Next Liverpool Manager

[Brownie]

Which is fair enough. Essentially I think this is where a lot of Rafa's supporters and detractors have differed. Personally, I'd take a European Cup win over any League title. With the exception of Leverkusen, I was there throughout '05s away run. I was there in the Nou Camp, and the San Siro, and the Bernabeau. And for that reason it's not quite simple enough, to my mind, to say 'well, okay boys we gave him a chance, but let's farm him out and get the next hapless candidate in; they don't know what they're in for!'. I can't quite get my head around an Alex McLeish or a David Moyes. Even a Martin O'Neil or a Roy Hodgson.

 

Whomever comes in next, they do not know what they're in for. The expectations heaped upon the next manager will be incredible. From people such as myself who have seen Benitez raise the bar whereby anything other than a European Cup semi-final is seen as failure, or by people such as yourself, who see fourth place finishes behind sides entrenched in the philosophies and management of Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho (all of whom will leave a legacy establishing themselves as the greatest manager in the history of each club) as failure.

 

Without real investment whoever comes in next will be on a hiding to nothing, and I'll openly, if reluctantly, say that all I expect from a new manager is positive football. I no longer expect trophies: not whilst the ownership issue carries on as it has.

 

This is a good post; I don't necessarily agree with it all but you've put your point across well.

[Ted]

Utter, utter bollocks.

 

Ted, I don't want to turn this into a Rafa thread, especially because we're basically just disagreeing on the use of one word. 06/07 wasn't a bad season because we comfortably made it into the CL while also getting to the final, and 07/08 was average, rather than bad, because we achieved our minimum aim. I'm not saying either season was good, just that it's unfair to call either of them bad seasons. Plus this is only taking into account the league, not Europe, when the first was definitely a good season and the second wasn't bad either.

 

Fair enough. Like I say, I've put a bit of it in the fanzine so I'll probably get pulled on it again anyway.

[Guest the boy]

Im not asking for us to wow like Barcelona, but we definitely have the squad to win. Reina, Mascherano, Torres, Gerrard, would walk into any team. And we have young up and comers like Pacheco and Babel..Plus some creativity in Aquilani(I think) and Benayoun. We just need the right manager to mould them into a winning team...Our squad isnt that bad. It's Benitez thats making it look crap.

 

What baffles me, and I agree with you to an extent, though I think you'll see that the sheer weight of world class players at Barca (and, yes, Guardiola did walk into a squad with all the players I named, with the exception of Alves who was a £25 million purchase) outweighs several times those at Liverpool, is that every player you just named as having the potential to be part of a 'winning team' is a Benitez player.

[Antynwa]

I was there that day and wanted to rip his fucking head of, but you grow up don't you?

 

Football is like a pantomime sometimes and people can take it far too personally. Don't get me wrong, i'm still as passionate about it as i've ever been during the match with emotions etc, but I suppose as you get older you naturally become more objective.

 

Likewise. Don't think I said a word on the way home, felt sick to my stomach. I distinctly remember walking to the car when it was pissing down outside the ground, and I heard this fella say 'Don't worry lads, we'll win in Istanbul'.

 

Oh how I laughed

[Guest the boy]

I also don't want to turn this into another Benitez thread: as you were.

[Pool518]

I presume you're 7, then.

Nah I aint a child genius, thx for overestimating.. I jz started following Liverpool during Houllier's last season. Twas the one where Henry scored a hattrick 2-4. And it wasnt as bad as this one.

 

Am 18 btw.

[Troubadour]

Nah I aint a child genius, thx for overestimating.. I jz started following Liverpool during Houllier's last season. Twas the one where Henry scored a hattrick 2-4. And it wasnt as bad as this one.

 

Am 18 btw.

 

I don't think any of us were estimating that you were any sort of genius.

[StevieH]

In league terms its his fourth bad season out of six.

 

 

2004/05

Premiership 5th (37 points behind champions)

Champions League winners

League cup finalists

 

2005/06

Premiership 3rd (9 points behind Champions)

FA Cup winners

 

2006/07

Premiership 3rd (21 points behind Champions)

Champions league finanlists

 

2007/08

Premiership 4th (11 points behind Champions)

 

2008/09

Premiership 2nd (4 points behind Champions)

 

2009/010

Premiership 6th (currently 19 points behind leaders)

[Guest LFD]

It is not necessarily how many points we finish behind the league winners to determine if it was a good season or not.

 

Often we have been out of the title before Christmas, October this season.

 

Not good enough!

[Pool518]

What baffles me, and I agree with you to an extent, though I think you'll see that the sheer weight of world class players at Barca (and, yes, Guardiola did walk into a squad with all the players I named, with the exception of Alves who was a £25 million purchase) outweighs several times those at Liverpool, is that every player you just named as having the potential to be part of a 'winning team' is a Benitez player.

 

Yeah, but I just think he has taken us as far as he can. He's bought some decent players, but he doesnt seem to noe how to use them. Torres off at 70 min is a recent example. Also our performances this season is a bigger example. Babel, Aquilani, Benayoun, all decent attacking options, but he chooses to play players like Kuyt and Lucas.

 

Basically I just think he's lost the plot, it's time for a change.

[Pool518]

I don't think any of us were estimating that you were any sort of genius.

yeh that was toungue in cheek lol..internet aint that good for transmitting emotion..my bad for not putting smiley I guess..moving on anyway..

[Pool518]

If Benitez would change his style, then I wouldnt mind him to stay. But his defensive, cautious approach, and the mentality that prefers hard workers over actual skillful players, and overall unflexibility, it hasnt changed, and doesnt look like changing.

