Arne Slot

[Cerbie]

Klopp on rumours he may be heading to Real Madrid in the summer...

He denied any talks with Real but says he might coach again.

The German told reporters at the Magenta TV World Cup team presentation in Munich: "If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now.

"But that's all nonsense. They haven't called even once, not once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven't called him either.

"Right now I'm not thinking about that, luckily there's no reason to.

"For my age I'm quite advanced in life, but as a coach I'm not completely finished. I haven't reached retirement age.

"Who knows what will happen in the coming years? But there's nothing planned."

There is still a possibility then.

[Doc_Piptorious]

A new (permanent) manager coming in now would be on a hiding to nothing

An interim manager I could get behind. Gerrard, much as I wouldn't want him for the permanent role, would absolutely give the team a massive lift. Probably anyway
You'd assume that all players would instantly respect him

Anyone know much about Rob Page? Managed Wales so used to senior players

Why would they? Most of them would not have grown up supporting Liverpool and most would have been really young when Gerrard was at his peak.

And as a manager, when players might be more aware of him, he has been pretty **** as a PL manager.

Don't think what a manager was as a player years ago really matters much, other than for being able to make a sound bite out of, to players that come along 15 to 20 years later. They will just be interested in what a manager makes them do in training, what a manager has won as a manager and if that manager can get them to win that stuff as well.

[Exiled_red]

For me the main 2 things that Gerrard brings are:
1) what any ne manager brings, change of ideas, something different a new voice and perspective which may be refreshing for the players
2) he is an LFC legend, whatever anyone's views on him as a manager he will get the fans backing until the end of the season and will re-energise Anfield

For me the question about Gerrard is whether the above is enough to overcome his lack of ability as manager (because with all due respect he is at best an average manager)

[Doc_Piptorious]

For me the main 2 things that Gerrard brings are:
1) what any ne manager brings, change of ideas, something different a new voice and perspective which may be refreshing for the players
2) he is an LFC legend, whatever anyone's views on him as a manager he will get the fans backing until the end of the season and will re-energise Anfield

For me the question about Gerrard is whether the above is enough to overcome his lack of ability as manager (because with all due respect he is at best an average manager)

His ability as a manager, to set up a team, to tactically best other managers is all that would matter.

LFC legend matters not a jot other than to supporters that remember him play, but we are not the ones he would be asking to run hard for him, we are not the ones that would be expecting him to be tactically savvy and what not.

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of great ex LFC players that are still in management (or available for such) have proven to be pretty **** at that side of the game. Of the guys that were playing for us 20 to 30 years ago, Alonso is probably the only one to make a mark in a top league and that also looked competent at European level and there would still be plenty of questons about his suitability.

A hard no thanks to anyone, even on an interim basis, who has been crap when tested at anything above a much lower level. Makes no sense to hire someone on the chance he might make the fans happy and then hoping making the fans happy translates to the players maybe doing a bit more.

Might as well hire the two fittest mud wrestlers you can find to tussle on the pitch before each game if that was the case. The fans would cheer and the players would just be happy the fans were happy. 5-0 wins in each game until the end of the season.

[Fierce]

Why would they? Most of them would not have grown up supporting Liverpool and most would have been really young when Gerrard was at his peak.

And as a manager, when players might be more aware of him, he has been pretty **** as a PL manager.

Don't think what a manager was as a player years ago really matters much, other than for being able to make a sound bite out of, to players that come along 15 to 20 years later. They will just be interested in what a manager makes them do in training, what a manager has won as a manager and if that manager can get them to win that stuff as well.

No-one playing for Liverpool is unaware of how important Stevie was and for how long. They might well have been too young to watch him when he first broke into the team but he only stopped playing for us 10 years or so ago, which is absolutely not too long ago for current players to have seen him

And yeah, I absolutely don't want Stevie as permanent manager, but if our options are Slot until the end the season (which given what we've seen so far means no trophies and no CL) or Gerrard/AN Other on an interim basis, then I think its worth rolling the dice
After all, what's the worse that could happen?

[Exiled_red]

His ability as a manager, to set up a team, to tactically best other managers is all that would matter.

LFC legend matters not a jot other than to supporters that remember him play, but we are not the ones he would be asking to run hard for him, we are not the ones that would be expecting him to be tactically savvy and what not.

The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of great ex LFC players that are still in management (or available for such) have proven to be pretty **** at that side of the game. Of the guys that were playing for us 20 to 30 years ago, Alonso is probably the only one to make a mark in a top league and that also looked competent at European level and there would still be plenty of questons about his suitability.

A hard no thanks to anyone, even on an interim basis, who has been crap when tested at anything above a much lower level. Makes no sense to hire someone on the chance he might make the fans happy and then hoping making the fans happy translates to the players maybe doing a bit more.

Might as well hire the two fittest mud wrestlers you can find to tussle on the pitch before each game if that was the case. The fans would cheer and the players would just be happy the fans were happy. 5-0 wins in each game until the end of the season.

I am not in the camp for bringing Gerrard in either even on a short term basis, the questions come does changing the manager make us more likely to qualify for the CL next season? If as many are suggesting Slot is done and anyone would be better, first preference would obviously be to bring in the long term replacement now if they are available now. I'm not sure that is the case, if we feel we have to replace the manager now then we have to go with what is available until the end of the season and review options there. For me that is what Gerrard brings, he isn't going to better anyone tactically in the games until the end of the season, the question is then will he get more out of the current players than Slot in the next 10 or so games, if the answer is yes then it is worth the punt. Personally I am far from convinced that it is. And I suspect the club feel similar and Slot will stay to the end of the season.

