New Liverpool director of football strategy Damien Comolli
insists that he will be working closely with Roy
Hodgson to bring new faces to Anfield in the coming
transfer windows and stressed that his position will not undermine
the manager.
Comolli joined Liverpool from Saint Etienne two weeks ago and it
has been suggested that the club's new owners appointed him as a
result of doubts about Hodgson's transfer record since taking
arriving at Anfield.
Hodgson has brought Joe
Cole, Paul
Konchesky, Christian Poulsen and Raul
Meireles to the club, but all have flattered to
deceive thus far, and it is thought that John Henry sought out
Comolli in a bid to improve the quality of new recruits.
But Comolli has moved quickly to play down reports that he will
have final say in any future transfers, insisting that he and
Hodgson will work together to target new players.
"I think it was just a feeling between the owners and Roy as
well that they wanted someone to be in there and come and help on a
daily basis, support Roy in terms of making sure there is the best
structure around all the club in all the areas which are football
related," Comolli told Liverpool's official website.
"In the short term, in my position you always think of the next
window or the next two windows and I think everybody has got this
in mind. As I've just joined, we've got only a few weeks to prepare
for the window but we are also looking at the summer transfer
window.
"That's what I would call short term but then long term we are
already looking at things like the pre-season tour for next season,
we are already looking at the academy to see what we can improve,
what the targets are there in England, young players who we could
bring in, the same thing about Europe, to identify players around
Europe that we'll be trying to bring in. It's a mix of short term
and long term which I think is one of the beauties of this job.
Comolli has built a strong reputation for spotting talent during
spells at Monaco, Arsenal - where he helped unearth Gael Clichy and
Kolo
Toure - and Tottenham. Comolli was responsible
for bringing the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric to the White Hart
Lane, though he also facilitated the signings of the significantly
less successful Adel Taarabt and David Bentley.
After clashing with then-Spurs manager Martin Jol, who
complained several players had been signed without his permission,
Comolli was later sacked along with Jol's successor Juande
Ramos.
But the 37-year-old Frenchman is confident that a strong
relationship with Hodgson will help bring the Reds success.
"We've been talking at length since I joined, several times a
day on different issues and different matters, not only related to
the transfer window or to scouting, we talk about everything. I
think this relationship is going to grow in a positive way, that's
for sure. We see things the same way. So far everything we have
discussed we totally agree and have the same vision. I expect
that's going to go on.
"When you see the clubs he has managed and the national teams he
has managed, what he's done at Fulham, what he's done at Blackburn
and obviously being in charge here. Obviously, when you have
managed Inter Milan as well and all the pressure there is there at
one of the biggest clubs in the world, you have to have respect for
what he's done.
"I think sometimes it becomes controversial and it should not
be. As John Henry said, it will be a consensus among us. That's the
way John sees it, that's the way I see it and that's the way Roy
sees it. The manager's decision and the manager's opinion on a
player is absolutely crucial."