Redknapp and Rio regime would bring identity back to West Ham

A couple of years ago Harry Redknapp put Rio Ferdinand’s name forward as a potential West Ham manager.

As ever with Harry, it wasn’t just a selfless pitch - this is a man who’s Twitter account says he’s ‘proper excited about Mobile Cryptocurrency!’. Not one to let a potential pay cheque pass him by, he said he’d go with Ferdinand to the club as director of football.

I’ve toyed with the idea of this partnership at the club for some time now, although with Redknapp as manager and Ferdinand as his assistant, and I think it is the solution we are now looking for.

Embracing his character flaws as personality quirks, I’ve long been a fan of Redknapp. It’s easy to get caught in the trap of thinking of him as a ‘wheeler dealer’ - although don’t tell him that - and to frame his career as one punctuated by leaning out of car windows, a cheeky pay day managing Jordan and his most recent failing at Birmingham, but just five years ago he was the man for the England job.

The FA shied away back then and Sam Allardyce’s acrimonious exit is probably illustrative of how a Redknapp reign could’ve ended too, but he truly earned the right to be favourite for the position. Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Tottenham Hotspur but it was Redknapp who picked them up from a similar position to where we currently sit and built the base from which Poch has sprung.

Redknapp gets players going, he gets the fans going, he’s clever in the transfer market and he plays a solid brand of football but also an attacking one. A fan of direct wingers, a maverick or two, a target man and a poacher, I think Harry could really do something with the likes of Michail Antonio, Andy Carroll, Chicharito and he may even be able to save the likes of Marko Arnautovic from becoming a very expensive flop.

He’s no Pep Guardiola-style philosopher but he does have a recognisable brand of football which we could all get behind. I’m not sure we want a Pep anyway. The fan behind me at the Liverpool game yesterday is unfortunately broadly representative of a fair few vocal Hammers and screeched ‘why are you passing it around!? Go forward!’ every time we played a bit of possession football, but then shouted ‘hoof!’ when we played it forward, summing up the directionless confusion which has already riddled our ground like a cancer.

Those negative fans, chasing this ‘West Ham way’ myth, frustrate me, but I do agree Slaven Bilic has to go. Whilst an honest and decent man, he has never shown any sign of an ideology and consequently we never impose ourselves on games. Redknapp would grab a game by the scruff of the neck and take it to the opposition in the intense way we are crying out for.

But the most important reason why I think Harry Redknapp would be a good fit is the fact he has his roots in our club. We are going through a clear identity crisis at the moment and walking away from that stadium towards the bright lights of John Lewis after each thrashing is leaving us in a very difficult place. Who are we anymore?

Redknapp knows who we are and, if not this ‘West Ham way’, I think he could bring the ‘West Ham feel’ back to the place.

While there are a significant numbers of doomsdayers, there are an admirable group of fans scraping around to make this place home, with grass roots initiatives from the new fanzine, to the boat events on the river, to the Hammers Social Club moving into trendy studios. Rather than rejecting the change they are gripping this new space and injecting it with ‘West Ham’.

Redknapp is someone who could engage with that process and like it or not, he is one of us. It makes sense to have a man at the helm who represents us and the club as we know it as we go through this struggle.

And I think having Ferdinand on-board would go some way to satisfying those who would inevitably turn their nose up at Redknapp as a manager of the past and, at 70 years-old, an appointment with no longevity.

Ferdinand is a classy operator, a modern man and would be an obvious heir to the throne. He’s the kind of statesman-like figure any owner would want representing the club on the national and international stage and, as perhaps our famous academy’s most esteemed graduate who went on to reach the pinnacle of the game, he has the rare trait of embodying both our club and raw, powerful success.

Ferdinand speaks intelligently as a pundit, is doing his coaching qualifications and Redknapp emphasises how he would regularly consult him as the pair were reunited at QPR towards the end of Rio’s playing career. He commands respect and, Redknapp aside, an upbringing under Tony Carr and the majority of his career under Sir Alex Ferguson will surely help his prospects.

There’s a lot of talk of a David Moyes and Phil Neville combination this morning - it’s a similar idea, but it’s Everton’s version. When we’re desperately clinging to our identity in a storm of total change, we need to be looking closer to our old home as we look to build our new one.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93.

Learn to appreciate the new direction

My overriding memory of the last Premiership fixture at Upton Park is the crowd bellowing out: ‘Andy Carroll, we want you to stay!’ Jeremy Nicholas (rather embarrassingly) asked the fans to get behind the cause to keep Andy but in truth it was not needed. It seemed every supporter was desperate for the big man to put pen to paper on a permanent deal.

