Topic: LFC's next manager - chat and informed speculation

[Cusamano]

I'd love Unai above everyone else to be honest.

[Sinyoro]

Would Xabi regard Liverpool FC as a stepping stone to Madrid?
If so I don't want him.

Klopp may well end up at Madrid. Carlo extended his contract to 2026, when Klopp's would've ended.

He is taking a rest now to re-energise before taking the bull by the horns when Carlo goes

[killer-heels]

I'd love Unai above everyone else to be honest.

On the face of it he seems the most accomplished candidate in terms of experience and trophies. May have learnt a few things from following on from Wenger in terms of what mistakes he made.

[Samie]

Klopp may well end up at Madrid. Carlo extended his contract to 2026, when Klopp's would've ended.

He is taking a rest now to re-energise before taking the bull by the horns when Carlo goes

Real MAdrid isn;t the type of club Kloppo would go to. He called Mancs "Disneyland" when they wanted him, iamgine MAdrid then?

[Bobsackamano]

On the face of it he seems the most accomplished candidate in terms of experience and trophies. May have learnt a few things from following on from Wenger in terms of what mistakes he made.

I'm in the Alonso camp however if Xabi wants to home his skills a bit more before taking a bigger job then Unai is definitely the sort of safe guy we could get in for a few years. Don't see him being a long termer though.

[thejbs]

I'd love Unai above everyone else to be honest.

I really like Unai. I'm happy to have him pick up the pieces if Xabi makes an absolute arse of it.

[Djibriliant]

The legacy that Jurgen leaves behind is a world class footballing infrastructure and squad for the next man to pick up the baton - and that in and of itself will be enormously significant in providing the club the most seamless transition from the Klopp era into the next.

It that sense it really does give us some flexible to roll the dice with someone like Xabi as the infrastructure and platform are all there for him.

He's proven he is clearly a good coach, as he has Levenkusen punching this season playing some very good football, he would have the support of the fans and understands the club and city. Whether he is a good manager time will tell, he's not had many years to find solutions to problems, but he's a clever person and carries that quiet confidence along with the humility to refer to others around him. In that sense his backroom team will be as important to help work through problems and challenges.

I'm very much in the Xabi camp.

Completely agree with all of this and also I'd add that he is the type of manager players will want to play for.

[Djibriliant]

Real MAdrid isn;t the type of club Kloppo would go to. He called Mancs "Disneyland" when they wanted him, iamgine MAdrid then?

Opinions and perspectives change. He may not have to energy to take over a huge project like Liverpool was when he joined. Real Madrid is an institution, even when they're having a bad season, it would only take 6 months to turn things around, everything is in place for an "easier" job.

[Kloppage Time]

What will be regarded as success for a new manager in their first season?
Would fans settle for a top 6 finish?
Would a trophy be a minimum requirement?
Tough job for whoever gets it and will probably have fans on their back from early doors.
Not sure we'll have a lot of patience, but last thing we need is a managerial merry go round, therefore expectations need to be dampened
Maybe the goodwill allotted to Alonso would buy him the required time

[Gerry83]

Xabi, Ange, Emery and De Zerbi are the order i’d be wanting… outside of that if no of them were available of made a feck up i’d have Ancelotti for a couple of years.

Xabi appointment makes me think of the Arteta project and i like the thought of young and hungry managers fighting over the title. If pep decides to jump before the ship sinks it could be an exciting league again.

[Suareznumber7]

Klopp may well end up at Madrid. Carlo extended his contract to 2026, when Klopp's would've ended.

He is taking a rest now to re-energise before taking the bull by the horns when Carlo goes

I believe Klopp has said, on more than one occasion, that he wouldn’t go to manage a club in a country that he doesn’t speak the language. 

[DangerScouse]

Opinions and perspectives change. He may not have to energy to take over a huge project like Liverpool was when he joined. Real Madrid is an institution, even when they're having a bad season, it would only take 6 months to turn things around, everything is in place for an "easier" job.

And despite the utter delusion of the red mancs, Real are by far and away, the biggest club in the world but I'm not convinced they are Klopp's 'type'!

