"At a football club, there's a holy trinity - the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don't come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques."

For football fans, Bill Shankly's phrase is as true today as its ever been. For Liverpool fans especially, a group of supporters who regularly deify their managers, it is particularly resonant.

Which is why Jurgen Klopp's eagerly anticipated arrival at Anfield, greeted by the kind of excitement you'd expect for such a charismatic, individual and successful manager, should be tempered by the realisation that he will still be working under the same fudged set up.

For directors, read transfer committee. And the same issues which Brendan Rodgers struggled to work with will still be in place for Jurgen Klopp to deal with.

Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp

That it was a struggle for Klopp's predecessor is uncontestable. Rodgers was given the 'final say' on players who came into Anfield, but not always the first word. As a result players he felt could make a difference to Liverpool, the experienced but old Ashley Williams and the young but expensive Ryan Bertrand, were dismissed by other members of the committee.

Rodgers wanted Clint Dempsey very early on in his Anfield reign. Such was his enthusiasm for the deal he was prepared to swap Jordan Henderson to facilitate the signing. But other members of the committee preferred Daniel Sturridge.

Regardless of how daft Rodgers' thinking on that one looks in hindsight, the manager's authority was undermined.

Transfer committee advocates would suggest that in that instance the club made the right decision in the end. But critics would equally point to Lazar Markovic, Emre Can and maybe Roberto Firmino, all players who weren't Rodgers' first choices, as reasons why the system is flawed

Liverpool has never been good at being managed by committee. Of course Shankly had his bootroom, trusted lieutenants who he would listen to and accept advice from. But one man's word was law and one man only.

Gerard Houllier becomes joint manager alongside Roy Evans, July 1998
Gerard Houllier becomes joint manager alongside Roy Evans, July 1998

When Liverpool tried to ask Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier to work together in a joint-management experiment it failed after a few months. Both managers proved more adept at winning trophies on their own.

But the transfer committee is going nowhere at Anfield. Dave Fallows was a prized scalp from Manchester City, and as head of recruitment will want significant input.

Mike Gordon is the conduit between Merseyside and America, and as the second largest shareholder will want to know that the club's money is being spent wisely.

Head of Performance Michael Edwards' field of expertise tallies with John W Henry’s admiration for the ‘Moneyball’ philosophy where statistical analysis is used to try to find value in the transfer market.

All will want a say in how money is being spent at Anfield. But ultimately Klopp's say has to be final. Brendan Rodgers defiantly and sincerely declared that he was not interested in signing Mario Balotelli, a week before he arrived at Anfield.

If we hear similar statements from his successor we will know the system is still stumbling. The transfer committee may have a lot more to do than simply sign the cheques nowadays, but offering Jurgen Klopp advice must be the limit of their influence.

The German will soon be part of a new Holy Trinity of players, manager and fans. The transfer committee must be disciples.