There is great irony in the fact that the chant desperately aiming to persuade Carroll to remain at West Ham was in the same tune as the dreaded ‘we play on the floor’ drone which was so commonly sung by those disgruntled with Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce must be left scratching his head when fickle supporters express displeasure with his style of football, yet sing the praises of the forward who epitomises his tactics. The fact is; if you’re a fan of Andy Carroll then you are inevitably a fan of Sam Allardyce.

If Allardyce and Kevin Nolan were not at the club, a pairing who a section of supporters take issue with, then the England international forward would not be at West Ham United. It is as simple as that.

I think it was obvious that Carroll was left unfulfilled by his time at Liverpool and would’ve liked to have proved doubters wrong. But in a World Cup year, he made the correct decision to join a club with whom he is already settled, who will base their team around him and, vitally, who will play a style of football to suit him perfectly.

Personally I have no problem with Allardyce’s style. It is, of course, direct at times, but with an asset like Carroll it would be foolish to not to utilise his aerial presence.

We should be proud to be one of few clubs preserving the dying breed of the old-fashioned English centre forward rather than internationalising ourselves like everyone else in an effort to become yet another cheap imitation of Barcelona.

With the signing of another England international in Stewart Downing secured, we can now look forward to the prospect of two top established wingers supplying the delivery to our number nine. Surely we don’t have to be ashamed of having an appreciation of that?

I am quite surprised at the amount of supporters who aren’t happy with the Downing signing. The wide-man has been to a World Cup with England and undoubtedly we would’ve all loved to have snapped him up during his time at Middlesbrough and Aston Villa. Two average years does not mean he will not return to great form.

Unsurprisingly there was no such disapproval at the signing of Joe Cole. Cole was arguably a much poorer signing than Downing – he does not really fit into our current tactics, is older and was extremely injury-prone and out-of-form when we signed him.

Understandably the affection and nostalgia surrounding Cole provoked a reaction of sheer delight but, regardless of personal attachments and feelings, Downing will be a far more useful player to us than Cole this season.

Another fresh player in the squad is Ravel Morrison. Although he joined some time ago, his lack of action in a West Ham shirt and high appraisal gives him the intrigue and excitement of a big new signing.

Six goals in pre-season could show that Morrison is finally ready to fulfil the potential which was suggested when Sir Alex Ferguson said he was one of the best players he had ever seen. I am dubious to trust Morrison with his track-record and attitude problem, but he could be very useful if given the chance.

Apparently Allardyce has rejected several loan offers, including one from Birmingham who he was on loan with last year, and so it seems Morrison is finally ready to step into the first-team and prove whether he can make it at the highest level.

Morrison looks to be a fantastic player, and his skill was undeniable at the Pacos de Ferreira home friendly, but we can’t place too much responsibility on the shoulders of a young man who has proved he is liable to get a rush of blood to the head at any moment.

It is interesting that all the players mentioned in this article thus far are English. The English core at West Ham United is undeniably one of the strongest in the league now and something I’m sure all fans will welcome.

Of course it is great to have the exotic foreigner, we have certainly fallen for a few of them over recent years with the likes of Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez, but as an English fan I think it definitely gives you a greater intimacy with the squad when they are of the same nationality.

The sense that they understand the club and its culture is invaluable and something I think will help drive us forward this season to an improved Premiership position and hopefully an impressive cup run.

And, as mentioned, it is a World Cup year. Who’s to say we won’t have another three Lions in Brazil in the Summer? Exciting times are ahead, I hope the persistent moaners can recognise that and embrace the direction we are moving in.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

A Rivalry Steeped In History

The ship which sits proudly above the red devil on Manchester United’s crest often goes unnoticed, such is our familiarity with the global brand that the logo has become.

The ship represents the Manchester Ship Canal; it was completed in 1894 and meant goods were able to bypass Liverpool’s ports and be transported straight to Manchester, resulting in substantial job losses on Merseyside and great resentment from the Liverpudlian population.

This is popularly cited as the root of a bitter rivalry which exists between the two industrial cities; a rivalry which is always evident when Liverpool F.C. meet Manchester United F.C. and has led many experts to label it the biggest game of football in the world.

Liverpool dominated English football for the 20 years between 1970 and 1990, a period in which they won eleven league championships and four European cups. However, from that moment up until the current day, Manchester United have responded under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson.