[killer-heels]

What will be regarded as success for a new manager in their first season?
Would fans settle for a top 6 finish?
Would a trophy be a minimum requirement?
Tough job for whoever gets it and will probably have fans on their back from early doors.
Not sure we'll have a lot of patience, but last thing we need is a managerial merry go round, therefore expectations need to be dampened
Maybe the goodwill allotted to Alonso would buy him the required time

Its a tricky situation because on one hand i think its very unlikely of any real success but at the same time all the talk about structure goes out the window if they come 6th. If they come 6th as well then we are looking at an even bigger transition and it really is back to square one times.

As is always the case, the expectation has to be top four.

[Hymer Red]

I would be OK with keeping Pep and giving him a go if the rest of the backroom staff stayed with him. If not I would like Xabi or next on the list De Zerbi. Hard to see beyond them right now. Lets hope we are as good at catching managers as we are at getting top players. We did OK last time we got a manager.

[sminp]

My choice would be Xabi Alonso. I understand the argument that he’s low on managerial experience but I think he just has it in the same way Guardiola was able to jump straight in to managing at Barca. I can’t think of another possible candidate who is even remotely close to Xabi in my thinking.

[surfer. Fuck you generator.]

What will be regarded as success for a new manager in their first season?
Would fans settle for a top 6 finish?
Would a trophy be a minimum requirement?
Tough job for whoever gets it and will probably have fans on their back from early doors.
Not sure we'll have a lot of patience, but last thing we need is a managerial merry go round, therefore expectations need to be dampened
Maybe the goodwill allotted to Alonso would buy him the required time

The new guy could finish 10th, as long as I saw buy in from players, a developing tactical approach that, fully realised gets you winning football, and a set-up so well defined it showcases clear potential to raise the level with specific signings: continue, this path has a future.

You could finish 3rd with the new guy, keeping things mostly the same approach and squad wise, winning games with the last vestiges of quality from Salah and Van Dijk, but no vision, nothing getting built: bin, no future here.

The key is the quality of people at the club tracking the vision, reasoning and work of the new guy. Those above him must have some background in football to assess what they are looking at.

[sminp]

Would Xabi regard Liverpool FC as a stepping stone to Madrid?
If so I don't want him.

Xabi has previously spoken about his playing time at Madrid and said he thought he’d feel at home being back in his own country but it turned out he felt more at home at Liverpool.

[RyanBabel19]

Alonso for me, think he gets the club and would excel here

Also has some great players under his management that he could hopefully bring here

[rafathegaffa83]

They're saying as of now, the interest seems to be in Xabi, de Zerbi, Thomas Frank, and Ange P (I'll learn the spelling if I have to later), Nagelsmann

Seems a bit of guesswork, because I'd assume Amorim has to be on that list

[elkun]

Alonso for me too. He gets the edge over De Zerbi because of his emotional connection to the club. He understands us and the fans will be a bit more patient with him because of his legacy.

[Oskar]

What will be regarded as success for a new manager in their first season?
Would fans settle for a top 6 finish?
Would a trophy be a minimum requirement?
Tough job for whoever gets it and will probably have fans on their back from early doors.
Not sure we'll have a lot of patience, but last thing we need is a managerial merry go round, therefore expectations need to be dampened
Maybe the goodwill allotted to Alonso would buy him the required time

Hopefully we're better than that.

Whoever gets it will have the hardest job in football on their hands going into next season. The minimum they should get from us is some time and patience - we've had nearly eight and a half years of continuity, an eternity in modern football, we should be going into next season expecting and prepared to accept that it might not be smooth sailing early on for the new manager while they find their feet.

[ByrdmanLFC]

I want Alonso, would be fine with De Zerbi (not 100% convinced). Zidane would be a total wildcard (don't know his style eventhough he won 3 CLs back to back). Nagelsmann is a complete no from me, has not convinced me at all at Bayern.

Other than that, Ange would just be weird, leaving Spurs after one succesful season to come to us.

Really hope for Xabi right now though.

[Wabaloolah]

Can I get your thoughts on Hoeness and Stuttgart?

