[LeChuck]

If I was a Liverpool fan I would have preferred Martínez as manager over Rodgers. Rodgers has had 3 previous managerial jobs, at Watford, Reading and Swansea. He failed at Reading, and did a pretty a disappointing job at Watford, so he has only been successful in 1 job out of 3 so far.

Also this is the second time that he categorically denied that he has wanted to leave his job, only to move on soon after, as he pretty much did the same thing when he left Watford for Reading in 2009.

Martínez on the other hand has had two managerial jobs so far, at Swansea and Wigan, and has been successful at both of them (keeping one of the smallest clubs in the EPL away from relegation 3 years in a row is success). A 2/2 success rate is better than a 1/3 one. Plus he laid the foundations at Swansea for Paulo Sousa and Rodgers to inherit, and like Rodgers he tries to get his teams playing the right way.

It's interesting Rodgers has left Swansea at time when they have smashed their transfer record to bring Gylfi Sigurdsson to the club on a permanent basis, and are looking to bring in Gio Dos Santos on loan. Gio needs to get the hell away Spurs for regular first team football. I still think he is a top quality player, and when he was on loan at Racing Santander in 2011 he was excellent.

[Corey Feldman]

especially when you consider the ridiculous credit he gets for Swansea playing good football, Swans were already a good footballing side before he arrived there - ironically with Martinez' influence

[jmjhb]

Disagree with LeChuck. Rodgers a better option for Liverpool than Martinez.

People seem to forget how truly awful Wigan were at the start of this season and most of last season. He has a 27% win record for Wigan, if you compare this to similarly struggling clubs it doesn't measure up well. Steve Kean has a 26% win record

[out_here_grindin]

Dos Santos is a top player. I remember one instance in the gold cup final vs the USA where he ran with the ball in the open field at the fastest pace I have ever seen any player do it.

[LeChuck]

People say that Wigan only came alive near the end of the season, but the thing to remember is that for small teams like them, it is pretty much impossible to play well consistently throughout the season. If they did, they would be finishing comfortably in the top 10 and challenging for Europa League qualification, which is infeasible given their resources. Only the bigger teams near the top of the league can be consistently good and have a briefer sticky spell.

Under Martínez Wigan have recorded victories over Man Utd, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal (home and away) and Liverpool (home and way) over the last 3 years, playing some nice football overall I would say.

He did splash the cash to bring in Mauro Boselli which didn't work out (though his record at Estudiantes when they signed him was outstanding), but money there has been tighter there than it was during Steve Bruce's second reign. He has signed some very good young players who are coming along nicely, and he has resurrected the careers of some older players who were losing their way.

Brendan Rodgers might go on to be a hugely successful manager, but so far he is pretty much a flash in the pan, with just 2 successful years of football management behind him, and just one in the EPL, after largely underwhelming performances at both Watford and Reading.

Also would he have done as well at Swansea if it wasn't for the great work of Martínez there? I'm not so sure.

[rocketassist]

Rodgers is a man with a high ceiling. He'll go to the top. Very thorough student of the game. The LFC job is a poison barb though, as soon as he loses one the fans will be screaming for Rafa or Kenny to come back in. If you aren't one of their own they'll lynch you.

[Gavnich77]

Martinez laid the foundations at Swansea but I don't believe we would have got promoted if he had stayed as the team was too cavalier under him. Paulo Sousa steadied the ship and made us much more solid defensively when he left whilst Rodgers found the perfect blend between attack and defence.

It's hard for me to be objective about Rodger's chances at Liverpool. I'm gutted because we have lost an excellent manager and disappointed in him as a man in the manner in which he left. This is a brave move by him and one that could backfire spectacularly. Rocketassist has got it right, he has the potential to be one of the best managers in the country but his philosophy demands patience from the fans and the board. Will they be happy to give him the time he needs to instill his beliefs and get the players playing the way he wants? Will they be happy with possession football if it doesn't bring instant results? Will the players be happy to be play a system where the team is the star rather than individuals?

I think he's made the move at least a year too early. If he'd been patient, carried on the job he's doing with Swansea he would have got a move to a bigger club eventually, people would have more of an understanding of his style, he'd be more experienced and he could have left Swansea with dignity.

