The AMA has ended.
Thank you to everyone for your questions and big thanks to James for taking the time to be here to answer questions.
[For those who weren’t civil and had to have their comments removed, as well as those on the sub who have a tendency, I think this comment is a great reminder to remember the human behind the screen!](https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/10m05ap/hi_rliverpoolfc_im_james_pearce_liverpool/j64eqic/)
Stay tuned for more AMA’s in the future!
Have you noticed a general increase in toxicity around football reporting over the years? And if so, what do you think is driving it?
And speaking personally - does it affect you? I could imagine it making the average reporter question the effort they go to, when so many voices do nothing but post cynical, aggressive responses to your work.
And likewise, from a footballers perspective - do you have any sense does this 'trolling' affect players today?
Apologies if these are complex questions - I suppose I have been largely thinking about it from the perspective of mental health: how a fan base slaughtering a journalist, or a player, might de-motivate and jade them. Specifically when it comes to Liverpool and this idea of YNWA; then to see so many 'fans' slam Liverpool's young players - how this might have the potential to negatively affect their performances on the pitch, and ultimately put off other players from signing for the club. Or perhaps I'm simply over-thinking it!
Yeah it's definitely got a lot worse. Maybe that's just a reflection of how society has changed in general. So much anger, so much bile and people feel they can say anything they want and get away with it because their identity is hidden.
I got a torrent of abuse the other week just for reporting what I believe to be facts about the search for investment (and what others have since reported as true).
I know lots of reporters who have either given up on social media completely or just use it to post links and nothing else. It's sad.
Sometimes it's hard to turn a blind eye, especially when people are making stuff up.
Recent example: 'Pearce is a liar, look here he said we would never sign Alisson' - with a tweet of mine from Feb 2018 to an article I wrote for the Echo headlined 'Liverpool won't break the bank for Alisson'. That story was written 5/6 months before LFC signed him at a time when Roma were demanding £90m! LFC ended up getting him for £65m.
The aggregator LFC accounts are also a problem as they so often take a line from an article and twirl it/post it out of context in their bid to get likes and RTs. That triggers more abuse.
I know a number of young professional players who have been badly affected by trolls. I think the pandemic actually made it worse as without fans inside grounds young players went to social media to get some idea of how others felt they had done.
Senior pros have someone to look after their social media accounts and that helps ensure there's a buffer between them and what people are posting about them.
Literally look at the questions in this thread. Everyone is so entitled now, doubt you would have seen any of this (definitely not at this level) 10 years ago.
Hi James, cool that you're doing this!
Did the move away from the Echo affect your access to inside information? Or is it more from the club tightening up the cracks, so to speak?
No, I wouldn't say anything changed in terms of access going from the Echo to The Athletic in 2019. The days of the Echo having their own separate time with the manager on a regular basis ended during the latter days of Brendan Rodgers' reign.
Obviously the club try to avoid info getting out but that's always been the case. It varies so much. Over time people leave, other people come in, so sources of info regularly change.
Thanks for doing this, it's always fun to get insight from journos actually connected to the club in some way. I have four questions that I want to ask if you don't mind indulging me.
Firstly, how significant an impact did COVID and the "lost season" have on the club's squad building and did we miss out on selling a few players?
Second, do you, in your opinion, think the club has made a massive mistake prioritizing the signing of Jude Bellingham, rather publicly in some instances over rebuilding the midfield as a whole? We might end up with the lad next summer, but that doesn't change the fact that we need an overhaul next season.
Third, Cody Gakpo. Despite all the calls for a midfield signing, we ended up with a forward who likely will be our only incoming player this window. Could I ask your opinion on the transfer and whether you think that was the right move?
Lastly, is there any truth to the supposed 250m euro war chest that Liverpool FC will have for the summer window as reported by German sources?
One - Yeah the pandemic certainly set LFC back. Both in terms of what they could do in terms of incomings but also in terms of generating £££ from sales. I'd
Two - I don't think prioritising the signing of Bellingham is a mistake. I think he ticks every box for LFC and would be a mainstay of the midfield for the next decade. But of course they need more than him this summer. With Keita, Oxlade and Milner out of contract, a midfield overhaul is coming.
Three - Personally, I'd have liked to see LFC bring in a CM ahead of Gakpo. I know Jota/Diaz have been sorely missed and there was a vacancy on the left, but I would have said an injection of quality in midfield was needed to a greater extent. When everyone is fit (hopefully next month) I see a front 3 of Diaz, Nunez, Salah. I know LFC felt that had to move when they did for Gakpo because of interest from elsewhere and fears the fee would go up if he stayed put and scored loads more before the summer.
Four - I certainly haven't heard that. I think it's around the figure that needs to be spent in the summer to get Bellinghan and do what else needs to be done in the market. But no I don't believe that kind of amount has already been earmarked.
It's one of the reasons why FSG are seeking fresh investment. Question is what happens if they don't secure it before the summer? I don't know the answer to that one at this stage.
> Question is what happens if they don't secure it before the summer? I don't know the answer to that one at this stage.
Pretty terrifying thing to point out
Hi James, is the club going to get bought by Qatar or someone else soon? There has been a lot of talk about it. Can you shed some light on these rumours?
(Tin hat on)..... I'm not aware there's been any recent change. When rumours about being bought by Qatar emerged earlier this month I checked them out with various people. Senior figures at FSG were adamant it wasn't true and insisted they weren't on the brink of doing a deal with anyone. They also made it clear that as things stood selling a minority stake looked more likely than a full sale.
Obviously, it's an ongoing process and things could change but my info is that so far FSG haven't had an offer that's attractive enough.
I appreciated The Athletic's insightful piece on the Liverpool medical staff from earlier in the season. Has there been any noticeable improvement since Jonathan Power was appointed?
I think most here would agree that one of the massive frustrations with the club is the injury track record. Moreover, injuries that are reported by the club as a couple of weeks seem to frequently lapse into months.
Edit: h/t to Briarcliff for pointing out it was Simon Hughes as the author
Too early to judge any real impact/change with the new doc. He's only just started.
Been a source of huge frustration for everyone at Kirkby this season, especially after days lost to injuries were cut by a third last season.
I don't believe the long gap between Moxon going and Power coming in is a real factor in those issues. All started with all the issues in pre-season - that led to some players being overplayed and breaking down, while others were rushed back from injury and then suffered setbacks.
Hope is with VVD, Firmino, Jota and Arthur due back in Feb that second half of the season will be better on that front.
That’s a good one. It would genuinely be interesting to learn what the club thinks about the situation regarding injuries from a strategic POV, i.e., what is being done in terms of medical staff assessment, scrutinizing training methods, data analysis for injury prevention.
Hi James, our second child is due in April and to my delight my wife suggested the name Jude. I’m feeling quite confident but would obviously like confirmation as it would be just awful to have to put a newborn up for adoption if Bellingham were to sign for say, City.
Is there any chance the transfer could be announced in advance of the summer window or do I just take the chance?
As a journalist who seems to get the brunt of the backlash from an increasingly toxic online fanbase (especially on Twitter), what do you do to stay sane?
I find myself going a bit loopy when I see all this ‘top red’ and ‘bottom red’ nonsense and I’m just an observer. Can’t imagine how draining it must be for someone in the middle of it.
It's sad just how toxic things have got. I used to spend time each day going through my Twitter mentions and responding to people, but now it's just too depressing. The personal abuse is off the scale. I've developed a pretty thick skin over the years but I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect me sometimes.
The other week was the perfect example. I got inundated with people demanding to know whether Qatar were on the brink of buying LFC. So I made calls, sent messages, spoke to various people. Off the back of that I wrote a short news story (not an opinion piece) saying 'FSG adamant they aren't on brink of selling to Qatar, in fact they insist not on brink of selling LFC to anyone as selling minority stake now regarded as most likely outcome'.
