Interesting that Schmidt is in the list. On the day Klopp announced he was going, I started looking at a few numbers and tweeted the below. I also think I mentioned some of these stats on the recent podcast with regards to Alonso, and him having a different style from Liverpool at present:
"Roger Schmidt at Benfica. League title last season, trophies in three other countries.
German, same age as Klopp. Obviously perfect for the impossible job....
Benfica direct speed: 2.00 m/s (LFC 1.95)
Passes per sequence: 3.87 (LFC 4.06)
Final third regains per 90: 6.6 (LFC 6.1)"
"Got 12 league goals and 13 assists out of Gakpo with PSV in 2021/22. Prefers 4-2-3-1 at present but has used 4-3-3 in the past. Definitely not saying he should be the guy, just maybe worth adding to the list."
And he made your list! I agree with the 'dark horse' shout though - he doesn't feel like the next Liverpool manager, even if he would make sense in certain regards.
His Benfica side from this season and last season showed up REALLY well in the numbers. I wasn't aware that he was doing so well tbh, and I didn't actually associate him with dominance. Thought he was more of a transition man. I do think he'd make the shortlist depending on the number of candidates involved.
I would go Alonso as I said last week. Take a chance now, see if he can maintain what he’s doing, because if he can, we have the next big thing inside Anfield under lock and contract. If they shy away because of the small sample size, we may miss out forever, as if he’s successful somewhere else it would be incredibly hard to get him.
Having said all that. Amorim would excite me equally.
How do you think the Michael Edwards rumours change any of this, if it all, if we were to get him?
We talked about Edwards' influence on the next manager in this week's podcast. I don't think things would change too much, because Alonso still looks great in the data. Liverpool do seem to love Portuguese football, though. I do think Amorim has a massive shout.
I really think Amorim’s chances have increased given the news, and his larger body of work/sample. However, I really liked your point about pull. Players will be more attracted by the prospect of playing for Alonso, fact. It’s going to be really interesting to watch this play out.
Where I’m comforted as a fan now is, whomever they ultimately chose, I know he will be the best man for the job.
For me though, don’t risk losing out on a all-time great in Alonso. This is our best chance of getting him, if he becomes that, because if he achieves greatest somewhere else, your Real’s of this World will get him and we won’t.
BUT, that’s an emotional, gut decision, not a data-driven one. Like I said, this is going to be really interesting! 😅
Alonso for me, if not Amorim. Failing that, just refuse to let Klopp leave Merseyside lol. I don't like the vibe of Nargelsmann. He comes across being very egotistical and would destroy the foundations that the club have built, the same goes with Tuchel. Sounness came to l f.c in 91 and changed everything too soon and look what happened, a bit of a different situation because Kenny didn't leave it in as healthy position as Klopp is leaving us. But the danger is there for someones ego to destroy everything.
I don't disagree to be fair. Nagelsmann has a brilliant CV, but there's something about the person that feels questionable. Bayern randomly getting rid of him in March was a red flag. I'd side with Alonso for sure.
Yeah the film itself is “ok” in itself, bit of an Americanised version of the true story from uk comedian Danny Wallace.
Well worth a read and really makes you think about all the good things in your life and the yes’s you had to say to make them happen.
Well worth a read, and as I say if you like his writing style and ethos on life you might like some of his other books and similar authors like Dave Gorman and Tony Hawks.
Great piece Josh. Am I right in thinking Amorim is really into the date when it comes to his training methods etc? If so he’s looking like the perfect guy for Edwards and FSG!
I'm not sure tbh mate, haven't heard that one. He does look very good though, and Liverpool really seem to like Portuguese football. If it's not Alonso, I think it could be him.
Everyone is wishing for Alonso it would seem, certainly from all I have read and heard. What could become interesting is if Liverpool hire someone else & if they get off to a bad start, will fans be patient or not?
I think it’ll be added pressure, first replacing Klopp is hard enough in itself, then being better than the picture everyone has painted in their heads of what Alonso could do for us. Them’s big boots to fill.
Personally I’m all on board the Alonso hype train. Another factor of those final 9 would be how strong is their grasp of the english language, it’s something I feel that screwed Emery over in his first stint in the EPL & could again be a major factor when comparing the next manager to Klopp & how well he handled the media side of things & getting his tactics & methods across to the players.