[LeChuck]

Originally Posted by out_here_grindin

Dos Santos is a top player. I remember one instance in the gold cup final vs the USA where he ran with the ball in the open field at the fastest pace I have ever seen any player do it.

Yes he was outstanding in that final and during the entire tournament as well, plus I also thought he looked good at the World Cup the year. Like Barrera and Guardado, he has generally been able to bring his best form to the table for the Mexican NT, regardless of any turbelence in his club career.

Here in Mexico many people closely follow the club careers of their top players of course, and they all despise Redknapp as public enemy no. 1 for not giving Dos Santos much of an opportunity at Spurs. Still Gio was an idiot to reject that move to Udinese last year. His dream of a return to La Liga with Sevilla didn't materialise.

I will do everything in my power to get a ticket for the Mexico-USA World Cup qualifying match at the Azteca (provided neither team messes up and fails to reach the hex of course) next year. Thank god CONCACAF saw sense and reversed their decision to scrap the hex and split Mexico and USA in the final round.

[Jimnik]

Can't get enough of these.





Didier always was the coolest man on the planet. There is no-one who could have handled the situation better.

[Jimnik]

Originally Posted by rocketassist

It'll be a system that suits Torres that includes both Mata/Hazard I reckon.

As for the manager I can see it being Di Matteo but on a rolling contract. Pep's on a sabbatical so he'll try and get him next year.

I think we agree for once.

But, for the record, here's my dream team:

Manager: Pep Guardiola (yes, a stretch, but the Sun said today that he just wants Abramovich to talk to him)

Starting lineup: 4-2-3-1, as follows:
Keeper: Cech
Back four: Cole, Terry, Cahill or Luiz, Ivanovic
Two in front of the defence: Mikel or Essien, Lampard or Ramires
Front three: Mata, Hazard, Hulk
Lone striker: Torres

Rest of squad: Ferreira, Bertrand, Meireles, Lukaku, Sturridge, Turnbull/Hilario

Sell: Malouda (Kalou and Bosingwa already going)

[Jimnik]

[SloKid]

I'm not convinced that Di Matteo would be the right choice. Yes, he lead the team to the CL win, but Chelsea rode their luck a lot and you can't expect to be successful on the long run, if your main tactic against big teams (in Europe) consists of parking the bus. I'm not sure what else Di Matteo could offer tbh.

[out_here_grindin]

Originally Posted by LeChuck

I will do everything in my power to get a ticket for the Mexico-USA World Cup qualifying match at the Azteca (provided neither team messes up and fails to reach the hex of course) next year. Thank god CONCACAF saw sense and reversed their decision to scrap the hex and split Mexico and USA in the final round.

Well one thing you can say about the Mexican players is that they definetly bring their best when they represent their national team. I know being the chief rival of the USA I'm supposed to not like the Mexican team, but I really like the team recently. In the past when the USA had the win streak against them I found El Tri to be a selfish team but now they are very fun to watch.

Splitting them up would have been stupid. Both teams are 95% sure to qualify anyway so what's the point of robbing CONCACAf of its chief rivalry?

[Action Jackson]

Originally Posted by Arkulari

Agapito is the Gil of the XXI Century

Hahaha, harsh but funny. This parasite club needs to go.

Originally Posted by rocketassist

Rodgers is a man with a high ceiling. He'll go to the top. Very thorough student of the game. The LFC job is a poison barb though, as soon as he loses one the fans will be screaming for Rafa or Kenny to come back in. If you aren't one of their own they'll lynch you.

He did live off the sweat of Martinez setting it up for him. Yes, he added his own touches to Swansea, but he left too soon at the same time it seemed like they wanted Martinez first but thankfully he refused.

Definitely this style of football needs patience and fans these days don't have it for the most part.

Originally Posted by SloKid

I'm not convinced that Di Matteo would be the right choice. Yes, he lead the team to the CL win, but Chelsea rode their luck a lot and you can't expect to be successful on the long run, if your main tactic against big teams (in Europe) consists of parking the bus. I'm not sure what else Di Matteo could offer tbh.

Di Matteo rode his luck big time but with the squad he had, that pretty much was the only way to play for them. The cancerous dressing room leeches are still there, all the CL has done has delayed the regeneration project.

[Arkulari]

Manolo Preciado, the former Levante, Racing and Sporting coach died of a heart attack today

He had just signed a deal with Villarreal. Rest in Peace.