The Ongoing Serie A, La Liga, All English Football, Champions League Thread - - Part 11

[spidey-dude]

gutted beyond belief, and unless we get Rafa or Pep I'll be pissed off beyond belief

[the_ultimate_evil]

and the summer of ohh **** we need to do something, has begun

[RKO]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...?cc=5901&dhhgg

"After a careful and deliberative review of the season, the club came to the decision that a change was appropriate. It is not a decision that was reached lightly or hastily. The search for a new manager will begin immediately."

Principal owner John Henry said: "Kenny will always be more than a championship winning manager, more than a championship winning star player. He is in many ways the heart and soul of the club. He personifies everything that is good about Liverpool football club. He has always put the club and its supporters first. Kenny will always be a part of the family at Anfield.

"Our job now is to identify and recruit the right person to take this club forward and build on the strong foundations put in place during the last 18 months."

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner said: "Kenny came into the club as manager at our request at a time when Liverpool football club really needed him. He didn't ask to be manager; he was asked to assume the role. He did so because he knew the club needed him. He did more than anyone else to stabilize Liverpool over the past year-and-a-half and to get us once again looking forward. We owe him a great debt of gratitude.

"However, results in the Premier League have been disappointing and we believe to build on the progress that has already been made, we need to make a change.

"We are committed to delivering success for our supporters and our ambition remains resolute to return this great club to the elite of England and Europe, where it belongs."

Dalglish said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to have had the chance to come back to Liverpool football club as manager. I greatly appreciate the work that Steve, Kevin, the players and all of the staff put in during my time and feel proud that we delivered the club's first trophy in six years winning the Carling Cup and came close to a second trophy in the FA Cup Final.

"Of course I am disappointed with results in the league, but I would not have swapped the Carling Cup win for anything as I know how much it meant to our fans and the club to be back winning trophies.

"Whilst I am obviously disappointed to be leaving the football club, I can say that the matter has been handled by the owners and all concerned in an honourable, respectful and dignified way and reflects on the quality of the people involved and their continued desire to move the football club forward in the same way as when they arrived here.

"I would like to thank all of the staff at the club for their effort and loyalty. I said when first approached about coming back as manager that I would always be of help if I can at any time and that offer remains the same.

"Finally, I want to put on record my heartfelt gratitude to Liverpool's fans, who have always given me and the club their unwavering support. Without them neither the club nor I would have achieved anything."

[Dr Lee]

Ironic that the man #Liverpool fans wanted so badly has been sacked on the day the man they didn't want names his England team.

From Twitter

[B]

Originally Posted by spidey-dude

gutted beyond belief, and unless we get Rafa or Pep I'll be pissed off beyond belief

Do you really want Rafa Benitez back? I've seen a few Liverpool fans ask for Benitez to be brought back on Sky & personally I don't understand why.

True he did win a handful of trophies at the club, but then again so did Houllier & I don't hear people calling for him to return even though he actually had a successful stint at another club unlike Benitez.

Benitez also led Liverpool to like one of their worst runs of form in about 20 years, then was sacked or left of his own accord & left Hodgson to try to pick up the pieces.

I highly doubt you will get Pep as hes already commented a few times that one of the reasons for leaving Barcelona was that he needed a break from the game & planned to take at least a year off. Personally speaking, I wouldn't want Benitez back if I were a Liverpool fan. I think he took the club as far or as close to a Premiership win as he could.

I'm not shocked about Dalglish being removed either, he did a good job settling the clubs form, however they are still very erratic & need someone, in my opinion, who hasn't been away from the management side of the game for about 10 years.

[Dr Lee]

Steve Clarke has quit 'out of loyalty to Dalglish'

[Iceman]

Damn, Kenny's just been out of the game too long. Should never have left. Wonder where the balance of power would be now with Liverpool & Utd if he had.

