Tuesday Grab Bag

A bit of news from our club today, as a Liverpool changed a couple labels on the higher ups. Ian Ayre has been named Managing Director. I don't know if this really affects anything, you only notice Managing Directors or Presidents when they get in the way (*cough* Rick Parry *cough*), so I don't really really have anything to add. Damien Camolli has been somewhat promoted to Director of Football, which is pretty much what he was doing anyway. There was a some disapproval of his hiring in the fall, with some of his signings at Tottenham being panned. No one has ever batted 1.000 in the transfer market, however the early signs have to be positive. While the jury is still out on Andy Carroll, I think we can safely say that Luis Suarez has an excellent chance to contribute one day if he works real hard and gets a few breaks, right? So that's cleaned up.

-I find the John Terry returning to England captain stuff pretty hilarious. There are certain things that the English cling to and are the only ones who do so. Their lower league structure, their second cup competition, and their captaincies. Most every other nation and club just hand the armband to their most experienced player and is done with it. For some reason, those under St. George's cross expect the captain to raise everyone's game and literally slaughter the other team and wear their intestines to the after-game party. One, football doesn't really lend itself to that and two, I don't think John Terry has ever been a leader. He's petulant, slow, and quite clearly a tool. Just because he yells a lot doesn't a leader make. Bitching at refs and stomping your feet like a spoiled child at every goal against doesn't make him care any more than anyone else. And I'm not even convinced he's that good, as his pace and lack of ball playing skills really set him down at the top level. England should really get ready for Dawson-Smailing or other options back there. But whatever, as a Yank I've had to deal with Carlos Bocanegra as my captain, so you might see why I don't care.

-Our friends at Oh You Beauty have a wonderful post today about the importance of Daniel Agger. The shortened version is that it's been over 600 minutes since the Reds conceded a goal with Agger on the pitch. He's the most important player on the team, and it's hard to argue otherwise.

-While I don't pay much attention to MLS -- and fear that expanding the playoff field to 10 teams will make it even harder on the eyes -- I will admit to seeing my heart lift at Charlie Davies's two goals in DC United's opener. All our hopes for the US National team were pinned on Davies in 2009. The goal he Donovan combined for in the Confederations Cup Final to go 2-0 up on Brazil still might be the best I've ever seen the US score. He gave us hope of a victory in Azteca. He has pace, tough, and finish, a combination that no other US player has. But one stupid decision and we were left to watch Robbie Findley and whatever other joker flop around the fields of South Africa as Bob Bradley seemingly didn't know you could play with less than two strikers. I will be openly rooting for Charlie, he's still young enough to make Brazil '14, and there's a Gold Cup and hopefully Confed Cup after that for him to make a difference.