Maybe compete was the wrong word, beating to silverware (or asterisks in City's case) might have been better. But putting Liverpool aside, this season will ultimately be no different than last season when it comes to City and Arsenal. Being top of the league in March doesn't mean much, Arsenal were top this time last year too.
To be honest, & I've only watched Leverkusen a few times, but Alonso plays more Pep like than Klopp. It will take him or the team time to adapt here. I like him because of our connection & his work at Leverkusen (taking a relegation fighting side so high). He will also get a lot of time here from the fans. But if Edwards overrules someone else for continuation of style, we will have to trust it.
While it seems the majority are inclined towards Alonso, I would personally like to see Pep Lijnders become the next manager. The prospect of having another Paisley is very exciting.
I think the Edwards appointment makes a Lijnders appointment less likely. There were rumblings of certain disagreements between Edwards and Klopp on direction, that I think ultimately led to Edwards stepping down. I think Edwards will likely want to get somebody fresh in, rather than the continuity Klopp candidate.
Yup, I heard that. And if there was a disagreement between Klopp and Edwards, there was only ever going to be one winner hence Edwards going in 2022 because Jurgen at the club was rightly untouchable. But everything has changed now, and Edwards coming back confirms if such confirmation was needed there there will be no going back from Jurgen and he's definitely leaving. Mind you, he's made it clear the decision is final more than once since the news broke, but there will always be those who hope he changes his mind and will do until he hands the keys to the manager's office back in the summer. Reading this thread, I must be the only Liverpool fan a little weary of the absolute power Edwards appears to have been handed.
I feel that too a bit. But then I think about his past record, & it's largely brilliant. If we can get a decent manager who is only concentrating on coaching (which most managers are these days), then Edwards will get him the players. We might see a conflict eventually. But let's hope not.
That's the concern. Any incoming manager will know it's Edward's way or the highway. Klopp was so good he basically reversed the power at the club to himself, which I suspect is part of the reason Edwards left. But Edwards and his new power will ensure that won't happen regardless of who comes in. Which isn't necessarily a good thing. Success comes from balance.
I think if the DoF position wasn't an open question then I don't think it would be so necessary but with both the manager and the sporting director roles being vacant at the same time, they needed to get someone in who can provide some direction people can trust and get behind. What is the alternative? To get a random DoF in and then give the keys to the castle to a manager like Xabi Alonso?
I'm not suggesting an alternative or that there even is one. I'm simply saying that giving so much power to one individual is potentially dangerous, hence why I'm weary of what has happened here, despite his previous record at the club.
Someone has to be the final decision maker at the club at the end of the day. Even then, Edwards will still have people he answers to if things go awry.
No. As not everyone is a souless sellout who'd happily have their club represent the worst aspects of our world for 30 pieces of asterisks.
he could try something other than managing a top/heavily financed club in a top flight, challenge himself, all well and good winning lots when everything is in your favour but winning it when things aren't takes doing and something he hasn't got give more credit to Ranieri for the 15/16 win, and Klopp for 19/20, than all chequebook Pep's Premier League titles combined
probably not in the slightest, but then much like Roy "my record speaks for itself" Hodgson he and those who think the sun shines out of his Rs wouldn't consider anything but trophy count regardless how it was bought/came about
All the best. I guess we take losing a senior staffer to Liverpool as a sign we're doing something right. It'll be interesting over the years to see how his methods translate to operating in a very different space, fishing in a different pond. Eddie Howe is far more likely given Richard Hughes