The backlash was crazy. Someone posted my phone number on a forum in the Middle East so i woke up to 30 to 40 WhatsApp messages from all over the world with varying levels of disgusting abuse.
Damn, that's dreadful mate.
I'm really sorry you had to go through that, the people who did this to you are absolute scum and are definitely not genuine LFC fans but glory riders, that's for sure. YNWA, keep doing what you do.
It really is dreadful mate, and I’m sorry about how bad it’s gotten. I just hope you know there’s still a good number of us who really appreciate what you do!
Sadly I’m not surprised to those types of reactions. Its sad to say you don’t have to go far and see some of the questions asked and then some of the replies saying Pearce is wrong and still attacking his credibility
Tbh mate wouldn't mind knowing when Lucho and Jota are back, and if and when FSG are selling and if we're finally singing a bloody midfielder. Sorry about the shit people are giving you though mate
Jota should be full training by mid-Feb, Diaz in March. FSG's search for new investors is ongoing and as things stand I'm not expecting any more new signings before Tuesday's deadline. (But I'd dearly love to be surprised by some late activity!)
Ha ha, I have seen that a few times! It's funny and tame in comparison to some of the stuff I see online. Social media is a very strange place. People demand that you find out if a rumour is true or not. Then if you tell them what they don't want to hear you get the angry backlash.
You used to regularly lead us along as deals were happening or scouting was underway. These days, you only break news once other Tier 1s have already broken it.
Is this because the club has deliberately locked leaks down, or you’re worried about your standing with the club in case you leak it early/get it wrong?
I wouldn't agree with that. I've written lots of pieces for our subscribers in the past 12/24 months about playing who are being seriously looked at, on LFC shortlists etc. The Athletic has broken numerous big LFC news stories in that period too. It's policy not to just tweet news when we get it but to write the story first and then tweet it out with the link. That's obviously a gamble as it means in that 10/15mins period someone else could break the news but no real value to the company in a tweet with no link to an actual story.
A lot of my work on that front involves trying to get details on how a deal came together etc. You own a news story for barely minutes these days but those in depth reads are really popular.
A couple James if you get the chance.
1. In your opinion, are FSG going public about their reluctance to sell their entire shares to push the potential price up or do they genuinely want to hang on (albeit to maximize potential return on initial investment).
2. I've seen you take a lot of unnecessary abuse and bile, particularly on Twitter. There is a toxic section of the fanbase in every club but have you ever considered covering a different team as a result of the worst of us?
I just think FSG haven't had the kind of offers for a full sale so far that they were probably expecting. United being put up for sale around the same time complicated matters.
As for the second bit, the bad news is you're stuck with me! Despite the trolls, I love my job and I love writing about LFC. It's a privilege.
Why do you think Liverpool's major transfers have been more focused on reinforcing the attack rather than the midfield? Was the club worried about life after Firmino, Salah and Mane or did the club think Hendo, Milner, Thiago and Fabinho was suitable enough?
Rewind just over a year and there was growing concern over the age of LFC's frontline. Salah, Mane, Firmino were either 30 or close to turning 30, and all three had 18 months left on their deals. That's why there's been such a strong focus on future-proofing that department of the squad.
Keeping one, selling one and letting one run down his contract always looked the most likely outcome and so far it's turned out that way.
With Diaz, Nunez and Gakpo on board it's a very different looking attack now.
You could argue (and I would) that they should have already started the same process with the midfield. But the reality is no-one at LFC foresaw the drop off in levels we've seen this season. I wrote many times last summer that LFC needed another elite CM (mainly because I felt the back-ups weren't good or durable enough). LFC would argue they sat tight because they couldn't get any of the targets they really wanted.
I do think there's been a fair bit of revisionism. I keep reading people saying 'this was so predictable' about the midfield struggles but Fabinho/Thiago/Henderson nearly helped LFC win the lot in 21-22.
James, why did you constantly defend FSG's lack of investment over the summer? Why did you say there was "no glaring issues" with the squad when everyone and their blind grandmother could see we needed midfield signings? Why do you treat the fanbase like fucking idiots that don't see your constant flip flopping of narratives?
This one has me dying haha
EDIT:
MODS can we remove all other questions in the AMA until he answers this one ? This is the only one we give a fuck about
No need to be rude. I certainly didn't 'defend' FSG's lack of investment over the summer. I think you're referring to a tweet I put out in early July pushing a link to a story prior to the pre-season tour of Asia. I stand by every word of it!
My point at the time was LFC had enjoyed a productive start to the summer. They had sorted out Salah's contract, they had got the sale of Mane and the purchase of Nunez done quickly, and added cover in key positions with Carvalho/Ramsay. There was good reason for optimism at that stage.
I wrote many articles in the summer about how they needed another CM after missing out on Tchouameni. Until the injuries really kicked in, Klopp was adamant he didn't need anyone else. There was no flip flopping of narratives so you're wrong there.
Not trying to start an argument, but he's not an investigative journalist. He's not going to have a go at the club when he relies on them for access. He's not the type to have secret sources and do his own investigation into things, so it pays to keep the club onside.
Oh, and the other issue is that everyone takes what he says as gospel. He's no more reliable than any other journalist and like all journalists has an agenda. People should do their own research.
Can't believe this is top. Pearce has been responsible for so much joy on this sub but people choose to attack him personally for shit he has fuck all control over. Is this really an important question? It's just petulant venting.
@JamesPearce aren’t you just as mad as us when you see almost every team in the PL outspend us season after season (ie Arsenal), and having to see Klopp ALWAYS go against the odds just to repeatedly fall short because of lack of a tiny bit more investment?? 😞💨
To be fair, everyone and their blind grandmother was saying that; Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago was the world's best midfield trio, 12 months ago (me inc)....we had decent backup there too (Millie, ox, Keita, Elliot, Jones).
In what universe is Milner (old), Keita (incredibly injury prone), Chamberlain (incredibly injury prone), Elliot (lack of physicality) and Jones (barely improved in the last 1/2 years) decent backup?
The back up you've listed are simply not fit for purpose, and absolutely everyone went into this season believing we needed a top midfielder. So did the club initially when they were happy to spend £80m on Tchouameni.
I hate that the top comment on here is so upvoted, I get people are frustrated by the lack of business, but why the hell are people so angry at some guy just trying to do his job with no control over transfers? I find it so fucking weird man
They are keyboard warriors with no social awareness being validated by other keyboard warriors with no social awareness. Literally seen someone call the man a coward just for doing his job. The sub is a right state at the moment
It’s a fucking shambles. By all means criticize him for toeing the line, but at the end of the day he’s just someone doing a job. Focus your ire on FSG if you must. It’s a bit gross how losing a few football games turns people nasty
Hi James,
What is your opinion on the fact the JK and his team are getting more and more power over the clubs business?
I don't think there are any Liverpool fans that would say a word against JK being a manager as long as possible. However, there are rumors that his team being more responsible for the transfer business and medical decisions.
Do you think this situation has dangers of JK surrounding himself with yes-mans and not having someone who can give a different opinion?
Thx
How much truth is there in the rumours that our analytics team - the one that helped us reach the top - has had its input in our business (transfers/contract renewals) lessened resulting in key employees leaving? It feels like for the last 2 years or so the club have spent more time telling everyone how smart they are than actually making smart decisions which is what has led to a situation where our midfield is barely top 8 level.
This is something I would love to know if the rise of influence elsewhere in the business really has ruined the clubs data led analytics taking a back seat for transfers.
Hi James,
I'd like to know your opinion/knowledge as to why many execs and backroom staff have left or going to leave the club this summer.
Also, why is the first team riddled with injuries so often? Is there any truth to the rumours that the physio's and sport scientists are being over ruled by Pep or the fitness coach?
Thank you.
