The Liverpool Thread

[Ronaldinosa]

sorry but Liverpool are a team on the decline . The season you came second was an over achievement . As previously said your best players are looking to leave . Torres is quality but no better than you or I when he's sat on the physio table . Alonso left a massive hole when he left , and in my opinion it's one you've not recovered from . Your going to find it very difficult to attract the right kind of player with no champions league to offer and 50% tax rate . The only thing Liverpool have going for them at the moment is their name and history , I can't see that being enough . Your in an interesting position , much the same as Citeh . Although they have unlimited funds they can't attract the kind of world class players in every position simply because who they are and where they are . They need to attract 'B' class world stars initially to get them up a stage before filtering in the better players once they have more to offer

[Biff]

Trust you to spot the sexy movies ad!

To be honest, at 45/1 I'm sure Harry would have a few quid on himself! I reckon we might try to get him then if it's a no go Kenny might take over until someone quality is available and new owners are in place. I think the most important thing at the moment is new owners with money to spend, the trouble is the Yanks want too much for the club. I'm sure if they had a more realistic price there would be more interested parties and DIC may be interested again.

Gerrard is probably past his best but I reckon he will still be good for another four or five years.

All English teams have the 50% tax problem and have problems attracting the big names. Even Man U have trouble as top players would rather play for Barca or Real Madrid. Case in point being Ronaldo. Ronaldinho snubbed Man U a few years back too preferring Barca.

[Eirik]

I think it will be Hodgson. he seems to be available without too much hussle and he is a big friend of kenny as far as I know.

And Gerrard looks to leave to Madrid.

[Biff]

I think Gerrard will stay. He flirted with leaving a few years back and I reckon that's the end of it. If he wants to be regarded as a Liverpool legend he needs to be committed to us and not do an Owen. I honestly think everyone will wait to see what happens with the new manager and if we get new owners before being hasty and leaving. The only player who would jump ship is Mascherano.

[Rossi]

Gerrard will probably go to Madrid, it's probably his last chance and with Mourinho there now I can see it happening.

I'd love him to go and then miraculously regret it when we win something the next season like Owen did, stupid cunt.

[Biff]

We might lose some players to Inter as it looks very likely Benitez will be their next manager and he may want to take some of his players. Hopefully he'll just take Nhog, El Zhar, Lucas etc for big money!

[Angaldus]

Well in the news it says that Carragher, Gerrard & Reina will have a say in who they would like to manage them. Team building they called it

[Biff]

Some have said it was the players who wanted rid of Benitez. Remember this?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t00D23R63ig[/youtube]

[Eirik]

So Hodgson it is then.

EXCLUSIVE: Roy Hodgson appointed new Liverpool manager
24 June 2010

KOPTALK can exclusively reveal that Roy Hodgson has been appointed as the new manager of Liverpool Football Club.

The Fulham manager was always the bookies favourite to land the job despite the Reds having considered several alternatives including former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini.

Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish wanted the job but was turned down flat by the current Anfield board. One of Hodgson's first jobs will be to try and persuade his friend to remain at the club.

Dalglish has so far rejected the opportunity to be appointed as Director of Football but maybe he will reconsider when things settle down.

Hodgson has agreed terms with Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow but no official announcement will be made until Fulham and Liverpool finalise a compensation payment.

Later today Hodgson is due to talk to senior members of the Liverpool coaching staff to help him come to a decision as to who should be his assistant.

Hodgson is not on Merseyside at this time and is unlikely to be until everything is official. That doesn't need to be rushed though with Liverpool's players currently down in South Africa or away on their holidays.

Although Liverpool have finally found their new manager, there's still no sign of any new owners. As previously reported by KOPTALK, Liverpool have recently lost Sheikh Khalifa of Abu Dhabi and at least one Indian bidder as a result of the ridiculous valuation of the club.

[Biff]

It could well be right. If he was offered the job I'm sure he would take it straight away.

[Biff]

Roy Hodgson is set to be appointed Liverpool's new manager by Thursday, BBC Sport understands.

The Reds were granted permission to speak to the 62-year-old two weeks ago by his current club Fulham.

Hodgson has also been linked with the England manager's job following the team's humiliating exit from the World Cup but Liverpool have acted quickly.

The Englishman will replace Rafael Benitez in the Anfield hot seat after the Spaniard left at the start of June.

"Hodgson has always been the number one target of the board at Anfield to replace Benitez," said Ian Dennis, BBC Radio 5 live's senior football reporter.

"After Fulham granted Liverpool permission to speak to Hodgson, it was just a matter of the clubs agreeing a compensation deal for him."

Hodgson has been in charge of Fulham since December 2007 and signed a new 12-month rolling contract in December 2009.

Although he suffered a difficult start to his tenure, winning only nine points from his first 13 league matches, he saved the club from relegation in 2007-2008, securing survival on the final day of the campaign.

The following season he steered the club to seventh place in the Premier League - their highest finish - and a place in the Europa League.

His achievement in guiding Fulham to the final of that competition, with wins over Juventus and Wolfsburg en route, resulted in him being named manager of the year by the League Managers Association in May.

Hodgson has also managed Italian giants Inter Milan, Blackburn and Switzerland, who he guided to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup.

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill, former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini, ex-Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink, Croatia coach Slaven Bilic and former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes have all been linked with the Liverpool post.

I'm not sure he's the man for the job, but the sooner we get someone in place the better, and I guess it could be someone worse.

[Biff]

Sky News are saying he has been confirmed as the new manager, so I guess it will be made official in the morning.

[Biff]

An interesting forum post on Roy Hodgson's tactics:

http://forums.fm-britain.co.uk/index.php?topic=11114.0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It looks like he is a 4-4-2 man so it will be interesting to see what he does with Gerrard. Personally, from our current players I would play Benayoun off Torres and have Gerrard spearheading the midfield.

[Eirik]

Benayoun will be off to Chelsea tho.

For me Babel would be 2nd striker !

[Biff]

Roy Hodgson has been appointed the new manager of Liverpool FC.

The 62-year-old former Fulham, Inter Milan and Switzerland manager has agreed terms with the club on a three-year contract and becomes the 18th manager in our history.

He will be unveiled to the world's media this afternoon after overseeing the first day of pre-season training at Melwood.

Hodgson joins us from Fulham, where he guided the Cottagers to the Europa League final in May and was voted Manager of the Year by the League Managers' Association.

He exclusively told Liverpoolfc.tv: "This is the biggest job in club football and I'm honoured to be taking on the role of manager of Britain's most successful football club. I look forward to meeting the players and the supporters and getting down to work at Melwood."

Hopefully he will be a success. I didn't really want him at first but it will be good to have an English manager for a change and he is probably the best English manager available with the most experience.