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

[RedSince86]

Not sure why people are turning their noses at Nageslmann. Did extremely well with RB Leipzig, won the double at Bayern in his first season, and got sacked while being behind Dortmund by 1 point.

His CL record is also pretty solid, and his style of play will suit our players too.

Read about his antics at Bayern.

No thanks.

[bornandbRED]

Not sure why people are turning their noses at Nageslmann. Did extremely well with RB Leipzig, won the double at Bayern in his first season, and got sacked while being behind Dortmund by 1 point.

His CL record is also pretty solid, and his style of play will suit our players too.

Really beginning to warm to the idea of Nagelsmann. His play style is similar to what we’re used to, and he’s considerably more established than Alonso/Amorim.

Alonso is an interesting one - he’s done a great job at Leverkusen but making someone manager of LFC after 2 years as a manager.. he’s still likely be very green, although you can say that Arsenal did that with Arteta.

Amorim seems like a Rodgers type appointment. A relative unknown with very little reputation in the game. It would raise some eyebrows as to whether he has the necessary clout to fill the shoes of Klopp.

[Black Bull Nova]

Really beginning to warm to the idea of Nagelsmann. His play style is similar to what we’re used to, and he’s considerably more established than Alonso/Amorim.

Alonso is an interesting one - he’s done a great job at Leverkusen but making someone manager of LFC after 2 years as a manager.. he’s still likely be very green, although you can say that Arsenal did that with Arteta.

Arteta is Xabi's best mate since kids

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Not sure why people are turning their noses at Nageslmann. Did extremely well with RB Leipzig, won the double at Bayern in his first season, and got sacked while being behind Dortmund by 1 point.

His CL record is also pretty solid, and his style of play will suit our players too.

Did he do that well at Leipzig? He done pretty much what any other manager has done there in the league; close but didn't win anything.

In the CL he did better but you have to remember he got to the Semi-Final in single leg COVID rules, so there is a caveat there to that too

I don't mind the idea of him but I wouldn't call his time at Leipzig as extremely good, he seemed to do pretty much what he was expected to do.

Same thing at Bayern as well honestly. He won two trophies with him, which if he didn't win one of them (the league) he'd be considered a failure that year

His style of play is a good fit, and he has done what is expected of him through his career, but it hasn't actually felt like he has broken through at all into an elite manager.

It feels like he has some way to go to fulfill his potential, although he is still incredibly young so he could.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Some people have just set their hearts on having Alonso I think. But my biggest fear going with him is that his style is different and it may take a while for it to come together. Amorim's style is the most similar to Klopp.

I don't think that's a fair reflection of it. By similar token I think there's some people against Alonso either for fear of sentimentality, or fear of Munich and Madrid. Even now we are quick to jump on Munich propaganda and it seems most now think we can't even get him because he will go to Munich or wait for Real.

I think it is very much fair to have a bit of tempering of feeling for Amorim on the fact that his achievements seem solely for his time in Portugal. Like with any player, you can say "What he has done in Portugal is amazing, but can he make the step up"

To be fair the same should and has been said about Alonso.

A different question should be said about Nagelsmann, which is "Has his time in Munich shown his ceiling, or can he break past that"

Those are the 3 that seem the best candidates, but I wouldn't say having questions over Portuguese success can translate to the PL is down to people having their heart set on Xabi. To me it's a legitimate concern.

All the candidates are more risky than the Klopp appointment. I think we should be aware of that and also somewhat temper our expectations for the managers as well when they do join.

[HardworkDedication]

Ruben Amorim – Sporting CP – Tactical Analysis

UPDATED ON MARCH 24, 2024

Welcome to a comprehensive tactical exploration of the football philosophy orchestrated by Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP. This analysis delves into the intricacies of Amorim’s strategic approach, shedding light on the formations, player movements, and overarching principles that define Sporting CP’s style of play. Amorim’s impact on the team’s tactical identity has been profound, with Sporting CP exhibiting a blend of defensive solidity and dynamic attacking sequences. Join us as we dissect the key elements contributing to the success of Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP, offering insights into the strategic framework that has propelled the team to the summit of Portuguese football.

