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Brendan Rodgers to STAY as Liverpool manager BRENDAN RODGERS will remain as Liverpool manager following his end-of-season review with the Anfield hierarchy. By PAUL JOYCE PUBLISHED: 18:30, Tue, Jun 2, 2015 | UPDATED: 18:36, Tue, Jun 2, 2015 Rodgers met chairman Tom Werner and Mike Gordon, president of the club’s owners Fenway Sports Group, for a two-hour debrief at a city centre location yesterday into why the campaign had fallen short of expectations. The upshot the meeting is that Rodgers will be handed the chance to lead Liverpool’s revival next season after all parties agreed on a “comprehensive plan for improvement” designed to help the club move forward. Liverpool did not discuss the details of that blueprint, and it is unclear whether there will be a reshuffle behind the scenes, but Rodgers’ position is unchanged. The summit talks have been described as “good and productive” and that manager and FSG “move forward together.” Imminent deals for the likes of James Milner and Danny Ings have been set in motion by Rodgers, who is also keen to land Southampton full-back Nathaniel Clyne. Liverpool had a bid of £9m rejected last week. Rodgers’ position had come under scrutiny after Liverpool’s campaign fell short of expectations with a sixth place finish in the Premier League and an early exit from the Champions League. Although he guided the club to semi-finals in both domestic cup competitions, last summer’s £110m spending spree has left the club feeling short changed with a number of players failing to establish themselves. Set against that have been the repeated injuries suffered by Daniel Sturridge, who was ruled out for practically all of last season and Liverpool suffered as a result. The 6-1 drubbing by Stoke in the final game of the season has seen many supporters lose faith in Rodgers and he will head into next season under pressure to prove himself once again. Werner and Gordon had flown into Merseyside on Monday night for a number of meetings of which the get-together with Rodgers was just one. Discussions on Liverpool’s stadium expansion were also on the agenda and Werner will now attend the Premier League’s shareholders meeting on Thursday. http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/581765/Brendan-Rodgers-remain-Liverpool-manager-talks-Anfield-owners-Fenway-Sports-Group

Ben Smith ‏@BenSmithBBC 6m6 minutes ago Brendan Rodgers will stay as #LFC manager after meeting with Tom Werner. All parties agreed improvements must be made

Liverpool FC boss Brendan Rodgers holds 'positive' talks with club chairman Tom Werner 16:38, 2 JUNE 2015 BY IAN DOYLE FSG figurehead will also be involved in attempt to seal James Milner Anfield switch Brendan Rodgers has today held “positive” talks with Liverpool chairman Tom Werner as part of the club's end-of-season review. Rodgers met with Werner and Fenway Sports Group executive Mike Gordon in Liverpool city centre to assess a disappointing campaign with the Reds having failed to win silverware or qualification to the Champions League. The talks are believed to have been progressive, with both parties having agreed to move forward together. It would therefore confirm the long-held belief there is no appetite for FSG to change manager despite Rodgers commenting after the dire 6-1 defeat to Stoke City on the final day of the campaign that “if the owners want me to go, then I go”. Rodgers was expected to be quizzed on where the season went wrong, what mistakes were made, his opinion of the transfer committee and his plans for the future. Werner arrived in Merseyside on Monday night, with completing a free transfer deal for chief summer target James Milner also high on his agenda. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-boss-brendan-rodgers-9377812

"Positive" meeting CONFIRMED Neil Jones Ok, that was quick... We can confirm that Rodgers met with both Tom Werner and Mike Gordon in Liverpool city centre today, and that "positive" and "progressive" talks took place. A story will be on the ECHO site shortly... http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport...s-live-9369073

Meeting is over according to Vinny O'Connor. The meeting was positive and as it stands Rodgers is still manager. Sky also showed Rodgers leaving the club office

I think Rodgers needs to have a bit of dignity. It's clear he wasn't happy with the constraints he had to work under last season especially the committee issues. So, if he is told he still has to work under the same constraints (that clearly made his job difficult) and that nothing is going to change, he should walk.

Someone has got to be made accountable surely? Either the committee goes or Rodgers goes. To keep them both is negligent and is asking for the same problems again net season.

Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers MUST accept transfer committee stays or risk being sacked 22:30, 1 JUNE 2015 BY DAVID ANDERSON Reds' top brass have no plans to fire their manager following end of season reviewbut that could change if he refuses to accept the status quo Brendan Rodgers WILL survive as Liverpool manager - but only if he accepts the American owners WON'T change their transfer policy. Rodgers is expected to meet Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon and club chairman Tom Werner in the next 24 hours, with the pair due to arrive on Merseyside on Tuesday. Gordon will take the lead in conducting Rodgers’ end-of-season review, when they will examine the factors behind Liverpool’s desperate campaign. Rodgers’ position is not under imminent threat, despite trailing in sixth after their 6-1 final-day thrashing at Stoke. However, that could change if he tries to push for changes to the club’s transfer strategy, which involves a committee selecting targets. Liverpool flopped this season even though they splashed out more than £120million on players, and it is believed Rodgers feels the club should adapt their philosophy in the transfer market. He is understood to believe they should buy more older, 'finished product' players as well as young, promising talent to give his side better balance. FSG are prepared to sanction his Bosman move for Manchester City's 29-year-old England midfielder James Milner - which should be confirmed after the international break - but are reluctant to change tack completely. That is a red line for FSG and Gordon - the most senior figure on the transfer committee - and Rodgers could jeopardise his position if he were to push the point. FSG may think the 42-year-old Northern Irishman, who has just clocked up three years at Anfield after moving from Swansea City, no longer buys into their philosophy for running the club. The canny Rodgers has proved to be very astute during his reign, and it seems highly unlikely and out of character that he would take on FSG over the issue. His position is also safer now Jurgen Klopp has claimed he will take a sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund this week, having previously told friends in Germany he was keen on the Liverpool gig. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpools-brendan-rodgers-must-accept-5804384#ICID=sharebar_twitter

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool FC review: Chairman Tom Werner to hold talks with Reds boss this week 15:45, 1 JUNE 2015 BY KRISTIAN WALSH Liverpool FC chairman on his way as review into club's failures continues Liverpool FC chairman Tom Werner will hold talks with manager Brendan Rodgers this week, as part of the club's end-of-season review. Werner will arrive on Merseyside in the next 24 hours, and will meet with Rodgers on Wednesday. He will be accompanied by Fenway Sports Group executive Mike Gordon, but the ECHO understands principal owner John W Henry will not be involved. The club have insisted Rodgers' position is not under immediate threat despite that lowly finish, but the Reds boss is still to discover his fate and Werner's arrival, together with that of Gordon, who is an influential figure within the football arm of FSG, is set to accelerate the process. The pair are expected to meet with Rodgers face-to-face on Wednesday, where the Reds boss will be asked for his thoughts on the season just gone, and his plan to take the club forwards in the future. Werner is also expected to attend a meeting of the Premier League shareholders on Thursday. Rodgers, who is just 12 months into a four-year contract, looks set to be given the opportunity to convince the owners he can turn things around after a disastrous two months that saw Liverpool take just eight points out of the last 27 on offer, finishing sixth in the table, and with a final-day humiliation at Stoke City to boot. His future will depend on the review, spearheaded by Gordon, with the Northern Irishman facing several uncomfortable questions over his failure to steer the team to Champions League qualification, and his inability to secure a trophy during his first three seasons on Merseyside. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brendan-rodgers-liverpool-fc-review-9369446

THE ANFIELD WRAP ‏@TheAnfieldWrap 27m27 minutes ago So, we don't do #ITK, as it's not our style unless we know 100% and can stand it up, but what we know is this.... THE ANFIELD WRAP ‏@TheAnfieldWrap 26m26 minutes ago The 'Season Review' meeting takes place TOMORROW in Liverpool and will involve Brendan Rodgers, Tom Werner and Michael Gordon. THE ANFIELD WRAP ‏@TheAnfieldWrap 23m23 minutes ago If, as expected, it goes to plan expect a statement from the club backing Brendan Rodgers within 48 hours. THE ANFIELD WRAP ‏@TheAnfieldWrap 18m18 minutes ago And there's more.... THE ANFIELD WRAP ‏@TheAnfieldWrap 15m15 minutes ago Danny Ings has signed for Liverpool, and barring losing his hands in an industrial accident, so will James Milner.