[BolshieBastard]

What baffles me, and I agree with you to an extent, though I think you'll see that the sheer weight of world class players at Barca (and, yes, Guardiola did walk into a squad with all the players I named, with the exception of Alves who was a £25 million purchase) outweighs several times those at Liverpool, is that every player you just named as having the potential to be part of a 'winning team' is a Benitez player.

 

Oh come on. Gerrard was already here. Reina, a player signed when Pako was here and the team hasnt been the same since he left.

 

Mascherano was on an 18 month loan before we signed him. If keane, aquilani, dossena, morientes and a few others had been on loan, do you think he would have been able to spot they wouldnt work here?

 

Torres is by far and away his single major signing success.

 

Even his Valencia side, he inherited a better backbone of a team than he built.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Mourinho is the only choice for me.

[G Richards]

It sounds obvious to say, but if we are going to change manager then we need someone who is decidedly better than the man already at the helm. I would suggest that the list of candidates is thus very small.

 

There are lots of 'prospects' and people we hope might turn out to be good, but to risk change for the vast majority of the managers on these betting lists is to take a hopeful punt, rather than an assessed decision to secure a better future.

 

I do think we need a change, but we may find that Rafa's worst season is the height of achievement for some of these managers, especially given the conditions under which Rafa operates.

 

If we could have a Mourinho then bring it on. But most of the others seem like a hopeful punt to me.

[Guest LFD]

But most of the others seem like a hopeful punt to me.

 

I think domestically it will be easy to follow Benitez, however in Europe he's a tough act to follow.

[Torvald Utne]

Some manager stats from the PL for their current clubs before this weekends round.

 

Points pr game ratio:

1*. Grant 102 69 21 12 - 2,23 points

1. Ancelotti 32 22 5 5 - 2,21 points

2. Ferguson 690 445 146 99 - 2,14 points

3. Wenger 518 305 131 82 - 2,01 points

4. Mancini 14 8 3 3 - 1,92 points

5. Benitez 222 124 52 46 - 1,90 points

6. Redknapp 61 31 16 14 - 1,75 points

7. O`Neill 145 57 52 36 - 1,53 points

8. Moyes 307 126 79 102 - 1,48 points

9. Allardyce 53 18 15 20 - 1,30 points

10. Hodgson 87 30 22 35 - 1,28 points

11. McLeish 56 17 18 21 - 1,23 points

12. Pulis 69 21 21 27 - 1,21 points

13. Grant 19 4 3 12 - 0,78 points

 

Bruce is next with 1,09 points in average but I cant bother with the rrest of the list, I wanted to get down to McLeish since he actually is talked about as a candidate.

 

Then the one many do not want.

 

Mourinho 120 85 25 10 - 2,33 points

 

I'm confused on your stats...I had a look at Avram Grant, and can't quite figure how he can be at the same time top of that list you posted and also bottom...how does that work, please explain?

[Ted]

Points deduction?

[BolshieBastard]

I'm confused on your stats...I had a look at Avram Grant, and can't quite figure how he can be at the same time top of that list you posted and also bottom...how does that work, please explain?

 

Isnt one for chelsea and the other for portsmouth?

[Torvald Utne]

Should have used...[sARCASM][/sARCASM]

[Anny Road]

Pity Keagan is a bottler and a bit shit. His style would be the perfect medicine after the last two blokes.

[Wor Horse]

Just need a winner with a set of balls.

 

Mourinho please.

[sir roger]

I am far from convinced that Rafa is going anywhere whatever happens this season & with the owners & Purslow having gone on record to say as such, I may get stuck into that 6/4 quote. ( For the real Rafa-haters on here, why don't you bash £200 on it & if he goes it will presumably be worth it to get rid of him judging by your comments. If he stays you get your season ticket for £200 !!! )

 

Assuming however that he does go in the summer, I am surprised at some of the names mentioned & can only assume that some people are that desperate to get rid of Rafa that the usual parameter is not being followed i.e. would they be an improvement ?

 

While some personality traits make Rafa hard to like at times, his record is amongst the best in Europe & we need somebody who can also claim this.

 

I absolutely detest O'Neill & think he is the most overrated manager I am aware of. I would go as far as to say that the only British manager I would not be suicidal over getting here is if Hodgson was asked to do a short-term ( 3 years or so ) steering period while the finances are sorted.

 

My main requirement would be good, attacking football.

 

My 2 candidates would be Blanc & Riijkard.

 

If neither could be got & the Hodgson thing considered a non-starter, I woud stick with Rafa.

[Coro]

Pellegrini 33/1

 

Yes please.

[WaltonRed]

I am far from convinced that Rafa is going anywhere whatever happens this season & with the owners & Purslow having gone on record to say as such, I may get stuck into that 6/4 quote. ( For the real Rafa-haters on here, why don't you bash £200 on it & if he goes it will presumably be worth it to get rid of him judging by your comments. If he stays you get your season ticket for £200 !!! )

 

Assuming however that he does go in the summer, I am surprised at some of the names mentioned & can only assume that some people are that desperate to get rid of Rafa that the usual parameter is not being followed i.e. would they be an improvement ?

 

While some personality traits make Rafa hard to like at times, his record is amongst the best in Europe & we need somebody who can also claim this.

 

I absolutely detest O'Neill & think he is the most overrated manager I am aware of. I would go as far as to say that the only British manager I would not be suicidal over getting here is if Hodgson was asked to do a short-term ( 3 years or so ) steering period while the finances are sorted.

 

My main requirement would be good, attacking football.

 

My 2 candidates would be Blanc & Riijkard.

 

If neither could be got & the Hodgson thing considered a non-starter, I woud stick with Rafa.

 

Who's ever said they hate him?