Build-up
Low Build-up
In the low build-up, Ruben Amorim sets his team up in a 4-2-5 formation, with the goalkeeper playing between the center-backs and a box-midfield in the middle.

They often drop with the attacking midfielders and like using the goalkeeper, which creates numerical superiorities, allowing them to beat the press.

Having four central midfielders creates more options in the center and less space between the players. Amorim likes this because he prioritizes playing through the middle. He needs one player high and wide to pull apart the backline while the rest create numerical advantages in the midfield areas. This builds good conditions in defensive transitions, allowing more players to press when they lose the ball. Another purpose for keeping many players in the middle is to shorten the distance between them. This shortens the length of the passes, which naturally shortens the time between passes. This means the opposition players will have less time to push up and press, giving the Sporting players more time and control.

High Build-up
In the high build-up, Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP sets up in a 1-3-2-5 formation, the same as in the low build-up without the goalkeeper between the center-backs:

The two Holding midfielders are rarely positioned in the same line. One will always be a little deeper, but who it is depends on where the ball is.

This allows the holding midfielders to play between themselves and opens up more potential passing combinations. They can also use one touch to play to the other midfielder instead of turning and using two or more.

High Backline
A massive aspect of Sporting’s high possession build-up is they keep a high backline. This helps in the counter-press because they get closer to the center. Having more players close to the center who can win the ball back makes it difficult for the opposition to recycle possession. Furthermore, the high backline shortens the distance between players, shortening the time and length of the passes and preventing the opposition from pushing up their defense.

Finding the Pockets
Sporting always tries to find the attacking midfielders in the pockets. Their midfield numerical superiority usually means that at least one will be open. They will look for passes from the back or the wing, breaking lines and finding an attacking midfielder who will turn and drive at the defense.

Numerical Advantages
Another massive aspect of Sporting’s high build-up is their ability to create numerical advantages against the opposition’s defensive line. Their front five naturally becomes numerically superior against a back four, which they are great at taking advantage of.

When the defending team is positioned on one side, the weak-side fullback becomes vulnerable to the long switch of play due to the 1v2 against Sporting’s winger and attacking midfielder. Amorim’s team often capitalizes on this by getting the ball to the winger and creating many opportunities from 2v1 situations on the wing and in the half-spaces.

They also exploit this numerical superiority with a counter-movement between the winger and attacking midfielder. When a wide center-back has the ball, the attacking midfielder will make the run in behind while the winger drops to open a passing lane. This creates a question for the fullback. If he steps out on the winger, the space behind him opens up, allowing the center-back to play a through-ball to the attacking midfielder. However, if he stays inside to cover the run, the ball can be played to the winger, who can turn and attack the defense.

Final Third
Attacking the Half-Space
Sporting CP is an excellent team in the final third. They will always create many chances, mainly by attacking space between the opposition center-back and fullback.

One way they do this is by using an underlap. Sporting will often, through their possession, find space for their wingers after a switching play with a long ball. The winger will then attack his fullback, waiting for the run from an attacking midfielder.

The defending midfielder who is responsible for the attacking midfielder often struggles to track the run, which forces the center-back to make a decision. If he goes to track the run, he leaves a massive space in the box for the striker to exploit.

Therefore, many center-backs will stay in the center, allowing the winger to play the ball into the free space to the open attacking midfielder. From there, the attacking midfielder will have time and space, enabling him to cross the ball to his teammates, who can score.

The winger, however, does not have to play the ball to the underlapping player. The underlapping player will often drag away a defensive midfielder, which opens the space inside. The winger can take the ball inside and shoot or find a pass to a free player in front of the backline.

Amorim’s team also exploits the space between the center-back and the fullback by playing through-balls from the midfield or backline.

Many Players in the Box
The attacking midfielders and wingbacks always look to make runs into the box when the ball is in the final third, often getting four or five players into these areas to create overloads. The numerical advantages in the box force the defending team to make decisions and leave some players open.

