Topic: Official- Rafa's Gone - Who's Next?

[Robbo1980]

I think Hodgson managing liverpool would be a disater. He is a 'nice' man, and he has done well with Fulham whose fans expectations would be to stay in the prem, and aspire to a top half of the table finish.

Managing Liverpool with the expectations, pressures and player temperment would destroy him in my opinion.

Not convinced he is mentally tough enough to handle the job, or the player

And yet he managed Inter, didnt he...?
His age is his down fall, 50's yeah, old looking 60's...no longevity in that apointment

[Brian Blessed]

So what's Robbie's excuse?

Just asking?

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/06/06/SOCCER_Liverpool_Fowler.html

Honestly he is probably mates with Jamie Redknapp, as they played together in the Spice Boys debacle era, and so has spent time with Harry, and likes him on a personal level. Add in Harry took Spurs to 4th this year and it would be a good choice from his point of view, assuming he is aunaware of the S*n links. I can see his thinking. It's absolute lunacy to me, but I can see it.

[24/7]

Turning into a proper little RAWK lynching here. Thankfully Alan The Merciful made it quick.

Almost right

[lfc_fan2005]

I mentioned it in the other thread but I wouldn't mind seeing Michel (Getafe) as our new manager. Relatively young, his team plays very attractive football, and he has worked on a limited budget. Finishing 6th is an excellent achievement in his first full La Liga season, especially with a club of Getafe's size.

[redmark]

I mentioned it in the other thread but I wouldn't mind seeing Michel (Getafe) as our new manager. Relatively young, his team plays very attractive football, and he has worked on a limited budget. Finishing 6th is an excellent achievement in his first full La Liga season, especially with a club of Getafe's size.

I think that's the sort of appointment we might be looking at in a year or two. Right now, employing a promising young manager in this situation would be like throwing him to the wolves (the owners, the media, the fans even).

[Juan Loco]

I think that's the sort of appointment we might be looking at in a year or two. Right now, employing a promising young manager in this situation would be like throwing him to the wolves (the owners, the media, the fans even).

I tend to agree. I think the new guy has to be someone who can deal with the pressure and really set the blueprint for how we're going to be doing things for the next few years (unless we become a multi-billionaires play thing). If a younger manager comes in then Dalglish has to take a much more prominent role - essentially becoming the figurehead for the 'new regime' - than he already has. We can't give some young manager carte blanche here. It'll kill them and the team.

[Diomedieocre]

And yet he managed Inter, didnt he...?
His age is his down fall, 50's yeah, old looking 60's...no longevity in that apointment

The thing with Hodgson is would he bring attacking football?, you look at his fulham side and they are mainley a counter attacking team..fair enough they dont have the pull of us for top players...but with our "fans" currant mindset...would he be given more than a season if things dont go well?. IMO out of the realistic managers weve been linked with....he`s the one that might be able to get us through these tough times with a bit of respectability.

[CHOPPER]

Bottom line is; there is just no one out there suitable. There's not one name that has been bandied about that I've gone; hmm maybe be or not bad, not one. I haven't a gnu what the fuck we are gonna do come the end of July when the qualifiers start.
If I had to be pushed on anyone  I'd say Kenny, simply because what we need at the moment is stability not upheaval and am not too happy about coming to that conclusion in all honesty.

[Red_Isle_Chap]

I tend to agree. I think the new guy has to be someone who can deal with the pressure and really set the blueprint for how we're going to be doing things for the next few years (unless we become a multi-billionaires play thing). If a younger manager comes in then Dalglish has to take a much more prominent role - essentially becoming the figurehead for the 'new regime' - than he already has. We can't give some young manager carte blanche here. It'll kill them and the team.

Just thinking aloud here, but the transition period is (in my opinion) going to be huge. Due to our immense lack of funds and crippling debt taking anything that we make in sales, i think next season we might be seeing a lot more of the younger lads. This can sometimes be a good thing, young and enthusiastic, but it's also very dangerous. But honestly, i don't see any way whoever it is can have a full squad without really dipping into the youngsters. We're not going to be spend 50m on players for the first 11, even if the star player go.

I'm scratching my head due to my shitty lack of football knowledge outside of our own team as to who would be the best to get the most out of the older heads mixed with a lot of youth.

