Dalglish has no excuses left should the poor form carry on
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Liverpool shake-up begins as under-fire transfer chief Comolli leaves Anfield
Moving on: Liverpool owner John Henry (L) and chairman Tom Werner (C) thanked Comolli after the Frenchman dramatically departed Anfield
Damien Comolli has dramatically left Liverpool to start a shake-up at Anfield.
The director of football has become the first major victim of the club's disappointing Barclays Premier League season.
Comolli has been told by owner John W Henry that he is no longer wanted alongside manager Kenny Dalglish.
The Frenchman, who cited family reasons for his departure, was responsible for finding new players for the club - including the £105million they spent last year.
In a statement on the club's official website, Comolli said: 'I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to work at Liverpool and am happy to move on from the Club and back to France for family reasons.
'I wish the Club all the best for the future.'
Owner Henry said: 'We are grateful for all of Damien's efforts on behalf of Liverpool and wish him all the best for the future.'
The club's chairman Tom Werner added: 'The Club needs to move forward and we now have a huge game on Saturday.
'It is important that everyone joins us in supporting the manager and gets behind Kenny and the team and focuses on a strong finish to the season.'
Dalglish insisted Comolli was at Anfield with his blessing and was sad to see him exit.
He said: 'He's been really helpful in every transfer target we've gone for.
On his way: Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish said he was sad to see director of football Comolli leave
Under-fire: Carroll and Downing were two of Comolli's two high-profile signings
Big money: Adam and Jose Enrique (R) were signed by Comolli last summer
'Everyone who has come into the club since Damien has been here was of my choice. Once I made the choice who I wanted.
'Damien went away and did a fantastic job of bringing them in. It's sad to see anyone leave the club and he goes with my best wishes.'
As well as playing a part in the signing of Carroll, Comolli also contributed to one of the most dramatic days in the history of the Premier League by helping along the deal that took Fernando Torres to Chelsea for £50million late on the same day.
Other signings to have headed to Anfield while Comolli has been in office include the likes of Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jose Enrique who, between them, purchased for a total touching £90m.
They have not all been universally popular additions to the Liverpool squad, though, with some fans questioning the merits of paying such high prices for players who have yet to make a consistent impact at Anfield.
Earlier in his career, the 39-year-old Comolli had held a similar post at Tottenham.
He was heralded for securing deals for players such as Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Dimitar Berbatov but, much like his time at Liverpool, not all his dealings were well thought of.
The likes of David Bentley and Adel Taarabt were never able to make their mark at White Hart Lane and former manager Martin Jol was outspoken about his uneasy relationship with Comolli.
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My wish is Liverpool continue to keep kenny as their manager...
I hope they don't sack him as well...
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The biggest flop got the cheek to scold the manager for playing him for 80 minutes against his old club.
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Dalglish should go too
Take Downing/Carroll/Adam with him -
Kenny do the bad, Comolli get the stick? Anyway, Liverpool do need changes to breath new life into this falling club. Kenny can stay for another half/whole season if he manage to win the FA cup.
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Henry have to act fast as he need some one to plot the player transfer in and out now and not at the end of season.
It is a sign that Henry is stepping forward to address the sliding of the club.
As for the players, they know better who they will be sold.
Maxi already show his worth when he is played.
If Liverpool sell Bellamy, Kuyt and Maxi, Kenny can prepare his season in championship very soon.
They may be old, but they played hard and with their heart.
Henry may find it hard to sack Kenny if he win the double this season.
So, he will be monitored closely next season if he still stick with his useless bum.
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Originally posted by zocoss:
My wish is Liverpool continue to keep kenny as their manager...
I hope they don't sack him as well...
And we'll let him have the carling cup every year? -
Well, we can consider... If his 'star power' drops too much and may look risky for the sack, we have to throw in the FA Cup as well... lol.
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Comment: Dalglish has no excuses left should the poor form carry on
Marriage of convenience: Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli as director of football
One of Damien Comolli’s most prized possessions from his time at Anfield may turn out to be the photograph of him holding the Carling Cup that was circulating on the internet on Thursday.
The Frenchman now knows, though, that a club like Liverpool expect a little more than that from an investment in players of more than £100million.
As Liverpool’s peculiar season moves towards its conclusion, it was always likely the club’s American owners would seek to change something in a structure that wasn’t working.
The Carling Cup success and an FA Cup campaign that reaches a critical point with a semi-final against Everton tomorrow have lent the club’s 2011-12 campaign an air of credibility. But Liverpool’s progress in cup competitions has stopped the roof caving in completely on their season.
Liverpool’s American owners have recognised the need for change. Whether they have chosen the right man as their fall guy only time will tell.
Certainly, both manager Kenny Dalglish and managing director Ian Ayre have had uncomfortable moments this season. Had their respective positions come under intense transatlantic scrutiny - as some felt they would - this summer then they really could not have complained.
Dalglish must take his share of the blame for a wretched league campaign while Ayre allowed the Luis Suarez racism case to drag on embarrassingly.
brave new dawn: Liverpool stated their intent with a January splurge to the tune of £57m
But when the knives came out, it was the director of football who took the blame for what Liverpool chairman Tom Werner called the ‘disconnect’ on transfer strategy, while Liverpool also got rid of head of sport science Peter Brukner.
Cynics may say all Werner and Liverpool owner John W Henry have done here is fire bullets at the fringes of the real problem, that they have made changes while shying away from the really tough decision relating to one of their club’s most popular and iconic figures.
After all, how can Werner criticise transfer activity on the one hand and, on the other, deliver such an unequivocal message of support for the man who earlier in the day had admitted the new signings were bought on his recommendation?
For now, though, the Americans have made their choice. Just as they did in appointing Dalglish in the first place, they have made what may generously be described as a ‘popular’ choice.
Certainly, Saturday will be a glorious day to be a Merseysider. Liverpool and Everton both have a rich FA Cup heritage and memories of their final clashes at the old Wembley in 1986 and 1989 remain vivid.
Liverpool, though, look set to enter another testing period.
Annual accounts to be published soon are expected to show just how far the club are away from having the funds for the new stadium they need so badly and, with Champions League riches a distant dream at the moment, it will become very clear just how restricted Dalglish will be in the transfer market this summer.
League doesn't lie: Liverpool slumped alarmingly since their League Cup win
By all accounts, Dalglish’s relationship with Comolli was cordial. The plain fact is, though, the two men come from different worlds, not to mention different eras.
What was recently described by someone close to the club as a ‘marriage of convenience’ was never likely to last terribly long.
Henry now appears ready to seek a new director of football. Dalglish won’t particularly want one but this is clearly the structure that makes the Americans feel most comfortable.
What is certain is that Liverpool must sign better players this summer. And then they must get better results. Dalglish no longer has any excuses.
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liverpool will win the premiership next season.
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come on
he use downing instead of maxi
and downing has gd thing , he put in early cross but the problem is
suarez/carroll dun like to go in the box early -
Sometimes I find it amazing that you kept your scoring machine on the bench and put lousy players to lose the game.
Maxi have shown so many times that his positioning and scoring instinct is better than all the UK milionaire playrs compared.
Henry need to fire some one to wake up the whole gang or else they will kick on playing lousy.
The millionaire flops are next.
He found the best time before the semi final against Everton.
I believe Ah Ken will be given the chance to recover next season to build up the squad for his succeessor.