Sporting scores many of their goals from crosses to the wingback at the back post. The opposition fullback will often be preoccupied with a Sporting attacking midfielder, which leaves massive space at the back post for the wingback to attack.

Ruben Amorim also positions many Sporting players outside the box, ready for the second balls and cut-backs. They always succeed in pushing down the opposition’s defense, which opens the space in front of the backline. Sporting often finds their midfielders in these spaces, who can shoot or combine with an attacker to create goalscoring opportunities.

Defending
Low Press
In the low press, Ruben Amorim’s Sporting uses a 1-5-2-3 formation. They look to set up in a mid-block, always trying to stay compact while closing the center, forcing the opposition out wide. Therefore, they like to play with a high backline, making the space to the midfield line as small as possible.

Sporting looks to squeeze the pitch when defending. This means constantly pushing the team up as much as possible. Every time the opponent plays a slow, sideways pass or a back pass, Sporting’s first line of pressure pushes up, with the rest of the team following to stay compact. When the next pass comes, they push up even more, forcing the opponent back even more. They do this because it pushes the opponent further away from Sporting’s goal, making it harder to create chances.

High Press
Ruben Amorim’s Sporting presses the opposition high when possible and does so in their 1-5-2-3 formation. The striker, however, drops down, blocking an opposition midfielder, while the wingers push up on the center-backs. They try to push the opposition to one side, coming across with many players and winning the ball.

Defensive Transitions
Positioning many players centrally, creating a numerical advantage in the midfield, creates good conditions in defensive transitions. Many players close to the ball after losing possession means that many players can work towards regaining possession. Amorim’s team, therefore, often regains possession directly after losing it.

Final Thoughts
In conclusion, our tactical analysis of Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP unveils a meticulously crafted football philosophy that has elevated the team’s performance to remarkable heights. Amorim’s emphasis on defensive organization and fluid attacking movements has created a well-balanced squad capable of navigating the challenges of top-tier football. The team’s adaptability in transitioning between various formations and defensive structures showcases Amorim’s strategic competence. Sporting CP’s success under Amorim is not merely a result of individual brilliance but a collective manifestation of his tactical vision. As we wrap up this analysis, the influence of Ruben Amorim on Sporting CP’s tactical identity stands as a testament to the artistry and effectiveness of his coaching methodology.

https://the-footballanalyst.com/ruben-amorim-sporting-cp-tactical-analysis/

[WhereAngelsPlay]

That's a bold statement

[HardworkDedication]

Rúben Amorim’s Incredible Impact at Sporting CP Shows Why He’s So In Demand

MAR 7, 2024
MATT FURNISS / AUTHOR, AARON BARTON / AUTHOR, MATT SISNEROS / DESIGN

Rúben Amorim is the latest Portuguese coach tipped for greatness. Could his excellent tenure at Sporting CP hint at him being the new ‘Special One’?

Rúben Amorim is a name you may have heard a lot recently; if it isn’t, it will be over the coming months. The 39-year-old has been linked to a host of top managerial jobs in Europe, with the latest rumours linking him to the upcoming vacancies at both Liverpool and Barcelona. He’s even been tipped to replace Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino amid the Blues’ disappointing 2023-24 season.

His Sporting CP side lead the Portuguese Primeira Liga by a point having played a game fewer than rivals Benfica and FC Porto as they aim for their second league title in four full seasons under his management.

The first of those titles came in 2020-21, just over a year after Amorim arrived at the club from SC Braga in March 2020. In fact, Friday (8 March) will mark the four-year anniversary of his first game in charge of the club, a 2-0 league victory over CD Aves. Sporting have come a long way since his appointment, with context needed to understand how bad a state the club were in when Amorim arrived.

Their transformation over these four years provides some clarity as to why so many of Europe’s leading forces potentially see Amorim as their next manager.

Controversial Arrival at Sporting
Sporting kicked off the 2019-20 season with a 5-0 drubbing in the Supertaça, a defeat that hurt even more because it came at the hands of bitter Lisbon rivals Benfica, whom they hadn’t finished above in the league for 11 consecutive seasons.

