Liverpool FC Forum

by **made in UK** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:23 am

By JOHN EDWARDS and MATT LAWTON
Last updated at 11:40 PM on 14th January 2010

Guus Hiddink has put himself in the frame to replace Rafa Benitez as Liverpool manager but will first seek the approval of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

The Dutchman, who was a huge success during a four-month spell at Chelsea last year, is set to leave his job as coach of Russia and has told friends he would relish the challenge at Anfield.

Hiddink’s menacing presence in the wings came as Benitez suffered the devastating blow of losing three vital players to injury — Fernando Torres for six weeks, Steven Gerrard for a fortnight and Yossi Benayoun for a month.

Benitez is likely to survive the season despite the humiliating FA Cup loss to Reading on Wednesday. The home defeat sparked fury among Liverpool fans, who flooded radio phone-ins and internet forums with demands that he be sacked.

Hiddink, 63 and a veteran of three World Cups, is still to thrash out the terms of his departure from Russia but sources close to him have revealed he is desperate for a second opportunity in the Barclays Premier League. He will consult Abramovich, who has stopped funding his £6.25million-a-year salary as Russia coach, before making up his mind.

Hiddink said: ‘I have to speak to the federation president before making any decision on my future, but it is true that I would like to coach in England again. After all the support I’ve received from Roman Abramovich I owe it to them to discuss anything with them first.’

Just when Benitez thought things could not get worse, he was buffeted by a torrent of bad news on the injury front. Torres was found to have torn a cartilage in his right knee in the opening minutes on Wednesday, and Gerrard strained a hamstring and will miss the away games with Stoke and Wolves and the Anfield clash with Tottenham next Wednesday.

Torres can add Everton, Arsenal and Manchester City to the catalogue of key Premier League fixtures he will have to sit out, and there was a further setback when it was revealed that Benayoun had cracked a rib.

Benitez’s reputation, so long defended on Merseyside, now seems irreparably damaged.

Ronnie Whelan, a key member of Liverpool’s midfield in the 1980s, issued a withering condemnation.

He said: ‘I think he should have gone a long time ago. The whole club is struggling — the owners, the club’s in debt, the players are not good enough, the manager’s not good enough. I don’t know where they go.’

Torres also added to the pressure on the club’s owners by saying: ‘This season should have been the turning point for us, the chance to do something great. It is now the owners’ turn. They have to sign players, so that this does not happen again.

‘If we want to compete with Manchester United and Chelsea, we need a much, much more complete squad,’ he says in an interview to be published in Four Four Two magazine.

‘We need more genuinely first-class players, and we also cannot let our best players go.’

Club insiders denied rumours of a bust-up between Benitez and Gerrard at half time against Reading. The skipper had complained of a twinge in his hamstring and a dispute is believed to have evolved with another member of staff.

[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1243361/Guus-Hiddink-closes-embattled-Liverpool-boss-Rafael-Benitez-Chelsea-coach-admits-jump-Kop-
job.html?ITO=1490]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport....TO=1490[/url]

There are no direct quotes here claiming the Dutchman wants the Liverpool job. But at least it might answer the 'who'd want to be a manager of us' mantra.

Personally I've always rated him and think he'd be an ideal bloke to take over from Rafa.

by **Simari** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:28 am

If he is willing to step into the quagmire, would welcome him with open arms.

But Roman and the 2 Americans are chalk and cheese.

by **Aussie Style** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:47 am

Would absolutely love him. Prefer him over Maureen for sure. Did great things with the Aussie side taking us to our first World Cup in 32 years. Hiddink said: ‘I have to speak to the federation president before making any decision on my future, but it is true that I would like to coach in England again."
Arsenal, Chelsea, Utd and City aren't looking, so who else would he want to go to? Our owners should move heaven and earth to get him. Send Rafa to the Bernabeu, if they'll take him.

by **loke** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:58 am

please please please please. Oh I would be made up if this was true and actually happened.

by **tonyeh** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:12 am

Well, SSN is claiming that he's ready.

by **bunglemark2** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:16 am

This is worrying. We're in enough of a state at the moment without this. If Rafa is paid off, then there's no money for new players at least until June. Ergo no new faces in the transfer window...
Not that I'm determined Rafa should stay....I just think we have enough going on at the moment. Hiddink is unlikely to get a job with any other PL club between now and June so maybe Rafa will get until then

And the other thing is, Turkey are looking for a national coach...

by **alxy** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:22 am

Well, we had the same eagerness and excitement when we heard Rafa Benitez was coming over 5 seasons ago. So could just be another false dawn (again!) if Hiddink does indeed become our manager. Though the way things have been going lately, he definitely would be a welcome change. Can't get any worse anyway! And I do feel we need someone a little more understanding perhaps. A more people motivating kind of manager. Rafa is perhaps too cold. Which is fine when you're winning, but does :censored:

-all when you're down in luck and confidence.

Hiddink might pull us out of the fire we're in now, but to win us the league? Jury's still out on that one.....

by **Judge** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:23 am

bunglemark2 wrote:Turkey are looking for a national coach...

similarity to the way we are playing so fowl

by **bunglemark2** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:26 am

Judge wrote:
bunglemark2 wrote:Turkey are looking for a national coach...

similarity to the way we are playing so fowl

Judgemeister, even by YOUR standards, that's lame...

by **tubby** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:39 am

Hiddink would be a good option. A change now could also bring a lift in spirits and get the players playing the way they were last season.

by **woof woof !** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:41 am

Guus Hiddink has put himself in the frame to replace Rafa Benitez as Liverpool manager but will first seek the approval of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Even if Rafa goes I just don't see it happening :no

Does anyone really think Abramovich would encourage Hiddink to go and try to make Liverpool great again ? .

by **Ciggy** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:52 am

Hiddink I want to manage in England again.

Daily mail Hiddink next liverpool manager along with Alec Mc feckin clish.

Not one quote that hes coming to Liverpool, just the media making things up again.

by **shawnk** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:00 am

Ciggy wrote:Hiddink I want to manage in England again.

Daily mail Hiddink next liverpool manager along with Alec Mc feckin clish.

Not one quote that hes coming to Liverpool, just the media making things up again.

If it's true, it would mean he's sending out signal to England clubs that he's available for appointment. And Liverpool seem to be the one needing a world class manager at the moment. Just my thought.

by **Ben Patrick** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:05 am

woof woof ! wrote:
Guus Hiddink has put himself in the frame to replace Rafa Benitez as Liverpool manager but will first seek the approval of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Even if Rafa goes I just don't see it happening

Does anyone really think Abramovich would encourage Hiddink to go and try to make Liverpool great again ? .

Thats a very good point woof.

I am sure he would not want him managing a rival club and would try and prevent it if possible.

by **Waldo** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 11:35 am

If there is to be a change of manager (which I honestly don't think will happen anyway, at least not in the short term) then I would think that Hiddink would be one of very few managers who would probably manage to convince Gerrard, Torres and Mascherano to stay at the club if he took over.

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