Liverpool director of football strategy Damien Comolli has revealed he will be "involved in everything which is related to football" in his new role at Anfield - but that will not extend to dictating which players should be signed by manager Roy Hodgson.
Comolli joined Liverpool earlier this month - just weeks after the takeover of the club by New England Sport Ventures (NESV) - having previously served in a similar role at Tottenham and French outfit St Etienne.
"As far as I am concerned, and the way I have always worked in this job, is do not bring a player in who the manager doesn't like because there's no point. Talking in very basic terms, if you bring a player in who the manager doesn't like you are just wasting money, that's the bottom line.That's the way I have always been working and I expect with Roy it will be exactly the same thing," said Comolli.
While at Spurs Comolli forged a reputation as a shrewd dealer in the transfer market, masterminding the signings of Gareth Bale, Dimitar Berbatov, Luka Modric, Heurelho Gomes and Roman Pavlyuchenko.
NESV described Comolli's appointment as "the first step in creating a leadership group and structure designed to develop, enhance and implement our long-term philosophy", although his arrival has also cast doubt over the depth of Hodgson's influence at the Merseyside outfit.
Comolli insists, however, that his role should not be seen as a threat to Hodgson's authority in the transfer market.
"I think sometimes it becomes controversial and it should not be. As [Liverpool owner] John Henry said, it will be a consensus among us," Comolli explained.
"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.
Comolli does not expect to have any problems in forming a working partnership with Hodgson.
"We already had a good relationship from my time at Spurs when he was coach at Finland or Fulham," Comolli told www.liverpoolfc.tv. "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."
Source: PA