After only five games of the league season and with just two wins on the board, manager Marcel Keizer was dismissed. His replacement was former Sporting Under-23 coach Leonel Pontes. However, he was shown the door as well after just four league games in charge, failing to record a single victory. It was only 27 September and amazingly Sporting were already looking for their third manager of the season. Silas took charge and steered the ship for 28 games, winning 17, drawing one but losing 10.

Three hundred and fifty kilometres north, Braga were having their own managerial troubles. Ricardo Sá Pinto was dismissed in December following a poor run of league form and a fresh-faced Rúben Amorim – then in charge of Braga B – was given his opportunity to manage the senior side aged 34. The change in Braga’s fortunes was instantly noticeable.

Braga were once again playing with a swagger and confidence. Between 17 January and 15 February, Braga played Porto twice, Sporting twice and Benfica once – about as tough a string of fixtures as you can get in Portugal. Braga won all five matches, including the Taça da Liga final versus Porto, meaning Amorim had quickly collected the first piece of silverware in his managerial career.

Sporting, and the rest of the league, quickly noted how there appeared to be something special about the young coach. In early March, less than three months after being appointed by Braga, Amorim was heading for Lisbon.

Controversially, Sporting paid a huge €10 million fee to bring Amorim to Estádio José Alvalade, reportedly the third-biggest fee paid for a manager at the time and a staggering figure for a Portuguese club to dish out. It was an even greater risk given the fragmented relationship between the club’s board and their supporters, many of whom saw this decision to hire Amorim as an example of reckless financial mismanagement. The supporters were wrong, this time.

Since his appointment four years ago, Sporting (324) have won 10 points more than Benfica (314) and only trail Porto’s total (331) by seven. They have averaged 2.38 points per game during Amorim’s 136-game spell as head coach; in the 136 league games prior to his arrival, they’d averaged 2.13, which was below both Benfica (2.51) and Porto (2.42) in the same period.

While he was unable to stop Sporting falling outside the top three in 2019-20 – ironically finishing just below the club he’d helped do so well earlier in the season, Braga, on goal difference – his first full season in charge of the Lions would rock Portuguese football.

First Title in 19 Years
Sporting went into the 2020-21 season having not won the Portuguese league title since 2002. Portuguese football has been dominated by Os Três Grandes, ‘The Big Three’, so to have the third side in that trio underperforming to such an extent compared to Porto and Benfica became an embarrassment.

Between Sporting’s last title in 2002 and Amorim’s first full season in charge, Porto had won the league 11 times and Benfica seven; Amorim actually played for the latter during three of those title-winning campaigns. With Sporting fans largely unhappy about appointing a man with such a close association with Lisbon’s other big club, Amorim needed to get them onside.

Ending their Primeira Liga title drought wasn’t a bad way to do it.

While that is, so far, the only league title Amorim has brought to the club over three full seasons in charge, he’s added two Taça da Liga trophies and won the 2021 Supertaça against former side Braga.

Last season was his biggest disappointment yet, as Sporting once again fell out of the top three and failed to win a single trophy. Key players left before that campaign, with João Palhinha joining Fulham and Matheus Nunes going to Wolves, while 2021-22 top scorer Pablo Sarabia’s loan from Paris Saint-Germain wasn’t made permanent, so their main goal threat disappeared.

Despite the poor season in 2022-23, the club stuck by Amorim, and that decision is paying dividends.

Finding a Goalscorer
Sporting had consistently been outscored by their ‘big-three’ rivals, Porto and Benfica, in recent times. In their title-winning campaign of 2020-21, Sporting scored 65 goals to Porto’s 74 and Benfica’s 69.

In the seasons that have followed, Sporting finished second in the Portuguese top flight (2021-22), scoring 73 goals, 13 fewer than winners Porto and five fewer than Benfica. Last season, when Sporting dropped to fourth and finished 13 points behind league winners Benfica, they (71) were outscored by the champions (82), Porto (73) and Braga (75).

