Sunday 6th June.
Summer of speculation at Anfield / Star exodus to begin with Mascherano
After Rafa Benitez’s sacking, it’s becoming increasingly clear that we’re set for a summer of speculation and rumour at Anfield. The Sunday papers are awash with Reds related stories, despite the fact that there is likely to be a transfer embargo installed until a new manager is appointed.
Former manager Benitez would now appear to be the number one target for Inter Milan, with many news outlets reporting that a number of key players could well follow. This would seem to contradict the suggestion that it was player power that forced the Spaniard out of Anfield.
News: The BBC reports that the ex-Liverpool manager is to hold talks with Inter Milan next week, with president Massimo Moratti reiterating his admiration for the former Reds gaffer. Rafa may have been deemed the wrong man to get Liverpool back in contention for a Champions League spot, but the Italians appear to believe that he is the right men to help them retain the Champions League crown.
Rumour: ...and should Rafa go, it would appear increasingly likely that Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano will be plying his trade at the San Siro next season. The Sunday Mirror builds on his quotes that Benitez’s football ‘is his football’, to pad out its ‘exclusive’.
Rumour: Stories of an exodus abound, with the Reds number nine a prominent subject. For the press, it’s becoming less a matter of if Fernando Torres will leave Liverpool, and more wherehe will leave them for. After yesterday’s speculation about a record breaking bid from Chelsea, the Sunday Express proposes that big spending Manchester City are preparing to make the Spaniard the world’s richest footballer. A £200,000 a week deal is on offer, although El Nino would still have to make do with the rigours of Europa League football next season.
Rumour: ... although one player who will be at Anfield next season is new England captain Steven Gerrard. The Sunday Mirror reports that Gerrard is expected to reject the overtures of Jose Mourinho for a second time, determined to clinch the Premiership crown before he calls time on his Liverpool career.
Rumour: Should Gerrard achieve this life-long ambition, it will be under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson - if the News of the World is to be believed. The Sunday rag reports that the Liverpool board will make a formal approach to Fulham as early as this week in order to secure the services of the 62 year old.
Showing posts with label benitez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label benitez. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Friday, 4 June 2010
KopStuff 4/6/10 - King Kenny in The Frame as Liverpool Search for New Manager
Friday 4th June.
It’s the morning after the night before, and Anfield wakes up managerless; six years of Rafa Benitez stewardship consigned to the history books. An FA Cup, European Super Cup and that famous European Cup will be his official record, a team languishing outside of the top four his legacy.
Protests occurred, noises were made, but the decision was taken to relieve the Spaniard of his position, a £6million compensation package to sweeten the deal.
Benitez was still a popular figure amongst Red’s fans, despite guiding the team to seventh place last season. Most placed the blame for the club’s failures firmly at the feet of the American owners; their boardroom squabbles and inability to provide substantial investment muddying the Anfield waters. Throughout, the manager himself became almost an icon of rebellion; a like-minded figure, a symbol of dissent; forever afforded goodwill after the heroics of Istanbul.
Now, in the cold light of day, the hunt is on for a new manager, with managing director Christian Purslow and Kop legend Kenny Dalglish instrumental in the search. Speculation is mounting that Dalglish himself could take over the reins - based largely on comments attributed to Phil Thompson, rather than anything from within the club. The rumour mill is already in full spin, with over ten names in the frame, although the board have stressed that they will not be rushed into making an appointment. One thing is for certain though - after spending £6million dispatching Benitez to the footballing scrapheap, it is unlikely that they will be wanting to spend too much in compensation to prise another manager away from his club.
Below, we have a look at the main runners and riders for the Liverpool manager’s job.