Interesting times ahead. Glad to see they’ve got Edwards back on board too
Good points mate, I'd just go Alonso tbh. I don't think we need to overthink this one, he's obviously very good. The only worry with a small sample size is his success might be a fluke, but it's pretty obvious that he's not a one-season wonder. Anyone can see that.
Alonso for me. Especially in combination with Edwards and a sporting director. Might even have been a demand of Alonso towards FSG in early talks to sort out the football operation of the club. Now he can come in, take over a great squad packed with coachable talents and leaders and have the structure in place to sort out short term improvements and mid/long term replacements of Salah, VVD, Alisson.
Very interesting that FSG committed to acquire an additional club as mentioned in the Edwards‘ statement. Any candidates Josh?
Nothing in mind, but I know FSG once looked at Marseille. I also wouldn't be surprised if the club ended up being in Portugal. On the other hand, this additional club could be somewhere really surprising like Africa or South America. Lots of possibilities.
Marseille would be very significant. A European sleeping giant, rich history, renowned academy, a sporting mess, socio-economic issue in the city. It would be a declaration against PSG. Could be of interest to Edwards. Wouldn’t benefit Liverpool.
I'd love Alonso just to see him, thiago and Trent pinging balls in the warm up. Also his experience as a player is mad, which might make up for his managerial lack of experience. Nagelsmann looks incredible though, and if he continued to manage Germany for the euros I don't think it would be much of an impact to recruitment as the current squad looks pretty strong. But maybe an issue with having some time off to rocess before a role switch might be a concern especially as klopp had burn out in the end.
Yeah, there's something about Nagelsmann that doesn't feel 100% but his numbers are brilliant to be fair. I wouldn't be too disappointed but I also think there are better cultural fits out there.
I was basing my Nagelsmann comments on the numbers and playing style you mentioned, his track record with Hoffenheim, Leipzig Champions League run, and the fact Klopp has praised him in the past, all at a young age for a manager. I kind of ignored the Bayern blip and put it down to maybe he wasn't given the time he needed like in the other roles, which might have been true.
BUT... you mentioned "cultural fit" and i thought, 'oh shit i don't really know much about his personality'! I kind of dismissed this as something for Tinder, but actually Klopp's personality is a massive influence on the players, the club, and fans. Let's face it football is one big love affair really.
I know it's just one opinion piece but for me if he is a tactics obsessive so much so that he is cold to players that is a massive backwards step. There is a family togetherness within the club partly held together with Klopp's hugs and fist bumps. A new manager won't be the exact same personality but i think a similar personality type should be part of the recruitment thought process. He doesn't seem like a fit.
Oh it's definitely long and drawn out, but that's intentional. Just a creative idea on my part as a means of kinda setting the scene. I want the brand of music to represent the conversation in the podcast, so that's the vibe I'm going for. Wanted to completely avoid the mainstream feel that you'd hear on a typical podcast.
Boss mate. I'll be honest, I've been quite lucky with the timing of it. I'd like to say I knew about Edwards returning and Klopp leaving beforehand, but I've been fortunate. Still, no complaints from me.
Interesting that Schmidt is in the list. On the day Klopp announced he was going, I started looking at a few numbers and tweeted the below. I also think I mentioned some of these stats on the recent podcast with regards to Alonso, and him having a different style from Liverpool at present:
https://twitter.com/BassTunedToRed/status/1750914802082259252
"Roger Schmidt at Benfica. League title last season, trophies in three other countries.
German, same age as Klopp. Obviously perfect for the impossible job....
Benfica direct speed: 2.00 m/s (LFC 1.95)
Passes per sequence: 3.87 (LFC 4.06)
Final third regains per 90: 6.6 (LFC 6.1)"
"Got 12 league goals and 13 assists out of Gakpo with PSV in 2021/22. Prefers 4-2-3-1 at present but has used 4-3-3 in the past. Definitely not saying he should be the guy, just maybe worth adding to the list."
And he made your list! I agree with the 'dark horse' shout though - he doesn't feel like the next Liverpool manager, even if he would make sense in certain regards.
