Since FSG took over, they’ve done some undeniably great things…
They saved us from going out of business after the debt Hicks & Gillett put us in; they expanded the Main Stand, with plans to also extend the Annie Road End too; have got further plans in place to build a huge new training complex and appointed Jurgen Klopp as manager.
But throughout their tenure, Liverpool have won just one piece of proper silverware: the League Cup in 2012.
We’ve lost finals in the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League, of course, as well as missing out on the title narrowly in 2013/14 – but the fact remains the same: we’ve won just one League Cup under their reign.
Many believe that’s because of our inability to compete with our rivals properly in the transfer market, and this report by the Echo perhaps suggests they have a point.
Since 2010, when FSG took over, here is the total net spend of Liverpool compared to our rivals:
Man City – £718.05m
Man United – £540.05m
Chelsea – £351.8m
Arsenal – £179.8m
Liverpool – £164m
Spurs – £20.5m profit
In that time, Manchester City have won two titles, Manchester United have won two and Chelsea have won two – with the only other available going to anomaly Leicester City in what’s undoubtedly the greatest shock in football history.
But the figures are not difficult to interpret: the three clubs who spend the most money have the greatest chance of winning the league.
Tottenham have earned huge praise for developing a young, impressive team on a shoestring, but they haven’t won anything since 2008.
Liverpool’s £164m translates as £23m per year, which is a pretty shoddy return, in truth.
This summer just gone, fans were continually told there was cash to burn, but we ended up not signing a central defender or a centre-forward.
How much of this was down to Jurgen Klopp and how much the owners is up for debate, of course.
But it’s definitely reasonable to assume we’re at a disadvantage every season when our rivals consistently purchase more expensive, and usually better, players.
Are FSG the right people to own Liverpool, Reds…?