Like i say, i'm only thinking aloud, but is anyone else thinking that the youth lads are going to be needed to step up this coming season?

[lfc_col]

Bottom line is; there is just no one out there suitable. There's not one name that has been bandied about that I've gone; hmm maybe be or not bad, not one. I haven't a gnu what the fuck we are gonna do come the end of July when the qualifiers start.

Yeah its extremely worrying 

[RedinExile]

Bottom line is; there is just no one out there suitable. There's not one name that has been bandied about that I've gone; hmm maybe be or not bad, not one. I haven't a gnu what the fuck we are gonna do come the end of July when the qualifiers start.
If I had to be pushed on anyone  I'd say Kenny, simply because what we need at the moment is stability not upheaval and am not too happy about coming to that conclusion in all honesty.

Which is why whenever anyone asked a Rafa basher for a name they either disappeared or went "Erm..."

[Obviously]

We need someone who can get especially Torres and Gerrard to stay, and i don't see Hodgson or O'Neill doing that.

Hodgson managed a very average Inter Milan, not the team we see today. Which is what he should do, manage average teams with average players and help them to over perform. Some managers are made to manage teams that are not aiming for the stars, Hodgson and O'Neill are managers like that. Managing stars like Torres and Gerrard takes something special, and those managers lack that quality. Those managers MIGHT take us higher than 7th, but they'll never take us higher than 4th!

[redmark]

Just thinking aloud here, but the transition period is (in my opinion) going to be huge. Due to our immense lack of funds and crippling debt taking anything that we make in sales, i think next season we might be seeing a lot more of the younger lads. This can sometimes be a good thing, young and enthusiastic, but it's also very dangerous. But honestly, i don't see any way whoever it is can have a full squad without really dipping into the youngsters. We're not going to be spend 50m on players for the first 11, even if the star player go.

I'm scratching my head due to my shitty lack of football knowledge outside of our own team as to who would be the best to get the most out of the older heads mixed with a lot of youth.

Like i say, i'm only thinking aloud, but is anyone else thinking that the youth lads are going to be needed to step up this coming season?

I'm not sure about that yet. My worst fears immediately after the sacking was that it was to pave the way for a firesale. Now, I think that's looking less likely. People like Dalglish are on board with this; the departure of Rafa was political - he could no longer work within the restrictions we have under these owners, but some people with the club's best interests at heart believe in that situation, Rafa's "fighting spirit" became part of the problem. So - unless Dalglish is being taken for a ride - I don't think we're going to see a real firesale; unless players want to leave.

If we sell a couple of those that seem to want to leave, I think we'll be 'ok' with a couple of promising youngsters getting more game time. Ok doesn't mean a title challenge, or a guaranteed top four spot, though. In terms of mixing youth with experience, Hodgson does ok, doesn't he? He's got Danny Murphy seemingly playing the best football of his career, not to mention Zamora.

[McManamanamanaman]

Bottom line is; there is just no one out there suitable. There's not one name that has been bandied about that I've gone; hmm maybe be or not bad, not one. I haven't a gnu what the fuck we are gonna do come the end of July when the qualifiers start.
If I had to be pushed on anyone  I'd say Kenny, simply because what we need at the moment is stability not upheaval and am not too happy about coming to that conclusion in all honesty.

Plus don't forget, if there was someone suitable, would they want to come to us in our present mess?? I doubt it. Kenny would be a decent interim boss but that must only be if we get to the middle of July, pre-season has started and still the Yanks haven't sold up. Then Kenny can bring a little bit of continuity on the field while we try and sort out the mess off it.
Another name that has been linked  and who I think could do a good job is Manuel Pellegrini. He did well at Real last year, getting a record 96 points and before that he ddi really well on a small budget at Villarreal. Could be worth a shout?

[redmark]

We need someone who can get especially Torres and Gerrard to stay, and i don't see Hodgson or O'Neill doing that.

That's going to be Dalglish's job, regardless of who is made manager, I think. They can only be convinced to stay if they think new buyers are on the way and that the club is moving in the right direction. A manager who's been there 5 minutes doesn't know that. Dalglish and his contacts within the senior club management might be able to give those assurances.

[Brave Lee Flea]

Too often there is an "equal and opposite reaction". G&H are shit so Rafa is a saint. Rafa is brilliant so Houllier had to be shit.