I'm happy for Rodgers to be given another season but I think I will have to lower my expectations. I just can't get excited by some of his potential signings. I'd like to think the owners want to keep him because they still have faith in him. However, the cynic in me makes me feel they don't want to pay the severance which Jay Riley has mentioned a number of times that it'll cost fsg £9m to get rid of Rodgers.

Bascombe The make up of the squad next season and the identity and value of the summer targets will be part of Rodgers’ discussions with Werner, the pair likely to meet on Tuesday as the Merseyside club plot a way to repair the damage of a poor season. Werner is in England for a series of meetings with various departments of the club but it is his first face-to-face talks with Rodgers since a disappointing sixth place in the Premier League that will kickstart the process of rebuilding morale, and reshaping the side for pre-season. In essence, Werner’s presence will conclude the post-season review, which was started when Rodgers held discussions with Fenway Sports Group President Mike Gordon last week. Liverpool’s moves in the transfer market – bidding for Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne and demonstrating their interest in Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke – are evidence it is the standard of recruitment that is the primary focus at this stage. That does not mean Rodgers will not have plenty of tricky questions to negotiate when he meets his chairman and tries to explain why the team underperformed so badly, and why he can turn it around next season. Liverpool’s targets for this year set a minimum expectation of Champions League qualification. Rodgers also admitted he was expected to win a trophy by his third year in charge of the club. Although Liverpool reached two semi-finals, their performance in the FA Cup against Aston Villa was embarrassing. Villa’s capitulation to Arsenal in the final brought that into even greater focus. Rodgers can argue in his defence he exceeded expectations a year ago, and the manner in which he coached a squad of superior quality – essentially with Luis Suarez and with a fit Daniel Sturridge – is in his favour. His bosses know given the right fit of players, Rodgers can deliver the stylish, winning football they crave. The assessments over recent weeks have focused in on whether Rodgers has failed to get the most from those at his disposal, or the players signed last summer were simply not of the right standard. All the indications from the ownership group following a difficult campaign is it is the latter that is the biggest issue, and Rodgers’ coaching acumen is still held in the highest regard. It is also in Rodgers’ favour that despite numerous high profile figures being linked with his job, the Anfield hierarchy is adamant they have made no approaches to other managers. It is the meeting with Rodgers that has been consistently emphasised as the most significant in terms of preparing for next season. Jurgen Klopp, to many the favourite to replace Rodgers, has announced his plans to take a temporary break from football after leaving Borussia Dortmund. “After seven intense and emotional years, I think it's a good idea to let the numerous memories settle in before I take on a new challenge with my coaching team, refreshed and fully motivated,” Klopp said in a statement. “I'm going to take a break until further notice.” Klopp’s availability next season will cast a shadow over every manager in Europe as they fight off trigger happy chairman, but it demonstrates, in the short-term at least, one of the biggest perceived threats to Rodgers’ job is not part of the conversation. While in England, Werner will also attend the Premier League shareholders meeting on Thursday. By then, the Merseyside club is expected to have clarified the key conclusions of their review into last season, while closing in on their first major signing. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11644774/Liverpool-poised-to-confirm-James-Milner-signing.html

Ben Smith ‏@BenSmithBBC 24m24 minutes ago Rodgers goes into that meeting with #LFC co-owner Tom Werner hoping/being told he is safe. But no one certain Just reaffirms my view that no one has a clue what is going to happen

