After Xabi Alonso announced that he was staying at Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool’s attention will have needed to turn elsewhere in order for the club to assess which managerial candidates – that meet their criteria – are available for potential hire.
Following Jurgen Klopp is going to be no easy task at all, and whomever takes the Anfield hot-seat once it’s vacated by the German will need to hit the ground running.
There are comparisons that can be drawn from when Sir Alex Ferguson left Man United, and though David Moyes’ tenure at Old Trafford is looked upon as a failure, it’s worth remembering that he was highly regarded at Everton at the time, and was also believed to have been the personal choice of Sir Alex.
Amorim and De Zerbi in the frame for Liverpool job
The Scot had made such an impression at the club that whoever followed him was on a hiding to nothing, and a similar situation could be said to be developing at Liverpool.
Klopp has defined an era for the club, and to that end, anything less than continued success whilst playing a brilliant brand of football will not be acceptable to the Anfield faithful.
As transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, said to CaughtOffside in his exclusive Daily Briefing, there are a couple of names that are already in the frame now that Alonso is out of the picture.
“Xabi Alonso’s decision means that Liverpool have to turn their attentions elsewhere for a new manager, so keep an eye on two that I’ve already mentioned here multiple times,” he noted.
“Ruben Amorim is higher on the list as of now, and Roberto De Zerbi. They are two of the candidates but not the only ones for the Liverpool job.
“There could be also other candidates so we will see what Liverpool will decide internally.
“Liverpool are well informed on Amorim’s contract at Sporting and in my opinion he’s a very good coach. Sometimes he’s been underrated but his level is very good.”
Clearly, time is of the essence for Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, and Managing Director, Michael Edwards.
The last thing that the club needs is a protracted courtship that lasts well into the summer, as all that will serve to achieve is to sow disharmony and will mean that any plans will need to be put on hold.
If there’s one thing that has underscored Liverpool’s success over the past few years, it is the diligence with which the club has worked in all departments.
Though any negotiations for either Amorim, De Zerbi or anyone else aren’t expected to be plain sailing, the quicker they can begin, the better chance there is for some sort of continuity rather than upheaval.