The Football.....

[ianrauk]

I don't think he will go for it. Reading between the lines it looks like Martinez turned them down because of van Gaal. Rogers said he wasn't interested in the Chelsea job, so I'd be surprised if he goes to Liverpool.

Also can't see the fans taking to him either.
With their 'big club' mentality they will want someone more high profile the Rogers.

 

[Inertia]

I don't think he will go for it. Reading between the lines it looks like Martinez turned them down because of van Gaal. Rogers said he wasn't interested in the Chelsea job, so I'd be surprised if he goes to Liverpool.

Ive given up believing anything in the papers, as Liverpool have said absolutely zip publicly, its a great time for papers to make stuff up. Does anyone even have a source to attach to the shopping list that was touted at the start of this, or anything?

If we believe the reports Van Gaal is off the menu now so Rodgers is favourite even though they havent even spoken to him yet, AFAWK

 

[dellzeqq]

they have that with van Gaal. I can't see why they don't give him the job and hire an assistant with a view to having the assistant take over.

 

[bof]

I think Croatia for the Euros may be worth a bet on 66-1 (IIRC as I last saw them), especially with the latest betting scandal affecting the Italian team who they play in the group stage. Some pretty tasty players, especially Modric who at his best can really get his team buzzing.

Anyone see the Panorama program on Ukraine and Poland supporters - worse than English grounds were around the time of Heysel and the national authorities and police in denial going "Racism, what Racism" - I think there might be some very ugly scenes during the Euros.

 

[bof]

I think it's a real shame for Swansea. I don't know who they'll get - either gamble on a promising young manager from the lower leagues or some middle-ranking old pro who always seems to be available, like Alan Curbishley or Steve Bruce. I'd like to see them give a young manager a go - but the risks surely outweigh the benefits.
BTW - Germany for the Euros (or France)

Gus Poyet?

 

[dellzeqq]

I don't think he will go for it. Reading between the lines it looks like Martinez turned them down because of van Gaal. Rogers said he wasn't interested in the Chelsea job, so I'd be surprised if he goes to Liverpool.

well - how wrong can you be. Apparently Rogers has signed. I think he's mad to take it on, but, hey. he'll not be out of work when he leaves.

Swansea get £4 to £5million compensation

 

[Scruffmonster]

well - how wrong can you be. Apparently Rogers has signed. I think he's mad to take it on, but, hey. he'll not be out of work when he leaves.

Swansea get £4 to £5million compensation

I agree, but how sad is it that you can say 'Mad to take it on' about the Liverpool job?

I think his style will suit Liverpool*, if he's lucky enough to get a fit Lucas to start the season with, thats going to help immensely.

*They have the players, but the fans may not love it.

 

[Smokin Joe]

I agree, but how sad is it that you can say 'Mad to take it on' about the Liverpool job?

The owners demand a top four finish, they probably haven't got the team to do it. FSG don't care about the FA Cup, the Carling Cup or the Europa league because they don't care about the game at all, they just want Champions League football money and anyone who doesn't deliver will be out on their ear.

 

[RedRider]

The noises coming from LFC (in the form of an official website interview with John Barnes) imply Brendan Rogers could be relatively expendable compared with a director of football who oversees continuity and a 'way of playing' philosophy from youth team up.

John Barnes:

The whole point of a system is that you don't change it. You don't change the philosophy.
New men come in with their own ideas and change the entire philosophy of the club and then what happens is you're reliant on that manager being there forever to continue that. That can't happen so you have constant change and if you have constant change, there's no continuity and no stability. It's very expensive too as you waste money on players. On top of all that, it's rarely successful.
A club needs a thread running right through it; Barcelona has that. It's like the whole concept of a technical director in Spain. Because it's not common in England, we don't tend to understand it but in Spain, the technical director will know the long-term plan for the club and regardless of which manager comes in - yes, he can bring his own ideas, but he can't alter the philosophy and football identity of that club - he has to buy into that identity of the club which is shaped culturally and socially by the region and by the fans and also by the way that they want to play.
It's so important, not just because managers will invariably come and go, but because players will also come and go. You don't see many players at clubs for 10 years anymore so you can't just keep getting different types of players every two years and expect any type of consistency. Whereas if you know the kind of player you want in every position at your club, if your superstar player leaves, you can simply get someone else to fill that role.

The club hired a new PR/communications man just before this interview was published. It's an interesting read for Liverpudlians.

 

[musa]

Maybe his passing style will suit Liverpool. Get downing to do flipping work

 

[ianrauk]

The owners demand a top four finish, they probably haven't got the team to do it. FSG don't care about the FA Cup, the Carling Cup or the Europa league because they don't care about the game at all, they just want Champions League football money and anyone who doesn't deliver will be out on their ear.

Spot on

 

[StuAff]

I think some of these judgements about FSG are both somewhat harsh, and somewhat premature. Yes, they're after money (as, contrary to some opinions, football is a business, for better or worse), but it is early days yet. The days of financial doping in football a la Abramovitch, let alone Sheik Mansour, are coming to an end, and it's going to be a case for all clubs of business on and off the pitch being more grounded in reality (as opposed to paying £50m for out-of-form players). Given what they've achieved in Boston (recent downturn in Red Sox form notwithstanding), I don't think it's beyond them to turn LFC around. No, the whole Kenny thing wasn't handled well, along with many things..but they seem to be moving the right way. And, frankly, why not Brendan Rodgers? He fits in with the way FSG want to run the club (which bears more than a passing resemblance to the traditional 'Liverpool' way, AFAIK) and the style of play FSG & the fans expect. There's a thin line between success and failure, as Kenny found to his cost, but this could be a very shrewd move.

 

[RedRider]

There's a thin line between success and failure, as Kenny found to his cost, but this could be a very shrewd move.

Listening to him talk and watching the way Swansea played last season he seems a good 'fit'. Looking forward to watching his Liverpool team.

 

[User482]

Listening to him talk and watching the way Swansea played last season he seems a good 'fit'. Looking forward to watching his Liverpool team.

Swansea had a terrific season, but was that down to Rogers, or was he capitalising on the foundations laid by Martinez?

 

[Inertia]

Swansea had a terrific season, but was that down to Rogers, or was he capitalising on the foundations laid by Martinez?

Id say both, from what I know Martinez left, they had defensive frailties, they got Souza in who improved that side of it at the cost of attacking and Rodgers came in and balanced the two. He also took them into the prem which is no mean feat.