Across those last four seasons, Sporting haven’t seen many players hit 10 or more goals. Two did in 2022-23: Francisco Trincão (10) and Pedro Gonçalves (15); two more in 2021-22: Paulinho (11) and Pablo Sarabia (15); one in 2020-21: Gonçalves (23); and none in 2019-20.

Enter Viktor Gyökeres.

After a brilliant season in which he almost single-handedly fired Coventry City to the Premier League against all expectations, Sporting splashed out a reported club record transfer fee of €20m for the Swedish forward.

Last season saw him score 21 times in 46 English second-tier appearances, a tally he’s only three away from replicating this season in the Portuguese top flight from half the number of games (23).

Gyökeres’ 18 league goals – tied with Braga’s Simon Banza at the top of the Primeira Liga rankings in 2023-24 – have helped Sporting become the leading scorers in the competition this season with 66 goals. That is 10 more than any other side (Benfica’s 56) and their goals per game average (2.87) is the highest it’s been in a league season since 1973-74 (3.20) when they won the title.

In all competitions, Gyökeres’ goal tally is already 32. That’s the most by a Sporting player in a single competitive season since Bruno Fernandes’ 32 in 2018-19. The last player to score more was Bas Dost (34) in 2017-18.

Gyökeres is deployed as the number 9 in Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation, with the excellent creative options of Gonçalves and Marcus Edwards usually starting alongside him in the wide forward roles, while Trincão is another option.

It’s not only the Swedish forward impressing this season at Sporting. Gonçalves is among the top five chance creators in the league (48), while only Benfica’s Rafa (11) has more assists than him (10). Former Tottenham youngster Edwards has created more chances on average per 90 minutes than both, though, with 3.3 overall and 2.8 from open play; that’s a better record than any other player in the competition to have played at least 1,000 minutes this term.

Having such a ruthless frontline has meant Sporting maximise their opportunities in front of goal. Amorim’s side have averaged fewer expected goals (xG) per game from non-penalty shots than Benfica (2.09 vs 2.24) and their average non-penalty shot is of lower quality (0.134 xG vs 0.127 xG), but they have scored nine more goals from non-penalty situations.

Their conversion rate of these chances is 16.6%, better than anyone else in the league and over three percentage points higher than Benfica (13.5%), who are the next most clinical. Across Europe’s top 10 leagues this season, Sporting’s non-penalty shot conversion rate is the highest of all 172 clubs.

Compare that to last season, when they were only able to convert 11.8% of non-penalty shots, which was below the top three sides. With 11 games still to play this season, Sporting have already scored just one non-penalty goal fewer (63) than in the whole of 2022-23 (64).

Signing Gyökeres for such a high fee was seen as a gamble by many, but Amorim knew to improve on last season’s weakness in attack, he had to find a clinical striker. This wasn’t a lucky signing; it was an arrival that they knew would make a huge difference to their attacking output.

Central Build-Up
One of Gyökeres’ key strengths is his ability to run the channels and use his powerful running style to carry the ball into dangerous areas.

For a player considered as the central attacking threat in a front three, a surprisingly high number of his touches come out in the wide areas. Just 5% of his open-play touches have been in the central area of the penalty box this season, which, when compared to last season, is a much lower proportion than someone like Paulinho (9% in that area) or Youssef Chermiti (12%) in their most-used 3-4-2-1 shape.

While a lot of their build-up play comes centrally, Sporting’s strength is picking the right time to feed the ball into wide areas and cause damage with their pace and creativity in the front three.

In terms of how wide Amorim’s Sporting side play this season, they are one of the most centrally focused teams in possession across the league. Looking at their absolute width – a metric that measures the maximum distance a team gets from the centre of the pitch per sequence – only Rio Ave (24.5m) and Farense (24.6m) rely less on possession in the wide areas of the pitch than Sporting do (24.7m). In comparison, Porto (26.0m) and Benfica (25.5m) are the two widest teams in the league this season.

