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

[Gromit]

Sorry mate but that's rubbish. We're Liverpool for fucks sake.

And Hicks and Gillett are our kryptonite.

We're not entitled to anything, certainly not with those around.

[Helsinki Red]

Instead of getting all the stuff mixed up, I'm thinking of starting a new thread with our managerial candidates.

I agree that it would be better to have two different topics. One for Rafa and one for his replacement speculation.

[MidwestWool]

I agree that it would be better to have two different topics. One for Rafa and one for his replacement speculation.

Cheers, thought the same.

[Helsinki Red]

And Hicks and Gillett are our kryptonite.

True and as long those bastards are at the club it's difficult to get a top manager considering there's no money to spend but we are still one of the biggest clubs in the world.

[cyador]

Sorry mate but that's rubbish. We're Liverpool for fucks sake.

Oh fuck off with your arrogant as hell 'we're liverpool shite' will ya?

Its fucking arrogant, and bullshit.

[beadlehand]

Keegan?!!!

The big problem with him is that he is an out and out quitter.

[JP-65]

Great response to Bascombe by Well Red Blog

http://bit.ly/bsDS8Z

[Helsinki Red]

Oh fuck off with your arrogant as hell 'we're liverpool shite' will ya?

Its fucking arrogant, and bullshit.

[beadlehand]

Oh fuck off with your arrogant as hell 'we're liverpool shite' will ya?

Its fucking arrogant, and bullshit.

It's not arrogant at all. It's true.

So what you are saying is, after one bad season, we are not Liverpool anymore?

[beadlehand]

Agree with some in fact most of your sentiments but we are not what we were. Rafa was headhunted and Istanbul was achieved against a backdrop of stable ownership and financial security. That has gone. No top manager will touch us with a bargepole now.

We'll see.

[sattapaartridge]

there is no doubt that rafa has assembled a very very good squad, and the project had been 60-80% complete.

continuing this project (if we somehow manage to keep our players) is a very very tempting offer for a manager. even if the budget was Ł10million, we have player saleable assets of a lot more. i.e. riera, benayoun, kuyt, babel and some reserves. as rafa knows more about the transfer market, he probably knew that this amount+sales is not enough to give us immediate success and have a decent squad depth.

most important thing for me is longevity. will the manager be given 5 years to succeed? because with this squad it shouldnt take longer than that. i'd definitely take kenny over anyone in the premiership at the moment.

[rakey_lfc]

There are no world class managers availiable. O Neil, Hodgson and Sven could be the next world class manager, but the problem is they are unproven at highest club level. Is it worth the gamble? Should a club as "big" as Liverpool have to take that gamble? Whilst the yanks are here I don't think we're going to have any choice but to take that gamle?

I think we all know if there was steady ownership we'd have more people flocking to the door. I honestly believe it will be either O'Neil, Hodgson or Sven as our next manager.

[Redstafarian]

Well we are Liverpool cyador, every fan, anywhere, so it's a statement of fact rather than arrogance. Perhaps consider posting something relevant or constructive or humourus or well pretty much anything except stone cold, pointless abuse. If you want.

Interested to know, given the sentiment that Rafa was basically effed over, how does any owner allow more cash for signing and wages yet reign in debt when the basic set up of our Finances is we need success just to balance the books, year in, year out - if you can work it out you ARE in the wrong business ...

[beadlehand]

Great response to Bascombe by Well Red Blog

http://bit.ly/bsDS8Z

The fact that Bascombe is still close to Carragher sit's uneasy with me. Coupled with the deafening silence from Himself and Stevie. Although silence from the latter is to be expected...

[Robo707]

Luxemburgo.......a name thrown into the hat yesterday? BIZARRE!!

However, can't find the article but he said he was interested! WTF!

[Redstafarian]

there is no doubt that rafa has assembled a very very good squad, and the project had been 60-80% complete.

continuing this project (if we somehow manage to keep our players) is a very very tempting offer for a manager. even if the budget was Ł10million, we have player saleable assets of a lot more. i.e. riera, benayoun, kuyt, babel and some reserves. as rafa knows more about the transfer market, he probably knew that this amount+sales is not enough to give us immediate success and have a decent squad depth.

most important thing for me is longevity. will the manager be given 5 years to succeed? because with this squad it shouldnt take longer than that. i'd definitely take kenny over anyone in the premiership at the moment.