As previously mentioned, one name in the frame is former player and manager Kenny Dalglish. But what are the actual chances of King Kenny himself taking over the vacant position? A cluster of Anfield legends have been quick to throw their weight behind the iconic Scot, despite him having been out of managerial work for some time. Jamie Redknapp, Bruce Grobelaar and Phil Thompson have all argued for the stability that Dalglish’s appointment would bring to the club, and the backing of the fans is without question. Kenny would fit the other important criteria of being relatively cheap, being already on the Anfield payroll as a club ambassador. But despite these factors, it is unlikely that Dalglish himself would want the position. Having been involved in the club’s glory years, both as a player and a manager, would he be willing to risk his reputation by taking on a club in severe trouble, both off and on the pitch?
Roy Hodgson is another favourite who may also be available on the cheap. The Fulham man is believed to be on a one-year rolling contract, so any compensation would be negligible, certainly below £2million. His tactical nous has helped Fulham to the Europa League Finals, but would he be able to guide the Reds back into Champions League contention? Would the Anfield job be a step too far for the former Inter Milan manager?
Sven Goran Eriksson is another intriguing possibility, with the former England and Manchester City man currently managing the Ivory Coast. The Swede has always made it clear that he would like another crack at the Premier League, and is likely to have an escape clause in his contract with the African side. Any approach would have to wait until after the World Cup, meaning an unsettled summer at Anfield, with a transfer embargo likely.
Martin O’Neill has repeatedly been linked with the Anfield hot seat, along with most jobs in English football. The Aston Villa manager may have been available a season ago, after his relationship with chairman Randy Lerner became strained. However, assurances about his position and transfer funds led the Irishman to commit his future to the Midlands club, and an approach is unlikely to be welcome from either the board or the man himself.
Manuel Pelligrini, the recently sacked Real Madrid manager is another name mentioned in the press, with the Chilean having a further feather in his cap of speaking both fluent Spanish and English. Keeping Rafa’s Spanish contingent happy would be a prime responsibility of any manager working with limited funds.
Rank outsider is ex-Manc Mark Hughes. Several newspapers have touted the ex-Manchester City manager as a possible successor, with Hughes having been unemployed since the winter. With a new stadium still on the agenda, the board may be looking to save on demolition costs here, as Anfield would more than likely be burned to the ground if Sparky was appointed.
Whoever is appointed, their first job will be to assure the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres that the club will be competing for silverware in the coming season.
That’s assuming that those players haven’t already been sold to ease the club’s mounting debts before the new manager is even named…
It’s the morning after the night before, and Anfield wakes up managerless; six years of Rafa Benitez stewardship consigned to the history books. An FA Cup, European Super Cup and that famous European Cup will be his official record, a team languishing outside of the top four his legacy.
Protests occurred, noises were made, but the decision was taken to relieve the Spaniard of his position, a £6million compensation package to sweeten the deal.
Benitez was still a popular figure amongst Red’s fans, despite guiding the team to seventh place last season. Most placed the blame for the club’s failures firmly at the feet of the American owners; their boardroom squabbles and inability to provide substantial investment muddying the Anfield waters. Throughout, the manager himself became almost an icon of rebellion; a like-minded figure, a symbol of dissent; forever afforded goodwill after the heroics of Istanbul.
Now, in the cold light of day, the hunt is on for a new manager, with managing director Christian Purslow and Kop legend Kenny Dalglish instrumental in the search. Speculation is mounting that Dalglish himself could take over the reins - based largely on comments attributed to Phil Thompson, rather than anything from within the club. The rumour mill is already in full spin, with over ten names in the frame, although the board have stressed that they will not be rushed into making an appointment. One thing is for certain though - after spending £6million dispatching Benitez to the footballing scrapheap, it is unlikely that they will be wanting to spend too much in compensation to prise another manager away from his club.
Below, we have a look at the main runners and riders for the Liverpool manager’s job.