Despite this, only Braga (212) have created more chances from the left and right thirds of the opposition half than Sporting (202) in 2023-24, with just 26.5% of their chances created originating in the middle third of the pitch – much lower than Benfica (35.8%) and Porto (34.8%).

Much of their build-up is reliant on their three defenders carrying the ball upfield. Of all defenders to have played at least 1,000 minutes of league action in Portugal this season, three of Sporting’s four senior central defensive options of Gonçalo Inácio (22.1), Matheus Reis (19.7) and Ousmane Diomande (19.1) are all rank inside the top five for carries per 90, while Inácio (137.6m) and Reis (136.2m) are the top two for average carry progress per 90 in the competition, with Diomande (106.5m) in eighth.

Amorim not only requires his back three to be able to carry the ball up the pitch and advance possession into the attacking half, but they are also guaranteed to see a lot of the ball. Including Sebastián Coates – their fourth central defensive option in the back three – all four players feature in the top 10 for touches per 90 and successful passes per 90 across all players to have played at least 1,000 minutes this season.

They lead the league for the number of direct attacks (57) – the number of open-play sequences that start just inside the team’s own half and have at least 50% of movement towards the opposition’s goal and ends in a shot or a touch in the opposition box. This is already eight more than in the entirety of last season (49 – 10th highest in the league) with the arrival of a player like Gyökeres playing a big role in this shift.

Much of the beauty of the 2023-24 Sporting side is that they can mix up their style of attack, though. They also lead the league for build-up attacks (76) – the number of open-play sequences containing 10+ passes and either end in a shot or have at least one touch in the box – while they also lead the league for average open-play possession time per sequence (10.8 seconds); one second lower than their league-high average in 2022-23, however (11..

Their four league games against Porto, Benfica and Braga (twice) this season have seen them have less possession than their opponents every time but were able to utilise their pace in attack with fast breaks. Across the two matches versus Porto and Benfica, they attempted five shots from fast breaks, which has contributed 20% of their seasonal tally.

With the pace of Edwards and Gyökeres in attack, this shows that Amorim can mix up his team’s style based on the opponent put in front of them. Both forwards are in the top six players in the Portuguese top flight for shot involvements following a ball carry this season, with Gyökeres (36) in third and Edwards sixth (32).

Amorim’s Future
It seems very unlikely that Amorim will move before the season’s end, even if the Chelsea job was to become available. With Sporting leading the league and potentially winning a second title in four years, the Portuguese coach could become the first man to win more than one league title at the club since Englishman Randolph Galloway in the early 1950s.

While José Mourinho went to England and succeeded, more Portuguese coaches have failed – André Villas-Boas and Bruno Lage both arrived in the Premier League having won the Portuguese top-flight.

Based on the job he’s done to transform Sporting, this feels different, though. Amorim could just be the new ‘Special One’.

https://theanalyst.com/eu/2024/03/ruben-amorim-sporting-impact-demand/

[HardworkDedication]

That's a bold statement

  Don't know what happened there. I've reposted.

[jillcwhomever]

I don't think that's a fair reflection of it. By similar token I think there's some people against Alonso either for fear of sentimentality, or fear of Munich and Madrid. Even now we are quick to jump on Munich propaganda and it seems most now think we can't even get him because he will go to Munich or wait for Real.

I think it is very much fair to have a bit of tempering of feeling for Amorim on the fact that his achievements seem solely for his time in Portugal. Like with any player, you can say "What he has done in Portugal is amazing, but can he make the step up"

To be fair the same should and has been said about Alonso.

A different question should be said about Nagelsmann, which is "Has his time in Munich shown his ceiling, or can he break past that"

Those are the 3 that seem the best candidates, but I wouldn't say having questions over Portuguese success can translate to the PL is down to people having their heart set on Xabi. To me it's a legitimate concern.

All the candidates are more risky than the Klopp appointment. I think we should be aware of that and also somewhat temper our expectations for the managers as well when they do join.