Nice sentiment but it won't be Kenny mate, not ever again.

[insanecontender]

My candidates ranked in order of preference would be:

1. Pellegrini
2. Dalglish
3. Hodgson
4. Redknapp
5. Martin O'Neil
6. Eriksson

This is considering that Hiddink and Rijkaard have already said no.

[cornelius]

Oh fuck off with your arrogant as hell 'we're liverpool shite' will ya?

Its fucking arrogant, and bullshit.

It is when said like that but like I said earlier there are factors in our favour. No matter what the CURRENT state of the club is, The Liverpool job simply does not come up very often. Also, some people call it a poisoned chalice but the thing about poisoned chalices is that they are highly tempting propositions. Look at England, despite everything, they still managed to attract Fabio Capello for God's sake!!! True football men, will still hold the Liverpool job in much higher esteem than say Man City or Chelsea and at the end of the day that's the kind of man we want. Not someone who is here for the money, someone who is here because of the fascinating and delicious challenge of being that manager who returned Liverpool to the top of the pile. Also, there is us. Look how loyal we've been to Rafa. Our reputation as supporters has been cemented and even enhanced during the last 6 years. Don't underestimate what an honour it is still seen as around the world to manage for us fans.

I rememeber when we were last in the market for a manager and the names being bandied about in the press were Curbishley, Allardyce and O' Neill. What we ended up with just the kind of guy I'm talking about - Rafa Benitez. I certainly won't be surprised if we do it again because the post intrigues, regardless of the cirmcumstances. Imagine being a top, top coach and being offered the Liverpool job. The question you'd ask yourself is - can I really say no and will I regret it for the rest of my life?

[cornelius]

There are no world class managers availiable.

Quite clearly Lippi and Hitzfeld will be available in 5 weeks time.

[southalbertred]

Pellegrini is the stand out choice at the moment. available for free, good football, has worded at the top level before, and importantly he lived and did well with tough restraints at Villareal unless i'm mistaken.

he and the current Getafe manager have done very well in spain but pellegrini's time at real madrid is important. would be a good consolation prize for losing rafa

[Gromit]

there is no doubt that rafa has assembled a very very good squad, and the project had been 60-80% complete.

continuing this project (if we somehow manage to keep our players) is a very very tempting offer for a manager. even if the budget was Ł10million, we have player saleable assets of a lot more. i.e. riera, benayoun, kuyt, babel and some reserves. as rafa knows more about the transfer market, he probably knew that this amount+sales is not enough to give us immediate success and have a decent squad depth.

You're assuming that transfer fees recieved will go back into the pot (which Rafa couldn't get a guarantee for), and the wage bill (which has been added to the transfer budget) will be maintained.  Now we know money for transfers has been shrinking, how long before that means having to sell players because we can't afford to pay them.

[Helsinki Red]

Quite clearly Lippi and Hitzfeld will be available in 5 weeks time.

And Pellegrini is available at the moment. They all are world class managers IMO.

[Redstafarian]

It is when said like that but like I said earlier there are factors in our favour. No matter what the CURRENT state of the club is, The Liverpool job simply does not come up very often. Also, some people call it a poisoned chalice but the thing about poisoned chalices is that they are highly tempting propositions. Look at England, despite everything, they still managed to attract Fabio Capello for God's sake!!! True football men, will still hold the Liverpool job in much highre esteem than Say Man City or Chelsea and at the end of the day that's the kind of man we want. Not someone who is here for the money, someone who is here because of the fascinating and delicious challenge of being that manager who returned Liverpool to the top of the pile. Also, there is us. Look how loyal we've been to Rafa. Our reputation as supporters has been cemented and even enhanced during the last 6 years. Don't underestimate what an honour it is still seen as around the world to manage for us fans.

I rememeber when we were last in the market for a manager and the names being bandied about in the press were Curbishley, Allardyce and O' Neill. What we ended up with just the kind of guy I'm talking about - Rafa Benitez. I certainly won't be surprised if we do it again because the post intrigues, regardless of the cirmcumstances. Imagine being a top, top coach and being offered the Liverpoll job. The question you'd ask yourself is - can I really say no and will I regret it for the rest of my life.

