Looked it up. Thiago indeed doesn’t have the necessary badges, especially since he doesn’t have a british passport (thanks Brexit!).
But he can get an exemption for some time while he gets the license as he was a stellar professional and has the experience for such an exemption. That would allow him to work.
Is there anyone with the clout, pedigree and experience who you would be happy handing over the kind of control Klopp had to? He was a special character capable of handling it and even he burnt himself out in just a few years after Edwards left.
There is just a shit load more to do thesedays than there used to be even in the 2000s.
Majority of clubs have adopted the European model now. Man Utd were probably the last to do it and we have seen how haphazard and random their decision making has been over the last 10 years as they struggled to recreate Ferguson.
I know there a lot of question marks over the signings we made, which is fair after the season we had, but I just think give this another 12 months with a proper coach using the players the way they are supposed to be used and we won’t have question marks anymore.
I also have my doubts and I am with you. The positive reviews of Iraola from the posts here is encouraging.
Is there anyone with the clout, pedigree and experience who you would be happy handing over the kind of control Klopp had to? He was a special character capable of handling it and even he burnt himself out in just a few years after Edwards left.
I mean, other than Klopp, I’d probably name Pep, Ancelotti, and Enrique.
But I don’t need a manager to have the level of Klopp’s control - one, which I may say again, only increased after the club succeeded. I just need someone who is more than the coaching arm of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes. And the notion that they’d turn away Alonso because of the kind of “control” he purportedly wanted (we don’t know exactly what that means) sets off alarms in my head. If Alonso is the best manager for the job on merit, then hire him. If he isn’t, then I can accept that. But I can’t accept turning him away because of some turf war between Edwards/Hughes and the manager.
Edwards and Hughes don’t face the public. They don’t face the supporters. They’re not at Kirkby. They don’t speak in pressers. They’re not the ones dealing directly with the players in most cases.
I don’t care to caress their egos. I want the best manager the club can hire, period.
By the way, if we don’t hire Enrique, I’m fairly certain hell end up with one of our rivals in the next couple seasons. My guess is Manchester United, after Carrick goes the way of Ole and they pull the plug. Maybe City if Maresca fails.
Palestra is not going to be cheap. He still has three years left on his contract.
And the notion that they’d turn away Alonso because of the kind of “control” he purportedly wanted (we don’t know exactly what that means) sets off alarms in my head. If Alonso is the best manager for the job on merit, then hire him. If he isn’t, then I can accept that. But I can’t accept turning him away because of some turf war between Edwards/Hughes and the manager.
But there isn’t any evidence to support these claims is there?
Despite not being employed after Real Madrid let him go, he doesn’t appear to have been contacted by the club when sounding out possible replacements for Arne over the winter. It’s reported that we spoke with Fabregas, Iraola and the French guy Palace are now after.
But there isn’t any evidence to support these claims is there?
There’s this reporting:
Yeah I get what you’re saying. I just don’t think Alonso has come anywhere close proving he is a standout candidate for this job - and if his name wasn’t Xabi Alonso I doubt anyone would really care that much about getting him.
Got Real Sociedad B promoted (and then relegated the next season)
Had a good debut season at Leverkusen, followed by a great sophomore year.
Little bit of a disappointing third year.
Fired at Madrid a few months after getting the job.
There is nothing there that I consider awful, Madrid are a basket case and he had a bunch of his best player sold under him at Leverkusen causing a bit of regression but it’s not this incredible world-class resume that many seem to talk about it as.
The best selling point is an unbeaten season at Leverkusen which is obviously an amazing achievement… but they do spend the 3rd most in the league on wages. They should be in the mix.
Iraola’s Bournemouth is currently on the longest unbeaten run in Europe while being the 3rd smallest team in the league in terms of wages and having sold four key players in Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez and Semenyo. All while playing a style of football that looks a better match for the “Liverpool style” than the possession based system Alonso prefers and Slot just failed with.
Anyway sorry I just realized this ramble got away from your point.
The best thing about this gif is when, right after he slams the paper down, he starts poking it with his finger.
The internet was made for moments such as these.
This is exactly the kind of rambling that’s in my head but I don’t take the time to type out on a keyboard.
Please keep doing it ![]()
I just know at this point that if Andoni doesn’t get appointed (unlikely I know from what we read) I would be gutted
Iraola has done a brilliant job, no doubt. He likes to play a brand of football that we’ll enjoy. If he comes I hope he stays for a long time and wins even more than Jurgen did.
I am nervous though as Brendan Rogers was a highly rated young coach who had done a great job and played good football (albeit very different to Iraola) he left having won fuck all (and forever cemented as football’s answer to David Brent). Klopp and Slot had both won the top division in their countries and both got to European finals etc. I think there’s a world of difference between doing an amazing job with Bournemouth and winning leagues and Champions leagues with Liverpool.
Unfortunately I can also see Enrique ending up at one of our rivals in a year or two, as there doesn’t seem to be any real suggestion he’s moving now, but surely he would want to prove himself in the prem now he’s a double European champion, rather than keep winning the micky mouse league.
I am nervous though as Brendan Rogers was a highly rated young coach who had done a great job and played good football (albeit very different to Iraola) he left having won fuck all (and forever cemented as football’s answer to David Brent).
I think in some ways Brendan was quite similar to Arne. Both preferred a more possession based style of football and lost their way trying to implement it after some initial success with a more direct approach.
Is there anyone with the clout, pedigree and experience who you would be happy handing over the kind of control Klopp had to? He was a special character capable of handling it and even he burnt himself out in just a few years after Edwards left.
Totally. Just compare the video when he arrived to the one when he announced his resignation. Looked like he’d aged 30 years. Now looking great again. With the money and the pressure in the PL nowadays it’s not humanly possible for one person to have that much control
Ooomph!! and pizazzz!!! thats what we need…with a touch of hard work, team management…understanding, fan understanding, and to be able to get these players into shape…and at the top of the league…where we belong…
True, but I can’t help but feel the step up could be similar for Iraola. A lack of experience winning big trophies isn’t ideal when following 2 championship winning managers. The pressure will be on big time.
having sold four key players in Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez and Semenyo
Even more impressive is that he improved those 4 players to the level that PSG, Madrid, City and Liverpool wanted them
True, but I can’t help but feel the step up could be similar for Iraola. A lack of experience winning big trophies isn’t ideal when following 2 championship winning managers. The pressure will be on big time.
Sure…but their problem wasn’t really because they hadn’t won big trophies - if not for Covid, Arne would have had two Dutch league titles and he won the Premier league in his first season with us. Brendan after leaving us won a number of Scottish league titles but still demonstrates the same failures as he did when managing us.
If we go for Iraole, and with him being an extremely young coach at 43yrs, we just got to hope he is a quick learner and adapts accordingly with the busier schedule anticipated at LFC.
One important fact needs to be taken into consideration though, and it is this… Iraole is not going to be competing against the powerhouse clubs both in the PL and across Europe, for the way I see it, he will be competing against the managers of those clubs… Arteta, Alonso, Mourhino, Carrick, Emery, Maresca, Enrique, Simeone and a few others… All he has to do in the early part of his leadership, is to hold his own or even better them…
If he puts in the hard yards, and his footballing philosophy matches his devotion to duty, is there a need to worry too much.
If he can get us into the CL every season, then what’s the worst that can happen… we don’t win silverware for a few seasons while he beds in properly…! Okay, but it won’t be the first time.
We have to go with someone, and to go with a guy that seems suited and built to grow into the role… well why not.. short term loss for long term gains eh