Which is why I said some. There have been a few people on here who only seem to be interested in Alonso and nobody else, which I think is a bit crazy because you have to think it through properly. I read a newspaper report saying the German FA are considering renewing Nagelsmann's contract for the national team which would pretty much rule him out. I think  it's majorly between two people now.

[HardworkDedication]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/xS3Mk_V266E" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/xS3Mk_V266E</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/v3KIan53Om0&amp;t=20s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/v3KIan53Om0&amp;t=20s</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Pb5mXSVIAHQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Pb5mXSVIAHQ</a>

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Don't know what happened there. I've reposted.

You only have to forget one[] and it bolds the lot. 

[HardworkDedication]

 

[Samie]

People need to realise Michael Edwards isn't an emotional guy, he looks at cold, hard facts and data. If he/FSG top brass think Amorim is our guy they'll pick him.

[Bennett]

Not that it means a great deal, but worth noting that Marco Rose's odds are being slashed by most bookies at the moment. Probably been some money being thrown on it from somewhere.

[lindylou100]

Not that it means a great deal, but worth noting that Marco Rose's odds are being slashed by most bookies at the moment. Probably been some money being thrown on it from somewhere.

The German Gary O’Neil?

[Samie]

Naglesmann's contract ends after Euro 2024 and he has said he wants to go back to club football.

Problem is if we want him, he'll be available to us from August. So he misses pretty much all of pre season.

[Fromola]

Did he do that well at Leipzig? He done pretty much what any other manager has done there in the league; close but didn't win anything.

In the CL he did better but you have to remember he got to the Semi-Final in single leg COVID rules, so there is a caveat there to that too

I don't mind the idea of him but I wouldn't call his time at Leipzig as extremely good, he seemed to do pretty much what he was expected to do.

Same thing at Bayern as well honestly. He won two trophies with him, which if he didn't win one of them (the league) he'd be considered a failure that year

His style of play is a good fit, and he has done what is expected of him through his career, but it hasn't actually felt like he has broken through at all into an elite manager.

It feels like he has some way to go to fulfill his potential, although he is still incredibly young so he could.

Nagelsmann's teams have looked hopelessly naive when we've played them. Even that spell when we were losing to everyone in the league and had Phillips and Kabak in defence, we beat them easily in the CL.

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

Nagelsmann's teams have looked hopelessly naive when we've played them. Even that spell when we were losing to everyone in the league and had Phillips and Kabak in defence, we beat them easily in the CL.

Yep and his Hoffenheim team were quite possibly the stupidest side to ever come to Anfield.

Didn't Leipzig get dicked at Old Trafford as well?

[HeartAndSoul]

How’s Amorim and Xabi been when it comes to giving academy players a chance? It would be a shame if we bring in someone who doesn’t trust the academy when we’ve got such a great patch of youngsters coming through

[No666]

People need to realise Michael Edwards isn't an emotional guy, he looks at cold, hard facts and data. If he/FSG top brass think Amorim is our guy they'll pick him.

I think that's a nonsense, Samie. He may look at data but he's not stupid and he's worked at Liverpool long enough to know that the emotional reciprocity between manager and supporters can change history.

[afc tukrish]

Amorim is actually younger than Xabi. he also didn't have a great time as a footballer, so had to work hard to become a coach.

I always sort of like that idea, of hiring a manager who sort of struggled as a player and consequently worked hard to become a good coach.

Like Jurgen.

Then I remember Mourinho...

[StevoHimself]

Not that it means a great deal, but worth noting that Marco Rose's odds are being slashed by most bookies at the moment. Probably been some money being thrown on it from somewhere.

Forgot he existed. Was pretty highly rated a few years back tbf.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

Not that it means a great deal, but worth noting that Marco Rose's odds are being slashed by most bookies at the moment. Probably been some money being thrown on it from somewhere.

He's doing pretty alright at Leipzig. Not brilliant at Dortmund but not awful. A bit left field and perhaps uninspired but not terrible.

I would be more confused than anything if he was appointed

[Alan B'Stard]

Yep and his Hoffenheim team were quite possibly the stupidest side to ever come to Anfield.

