[quote author=Farkmaster link=topic=36533.msg966109#msg966109 date=1256031008]
I can't believe that we are actually having this discussion, for so many reasons.
Stevie Nicol. He's in search of an elusive Major League Soccer Cup. Its trophy is even ridiculous looking. 8 out of the 15 total clubs in this league compete for it.
I thought it was some tongue in cheek thought experiment, but it seems many think its high time to begin the process of looking for some replacement manager. I find this staggering, not because I'm shocked people would want him gone, but because no one seems to realize why, pending some absolute catastrophe, this simply isn't going to happen. If we got rid of Rafa tomorrow, what would our sales pitch be?
"Hi, we're seeking a new manager, he must be an experienced manager capable of immediate success in the premiership, as well as challenging in Europe. For our part, we can offer job security. For instance, if he mounts a more credible challenge than anyone in recent memory, the following transfer market we'll offer him no money and sack him after a 7-5 start. He'll also enjoy working with two owners, who don't speak to each other, who occasionally will undermine him in public, and will chiefly and publicly be concerned with selling the club, all the while attempting to make sure their penis appears larger than the others.
Oh, and his transfer kitty, we'll be prepared to offer him nothing, as we did last summer, only this time it's because we are paying off the former manager's contract. He will also walk into a situation poisoned by open animosity between the supporters, who, while not entirely united behind Rafa, generally prefer his stability to any decision made by the owners, and many of which blame virtually everything, including on field performances on the manager. Protests, prompted by Rafa's sacking, are now far more vociferous and well attended."
As rage says though, we're liverpool, and we'll have queues of managers lining up simply because of that fact. It's too bad they would be of the caliber of the absurd suggestions made in threads like this, because no one in their right mind who had competition from other clubs in need of a rare top class manager would touch the above situation with Igor Biscan's dick, let alone one we could reasonably expect to deliver better results than rafa.
Get real people.
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Interesting post as per, and I wouldn't disagree with too much in it, but I do question some of the assumptions behind it:
1. Not all of us thinking about this expect Rafa to be gone any time soon. In fact I doubt that applies to more than a small minority, of which I am not a member.
2. However, the idea that there's no point even considering it is IMO untenable. I for one have supported Rafa through all his various "alarums and excursions" so far, and I'm not going to throw that overboard at the drop of two points, but questions have to be asked about where the team and the squad stand overall when we start the manager's sixth season the way we have.
3. I'm sure it's true that some of the managers good enough to be considered for the job wouldn't want it against the background you describe. I'm a lot less certain than you that none of them would. For example, my bet is that Mourinho would be vain enough at least to consider it (and his record gives him reason to be so). No-one joining a big Serie A club when he did could imagine they were in for an easy ride.
