The owners' time-wasting in the search for Dalglish's
replacement means the Reds can finish no better than sixth next
season, warns Mark Lawrenson
I know Liverpool’s owners are going about the
search for a new manager the American way, but they’ve got it
wrong.
I can’t believe they are doing it so publicly. They
have basically let everyone know who is on their short-list and
who they want to interview.
I didn’t see West Brom and Aston Villa do that, and
leave it to the bookies to compile a short-list of managers for
you.
That might be the way they do things in America, but
this is England and we do things differently.
They must have had misgivings about Kenny Dalglish for
some weeks before they sacked him and yet they didn’t line up a
replacement.
I know people will say that’s not the correct way to do
things, but that’s football.
Fire alarm: Dalglish was
sacked without a replacement already lined up
I don’t believe any manager who says it’s a
bolt from the blue when they are sacked.
They can see it coming. And usually, they also have a
fair idea who’s replacing them.
It’s also disrespectful to the managers involved - you
only have to look at Brendan Rodgers’ initial reaction when he
refused to take part in the owners’ beauty parade.
He cleverly turned the tables on them, effectively
saying if they really want him, they can come and speak to
him.
Look at Roberto Martinez as well. If he doesn’t get the
job and Wigan start the season badly, their fans will think
Liverpool have unsettled him.
While this process goes on, Liverpool are wasting
valuable time.
No respect: Liverpool's methods proved a turn-off for
Swans boss Rodgers
The club are at a crossroads and I would argue
they are even further off finishing in the top four now than they
were at the start of last season.
The big five of Manchester City, Manchester United,
Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham will all strengthen and it’s going
to be hard for Liverpool to catch them up.
If anything, they are going backwards, not
forwards.
I look at next season and I think the best they can
hope to finish is sixth - don’t forget they’re also in the Europa
League and playing Thursday-Sunday affects the dynamic of the
team.
Looking longer term, they aren’t going to be able to
attract the best players if they are not in the Champions League
and they are going to have to either decide to build a new stadium
or refurbish Anfield – both of which will cost a lot of money.
There is an opportunity now for Liverpool to go out and
get the players they feel they need to improve before the
Euros and before their rivals have a chance to snap them
up.
But instead we have a situation where there is no-one
at the club to sign players.
There’s no manager and Damien Comolli, who handled
transfer negotiations, has still not been replaced.
No deal: Liverpool have not replaced transfers-boss
Comolli either
I just get the impression that the Americans
are trying to run the club from thousands of miles
away.
I know that MD Ian Ayre is still there and he is in
charge of the day-to-day running of the club.
I know Ian, and he’s seen all the main people he was
used to working with on a daily basis go.
Comolli’s gone, Dalglish has gone and Ian Cotton, who
was in charge of the press department for years, has gone.
He must be thinking he could be next.
I think since the day Peter Robinson walked out of
Liverpool a decade ago, the club has never been the same.
I know people say things are different today from when
Peter ran Liverpool so well, but intelligent people adapt and
change.
The feeling I get from the Liverpool supporters I speak
to is that they are indifferent, and that’s most unusual.
They just want to see it sorted and a new manager
appointed soon so the club can try to move forward.
