Liverpool F.C and their owners FSG need a new leader and one that is up to the task of rebuilding their Kingdom before it goes into a state of permanent disrepair. The sacking of Kenny Dalglish was a painful moment for Liverpool and it's fans but if FSG's replacement isn't up to the frankly daunting task that awaits him at Anfield, then the pain will only increase. Liverpool need to show signs of life in the Premier League and get back into the Champions League post haste. The domestic names being banded around to succeed Dalglish aren't exactly inspiring faith in that outcome becoming a reality.
Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rogers and Paul Lambert have all been touted for the job and while they are fine young managers, surely Dalglish's replacement must have previous experience of high expectation levels at a truly big club. Gambling on relatively inexperienced but talented managers who could be at Liverpool for a long time is a nice idea but FSG need a man who can give the club as much of a guarantee of success as possible. Pinning your hopes on men who have only managed at clubs like Wigan, Norwich or Swansea is extremely risky. Below are four candidates that I believe should be at the top of FSG's short list.
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| AVB: Chelsea experience shouldn't count against him |
Andre Villas Boas - Highly rated, young, studious and tactically astute, he has also worked in the pressure cooker environments of F.C Porto and Chelsea. He may have failed during his 6 months in London but the job he inherited at Stamford Bridge was undoubtedly a poisoned chalice. Ageing stars who were never going to appreciate his ideas to move the club on from the 'Mourinho generation', little opportunity to bring in players to fit his system and a chairman who gives you less time to get things correct than the countdown clock all helped to facilitate his downfall. At just 34 he would apparently fit FSG's desire for a young manager who could remain at the helm for the long term. On a personal level, joining Liverpool would give him the opportunity to have another crack at Premier League management in a less volatile environment than the one he experienced at Chelsea. Unlike his short lived tenure on the Kings Road he would surely be afforded sufficient time and patience to forge a team in his own identity. He is currently unemployed and was previously under consideration to replace Roy Hodgson before Kenny Dalglish returned to his throne at Anfield. Nine bad months at Chelsea should not count too much against him given his previous excellence at Porto. If anything it would have helped prepare him for a second stint in England.
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| Rafa Benitez: Could he adapt to FSG's vision for LFC? |
Rafa Benitez - European Cup winner? Check. Won a major League title in Europe? Check. Led Liverpool to their highest position and accrued more points than any other manager at the club since the Premier League era began? Check. Loved by a significant portion of the Anfield faithful? Check. Benitez must be considered for the post by FSG based on his C.V alone. Forget the idea of 'never going back', the only prohibitive aspects of Benitez' returning to his former club are whether he would be comfortable not having full control (FSG want a Director of Football to oversee things) and whether he would be able to recreate his previous success at a club that now bares little resemblance to the one he took charge of in 2004. The Anfield he would walk into now is vastly different from the one he once called home. He would likely not be given carte blanche by FSG to run the club from top to bottom and in the past his refusal to accept this has led to his downfall, most notably at Valencia and Liverpool. Certain senior players would not approve of his appointment and a section of the fan base would positively hate the move given the way his previous reign descended into a political farce but Benitez remains a top class manager and Liverpool cannot afford to ignore the out of work Spaniard whose heart still resides within the Shankly Gates. If he is willing to adapt his style to fit FSG's vision for the club then he has to be a serious contender give his experience and past successes.
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| Jurgen Klopp: Could he be made to part with Dortmund? |
Jurgen Klopp - At just 44 years old Klopp is one of the most highly rated managers in the game. He has turned Borussia Dortmund in Germany's dominant side despite the financial power of Bayern Munich and he has done so in an efficient and frugal manner. He seemingly fits the bill perfectly for Liverpool Football Club and FSG will surely be casting envious glances towards Dortmund this very moment. The question is whether he would be willing to sacrifice his opportunity to create a dynasty at Borussia to chance his arm in the Premier League. Dortmund and the Bundesliga are on the rise and Liverpool cannot offer Champions League football unlike his current employers. He would be a popular choice on the Kop but he remains an outside bet to ply his trade on Merseyside given Liverpool's desperate current state when compared to his own club.
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| Fabio Capello: Almost guarantees improvement |
Fabio Capello - Forget the crap that the English media peddled in their successful attempt to oust him from his post as England manager, Capelllo will go down in history as one of the greatest managers of all time. He has delivered numerous league titles in Spain and Italy, won the European Cup and gets results wherever he goes (Even as England manager his win percentage was phenomenal). His age will probably count against him and whether he would feel the need to take on such a demanding challenge of rebuilding Liverpool at this stage in his career remains to be seen but John Henry and co could do a lot worse than appointing one of the best managers in the world, regardless of how fluent his English is or what bile the tabloid press would come out with. If you want a C.V that screams success then Fabio Capello is your ideal candidate.
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