No way!! That's the most constructive, positive comment I've read in a while.

[Neil D]

We'll see about that. I don't agree. Whatever the current state of the club, the fact is the Liverpool job does not come up very often.

True, but it is less attractive than ever.

Sorry mate but that's rubbish. We're Liverpool for fucks sake.

We are Liverpool Ł300m in debt with a Ł5-Ł15m transfer budget, no assurances about spending, trigger happy meddling owners who just sacked a successful manager in the most distasteful manner with fan expectations of winning the league or else against teams with bigger stadiums, bigger budgets and better players.

No top manager - by which I mean the very best, men like Mourinho or Benitez six years ago - will touch us with a bargepole.

[TommySmithsLiver]

there is no doubt that rafa has assembled a very very good squad, and the project had been 60-80% complete.

continuing this project (if we somehow manage to keep our players) is a very very tempting offer for a manager. even if the budget was Ł10million, we have player saleable assets of a lot more. i.e. riera, benayoun, kuyt, babel and some reserves. as rafa knows more about the transfer market, he probably knew that this amount+sales is not enough to give us immediate success and have a decent squad depth.

most important thing for me is longevity. will the manager be given 5 years to succeed? because with this squad it shouldnt take longer than that. i'd definitely take kenny over anyone in the premiership at the moment.

Our squad now is no better than when Rafa arrived. 

However the issue right now is not longevity its getting the squad to perform to its potential, we still have a team that should easily make 4th place and with that 4th place and champs league football and the club looks more a buyable assett.

[Neil D]

It's not arrogant at all. It's true.

So what you are saying is, after one bad season, we are not Liverpool anymore?

Clearly not - what he is saying is with these cancerous owners, hundreds of millions of debts and scum running our club we are not the Liverpool we were.

[Gromit]

Our squad now is no better than when Rafa arrived. 

It looks like a troll, it talks like a troll, treat it like a troll.

[FranklyRed]

Lippi has won in high level club football.

Personally, I think he is the best we could get and actually really something.

If you look at the team which got to 2nd and the team which got 7th...  the biggest difference in players is Xabi - Aquilani ... and I think Lippi could bring the best out of Aquilani and team in general.

Looking at the current squad, it really underachieved last season. If we can keep the main players fit (if they stay of course), especially Torres, ...  and do some deals in relation player sales (especially dead wood/players who did not have a future) and bring in a reasonable (priced) LB, back-up striker and maybe CB I think it won't be too bad when we do not have big money to spend ... 

[Trada]

We'll see about that. I don't agree. Whatever the current state of the club, the fact is the Liverpool job does not come up very often.

I have a feeling that the Liverpool job is going to be on offer a lot more regularly  than it used to be.

They want a manager to get us at least into the CL without any transfers kitty and as soon as he can't  they will move onto the next manager.

The only thing that can help the club now is for them to sale up and fuck off.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

It's not arrogant at all. It's true.

So what you are saying is, after one bad season, we are not Liverpool anymore?

The club is unrecognisable from what we were before these idiots bought us. I imagine it will continue in the same vein until they finally leave.

At the moment we are not Liverpool FC - when I leave I fear there might not even be a viable football club.

[Neil D]

Our squad now is no better than when Rafa arrived. 

BULLSHIT. It's miles better and you know it. We have a world class goalkeeper, a world class defensive midfielder, a world class attacking midfielder and a world class striker. Add to that the likes of Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Agger, Aquilani, Lucas, Yossi and Kuyt. When Rafa took over we had an average keeper, one great CB in Sami nearing the end of his career and two or three underperforming fullbacks - Carra, Finnan and JAR, a host of injury prone underperforming wingers and frontmen, one very good CM in Gerrard and one very good DM nearing the end of his career in Didi with one very good striker past his best in Owen halfway out the door and just two average strikers in Baros and Cisse.

We also had far more unshiftable dross - and this is undeniable - Le Tallec, Cheyrou, Salif, Diouf... shite players galore... including the ones Rafa managed to get to play a bit - Igor and Traore. Name the players we have like that now.

