New manager thread

[Muddled]

To get those stats with 'limited' players says something to me.

To be fair Dom, it says that they pass and retain the ball well. Their end product is up for debate; Newcastle feature on neither list and had a much better season.

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

[Rowan]

Well it shouldn't be hard to win more than 4 games in 5 months.

And at least we don't have to worry about whoever comes in buying Downing or Charlie Adam

[dom9]

To be fair Dom, it says that they pass and retain the ball well. Their end product is up for debate; Newcastle feature on neither list and had a much better season.

Lies, damn lies and statistics.

I was waiting for this argument.

At the beginning of last season, where exactly did you expect Swansea to finish in the league?

My guess is that the majority of us thought they would be adrift at the bottom, or scrapping it out for survival at best.

To finish where they did, beating a lot of top teams along the way (and losing a few games against weaker oppostion) surpassed the expectations of the majority by a long way.

You can't fault him for not challenging for European football with essentially a group of Championship level players.

[Muddled]

I was waiting for this argument.

At the beginning of last season, where exactly did you expect Swansea to finish in the league?

My guess is that the majority of us thought they would be adrift at the bottom, or scrapping it out for survival at best.

To finish where they did, beating a lot of top teams along the way (and losing a few games against weaker oppostion) surpassed the expectations of the majority by a long way.

You can't fault him for not challenging for European football with essentially a group of Championship level players.

Alas, I wasn't as prepared!

You're right, I had Swansea to go straight back down - rooted bottom from memory. However, a lot of pundits tipped Newcastle to struggle - but they set up to get the best out of the limited resources they had and mixed with a little fortune, over-achieved.

What I did see from Swansea this year was some great football and I agree, they certainly over-achieved and can't be faulted for not challenging near the top - especially in their first season in the Premiership.

My point, I guess, is that Newcastle adapted during the season (changing their formation etc), whilst Swansea stuck to their gameplan. Whilst Swansea might look pretty on the statistics, we've just sacked a manager on the Premier League table alone. As is our current situation, can we afford to take on a manager that makes us aesthetically pleasing, or do we need to get someone in proven to get results?

We all know our current predicament and the fine line we are walking between falling away and building up, we can't afford to get this wrong - can we rely on statistics or do we need to look at facts?

[ronanm]

klopp as dof comes from caption below that talksport link:

talkSPORT's man in the US, John Kreger, claims Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp could be installed as director of football at Anfield this week.

I didn't listen to the file personally.

[frank the tank]

what annoys me a bit is that they are likely to come out with something along the lines of "Klopp has a last minute change of heart and commits to Dortmund" - and there must be some idiots who believe them every time....

With regards to Swansea, I went to Fulham v Swansea in March. Swansea went to Craven Cottage and basically played them off the park. They won 3-0 but possession wise, it was something like 75%. They were awesome. I had heard that they were good but couldn't believe it when i saw it. Pass and move...pass and move....pass and move...... fulham were chasing shadows for the whole game. I have seen Barcelona live and this was as impressive to be honest.

Rodgers maybe doesnt have a plan B but to be honest, since Rafa's last season, LFC look like they don't have a plan-A.....let alone a plan-B, C or D!!!

It would be very very interesting to see what he could do with better players. Yes he might fail, but then ANY manager, probably bar Mourinho, has a reasonably strong possibility of failure at LFC.

[Muddled]

I can't imagine Klopp as a young, upcoming manager who's made Dortmund so successful, would suddenly want to take on that kinda role with us. It seems as though we are hearing Martinez as DoF, Klopp as manager then Klopp as manager and Martinez as DoF, both of whom are too young for such a role (in my opinion) and throw Van Gaal in to the mix and we would look a tad silly if he was manager at 60odd with a 30odd year old over him.

It confirms that the media know very little and are just hedging their bets.

[Fosterbloke]

what annoys me a bit is that they are likely to come out with something along the lines of "Klopp has a last minute change of heart and commits to Dortmund" - and there must be some idiots who believe them every time....

With regards to Swansea, I went to Fulham v Swansea in March. Swansea went to Craven Cottage and basically played them off the park. They won 3-0 but possession wise, it was something like 75%. They were awesome. I had heard that they were good but couldn't believe it when i saw it. Pass and move...pass and move....pass and move...... fulham were chasing shadows for the whole game. I have seen Barcelona live and this was as impressive to be honest.

Rodgers maybe doesnt have a plan B but to be honest, since Rafa's last season, LFC look like they don't have a plan-A.....let alone a plan-B, C or D!!!

It would be very very interesting to see what he could do with better players. Yes he might fail, but then ANY manager, probably bar Mourinho, has a reasonably strong possibility of failure at LFC.

You've made me excited about the appointment of Rodgers now but is he a one season wonder? If he repeats it then perhaps he's worth a look see but perhaps too inexperienced to be manager of LFC?

[cannotmakeit]

Reading had a brilliant first season and then what happened? Swansea will struggle next season imo.

[Gingawaria]

Reading had a brilliant first season and then what happened? Swansea will struggle next season imo.

Yep...because their manager will be managing us!

[ric.williams]

And at least we don't have to worry about whoever comes in buying Downing or Charlie Adam

no but we do have to worry about them being played

*disclaimer* i actually think adam is quite good

[kingfunk]

JWH does not know who the next manager of LFC is. Considering this, I am highly doubtful that any journo or Internet warrior knows. RELAX

[ric.williams]

what annoys me a bit is that they are likely to come out with something along the lines of "Klopp has a last minute change of heart and commits to Dortmund" - and there must be some idiots who believe them every time....

With regards to Swansea, I went to Fulham v Swansea in March. Swansea went to Craven Cottage and basically played them off the park. They won 3-0 but possession wise, it was something like 75%. They were awesome. I had heard that they were good but couldn't believe it when i saw it. Pass and move...pass and move....pass and move...... fulham were chasing shadows for the whole game. I have seen Barcelona live and this was as impressive to be honest.

Rodgers maybe doesnt have a plan B but to be honest, since Rafa's last season, LFC look like they don't have a plan-A.....let alone a plan-B, C or D!!!

It would be very very interesting to see what he could do with better players. Yes he might fail, but then ANY manager, probably bar Mourinho, has a reasonably strong possibility of failure at LFC.

good point. i think this we suffered from greatly this season. no one knew what was going on

[DannyMan2006]

Klopp works under Michael Zorc at Dortmond and he'd have no problems working under Van Gaal IMO.

Klopp is said to be an excellent motivator of players, as well as someone who uses young players the right way. His style of play is exciting and attacking and I have to say he's the standout candidate for a role under a DOF by an absolute mile.

And since his team demolished Bayern whilst Van Gaal was manager, you would have to say he'd be unlikely to be one who is phased from working under such a successfull man.

If I were to compare Klopps tactics to anything, I would say similar to Rafa when we "let the hand break off" and had a real go at teams when we came runners up.

I think in our first season under Klopp the better teams would likely pick us off, but we'd make up for that by blowing lesser teams away. I'd strongly tip us to finish top 4, at the very least running close and as such a huge improvement on last season in the league.

Over time he'd get the right players in with the help of Van Gaal and I'd fancy us to be competing at the top just as FSG want.

Klopp & Van Gaal seems an impossible dream tbh, but should it come off, I for one will be looking forward to a successful era at the club.

[DannyMan2006]

Reading had a brilliant first season and then what happened? Swansea will struggle next season imo.

Reading struggled because they lost a massive player for them in Steve Sidwell, whilst the likes of Kevin Doyle found it harder to find the net.