The New Manager Thread

[Lecter]

Yes, my assertation that he'd take the job is indeed my opinion, which is why i generally precede it with 'i think' or make sure that the overriding sentiment has an 'IMO' attached to it. Yours came across as authoritative and informed fact.

Whereas you tend to put words into peoples mouth when they never posted such things

[Craig_H]

Cragi I love the way you put words in my mouth

I never suggested that Rafa's only failing is winning the league

I gave an opinion that under the current circumstances I do not see Mourinho taking the job and if in the unlikely event he did I do not think he would have the transfer budget to win the league

I never gave any opinion as to whether he would be a good appointment or not, nor whether he would perform any better than Rafa

I would also be interested to know where you think money would be found??

All current evidence suggests that our financial situation will continue to be tight and will probably tighten further

Generating money from player sales is going to be his only option and if you look at our squad which players would you be happy to let go that would generate enough funds. To me our most saleable assets are Torres, Gerrard, Mascherano & Reina all of who I'd be loathe to let go. The players I would want to sell on would generate little imo

I wasnt intentionally putting words in your mouth, but every point you make has the 'win the league' thing attached to it, more or less. So based on this, it seems like the criteria you'd be using when looking at what manager we could bring in, is based on their ability to win the leagie - there's a minefield of things we could improve on between where we are now, and the point where a club can win the league.

As for the money, even if it meant selling a big name or being allowed to use some of the new sponsorship money - i think JM would do better with it than Rafa.

[el matador]

Portugal is Portugal, the Premier League is the Premier League

They are poles apart

If we are talking comparisons our current manager won the League in Spain against overwhelming odds and the huge spending power of Real Madrid & Barcelona

Yet as people have pointed out in this thread he hasnt won the league here

Yes, but at least mourinho has proved that he has the capability of taking a mediocre team to success.

Rafa inherited a fabulous valencia team and therein lies the difference. I dont think rafa's style is suited to winning the league over here whereas mourinho has already won in.

He knows how to win the EPL where rafa doesnt. Yes he's not stupid and knows that the squad needs some investment but he doesnt need 10 new £20m players. He needs at least one striker and another winger and possibly another couple of back up players in the right positions.

That should set us back best part of £35 - £40m.

If he can get rid of some of the dead wood and no doubt the owners would give the new manager something it should be enough to give him a half decent kitty.

[Lecter]

Cant speak for others but i think this squad is capable of challenging. Not winning, perhaps, but it's a fine line and if you get to the latter stages still in with a chance, it's amazing what pressure on others and adrenalin can do you for you. Looking at Arsenal now, most would look at their squad and say they're far inferior to United or Chelsea (as the thumpings they received against them would also suggest) but they're up there in the race, and it's fair to say that it's probably touch and go whether they can go on to win it.

I wouldnt put my house on them, but i equally wouldnt dismiss the possibility.

So that aside, it's not winning the title i'm on about, but putting in a respectable challenge consistently.

And Mourinho could sell players, and bring in faces he believed in. Over the course of time, he could do this more and more, and this would increase his/our chances IMO.

I just dont see how ANY manager on a zero budget could over a length of time turn us into title challengers / winners

Not with the competition and spending power of City (and to a lesser extent Spurs & Villa)

I honestly believe the only chance we have of finishing 4th anytime soon is if we find new owners

The manager has almost become an irrelevance imo

city will spend a fortune in the summer, Spurs and Villa will again invest largely in their squads as they have done in the last 2 or 3 years

I think with or without Rafa its going to be increasingly difficult to finish 4th nevermind challenge for the title (unless we see investment or a change of owners)

But that is only my opinion

[Lecter]

That should set us back best part of £35 - £40m.

If he can get rid of some of the dead wood and no doubt the owners would give the new manager something it should be enough to give him a half decent kitty.

Again I would welcome submissions as to where people think we would get £35-40 million either from selling players or from the owners

Because I dont see how this will happen without investment / change of ownership

[Craig_H]

Yes, but at least mourinho has proved that he has the capability of taking a mediocre team to success.

Rafa inherited a fabulous valencia team and therein lies the difference. I dont think rafa's style is suited to winning the league over here whereas mourinho has already won in.

He knows how to win the EPL where rafa doesnt. Yes he's not stupid and knows that the squad needs some investment but he doesnt need 10 new £20m players. He needs at least one striker and another winger and possibly another couple of back up players in the right positions.

That should set us back best part of £35 - £40m.