They have now overtaken Liverpool’s famed 18 league titles and, although they are still two trophies behind them in terms of the Champions League, they remain England’s biggest football club despite surges of success from Arsenal, Chelsea and, most recently, another vicious rival in the form of Manchester City.

Manchester also retaliated culturally. Liverpool’s famous music scene, led by ‘The Beatles’ who took the world by storm in the 1960s, was replicated in Manchester with the emergence of ‘The Stone Roses’, ‘The Smiths’ and ‘Oasis’ to solidify their position as the leading city of the pair.

The rivalry has become so bitter that when the sides met last Sunday, there was a fear that Manchester United fans would disrupt Liverpool’s tributes to the 96 supporters who died in the infamous 1989 ‘Hillsborough disaster’.

The case relating to the scandal was finally closed this month when an independent panel concluded that multiple failures by emergency services should be held responsible for the deaths. Sunday’s game was the first time Liverpool had played at their home, Anfield, since the ‘justice for the 96’ campaign was granted its wish, allowing those who suffered to rest in peace.

It seems extraordinary that football would lead any fellow human beings to dishonour the practices which would take place in Liverpool on Sunday, but United boss Ferguson still felt the need to distribute letters to the travelling fans, encouraging them to respect the remembrance service.

Of course there were still an idiotic few who jeered as ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ was emotionally bellowed out by 40,000 sympathisers; the minds of some fans are so polluted by rivalry that their loyalty clouds their judgement of what is simply right and wrong.

Similarly in the past, a few Liverpool supporters have crudely taunted Mancunians about the Munich air disaster which killed 23 people, including much of the team nicknamed ‘The Busby Babes’ alongside journalists and supporters.

However, crucially, a memorial bouquet of flowers was placed outside the stadium, signed ‘The silent majority at M.U.F.C.’; it was certainly a humbling and truthful image which reflected the many who were able to lay their bitterness to one side in favour of humanity.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez rightfully accepted the hand of United captain Patrice Evra before the game, despite allegations of racism between the pair.

The match didn’t continue as smoothly, it maintained the rivalry between the clubs by featuring a sending off and a late goal from Robin Van Persie which gave the visitors the victory and epitomised their ability to go one better than their rivals in recent years.

However, the rivalry on the pitch is something that no football fan wants to lose. The united front between the majority of both sets of fans as well as staff and players of the clubs was a truly proud moment for English football and both cities.

The feud will remain, but Sunday showed that, in the face of adversity, thousands are able to put the most intense of differences aside in order to respect justice.

Liverpool could break Hammers' hearts

‘Big Sam Allardyce’ has made a great start to the Premiership era of his reign at West Ham. But he is not the only man who has already made a ‘big’ impact at Upton Park this season. Unfortunately, I have made the mistake of falling in love with Andy Carroll.

If any of you had the misfortune of tuning in to Sky Sports ‘Goals on Sunday’ featuring Allardyce himself, you would’ve heard the regretful confirmation that it is a distinct possibility that Carroll can be recalled by Liverpool in January.

We must applaud David Sullivan and David Gold for their ambition and determination to bring Andy to the club, but it appears that the deal is not as ‘watertight’ as it was first described. Insiders had previously claimed that Carroll could be ours for a figure of around £18 million at any point during the year, and also suggested that the transfer of Carroll was an offer exclusively available to West Ham United; however it has become clear that we could lose the player far quicker than the time it took to bring him to the club.

This clarity on the issue is just one example of what will become a repetitive battle of our owners’ claret and blue tinted eyes and desperation to please the fans, versus Allardyce’s cynical, frank realism.

Whilst Gold and Sullivan would have you believe that Carroll was in awe of West Ham United as soon as he opened the door of his customised Range Rover and looked up at the castle-like exterior of the Boleyn Ground, Allardyce has admitted that Carroll was reluctant to leave Liverpool and is only really here in an effort to get some first-team football and capture Brendan Rodgers’ attention.

As supporters we must not judge Carroll too harshly for this attitude. We’re all huge fans of West Ham and believe all our players should love the club as much as we do, but what we must remember is that he moved from his boyhood team Newcastle to join Liverpool, in a deal which made him the most expensive British footballer in history.

Even the most biased amongst us can accept that Liverpool is a great football club with a massive fan base who are dedicated to their club in a similar way to we are. They may not be experiencing their most successful period at the moment, but Carroll would obviously love to become a part of Liverpool’s illustrious history and, understandably, does not wanted to be judged as a failure.

