For me, the achieveable and realistic way that things could play out for the rest of the season are as follows:
DURING SEASON
-Fans remain vocal and supporting of our manager, despite current doubts. Kenny will not go before the end of the season so lets make sure we treat him with the respect he has earned. We are not getting champions league, and we are already in the Europa. We have won a trophy. We havent done that in a while.
-League form turns around - I'm not talking about winning every game, but a few wins, top 7 spot and hopefully some decent contributions from the Anfield Scapegoats club to improve confidence with the pressure off.
- Knock Everton out of the cup, followed by the next team. 2 out of 3 trophies won from the competitions we entered, doesn't look too bad does it?
-Give some youngsters a chance, there is very little expectation or pressure in the league now - there will never be a better time to bring some through.
CLOSE SEASON
-Kenny opts to step away from management, and returns to the ambassadors role. Actually, in the wake of suarezgate etc, maybe a non-ambassadorial role, but something. Nobody gets sacked, kenny gives us two trophies and brings some decent football back to anfield - he has steadied the ship, built some strong foundations, won some trophies and left the role with some dignity. Job done.
-A new, talented, probably continental manager comes into post. He doesnt have to be embryonically young, but older than all the players. He doesnt have to be the most experienced person in the world, because we don't want Roy back. He shouldn't be Rafa - this club is looking forwards now. By the end I wanted him gone and stand by it. Sometimes you look at your ex and wonder if you would take her back, but you know you split up for a reason.
-Everybody conceeds defeat with andy carroll and he leaves the club. He takes adam with him on a 'two bad players for the price of one' deal. Liverpool make a loss, but nobody seems too bothered. Henderson stays, downing stays.
-Carragher moves into a coaching role, along with Hyypia, who has recently had a successful coaching spell in Germany.
-Liverpool recruit just two or three technically gifted players. A decent finisher, a creative midfielder (like aquilani, but not made of balsa wood), and a scary fast, tricky winger. They are all foreign and represent good value for money vs buying british. The squad suddenly looks very good.
-Liverpool have a good preseason. I know everyone says it means nothing, but in recent times we have had bad seasons after bad preseasons.
And, as a result...
Next year will probably not be our year, but it will probably be better than this..
(cue LAL, Carroll <Laugh>, "King Kenny? Queen Kenny more like!" etc)
IDEAL END OF SEASON SCENARIO
posted on 2/4/12
Fred
Well if there aren't significant improvements in performance in the remaining 7 games (plus FA Cup) then I would expect KD to have a pretty harrowing end of season review!
In terms of how long is long enough it's really difficult yo say. If pushed I'd say end of the calendar year. The chances are our end of season transfers targets will be planned (possibly even negotiated) already. Personally I'd give KD a pre-season to sort out a team that plays to his preferred style and get players performing. If he hasn't done that by December then perhaps it would be best for all if he moves on.
posted on 2/4/12
Last One In
The thing is, it'll be too late by December. Without significant change in management, we won't sign anybody decent and it's a slow downhill process to turning into Nottingham Forest.
I can't see that happening to my club. We need to at least try change and develop a new, modern-day philosophy at the club.
posted on 2/4/12
Personally I can't see how kenny or Comolli can be trusted with anymore of the clubs money! I'd bring in the next manager now (if available) or certainly ask who he would require (transfer wise)
posted on 2/4/12
comment by King Luis Suarez - I might be fick but I can spell DEEEEENCH!!! (U1695)
posted 39 minutes ago
The fact that we knew Suarez would be missing or most of jan and feb, yet no striker was brought in even though we needed striking
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Aye because we've always done well in the January window.
posted on 2/4/12
Javier Mascherano
Martin Skrtel
Daniel Agger
Arbeloa
Maxi Rodriguez
Robbie Fowler
There's some players who we bought during the January transfer window when Rafa was in charge.
posted on 2/4/12
Fowler was an academy graduate. When we signed him there was no such thing as transfer windows.
Perhaps the players we could have got were not good enough and the players we want were not available.
No-one bought big in the January window.
posted on 2/4/12
comment by Redinthehead -at least we didn't finish 1... (U1860)
posted 33 minutes ago
Fowler was an academy graduate. When we signed him there was no such thing as transfer windows.
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I don't mean when he came through the youth system, I'm not an idiot.
I mean when we signed him, it was January and meant he was another player added to the list of good signings Rafa made in January, which goes against the point you made.
"Perhaps the players we could have got were not good enough and the players we want were not available."
Or perhaps the owners weren't willing to provide more money, which I think was most likely.
posted on 2/4/12
I think that December is not sch a good time to change managers. for me it has to be at the end of a season - if you are changing managers mid season, the chances are that the new manager already has a salvage job on their hands, and wont be able to properly implement their own plan and buy their own players until another half a season passes. Effectively another season is written off in my book. And yes even if they do well from january (e.g. Roberto Di Matteo), the fact that the previous manager has had to go tells me that the season is probably in the mire in the first place, so they are starting off behind everyone in the first place.
posted on 2/4/12
comment by Molbys Pie Shop (U9212)
posted 6 minutes ago
I think that December is not sch a good time to change managers. for me it has to be at the end of a season - if you are changing managers mid season, the chances are that the new manager already has a salvage job on their hands, and wont be able to properly implement their own plan and buy their own players until another half a season passes. Effectively another season is written off in my book. And yes even if they do well from january (e.g. Roberto Di Matteo), the fact that the previous manager has had to go tells me that the season is probably in the mire in the first place, so they are starting off behind everyone in the first place.
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I agree in most part, however there are certainly times when you should change. How many times have you seen a team in or close to the relegation zone only for a new manager to come in and their play completely transform?
Managers make a big difference to how teams play and that shouldn't be underestimated.
posted on 2/4/12
I agree in most part, however there are certainly times when you should change. How many times have you seen a team in or close to the relegation zone only for a new manager to come in and their play completely transform?
Managers make a big difference to how teams play and that shouldn't be underestimated.
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I do agreed with that, it happened to us with kenny last year! It's just that (as happened with us) a team which only starts to play in december doesn't usually win anything. I think it's good to stop teams getting worse or bringing things round, but we need to aim for being successful over a full season. If you have to move a manager on in december, the chances are that the previous incumbent's failiure, and hence the reason they moved on, has already torpedoed the season.. Either way, fair points, different views..