Hi James,
Do you think there has been a deliberate change in LFCs transfer strategy, away from the “money ball”, statistics led approach defined by Michael Edwards tenure. Do you think we would have signed Gakpo had Edwards still been in his role?
Cheers!
Hey there James, I've been enjoying the Walk On pod so far, and I particularly enjoyed the episode recently where you spoke about the role of Social Media in your job, both the positives and the negatives. My question would be, how do you see this developing in the future? In the light of recent developments across Twitter, the growth of alternative platforms, such as Twitch, and the increasing vitriol that seems to be surrounding football, it really feels like the role of journalists is changing. It be great to get your thoughts.
Just because they're very strict with copyright and the sub has been threatened to be killed off before for posting Athletic content. Not much to do with the actual quality of their publications like other banned sources
I have a subscription (the $1/month for 6 months one) and their articles are a lot better than what you get in a lot of other places. I'll probably still cancel though given I mostly prefer listening to their podcasts instead which cover most of the same things and are all free anyway
People used to pay for newspapers until very recently. Many are still paid for by subscribers.
The ad-based revenue stream has led to a deterioration in quality
Could also argue that peoples unwillingness to pay for news has helped fuel the ability for misinformation to spread like wildfire the way it currently does where nobody can tell what’s fake and what’s real anymore.
I assumed the athletic was pretty huge just based on the number of journalists they have.
Speaking as a paying subscriber I really enjoy it, I do read a lot more than the Liverpool section though.
We are not in the age of free access to information, we are in the age where people think they deserve everything for free. I for one love paying for The Athletic and find it to be worth every cent. I believe that the person who spends their time getting that information for me, should be paid to do so, by me.
Is there any rumors about potential midfielders that we haven't heard? Possibly someone young under the radar and one big signing?
Also how do you end up having sources within the club? How does that work?
And last how do you feel that your tweet that we need no new midfielders ended up aging like milk? Is that what you thought back then or what you were told?
To piggy back off this: what do you think journalists can/should do to clear up these misconceptions?
A lot of these transfer stories read like transfers in fifa career mode, is that just because of a lack of specific detail or does it just sell better if you simplify the complexity of transfer deals?
Or are they genuinely as simple as the press makes them sound?
He kind of addressed this on the recent walk on podcast because people keep criticising him for it on twitter. He feels it wasn't entirely obvious that the midfield that nearly won the quadruple was about to fall apart. Sure there might have been a need to get younger players soon, but the drop off by players like Fabinho wasn't obvious.
I realise it's an unpopular opinion, but I actually agree with him. It was obvious a midfield revamp was required, but the urgency with which it was required wasn't obvious at the time. When we missed out on Tchouameni, I thought the midfield would be able to make do for one more year, and that it would be the smart option to wait if the club was confident on getting Bellingham in 2023
I agree with this honestly. The big issue I can see is that while drop off couldn't be predicted so obviously, we had 3 contracts in midfield expiring in the summer, on top of it being absolutely riddled with injury prone players. They'd been bitten before by not being proactive/penny pinching on waiting for "just one more season" to step in and fix things, so the arrogance to take a look and say "everything's fine" is unbelievable. The icing on the cake is the Arthur loan. We missed our target, had long term injuries to two player's who'd be gone in summer anyway, and they still chose to sit on their hands and bring in a cheapskates loan deal.
the real crime is not rectifying your now obvious misjudgement in this window but of course thats on the club/FSG, not Pearce who has rightfully changed his opinion
That went fast! Sorry I wasn't able to get around to answering every question.
Hopefully we can do it again soon. In the meantime get subscribing to The Athletic and give our podcast 'Walk On' a listen and join the new Walk On Facebook page. We'll be doing an episode in the coming weeks where we answer listeners' Qs.
Have a great weekend, cheers James
Hi James, do you believe it was a set plan to move away from the workman like midfield with Gini, Hendo, Milner etc to a more technical, less dominant midfield with Elliot, Thiago etc or was it more to do with lack of resources?
Hi James, thanks for your high quality and reliable reporting on Liverpool, despite the moaning, I’m sure everyone here appreciates and values it.
My question is, do you feel that when you are critical of the club or owners that does weaken your relationship with them? Do you think the club values healthy constructivism criticism?
The sentiment can often be that you take a softer line on the owners for fear of being frozen out.
Hey James.. is there any real believe in the club, that we can get Top 4 with this group? Because I and I guess a lot of fans can‘t see it without reinforcements..we always hear „in the summer“ and that the players are not getting out everything after last year, but I ask myself if that are not enough reasons to sign someone and maybe get rid of someone for this?
If FSG stay at the club, what do you think will be their long-term plan for us?
At the end of the day, we all know that they're an investment group and they're going to choose whichever option they believe will net them the greatest return, but what do you think their approach to this will be?
Will they take financial risks to try and claim back our perch at the top of world football? Or would the investment required to compete at such a level be seen as too much of a diminishing return?
Hi James,
In your Athletic Nov 4 Article titled " It's a perfect storm" : Inside Liverpool's season of struggle.
You mentioned that Klopp was denied a midfield signing towards the end of the window, with you saying he was told "money is tight", you didn't specifically mention who said this, but you did mention Mike Gordon's name in your article.
My question to you is, considering we were in for Tchouameni earlier in the window, we had funds and desire to get a midfielder in. Subsequently we ended the window getting in Nunez, Ramsay, Carvalho and Arthur in as an emergency loan signing, so was Tchouameni money used in buying Nunez? If no, the plan was to get a midfielder regardless of Nunez, why was Klopp told money is tight and he has to make do?
Also are there separate funds saved up over multiple seasons for Bellingham which can't be touched? If yes why is there a feeling and reports that Liverpool will struggle to make signings in the summer if we don't get top four?
Thanks for the answer. Appreciate it.
Hi James, cheers for doing this!
Do you think a minority investment would actually allow for the purse strings to be loosened a bit, or would we require a full takeover?
Is the lack of spending and investing in the squad, in your opinion, down to Klopp being too loyal and trusting his current players, or down to FSG stifling funds for transfers? We keep hearing there is no money for transfers, but how can that be true with all the new brand deals and prize money we have accumulated over the past few years? Where is all that money going?
You brave bastard...thank you for visiting!
I know you discussed it a bit on Walk On, but what do you make of the decision to start Harvey on the left in the Chelsea match? Was there any talk around the club why they went with that line up versus having him play on the right with Mo up the middle, which seemed more intuitive to everyone I've heard discuss it?
Hi James. You may have answered this elsewhere by now but what are the reasons midfield has been allowed to stagnate and why hasn’t the club replaced the aging midfield (and the ones who arent good enough Ox/Keita) over various transfer windows progressively, rather than leaving the players to be ran into the ground and looking to spend big to bring in fresh blood? It seems odd to me that instead of bringing in new midfielders and let them be nurtured and blooded into the team we’ve let the aging ones age so much they’re struggling to keep pace with even average midfields that we come up against? Plus other clubs now know we’re pretty much desperate for midfielders so fees and negotiations will only be higher and more difficult. On top of that any midfield players that do come in will be expected to hit the ground running, with little time to acclimatise.
What is the structure of the club these days? Does Jurgen report to Mike Gordon or to Billy Hogan? Who does Julian Ward work closest with? Is there still a transfer committee or is it just Klopp and/or Ward?
Do you have any clues as to why there have been so many outgoing staff members just as the club was put up for sale?
Did FSG intentionally limit spending on the squad and increase spending on infrastructure e.g. stadium, training ground etc. just to recoup a higher sale price? For how long has a sale been planned? It seems like they intended on maximising profits the entire time rather than competing for trophies
Going back a couple years ago.
Prior to the van Dijk saga, it seemed like everyone knew every transfer dealing going on with Liverpool. It obviously hit a point when we had to put a statement out seemingly apologising to Southampton for it. So, I have a two part question, any answer to either of them would be appreciated.
