The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[therockbox]

Because if he got get that group of players playing attractive, good football. Think what he could with a squad with the potential Liverpool has.

People said exactly the same stuff about Hodgson and he was a disaster.

[Matt]

How is a manager supposed to get experience at the top level without someone taking a chance on them?

Besides, Liverpool are hardly at the top level any more. They've won the Carling Cup in the last 6 years (a trophy previously held by Birmingham), 2 Championship sides have won the league more recently than them and in the last 3 seasons they've finished 7th, 6th and 8th.

[Dingle]

Agreed with Matt and Split here. I think Martinez has done a great job getting teams to play attractive football (Swansea too, even if Rodgers gets all the accolades >_>) and could potentially do a great job with Liverpool.

[Summers]

I'd take a tandem of Gunnar and Clarke.

Anyway

I am privy to information as to the movement of Mr L's aircraft.

Most of the time it flies with him on board.

It is planned out to destinations in Norway, one of which relates to the subject of this thread.

The *assumption* therefore is that Mr Lerner is off to meet said gentlemen.

In the last half an hour I have seen Mr Lerner arrive and get off another aircraft.

His jet is still planned to Norway and will be back in the UK tomorrow.

The new *assumption* is that it is collecting someone.

2+2 = very nearly 4 on this occasion I think.

http://www.setanta.com/ie/Articles/2012/05/17/Solskjar-in-Villa-link/gnid-14248

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/251777/Ole-Gunnar-Solskjaer-linked-to-Villa-job

And two websites now carrying the story. It all stems from the man whom I've quoted above. The links indicate how his odds crashed from 20/1 to 6/4 in an hour and he's now favourite on some sites.

Oh, the same guy said there might be a press conference at the Villa tomorrow. IF he does sign 100s of Villa fans from VillaTalk are gonna make a fucking killing. They were betting when he was as high as 30s.

Is that the MysteryMan from VillaTalk? Been trying to follow this as much as possible since hearing about it.

That will be such an awesome appoitment if it happens, cant wait to see Ole back in the PL. You'd have to fancy him to change quite a bit at Villa and I'd really fancy him to get you guys into great shape. If it happens then I can finally go back to actually liking them too, which will be a lovely change as I couldn't bare to watch them under the dreaded McLeish.

No. MysteryMan recently piped up about it - saying he knows the deal is done basically done and it'll be announced on Monday. He could just be hoping it's true and trying to gain some credit.

Honestly, I'd take him. I think he'd do well.

[therockbox]

How is a manager supposed to get experience at the top level without someone taking a chance on them?

Besides, Liverpool are hardly at the top level any more. They've won the Carling Cup in the last 6 years (a trophy previously held by Birmingham), 2 Championship sides have won the league more recently than them and in the last 3 seasons they've finished 7th, 6th and 8th.

I'll let someone else take a chance on him, thanks.

We may not be at the top level anymore in terms of our league position but we're still a big club, with an insane amount of pressure and scrutiny on us every single year. That's not the situation you want to bring a young, untried manager into.

[Dingle]

How is a manager supposed to get experience at the top level without someone taking a chance on them?

Besides, Liverpool are hardly at the top level any more. They've won the Carling Cup in the last 6 years (a trophy previously held by Birmingham), 2 Championship sides have won the league more recently than them and in the last 3 seasons they've finished 7th, 6th and 8th.

I'll let someone else take a chance on him, thanks.

We may not be at the top level anymore in terms of our league position but we're still a big club, with an insane amount of pressure and scrutiny on us every single year. That's not the situation you want to bring a young, untried manager into.

But a manager who has won the prem couldn't do it. What makes you so sure another, different, tried manager can?

[therockbox]

How is a manager supposed to get experience at the top level without someone taking a chance on them?

Besides, Liverpool are hardly at the top level any more. They've won the Carling Cup in the last 6 years (a trophy previously held by Birmingham), 2 Championship sides have won the league more recently than them and in the last 3 seasons they've finished 7th, 6th and 8th.

I'll let someone else take a chance on him, thanks.

We may not be at the top level anymore in terms of our league position but we're still a big club, with an insane amount of pressure and scrutiny on us every single year. That's not the situation you want to bring a young, untried manager into.

But a manager who has won the prem couldn't do it. What makes you so sure another, different, tried manager can?

Kenny was a gamble. I never thought he should get the job full-time, he'd been out for football management for a decade, and his success came when the club was in a completely different place and era.

[MJB]

How has he faired since leaving as manager of United Reserves?

Won the Norwegian League with Molde, I believe.

[Dan]

I hope Martinez doesn't end up at Liverpool, I like him

[MGW]

How is a manager supposed to get experience at the top level without someone taking a chance on them?

Besides, Liverpool are hardly at the top level any more. They've won the Carling Cup in the last 6 years (a trophy previously held by Birmingham), 2 Championship sides have won the league more recently than them and in the last 3 seasons they've finished 7th, 6th and 8th.

I'll let someone else take a chance on him, thanks.