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool FC review: Chairman Tom Werner to arrive on Merseyside 15:45, 1 JUNE 2015 BY KRISTIAN WALSH Liverpool FC chairman on his way as review into club's failures continues Liverpool FC chairman Tom Werner will arrive on Merseyside in the next 48 hours as part of Brendan Rodgers' end-of-season review, as the fall-out to the club's disappointing campaign continues. But the ECHO understands principal owner John W Henry will not be accompanying him. The 6-1 defeat to Stoke on the final day of the season compounded an awful end to 2014-15 which saw Rodgers' side finish in sixth. The club have insisted Rodgers' position is not under immediate threat despite that lowly finish, but the Reds boss still awaits to discover his fate and Werner's arrival is set to signify the next step of the process. READ: The six questions Rodgers must answer to FSG Rodgers, who is just 12 months into a four-year contract, looks set to be given the opportunity to convince the owners he can turn things around after a disastrous two months that saw Liverpool take just eight points out of the last 27 on offer. His future will depend on the review, spearheaded by FSG Mike Gordon, with the Northern Irishman facing several uncomfortable questions over his failure to steer the team to Champions League qualification. It is expected several aspects of the club will come under scrutiny, including the role of the transfer committee in last summer's business. Rodgers' position may have strengthened with news Jurgen Klopp, previously linked with the Anfield job, is to take a break from football after his departure from Borussia Dortmund. The German ended his reign with Dortmund with defeat in the German Cup final against Wolfsburg, stating he is leaving football “until further notice”. Former Reds boss Rafael Benitez, another manager out of contract this summer, is expected to be confirmed as Real Madrid manager this week. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/brendan-rodgers-liverpool-fc-review-9369446

Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago Take this to the bank. Rodgers is either deffo staying or deffo going. LFCCRACKER ‏@lfccracker 1h1 hour ago @Andrew_Heaton when you say 'deffo' how reliable is that? Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago @lfccracker About as reliable as a chocolate fireguard Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago Point is thus, 2 people I know, who've no interest in Twitter notoriety, but are basically the most reliable people I know on such matters. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago One doesn't even like football, absolutely no interest in it, but is interested in big business...anyway, I digress. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago One is as sure as you can be that Rodgers is a goner and we've spoken to Klopp. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago The other is as just as sure that Rodgers is safe, Michael Gordon is batting for him and nothing is likely to happen. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago So, my point is this, the only thing I'm certain of is that neither of them are lying. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago My own view is this, if a decision had definitively been made, we'd know by now. But what do I know? PrinceBuster69 ‏@PrinceBuster69 1h1 hour ago @Andrew_Heaton Which one has a source in Boston? I believe that one. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 1h1 hour ago @PrinceBuster69 Both Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 33m33 minutes ago Sorry, one more thing, and this nothing more than a hypothesis.... Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 32m32 minutes ago Maybe FSG's thinking has been muddied by FFP relaxation, no point having an expensive clear out if you're intending to sell? Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 27m27 minutes ago Essentially, FSG have 3 options. 1) Get in an arms race with City and Chelsea. 2) Retain ownership of a stagnant/depreciating asset. 3) Sell Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 24m24 minutes ago On the main stand shout. A new 'trophy' owner would more than likely build a new stadium. Regardless of Anfield expansion. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 23m23 minutes ago Reasons for doing it fairly straightforward, easy to push through a convoluted petro dollar funded naming rights deal on a new stadium Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 23m23 minutes ago Naming right for the existing stadium relatively worthless as it will always be referred to as Anfield. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 15m15 minutes ago Right, off this now. And as I said, just my thoughts on the matter having been privy to a small degree in another Football non-LFC deal. Andy Heaton ‏@Andrew_Heaton 14m14 minutes ago What do I think will happen? On the manager, not a clue. On the owners? I think they'll be gone within 18/24 months.

@OliverKayTimes: This is pretty much my understanding of #LFC situation too https://t.co/45xSt3MYBz