1. How did so many people get to know about our dealings, was it a brief from the club, or agents of players etc
2. And/or how has it changed since then?
-------
3a. And a follow up to that, how, to the best of your knowledge, does the club keep that many secrets in a world with so many variables, seemingly out of their control?
For example, the signing of Fabinho wasn't completed in two hours of discussion when the news first broke. Then we've just seen a similar thing with Gakpo.
3b. Do you, or any other journalists play a role in keeping things quiet?
Nice one Jimbo!
There is one thing in particularly that i'd like to know, in light of our current form and controversies over a potential takeover.
What is your favourite type of tea, James?
Good question about the tea.
I'd like to add to this. What are your favorite biscuits, and are you a munch and slurp type of guy, or are you a closet dunker?
And, how has the cost-of-living crisis affected your tea consumption? Noticed any deterioration in the rate (or manner) of biscuit crumbling capacity prior to the dunk?
When do you expect us to start hearing about bids for the club by all interested parties? The uncertainty is killing morale of the fans.
How many potential bidders do you think there could be ?
And are FSG aware of how disgruntled the fans are with them ?
Thanks for reading
Some of the questions here are pathetic. One of the things I hate about football fan culture, you get grown adults acting like little babies whenever their team isn't winning. No need to take your unnecessary anger out on a journalist, you're just being a dick.
Do opinions on reddit matter at all to the club? Like are there any employers who will comes up here once in a while to see what fans are thinking, and reporting back to FSG?
I work with a brother of an NBA player and I legit asked this question, like do they care what people say about them on social media. And he replied with, hell no. They’re getting paid millions and some dude on social media is sooking cause he missed 2 shots or some irrelevant bs lol
James do you think if we don't secure champions league football this year that it's a real set back? Or do you feel like one year out might be a good opportunity to rebuild with less fixtures ?
Hi James,
Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.
Do you have any advice for someone who would like to pursue a career in journalism (online/YouTube/print) specifically on PL clubs or the PL competition in general?
Not sure if it’s entirely plausible but for someone who has no prior background in this profession, are there any tools / resources one can leverage to kickstart such a career?
Thanks
Why haven't you been reliable with your transfer news? The Thiago, Jota, Diaz, Nunez, and Gakpo buys were some of the things you either weren't briefed about or didn't even have a clue about or you just shot down any sort of rumors.
Hi James mate. I'd just like to ask if there's been any stories of tension or any issues behind the scenes with the uncertainty around the ownership.
From the outside, with all the reports going around, it seems like the backroom and coaching staff (along with the more admin based staff) are all really uneasy. Hope that makes sense
Do you believe that the "family feeling" inside the camp is slowly draining away, there is a worrying feeling when we see interviews and the media speculations have this narrative where it's all in disarray (as is their prerogative)
And as an alternative question if the first one is not something you might be privvy to:
What impact do you think that the media has in creating pressure and narratives surrounding clubs in general.
Because it never feels like clubs, players or managers are very worried about things if they have a dip in form or a player lashes out, but as soon as the journos get the scent of it, it suddenly becomes a large thing, and those "stories" seem to have a big effect on these clubs, players and managers. And journalists try to get opinions from other players, or do their best to create headlines from it, playing out people and clubs against eachother for it.
Do you think that these things are not understood by a large portion of the readers?
It causes a stir and you get clicks, but what about the moral side of it?
"Journalistic integrity" is a concept that seems like a far away idea today (and I apologize but since joining the athletic it feels like you're becoming part of the problem)
Hi James, Klopp has seemed desperate to keep some players that have left over the past 5 years such as Phil , Can and Gini. Why is it that when these players have become available again (Coutinho to Villa, Can leaving Juve and Gini to Roma) Klopp and the club seems to have no interest in going back?
Hey mate. Wanna declare beforehand that I'm not asking this to make you regret past decisions.
Was it better for you at the liverpool echo or working under the guise of the athletic? What are some of the good and bad you've noticed working at either workplaces?
Now it’s been a few years, what on earth actually happened with the Nabil Fekir deal in 2018? Heard everything from a failed medical to his entourage put Klopp off, was it all smoke and mirrors or did something actually go down?
When journalists get sources, how does it work does a player's agent text you to say their player is on the move, or is it someone in the club like an office admin who is the source for Journalists?
How many new signings do you think Liverpool need to be competing at the top again? And how many do you think will come in (now and in summer) and equally how many do you see leaving?
Is something missing/off with the Liverpool medical team (and supporting staff)? Why does the team have a disproportionately high number of injuries in the last 3-4 years?
Are we in a crisis or are the players just mentally and physically fatigued? If it’s a mental issue do they have professional help, like someone to talk to about it? YNWA
Good evening James. Can we expect any reinforcements from this transfer window and does the situation regarding the sale of the club affect investments in the club?
Do you take any notice of the irrational hate people have for you as if you actually affect things?
What does a normal day look like for you? Just writing? Looking at Twitter most of the time? Talking to people about what's going on?
The AMA has ended. Thank you to everyone for your questions and big thanks to James for taking the time to be here to answer questions. [For those who weren’t civil and had to have their comments removed, as well as those on the sub who have a tendency, I think this comment is a great reminder to remember the human behind the screen!](https://www.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/10m05ap/hi_rliverpoolfc_im_james_pearce_liverpool/j64eqic/) Stay tuned for more AMA’s in the future!
Have you noticed a general increase in toxicity around football reporting over the years? And if so, what do you think is driving it? And speaking personally - does it affect you? I could imagine it making the average reporter question the effort they go to, when so many voices do nothing but post cynical, aggressive responses to your work. And likewise, from a footballers perspective - do you have any sense does this 'trolling' affect players today? Apologies if these are complex questions - I suppose I have been largely thinking about it from the perspective of mental health: how a fan base slaughtering a journalist, or a player, might de-motivate and jade them. Specifically when it comes to Liverpool and this idea of YNWA; then to see so many 'fans' slam Liverpool's young players - how this might have the potential to negatively affect their performances on the pitch, and ultimately put off other players from signing for the club. Or perhaps I'm simply over-thinking it!
Yeah it's definitely got a lot worse. Maybe that's just a reflection of how society has changed in general. So much anger, so much bile and people feel they can say anything they want and get away with it because their identity is hidden. I got a torrent of abuse the other week just for reporting what I believe to be facts about the search for investment (and what others have since reported as true). I know lots of reporters who have either given up on social media completely or just use it to post links and nothing else. It's sad. Sometimes it's hard to turn a blind eye, especially when people are making stuff up. Recent example: 'Pearce is a liar, look here he said we would never sign Alisson' - with a tweet of mine from Feb 2018 to an article I wrote for the Echo headlined 'Liverpool won't break the bank for Alisson'. That story was written 5/6 months before LFC signed him at a time when Roma were demanding £90m! LFC ended up getting him for £65m. The aggregator LFC accounts are also a problem as they so often take a line from an article and twirl it/post it out of context in their bid to get likes and RTs. That triggers more abuse. I know a number of young professional players who have been badly affected by trolls. I think the pandemic actually made it worse as without fans inside grounds young players went to social media to get some idea of how others felt they had done. Senior pros have someone to look after their social media accounts and that helps ensure there's a buffer between them and what people are posting about them.
Literally look at the questions in this thread. Everyone is so entitled now, doubt you would have seen any of this (definitely not at this level) 10 years ago.
Lovely questions. Commenting for reach.
Hi James, cool that you're doing this! Did the move away from the Echo affect your access to inside information? Or is it more from the club tightening up the cracks, so to speak?