[beadlehand]

It is when said like that but like I said earlier there are factors in our favour. No matter what the CURRENT state of the club is, The Liverpool job simply does not come up very often. Also, some people call it a poisoned chalice but the thing about poisoned chalices is that they are highly tempting propositions. Look at England, despite everything, they still managed to attract Fabio Capello for God's sake!!! True football men, will still hold the Liverpool job in much higher esteem than say Man City or Chelsea and at the end of the day that's the kind of man we want. Not someone who is here for the money, someone who is here because of the fascinating and delicious challenge of being that manager who returned Liverpool to the top of the pile. Also, there is us. Look how loyal we've been to Rafa. Our reputation as supporters has been cemented and even enhanced during the last 6 years. Don't underestimate what an honour it is still seen as around the world to manage for us fans.

I rememeber when we were last in the market for a manager and the names being bandied about in the press were Curbishley, Allardyce and O' Neill. What we ended up with just the kind of guy I'm talking about - Rafa Benitez. I certainly won't be surprised if we do it again because the post intrigues, regardless of the cirmcumstances. Imagine being a top, top coach and being offered the Liverpool job. The question you'd ask yourself is - can I really say no and will I regret it for the rest of my life?

This is a superb post and is exactly how we should be looking at the situation. In fact, any manager who looks at us and thinks 'nah, it's a poisoned chalice, look at the ownership etc'. Is the WRONG man anyway.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I have a feeling that the Liverpool job is going to be on offer a lot more regularly  than it used to be.

They want a manager to get us at least into the CL without any transfers kitty and as soon as he can't  they will move onto the next manager.

The only thing that can help the club now is for them to sale up and fuck off.

Wouldn't surprise me to see a managerial-merry-go-round. In our history we back and support the manager through thick and thin. The owners have already shown they have no intention to support any manager coming in and are just continuing their exit strategy. The club means less than nothing to them, apart from the $$$$ they are attempting to make out of it.

[Johnnyboy1973]

BULLSHIT. It's miles better and you know it. We have a world class goalkeeper, a world class defensive midfielder, a world class attacking midfielder and a world class striker. Add to that the likes of Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Agger, Aquilani, Lucas, Yossi and Kuyt. When Rafa took over we had an average keeper, one great CB in Sami and two or three underperforming fullbacks - Carra, Finnan and JAR, a host of injury prone underperforming wingers and frontmen, one very good CM in Gerrard and with Owen halfway out the door two average strikers in Baros and Cisse.

It cracks me up the idiocy of the squad being worse statement, that gets trotted out.

At the beginning of last season, not one person on the face of the planet would have said it.

[beadlehand]

The club is unrecognisable from what we were before these idiots bought us. I imagine it will continue in the same vein until they finally leave.

At the moment we are not Liverpool FC - when I leave I fear there might not even be a viable football club.

where are you going?

[Robo707]

BULLSHIT. It's miles better and you know it. We have a world class goalkeeper, a world class defensive midfielder, a world class attacking midfielder and a world class striker. Add to that the likes of Johnson, Carra, Skrtel, Agger, Aquilani, Lucas, Yossi and Kuyt. When Rafa took over we had an average keeper, one great CB in Sami nearing the end of his career and two or three underperforming fullbacks - Carra, Finnan and JAR, a host of injury prone underperforming wingers and frontmen, one very good CM in Gerrard and one very good DM nearing the end of his career in Didi with one very good striker past his best in Owen halfway out the door and just two average strikers in Baros and Cisse.

I disagreed with the lads original point, but I disagree with you also.

That average squad you name there.......won in 2005 Champions League final.

[Neil D]

I disagreed with the lads original point, but I disagree with you also.

That average squad you name there.......won in 2005 Champions League final.

And finished 33 points off the pace in the league.

We won the CL with that squad plus two players who did more than anybody to win us the comp - Xabi and Luis - thanks to Rafa.

[Johnnyboy1973]

That average squad you name there.......won in 2005 Champions League final.

Exactly. Should have just kept Houllier, he would have walked it with them.

[JohnBarnesBigToe]

Quite clearly Lippi and Hitzfeld will be available in 5 weeks time.

If there is the remotest chance Lippi would take the job, (which I doubt) we should hold out for him.

[MerseysideRedsFan]

Our squad now is no better than when Rafa arrived.

Oh dear. I assume you didn't read El's post.