Liverpool are currently struggling just outside the relegation zone whilst we are enjoying life back in the Premier League in 8th position. Whilst this could be seen as a reason for Carroll to want to stay at West Ham, I think it is vital that Liverpool overtake us soon or the pressure will mount on Rodgers and he, or his replacement, will quickly give in to pressure to call for Carroll to return to Anfield in a blaze of glory.

Rodgers’ football ideology could not be more different from Allardyce’s practicality; his idealistic playing style evidently has no room for what is perceived to be a 6ft 3” powerhouse. And that’s exactly why we need Rodgers’ homage to Barcelona to work and convince everyone, including Liverpool’s owners, that the old-fashioned centre forward is becoming extinct in the modern game, paving the way for Carroll to join permanently.

The appointment of Rodgers suggests that Fenway Sports Group subscribe to his ‘project’ and will give him the time necessary to transform Liverpool into a vibrant, free-flowing, attacking side. However they have far less commitment to Rodgers than they did to Kenny Dalglish in terms of risking alienating the fans, and so the fact that they sacked Dalglish may worry Rodgers.

Carroll could easily be brought back as a stop-gap plan to pick up some points before Rodgers’ next major transfer window. If Rodgers is fired then it is likely a more results-based manager will replace him, such as Harry Redknapp, and they would be certain to bring Carroll back in a heartbeat.

A brilliant forward is something that West Ham have not been particularly blessed with in recent years. Paolo Di Canio and Carlos Tevez are the only two amazing players who spring to mind; for the rest of the time we have had to settle for decent strikers who are confined to rare moments of quality such as Bobby Zamora, Dean Ashton and, in the current day, Carlton Cole.

Although Cole is certainly a likeable figure, undoubtedly committed to West Ham United and is not as useless as some would have you believe, the gulf in class between him and Carroll was shocking against Fulham.

Carroll controlled absolutely everything in the advanced positions of the pitch; he won almost everything in the air with ease, against a strong competitor in the form of Brede Hangeland, and showed an awareness when placing the ball which suggested he had been nurtured in that team for years when, in fact, he had minimal training time and was thrown into his debut in a reckless attempt to reconcile an embarrassing defeat at Swansea.

Anyone who tries to suggest that Carroll is a one-dimensional lump is talking absolute nonsense. I honestly believe he is one of the best players we have had in our squad for many years. Allardyce’s determination to force a deal through must be commended and I’m sure we are all relishing the thought of Matt Jarvis’ much-talked about cross completion statistics coming to fruition with Carroll providing the target.

He may not emit the same exoticism as the likes of Tevez did, and his towering frame and scruffy image complete with greasy pony tail does him absolutely no favours in terms of fitting in with the popular sleek, fashionable footballer stereotype of the moment (Cristiano Ronaldo, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres etc.) but Carroll is a special player.

He may be unavailable today but we are still extremely lucky to have him considering we are in our infancy during this spell as a Premiership club. He completes what is one of the most competitive squads we have had in recent years and we could be in store for a solid campaign back in the top flight, especially if we maintain our 100% home record today against Sunderland.

Let’s hope Liverpool can also kick-start a successful season against Manchester United on Sunday as it could help us to hold on to a 23 year-old who is integral to fulfilling our dreams, as opposed to, predictably, seeing them fade and die.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

West Ham fans must accept Allardyce and stop trying to run the club

After another frustrating game at Upton Park, the fans are yet again reaching for the throat of Sam Allardyce and calls for his head are relentless. David Gold and David Sullivan must maintain their support of Allardyce until the end of the season and beyond if we are ever to gain promotion; bowing to fan-power will achieve nothing for West Ham United.

Hammers fans continue to label our contract with Allardyce as a Faustian pact, suggesting we have sold our soul to Allardyce and the long-ball, deeming him incompatible with the mystical ‘West Ham way’ which is constantly referenced. As much as he denies it, there is no doubt that Allardyce’s style is unattractive, but if it gets us promotion, it’s success will speak for itself. If it doesn’t, West Ham are in a very precarious situation.

Paolo Di Canio’s romantic relationship with West Ham means he will be continually linked with the manager’s job until the day he dies. As a huge admirer of Di Canio, his image is still plastered across my bedroom wall, I would love to see him manage us successfully in the future. But he must prove himself in management first or his spell could end in disaster; and six months at Swindon is not sufficient.

A successful season for Di Canio and one that sees us remain in the Championship under Allardyce will see the board under more pressure than ever to appoint him as our manager. We must hope that they do not give in to this pressure in an effort to support their image as supporters of the club who are ‘in touch with the fans’.