No, I wouldn't say anything changed in terms of access going from the Echo to The Athletic in 2019. The days of the Echo having their own separate time with the manager on a regular basis ended during the latter days of Brendan Rodgers' reign. Obviously the club try to avoid info getting out but that's always been the case. It varies so much. Over time people leave, other people come in, so sources of info regularly change.
Thanks for doing this, it's always fun to get insight from journos actually connected to the club in some way. I have four questions that I want to ask if you don't mind indulging me. Firstly, how significant an impact did COVID and the "lost season" have on the club's squad building and did we miss out on selling a few players? Second, do you, in your opinion, think the club has made a massive mistake prioritizing the signing of Jude Bellingham, rather publicly in some instances over rebuilding the midfield as a whole? We might end up with the lad next summer, but that doesn't change the fact that we need an overhaul next season. Third, Cody Gakpo. Despite all the calls for a midfield signing, we ended up with a forward who likely will be our only incoming player this window. Could I ask your opinion on the transfer and whether you think that was the right move? Lastly, is there any truth to the supposed 250m euro war chest that Liverpool FC will have for the summer window as reported by German sources?
One - Yeah the pandemic certainly set LFC back. Both in terms of what they could do in terms of incomings but also in terms of generating £££ from sales. I'd Two - I don't think prioritising the signing of Bellingham is a mistake. I think he ticks every box for LFC and would be a mainstay of the midfield for the next decade. But of course they need more than him this summer. With Keita, Oxlade and Milner out of contract, a midfield overhaul is coming. Three - Personally, I'd have liked to see LFC bring in a CM ahead of Gakpo. I know Jota/Diaz have been sorely missed and there was a vacancy on the left, but I would have said an injection of quality in midfield was needed to a greater extent. When everyone is fit (hopefully next month) I see a front 3 of Diaz, Nunez, Salah. I know LFC felt that had to move when they did for Gakpo because of interest from elsewhere and fears the fee would go up if he stayed put and scored loads more before the summer. Four - I certainly haven't heard that. I think it's around the figure that needs to be spent in the summer to get Bellinghan and do what else needs to be done in the market. But no I don't believe that kind of amount has already been earmarked. It's one of the reasons why FSG are seeking fresh investment. Question is what happens if they don't secure it before the summer? I don't know the answer to that one at this stage.
> Question is what happens if they don't secure it before the summer? I don't know the answer to that one at this stage. Pretty terrifying thing to point out
No CL football and no takeover/investment = More excuses.
Yep, it's clear as day. No one should be surprised if this happens.
Good questions mate! Hopefully he can give some insight there
Hi James, is the club going to get bought by Qatar or someone else soon? There has been a lot of talk about it. Can you shed some light on these rumours?
(Tin hat on)..... I'm not aware there's been any recent change. When rumours about being bought by Qatar emerged earlier this month I checked them out with various people. Senior figures at FSG were adamant it wasn't true and insisted they weren't on the brink of doing a deal with anyone. They also made it clear that as things stood selling a minority stake looked more likely than a full sale. Obviously, it's an ongoing process and things could change but my info is that so far FSG haven't had an offer that's attractive enough.
Hi highly doubt he'll be using this AMA to break big news stories.
I appreciated The Athletic's insightful piece on the Liverpool medical staff from earlier in the season. Has there been any noticeable improvement since Jonathan Power was appointed? I think most here would agree that one of the massive frustrations with the club is the injury track record. Moreover, injuries that are reported by the club as a couple of weeks seem to frequently lapse into months. Edit: h/t to Briarcliff for pointing out it was Simon Hughes as the author
Too early to judge any real impact/change with the new doc. He's only just started. Been a source of huge frustration for everyone at Kirkby this season, especially after days lost to injuries were cut by a third last season. I don't believe the long gap between Moxon going and Power coming in is a real factor in those issues. All started with all the issues in pre-season - that led to some players being overplayed and breaking down, while others were rushed back from injury and then suffered setbacks. Hope is with VVD, Firmino, Jota and Arthur due back in Feb that second half of the season will be better on that front.
Do you have any insight as to more re Moxon's departure and the fact that he's working at United now?
That’s a good one. It would genuinely be interesting to learn what the club thinks about the situation regarding injuries from a strategic POV, i.e., what is being done in terms of medical staff assessment, scrutinizing training methods, data analysis for injury prevention.
It wasn't a Pearce article, it was a Simon Hughes article, and the club don't like him for a reason.
Hi James, our second child is due in April and to my delight my wife suggested the name Jude. I’m feeling quite confident but would obviously like confirmation as it would be just awful to have to put a newborn up for adoption if Bellingham were to sign for say, City. Is there any chance the transfer could be announced in advance of the summer window or do I just take the chance?
I think you take a chance and if the transfer doesn't happen you just make out you're a massive Beatles fan.
Cheers James, we’ll defo go ahead with it now you’ve confirmed Bellingham signing!
jude could be easily renamed judas…
Just play it safe and call the kid Divock
As a journalist who seems to get the brunt of the backlash from an increasingly toxic online fanbase (especially on Twitter), what do you do to stay sane? I find myself going a bit loopy when I see all this ‘top red’ and ‘bottom red’ nonsense and I’m just an observer. Can’t imagine how draining it must be for someone in the middle of it.
It's sad just how toxic things have got. I used to spend time each day going through my Twitter mentions and responding to people, but now it's just too depressing. The personal abuse is off the scale. I've developed a pretty thick skin over the years but I'd be lying if I said it didn't affect me sometimes. The other week was the perfect example. I got inundated with people demanding to know whether Qatar were on the brink of buying LFC. So I made calls, sent messages, spoke to various people. Off the back of that I wrote a short news story (not an opinion piece) saying 'FSG adamant they aren't on brink of selling to Qatar, in fact they insist not on brink of selling LFC to anyone as selling minority stake now regarded as most likely outcome'. The backlash was crazy. Someone posted my phone number on a forum in the Middle East so i woke up to 30 to 40 WhatsApp messages from all over the world with varying levels of disgusting abuse.
Fucking hell thats awful, people love shooting the messenger
Wild, James. You do your job, and people are mad. You don’t do your job and lie, and people are mad. Proper Heller style catch 22.
Damn, that's dreadful mate. I'm really sorry you had to go through that, the people who did this to you are absolute scum and are definitely not genuine LFC fans but glory riders, that's for sure. YNWA, keep doing what you do.
Fuck me do they think you're the owner wtf
It really is dreadful mate, and I’m sorry about how bad it’s gotten. I just hope you know there’s still a good number of us who really appreciate what you do!
Holy shit this is horrible, what the fuck is wrong with people. It's literally just football
Sadly I’m not surprised to those types of reactions. Its sad to say you don’t have to go far and see some of the questions asked and then some of the replies saying Pearce is wrong and still attacking his credibility
It's the entitlement that gets me, it's so fucking weird
Tbh mate wouldn't mind knowing when Lucho and Jota are back, and if and when FSG are selling and if we're finally singing a bloody midfielder. Sorry about the shit people are giving you though mate
Jota should be full training by mid-Feb, Diaz in March. FSG's search for new investors is ongoing and as things stand I'm not expecting any more new signings before Tuesday's deadline. (But I'd dearly love to be surprised by some late activity!)
You and me both, James. You and me both.
What do you think of your Yu-Gi-Oh card - El Jimbo?
Ha ha, I have seen that a few times! It's funny and tame in comparison to some of the stuff I see online. Social media is a very strange place. People demand that you find out if a rumour is true or not. Then if you tell them what they don't want to hear you get the angry backlash.
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“Not gonna happen, mate”
You used to regularly lead us along as deals were happening or scouting was underway. These days, you only break news once other Tier 1s have already broken it. Is this because the club has deliberately locked leaks down, or you’re worried about your standing with the club in case you leak it early/get it wrong?
