Liverpool has parted company with boss Roy Hodgson. The veteran coach has been under pressure for a large amount of his six months tenure and he has been living on borrowed time for awhile.
The Liverpool fans have made their feelings clear about the managerial situation and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish will take charge of the team until the end of the season.
Out of his depth
I like Roy Hodgson but at Liverpool he was completely out of his depth.
Liverpool are still one of the most famous names in football, yet Roy still conducted himself like he was still at Fulham. He still had a midtable mentality and that’s not good enough for Liverpool.
Replacement
Liverpool’s owners now have to find a replacement for the veteran boss. It’s believed that they are not currently too keen on giving fans favourite Dalglish the job on a permanent basis. However the Scot could change that if he can turn the Reds season around.
There is a long list of candidates to become next boss Liverpool. Here is a profile of just a few of those bosses:
Kenny Dalglish (Caretaker boss)
The Scot is a legend at the club after success with the club as both player and boss. He was being touted to take over from Roy Hodgson by the fans months before the veteran boss was sacked. He is one of Liverpool’s ‘old school’ and knows the club inside out.
He hasn’t been a boss for a decade but has been working behind the scenes with the Reds youth setup. He wanted the job last summer when Rafa Benitez was sacked in the summer but was overlooked for the job in favour of Roy Hodgson.
King Kenny as he is known to Liverpool fans now has the chance to prove he is still capable of managing at the top level.
Frank Rijkaard (Unemployed)
The Dutchman is clearly a winner. As a player he won nearly every trophy in the game and as boss of Barcelona re-ignited a failing club. He has been credited for helping Barca rediscover their winning touch.
He helped Barcelona win the Champions League and La Liga title after the club were going through a trophy draught. He had a rather less successful time with Turkish side Galatasaray but is still considered a top coach on the continent. He has to be a frontrunner for the job.
Didier Deschamps (Marseille)
Another who has enjoyed success as both a player and a manager. He was part of the French national side which won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championships. His managerial exploits so far are none-too-shabby either.
In his first managerial appointment he lead Monaco to the Ligue One title in 2003 and the following season to the Champions League final, only to lose to Jose Mourinho’s Porto. Deschamps helped Juventus back into Serie A in 2007 and quit soon after they had secured the Serie B title.
After a short time out of football he was confirmed as the manager of French giants Marseille in 2009 and last season he led OM to their first French league title in 18 years. According to reports he turned down the Liverpool post last summer but it could be second time lucky for Liverpool this summer.
Owen Coyle (Bolton Wanderers)
The ex-Burnley boss is a good young up and coming boss. He has impressed as boss of St Johnstone, Burnley and now Bolton. Not only has he got Bolton winning games but he has also transformed their style from a long-ball team to a team capable of playing attractive football.
He may well be slightly too inexperienced to become Liverpool boss. He would however bring a fresh approach to a side desperately in need of new ideas. He would be an outsider for the position.
Jurgen Klopp (Dortmund)
The 43 year-old has helped Dortmund to the top of the Bundesliga. He has achieved this by assembling a young squad of players who play attractive football. Dortmund’s style this season has mirrored the style of the Germany national team during the 2010 World Cup.
He is a true student of the game and looks at every detail of every game. Liverpool could do a lot worse than appointing the former-Mainz boss.
Rafa Benitez (Unemployed)
Some Liverpool fans have been calling for the return of the boss who left in the summer. His last season in charge of Liverpool saw the Reds finish in 7th position in the Premier League. I’m sure the new Liverpool owners won’t reappoint the Spaniard, despite the calls from a minority of fans.
Martin O’Neill (Unemployed)
The former-Aston Villa boss has been linked with the Liverpool job in the past and he is now a free agent. O’Neill did a superb job in the Midlands but quit on the eve of the season because he was denied funds to strengthen his squad.
Winning
For Liverpool the priority is to start winning again and quickly. Liverpool are dangerously close to the Premier League relegation zone. I doubt they will be relegated but the players now have to start performing.
They now have to prove they are good enough for Liverpool, if they don’t they’ll will be heading for the exit door in the summer.
Who will be the next Liverpool manager?
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