Liverpool owners want to restore 'lustre' says chairman Tom Werner

Carl Markham,Pa
Friday 12 August 2011 12:47 BST
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Liverpool chairman Tom Werner insists owners Fenway Sports Group are working hard to restore the "lustre" of the club and they are prepared to continue investing in players to achieve that.

The signing of Newcastle left-back Jose Enrique for a fee in the region of £6million takes manager Kenny Dalglish's summer spending up to around £50million.

Add to that FSG's approving the spending of all of the £57million income of January sales Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel on club-record signing Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez and it is apparent the Americans are serious about rebuilding the club.

They performed a similar feat with baseball side Boston Red Sox, winning the World Series soon after taking over.

"I don't think anybody is working harder than we are right now to continue to see if we can recruit talent," said Werner.

"We are willing to spend pounds to upgrade the team and I think that both clubs, both the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool, are blessed with management that is tireless and smart and I think that is the essential ingredient.

"It's been our goal to try to improve our position on the pitch, and to try to create a environment for players to say they want to play in Liverpool and bring some of the lustre that all the fans know back to the club."

Principal owner John Henry said last month he expected the Reds to regain their top-four status this season.

Werner has a broader opinion on what FSG want to achieve.

"Our hope is that we can make our fans proud of what we have done," he added.

"I don't want to promise so much. I know John has said we're going to be top four, and Kenny says, 'well, why can't we win?'.

"But we just want to move forward - we want to be better this year than last year and just keep going on the right track."

As well as investing in players FSG have put their faith in Dalglish, who was given a three-year contract at the end of last season having taken over in January and effected an impressive turnaround.

"I can't think of somebody who embodies the relentlessness and the drive and the attitude of excellence better than Kenny," Werner told LFC TV in an interview to be screened tonight.

"Obviously we knew of him before we met him. I think he is a natural leader.

"I've had the privilege to watch him as he trains the men at Melwood and I just think he's so charismatic and I think he's been able to instil a sense of purpose into the club, and when he says something I think people listen."

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