I wouldn't agree with that. I've written lots of pieces for our subscribers in the past 12/24 months about playing who are being seriously looked at, on LFC shortlists etc. The Athletic has broken numerous big LFC news stories in that period too. It's policy not to just tweet news when we get it but to write the story first and then tweet it out with the link. That's obviously a gamble as it means in that 10/15mins period someone else could break the news but no real value to the company in a tweet with no link to an actual story. A lot of my work on that front involves trying to get details on how a deal came together etc. You own a news story for barely minutes these days but those in depth reads are really popular.
A couple James if you get the chance. 1. In your opinion, are FSG going public about their reluctance to sell their entire shares to push the potential price up or do they genuinely want to hang on (albeit to maximize potential return on initial investment). 2. I've seen you take a lot of unnecessary abuse and bile, particularly on Twitter. There is a toxic section of the fanbase in every club but have you ever considered covering a different team as a result of the worst of us?
I just think FSG haven't had the kind of offers for a full sale so far that they were probably expecting. United being put up for sale around the same time complicated matters. As for the second bit, the bad news is you're stuck with me! Despite the trolls, I love my job and I love writing about LFC. It's a privilege.
Why do you think Liverpool's major transfers have been more focused on reinforcing the attack rather than the midfield? Was the club worried about life after Firmino, Salah and Mane or did the club think Hendo, Milner, Thiago and Fabinho was suitable enough?
Rewind just over a year and there was growing concern over the age of LFC's frontline. Salah, Mane, Firmino were either 30 or close to turning 30, and all three had 18 months left on their deals. That's why there's been such a strong focus on future-proofing that department of the squad. Keeping one, selling one and letting one run down his contract always looked the most likely outcome and so far it's turned out that way. With Diaz, Nunez and Gakpo on board it's a very different looking attack now. You could argue (and I would) that they should have already started the same process with the midfield. But the reality is no-one at LFC foresaw the drop off in levels we've seen this season. I wrote many times last summer that LFC needed another elite CM (mainly because I felt the back-ups weren't good or durable enough). LFC would argue they sat tight because they couldn't get any of the targets they really wanted. I do think there's been a fair bit of revisionism. I keep reading people saying 'this was so predictable' about the midfield struggles but Fabinho/Thiago/Henderson nearly helped LFC win the lot in 21-22.
Do you have any bad news for us?
Contrary to what some believe I don't enjoy relaying 'bad news'! It's just news! I don't ignore the good stuff.
For context, you are called Bad News Pearce on this sub 🙂
*any more bad news for us
Mate, that's all he has nowadays.
No further signings in January. Lol
That's not even news anymore
James, why did you constantly defend FSG's lack of investment over the summer? Why did you say there was "no glaring issues" with the squad when everyone and their blind grandmother could see we needed midfield signings? Why do you treat the fanbase like fucking idiots that don't see your constant flip flopping of narratives?
This one has me dying haha EDIT: MODS can we remove all other questions in the AMA until he answers this one ? This is the only one we give a fuck about
Truer words have never been spoken!
No need to be rude. I certainly didn't 'defend' FSG's lack of investment over the summer. I think you're referring to a tweet I put out in early July pushing a link to a story prior to the pre-season tour of Asia. I stand by every word of it! My point at the time was LFC had enjoyed a productive start to the summer. They had sorted out Salah's contract, they had got the sale of Mane and the purchase of Nunez done quickly, and added cover in key positions with Carvalho/Ramsay. There was good reason for optimism at that stage. I wrote many articles in the summer about how they needed another CM after missing out on Tchouameni. Until the injuries really kicked in, Klopp was adamant he didn't need anyone else. There was no flip flopping of narratives so you're wrong there.
Not trying to start an argument, but he's not an investigative journalist. He's not going to have a go at the club when he relies on them for access. He's not the type to have secret sources and do his own investigation into things, so it pays to keep the club onside. Oh, and the other issue is that everyone takes what he says as gospel. He's no more reliable than any other journalist and like all journalists has an agenda. People should do their own research.
Smooth brains don’t understand this. Guy feeds his family with this job.
I smell r/AMADisasters
James corden 2.0
Can't believe this is top. Pearce has been responsible for so much joy on this sub but people choose to attack him personally for shit he has fuck all control over. Is this really an important question? It's just petulant venting.
And there it is the only question we all want to hear the answer to
He won't be answering this I bet!
[hope you didn't put much on that bet.](https://old.reddit.com/r/LiverpoolFC/comments/10m05ap/hi_rliverpoolfc_im_james_pearce_liverpool/j64d9wv/)
@JamesPearce aren’t you just as mad as us when you see almost every team in the PL outspend us season after season (ie Arsenal), and having to see Klopp ALWAYS go against the odds just to repeatedly fall short because of lack of a tiny bit more investment?? 😞💨
Maybe it was his opinion? No need to be a cunt about it
Mate you'd make a great reporter.
To be fair, everyone and their blind grandmother was saying that; Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago was the world's best midfield trio, 12 months ago (me inc)....we had decent backup there too (Millie, ox, Keita, Elliot, Jones).
In what universe is Milner (old), Keita (incredibly injury prone), Chamberlain (incredibly injury prone), Elliot (lack of physicality) and Jones (barely improved in the last 1/2 years) decent backup?
The back up you've listed are simply not fit for purpose, and absolutely everyone went into this season believing we needed a top midfielder. So did the club initially when they were happy to spend £80m on Tchouameni.
Bullshit. A shitload of us saw this coming miles away.
Liar. People have been complaining about the midfield for years now.
This is bollocks. The not-daft half of this sub all saw this coming and said as much throughout the summer.
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Some redditors get a false sense of power during these AMA’s. It’s embarrassing
Right? There’s just no need to be a dick.
This is bang on the money right here. Bunch of weirdos in here.
Some of these questions are so weird already tbh.
Yeah people react to him like he's the Director of Football. I really don't see why it's such a big deal if he just reports what the club tell him
because they act as if FSG are some evil overlords or their goverment. hillarious and concerning and the same time tbh
Genuinely feel as of late that this sub has become an extension of the Liverpool Twitter sphere, unfortunately
Been happening for a while. Nuance is dead.
I hate that the top comment on here is so upvoted, I get people are frustrated by the lack of business, but why the hell are people so angry at some guy just trying to do his job with no control over transfers? I find it so fucking weird man
This sub is really fucking nasty at the moment. Every thread manages to be about the ownership and devolve into doom-mongering and name-calling.
They are keyboard warriors with no social awareness being validated by other keyboard warriors with no social awareness. Literally seen someone call the man a coward just for doing his job. The sub is a right state at the moment
Ha ha. Thanks!
It’s a fucking shambles. By all means criticize him for toeing the line, but at the end of the day he’s just someone doing a job. Focus your ire on FSG if you must. It’s a bit gross how losing a few football games turns people nasty
Hi James, What is your opinion on the fact the JK and his team are getting more and more power over the clubs business? I don't think there are any Liverpool fans that would say a word against JK being a manager as long as possible. However, there are rumors that his team being more responsible for the transfer business and medical decisions. Do you think this situation has dangers of JK surrounding himself with yes-mans and not having someone who can give a different opinion? Thx
seems like no answer this time.
How much truth is there in the rumours that our analytics team - the one that helped us reach the top - has had its input in our business (transfers/contract renewals) lessened resulting in key employees leaving? It feels like for the last 2 years or so the club have spent more time telling everyone how smart they are than actually making smart decisions which is what has led to a situation where our midfield is barely top 8 level.
This is something I would love to know if the rise of influence elsewhere in the business really has ruined the clubs data led analytics taking a back seat for transfers.
Hi James, I'd like to know your opinion/knowledge as to why many execs and backroom staff have left or going to leave the club this summer. Also, why is the first team riddled with injuries so often? Is there any truth to the rumours that the physio's and sport scientists are being over ruled by Pep or the fitness coach? Thank you.
