Liverpool FC Forum

[Well Red]

***this is not a pessimistic thread about our future, it is a thread solely designed to spark a detabe with regards to a fictional situation which is highly unlikely, yet nonetheless plausable***

Right, there's a lot of talk here that's quite mundane about the same old issues. What no one seems to have really thought about is who we would bring in to replace Rafa if he was to leave. There's been a lot of talk in the papers about him being unhappy with the way the Americans are running the financial side of the club and I don't think him and Parry see eye to eye on the way transfers should be conducted - I know there's no smoke without fire but before you all get on my case I honestly think a lot of that paper talk is BS and don't doubt for a second that Rafa would leave this Summer.

But... stranger things have happened in football, so this should make for an interesting discussion and keep the board members awake a tad longer until our promised "big signing" comes along.

The situation: It's the middle of July 2007 and the Reds have only signed the Brazilian attacking midfielder Lucas Leiva and the Hungarian youngsters, having been outbid for Darren Bent by Tottenham and Carlos Teves by Inter Milan due to Parry and the Americans refusing to sanction any bid higher than £18million for a single player. On top of this, main targets Eto'o, Simao and Villa have choosen to see out their contracts at their respective clubs. Owen's future remains uncertain, although it was clear that Rafa Benitez refused to do a U-turn and re-sign a player who he didn't feel would work hard for the team. Now, Rafa has just announced in a shock press conference that he is stepping down from his role as manager of Liverpool Football Club because he feels that he's not been given the right backing in the right areas to strengthen the squad how he likes. He takes his Spanish backroom staff with him and indicates that he'll be in the running for the newly vacant Real Madrid managerial post, with Fabio Capello having been pressured out a fortnight before. Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger have yet to rule themselves out of contention for the same job, whilst Capello insists he will retire from management unless one of Europe's "top clubs" want him.

Who do we try and lure? Bearing in mind the fact that we probably haven't strengthened the squad enough to mount a serious title challenge next season and the closure of the transfer window is fast approaching, do we go for an established manager in the Capello or Lippi mould or someone younger and more inexperienced, and possibly English? On top of this, now that we've lost the tactical genius that had seen us perform so well in Europe, what would your expectations of your newly chosen manager be?

/Discuss 

[The Manhattan Project]

No one English.

Personally I would go for Scolari.

[Well Red]

I think if we were to bring in someone with a reputation like Capello I'd have far greater expectations. I've always admired him as a manager because he's the type of person who you can see getting passionate on the touchline and who I can imagine really giving the team a grilling at half time when they're underperforming. Evans, Houllier and Rafa are much more quiet managers so Capello's fiery nature would make a nice change. He's also worked at some of Europes top clubs and will therefore have as in-depth a knowledge about the Italian and Spanish leagues as anyone, although I think his big flaw will be how well he reads football as a game and his ability to work out winning tactics.

Alan Curbishly, who would probably be tempted to leave West Ham now that he's done the job of keeping them up, is the only Englishman I can think of who could have any real impact. Expectation in his first season with us would be lower I feel, but he'd have to very quickly get to grips with European competition and progressing the club on all three domestic fronts, and it's definately not guaranteed that he'll be the right man.

Eriksson is a real no-no. Martin O'Neill is most likely out of the question now. Gary Mac or Steve Staunton would make good assistant managers, but nothing more than that. Perhaps Scolari is out of our reach, along with Rijkaard.

My dark horse would be Ronald Koeman. I honestly think he could be a big hit in the premiership with the right team - and he's shown that he has good tactical nouse in Europe with Benfica and Eindhoven respectively.

[Sabre]

Who do we try and lure? Bearing in mind the fact that we probably haven't strengthened the squad enough to mount a serious title

Maybe I'm thick and I don't understand. But it makes a big shortcircuit in my mind the concept that it's a "hugely dissapointing season" not to have fought for the league title this season, and the next month say that "with this squad we cannot pretend to win the league".

I don't understand.

THere are not better spanish coachs than Rafa. THe foreign ones that play in Spain? lemme think

Rainieri: Like him, but nah, he'd be "negative" for many.

Capello: Even more "negative", he plays 2 holding mids

Toshack: Obsolete methods, but would be interesting as scout, he's spot on 6 out of 7 times.

Rijkaard: Unexpierenced, haven't managed to manage success and keep the dressroom in peace and order. Too permissive with  the players.

Schuster: Good coach, but unproven in a big club, he had 4 simple ideas in Getafe, and he got them right. He'll leave the club before the oppo teams learn to counter their tactics (as it often happens in every league, look Wigan).

To be honest, there are many Spanish coachs as of late in the Spanish league. Now it's the fashion, some years ago it was the opposite, anybody non Spaniard (Maturana, Toshack, Robson) would be better.

Why change something relatively good (at least) for uncertainty?

[LFC2007]

Talk about silly season, how about we start a thread entitled "when we reach Mars in 2012 what are we going to do?".

Hypothetical yet very plausible! 

I'd go for building a space station, thoughts?

[Stu.Murph]

Phil Thompson with John Aldridge as his number 2 and Stu the red on the scouting department.

[adamnbarrett]

I'd ask Kenny Dalglish if he wanted it again to be honest.

[redtrader74]

Phil Thompson with John Aldridge as his number 2 and Stu the red on the scouting department.

Championship here we come 

[Stu.Murph]

Phil Thompson with John Aldridge as his number 2 and Stu the red on the scouting department.

Championship here we come 

I reckon so.

We'd probably need some world class coaches to attract the best players.

But with Thommo's an Aldo's passion and my talent spotting qualities (well better than Simon Cowell) we'd be laughing...

[redtrader74]

Phil Thompson with John Aldridge as his number 2 and Stu the red on the scouting department.

Championship here we come 

I reckon so.

We'd probably need some world class coaches to attract the best players.

But with Thommo's an Aldo's passion and my talent spotting qualities (well better than Simon Cowell) we'd be laughing...

Certainly have a high opinion of yourself .... CHAMPIONSHIP football beckons

[Stu.Murph]

Phil Thompson with John Aldridge as his number 2 and Stu the red on the scouting department.

Championship here we come 

I reckon so.

We'd probably need some world class coaches to attract the best players.

But with Thommo's an Aldo's passion and my talent spotting qualities (well better than Simon Cowell) we'd be laughing...

Certainly have a high opinion of yourself .... CHAMPIONSHIP football beckons

I've said it millions of times mate, I know a player when I see one. Simple as that.

[The Bench]

AdamB -> Kenny Dalglish.
Now that would be interesting. He'd definitely get the backin of the fans from day one. Along with the british players. Then they'd have to convince, no, wrong word, assure/explain(?) to the foreign players why he was right choice.
Would he want it though? i think he'd walk back to be honest. Still knows the game and the club inside out and what a boost he'd give to the pessimists on these boards!!

I know this is purely hypothetical, and I am more than happy with Rafa, and hope he stays for a long while yet, but it's an interesting thought 'Well Red' and I hope the majority of people here will get involved in what could be a really interesting "hypothetical" thread.

[Ian Rush's Right foot]

we'd be in a parralell universe cause it would NEVER happen (well not this summer anyway)

[The Bench]

Yawn at IRRF. Its a hypothetical question. Why not have a little think and then participate.

[Sabre]

Well, for me the question is interesting, because I'd never say sack Rafa if I haven't a better alternative in mind.