Patience is the required antidote for Liverpool fans

Anfield faithful hark back into history to showcase their rich history in the English game

Things could have been a lot different for Liverpool Football Club, if DIC’s (Dubai International Capital) bid to takeover the club had gone through in 2006. Middle-Eastern billions pumped into the club, taking it from a challenging side to a winning one.

Trophies, players, revenue — it would have been back to the golden days for the red-half of Merseyside. The club, however, looked to the West; and blimey how that turned out!

Seven years later, Western owners remain, while the club has fallen off it’s comparatively mediocre perch; a downward spiral from a Champions League-winning campaign has ensued.

The overly used football cliche ‘transition’ continues to be associated with the club. The Middle-Eastern regret remains, but the Western adjustment has been much more than a mere change.

Despite the failure of the club over the last few seasons, it still manages to attract a global fan base and a packed stadium, season after the season. Tickets for football matches are being sold at an alarming rate, attracting global fans, and Liverpool have been at the centre of this new influx of fans.

The likes of Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher have been instrumental in keeping the club from drowning into complete mid-table mediocrity. Their experience and intelligence on the pitch is essential, but the approach being taken by FSG is blooding the youth, instilling an identity and ensuring a bright future rather than a seemingly successful present.

Coutinho, Henderson, Alberto all represent this new wave of talent being infused into the club. The bid to steer the club back onto the right path is one which requires immense patience. Champions League football, let alone a Premier League title, is still a couple of season’s away. While that might get fans impatient, the faithful Reds have pretty much become accustomed to waiting.

The theory of promoting youngsters is appealing, nothing excites fans more than putting a side out with an average age of 23-24 (as the club did on a number of occasions last season). But one has to ask the question, is this youthful approach really an intended installation, or a necessity due to the clubs increasing failure to attract star names and transfer targets?

It’s intriguing to note that Liverpool will most likely have just one regular first-team player on the wrong side of 30 in the 2013-14 campaign, with the core of the attack largely below 25. It’s an approach adopted by some of the best sides in the history of football, one which not only ensured titles, but more importantly— consistency.

Becoming self-sustainable to a point where throwing millions every window isn’t a necessity is every club’s dream. Liverpool have made some errors in judgement in the past when it comes to transfers, but despite the signings so far in 2013 being that of fairly unknown footballers, the potential they possess is exciting. Fans are bound to be eager for the new season. Tickets for FC Liverpool games are bound to throw up large crowds.

The harsh reality is that Liverpool, as a result of their drop, don’t have the purchasing power and ability to attract big names that they once did. Settling for a youthful exuberance may not be the worst thing to be thrown upon the club. Clubs are increasingly being based around a financial model, with value for money, and ensuring a re-sale value growning in importance.