If he can get rid of some of the dead wood and no doubt the owners would give the new manager something it should be enough to give him a half decent kitty.

And most importantly of all, he needs to get the most out of some of the 'lesser' players, which i think is his greatest managerial strength, bar none.

I dont think it's a case of a squad needing a massive overhaul and complete changes. I think it's about tweaking a few personnel issues, and getting the best out of some of the underperforming players.

[Assassin]

I agree there isnt a manager in the world (my opinion) who could make us win the PL next season with zero budget

[el matador]

I agree there isnt a manager in the world (my opinion) who could make us win the PL next season with zero budget

do you think jose could have us at least make a half decent challenge unlike the utter ****e that have had this season ?

[MrMichael]

I agree with Lecter, without some serious sort of investment it is immensely unlikely Mourinho would take the job. I also believe its highly unlikely our owners would even think about appointing him.

If someone on here suggested we should sign one of the world's best and most renowned players right now, everyone else would hoot with derision, we couldn't afford them, they wouldn't come. What on earth makes some people think we'd bring in the equivalent standard of manager then? (assuming for a moment that's what Mourinho actually is of course)

I reckon we'd be about as likely as things stand now to get Terry Venables as Jose Mourinho. Really.

[Lecter]

do you think jose could have us at least make a half decent challenge unlike the utter ****e that have had this season ?

Personally (and all things being equal) I think he'd struggle to get 4th next season

I feel this summer is massively important for LFC

It ALL hinges on investment / change of ownership

No investment this summer will imo mean the club will be playing catch up for many many years to come and by catch up I mean chasing 4th nevermind challenging for the title

You only have to look at the amount of funds City, Spurs and Villa have invested over the last few years and even they are not guaranteed of finishing 4th

[Craig_H]

I just dont see how ANY manager on a zero budget could over a length of time turn us into title challengers / winners

Not with the competition and spending power of City (and to a lesser extent Spurs & Villa)

I honestly believe the only chance we have of finishing 4th anytime soon is if we find new owners

The manager has almost become an irrelevance imo

city will spend a fortune in the summer, Spurs and Villa will again invest largely in their squads as they have done in the last 2 or 3 years

I think with or without Rafa its going to be increasingly difficult to finish 4th nevermind challenge for the title (unless we see investment or a change of owners)

But that is only my opinion

So we have no chance of finishing 4th under the current owners, despite the fact that we were in the title race just 10 months ago. Within that time, Spurs and Villa have overturned the difference between our clubs to such an extent, that they're now better than the runners up from last season, and we cant finish 4th anymore?

With all due respect, i think that's baloney.

Even if it were true, are you suggesting to me that the extent of what our current squad can achieve, is to be on course for 7th place? Cos that's what Rafa's guiding us to. If you think that's the best our squad can do, then dear god, we're lightyears apart in our views.

[Lecter]

As for the money, even if it meant selling a big name or being allowed to use some of the new sponsorship money - i think JM would do better with it than Rafa.

Personally I've ruled out the new sponsorship money

That will no doubt be absorbed by wage increases on the playing side of things

We've offered Reina & Mascherano (amongst others) huge contract extensions at vastly increased salaries

[Craig_H]

I agree with Lecter, without some serious sort of investment it is immensely unlikely Mourinho would take the job. I also believe its highly unlikely our owners would even think about appointing him.

If someone on here suggested we should sign one of the world's best and most renowned players right now, everyone else would hoot with derision, we couldn't afford them, they wouldn't come. What on earth makes some people think we'd bring in the equivalent standard of manager then? (assuming for a moment that's what Mourinho actually is of course)

I reckon we'd be about as likely as things stand now to get Terry Venables as Jose Mourinho. Really.

If Rafa went, firstly there'd be his own salary to use. Secondly, if Madrid come and take him, there'd be compensation.

I honestly think some people are painting the prospect of us affording JM, akin to that of a tramp buying a rolls royce. I dont see it that way at all.

[Craig_H]

Personally I've ruled out the new sponsorship money

That will no doubt be absorbed by wage increases on the playing side of things

We've offered Reina & Mascherano (amongst others) huge contract extensions at vastly increased salaries

£20m per season, isnt it?


You think a few new deals will send our wage bill up by £20m?

[Ryan_Derrick]

The rumour i heard this mroning, from someone who knows someone who knows Mark Hughes (a long shot I know). Is that Mark Hughes is being lined up by Villa to replace the Anfield bound Martin O'Neil.