This Wednesday sees the latest edition of one of the most storied fixtures in world football: The Merseyside Derby. Liverpool welcome Everton to Anfield with the two clubs in dramatically different situations – the Reds are eight points clear at the top of the table whilst the Blues are just two points clear of relegation in 17th. Liverpool v Everton is a study which shows that money doesn’t always buy success.
Liverpool v Everton proves that money can’t always buy success. (Photo by Tony McArdle – Everton FC/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Since Jürgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015, the German has racked up a net spend of £67.25m according to Anfield Online. Since the summer of 2016, Everton’s net spend sits at around £190m – as per the Transfermarkt records.
In that time Klopp has taken his team to the Europa League final, two Champions League finals, a Champions League win, a League Cup final and a record 97 points in the Premier League. Everton have…nothing.
It is important to note that Manchester City have also spent a tremendous amount of money in the same period and enjoyed great success as a result. However, the Citizens have spent more than the Toffees and the Manchester side have a much better coaching and scouting team.
Liverpool have focused on not overpaying and only buying their first choice targets. Everton on the other hand have often been found panic buying and paying over the odds, the £25m paid for Yannick Bolasie is a prime example of them being fleeced.
Throwing money at a club and hoping some of it sticks to a trophy is never going to work. Everton could have done a lot more had they spent some of this money on a top class manager, a world class scouting team and on securing the targets that they wanted the most. For instance, the Liverpool board made sure that they got Jürgen Klopp in, they have also hired some of Europe’s top coaches and other successful non-playing staff.
The Merseyside Derby between Liverpool and Everton will not just prove which is the better side at the moment, it will prove that money can’t always buy you success.