Liverpool FC alternative review: The Bernabeu experiment, Brendan Rodgers' strange switch and Dejan Lovren 17:00, 30 MAY 2015 BY IAN DOYLE Ian Doyle provides his unique take on a hugely disappointing term for the Reds Days after the dismal FA Cup semi-final defeat to Aston Villa, Brendan Rodgers was offered a chance to assess Liverpool’s campaign. “Where we sit now, at this moment in time, in fifth place and having reached two cup semi-finals, that’s probably really on par with where we’re at,” said the Reds boss. By finishing sixth, then, Liverpool can, in the words of their manager, be described as having a ‘below par’ season. That, though, only scratches the surface of one of the club’s most dismal campaigns of the Premier League era. It was there from the moment a frustrated Luis Suarez sunk his teeth into Giorgio Chiellini: this wasn’t going to be an easy season for Rodgers and Liverpool. Suarez had informed the Reds before the World Cup of his desire to leave, but his aberration in Brazil made it that little bit more difficult to agree a deal for his departure to Barcelona. With Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo unavailable, Liverpool knew it would be impossible to replace Suarez. They couldn’t, however, have envisaged it being so difficult to attract a new forward, ultimately settling on Mario Balotelli only weeks after Rodgers had stated he wasn’t interested in the Italian. The Reds boss should have trusted his instincts. Elsewhere, their close season transfer dealings underwhelmed, especially given the carrot of Champions League football. Fenway Sports Group’s transfer committee had always been viewed with great suspicion by supporters, and last summer’s business has only increased the scrutiny. Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Alberto Moreno, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic – bought for a combined total that surpassed the £75million recouped from the sale of Suarez – were all reasonably young but with little experience in the Champions League. Can was the only qualified success, and even then the German’s confidence was shattered by bizarrely being employed at right-back for the dire closing weeks of the season. Early doubts increased when an unconvincing home win over Southampton on the opening day was followed by a sound 3-1 defeat at champions Manchester City the following week. The tone was set. Having come so close to finally lifting the Premier League in exhilarating fashion, there was always a fear Liverpool would take time to come to terms with their narrow failure. Not least as recent history suggested whenever the Reds have gone close to lifting their 19th title – in 1991, 1997, 2002 and 2009 – the fall-out has been both sudden and severe. So it proved once more. And it wasn’t just the team that appeared affected. The Anfield crowd were subdued, although they weren’t given much to shout about – Liverpool won only 14 of 28 home games this season, and one of those was a Capital One Cup penalty shoot-out success against Middlesbrough. The weight of expectation was too much to bear for many players, too many of the supposed senior men unable to help shoulder the burden for the new arrivals. Only when they slipped almost entirely from view in late autumn were Liverpool able to regroup – until they once again refused to answer the door when opportunity came knocking, starting with the pivotal clashes against Manchester United and Arsenal in the spring. With his team humiliated 3-0 at home by Real Madrid in October, two weeks later Rodgers made the polarising move to rest key players in the Champions League return ahead of the weekend’s Premier League game with leaders Chelsea. It was a decision that had far-reaching effects, not least helping make up the mind of Steven Gerrard that he was no longer a first-team regular for Liverpool. Don’t forget, it was the chance of playing in such high-profile games that prompted Gerrard to retire from international football after the World Cup. Rodgers would argue he was being pragmatic. But many – including this reporter – were hugely critical that it sent out a message Liverpool didn’t believe they could win the match, denting their reputation among Europe’s elite. Liverpool’s Champions League nadir was still to come with a timid 1-1 home draw to Basel that sent them tumbling out. The man whose late goal gave the Reds hope? Gerrard, of course. And the skipper was injured when Besiktas ensured an early Europa League exit, Rodgers falling at the first hurdle in both European competitions. Only after the Basel loss did Rodgers finally rip up his masterplan and start afresh by unveiling a three-man defence at Old Trafford in the following match with Raheem Sterling up front. A 3-0 defeat didn’t augur well. However, slowly but surely, Liverpool regained their footing, claimed notable scalps in Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, and for a few months were arguably playing the most impressive football in the country. It couldn’t last. But when their top-four hopes were effectively dashed by successive defeats to United and Arsenal, Rodgers swiftly and curiously reverted to a back four. Such a move meant Liverpool ended the season the way they began it, with a series of inconsistent, incomprehensible displays culminating in a biggest defeat in more than 50 years at Stoke City. Rodgers could at least point to the runs to the semi-final of the Capital One Cup and FA Cup, the furthest he had reached in either competition as a manager. The manner in which the Reds went toe-to-toe with Chelsea in the last four of the League Cup raised hopes of going one better against Aston Villa in their FA Cup semi-final showdown. Liverpool’s subsequent appalling display at Wembley, though, highlighted an issue that had been gnawing away for some time. Does this group of Reds player have the bottle to succeed? Only by winning something will there be an answer in the affirmative. Until then, it’s a question that hangs heavy. Rodgers was compelled to field questions on his future after the 6-1 defeat at Stoke, but FSG have shown no appetite for removing their man ahead of the usual end-of-season review. But change is in the air, whether than be in terms of personnel, transfer committee policy or style of play. Certainly, the names on Liverpool’s wanted list – Christian Benteke, Danny Ings, Nathaniel Clyne – would suggest a tweaking of Rodgers’ usual tactical approach. The redevelopment of Anfield continues apace and ideally FSG would want the newly-fashioned stadium, scheduled to be finished next summer, to be given the exposure of Champions League football. And the departure of Gerrard has confirmed Liverpool are now entering a new era. Player of the season: Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian, like the rest of his team-mates, underwhelmed massively during the opening months of the campaign, but was such a catalyst from December onwards he was voted in the PFA Team of the Year and shortlisted for the Player of the Year award. Martin Skrtel and Raheem Sterling also deserve a mention. Must do better: Everybody, basically. But none more so than Dejan Lovren, whose exorbitant £20million price tag has genuinely hampered his game. Rarely has a player appeared so nervy in a Liverpool shirt, while a tendency to rush into challenges which still persists suggests someone who remains far too eager to impress. Performance of the season: That there are arguably only three games worth mentioning highlights the paucity of Liverpool's quality, and all came within a three-week period. While impressive in defeating Tottenham Hotspur at home and Southampton away, the 2-1 Anfield triumph over Manchester City harked back to the previous campaign and gave a glimmer of false hope for the spring. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-alternative-review-bernabeu-9358169 The echo have continued with their negative articles on Rodgers

