Brendan Rodgers

[captainfog]

Duncan Castle? Ffs!
Jim Boardman really is a fat, ugly, no mark of a wannabe journalist. He can do one too.

As for AVB, I dont want him, but he was treated very shabbily at Spurs and had an impossible task at Chelsea. He does, however, have the deepest, scratchiest voice I've ever heard!

[Chris]

It is a Duncan Castles piece apparently.

Ha! Surprise, surprise. A chance to get a dig in at Liverpool and report on a new destination for a Portuguese player/manager must be his dream article.

[ChrisDR1968]

This season has the capability of being one of the strangest in Liverpool's history.

If we can struggle out of the group stage of the Champions League in midweek, get through to the League Cup semi-final and stay within 6 points of 4th place in the league then a lot depends on what happens in January.

Imagine if we sign the right striker (I've no idea who) and Sturridge comes back into the side around the same time. The possiblilty is there that the team starts banging in goals for fun like last season.

We would still be in all 3 cup competitions with a possibility of still finished at least 4th in the league.

Could be an exciting ride after all the doom and gloom of November

[Doc_Piptorious]

This season has the capability of being one of the strangest in Liverpool's history.

If we can struggle out of the group stage of the Champions League in midweek, get through to the League Cup semi-final and stay within 6 points of 4th place in the league then a lot depends on what happens in January.

Imagine if we sign the right striker (I've no idea who) and Sturridge comes back into the side around the same time. The possiblilty is there that the team starts banging in goals for fun like last season.

We would still be in all 3 cup competitions with a possibility of still finished at least 4th in the league.

Could be an exciting ride after all the doom and gloom of November

Yep it still could turn out to be a good season despite the very mixed start.

The only season that I can remember starting as poorly as this one in the league that then ended in smiles is either the 81/82 or 82/83 season. Would have to check to know for sure which of the two it was, but we were something like 11th or 12th well into December that season and we then went on to win the league.

A very changed game in many way nowadays, but a strong run in the second half of the season could soon lift the spirits and give us something to cling onto in one or more comps as the season draws to a close.

[spud_gun]

Yep it still could turn out to be a good season despite the very mixed start.

It wont though.

It's already **** and it'll remain ****.

If we get through on Tuesday we're out of the competition the first decent side we face in the knockout stages.

Not going to win the league cup if we have to play either Chelsea of Citeh

No chance of winning the league, very lucky (if that's the right turn of phrase) if we even finish 4th.

[peekay]

Is it though? He did ok at Spurs. Got their highest ever PL points total, and was doing well in Europe when sacked. They were seventh in the league when he was sacked but does anyone really expect Spurs to finish too far from that position most seasons regardless of who their manager is?


At Zenit he has their win % up at over 70% for his time there to date which is a jump on what the men before him were averaging in the years before he arrived despite them being a big fish in a small pond in that league.


Just had a look at his Spurs win %, and he was at 55% for his time there when he was sacked, so not exactly shabby for a club of Spurs' level.


I don't think the guy is the finished article or anywhere close, but his track record for a guy who is only 37 years of age is pretty decent. He is also showing himself to be unafraid to try his luck in different countries which can only help him gain experience and become a more rounded manager in time.


It could be argued that Villa Boas has managed at clubs with more resources than those Rodgers was at prior to us, but it could also be argued that he has mostly managed at clubs where the expectations have been higher than anywhere Rodgers has managed save for us. With the exception of Chelsea he has done pretty well when at those clubs with high expectations, and it could be argued that his sacking at Spurs was a bit premature given the behind the scenes stuff that seemed to be going on there.

I will concede that my statement of AVBs record without Hulk/Falcao being mediocre is incorrect.

But given that he has been sacked at two PL clubs (albeit under difficult circumstances for a manager) I think he will still be a huge risk.

Having said that, if Rodgers is sacked especially in the middle of the season, I have no clue who could be a better less risky replacement and is available. I doubt Klopp,Rafa will resign in the middle of the season and come to us.

[Leyton388]

http://www.givemesport.com/528131-liverpool-make-approach-to-andre-villasboas

[Doc_Piptorious]

I will concede that my statement of AVBs record without Hulk/Falcao being mediocre is incorrect.

But given that he has been sacked at two PL clubs (albeit under difficult circumstances for a manager) I think he will still be a huge risk.

