Reds won’t repeat transfer blunders

RICK PARRY has vowed Liverpool will not make the same mistakes in the transfer market which saw former manager Gerard Houllier waste the opportunity to take the club to a new level after their 2001 treble success.

The Anfield chief executive sees similarities between the position Liverpool were in four years ago and now after current boss Rafael Benitez guided them to Champions League glory and his side put in a hugely impressive performance in the Club World Championship in Japan.

Benitez has vowed to bring in new faces during the January transfer window, and could have as much as £20 million (€29 million) to spend.

Parry recalls the last time Liverpool were in this position, having finished second in the Premiership in 2002 and won the FA Cup, Worthington Cup and UEFA Cup the previous season.

Houllier’s mistakes in the transfer market then ruined any chance of serious future progress, and eventually cost him his job, before Benitez took over 20 months ago.

Parry said: “Just like then, the foundations are there for us and now it’s about kicking on and taking the next step. We’ve just got to keep on doing what we’re doing, keep on improving and make sure the players we acquire are of the right quality.”

At the end of the 2001-02 season, Houllier spent over £20m on El-Hadji Diouf, Bruno Cheyrou and Salif Diao. None were a success at Anfield and the 2002-03 season saw Liverpool finish fifth, fail to get past the Champions League group stages and then fail in the UEFA Cup.

The experience cost Liverpool dearly, just when Chelsea were transforming themselves from a club on the brink of financial ruin to that now dominating the Premiership as well as the worldwide transfer market.

Parry, though, can sense Benitez is on the right track.

“I’ve been optimistic about our future before, but not more optimistic than now,” he added.

Following Sunday’s defeat by Sao Paulo, Liverpool have already let it be known they harbour ambitions to return to Japan next season to win the world crown. To do that, they will have to retain the European Cup.

A tall order, but Parry added: “We’re already thinking of doing what we can to return to Japan next year. You have to take a lot of pride out of the performance of the boys. Sometimes it makes it harder to bear when you’re the better team.”

Benitez and his squad returned to Merseyside on Monday and the Spanish manager immediately returned to Spain to be with his family following the death of his father last week.

Liverpool face a tough four-game holiday programme, which includes Michael Owen’s return to Anfield with Newcastle on St Stephen’s Day.

By then Benitez could well have new acquisitions already on their way to the club. The Reds have been linked with Portuguese winger Simao Sabrosa, although the fact Liverpool must face the player’s club, Benfica, in the Champions League last 16 in February could complicate a deal, with the Lisbon giants wanting £10m (€14.5m) plus.

Benitez has also been linked with Tottenham defender Ledley King.

Serbian defender Nemanja Vidic of Spartak Moscow, and Danish defender Daniel Agger are on his shopping list, along with Anderlecht’s Christian Wilhelmsson.

Benitez does not have to sell to buy and he may not be keen to sell Djibril Cisse, despite further interest from Marseille. But he would be prepared to allow Chris Kirkland to complete a permanent move to West Brom, while reserve striker Neil Mellor could also leave.