Employment lessons from Robbie Keane and Liverpool FC

As a Liverpool FC fan, it was disappointing but inevitable that Robbie Keane left Anfield yesterday. The papers today suggest it was a poor decision by manager Rafael Benitez, but a decision to move from one organisation to another is always a joint decision by both employer and employee – so 50/50 for that one.

However, as a recruiter there are some hard lessons to be learnt for the real employment world, where most of us are not paid £120,000 per week, that should be taken into account and learnt from:

• Boyhood dreams versus reality: Keane was a boyhood LFC fan, but the reality of LFC in 2008/9 was different to that of the late 1970’s
• Do you fit the company? Do some research first, but a good test is to find out how many of your friends have gone from the same organisation you currently work for to that one, or departed from it? Keane’s Irish colleague Steve Finnan had been squeezed out by Rafa in the same summer Keane signed-in
• Do you fit the system? There were two major problems with Keane fitting into Liverpool’s system. The first was structural - that his support role to a striker in a classical 4-4-2 system didn’t fit in Rafa’s Christmas Tree 4-2-3-1 system. The second was tactical – Liverpool play few long balls to give strikers 1 on 1 situations with defenders, which is where Keane’s speed gives him the advantage
• Who is your manager, and what is his style? Keane came from Spurs because he didn’t like the new system that Spanish manager Juande Ramos installed there. He signed for an equally stringent Spaniard, Rafael Benitez! The signs were written large on the wall of a no-fit situation
• What is the manager/companies recent record? Good in terms of record, but – Benitez has a track record of liking hard working players and rotating them. Those that don’t fit in get squeezed out. Patterns generally repeat, and the number of players Rafa is squeezing out is (frighteningly for a fan, let alone a player considering working there) increasing
• Be cautious of big money pressue: a large pay packet means they desperately need you, and will expect big things of you from day one. Even the best fail under instant pressure, and big pay makes it difficult for you to settle into the team
• Make sure you have a great and secure contract: I am sure in six+ months time, some news will leak out over various clauses in various contracts between the four parties - the two clubs, Keane and his agent. Most players get at least a 10% signing on bonus to a club - one would hope any upfront fee's are at least in part refundable. If you get offered a moving package, check the small print
• You are not the only one in your “team.” It is fairly obvious from various comments made in the media today, that Keane’s wife didn’t settle in Liverpool/Cheshire. Having moved every 3years when my father was developing his career, he knew the importance of my mother specifically and us children liking the place BEFORE he agreed the move