The New Manager Thread

[Craig_H]

So having not been driven round the bend by the on-field debacle we should be driven round it by circular discussions about a manager we won't get?

Madrid is a pretty damn big stimbing block though.... Kaka, Ronaldo and unlimited funds, or Lucas, Babel and the spare change behind the sofa?

But its by no means the only one. Our appauling off-field situation is most definitely another, as is the lack of CL football next year (and possibly for some time coming). We've been waiting and hoping for several years for something to change re. the ownership situation, there might seem like "some possibility" now but that's really not strong enough for me. Just look at the ownership threads from the news forum, this years, and last years. and the one before that....

I genuinely believe there's some seriously wishful thinking going on that is completely incongruous with the reality of our situation, and with how those who don't support our club will see it. Sure, for one of us, managing LFC would be the pinnacle of everything a manager could do or achieve in football. I'm not sure for most high-calibre managers out there it would be any more than one of several dozen high-profile jobs that would interest them if all things were equal, and given the off-field mess, complete lack of money etc, really rather unattractive right now compared to many positions. You have to admit surely that on balance of probability, Jose Mourinho will not be the next manager of LFC should Benitez depart in the next few weeks? And as that probability is really rather low, we really could be making some effort to talk about more realistic options rather than this debate constantly returning to the same point.

Perhaps its not as absolutely definite as I have been making out, but I'll give you 5-1 odds if you'd like a wager on it?

As i've said before, Mourinho is in awe of LFC, of ther Kop, of the fans, of the legend, of the heritage, the prestige and the history. He grew up loving the legend of LFC and it's something that he has a massive amount of admiration and respect for. He also loves English football and loves the pandering that he received from the english media. The italian press hate him, the spanish still give him the derisory nickname 'the translator' in some quarters and Madrid is something of a poisoned chalice.

I do agree that it's more likely that he wouldnt come to us at the moment, but a few things could tip the balance for me, and they're not a million miles away from being realistic prospects, IMO.

As for your 5/1 offer, it's not something i'd be putting money on, but it seems that the bookmakers rate the chances a little higher than you do, making him 2nd favourite with an offer of 3/1 - the favourite is only 2/1, so the professionals dont seem to think it's hugely far fetched.

[Craig_H]

when?

January, i think it was:

According to ESPN, Inter coach Jose Mourinho will put his hand up to succeed Rafael Benitez at Liverpool - but only if the current owners relinquish control of the club.

Benitez's future at Anfield is more uncertain than ever following Wednesday's FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship strugglers Reading. That result has effectively left the Reds with only the Europa League to play for this season.

However, it is believed that no review of the Spaniard's position will be taken until the summer, by which point Tom Hicks and George Gillett - the club's owners - hope to be well advanced in takeover talks.

The potential arrival of new investors with inexhaustible funds will be crucial to luring Mourinho, who has made no secret of his desire to return to English football.

An unnamed source is quoted as saying: "From the people I know close to Jose, he will not join a financially unstable club.

"If Liverpool got themselves into a solid, stable financial condition with the funds to invest in new players then Jose wouldn't think twice of joining Liverpool if the opportunity arises. But not in the current conditions.

"The Liverpool owners have been trying to sell the club for two years, now they are seeking investment of £100 million. They'll be lucky. Who in their right mind is going to invest that amount for a minority stake with no control and no say?

"Anyone coming will want control, at least 51% at the very minimum. No one is going to hand over big sums with Hicks and Gillett calling the shots. It's dysfunctional as it is, and it would only be shuffling the deck chairs around the Titanic, and make no real difference.

"The club have been out there now for several months seeking investors without any joy, and I cannot imagine much will change in the next few months."

Kop legend Kenny Dalglish and ex-Chelsea boss Guud Hiddink have also been linked with the Liverpool job.

[cannotmakeit]

ok thanks, never saw that article. ESPN, they talk almost as much ****e as talksport thought.

[Craig_H]

Well everyone talks ****e.

[kris90210]

January, i think it was:

In fairness Craig. Mourinho hasn't actually said anything. It was "someone close to him." In other words, the paper could have made up that whole article.

Jose isn't backwards about coming forwards. He has publicly touted himself for numerous jobs in the past (Man Utd being the most recent). What makes you think he would suddenly become coy over his willingness to take over at Liverpool?

Also, say Mourinho is unrealistic, who else would you like to see take over?

[barnes10]

i dont know why the penny just isnt dropping with the likes of craig on here.

we have the best manager that we could possibly get under the current owners.

no manager worth his salt will touch us given our owners. yes mourinho wants to come, he has said as much. but he'd be a complete idiot to do so witout ownership change. so he wont.

be careful what you wish for

[Armchairkopite]

I would rather succeed under a manager with the dignity of Rafa then that bloody ****.

I can handle people calling for Rafas head if we are looking for a better style of football but fans just want instant results now and are willing to sell the soul of the club down the river, what would Shankly think of Mourinho I wonder....

[Armchairkopite]

I would like to make a couple of points and then retire from this thread entirely.

