Dear John Henry, Mike Gordon and Michael Edwards
I am writing this open letter for all to see. At the time of writing, we are 22 Premier League games in. Like for the last few seasons, we are walking on tightropes with regards to injury we simply cannot risk anymore.
Look I'm not a huge money expert, not like the way Mo Chatra is who gives a very good perspective as to finances that go on in Liverpool Football club. But most of our references still refer to the recent publishing of the Deloitte Money League.
From the Deloitte Money League, we made huge revenues in 2024. From our perspective as fans, we really want to see where the money goes to get an understanding why some areas that hit our squad and stuff that wasn't addressed properly as it should.
1. Failure to do any major kind of reinforcements and address key areas often over the last few years except summer 2023.
To be fair, the summer 2023 window did the trick for us right now. The arrivals of Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister and Endo didn't really take off last season but they absolutely flew this current season. Really it works brilliantly under the guidance of Arne Slot. Gravenberch completely converted from an 8 to a 6, and to Slot's credit, something we never have thought that would be the answer to our number 6 woes initially.
This is what happens when you reinforce the squad often as it just brings about a huge breath of fresh air to the squad.
But let's rewind things a few years ago, after winning the Premier League in 2020. Things already started to go downhill at the start of 2020/21 season. Despite bringing in Jota, Tsimikas and Thiago, we were still dangerously short at the back. I understand it was in the time of the COVID pandemic. However having sold Lovren without replacing was a huge misplay by FSG. Because we wouldn't have known that Virgil Van Dijk would go down for the whole season, along with Gomez and Matip also injured for the majority of the season as well. Depending on our midfielders to play center backs and promoting Rhys Williams and Nat Phillips out of pure desperation completely threw our team off balance as a result. Bringing in Ozan Kabak partially somewhat restored a bit of parity but it wasn't enough. Moreover we did not even use Ben Davies whom we brought in as a panic. But to be fair to Kabak, he did try. Few errors here and there but I had absolutely no problem with him.
Our key midfielders for that year couldn't retain their standards for long either. We immediately started to see in the 2022/2023 season that the legs of Henderson, Keita, Fabinho were starting to give out after burning out in 2021/22. We did replace after the season, but it was already too late where this should have been done in January 2023 while we could still salvage this. As a result, we lost qualification to the UEFA Champions League for the 23/24 season and relegated to the Europa League instead.
We don't even need to go about the 23/24 season. Despite the overhaul in the midfield, still left us lacking options at right back again. That needed us to promote Quansah and Bradley. Moreover, injuries hit us, extremely hard, worse than 20/21 season. It was thanks to Virgil Van Dijk practically holding this team of misfits together, even won a League Cup in the process which was a feat and half with all odds stacked against us.
Thing about the footballing industry is that dynamics and anything can change at breakneck speeds, matches come in thick and fast. And with our current squad still in contention of all 4 trophies of the season available, it's really putting a stretch to a few extremely key figures. Especially Gravenberch, Van Dijk and Salah who started for all 22 PL and all 7 Champions League matches at the time of writing. There's still 16 League matches to play, potentially up to 10 more UCL games, 2 more League Cup games, 5 more FA Cup games for a maximum of 33 more games if we go all the way. It is needed to reinforce before more of our tired legs start to go because knowing our injury record is extremely poor as of late. A Center Back, a new main Left Back, a 6 as a backup to Gravenberch and another Center Forward to help cope the injury problems Jota is facing all the time.
Bluntly put, burnouts are absolutely real when you have to give everything without stopping. Take a look at us after 21/22 season. And take a look at Manchester City after 23/24 season.
2. Failure to renew contracts at a promptly manner
This may not have any effect now in terms of player performance. However it is unsettling the fans because Virgil Van Dijk, Mo Salah, and Trent have been a few of our core members that are down to their last few months of the contract. And we cannot afford to lose them at the end of the season for free. Because even if we have to let them go, it makes more sense to make money than lose them on the free. Moreover they are still more than capable to play at their highest levels. And mind, Mo and Van Dijk are the oldest at the club and they are showing no signs of slowing down and they've been saying time and time again of their loyalty and it shows.
Letting them go will also be extremely huge because we'll need you to spend much more money to replace them all and further add numbers to our ranks.
There are also quite a few others also running down low too. Konate, Alisson are another couple of them at risk too.
3. Suspect of Siphoning money as wages
Speaking of wages, going back to the Deloitte Money League does share something that seems off. In 2024, the wage bill experienced an odd 14m increase. This seems odd in 2024, because we've not renewed contracts amounting anywhere close to the wages freed up by departing players. In 2023, we've seen Naby Keita, Firmino, Henderson, Fabinho, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Milner all leaving the club. But what Mo Chatra also didn't factor in is that in mid 2024, we've also seen Jurgen Klopp, Thiago, Adrian, Matip, Sepp, Carvalho, along with a host of others all leave.
By all rights that should leave us with a lot more wiggle room to spend. Bear in mind, if you've seen our club, we actually do have a relatively high turnover rate. But why is the wage bill still increasing?
If it is really true that your company is siphoning money to be used as part of 'wages', then can you explain us to why?
4. Rumors of bidding for Boston Celtics
This is dangerous. Whether it's gonna be involving siphoning of our funds or offsetting from all the turnovers and revenues, we as fans will never know. The repercussions if this is really true and you buy the Boston Celtics Baseball club, will have a severe impact of what we can really do in LFC in terms of expansion, player recruitment, wages. 6 Bill is a huge money and questions will be asked "Where is all this money coming from? Do you have that kind of money without impacting LFC?" this, that and the other.
5. Other financial measures that faced backlash
There were some other financial measures to what I would say, cutting costs. Maybe this is leading to the bidding of Boston Celtics, we won't know. COVID period understandably, not pretty. You called for a Furlough of staff where they need their own funds to sustain living during the pandemic. You called for sharp increase in ticket prices (which led to a walkout during one of our away matches).
CONCLUSION
While we understand operating clubs are an expensive affair, being in the business means you know perfectly well what you've gotten yourself into and you know what you're expected to do. Our main focus is ultimately, the longevity of the dynasty we are promised originally when we won the UCL and Premier League. And we have this hunger, this drive, this thirst for more. We as fans turn up for matches, international fans tuning in overseas, many losing sleep like me at 4am in the morning, supporting our boys. We want continued sustained success. Because we care.
This is why fans want a 51-49 ownership. Because it gives a minor shareholder a much bigger say than having it revolve around the decisions purely made by a single ownership.
"We care. Do you, Fenway Sports Group?"
Because if you do not care for the continued sustained success for this club, then we urge you that it is time to take that difficult step and concede your ownership to another business. Ultimately, we are not the only club with fans questioning ownership, as Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins also have issues as well.
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