Rafa will always be a legend because of Istanbul, but GED will always be able to point out he won more in his time here.
Rafa can point to an outstanding CL performance and better league performance, but it was GED who put trophies in the Cabinet.His subsequent performance winning two league titles in France was impressive, no doubt GED will be watching to see how rafa gets on in Serie A.

I said earlier in this thread that Houllier was a failure. However I wasn't suggesting that he should be considered equal with the likes of Souness.

I guess it's true that I was never fond of Ged in the same way that I am of Rafa. I saw personality traits in him that I didn't much care for (just my opinion) and perhaps I had, inadvertently, allowed that to colour my memory of him.

Upon re-reading some of the opinions here regarding Houllier's reign and being reminded of of of his earlier achievements I would now re-appraise my opinion slightly and agree with whoever it was that said Houllier was good for us until he got ill.

Perhaps it would have been fairer to say that Houllier's reign ENDED in failure. I remember vividly the last two seasons of Houllier's reign and it was clear that the team was rapidly going backwards and that Ged had no idea how to stop the rot. I knew it was over long before the fat lady sang but I've never had that feeling about Rafa. I believe his achievements to be greater than Houllier's and certainly deserving of being allowed one bad season. You could argue the same for Ged, except that he did have a second season to show whether he was able to turn it around. He wasn't able to and, remember, he was certainly not operating under the same financial constraints that Rafa has been these last two seasons.

I believe in stability and I was impressed when, following the season in which they qualified for the CL, the Everton board didn't sack Moyes when his team crashed out of Europe and flirted for longer than was comfortable with relegation. I think that decision was a brave one and the right one and I think keeping Rafa would have been the right thing for us.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

.

[Juan Loco]

I'm scratching my head due to my shitty lack of football knowledge outside of our own team as to who would be the best to get the most out of the older heads mixed with a lot of youth.

Extremely, extremely unlikely, but this is exactly why I want Van Gaal. You look at what he's done at Bayern. He's a very difficult character, and someone like Gerrard would have to buy into his ways a lot more than the did Rafa's, but he's great at that.

I think this has to be explained at the interview process though. A couple of the remits to any candidate has to be that they give the youth ample opportunity and that they'll stick to a pass and move philosophy. I think that's so important over the coming 3-5 years. We want the best young kids in the country to know that they would get a chance at Liverpool, and they'd play good football there. Like it or not but it matters a lot to certain players (mostly the kind of flair ones we've been lacking for years).

[Livbes]

Bottom line is; there is just no one out there suitable. There's not one name that has been bandied about that I've gone; hmm maybe be or not bad, not one. I haven't a gnu what the fuck we are gonna do come the end of July when the qualifiers start.
If I had to be pushed on anyone  I'd say Kenny, simply because what we need at the moment is stability not upheaval and am not too happy about coming to that conclusion in all honesty.

Spot on.

[ryatnalkar]

a word of advice mate. When you slag someone off for not wanting to watch the team if it's managed by a sharp-dealing twat who writes for the S*n... Don't do it from Chicago. Just makes you look a bit of a knob.

apart from this guy suggesting something completely out of order and deserving abuse, as he gets. What is wrong with being in Chicago? and other people enjoying that particular comment of yours. Nice.

[KopThat]

There have been a lot of names thrown around:
Hodgson
O'Neil
Hughes
Erikson
Rickard
Bilic

The ideal appointment even if it was just for a year or so to steady the ship would be Dalglish,
but I doubt he wants to commit that much time to the club again.

[Juan Loco]

apart from this guy suggesting something completely out of order and deserving abuse, as he gets. What is wrong with being in Chicago? and other people enjoying that particular comment of yours. Nice.

He wasn't slagging off Chicago at all. The point was it's a bit rich to talk about people being "real fans" or not when you're the otherside of the fucking globe. Wouldn't matter if it was Chicago or Chengdu.

[redmark]

Which is why whenever anyone asked a Rafa basher for a name they either disappeared or went "Erm..."

