While it is normally inadvisable to believe everything you read or hear on the internet or in the media, it has been a difficult job not to in the wake of Liverpool’s Derby defeat. With rumours abound that Roy Hodgson may be hanging on by the skin of his teeth now may be a good time to look at some of the leading candidates to replace him if and when he is replaced.
Frank Rijkaard – The favourite. And for a long time a huge favourite at Barcelona, after a short spell at Sparta Rotterdam. When he arrived at the Catalan club, they were in disarray, with Ronaldinho being the only player of note. Over the next summer, Rijkaard introduced Deco, Giuly, Marquez and Eto’o to the first team, replacing a lot of the existing dead wood bought by previous coaches. He followed on from this by giving the team a very local spine, giving Puyol, Xavi, Valdes and Iniesta their golden opportunities. With practically an entirely new first team built around the Brazilian superstar, Barca went on to win two successive league titles under the Dutchman, in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Coupled with a Champions League success over Arsenal in 2006 (in which he out-Arsenaled Arsene Wenger), Rijkaard cemented his status as a top-class coach.
Bringing a very no-nonsense approach, not to mention a wealth of experience at winning trophies (i.e. not just reaching finals) as a player and manager, Rijkaard would command respect. And he would get it, as he would not suffer fools or player power. So any dissenters would be moved along swiftly. However, he would bring with him a flair-filled, attacking style that his players would appreciate, and would be able to accommodate a lot of the talent Liverpool currently possess (yes, it is there, it is just under-utilised).
At the moment, Frank Rijkaard is unemployed after – interestingly – resigning from his post at Galatasaray on Tuesday morning, after a good first season, and has been installed as favourite.
Second favourite with bookmakers is former manager Kenny Dalglish. While a firm favourite with all Liverpool fans, there are doubts over whether appointing Dalglish for the long-term is a wise idea. As great a coach as he was for Liverpool, and following a Premier League winning season at Blackburn in the mid-90’s, the Scot has been away too long. With an unsuccessful spell at Newcastle in the interim, a short term, goodwill appointment may be more likely. However, if Dalglish is appointed for the rest of the season it could well point to a speedier return than first expected for the man many Liverpool fans didn’t want to lose in the summer, Rafael Benitez.
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STELLA ARTOIS WORLD DRAUGHT MASTERS
well its not something to debate on because FRANK got what it takes to redeem (LIVERPOOL FC)OUT from this religation zone,but i pray we should not end in religation and the only man that can bring the dream to come true is [RIJKAARD}i cant mention the name of KENNY (DALGLISH)because he’s out of the modern football nobody can talk about his current performance in any club which means he has nothing to offer in present football,and no one can as well mention the club he’s handling which we can say about their performances,at the vain (GUUS HIDDINK)MATHIN O’NEIL)can like wise do the job for us.thank u.
No mention of Manuel Pellegrini?
Think these are the bookies favourites
King Kenny to take charge til the end f the season then see what happens after that. Hidink did also say previously that not interested in the job due to his comitment to current contract and also the financial state of the club. Lets see what he says now – Hidink would be my first choice, forget MO’N
The board made a massive mistake and should have gave Dalgish the job, at least to see what he was like in the short term. I believe Dalgish could do a vast improvemed job than what we are seeing from Roy. Roy is trying to to this that and the other, which is totally confusing the payers, frustrating the fans and getting us beat.
My heart says kenny should be given the job if we dont see a vast improved side on Sunday but I also think Rikgaard is could be a dead cert. He is charismatic, he knows how to play football and he knows who good a footballer is!!
I don’t understand you people putting forward Kenny’s name for the job.
He has been out of football for too long, there is only one person for the job in my opinion and that is Guus Hiddink!
My spelling could be better! Sorry
tell u what leave lovely man roy in charge till the end of the season and we will be playing in the championship next season the only good thing is if you go down the premer leauge will give us parachute payments or sack roy now gt rjikaard in and we could possobly finnish in the top six
Still not sure who I would want for a new manager but it has to be soon. I am so disallusioned with Hodgson and his coaching team – I think we could play better without a manager. The players could probably decide between themselves who plays where and what the formation should be because Hodgson is clueless. I don’t even feel it’s my team any more.