Didn't Leipzig get dicked at Old Trafford as well?

He's 36 years old which is stupidly young for an elite level manager. He's still learning his craft!

He could end up being one of the best!!

[SamLad]

He's 36 years old which is stupidly young for an elite level manager. He's still learning his craft!

He could end up being one of the best!!

LFC is not a club where managers come to learn their craft.

[Garlic Red]

If we’re looking at former red bull managers with CL experience, surely Roger Schmidt’s in with a shout over the likes of Marco Rose?

[TepidT2O]

I always sort of like that idea, of hiring a manager who sort of struggled as a player and consequently worked hard to become a good coach.

Like Jurgen.

Then I remember Mourinho...

And Rafa, and Houllier

[FlashGordon]

He was capped 14 times by Portugal, he was hardly a clogger like the others.

[MBL?]

Not happy with all this Amorim talk. There is only one goal here people.

[spider-neil]

Not happy with all this Amorim talk. There is only one goal here people.

And if Alonso isn't coming we need alternatives.

[Wool]

Not happy with all this Amorim talk. There is only one goal here people.

Yes, to get the best manager possible. I’ll be honest it’s genuinely mad to me how a sizeable portion of our fanbase has just decided it’s Alonso or no one because everyone else sucks or something. Alonso’s clearly incredibly talented but there’s a more than decent chance Amorim is the better manager.

[MD1990]

People need to realise Michael Edwards isn't an emotional guy, he looks at cold, hard facts and data. If he/FSG top brass think Amorim is our guy they'll pick him.

your the main one in this thread going on and on about Alonso like he is the only candidate

[Qston]

Arteta is Xabi's best mate since kids

Doesn`t look mutual

[Caps4444]

Arteta is Xabi's best mate since kids

Is that Xabi showing off his Lego?

[Snusmumriken]

I think it's hard to look past Alonso since he's a manager who has a team performing well over the odds, something that will be needed considering the cheats we are competing with in this league. Maybe Amorim can do the same. Winning the league with Sporting is impressive and quite the rarity, if they pull it of. But not as impressive as what Alonso is doing with Leverkusen.

Too early for him surely, but talking about exciting new managers, Thiago Motta definitely seems like one to watch in the coming years and has done great with Bologna so far.

[BigCDump]

Is that Xabi showing off his Lego?

Xabi builds best friend out of Lego. Comes second in the contest.

[Wool]

I think it's hard to look past Alonso since he's a manager who has a team performing well over the odds, something that will be needed considering the cheats we are competing with in this league. Maybe Amorim can do the same. Winning the league with Sporting is impressive and quite the rarity, if they pull it of. But not as impressive as what Alonso is doing with Leverkusen.

Too early for him surely, but talking about exciting new managers, Thiago Motta definitely seems like one to watch in the coming years and has done great with Bologna so far.

He got Sporting their first league title since 2002 and he regularly loses his best players every season. He’s done an incredible job there honestly.

[PhilV]

He got Sporting their first league title since 2002 and he regularly loses his best players every season. He’s done an incredible job there honestly.

This.

The discount for Amorim here is quite naïve because outside of Xabi being an ex-player he isn't, on managerial achievements better than Amorim, yet.

[Stockholm Syndrome]

This.

The discount for Amorim here is quite naïve because outside of Xabi being an ex-player he isn't, on managerial achievements better than Amorim, yet.

Although as harsh as this sounds, if he does win the Bundesliga that is a greater managerial achievement. Not just for the quality of the league but also the comparative size of the giant they beat.

I understand Sporting have lagged behind their rivals, but not to the degree Bayer have lagged behind Munich. Sporting were at least the 3rd biggest side in Portugal, Bayer were behind at least Dortmund and Leipzig to being the distant challengers to Bayern.

If he does it with anything close to the record he is building as well, it would be remarkable.

Alonso isn't just winning the league he is so far dominating it, with a team that has no right to do so.

If he sticks the landing it's a remarkable achievement