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by RKO

England squad:

What do people think the starting lineup will be? Glad Gerrard is captain for the tournament. Without Rooney our strikers look terrible compared to what we've taken to tournaments in the past.

[spidey-dude]

Originally Posted by B

Do you really want Rafa Benitez back? I've seen a few Liverpool fans ask for Benitez to be brought back on Sky & personally I don't understand why.

True he did win a handful of trophies at the club, but then again so did Houllier & I don't hear people calling for him to return even though he actually had a successful stint at another club unlike Benitez.

Benitez also led Liverpool to like one of their worst runs of form in about 20 years, then was sacked or left of his own accord & left Hodgson to try to pick up the pieces.

I highly doubt you will get Pep as hes already commented a few times that one of the reasons for leaving Barcelona was that he needed a break from the game & planned to take at least a year off. Personally speaking, I wouldn't want Benitez back if I were a Liverpool fan. I think he took the club as far or as close to a Premiership win as he could.

I'm not shocked about Dalglish being removed either, he did a good job settling the clubs form, however they are still very erratic & need someone, in my opinion, who hasn't been away from the management side of the game for about 10 years.

you don't understand why? he is a fantastic manager thats why! Under his tenure of the club he had to deal with alot of crap from Hicks and Gillet, but before they asset stripped us he had won the champs league, got to a second final, won an FA cup, and built a squad that not only got us top 4 year after year but legitimately challenged for the title in 08/09

you say the worst form, but he had to deal with the asset stripping that hicks and gillet were doing and no investment - the man did great considering

[Hunter Rider]

Benitez also lost the dressing room near the end and was very negative for a Liverpool manager, yes I know he's tactics obsessed but Liverpool too often played like an old Serie A side under him, the team was more free flowing under Daglish and closer to traditional Liverpool style of attacking play.

Pardew might be a good choice, he's done very well in the transfer market and got within spitting distance of a CL spot on a small budget.

[kit1982]

Originally Posted by spidey-dude

you don't understand why? he is a fantastic manager thats why! Under his tenure of the club he had to deal with alot of crap from Hicks and Gillet, but before they asset stripped us he had won the champs league, got to a second final, won an FA cup, and built a squad that not only got us top 4 year after year but legitimately challenged for the title in 08/09

you say the worst form, but he had to deal with the asset stripping that hicks and gillet were doing and no investment - the man did great considering

Not to mention the signings of Torres, Lucas, Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Mascherano (at at time where noone wanted him) Alonso, Kuyt, Aurelio etc. Very underrated manager and lets not forget what he achieved at Valencia aswell. People throw Inter at him but to be fair to him it's not as if any of his successor's have done anything. I think people forget how well Liverpool played under him aswell, the 4-1 at OT against a very good United side, the 5-1 away win at Newcastle, 4-1 against Arsenal and many more.

[RKO]

Originally Posted by Iceman

What do people think the starting lineup will be? Glad Gerrard is captain for the tournament. Without Rooney our strikers look terrible compared to what we've taken to tournaments in the past.

Maybe something like this, with no Rooney for the first 2 games.

------------------------Hart

Johnson-------Cahill-------Terry--------Cole

----------------Parker--------Lampard

Walcott-------------Gerrard------------Young

-----------------------Carroll-------

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by RKO

Maybe something like this, with no Rooney for the first 2 games.

------------------------Hart

Johnson-------Cahill-------Terry--------Cole

----------------Parker--------Lampard

Walcott-------------Gerrard------------Young

-----------------------Carroll-------

Not bad for no Rooney. I could get behind that.

Bit worrying though how important Carroll has become. I hope he can deliver on his potential. If Rooney comes into this system who would he replace? Don't want to see him upront on his own again.

[Hunter Rider]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Not bad for no Rooney. I could get behind that.

Bit worrying though how important Carroll has become. I hope he can deliver on his potential. If Rooney comes into this system who would he replace? Don't want to see him upront on his own again.