Liverpool turn heat up on Rodgers Jonathan Northcroft Published: 31 May 2015 LIVERPOOL are exploring alternatives to Brendan Rodgers, adding to uncertainty about whether the manager will survive an end-of-season review. He is to be appraised on his performance during 2014-15 in a process led by Mike Gordon, the executive from Fenway Sports Group with most responsibility for day-to-day business at Anfield. Rodgers and Gordon have a good rapport and the manager remains appreciated by others in Liverpool’s hierarchy, but that has not stopped other options being explored. A process is under way of examining the availability and credentials of other candidates, such as Jurgen Klopp, whose reign at Borussia Dortmund ended last night after the German Cup final, which Dortmund lost 3-1 to Wolfsburg. Klopp has indicated he would consider the Liverpool job – despite initially saying he planned a sabbatical when his time at Dortmund was over. It is thought Rodgers still has a very significant chance of remaining in charge, provided he can satisfy FSG that a disappointing 2014-15 campaign – where Liverpool finished sixth in the Premier League and performed badly in Europe – was a blip. Inside the club, the expectation is Rodgers will still be manager when next season begins. Embarrassing defeats in Liverpool’s final two games, a 3-1 home loss to Crystal Palace and 6-1 humiliation at Stoke, have increased the pressure on Rodgers. However, Liverpool are pressing ahead with attempts to sign Christian Benteke, Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner and Danny Ings – all targets favoured by Rodgers. Gordon is due to meet Rodgers, who is on holiday in Spain, in the next fortnight. An American, he is FSG’s second largest shareholder after John W Henry, sits on Liverpool’s board of directors, and spends significant periods in Merseyside. Rafael Benitez, whose name a number of supporters chanted during the 6-1 defeat at Stoke, will be unveiled as Real Madrid’s new manager on Wednesday. Klopp, who led Dortmund to two German titles and a Champions League final during seven years in charge, is favourite to be offered the job if Liverpool decide to make a change. More than just the manager’s position will be scrutinised in Gordon’s review, with changes considered in Liverpool’s medical department and recruitment structure. http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/football/article1562755.ece

Aye mate. Pearce doesn't sound convinced Rodgers will be here come the start of the season. I'm probably reading too much into this but I reckon he's had a sniff Rodgers is toast