They are absolutely battering Leipzig at the moment (5-2), doubt he's in the mix but one to keep an eye on

[Oldmanmick]

We replaced Shanks with Paisley who was a totally different kind of character. So Alonso for Klopp would be keeping in with what we do when we lose a truly great manager.

[Bastion Of Invincibility]

The only managers with the gravitas and record to manage us now are Guardiola, Ancelotti, Simeone and Deschamps. None of them will come for one reason or another so the next manager will have to somewhat unproven for a club Liverpool's size. If FSG are going to use the data-driven, risk-free approach they prefer than I hope they don't go for someone without any trophies like they did Brendan Rodgers. Nagelsmann seems a good choice if Alonso wants to develop further at a lower stress job.

[Caps4444]

Why would Ange P. be on the list? Can’t see us dealing with Levy.

[smicer07]

Why would Ange P. be on the list? Can’t see us dealing with Levy.

He's not going to leave a job he's only just started at Spurs.

[RedSince86]

I'd love Unai above everyone else to be honest.

Good shout, nothing would change much playing style with the high line counter press style, pretty good tactically and his European exploits are amazing.

Does't seem to rock the boat either about budgets and likes working with a DoF.

I bet he'll be highly thought of by FSG.

Id be happy with him.

[smicer07]

Good shout, nothing would change much playing style with the high line counter press style, pretty good tactically and his European exploits are amazing.

Does't seem to rock the boat either about budgets and likes working with a DoF.

I bet he'll be highly thought of by FSG.

Id be happy with him.

He's not going to leave another top 4 team for us.

[Lone Star Red]

I really respect Emery as a manager and I think he's criminally underrated - but talk about a shock to the system for the players going from Klopp to Emery and how wildly they differ in terms of relationship building and temperament. I think it would be OK for a while but I only see it ending poorly. Following Gerrard was a layup for Emery - following Klopp seems like a bad fit, if that makes sense.

I'm mentally and emotionally already too invested in Xabi being the next manager. He's the only one of the candidates I've seen listed that moves me. 

[AndyMuller]

Bring in Bielsa for the laugh.

[JP!]

He's not going to leave another top 4 team for us.

You genuinely think he wouldn't leave Aston Villa for Liverpool?

[smicer07]

You genuinely think he wouldn't leave Aston Villa for Liverpool?

Yes, why would he? He's just started a project at Villa.

[JP!]

Yes, why would he? He's just started a project at Villa.

Because you can either overachieve with what is at best a top 8 club or manage one of the best-known, supported, and funded teams in the world?  Are...you okay?

[smicer07]

Because you can either overachieve with what is at best a top 8 club or manage one of the best-known, supported, and funded teams in the world?  Are...you okay?

I'm fine. I just don't see why on earth he would swap for another top 4 club.

[JP!]

I'm fine. I just don't see why on earth he would swap for another top 4 club.

That's a gross oversimplification imo.  Liverpool and Aston Villa aren't in the same stratosphere.  By that logic could we not get Eddie Howe either? Newcastle were 4th last season after all. Massive club.

I hope our board have bigger ambition and idea of the prestige of this club than you seem to have, christ.

[smicer07]

That's a gross oversimplification imo.  Liverpool and Aston Villa aren't in the same stratosphere.  By that logic could we not get Eddie Howe either? Newcastle were 4th last season after all. Massive club.

I hope our board have bigger ambition than you seem to have, christ.

If you take your Liverpool blinkers off you'd realise not every manager would want to manage LFC especially if they have a project that they are currently succeeding with.

[Dim Glas]

Why would Ange P. be on the list? Can’t see us dealing with Levy.

Like that is the reason he shouldn’t be on the list?    He’s not good enough. seeing names like him, Frank and even Beheddie Howe mentioned is mad.

[JP!]

If you take your Liverpool blinkers off you'd realise not every manager would want to manage LFC especially if they have a project that they are currently succeeding with.

LOL. Okay mate. Have a good day.  Imagine thinking that low of this club that we couldn't get Unai Emery from fucking Aston Villa.

[Snail]

Xabi's my first choice, but I wouldn't mind Emery either - good manager and a lovely bloke.