I think people should remember what happened at the end of the Mourinho reign at Chelsea. He wasn't able to freshen the squad as he wanted and results were poor as a result. that is starting from a position of a league winning side and it was a squad that Grant guided to close to the top and a CL final. The squad remains more or less intact up to now. This would seem to be evidence that it is hard for even a top manager to get the results he wants when working with constraints. The sort of constraint that Rafa has had to put up with throughout his reign. Also worth noting the impact a strained relationship with the owner had.

Wenger has had similar seasons with Arsenal where they have performed poorly when he is trying to change parts of the team. Remember when Spurs failed to get in the top 4 because they contracted food poisoning before the last game of the season. I think we have been unlucky in the sense that our blip has coincided with more teams having comparatively strong squads/seasons.

It has been an undoubtedly poor season but I'm far from convinced that the evidence is compelling that Rafa is a worse choice than any of the alternatives mentioned. Added to the fact that those closest to fulfilling the ability criteria are the least likely for us to be able to prize away from their current employers.

i dont know why the penny just isnt dropping with the likes of craig on here.

we have the best manager that we could possibly get under the current owners.

no manager worth his salt will touch us given our owners. yes mourinho wants to come, he has said as much. but he'd be a complete idiot to do so witout ownership change. so he wont.

be careful what you wish for

Totally agree, and he deserves another crack at it for putting up with a tremendous amount of ****e over the last few seasons.

[Neil Young]

I dont see that myself. The top 3 have all had poorer seasons and whilst City & Spurs are making genuine challenges for 4th place, whoever gets it will end up on around the same number of points that 4th place usually amasses.

This season has seen most of the top sides doing considerably worse than usual and in our case, it's been emphatically true.

Of all the points Dave made in his post you pick on one to argue with.

Laughable.

And your very next post in this thread?

I suspect, and it is only my opinion, that if we were in the same situation this time next year, plenty would be saying the same thing again - eg, 'give rafa one more year'.

Pathetic.

Mourinho isn't coming Syd. :bird:

[Craig_H]

In fairness Craig. Mourinho hasn't actually said anything. It was "someone close to him." In other words, the paper could have made up that whole article.

Jose isn't backwards about coming forwards. He has publicly touted himself for numerous jobs in the past (Man Utd being the most recent). What makes you think he would suddenly become coy over his willingness to take over at Liverpool?

Also, say Mourinho is unrealistic, who else would you like to see take over?

Fair enough point, but i've read enough from Mourinho over the years to be fairly convinced that he'd jump at it.

If not him, Hiddink? Capello? Possibly Hodgson. Even someone like Bilic would nudge my curiosity somewhat.

i dont know why the penny just isnt dropping with the likes of craig on here.

we have the best manager that we could possibly get under the current owners.

no manager worth his salt will touch us given our owners. yes mourinho wants to come, he has said as much. but he'd be a complete idiot to do so witout ownership change. so he wont.

be careful what you wish for

I thought it was obvious, but clearly not. So i will spell it out:

I am talking on the proviso that we have new owners.

Hope that's less cryptic and the penny will now drop.

[JohnDoe]

Mourinho or bust.

I still stick by this. If it's not Mourinho, I'll be disappointed.

[Neil Young]

[Icon]

The Special One is not coming to LFC...

[kris90210]

Fair enough point, but i've read enough from Mourinho over the years to be fairly convinced that he'd jump at it.

If not him, Hiddink? Capello? Possibly Hodgson. Even someone like Bilic would nudge my curiosity somewhat.

:

Hiddink has just accepted the Turkey job so you can rule him out.

Capello... would be nice but I just can't see it. Can you? He'll stay with England I think.

Hodgson. He would be an interesting appointment if Rafa were to go. Saying that, he is unproven at the level we're looking for, so he would represent a pretty big gamble.

Bilic. He seemed to be the rising star in managment a couple of years ago but he's faded a lot recently. Again, totally unproven.

So do you just want rid of Rafa at any cost? Even though replacing him with a realistic alternative could well be a step down?

[Craig_H]

Hiddink has just accepted the Turkey job so you can rule him out.

Capello... would be nice but I just can't see it. Can you? He'll stay with England I think.

Hodgson. He would be an interesting appointment if Rafa were to go. Saying that, he is unproven at the level we're looking for, so he would represent a pretty big gamble.

Bilic. He seemed to be the rising star in managment a couple of years ago but he's faded a lot recently. Again, totally unproven.

So do you just want rid of Rafa at any cost? Even though replacing him with a realistic alternative could well be a step down?

Didnt Hiddink do the Chelsea and Russia jobs simultaneously? I dont think it's a brick wall, where he's concerned.

Capello may indeed stay with england or depending on how the world cup goes, he might decide to take a new direction. You never know.

Hodgson's coached internationally, as well as Internazionale which is a massive club too, plus he's highly experienced, knows his football, plays a good style, motivates players very well and is shrewd in the market.

Bilic is certainly inexperienced and unproven, but nobody gains experience and reputation without a chance. Sure, it'd be a gamble but i think he would represent a fresh, more flexible approach. May or may not be good, only time would tell.

Of course i dont want to replace the manager if it'd be a step down - but that's the difference isnt it? You think none of the options i've listed would be a step up, or are realistic - i think they are. And i'll say again, if i am convinced that keeping Rafa would be an unsuccessful move for the club, why would i back it?