This situation has arisen at many clubs before, Newcastle United are one in particular who are often compared to us in terms of the loyalty of their vocal fans. Newcastle fans took issue with Allardyce’s style of play and forced him out after ferociously protesting to chairman Mike Ashley. Ashley eventually submitted and, by popular demand, appointed club legend Kevin Keegan as Allardyce’s replacement.

Keegan’s return saw the club go without a win for his first eight games and he eventually survived three games less than Allardyce with an inferior record. Keegan’s rapport with the fans meant that his resignation created further tensions between the fans and Ashley in an already strained relationship.

Keegan’s departure sparked turmoil at the club and a lack of managerial stability saw them in the depths of a relegation battle. Ashley yet again looked to appease the fans by appointing Newcastle hero, but completely inexperienced manager, Alan Shearer to the club. The script was written for Shearer to drag the magpies to safety in a blaze of glory, however realism intervened and Newcastle were subsequently relegated with Shearer winning only one of his eight-game stint.

Of course the relationship between Newcastle and Shearer remains mostly intact, but his short managerial period is certainly an embarrassing tarnish on his story with the club. There is nothing to say something similar wouldn’t happen to Di Canio; it would certainly be a depressing picture to see the supporters who had previously worshipped him, reluctantly wishing for him to leave.

Since Shearer, Ashley has asserted his authority at Newcastle and they are now reaping the rewards. After backing Chris Hughton for the entirety of their campaign in the Championship, Newcastle were promoted as champions. Following promotion, Ashley ruthlessly disposed of Hughton and surprisingly replaced him with Alan Pardew, a familiar face at Upton Park.

Pardew’s appointment was met with howls of protest from whining supporters, but this time Ashley remained faithful to his decision and Pardew has remained in charge ever since. Newcastle currently sit fifth in the Premier League and are challenging for a Champions League spot with a minute budget compared to those around them.

Who’s to say that if Newcastle hadn’t decided to stick with Allardyce in the first place, they wouldn’t have met this stage much sooner? Admittedly, we can all agree that Pardew’s team was far more exciting to watch, but Allardyce’s record at the likes of Bolton Wanderers suggests that he could’ve been successful at Newcastle, and he can be successful at West Ham.

As much as we reflect on Pardew’s reign at West Ham with nostalgia, we must remember that in his first year with us he failed to gain promotion, and in his second we scraped into the play-offs with a win at Watford on the final day of the season. His team never really threatened automatic promotion, and so Allardyce has surpassed him in that department.

If we don’t finish in the top two spots, we fall back into the play-offs and have a better chance of winning it now than the last time we did. So as supporters of West Ham, surely we must stick with Allardyce until the end of the season at the very least.

This is not to say that Allardyce is completely innocent, if he is to ever be fully accepted at West Ham he must learn to treat the supporters with a little more respect and take responsibility for poor performances. At the end of a disappointing game we don’t want to be bombarded with statistics of how much possession we had in the opposition’s half and we certainly don’t want to be told that we’re “talking b***ocks”.

The relationship between Allardyce and the fans is certainly going to have to take some compromise from both parties but if we can do this there is no reason as to why a successful era is not in store for West Ham. I have no doubt that a run of form will silence many of the more fickle critics, but those resolute anti-Allardycians will have to accept that he is our manager and, to be honest, is doing a decent job.

Our dire home record in comparison to our fantastic away form is no coincidence; Upton Park can become very hostile as soon as a fruitless long-ball is cannoned towards Carlton Cole. Perhaps a little more acceptance of Allardyce could change this and transform the Boleyn Ground into the fortress it should be.

These tactics are not forever, Allardyce is not forever; Swansea are the exception to the style of play which gets teams promoted from the Championship, those who want to do it quickly generally play a direct style. Once we return to becoming a secure Premiership side we can consider attractive football.

You are probably laughing at the expense of Liverpool at the moment. An undeniably great club, who appointed club legend ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish, spent a great deal of money and are now sitting in eighth position, one space below their arch-rivals Everton who have stuck by their manager for ten years. Don’t laugh too loudly, as the more you try to run the club, the more likely it is that West Ham United will suffer a similar plight.

