Daniel Agger has been a Liverpool player for seven years; some may restate that this has been largely within an on/off capacity due to his injury problems.
What is certain is that he was transformed from ‘boy’ to ‘man’ at the club. Liverpool undoubtedly miss him when he is absent as he adds, now, substantial experience, the hardened strength of a English player married with the elegant poise of a man with an appreciation of the continental style of play.
The Liverpool fans adore him and he adores them in return; the manager hopes to retain his services for the long haul but there is still this persistent whisper that suggests that the owners are hoping to cash in with a valuation of £27 million stifling suitors Barcelona and Manchester City at present.
There have been many questionable decisions made by the FSG consortium in their short period of ownership but pushing out one of the more integral players for financial gain does not strike as prudent planning – especially for a club determined to develop within a short period of time.
In some respects there are benefits to be had from gaining £27 million/£24 and player exchange, particulary if you need to enhance the squad in the manner that Liverpool do. Nonetheless, if it means that you take out a piece of the puzzle to replace it with another not so suitable piece, then you just end up back where you began.
Agger is part of the spine of the team (Reina, Agger/Skrtel, Lucas, Gerrard and Suarez); a column that must be maintained so that the rest of the team can simply be built or replaced around it. If you dismantle it, you will essentially only be dismantling it to rebuild it with the same player or two ‘lesser qualified’ players as Liverpool don’t advertise the same remarkability they once did.
What’s more is that nobody can say for certain that all of the money will be reinvested into the club. This is the precursor to the problems stated in the prior paragraph. The Glazers (owners of Manchester United) offered shares of their club, personally acquiring the proceeds ahead of the club. What’s to say that Liverpool’s American owners won’t follow suit?
Furthermore – beyond the implications to Liverpool’s formational structures – Agger is, individually, a damned solid defender. With Skrtel by his side, the pairing are extremely formidable. Why would FSG deem it shrewd to want to break up a partnership that only shipped 40 goals in the Premiership – the joint third least amount of goals conceded, only bettered by the teams who finished in first and second?
If the board are behind Rodgers, they will need to recognise that Agger is a player suited to Rodgers’ style of play; he has great tactical awareness to cope with the intricacies of a system that begins with four defenders but so often only operates with two or three withdrawn during a game.
His positional sense and composure with the ball at his feet is a key reason why he has been linked with the top clubs this summer. Despite his rugged exterior, inside lies the mind of a complete footballer, not just a hoofing centre half.
Not many players who play in his position – around the world let alone in this country – have these qualities so replacing him if he does depart will be difficult for Liverpool considering that they are unable to offer the esteem of Champion’s League football.
Commonly these days, so many players footballing qualities and adaptability or experience needed will quickly become another arduous task amongst the skyscraper-esque stack of dilemmas Liverpool already grapple with.
Forget loyalty; forget money; all parties involved should just get down to the nitty-gritty of the issue and employ footballing sense. Do Liverpool call the selling of one of their key men, progression? Do they consider the bolstering of a rival’s squad with one of their key men, progression?
In order to progress, Brendan Rodgers must stand firm against the hierarchy and demand that Agger remains whilst continuing his fine work in the transfer market to reinforce the team.
image: © kong niffe
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