[Doc_Piptorious]

No-one playing for Liverpool is unaware of how important Stevie was and for how long. They might well have been too young to watch him when he first broke into the team but he only stopped playing for us 10 years or so ago, which is absolutely not too long ago for current players to have seen him

And yeah, I absolutely don't want Stevie as permanent manager, but if our options are Slot until the end the season (which given what we've seen so far means no trophies and no CL) or Gerrard/AN Other on an interim basis, then I think its worth rolling the dice
After all, what's the worse that could happen?

Results get even worse?


Change for the sake of change is worthless. Imo of course.


If we wanted to go down the interim route then the last time for that was in January in my eyes. For me you give a manager until between October and the end of December if you have doubts about keeping him on.

Once past December you stick, unless there is a crazy run of losses, and look to upgrade on the manager (head coach in our case) and on any players you think may be equally at fault.

Right now we are sort of a given thing in terms of results and look like we have probably a 50/50 chance of finishing in the top five.

Probably have an outside chance in the CL and a fighting chance in the FA cup.

If we think that we can stomach a season in the Europa league financially, then sticking with what we have for now and pushing hard to upgrade big time on both the sidelines and on the piutch in the summer makes sense.

Gerrard would be a crazy risk imo. The ex player thing does not matter. All that would matter is whether he could bring about a dramatic upturn in results and also be able to tactically go toe to toe with the big teams in the CL and FA cup. His track record as a manager suggests he would be totally out of his depth taking on top managers, hell his track record is one that has shown he is out of his depth against lesser level managers. A "bounce" from the stands would only last as long as the first hard hit resultwise and if he came in and the players were still plodding and the results dipped further, then we could start thinking about getting stuck in the Conference league.

Think if the season finished in the morning, us in fifth and maybe a trophy, maybe no trophy, we would look a team that could shoot up the table with a new manager and seeing that might convince a lot of good to very good players that we are worth taking a chance on in terms of joining us.

As poor as this season has been at times, the fact what would improve us looks obvious and the fact that we are still near the top of the table before adding those things will suggest we could be back as a contender sooner rather than later and that we are a project well worth getting involved with.

So for me taking a big risk on somebody that might engergize the players through energizing the fans is nuts, especially when that somebody has a track record of being poor when it comes to managing a team in the division we need to see improvement in.

Nah for now give me the guy that will probably see us limp home somewhere between 6th and 4th and then look to upgrade in the summer. Don't want a guy who has nothing to offer the players in terms of making them better players and nothing to offer in terms of being tactically astute enough to turn our results into mostly wins for the rest of the season.

[frank the tank]

No-one playing for Liverpool is unaware of how important Stevie was and for how long. They might well have been too young to watch him when he first broke into the team but he only stopped playing for us 10 years or so ago, which is absolutely not too long ago for current players to have seen him

And yeah, I absolutely don't want Stevie as permanent manager, but if our options are Slot until the end the season (which given what we've seen so far means no trophies and no CL) or Gerrard/AN Other on an interim basis, then I think its worth rolling the dice
After all, what's the worse that could happen?

The worst that could happen would be an Igor Tudor style capitulation which would see us outside Europe altogether. I think we still have a decent chance of top 5 under Slot but obviously this should have been sewn up a long time ago with so many dropped points. Gerrard would make no sense in my opinion.

I think if Klopp agreed to come back for the rest of this season and next, then that would be a no brainer. Because we know that he could give the team a lift immediately and knows all the players so they would be used to playing his style. I don't see Gerrard getting more out of the likes of Salah to be honest. And I think we have a better chance of progressing in both the fa cup and CL with Slot in charge as opposed to SG.

So for me, the preference would be Klopp >>> Slot >>> another interim manager.

This could change for the last 5 or 6 league games. Let's say we go out of the FA cup against City and lose against PSG, and were to drop points at home to Fulham.....I reckon they might make a change then.

Our last 7 league games are:
Fulham h
Everton a
Palace h
Man United a
Chelsea h
Villa a
Brentford h

Every game is huge but there are four 6-pointers in there. I think Slot ball this year we have actually been better in the bigger games so hopefully we can hurt both Chelsea and Villa in those games

[kingfunk]

Stirring the pot!!

[badpiggy]

I'm wholly unconvinced that SG's miserable ******* energy is what we need right now ffs

[baitman]

The Gerrard song is well past its sell by date.
Ok when he was playing, but not now, please.
And if he did come back as interim it would be relentless

[Exiled_red]

Stirring the pot!!

I think I know what this is about

Legends game at the weekend
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/tickets/...vb-legends-510

[fidget]

The Gerrard song is well past its sell by date.
Ok when he was playing, but not now, please.
And if he did come back as interim it would be relentless

I never sing it. Club legend but **** person who keeps awful company. Don't want him anywhere near.

[danperkins]

I hear what you are saying, Page could lead us to a new chapter at Anfield

yesssss

[Doc_Piptorious]

I never sing it. Club legend but **** person who keeps awful company. Don't want him anywhere near.

Yep his off pitch stuff, especially the utter scumbag company he keeps and that he has as guests at Anfield and at Villa park prior to that, is a real indicator of his own personality and (lack of) character. Some of the scummiest of the summy of Irish crime are amongst his close mates and he has even put up social media posts of himself being driven around Dublin by some of the fixers/enforcers for his crime gang mates.

Plenty of those types living on the Wirral and in the city of Liverpool for years now too.

Though for footy chat I prefer to focus on his trachk record as a manager when it comes to him being spoken of as a manager of LFC.