Having said that, if Rodgers is sacked especially in the middle of the season, I have no clue who could be a better less risky replacement and is available. I doubt Klopp,Rafa will resign in the middle of the season and come to us.

Oh I agree he would be a risk for us, and I am not trying to suggest for a moment that I want him in if Rodgers leaves. I just think that Villa Boas gets dismissed a lot on the basis of his track record when his track record is pretty decent for that of a 37 year old manager.


As for who could replace Rodgers, well it is a difficult one to even guess at. Pretty much every decent to very good manager is already at a club, and the managers that we could probably attract easily are ones with little or no track record at a club the size of Liverpool.

Don't think I would want Rafa back though. I don't doubt that he feels like he has unfinished business at the club, but I have never been a fan of a manager returning as it tends not to live up to that manager's highs from the first time around.

Klopp could be interesting but as good as his Dortmund teams have been when on the up, they have had slumps on either side of his title winning teams.

I have a feeling that names like Klopp, and Simeone would be banded about, but they are young managers very much in the mould of Rodgers or AVB (albeit with a better track record in terms of silverware) in that they do not bring a lot of experience to the table and we do not know how they would deal with a struggling giant anymore than we know how Rodgers will going forward.


I suppose if we were to look at young managers then names like de Boer could be added to the list, and if we were to look at guys slightly older then we have the likes of Rafa and Koeman (ahh the Saints would just love to see us arriving).


My own gut feeling is to stick with Rodgers unless the wheels come off in spectacular fashion between now and January.

The one I would go after, if the choice had to be a young manager, should Rodgers leave sooner rather than later would probably be de Boer. The logic behind that choice would be that although he has not managed in one of the bigger leagues he is managing at a club where second place is regarded as a failure, and he does look like he is able to mix youth and experience quite well along with looking like he may be savvy enough in terms of tactics.

There are bigger names out there with more experience in better leagues, but most of them are at heavy hitting clubs and as such would most likely be very very difficult to get in mid season let alone in the summer.

[BigChief]

Jaco I've seen much verbage almost eugolising AVB but not one mention of the elephant in the room: Gareth Bale. Maybe we should consider Sherwood too. Heck why not.

Rodgers coming the closest to us winning the English PL since 1990 ****s over anything achieved in Portugal or effing Europa league.

Mind is truly boggled. If this is FSGs true colours I pine for Hicks and Gillett back with Rafa in charge.

[Chazza]

****ing hell

[RichC]

How anyone could ever, ever want those skin covered walking turds anywhere near our club again

[Red_Polo]

Wtf BigChief, you just took a **** with your keks on.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Jaco I've seen much verbage almost eugolising AVB but not one mention of the elephant in the room: Gareth Bale. Maybe we should consider Sherwood too. Heck why not.

Rodgers coming the closest to us winning the English PL since 1990 ****s over anything achieved in Portugal or effing Europa league.

Mind is truly boggled. If this is FSGs true colours I pine for Hicks and Gillett back with Rafa in charge.

And where did I suggest we should look at Villa Boas? If you actually read my post then it should be clear that I would not want Liverpool to consider him if Rodgers were to go. I don't think he is a top manager or anywhere close to being one at this point in his career but I do think he has had a decent career to date for one that is still so young in managerial terms.


And last time I checked coming second is worth **** all. I don't think I have ever seen banners in the Kop listing all those famous years when we came second in the league or runners up in a cup.

[BigChief]

And where did I suggest we should look at Villa Boas? If you actually read my post then it should be clear that I would not want Liverpool to consider him if Rodgers were to go. I don't think he is a top manager or anywhere close to being one at this point in his career but I do think he has had a decent career to date for one that is still so young in managerial terms.


And last time I checked coming second is worth **** all. I don't think I have ever seen banners in the Kop listing all those famous years when we came second in the league or runners up in a cup.

Fair enough, and my Dumb and Dumber comments were tongue in cheek. But honestly FSG need to get their **** together if they start going down the AVB route.

AVB may have won stuff but he's constantly and consistently proved he knows **** all about the English Premier league and therefore shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence as Rodgers IMO. Or even Rafa.

[Daniel 7]

...and he was turned down for the Burnley job in favour of Brian Laws. There is no ****ing way on god's earth I want a manager at Liverpool who is worse than Brian Laws.