Eh Pellegrini is second favourite for the job in fact its pretty much a straight fight with him and Rijkaard.
Wasn’t he interviewed last time? He must have been really awful if Hodgson got the job!!!
Hodgson got the job because he was: 1) Purslow’s crony, and, 2) [For some reason] Purslow seemed to want to antagonize the King and Rafa. There might have been a third, to satisfy that odd clamor for a British coach. In fact, last time round I thought it was Pellegrini’s job.
I agree – I was being sarky. It beggars belief how he got through the interview.
How about this, Rijkaard as manager and Kenny D as assistant. Prob will never happen or Pellegrini as manager and Kenny as assistant. I think that would be a top team, Kenny said he would work in any capcity and I think he would take it if offered. I like Roy but just not as our manager.
Saying that getting rid of Woy is the answer is just kiddin’ yourself. The problems are much deeper than that and sacking him in the hope that a new manager with a magic wand will fix everything is a sure sign of panic and denial.
We almost won the Premiership two seasons ago with almost the same side. From the first game of last season at White Hart Lane we looked unfit and jaded.
Benitez screwed up the Alonso situation and sold my player of the previous season Arbeloa for a pittance and bought Johnson, who can’t defend, for 18 million. Thn there was the Aquilani farce, the Keane catastrophe and then the Riera fiasco.
This season we are even worse, but Woy cannot take all the blame. He’s made some strange decisions but it was Benitez who put the skids under us.
Not really disputing but till his last season, Alonso was coming from some two odd average years at LFC. Seems to me Rafa was pretty patient with XA. I’m not once disputing though that the AlonsoBarry saga was poorly handled.
There was a case, all through Rafa’s tenure, that purchase of a player corresponded with loss of another, e.g. BellamyTorres. Alonso’s departure kind of applies here.
The last one has to do with freewill. What should RB have done to persuade both Alonso and Arbeloa to stay (as would Mascherano the following season). Two consenting adults with an open desire to move on don’t make the easiest targets for such persuasion. I think that’s a fairer look.
Still surprised Pellegrini’s missed out here. He remains my fav alongside Spanish Scouser, Rafa the Red.
kelly, alonso and arbeloa both wanted out, playing for spain is poison for english based players as now you see with torres and fabregas, the spain based players spend more time upsetting the them and badgering them on instructions from their clubs no doubt, mostly barcelona.i hope they win sweet fa
get rid of roy as soon as possible….its about d manager…d players follow his instructions, his tactics out there nd who disobeys, or gives a lacking perfomance shud b sidelined…roy does’nt even have d courage to sideline carra for god sake…too slow…great servant but too SLOW…gotto play skrtel nd agger in d centre of defence…..i kno many fans wont agrree but selling torres might just be a gift in disguise for us..wid all d money we cud buy a capable enough striker nd a world class winger….all depends on who’s coming..i sooooo wish it is rijkaard..d football wud b out of dis world..
yes, alonso was poor before his last season. that’s one reason why he was up for sale. don’t blame rafa entirely. he wasn’t in total control of the transfers in. the board wouldn’t pay for barry, but they paid for keane(who wasn’t first on the list!) what does that tell a manager? other than that they don’t have faith in him?
imo, in the meantime. play Johnson at right mid, kelly at RB. Spearing as the holding ‘jack russell’ mid, with Stevie and Mereiles in front. Cole or whoever at left mid. and get a decent LB asap. carra and skirt/agger/wilson in centre def. at least kuyt, shelvey, wilson and pacheco on the bench. babel, ngog, poulsen should be given a long rest. bring in some more of the promising youngsters on the bench.
oh, and btw, get a top Q manager in asap! he’s talking as if he’s a dead man walking already! 🙂
Hiddink – if he would live Turkey job, or if he would do bouth Liverpool should get him!
If, and only if imposible then get O’Neill, or why not Bilic, he would live his position as manager of Croatia to manage Liverpool in a sec.!