As previously mentioned, one name in the frame is former player and manager Kenny Dalglish. But what are the actual chances of King Kenny himself taking over the vacant position? A cluster of Anfield legends have been quick to throw their weight behind the iconic Scot, despite him having been out of managerial work for some time. Jamie Redknapp, Bruce Grobelaar and Phil Thompson have all argued for the stability that Dalglish’s appointment would bring to the club, and the backing of the fans is without question. Kenny would fit the other important criteria of being relatively cheap, being already on the Anfield payroll as a club ambassador. But despite these factors, it is unlikely that Dalglish himself would want the position. Having been involved in the club’s glory years, both as a player and a manager, would he be willing to risk his reputation by taking on a club in severe trouble, both off and on the pitch?
Roy Hodgson is another favourite who may also be available on the cheap. The Fulham man is believed to be on a one-year rolling contract, so any compensation would be negligible, certainly below £2million. His tactical nous has helped Fulham to the Europa League Finals, but would he be able to guide the Reds back into Champions League contention? Would the Anfield job be a step too far for the former Inter Milan manager?
Sven Goran Eriksson is another intriguing possibility, with the former England and Manchester City man currently managing the Ivory Coast. The Swede has always made it clear that he would like another crack at the Premier League, and is likely to have an escape clause in his contract with the African side. Any approach would have to wait until after the World Cup, meaning an unsettled summer at Anfield, with a transfer embargo likely.
Martin O’Neill has repeatedly been linked with the Anfield hot seat, along with most jobs in English football. The Aston Villa manager may have been available a season ago, after his relationship with chairman Randy Lerner became strained. However, assurances about his position and transfer funds led the Irishman to commit his future to the Midlands club, and an approach is unlikely to be welcome from either the board or the man himself.
Manuel Pelligrini, the recently sacked Real Madrid manager is another name mentioned in the press, with the Chilean having a further feather in his cap of speaking both fluent Spanish and English. Keeping Rafa’s Spanish contingent happy would be a prime responsibility of any manager working with limited funds.
Rank outsider is ex-Manc Mark Hughes. Several newspapers have touted the ex-Manchester City manager as a possible successor, with Hughes having been unemployed since the winter. With a new stadium still on the agenda, the board may be looking to save on demolition costs here, as Anfield would more than likely be burned to the ground if Sparky was appointed.
Whoever is appointed, their first job will be to assure the likes of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres that the club will be competing for silverware in the coming season.
That’s assuming that those players haven’t already been sold to ease the club’s mounting debts before the new manager is even named…
Thursday, 3 June 2010
KopStuff 3/6/10 - Liverpool Manager Rafa Benitez on His Way Out of Anfield in Mass Exodus
Thursday 3rd June.
Red’s manager Benitez in talks with agent over Anfield exit.
Rumour: Speculation over Rafa Benitez’s future is growing, with stories surrounding the Spaniard dominating most of the national newspapers this morning. Indeed, the S*n, the Mirror, the Mail, the Star, the Express, the Guardian and the Independent all cover the saga, suggesting that Benitez’s reign at Anfield is nearing an end.
Benitez was due for showdown talks with the Liverpool board, and the understanding is that the Red’s manager is due for talks with his agent, and is looking to engineer a move away from Anfield. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the board have made Benitez an offer to walk away from the club, believed to be in the region of £2.5 million. Rafa has four years of his Liverpool contract remaining, meaning that substantially more compensation would need to be paid if the Spaniard was sacked – possibly in excess of £16million. Should Rafa accept the deal on offer, he could be out of the club by the weekend.
Benitez has been linked with a host of other clubs of late, although he has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to the club. Only last week, he was quoted in the Liverpool Echo as being very happy at Liverpool. Nevertheless, Inter are believed to be interested in the 50 year old, along with the UAE national side. With the ‘walk away’ offer on the table, the chance of a move may become more attractive to a manager at odds with the board.
