“They are not one of the biggest clubs in the world anymore.”
Bad news, Liverpool fans. Danny Mills reckons your team is no longer one of the biggest clubs in the world.
Liverpool are one of the most successful clubs in Britain and Europe, winning 18 league titles and five European Cups. They may have not won the title since 1990, but they are still one of the best supported clubs in the world.
Barton's offered his two cents on the transfer saga https://t.co/aumET4wJT9
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) August 21, 2017
However, Mills has said that fans of the club need to get a reality check, and face the fact they are no long one of the world’s great clubs.
The former Leeds United full-back didn’t provide any criteria for what constitutes a “big club.” His reasoning was also flawed, but we’ll let you hear what he had to say first.
Mills was on BBC 5 Live on Friday night and asked about Liverpool’s transfer activity so far this summer. The club signed Mo Salah and Andy Robertson, but failed in their attempts to seal deals for Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk. For the last month, they have been trying to prevent Philippe Coutinho joining Barcelona. The former England full-back seems to view their troubles in the transfer market as a sign of their reduced status.
“This might send the Twittersphere and social media world mad. I think Liverpool fans have to realise that they are not quite the pull that they used to be. They are not one of the biggest clubs in the world anymore. Yes, they have the history. They have this unbelievable history. They haven’t won the Premier League for how long? Yes, I know they have won the Champions League in there, but teams now will be looking at Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea before they think about going (to Liverpool). And they will be looking abroad before they think about going.”
"He's a disgrace," said the man who thinks Coutinho should force a move from Anfield. pic.twitter.com/YGjp1cKKZA
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOE_UK) August 2, 2017
Mills then spoke about Liverpool’s failure to sign Van Dijk.
“They should, for whatever reason, haven’t got the deal done (sic). And if they don’t need the money, why have they not paid it?”
There are a few issues with Mills’ logic.
- Just because Coutinho wants to leave for Barcelona doesn’t automatically mean Liverpool aren’t a “big club.” It means Coutinho would rather play for Barcelona, like 99% of footballers on the planet. When Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United for Real Madrid in 2009, it didn’t make United a lesser club.
- They’ve never won the Premier League, mate.
- United, City and Chelsea pay players better wages than Liverpool. That’s what you meant when you referenced those clubs. Because no Liverpool fan, or even a United fan, would consider either Chelsea or City to be bigger clubs than Liverpool.
- Ah yes, “abroad”, that big place that isn’t England.
- Liverpool haven’t paid the money for Van Dijk because Southampton won’t sell him. The same way they haven’t signed Keita from RB Leipzig. Neither club were prepared to do business, so how could Liverpool sign either player? The transfer fee was immaterial. How can Liverpool’s failure to sign players who weren’t for sale be used as evidence that they are no longer a selling club?
And no, I’m not a Liverpool fan. But someone actually used tax-payers’ money to get this man on radio to give his expert views.
You can watch Mills here:
"Liverpool are not one of the biggest clubs in the world anymore"
Danny Mills endears himself to #LFC fans…😬 pic.twitter.com/nbUWtTRkPB
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) August 25, 2017
Unsurprisingly, Mills’ comments didn’t go down well.
https://twitter.com/nath_rowden/status/901361785315495936
The same Danny Mills who doesn't know who Demarai Gray or Alvaro Morata are? OK then!
— James Sinclair-Day (@james_sd_uk) August 26, 2017
Oh no. What shall we do? Danny Mills has said we're not a big club anymore. It's all over for us.
— M.J.Frankle (@MarleyMarl_LFC) August 26, 2017
Danny mills is a heavyweight in this football game I would go so far as to say iconic pic.twitter.com/KS3xOOAcXE
— aristocracy 🇺🇸 (@ShaunJobling) August 26, 2017
They have filled stadiums in Asia, Australia, Dublin recently and average a gate of 53k. They are in the CL and are 8th richest club #hmm
— Martin Malone (@MartinMalone4) August 25, 2017
25th July 2013 Melbourne fc v Liverpool , 95,000 the MCG biggest crowd ever….and your point was?????
— Peter Lawrence (@LawroPl) August 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/Lawrence7/status/901162772536455170