His Benfica side from this season and last season showed up REALLY well in the numbers. I wasn't aware that he was doing so well tbh, and I didn't actually associate him with dominance. Thought he was more of a transition man. I do think he'd make the shortlist depending on the number of candidates involved.
I would go Alonso as I said last week. Take a chance now, see if he can maintain what he’s doing, because if he can, we have the next big thing inside Anfield under lock and contract. If they shy away because of the small sample size, we may miss out forever, as if he’s successful somewhere else it would be incredibly hard to get him.
Having said all that. Amorim would excite me equally.
How do you think the Michael Edwards rumours change any of this, if it all, if we were to get him?
We talked about Edwards' influence on the next manager in this week's podcast. I don't think things would change too much, because Alonso still looks great in the data. Liverpool do seem to love Portuguese football, though. I do think Amorim has a massive shout.
Just finished listening now. 👏🏻
I really think Amorim’s chances have increased given the news, and his larger body of work/sample. However, I really liked your point about pull. Players will be more attracted by the prospect of playing for Alonso, fact. It’s going to be really interesting to watch this play out.
Where I’m comforted as a fan now is, whomever they ultimately chose, I know he will be the best man for the job.
For me though, don’t risk losing out on a all-time great in Alonso. This is our best chance of getting him, if he becomes that, because if he achieves greatest somewhere else, your Real’s of this World will get him and we won’t.
BUT, that’s an emotional, gut decision, not a data-driven one. Like I said, this is going to be really interesting! 😅
Alonso for me, if not Amorim. Failing that, just refuse to let Klopp leave Merseyside lol. I don't like the vibe of Nargelsmann. He comes across being very egotistical and would destroy the foundations that the club have built, the same goes with Tuchel. Sounness came to l f.c in 91 and changed everything too soon and look what happened, a bit of a different situation because Kenny didn't leave it in as healthy position as Klopp is leaving us. But the danger is there for someones ego to destroy everything.
I don't disagree to be fair. Nagelsmann has a brilliant CV, but there's something about the person that feels questionable. Bayern randomly getting rid of him in March was a red flag. I'd side with Alonso for sure.
Heard you mention the film Yes Man in the latest pod. I presume you’ve read the original Danny Wallace book?
If so you might have already got onto similar authors Dave Gorman and Tony Hawks (not the skateboarder!).
Interesting. I wasn't actually aware of that book, but I'll have a look into it, cheers Steve.
Yeah the film itself is “ok” in itself, bit of an Americanised version of the true story from uk comedian Danny Wallace.
Well worth a read and really makes you think about all the good things in your life and the yes’s you had to say to make them happen.
Well worth a read, and as I say if you like his writing style and ethos on life you might like some of his other books and similar authors like Dave Gorman and Tony Hawks.
I’d recommend…
Yes Man
Round Ireland with Fridge
Googlewack
I’m Dave Gorman
Great piece Josh. Am I right in thinking Amorim is really into the date when it comes to his training methods etc? If so he’s looking like the perfect guy for Edwards and FSG!
I'm not sure tbh mate, haven't heard that one. He does look very good though, and Liverpool really seem to like Portuguese football. If it's not Alonso, I think it could be him.
I’m sure I heard somewhere saying he was very data driven with a lot of his methods. Will be very interesting to see which way the owners go.
Really enjoying your stuff though mate!! 👍
Everyone is wishing for Alonso it would seem, certainly from all I have read and heard. What could become interesting is if Liverpool hire someone else & if they get off to a bad start, will fans be patient or not?
I think it’ll be added pressure, first replacing Klopp is hard enough in itself, then being better than the picture everyone has painted in their heads of what Alonso could do for us. Them’s big boots to fill.
Personally I’m all on board the Alonso hype train. Another factor of those final 9 would be how strong is their grasp of the english language, it’s something I feel that screwed Emery over in his first stint in the EPL & could again be a major factor when comparing the next manager to Klopp & how well he handled the media side of things & getting his tactics & methods across to the players.
Interesting times ahead. Glad to see they’ve got Edwards back on board too
Good points mate, I'd just go Alonso tbh. I don't think we need to overthink this one, he's obviously very good. The only worry with a small sample size is his success might be a fluke, but it's pretty obvious that he's not a one-season wonder. Anyone can see that.