Blood Red: Winning over FSG is one thing, but Rodgers must also win over disaffected fans 05:00, 30 MAY 2015 BY JAMES PEARCE Manager fighting on two fronts to rescue his Anfield reign Brendan Rodgers has not one but two major hurdles to negotiate if he’s going to come back from the brink at Liverpool FC. First, there is that showdown with Fenway Sports Group’s Mike Gordon as part of the club’s end of season review into a desperate campaign. Rodgers must convince the owners that he can put right what’s gone horribly wrong over the past nine months. If the Northern Irishman achieves that then his Anfield reign will enter a fourth season but he still won’t be in the clear. Far from it. The second hurdle facing him is more daunting. If he gets the green light from Boston over the next fortnight then Rodgers will have to set about trying to win back the faith and trust of a fanbase left disillusioned by Liverpool’s fall from grace. Last Sunday’s humiliation at the hands of Stoke City was a tipping point for many supporters. Those calling for change aren’t just keyboard warriors in Timbuktu but many devoted Kopites who spend their hard earned cash travelling home and away. It’s too easy to dismiss what happened at the Britannia Stadium as a meaningless end of season game. It wasn’t. For a start, defeat cost Liverpool £1.2million in prize money as they slipped from fifth to sixth, and could have resulted in them having to start next season in the Europa League qualifiers on July 2. It was also Steven Gerrard’s send-off. Such a spineless capitulation was the final insult for fans after what they had witnessed since the home defeat to Manchester United in March. The hurt and anger in the away end at Stoke even boiled over into a number of skirmishes over what the club should do next. Unrest and division rule. Even among those who believe Rodgers was dealt a bad hand by Luis Suarez’s exit, Daniel Sturridge’s injuries and the restrictions placed on him by the transfer committee, patience has been stretched to the limit. Added to the mix is the availability of two such high-profile managers as Jurgen Klopp and Carlo Ancelotti – both out of work this summer and looking for a new challenge. Liverpool find themselves at a crossroads. The owners must decide whether to stick with their long-term plan, cut Rodgers some slack and write this season off as a costly blip or pay up the three years remaining on his contract and start all over again. If it’s the former then either Gordon, Tom Werner or John W Henry need to go public and explain their reasons for doing so. Is it because FSG believe that Rodgers was severely hampered by events beyond his control? Is it because FSG acknowledge that their transfer policy of prioritising young potential over proven talent is flawed? Stay silent and the owners will stand accused of merely accepting the status quo – sixth place and mediocrity. That won’t do the manager any favours. If Rodgers stays, the only way he can start to build bridges with disaffected supporters is if they can see a proper plan to take the club forward. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/blood-red-winning-over-fsg-9357236

Liverpool FC could end up with another square peg in a round hole if they pay £32million for Benteke 19:00, 29 MAY 2015 BY JAMES PEARCE Injury record and playing style add to doubts about whether Belgian is worth breaking the bank for Liverpool FC's hierarchy are determined not to repeat the mistakes of a year ago. The Reds have identified Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke as their No 1 striker target and are ready to make their move after Saturday’s FA Cup final with Arsenal at Wembley. Wanting to get their business done early is admirable. It shows that lessons have been learned following last summer’s shambolic search for Luis Suarez’s replacement. Back then, Liverpool missed out on Alexis Sanchez, a deal for Loic Remy collapsed on medical grounds and they refused to meet Wilfried Bony’s wage demands. After fanciful talk of landing Edinson Cavani or Karim Benzema came to nothing, deadline day was looming and the Reds were fast running out of options. Given a choice between the veteran Samuel Eto’o and the controversial Mario Balotelli, Brendan Rodgers opted to take a “calculated gamble” on the high maintenance Italian. It never looked like paying off with Balotelli, a £16million buy from AC Milan, now surplus to requirements after a dismal season when he netted just four goals. With Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert also set to leave Anfield and Daniel Sturridge not expected to make his comeback from injury until late September at the earliest, Liverpool’s need for attacking reinforcements is acute. They can’t afford to get it wrong again. Danny Ings will be a decent acquisition if as expected he opts for Liverpool rather than Tottenham when his contract with Burnley expires at the end of June. The Reds will also welcome young £10million frontman Divock Origi into the fold after his season-long loan with Lille. However, Liverpool need a more experienced and more established striker to give them the firepower they were sadly lacking this season. They need an injection of real quality in the final third. The fact that the transfer committee have decided that Benteke is that man will divide opinion among supporters. For a start, there is the small matter of the fee. Villa boss Tim Sherwood is adamant that the Belgium international won’t go anywhere unless a club triggers his £32.5million release clause this summer. Liverpool had initially hoped to land the 24-year-old for around £20million but it’s now clear they will have to increase that offer considerably. “There’s a buy-out clause in his contract so it will be impossible for us to stop him if he wants to go,” Sherwood said. “Someone’s got to meet that buy-out clause and if they don’t it won’t be considered because we don’t want to lose him.” Even Benteke’s biggest admirers would have to question whether he’s really worth £32.5million. That would make him the second most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history. If you are prepared to pay that kind of money then fans will rightly ask why you aren’t going for the likes of Napoli’s Gonzalo Higuain, Lyon’s Alexandre Lacazette or Porto’s Jackson Martinez. Although whether they would join a club who can’t offer Champions League football is debatable. But concerns over Liverpool’s pursuit of Benteke stretch further than how much it will cost to prise him away from the Midlands. For a start there’s his injury record. A ruptured Achilles tendon last April forced him to sit out the World Cup finals in Brazil as he spent six months on the sidelines. On his return to action in October, he struggled for form. It was only following the appointment of Sherwood that he came to life - scoring a dozen goals in his last 12 appearances to save Villa from relegation. To describe Benteke as flavour of the month would be harsh. Since arriving from Belgian outfit Genk in 2012 for around £8million, he has scored 49 goals in 100 appearances for Villa, That’s an impressive strike rate. But how he would slot into the way Liverpool play is unclear. He’s a 6ft 3ins targetman who feeds off getting service from wide areas. He bullies centre-backs when crosses come into the box. However, no Premier League club attempted fewer than Liverpool’s tally of 409 crosses from open play over the course of the campaign. The last player the Reds had of Benteke’s ilk was Andy Carroll, who was shown the door soon after Rodgers arrived at Anfield three years ago because he didn’t fit the style. For the first half of this season the manager repeatedly bemoaned the absence of an attacker who had the pace and movement required to burst in behind defenders and could set the tone by pressing the ball relentlessly. With Sturridge out, Balotelli was far too stationary, demanding the ball to his feet and simply couldn’t or wouldn’t adjust to what he was asked to do. It was no coincidence that Liverpool enjoyed their best spell of the season when Raheem Sterling was utilised as a makeshift No 9 and Philippe Coutinho suddenly had a moving target for his defence splitting passes. Benteke would help Rodgers in his mission to make the Reds more combative. He would offer the kind of physical presence they currently lack. Yet it requires a leap of faith to believe that Benteke really is the answer, especially if the price tag is £32.5million. Unless Liverpool are about to make a significant change to how they play, they could end up trying to fit another square peg into a round hole. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-fc-could-end-up-9357133