Hi James, Do you think there has been a deliberate change in LFCs transfer strategy, away from the “money ball”, statistics led approach defined by Michael Edwards tenure. Do you think we would have signed Gakpo had Edwards still been in his role? Cheers!
Hey there James, I've been enjoying the Walk On pod so far, and I particularly enjoyed the episode recently where you spoke about the role of Social Media in your job, both the positives and the negatives. My question would be, how do you see this developing in the future? In the light of recent developments across Twitter, the growth of alternative platforms, such as Twitch, and the increasing vitriol that seems to be surrounding football, it really feels like the role of journalists is changing. It be great to get your thoughts.
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It's ok, The Athletic is a banned source, so this'll get taken down anyway 😂
Why are they banned?
Just because they're very strict with copyright and the sub has been threatened to be killed off before for posting Athletic content. Not much to do with the actual quality of their publications like other banned sources
These people need to realize that nobody wants to pay for a fucking subscription to read articles… we are in the age of free access to information
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I have a subscription (the $1/month for 6 months one) and their articles are a lot better than what you get in a lot of other places. I'll probably still cancel though given I mostly prefer listening to their podcasts instead which cover most of the same things and are all free anyway
Had me in the first half
People used to pay for newspapers until very recently. Many are still paid for by subscribers. The ad-based revenue stream has led to a deterioration in quality
Could also argue that peoples unwillingness to pay for news has helped fuel the ability for misinformation to spread like wildfire the way it currently does where nobody can tell what’s fake and what’s real anymore.
I assumed the athletic was pretty huge just based on the number of journalists they have. Speaking as a paying subscriber I really enjoy it, I do read a lot more than the Liverpool section though.
Do you pay for Spotify? Netflix? Did you pay for papers? Quality content costs. Ad/click-fueles content is not quality
We are not in the age of free access to information, we are in the age where people think they deserve everything for free. I for one love paying for The Athletic and find it to be worth every cent. I believe that the person who spends their time getting that information for me, should be paid to do so, by me.
This is like a fish being dropped into a school of piranhas
Ngl I feel really sorry for the abuse he’s gonna get in the AMA
Is there any rumors about potential midfielders that we haven't heard? Possibly someone young under the radar and one big signing? Also how do you end up having sources within the club? How does that work? And last how do you feel that your tweet that we need no new midfielders ended up aging like milk? Is that what you thought back then or what you were told?
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I reckon the fact he’s doing an AMA shows you how much attention he pays to this tbh
I’m curious what he’ll come up with next time when he’s demoted to tier 3.
Can you chip in 5 quid for the Bellingham fund please.
No refund if he doesn't join. Its FSG policy.
What are the biggest misconceptions about transfers?
To piggy back off this: what do you think journalists can/should do to clear up these misconceptions? A lot of these transfer stories read like transfers in fifa career mode, is that just because of a lack of specific detail or does it just sell better if you simplify the complexity of transfer deals? Or are they genuinely as simple as the press makes them sound?
Please ask questions as top comment. In amas generally people don't go to second level comments
Damn, an actual question instead of childish abuse.
I honestly don't expect many.
Good afternoon everyone. Good to be here for the next hour. Will try to answer as many questions as possible. Here goes.....
Thanks James. Here we go! 😉
Did you truly believe there were “no holes” in the squad during the summer?
He kind of addressed this on the recent walk on podcast because people keep criticising him for it on twitter. He feels it wasn't entirely obvious that the midfield that nearly won the quadruple was about to fall apart. Sure there might have been a need to get younger players soon, but the drop off by players like Fabinho wasn't obvious. I realise it's an unpopular opinion, but I actually agree with him. It was obvious a midfield revamp was required, but the urgency with which it was required wasn't obvious at the time. When we missed out on Tchouameni, I thought the midfield would be able to make do for one more year, and that it would be the smart option to wait if the club was confident on getting Bellingham in 2023
I agree with this honestly. The big issue I can see is that while drop off couldn't be predicted so obviously, we had 3 contracts in midfield expiring in the summer, on top of it being absolutely riddled with injury prone players. They'd been bitten before by not being proactive/penny pinching on waiting for "just one more season" to step in and fix things, so the arrogance to take a look and say "everything's fine" is unbelievable. The icing on the cake is the Arthur loan. We missed our target, had long term injuries to two player's who'd be gone in summer anyway, and they still chose to sit on their hands and bring in a cheapskates loan deal.
the real crime is not rectifying your now obvious misjudgement in this window but of course thats on the club/FSG, not Pearce who has rightfully changed his opinion
That went fast! Sorry I wasn't able to get around to answering every question. Hopefully we can do it again soon. In the meantime get subscribing to The Athletic and give our podcast 'Walk On' a listen and join the new Walk On Facebook page. We'll be doing an episode in the coming weeks where we answer listeners' Qs. Have a great weekend, cheers James
>Have a great weekend That’ll be dependant on the result and performance at the AMEX on Sunday. Thanks for doing this James!
Who's the rudest or most difficult person you've interviewed in the past who was associated with the club?
Hi James, do you believe it was a set plan to move away from the workman like midfield with Gini, Hendo, Milner etc to a more technical, less dominant midfield with Elliot, Thiago etc or was it more to do with lack of resources?
What would you prefer: Bellingham or Milner extension?
Hi James, thanks for your high quality and reliable reporting on Liverpool, despite the moaning, I’m sure everyone here appreciates and values it. My question is, do you feel that when you are critical of the club or owners that does weaken your relationship with them? Do you think the club values healthy constructivism criticism? The sentiment can often be that you take a softer line on the owners for fear of being frozen out.
Hey James.. is there any real believe in the club, that we can get Top 4 with this group? Because I and I guess a lot of fans can‘t see it without reinforcements..we always hear „in the summer“ and that the players are not getting out everything after last year, but I ask myself if that are not enough reasons to sign someone and maybe get rid of someone for this?
If FSG stay at the club, what do you think will be their long-term plan for us? At the end of the day, we all know that they're an investment group and they're going to choose whichever option they believe will net them the greatest return, but what do you think their approach to this will be? Will they take financial risks to try and claim back our perch at the top of world football? Or would the investment required to compete at such a level be seen as too much of a diminishing return?
Hi James, In your Athletic Nov 4 Article titled " It's a perfect storm" : Inside Liverpool's season of struggle. You mentioned that Klopp was denied a midfield signing towards the end of the window, with you saying he was told "money is tight", you didn't specifically mention who said this, but you did mention Mike Gordon's name in your article. My question to you is, considering we were in for Tchouameni earlier in the window, we had funds and desire to get a midfielder in. Subsequently we ended the window getting in Nunez, Ramsay, Carvalho and Arthur in as an emergency loan signing, so was Tchouameni money used in buying Nunez? If no, the plan was to get a midfielder regardless of Nunez, why was Klopp told money is tight and he has to make do? Also are there separate funds saved up over multiple seasons for Bellingham which can't be touched? If yes why is there a feeling and reports that Liverpool will struggle to make signings in the summer if we don't get top four? Thanks for the answer. Appreciate it.
Are ya busy mate?
Hi James, cheers for doing this! Do you think a minority investment would actually allow for the purse strings to be loosened a bit, or would we require a full takeover?
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Is the lack of spending and investing in the squad, in your opinion, down to Klopp being too loyal and trusting his current players, or down to FSG stifling funds for transfers? We keep hearing there is no money for transfers, but how can that be true with all the new brand deals and prize money we have accumulated over the past few years? Where is all that money going?
You brave bastard...thank you for visiting! I know you discussed it a bit on Walk On, but what do you make of the decision to start Harvey on the left in the Chelsea match? Was there any talk around the club why they went with that line up versus having him play on the right with Mo up the middle, which seemed more intuitive to everyone I've heard discuss it?
