Why missing out on top four wouldn’t be a disaster for Liverpool – according to Guardian journalist’s excellent thread
A Twitter thread delivered by Guardian Sport writer Sachin Nakrani detailed how a failure to qualify for Champions League football could be turned into a positive for Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp’s side has struggled to come to terms with the loss of key stars to injuries, including starting centre-back duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez.
Teetering towards the middle of the table in 7th, after five straight losses at Anfield, the club is in serious danger of failing to make the heralded top four spots for the first time since the 2015/16 season.
With reports claiming that Mo Salah is eyeing up a new challenge and the doom mongers warning of irreparable damage that would set Liverpool back years, one could be forgiven for being somewhat apprehensive about the future.
Focusing on Klopp’s words about the importance of players buying into his ideas of unity and a general commitment to the cause, however, Nakrani’s thread does make a great deal of sense.
“If a player wants to leave because we don’t play CL then I don’t want him,” the German told reporters in his pre-match presser. “If a player does not want to come to us because we don’t play Champions League next season, then I don’t want him,”
Presuming that we are to continue to operate much in the same way as we have in the last six years, our challenge remains the same.
Champions League football, while certainly an attractive feature for any prospective target, isn’t about bringing in the best players – for Klopp, if you’re not willing to buy into the project you don’t get through the front door.
Financially, it’s clear that our transfer plans this summer may be limited, but given what Klopp has achieved, and the squad he’s moulded, any prospective target who believes that this is the end of the road for Liverpool shouldn’t be near the club in the first place.
You can catch the full thread below:
… asked about prospect of players wanting to leave Liverpool should they fail to qualify for the Champions League, or club’s inability to sign targets for same reason, Klopp said if a player has that mindset than he doesn’t want them anyway. I think that’s really important …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… it makes perfect sense, then, that he would not want any player – existing or future – who doesn’t have totally belief and dedication to the cause, and that would be reflected in any player who rejects the club on the basis they are not in the Champions League next season …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… it makes perfect sense, then, that he would not want any player – existing or future – who doesn’t have totally belief and dedication to the cause, and that would be reflected in any player who rejects the club on the basis they are not in the Champions League next season …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… and, like the manager, I don’t want Liverpool keeping any players who want to jump ship after the first failure of what, up to now, has been a glorious era. If their commitment is that flimsy, or indeed they just want a new challenge, then definitely best they move on …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… and, like the manager, I don’t want Liverpool keeping any players who want to jump ship after the first failure of what, up to now, has been a glorious era. If their commitment is that flimsy, or indeed they just want a new challenge, then definitely best they move on …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… so yes, it would suck to be out of the Champions League next season. But as Klopp said – and which has been reported – the club would survive. And in terms of how it affects the squad – well, ultimately it would say more about the players than the manager and the club …
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
… if anyone wants to go, go. And if you don’t want to sign, don’t sign. Liverpool, as ever, rolls on and out of this current adversity will come a new collective strength.
Saying all that, we could definitely do with a new, really good striker.
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) March 6, 2021
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