Liverpool fans will be largely split on the news, with many still backing Benitez, and seeing the club’s problems lying firmly at the feet of the American owners. The relationship between the two has been strained ever since Hicks and Gillett admitted an approach for Jurgen Klinsmann nearly two years ago. Those who support Benitez will wonder what calibre of manager will be attracted to a side struggling financially, and facing struggles both off and on the pitch. It is unlikely that there will be any funds for rebuilding, so the new manager would be expected to perform better than Benitez with the current squad – something that few managers would be capable of. Certainly the names in the frame do not make pleasant reading – few, if any, would be happy to see ex-Manc Mark Hughes at the helm. Roy Hodgson has been linked with the position too, but although he has performed consistently well as a manager, there are concerns that the Liverpool job would be too much of a leap for the Fulham man, and that his name may not be big enough to attract top drawer talent to Anfield.
There are also concerns that several of the Spanish contingent – notably Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres – could be tempted by a move should Benitez move to a high profile European club. Should that happen, it would be increasingly likely that captain Steven Gerrard would finally lose hope of winning the title with his beloved club, opening the door or a move to Real Madrid. However, several newspapers report that it is ‘player power’ that has ultimately resulted in the board’s decision to remove Benitez – it would be unthinkable then for those players to leave, having been granted their wish.
The only thing for certain at the moment is that nothing is for certain. The club could be about to undergo its most important change in recent history – we just need to hope that the board makes the right decision.
This might be the most worrying thing of all.
Red’s manager Benitez in talks with agent over Anfield exit.
Rumour: Speculation over Rafa Benitez’s future is growing, with stories surrounding the Spaniard dominating most of the national newspapers this morning. Indeed, the S*n, the Mirror, the Mail, the Star, the Express, the Guardian and the Independent all cover the saga, suggesting that Benitez’s reign at Anfield is nearing an end.
Benitez was due for showdown talks with the Liverpool board, and the understanding is that the Red’s manager is due for talks with his agent, and is looking to engineer a move away from Anfield. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the board have made Benitez an offer to walk away from the club, believed to be in the region of £2.5 million. Rafa has four years of his Liverpool contract remaining, meaning that substantially more compensation would need to be paid if the Spaniard was sacked – possibly in excess of £16million. Should Rafa accept the deal on offer, he could be out of the club by the weekend.
Benitez has been linked with a host of other clubs of late, although he has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to the club. Only last week, he was quoted in the Liverpool Echo as being very happy at Liverpool. Nevertheless, Inter are believed to be interested in the 50 year old, along with the UAE national side. With the ‘walk away’ offer on the table, the chance of a move may become more attractive to a manager at odds with the board.
Liverpool fans will be largely split on the news, with many still backing Benitez, and seeing the club’s problems lying firmly at the feet of the American owners. The relationship between the two has been strained ever since Hicks and Gillett admitted an approach for Jurgen Klinsmann nearly two years ago. Those who support Benitez will wonder what calibre of manager will be attracted to a side struggling financially, and facing struggles both off and on the pitch. It is unlikely that there will be any funds for rebuilding, so the new manager would be expected to perform better than Benitez with the current squad – something that few managers would be capable of. Certainly the names in the frame do not make pleasant reading – few, if any, would be happy to see ex-Manc Mark Hughes at the helm. Roy Hodgson has been linked with the position too, but although he has performed consistently well as a manager, there are concerns that the Liverpool job would be too much of a leap for the Fulham man, and that his name may not be big enough to attract top drawer talent to Anfield.
There are also concerns that several of the Spanish contingent – notably Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres – could be tempted by a move should Benitez move to a high profile European club. Should that happen, it would be increasingly likely that captain Steven Gerrard would finally lose hope of winning the title with his beloved club, opening the door or a move to Real Madrid. However, several newspapers report that it is ‘player power’ that has ultimately resulted in the board’s decision to remove Benitez – it would be unthinkable then for those players to leave, having been granted their wish.
The only thing for certain at the moment is that nothing is for certain. The club could be about to undergo its most important change in recent history – we just need to hope that the board makes the right decision.
This might be the most worrying thing of all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)