AC Milan: Carlo Ancelotti in talks over return to Serie A club 29 May 2015 Last updated at 15:21 By Saj Chowdhury BBC Sport AC Milan have held talks with Carlo Ancelotti in a bid to bring the former manager back to the Serie A giants. Ancelotti, sacked by Real Madrid this week, met Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani and will decide on Wednesday whether to return to a club he helped win two Champions Leagues and Serie A. Current manager Filippo Inzaghi, who took over last summer, has been told he will not continue in his role. With one league game left, struggling Milan could finish as low as 10th. Ancelotti, who won the Champions League with Real Madrid last season but has not won a trophy this term, said he was considering taking a year's sabbatical and having surgery on a back problem following his dismissal. "I must have an operation because of spinal stenosis that for some time creates a tingle in my hands," he was quoted as telling Il Giornale. "I don't know how long the period of recovery will be," he added. "I can assure you that I've had plenty of offers from Italy, England, Germany. I'm sure they will not be lacking from here until next year." The 55-year-old coached AC Milan from 2001 to 2009, winning the Italian league title in 2004 and two Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007. He also twice won the old European Cup as a player with the club in 1989 and 1990. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32935485

James Pearce The end of season review, which will determine Brendan Rodgers’ fate, won’t begin until next week at the earliest. Rodgers was in London for Tuesday night’s League Managers’ Association dinner when he presented Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe with the Manager of the Year trophy. The Northern Irishman has since gone overseas for a short holiday as he awaits extensive discussions with Fenway Sports Group’s Mike Gordon. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-end-pursuit-fiorentina-9350838

Did he actually post the Gerrard news

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qxFVrdaMHc Chris Bascombe was on the Anfield HQ podcast yesterday. He said Rodgers had a meeting with Mike Gordon last week and will have another very important meeting. He said Rodgers doesn't think it will cost him his job and lfc have said the same. Bascombe said it depends how you interpret the information and that it's not clear cut that Rodgers will still be in a job at the end of their next meeting or words to that effect