Follow me on Twitter @RichMaher93

Could Liverpool be relegated? And West Ham finally announce their man

So that’s it then; the conventional managerial swap-shop has well and truly begun and whilst our primary focus is held within the grasp of the monstrous world cup, a tournament which continues to dominate the globe with it’s repetitive advertising campaigns and tyrannize our media, there is never a dull moment in terms of the premier league. Half an eye of each football supporter will still be placed firmly on their club’s prestigious competition in hope of some encouraging, exciting transfer action prior to the upcoming campaign.
Gianfranco Zola was the first victim of the endless sacking spree that the premiership now experiences. It seems like many weeks ago we considered the charming Italian a top-flight manager and witnessed him admirably handing coffee to snarling journalists outside his home. Even then it appeared inevitable that Mr. Avram Grant would be his successor and, following weeks of little action at Upton Park, the official announcement was finally made this week, with the deal still subject to a work permit. Nothing’s ever easy at West Ham United.
As a West Ham fan, I’m content but uninspired by this appointment. In reality I believe Grant will be a ‘hit or miss’ employment despite the West Ham co-owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, craving ‘stability‘. He changed little or nothing when taking over a Chelsea side which was practically complete following the expert tuition of Jose Mourinho. Although this could suggest the man doesn’t suffer from an ego issue, which could not be said about his world-class predecessor, it also displays a lack of tactical knowledge, and although taking the side to a champions league final and having a chance to win the premiership on the final day of the season is a decent achievement, I feel it would be deceitful to judge him on this. Senior players including Frank Lampard and John Terry could’ve managed that group of players alone and therefore Grant’s presence could merely have been to supervise the squad.
Taking the Portsmouth job under those financial conditions shows how desperate Grant was for a premier league job. If he really was a top manager, why didn’t he wait for a more secure opportunity? Allowing Portsmouth to slip into the realms of relegation would’ve been deemed acceptable by anyone’s standards considering the untenable circumstances, and taking the side to an FA Cup final was a real eye-catcher on Grant’s CV, but being a constant underdog placed little pressure on the manager or his players. They were able to play every game with a care-free attitude of admirable passion, if they lost, then it was to be expected, if they won, it was a shocker and an outstanding achievement. Grant had nothing to lose and his reputation could only increase during his time at Pompey, so if you did feel sorry for him in that ridiculous job, you shouldn’t, it was a blessing in disguise, and maybe Grant knew this when he took the job. It was the perfect stepping stone to a solid premiership club.
And now we infernally refer to the man as ‘experienced’ - quite incredible for someone with two premiership seasons to his name. I hope he proves me wrong and has been the mastermind he’s perceived as by the outsider, but I certainly don’t consider this a perfect appointment. Another manager to have parted company with his club is Senor Rafa Benitez. After accepting a pay-off from the infamous Hicks and Gillette duo the scousers are now looking for a new man with Martin O’Neill and Roy Hodgson top of the list after Guus Hiddink effectively ruled himself out.
Benietez name is still thrown around with that of genuine quality and top European clubs including Juventus are perpetually chasing his signature, personally I don’t understand why. Yes he won the champions league in his first year which was a fantastic achievement but if he had done poorly that year it would’ve been blamed on the fact it was still Gerard Houllier’s team so to be totally sure on Benietez’s quality, perhaps we should assess it on the following years. Rafa was 3rd in the net spending list over the years, “this is a fact” (his words, not mine) and he still manages to have an unbalanced squad incapable of fulfilling their potential at this point. Liverpool should certainly have taken part in a title race competition last season and yet they scraped into the Europa League. An unthinkable plight for a club who has spent that much on transfers, with such great heritage and a supposedly ’world-class’ manager.
The sickly exit of Benietez was dignified and the supportive nature of the Anfield fans mean they will reminisce his reign fondly. The sentimental inclusion of, "Thank you so much once more and always remember: You'll never walk alone" was extremely cheesy but then the eternal love affairs involved in this club and it’s fans always tend to be.
Worrying signs of Kenny Dalglish returning to the club on a permanent basis loom. The club will continue to drop if it takes the Newcastle United approach of forcing decisions themselves and making sure it’s a manager who “knows the club”, honourable actions with the club at heart which saw them, oh; relegated. It’s unthinkable right now but so was a 7th place finish in the previous year - the prospect of trophies with Mourinho and Real Madrid must be a tempting offer for Steven Gerrard and I’m sure Fernando Torres has one eye on linking up with his national strike partner, David Villa at Barcelona.
So my advice to Liverpool fans would be; don’t be tempted to take the decisions of the club upon yourself, this worrying period for a great club with immense history and heritage means that all decisions need to be made firmly with the head and not with the heart. A theory which will probably, and must be taken on by all clubs in this financial climate and one that threatens to ruin the romance of the game, but for now, it’s for the best.