I've not been a 'Rafa basher', but I'm quite happy to admit that I don't believe with football management that past record is a great indicator of future performance, and that it depends a lot on simply getting the right man, for the right club, at the right time. That needs good judges making the decision and a stable environment to bring them into. Neither of which we have, yet, which is all the more reason for a stopgap/stability appointment, like Hodgson. The best long term manager for the club could be some young bloke barely on our radar yet; or, after a holding job by Hodgson, it could be someone like McAllister, Hyypia, Carragher etc. Who knows. I don't think it has to be someone who's won major European trophies, necessarily. But we need to know what state the club is in at the time of the appointment, what the direction is, what the business model is. If we get a sugar daddy pumping in millions for instant competitiveness, we need someone LIKE Mourinho or Van Gaal, etc. If we get stability, a new stadium and gradual responsible investment, a longer term appointment - someone LIKE Wenger - would be more appropriate.

We have neither at the moment, so we need someone to make the most of what we have, keep things calm and avoid us self-destructing.

[rednich85]

Thanks Rafa, you tried, but unfortunately you were not good enough, you were stubborn, you got rid of the wrong players and kept some utter rubbish, you won your silver with Houlliers team, you could not motivate your players and I for one am really happy you are on your bike, should have gone 2 years earlier mind you.
Good luck where ever you go.

Jesus H Christ.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

He wasn't slagging off Chicago at all. The point was it's a bit rich to talk about people being "real fans" or not when you're the otherside of the fucking globe. Wouldn't matter if it was Chicago or Chengdu.

Whats fucking wrong with Chengdu

[ryatnalkar]

He wasn't slagging off Chicago at all. The point was it's a bit rich to talk about people being "real fans" or not when you're the otherside of the fucking globe. Wouldn't matter if it was Chicago or Chengdu.

So is it an established fact that people in UK or liverpool are "real fans" and the farther you go away from anfield you become less and less "real fan" ?? Is that what you are suggesting? I think it has NOTHING to do with where you are, or is it?

[RedinExile]

Quote from: Juan Loco on Today at 12:18:48 AM
Dalglish has the a list of trophies on his CV as a player, and more importantly a manager, the length of Peter Crouch's arm. You'd like to think he's well placed enough to make a judgement on a manager. 

Really though - does he? Maybe he does but then again he's been more of an ambassador until recently. Why would he know about the Olympiakos guy? The Swiss coach? See what I mean?

A club should have someone snooping on these things but given we apparently had two people Edna and Nora working as our marketing until recently, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we didn't have sweet Fanny Adam experience such is our shambles.

*I put it in here Loco*

[redmark]

So is it an established fact that people in UK or liverpool are "real fans" and the farther you go away from anfield you become less and less "real fan" ?? Is that what you are suggesting? I think it has NOTHING to do with where you are, or is it?

No, that wasn't the point.

[ryatnalkar]

No, that wasn't the point.

If you read the original post of Alan_F you would see that was where he was coming from, which was very mean. And with people enjoying that with smileys and thumbs up, cheers me up as a outsider who follows liverpool every day of the year, missing important meetings and all that jazz.

[RedinExile]

If you read the original post of Alan_F you would see that was where he was coming from, which was very mean. And with people enjoying that with smileys and thumbs up, cheers me up as a outsider who follows liverpool every day of the year, missing important meetings and all that jazz.

Don't be so touchy, just a bit rich when people come out with 'real fan' stuff, no need to go there in the first place You can help us damage the two filthy pigs too.

[Juan Loco]

So is it an established fact that people in UK or liverpool are "real fans" and the farther you go away from anfield you become less and less "real fan" ?? Is that what you are suggesting? I think it has NOTHING to do with where you are, or is it?

Oh God this is a minefield I want to avoid before all the woolies (hah) go into just what Liverpool means to them. I don't really care either way to be honest. The point was fuck all to do with woolybacks or OOC's or anything of the sort, just the point that it's a bit rich questioning the credentials of someone who is deciding whether or not he'd still go to the match if we were managed by a bloke who writes a fucking column for the sun, when you're hardly in the position to make the same call half way around the world.

We'll have the bloody Malaysian's complaining that Rafa only gave Torres 10 minutes off the bench in pre-season next. ...Oh.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

If you read the original post of Alan_F you would see that was where he was coming from, which was very mean. And with people enjoying that with smileys and thumbs up, cheers me up as a outsider who follows liverpool every day of the year, missing important meetings and all that jazz.