Alonso for me. Especially in combination with Edwards and a sporting director. Might even have been a demand of Alonso towards FSG in early talks to sort out the football operation of the club. Now he can come in, take over a great squad packed with coachable talents and leaders and have the structure in place to sort out short term improvements and mid/long term replacements of Salah, VVD, Alisson.
Very interesting that FSG committed to acquire an additional club as mentioned in the Edwards‘ statement. Any candidates Josh?
Nothing in mind, but I know FSG once looked at Marseille. I also wouldn't be surprised if the club ended up being in Portugal. On the other hand, this additional club could be somewhere really surprising like Africa or South America. Lots of possibilities.
Marseille would be very significant. A European sleeping giant, rich history, renowned academy, a sporting mess, socio-economic issue in the city. It would be a declaration against PSG. Could be of interest to Edwards. Wouldn’t benefit Liverpool.
Reckon Alonso is a shoe in and they’ve probably already informally shaken on it. Just don’t wanna disrupt Leverkusen's run to the title.
I'd love Alonso just to see him, thiago and Trent pinging balls in the warm up. Also his experience as a player is mad, which might make up for his managerial lack of experience. Nagelsmann looks incredible though, and if he continued to manage Germany for the euros I don't think it would be much of an impact to recruitment as the current squad looks pretty strong. But maybe an issue with having some time off to rocess before a role switch might be a concern especially as klopp had burn out in the end.
Yeah, there's something about Nagelsmann that doesn't feel 100% but his numbers are brilliant to be fair. I wouldn't be too disappointed but I also think there are better cultural fits out there.
I was basing my Nagelsmann comments on the numbers and playing style you mentioned, his track record with Hoffenheim, Leipzig Champions League run, and the fact Klopp has praised him in the past, all at a young age for a manager. I kind of ignored the Bayern blip and put it down to maybe he wasn't given the time he needed like in the other roles, which might have been true.
BUT... you mentioned "cultural fit" and i thought, 'oh shit i don't really know much about his personality'! I kind of dismissed this as something for Tinder, but actually Klopp's personality is a massive influence on the players, the club, and fans. Let's face it football is one big love affair really.
So i had a quick google to see what type of personality he was and straight away came across this article posted when he was still manager at Bayern: https://adamfc5.substack.com/p/the-dark-side-of-julian-nagelsmann
I know it's just one opinion piece but for me if he is a tactics obsessive so much so that he is cold to players that is a massive backwards step. There is a family togetherness within the club partly held together with Klopp's hugs and fist bumps. A new manager won't be the exact same personality but i think a similar personality type should be part of the recruitment thought process. He doesn't seem like a fit.
Love it Josh, fantastic read from start to finish. Keep it up!
Thanks a lot Gavin.
Loving all the content so far, particularly the latest podcast. Great listen!
Nice clean art work and site design.
One slight reservation - not too sure at all about choice of opening / closing music on the podcast! 🤔
Thanks mate. You're the first to complain about the music, I've had nothing but compliments so far. What sort of music would you prefer?
Not a complaint as such and if you like it mate it’s your shout! Don’t go changing for me! Ha ha 😀
Dunno hard to explain my feeling on it, just struck me as a bit odd, long and drawn out?!?!
Wouldn’t know where to start in what kinda music to suggest and I’d imagine it’s a bit of chore rights wise paying for it etc?
Just thought I’d mention it. As I say if you are happy that’s all that matters. 👍🏼
Oh it's definitely long and drawn out, but that's intentional. Just a creative idea on my part as a means of kinda setting the scene. I want the brand of music to represent the conversation in the podcast, so that's the vibe I'm going for. Wanted to completely avoid the mainstream feel that you'd hear on a typical podcast.
Fair doos, I’ll keep that in mind on future listens. All the best with with it all.
Just getting into your book at the moment too. Your timing couldn’t have been better for all this with the return of Edwards, New Manager search etc.
Boss mate. I'll be honest, I've been quite lucky with the timing of it. I'd like to say I knew about Edwards returning and Klopp leaving beforehand, but I've been fortunate. Still, no complaints from me.