he wants. Has to better better value than Corey @ $800k
 

Illusion

Bench
Messages
2,729
Like Sims been good ..... But the club needs to be Ruthless the game is faster than ever its a young mans game ..... Need players that can stay at the high standard every week not one game in 4 ..... If the club is to become a force again then it needs to happen ..... If the team was anything like the Storm and had depth in all positions then maybe he could have seen his time out like Slater , Smith but the team is weak and can't carry anyone ..... So IMO right call .....
 

lombard

Juniors
Messages
1,164
Yeah, sort of agree with this. Its okay to be ruthless when we have quality palyers to replace them. Who are our quality backrowers and why aren't we as ruthless with Alvaro, McGuire, Kerr, Ford etc?
You would be hoping to upgrade the forward pack that next year is the last year for Alvaro and McGuire not being signed again and Ford and Kerr need to improve significantly or face the same outcomes.
 

lombard

Juniors
Messages
1,164
I get what you are saying. Remember that Tariq is still contracted for 2022. He is seeking an extension beyond 2022. If he was offered that extension for 2023 and maybe 2024 and he played as inconsistently as he has been, I doubt that you would be ok with that either. You might perhaps wonder why he was offered an extension at all. The club has to make a call, and we all hope it is the right one.
Tariq would be 33 in 2023 and the way the game has changed and wear and tear on his body it is 100% the right decision.
 

Old Timer

Coach
Messages
16,914
Funny how we sometimes over appraise "average" performers in a totally underperforming team with some grossly overpaid duds.

Sims has put together some good games no doubt but he has never been that point of difference that takes us from below average to above average.

For mine his career is punctuated with individual moments in specific games and he will be remembered for those moments of impact rather than lots of moments in seasons of consistency like a Boyd Cordner.

I actually think he could have been a far better player if he had of had the mind to.
 

OneEyedDragon

Juniors
Messages
1,432
Clune is a good backup. We shouldn’t be letting him go either.
Sure it would have been great to keep a nice guy and dedicated clubman like Adam. Maybe could have happened to, if the NRL had allowed a squad of 40 and increased the salary cap by 5 or 10 million dollars! Clubs just can't keep everyone, and I hope that recruitment has some specific targets in mind that will improve team performance. Anyway, Adam going is a done deal, so I wish him all the best.
 

Rob Dragon 1

Juniors
Messages
172
He’s a good club man. These are all too rare. I say give him what he wants. Has to better better value than Corey @ $800k
And this is exactly it. Right here. This is our problem as a club right here. Give him what he wants, because he is a good clubman; but it is not the right thing for the club. I respect your view on rewarding a good club man, but being nice doesn't get you a long way. Be ruthless. We want to win. Sims will not be part of the next premiership contending team. He's busted. Move him on. No sentiment whatsoever. It was this thinking that anchored us with McGregor for 8 dreadful years.

And I completely agree that Kerr, Ford, Alvaro, Beale etc should be joining him. Be ruthless. Your in a war against the likes of Melbourne and the Chooks; and mark my words they are both ruthless.
 

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,678
By my reckoning, we will have cut 12 players this year.

Clune - signed with the Knights
Williame - Signed French rugby
Beale - won't be re-signed*
JP - Signed with the Broncos
Dufty - Signed with the Bulldogs
Brittain - released
McInnes - Signed with the Sharks
H. Lomax - released (DS)
J.Hunt - won't be re-signed*
Ellis - signed with Wigan (ESL)
Vaughan - sacked signed with the Bulldogs

And of course, last but not least

Norman - signed with ?
 
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