Give it a rest mate,you read the posts.stop acting up

Theres nothing to see here

[rednich85]

So is it an established fact that people in UK or liverpool are "real fans" and the farther you go away from anfield you become less and less "real fan" ?? Is that what you are suggesting? I think it has NOTHING to do with where you are, or is it?

Its true to an extent

[Red_Isle_Chap]

Redmark and Juan, cheers for those replies lads, like I said i was just thinking aloud with it. I can honestly see us (hypothetical example) say selling Benny and giving his place to Pachecho. Selling Riera and giving his place to Amoo (or whoever, i'm not really up with the kids, despite reading the kids thread, as i never get to see them play)

As for the bickering over who's a real fan, let's just give it a rest eh.

[ryatnalkar]

We'll have the bloody Malaysian's complaining that Rafa only gave Torres 10 minutes off the bench in pre-season next. ...Oh.

not helping but the point was lack of knowledge about the S*n not about being from Chicago, anyway, I know as much abt the s*n as many of you guys know, so why did I get in this in the first place???

[RedinExile]

Why would Rick Parry know about Rafa Benitez?

Dalglish is a football man. Look at the people who make the appointments at Bayern. They're football men who've been "out of the game" so far as coaching goes for ages. I'm not sure what you're looking for in the credentials of the man charged with making this appointment if you're dubious as to the extent of Kenny's European footballing knowledge.

Well I'm curious why you think Kenny has this requisite knowledge? Why would he? Of course he knows football but does he know football?

[Juan Loco]

Well I'm curious why you think Kenny has this requisite knowledge? Why would he? Of course he knows football but does he know football?

4 league titles and 2 FA cups as a manager, christ knows how many medals as a player, the guy that signed the guy who some consider the clubs greatest ever player beyond the man himself, I think he was the guy that bequeathed his successors with Redknapp, McManaman and Fowler, the man who created probably the most exciting Liverpool team, was first and so far one of only 4 men to prise Ferguson's grip off English footballs top prize, the man who Rafa Benitez no less sought to get involved at academy level, something that presumably pertained the the mans knowledge.

You could continue along this type of route for ages, couldn't you? As far as trophies as a a player and manager goes, youth signings at Liverpool and Blackburn (wasn't he the guy who got Duff?), signings at all levels, good football, knowledge of Liverpool and what is required to manage at the club is concerned could you really, really hope for a man who has a better awareness of what is required on paper?

[keyo]

So is it an established fact that people in UK or liverpool are "real fans" and the farther you go away from anfield you become less and less "real fan" ?? Is that what you are suggesting? I think it has NOTHING to do with where you are, or is it?

think it was more to do with going to the match than being a "real" fan......if you are not in a position to go every week, you cannot really have a go at someone who does and is making a choice not to......same as non-season ticket holders telling season ticket holders whether they should or shouldn't renew due to boycotts, supporting the team, etc. .....have a view yes, but temper it with the knowledge that you are not in that position

[xerxes1]

We need someone who can get especially Torres and Gerrard to stay, and i don't see Hodgson or O'Neill doing that.

Do Abrahamovic and Sheikh Mansour have coaching badges?

[RedinExile]

4 league titles and 2 FA cups as a manager, christ knows how many medals as a player, the guy that signed the guy who some consider the clubs greatest ever player beyond the man himself, I think he was the guy that bequeathed his successors with Redknapp, McManaman and Fowler, the man who created probably the most exciting Liverpool team, was first and so far one of only 4 men to prise Ferguson's grip off English footballs top prize, the man who Rafa Benitez no less sought to get involved at academy level, something that presumably pertained the the mans knowledge.

You could continue along this type of route for ages, couldn't you? As far as trophies as a a player and manager goes, youth signings at Liverpool and Blackburn (wasn't he the guy who got Duff?), signings at all levels, good football, knowledge of Liverpool and what is required to manage at the club is concerned could you really, really hope for a man who has a better awareness of what is required on paper?

*Dons asbestos suit*
I could also point to a downward managerial curve. Fantastic player and yep some managerial highlights and player signings (bad ones too) and yes that's a lot of medals.

How does that make him a managerial head hunter? Anyway, he probably is the best we have at the club - which is kind of my point. I think this is pretty worrying, why would he have his finger on this kind of pulse? And whose job was it while Rafa was in charge and this wasn't Kenny's role?

Purslow? Hicks? My real point...

See what I mean?