We may not be at the top level anymore in terms of our league position but we're still a big club, with an insane amount of pressure and scrutiny on us every single year. That's not the situation you want to bring a young, untried manager into.

But a manager who has won the prem couldn't do it. What makes you so sure another, different, tried manager can?

Kenny was a gamble. I never thought he should get the job full-time, he'd been out for football management for a decade, and his success came when the club was in a completely different place and era.

Out of curiosity who would you have gone for?

[Matt]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history. They're exactly the sort of club that should be taking a chance on the likes of Martinez or Lambert, if it goes wrong, at worst they're not going to be much worse off than they are now, if it goes well then they've managed to get a top manager that they should be able to keep for years and years without having to pay silly money for Fabio Capello.

[therockbox]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history.

That is clearly a load of bollocks.

Most managers would kill for the sort of backing Kenny got from FSG last summer, regardless of the stature of the club, and like it or not Liverpool's reputation is still huge. That does count for something.

[Lineker]

Matt's got it right. I can think of 5 more attractive clubs.

[Jimmy]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history.

That is clearly a load of bollocks.

Most managers would kill for the sort of backing Kenny got from FSG last summer, regardless of the stature of the club, and like it or not Liverpool's reputation is still huge. That does count for something.

How is that bollocks?

City have a shitload of money and talent.

United are Manchester fucking United.

Arsenal have Champions League football.

Spurs have a fantastic squad of players to work with and possible CL football.

Chelsea have a rich owner and are in the CL Final and possibly CL football.

Which leaves Liverpool as the 6th most attractive job in the league right now, marginally beating out Newcastle despite their great season because of the backing the owners are willing to give a manager. But let's not pretend the other 5 jobs aren't better.

[Matt]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history.

That is clearly a load of bollocks.

Most managers would kill for the sort of backing Kenny got from FSG last summer, regardless of the stature of the club, and like it or not Liverpool's reputation is still huge. That does count for something.

Manchester United... I'm not even going to explain.

Manchester City... Infinite money to spend, quality players.

Arsenal... Have money to spend, consistently coming in the top 4, a couple of quality players too.

Chelsea... Lots of money to spend, quality squad of players.

Tottenham... Generally have quite a bit of money to spend, quality squad of players.

I'll give you Tottenham's arguable, the other 4 would definitely be more attractive.

[therockbox]

Out of curiosity who would you have gone for?

I'm not sure. Last summer was difficult for FSG because, after Kenny inevitably became such a huge improvement on Roy, really they had very little choice but to give him the job. I also don't recall their being quite so many high profile managers out of a job - at the moment there's the likes of Capello, AVB, Benitez, and possibly some international managers after the Euros as well.

[Dan]

Dilusional Liverpool fan strikes again.

[Jimmy]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history.

That is clearly a load of bollocks.

Most managers would kill for the sort of backing Kenny got from FSG last summer, regardless of the stature of the club, and like it or not Liverpool's reputation is still huge. That does count for something.

Manchester United... I'm not even going to explain.

Manchester City... Infinite money to spend, quality players.

Arsenal... Have money to spend, consistently coming in the top 4, a couple of quality players too.

Chelsea... Lots of money to spend, quality squad of players.

Tottenham... Generally have quite a bit of money to spend, quality squad of players.

I'll give you Tottenham's arguable, the other 4 would definitely be more attractive.

If Chelsea lose on saturday I'd say it isn't arguable. Because with the allure of Champions League I can only see the team they have going from strength to strength. If Spurs can retain every player and add three world class players they could easily be up there challenging for the title, like they were in January, except you'd hope they would have enough class not to fuck it up this time.

This isn't saying they will win the league, but they definitely have the potential to be a pain in the ass.

[therockbox]

Liverpool are the 6th most attractive club in the league right now, regardless of history.

That is clearly a load of bollocks.

Most managers would kill for the sort of backing Kenny got from FSG last summer, regardless of the stature of the club, and like it or not Liverpool's reputation is still huge. That does count for something.

How is that bollocks?

City have a shitload of money and talent.

United are Manchester fucking United.

Arsenal have Champions League football.

Spurs have a fantastic squad of players to work with and possible CL football.

Chelsea have a rich owner and are in the CL Final and possibly CL football.

Which leaves Liverpool as the 6th most attractive job in the league right now, marginally beating out Newcastle despite their great season because of the backing the owners are willing to give a manager. But let's not pretend the other 5 jobs aren't better.

The Man City job isn't available.

The Man United job isn't available.

The Arsenal job isn't available.

The Spurs job might be available.

The Chelsea job might be but given their owners reputation and possible lack of CL football it's difficult to say what state they'll be in.

The Newcastle job isn't available.

So four of those jobs you've listed definitely aren't available so will be irrelevent (no manager's going to turn Liverpool down on the off chance Ferguson/Mancini/Wenger get sacked just for the sake of it), and the other two are only maybe's.

[therockbox]

Dilusional Liverpool fan strikes again.

So if we offered Capello the job tomorrow he'd turn it down to hold out for the Man United job, would he?

Don't be an idiot.