New manager thread

[Fredo]

Dion Fanning piece today has this bit.

Andre Villas-Boas will be approached this week. AVB's man-management skills make Benitez look like Ron Atkinson. He is no Mr Bojangles and if anything he came out of the Chelsea debacle less tarnished than he should have been.

The seductive notion of the mutinous Stamford Bridge dressing room has masked how spectacularly badly he handled the job. There were strong personalities, but beyond the usual suspects it was routine to hear in his final weeks how he had alienated most players in the squad.

[Lecter]

I'm not sure it is about it being beyond his level but I do think it is a problem that he showed absolutely no pragmatism at Chelsea. No matter how much one dislikes Lampard, Drogba etc. you have to accept they are good players capable of winning a lot of games if the right tactics are used. AVB never compromised and his results suffered for it.

Our squad is less good and no more suited to his idealised style of play. If we do plump for him I think there is no chance of challenging for 4th next season. If he's the one we go for we need to back him for at least two seasons come what may. The record of FSG doesn't imply they want to do that.

I think if a club had the right players or gave him long enough I think he would be a success, for us I predict a disaster.

Agree though that it would be great to see him prove his Chelsea fan critics wrong (and the sniping journalists).

Interesting view of AVB

I dont think there is a candidate out there that doesnt rely on FSG being patient and giving them time

As you say it doesnt look like FSG are the most patient

[Suarez]

Its probably sour grapes, but Lampard stated that AVB was unable to fill the players with any confidence, and with the apparent lack of mental strength with quite a few of our players this would be a concern.

After the situation at Chelsea his reputation must have been dented somewhat, and i'm not sure how this would effect his ability to attract top targets (not that we can attract many now anyway).

To be completely honest, I don't really know a great deal about the bloke other than his results at Porto (probably like 99% of the posters on here if we're all being honest) so I have no idea what his eye is like for spotting a quality player. Who did he bring in at Porto, I know probably not a lot as he was only in charge one season (another big concern), but they had won the league 4 out of the previous 5 seasons before he took over.

I suppose all great managers start off with nothing, but I think this appointment is make or break time for this club, hence I'm really worried about the new manager and think we really really need to get this one right.

[Fredo]

And another damning bit.

Even an exceptional case like the Suarez-Evra incident was expected to be handled by Ayre, Comolli and Dalglish. None of them managed it in the most spectacular PR disaster for the club. Ayre remains at the club, rolling out his vision 'going forward'.

Article is here by the way.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/new-beginnings-for-liverpool-3112724.html

[sitoca]

I dont' get it. AVB has not exactly covered himself in glory at Chelsea. Given that both him and Rafa (in his last season) has done badly why him? At least we knew Rafa has proven himself bar his last season. We really can't afford to screw it up again. AVB for me is too big a risk.

[dww]

Interesting view of AVB

I dont think there is a candidate out there that doesnt rely on FSG being patient and giving them time

As you say it doesnt look like FSG are the most patient

I think my general view is that there is likely to be another chance to break into the top four available next season. Outside City none of the challenging teams look to have really put a squad in place to take them forwards. A lot will depend on how much each side has to invest but recently none of them have had big, successful recruitment drives.

In the end though I think United, Chelsea and Arsenal will come to the end of their refreshment cycle and if they get CL each season be pretty secure.

If the season is similar to this one then I think in terms of performances we were closer than some made out. Whoever comes in though has to look to get the most out of what we have and then make a few significant changes IMO. Sadly few of our players look ready for the high press to be implemented.

The problem is that managers like Capello (even if he weren't off to Chelsea) who have the right attitude seem to like to play with the deck stacked in their favour, which is something we can't offer.

[Suarez]

I dont' get it. AVB has not exactly covered himself in glory at Chelsea. Given that both him and Rafa (in his last season) has done badly why him? At least we knew Rafa has proven himself bar his last season. We really can't afford to screw it up again. AVB for me is too big a risk.

Thats the problem for me, as I've said I think this is make or break time for Liverpool as an elite club, and its a huge risk. At least Rafa is proven at in Spain and England at defying the odds. Yes, we might get one or two average seasons, but we'll also have some excellent ones too, and get back into Europe.

Rafa is proven at taking lesser sides to the top, I don't think the same can be said for any other candidate, and we can't compete financially with Utd, City or Chelsea so he has to be the right man for the job.

[Vermilion]

Debatable. Did the same against us and won. The way they were playing with Villas Boas was wrong. Didn't suit the players at all.

They'll need to rebuild though. Same problems that Man Utd are facing.

100% confident they will. Quickly too, Abramovic will be over the moon today with probably a renewed enthusiasm.

[Bender]

if fsg don't get this right and give the new manager money to spend or there's no quick improvement then they in my opinion will end up selling the club sooner rather than later

[GTi]

Apparently FSG wanted AVB over Dalglish originally. AVB had his audition for the premiership at Chelsea.. It didn't work there, why should it work here?

[john316]

I dont' get it. AVB has not exactly covered himself in glory at Chelsea. Given that both him and Rafa (in his last season) has done badly why him? At least we knew Rafa has proven himself bar his last season. We really can't afford to screw it up again. AVB for me is too big a risk.

Rafa has zero chance of getting this job as they'll see it as Kenny Mark 2 with us going back to the past. They want a younger manager so of course they'll have issues with a lack of real experience or a massive list of trophies won. AVB's success at Porto was so startling that it still trumps his experience at Chelsea for me.

[Vermilion]

Just so much negativity around this ****in club right now everywhere, just glancing at the beeb gossip is gut wrenching, loads of nice hopefull stories about our rivals, then doom gloom and uncertainty when LFC is mentioned.

Will it ever go away, it's like an endless cycle ffs.

[Vermilion]

AVB. I think, we aren't in a position to rival other clubs spending power or attraction to players right now, so it's about the longer term, a manager building a side in his image with his players is the plan, then maybe the trouble he ran into behind the scenes at Chavski doesn't matter so much.

But obviously, if we sack every manager after one bad season it'll never work.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Rafa has zero chance of getting this job as they'll see it as Kenny Mark 2 with us going back to the past. They want a younger manager so of course they'll have issues with a lack of real experience or a massive list of trophies won. AVB's success at Porto was so startling that it still trumps his experience at Chelsea for me.

They'd only see it that way if they were ignorant idiots.. which I hope they're not.. 2 different men, 2 different situations.

[dww]

Apparently FSG wanted AVB over Dalglish originally. AVB had his audition for the premiership at Chelsea.. It didn't work there, why should it work here?

The question has to be was it a fair audition (and if you are arguing for keeping Kenny did he do better or worse than him) and was the main factor in his 'failure' about his fit for the PL or the particular set of players.

I'm inclined to a weighting towards the latter but don't think we fit him any better ATM.

I think a lot depends on what AVB learned from that experience - Rafa seems to have learned a lot during his first few less successful jobs. If AVB has altered his thoughts to account for his difficulties then maybe he is a better bet than he seems to me at the minute.