In that system he'd replace Gerrard and Gerrard would replace Lampard in the deeper role. The worry with that line-up for me is the lack of legs centrally and the hit & miss nature of the two wide players.

[RKO]

Yeah, I'm not 100% of Young on the left, maybe someone that can play a better winger. You can also switch Johnson for Walker in the back.

[Darthphere]

I always see people up in arms over Micah Richards not being selected but I've never been impressed with him as a defender honestly. He can't even get in the starting XI at City most of the time.

[kit1982]

To be fair you could say the same about Jones who has gone, his defending has been abysmal at times this year, especially at right back. I'm just gutted for Smalling, I really think that man's the future.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by kit1982

To be fair you could say the same about Jones who has gone, his defending has been abysmal at times this year, especially at right back. I'm just gutted for Smalling, I really think that man's the future.

Yeah but Jones is more versatile. You could put him on the bench and he'd fill a need in midfield or defense if it came to be needed. He's not the best in any position but the versatility is probably what got him the call up.

Agreed with Smalling. He's the future back there for England and for United.

[bapi]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

I always see people up in arms over Micah Richards not being selected but I've never been impressed with him as a defender honestly. He can't even get in the starting XI at City most of the time.

You're wrong. Richards was injured in April and Mancini didn't want to make changes in last matches but he's our 1st choice RB and only Lescott, Clichy and Vinnie played more this season than Micah Richards.

Meanwhile...

"Manchester City set new Premier League earnings record of £60.6m after title winning season"

And new Man. City kit leaked:

[B]

Originally Posted by spidey-dude

you don't understand why? he is a fantastic manager thats why! Under his tenure of the club he had to deal with alot of crap from Hicks and Gillet, but before they asset stripped us he had won the champs league, got to a second final, won an FA cup, and built a squad that not only got us top 4 year after year but legitimately challenged for the title in 08/09

you say the worst form, but he had to deal with the asset stripping that hicks and gillet were doing and no investment - the man did great considering

Well to be fair that's not strictly accurate, the previous owners did allow him money to invest in the squad however they didn't allow the sort of money that Abramovich would have been tossing around like fun at the time. What I mean is, he still had to balance the books to a certain degree... however that being said the difference between the income & expenditure from transfer fees, Benitez was still averaging spending about £25m per summer for 6 seasons. I mean over the same 6 years I believe Sir Alex averaged actually spending less money during that time.. but don't quote me on that, however I can check it out if you like.

I don't think Benitez is a bad manager by any means, I personally feel he took the club as far as he could take them. He made alot of poor signings at the club & in my opinion only really managed to make maybe 5 good signings that really worked.. however he signed alot of players in 6 years that either didn't work or he paid far too much for as well. He let 2 or 3 of them leave & failed to replace them & as a result Liverpool started falling down the table which ultimately led to his sacking/leaving.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by bapi

You're wrong. Richards was injured in April and Mancini didn't want to make changes in last matches but he's our 1st choice RB and only Lescott, Clichy and Vinnie played more this season than Micah Richards.

If that was the case, as soon as he was healthy he would be put right back in there. Pun. You play your best players.

[kit1982]

Originally Posted by Darthphere

Yeah but Jones is more versatile. You could put him on the bench and he'd fill a need in midfield or defense if it came to be needed. He's not the best in any position but the versatility is probably what got him the call up.

Agreed with Smalling. He's the future back there for England and for United.

Yeh you might be right there in fairness. I just think it's sad that even though he's been dodgy this year, Glenn Johnson is still far and away the best RB.

[Darthphere]

Originally Posted by kit1982

Yeh you might be right there in fairness. I just think it's sad that even though he's been dodgy this year, Glenn Johnson is still far and away the best RB.

Yeah above my personal opinion on Richards not being that good, there has to be something that's keeping him from being selected.

[spidey-dude]

Benitez had to sell to buy once the new owners came in (07-08 being their first season)

[Darthphere]

Also, what does Carrick have to do to get on the squad.