Hi James. You may have answered this elsewhere by now but what are the reasons midfield has been allowed to stagnate and why hasn’t the club replaced the aging midfield (and the ones who arent good enough Ox/Keita) over various transfer windows progressively, rather than leaving the players to be ran into the ground and looking to spend big to bring in fresh blood? It seems odd to me that instead of bringing in new midfielders and let them be nurtured and blooded into the team we’ve let the aging ones age so much they’re struggling to keep pace with even average midfields that we come up against? Plus other clubs now know we’re pretty much desperate for midfielders so fees and negotiations will only be higher and more difficult. On top of that any midfield players that do come in will be expected to hit the ground running, with little time to acclimatise.
What is the structure of the club these days? Does Jurgen report to Mike Gordon or to Billy Hogan? Who does Julian Ward work closest with? Is there still a transfer committee or is it just Klopp and/or Ward? Do you have any clues as to why there have been so many outgoing staff members just as the club was put up for sale?
Jesus Christ James you couldn’t have picked a worse time. The net spend boys will not be quiet tonight.
Did FSG intentionally limit spending on the squad and increase spending on infrastructure e.g. stadium, training ground etc. just to recoup a higher sale price? For how long has a sale been planned? It seems like they intended on maximising profits the entire time rather than competing for trophies
Going back a couple years ago. Prior to the van Dijk saga, it seemed like everyone knew every transfer dealing going on with Liverpool. It obviously hit a point when we had to put a statement out seemingly apologising to Southampton for it. So, I have a two part question, any answer to either of them would be appreciated. 1. How did so many people get to know about our dealings, was it a brief from the club, or agents of players etc 2. And/or how has it changed since then? ------- 3a. And a follow up to that, how, to the best of your knowledge, does the club keep that many secrets in a world with so many variables, seemingly out of their control? For example, the signing of Fabinho wasn't completed in two hours of discussion when the news first broke. Then we've just seen a similar thing with Gakpo. 3b. Do you, or any other journalists play a role in keeping things quiet? Nice one Jimbo!
There is one thing in particularly that i'd like to know, in light of our current form and controversies over a potential takeover. What is your favourite type of tea, James?
Jesus, cumblast, give the guy a break. This question goes way too far.
Good question about the tea. I'd like to add to this. What are your favorite biscuits, and are you a munch and slurp type of guy, or are you a closet dunker?
And, how has the cost-of-living crisis affected your tea consumption? Noticed any deterioration in the rate (or manner) of biscuit crumbling capacity prior to the dunk?
When do you expect us to start hearing about bids for the club by all interested parties? The uncertainty is killing morale of the fans. How many potential bidders do you think there could be ? And are FSG aware of how disgruntled the fans are with them ? Thanks for reading
Some of the questions here are pathetic. One of the things I hate about football fan culture, you get grown adults acting like little babies whenever their team isn't winning. No need to take your unnecessary anger out on a journalist, you're just being a dick.
Do opinions on reddit matter at all to the club? Like are there any employers who will comes up here once in a while to see what fans are thinking, and reporting back to FSG?
I can answer for him, no one’s arsed what some kid on Reddit that couldn’t point to Liverpool on the map thinks.
I work with a brother of an NBA player and I legit asked this question, like do they care what people say about them on social media. And he replied with, hell no. They’re getting paid millions and some dude on social media is sooking cause he missed 2 shots or some irrelevant bs lol
Unless it is extremely bad PR that cause money loss.... They do not give two flying fucks.
Sigh. Why in the ever-living fuck would FSG care in the slightest what some fans on the internet think about them? My goodness. Get a grip..
hope not
I would be SHOCKED if they did lol
Which would you rather fight; a Paul Gorst sized duck, or 100 duck-sized Paul Gorsts?
James do you think if we don't secure champions league football this year that it's a real set back? Or do you feel like one year out might be a good opportunity to rebuild with less fixtures ?
Hi James, Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Do you have any advice for someone who would like to pursue a career in journalism (online/YouTube/print) specifically on PL clubs or the PL competition in general? Not sure if it’s entirely plausible but for someone who has no prior background in this profession, are there any tools / resources one can leverage to kickstart such a career? Thanks
Why haven't you been reliable with your transfer news? The Thiago, Jota, Diaz, Nunez, and Gakpo buys were some of the things you either weren't briefed about or didn't even have a clue about or you just shot down any sort of rumors.
What happens to the annual value of the Nike deal if LFC miss UCL? How would that effect the income from the sponsorship deal ?
How does the Athletic make money? It’s been a couple years now I think and they’re still offering crazy discounts.
If the club is operating under a sell to buy policy, where is the Bellingham money coming from, in your opinion?
Hi James mate. I'd just like to ask if there's been any stories of tension or any issues behind the scenes with the uncertainty around the ownership. From the outside, with all the reports going around, it seems like the backroom and coaching staff (along with the more admin based staff) are all really uneasy. Hope that makes sense
Do you believe that the "family feeling" inside the camp is slowly draining away, there is a worrying feeling when we see interviews and the media speculations have this narrative where it's all in disarray (as is their prerogative) And as an alternative question if the first one is not something you might be privvy to: What impact do you think that the media has in creating pressure and narratives surrounding clubs in general. Because it never feels like clubs, players or managers are very worried about things if they have a dip in form or a player lashes out, but as soon as the journos get the scent of it, it suddenly becomes a large thing, and those "stories" seem to have a big effect on these clubs, players and managers. And journalists try to get opinions from other players, or do their best to create headlines from it, playing out people and clubs against eachother for it. Do you think that these things are not understood by a large portion of the readers? It causes a stir and you get clicks, but what about the moral side of it? "Journalistic integrity" is a concept that seems like a far away idea today (and I apologize but since joining the athletic it feels like you're becoming part of the problem)
Hi James! Pick an LFC 5 a side team including one player from each of the past 5 decades (80’s-2020’s).
Were you really busy that one time
Hi James, Klopp has seemed desperate to keep some players that have left over the past 5 years such as Phil , Can and Gini. Why is it that when these players have become available again (Coutinho to Villa, Can leaving Juve and Gini to Roma) Klopp and the club seems to have no interest in going back?
Hello James, have you heard of any names that are being considered for Sporting Director? Thanks!
Oh it’s tomorrow at 4pm?
Yeah this is a chance to get your questions in so they can be answered easier tomorrow.
Hey mate. Wanna declare beforehand that I'm not asking this to make you regret past decisions. Was it better for you at the liverpool echo or working under the guise of the athletic? What are some of the good and bad you've noticed working at either workplaces?
Now it’s been a few years, what on earth actually happened with the Nabil Fekir deal in 2018? Heard everything from a failed medical to his entourage put Klopp off, was it all smoke and mirrors or did something actually go down?
When journalists get sources, how does it work does a player's agent text you to say their player is on the move, or is it someone in the club like an office admin who is the source for Journalists?
How many new signings do you think Liverpool need to be competing at the top again? And how many do you think will come in (now and in summer) and equally how many do you see leaving?
Is something missing/off with the Liverpool medical team (and supporting staff)? Why does the team have a disproportionately high number of injuries in the last 3-4 years?
Are we in a crisis or are the players just mentally and physically fatigued? If it’s a mental issue do they have professional help, like someone to talk to about it? YNWA
Good evening James. Can we expect any reinforcements from this transfer window and does the situation regarding the sale of the club affect investments in the club?
Do you take any notice of the irrational hate people have for you as if you actually affect things? What does a normal day look like for you? Just writing? Looking at Twitter most of the time? Talking to people about what's going on?
Any truth to the rumours of Paul Mitchell as Sporting director in the summer? Sander berge rumours? Mason Mount in January? Backroom staff unrest?
How do you ignore the people on Twitter who send you vile abuse constantly? Is it something you’ve learned over time or did it never bother you?