The 2011/12 Gary Speed Memorial Thread

[Hobo]

Part of the reason Hodgson failed was the increased scrutiny that came with the job, he could not hack it. That cannot be denied as an important factor when choosing a manager for Liverpool.

The DoF position may have already been filled and that person could well be involved in appointing the new manager. That is going to be another key thing to get right.

FSG don't have to rush just yet.

[Dan]

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.

Not replying to that, replying to you dismissing Liverpool being the 6th most attractive club in the league for a manager.

And you're missing the point Matt made, Liverpool aren't competing with the top 5 clubs anymore and have been on a downward spiral for about 7 years now, they should be taking chances on young managers.

[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.

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.

How does the jobs not being available stop the clubs from being more attractive? By your logic West Brom should be after whoever out of Capello/Benitez/Deschamps/Klopp/etc you don't get.

[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.

Not replying to that, replying to you dismissing Liverpool being the 6th most attractive club in the league for a manager.

And you're missing the point Matt made, Liverpool aren't competing with the top 5 clubs anymore and have been on a downward spiral for about 7 years now, they should be taking chances on young managers.

But a manager wouldn't even think about the Man Utd/City/Arsenal jobs because they're not available.

In terms of jobs that are available, or even might be available, Liverpool are clearly an incredibly attractive option. Owners that offered unconditional support to the manager last summer, a huge fanbase and history unmatched by most. Anyone that thinks those things don't count is kidding themselves.

Even when we were in the shit under Hicks and Gillett a manager like Pellegrini, who had just left Real Madrid, was interested in the job.

[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.

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.

He never said it was the 6t most attractive available job, he said it the was 6th most attractive job in the league. That's why I took issue with your "that's bollocks" statement.

[Hobo]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

[Matt]

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.

Not replying to that, replying to you dismissing Liverpool being the 6th most attractive club in the league for a manager.

And you're missing the point Matt made, Liverpool aren't competing with the top 5 clubs anymore and have been on a downward spiral for about 7 years now, they should be taking chances on young managers.

No, but remember, they were really good in the 80s!

[therockbox]

How does the jobs not being available stop the clubs from being more attractive? By your logic West Brom should be after whoever out of Capello/Benitez/Deschamps/Klopp/etc you don't get.

Are you suggesting the reputation of a club is irrelevant?

[MGW]

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.

It's not gonna be Rafa, I just can't see him wanting to work with a DoF. It won't be Capello I don't think because it seems they want a younger manager. And AVB would be a risk I think after his time at Chelsea, he hardly set the world on fire and if you believe Stok's stories about the way he handled players do we really need more back room drama? It's such a tricky position, we're definitely the sixth most attractive team in the Premiership for a manager despite our huge reputation but there's this massive expectation from a big section of our fanbase which is that we should be winning everything and that the likes of Gardiola or Moriniho would be beating down our doors.

[Matt]

No, it's just not as relevant as you think it is.

[therockbox]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

And getting into the latter stages of the Champions League in 2009.

Maybe Dan just isn't very good at counting?

[therockbox]

No, it's just not as relevant as you think it is.

I'm not saying it's the be all and end all, but coupled with the backing the owners gave the previous manager and the underachievement of the squad this year, it's clearly a very attractive job.

[Dan]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

And getting into the latter stages of the Champions League in 2009.

Maybe Dan just isn't very good at counting?

CL winners in 2005, never hit that height again = downward.

Actually fuck it, I agree with rockbox, all hail rockbox and his wonderful knowledge of Liverpool.

Bloody armchair supporter.

[Hobo]

Of the available jobs Liverpool is the most attractive. Then Villa and then West Brom.

I fail to see how not winning the champions league is a downward spiral. Liverpool returned to the final two year later, preformed steadily in the league and eventually finshed second. A downward spiral has been since then if anything.

[MGW]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

And getting into the latter stages of the Champions League in 2009.

Maybe Dan just isn't very good at counting?

CL winners in 2005, never hit that height again = downward.

Actually fuck it, I agree with rockbox, all hail rockbox and his wonderful knowledge of Liverpool.

Bloody armchair supporter.

Of course another champions league final and a second place finish with a big points total is nothing.

[Dan]

Would you say Chelsea have been on a downward spiral since Mourinho left?

I would.

[therockbox]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

And getting into the latter stages of the Champions League in 2009.

Maybe Dan just isn't very good at counting?

CL winners in 2005, never hit that height again = downward.

This is silly.

Actually fuck it, I agree with rockbox, all hail rockbox and his wonderful knowledge of Liverpool.

Bloody armchair supporter.

How old are you?

[Dan]

Seven years? Liverpool finished second three/four seasons ago.

And getting into the latter stages of the Champions League in 2009.

Maybe Dan just isn't very good at counting?

CL winners in 2005, never hit that height again = downward.

This is silly.

Actually fuck it, I agree with rockbox, all hail rockbox and his wonderful knowledge of Liverpool.

Bloody armchair supporter.

How old are you?

[Jimmy]

Rockbox, you're missing the point of what Matt says and now this argument is stupid. Well, stupider than it was before anyway.

[therockbox]

Would you say Chelsea have been on a downward spiral since Mourinho left?

I would.

Would you say Porto have been on a downward spiral since 2004? Haven't won the CL since then - but you wouldn't say that because it would be stupid. They punched above their weight so it would be ridiculous to judge them by those standards.