I HAVE SAID TOOOOOOOO MANY TIMES O’NEIL IS NOT THE MAN FOR LFC , hes to quick to upset players and is too much like rafa (stubborn and no good at man management)ask villa players if they were upset or if they kicked up afuss when he left,
RIJKAARD MAY BE GOOD IF GIVEN TIME but that is something we dont have to get this team back up the league ,
KENNY DOES NOT HAVE EUFA PRO LICENCE (he could only be director of football) and therefore can only do short term job which would be perfect till end of season ,
THE ONLY MAN WITH ALL THE CREDENTIALS IS GUUS HIDDINK but he wont break his contract with turkey ,
PELLGRINI IS AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY he could be another rafa or a godsend but what we need right now is stability ,
I KNOW IT SOUNDS A BIT TOO LOONY BUT WE SHOULD BRING KENNY (DIRCETOR OF FOOTBALL)AND THOMMO (MANAGER)IN AND HAVE CARRA AS PLAYER/COACH (carra is doing his coaching badges right now)till end of season and see how they do ,
ITS GOTTA BE BETTER THAN WOY (NO TACTICS OR WILL TO ATTACK)HODGSON,THEY KNOW THE CLUB INSIDE OUT AND THEY WILL GIVE THE CLUB A BOOST IF ONLY FOR THE SHORT TERM WHICH WILL LIFT US OUT OF THE CRAPPY MOOD WERE IN RIGHT NOW ,
THEY DO HAVE THE THREE THINGS THAT MAKE OUR CLUB
PRIDE , PASSION AND MOST OF ALL COMMITMENT,
what do you think cos im at a loss as too who could really do the job that LFC need but i’d take ian holloway right now cos after the rant he had on wednesday at least he’d give us a smile
YNWA
MARTIN O’NEIL IS JUST LIKE RAFA (TOO STUBBORN AND UPSETS PLAYERS)ask villa players if they were bothered when he left and i’ll bet anything they were glad to see the back of him,
RIJKAARD MAY BE GOOD IN THE LONG RUN BUT WE NEED RESULTS NOW!
GUUS HIDDINK WOULD GET MY VOTE BUT HE WONT QUIT TURKEY JOB
PELLEGRINI IS AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY he may be brilliant or he may be another rafa ,for me he would be like rijkaard and need too much time and again i must stress we dont have that luxury,
WOY IS JUST FAR TOO NEGATIVE AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SPEND A PENNY MORE OF THE CLUBS MONEY.
FOR NOW WE SHOULD BRING IN KENNY AS DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL (he has not got eufa pro licence and therefore cannot be manager)thommo as manager and carra as player/coach (he is doing his badges right now)it may be short term but these guys have the club at heart and will show all the passion , pride and commitment that we need right now , it may be a daft idea but it is the sensible solution til the end of the season, we need stability , consistency and the will to fight and they would provide it in spades ,
i dont know if you guys agree but i’m really at a loss as to who would sort us out but it definately is NOT woy,
YNWA
sorry about the 2 posts but i thought my first hadn’t been put on the site
It’s very simple!
As of yesterday put Kenny in the hot seat untill may( performance depending), then get Rafa to come back and complete the job he was prevented from doing!
If Rafa is not available and Kenny does not look good then we get Pellegrini!
I can’t see Hiddink be available… Rijkaard is not a bad option either. But no way should we get Mon ever!!
Also it’s not like we need to make wholesale changes in the squad,
I’d like to see Arda, Sissonko and Suarez come in
Reina
Johnson skrtl Agger Sissonko
Kuyt Raul Gerrard Arda
Suarez.
Torres
Subs: Cole, Babel, Ngog, Pacheco, Lucas, Carra, Kelly, Jones
Look decent enough…
I’m not even sure why I did that as it annoys mecwhen others do…. I must be bored!
No wholesale changes needed at all to fix things.
We just need a top class coach – Hiddink or Pelligrini would be ideal. Plus 3 world class players – a striker, a wide man and a versatile left back. Things can only get better. YNWA