Liverpool FC - Talk /Gossip/Rumours 25/25

54and56 · 21-05-2026 07:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488213#Comment_124488213

Some big differences:-

In 2015 his tweet was correct in relation to Ancelotti.
Rodgers was a few weeks into a new season where a change of manager is highly unusual and disruptive and a lot changed in the 2 weeks from when the tweet was issued to when Rodgers was fired, todays tweet is 3 days from the last game of a season.

~Rebel~ · 21-05-2026 08:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488408#Comment_124488408

If ever there is a time when a club mouthpiece journo is going to tow the line it's 3 days from the end of the season.

He might stay, he might go, but as ever these reports are always meaningless until the moment the club want it made public. As ever there is literally nothing to be gained from anyone at the club saying anything different, even to their mouthpieces, even when it might come with a bit of 'wink wink'. In a week we'll know a lot more.

It's much like how none of the closer City journos were declaring Pep was leaving even though it seems it's just been quite an open secret, and was only recently broken by a lesser daily mail journo after the club were literally shooting 'goodbye pep' content out on the field and a load of construction workers saw.

giveitholly · 21-05-2026 08:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488408#Comment_124488408

Obviously the Ancelotti piece was true but no way were FSG backing Rodgers 100% at that time. There is no way Klopp wasn't contacted before that tweet and the wheels in motion put in place to get him. You are very naive if you thought when Pearce tweeted,that FSG were fully intending to stick with Rodgers long term as liverpool manager.

robwen · 21-05-2026 08:40PM

Enjoyed the 'Liverpool's miracle of Istanbul' on Netflix

Fitz* · 21-05-2026 09:16PM

There's no way that the club wanted rumors of a new manager out in the public. It doesn't help them, it doesn't help Slot and it doesn't help any sort of narrative around mutual parting etc being still in place.

So the easiest thing to do is for Tony Barret & Neil Jones to ring up their ex-colleague James and tell him to put a tweet out saying 'blah blah blah'.

And their position ob Slot might not have changed, but that's not to say that it won't change in the next week either.

giveitholly · 21-05-2026 09:24PM

In other news it looks like Henderson is going to make the England world cup squad but Wharton won't. Thats a bit mad imo.

54and56 · 21-05-2026 09:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488469#Comment_124488469

The tweet you're referring to doesn't mention 100% or long term, it just said FSG were still backing Rodgers which they absolutely could have been doing whilst also sounding out Klopp in the event things didn't improve under Rodgers.

When you have to embellish like that in order to make your point you've already lost.

Enzokk · 21-05-2026 09:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488276#Comment_124488276

I think the reason is that he seems to be quite outspoken on how standards have fallen and seemed upset when he was dropped, and yet last season he scored 34 goals and he is on 12 so far this season. He is quiet on his own standards having dropped and how this has affected us this season. He is not alone, but some are disputing he was a problem this season.

It is also easy to say the obvious, we should play like we did when we were successful. If it only was that easy, every club would do it.

giveitholly · 21-05-2026 10:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488632#Comment_124488632

How could they have been backing Rodgers 100% yet still sounding out Klopp at the same time? Thats a contradictory statement. What exactly have I lost?

54and56 · 21-05-2026 10:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488679#Comment_124488679

You've lost the fact the tweet doesn't say FSG were backing Rodgers 100%, it just says they were backing him.

It's entirely possible to be backing someone whilst at the same time be making contingency plans in case the person you're backing doesn't improve things and you are forced to make a change e.g. FSG might currently be backing Slot to achieve the minimum target they set for him i.e. CL qualification whilst at the same time researching and sounding out potential replacements to take over if, unlikely as it now seems, we don't secure CL football on Sunday.

Dr Robert · 21-05-2026 10:26PM

Can you back someone while trying to get rid of and replace them? 😅

giveitholly · 21-05-2026 10:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488709#Comment_124488709

So in Rodgers case they went from backing him to sacking him in the space of two weeks? When Pearce posted that tweet FSG were confident that Rodgers would be successful with Liverpool?

~Rebel~ · 21-05-2026 10:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488632#Comment_124488632

Every club backs every coach until the second they sack 'em. That's why all these reports are always best served with a healthy dollop of salt. We've all seen a trillion managers 'backed' by clubs who we also knew were a hair away from kickin' out the door. Jim Ratcliffe gave a thoroughly effusive interview about how much faith and support he had for Amorim, and how he fully believed Amorim needed to be given 3 years to realise his vision — a few weeks before he dumped him. Do we really think it was just those few weeks that changed his mind, or was he perhaps being less then truthful when he talked about all this belief and support he had for Amorim's long term future?

It's a well established trope in football.

So again, maybe he'll stay, maybe he'll go, but I think we should all know by now that it's unwise to be basing any sense of that outcome on a single thing coming out of the club before season's end.

giveitholly · 21-05-2026 10:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488720#Comment_124488720

Exactly,it beggars belief at times that some people can't understand this and how a club is run and what it wants released to the media.

54and56 · 21-05-2026 10:43PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488714#Comment_124488714

FSG can't "try" and get rid of Slot, if they want rid of him they'd just do it.

Look up succession planning.

All responsible organisations (sports clubs, businesses, charities, unions etc etc) would be acting negligently if they didn't have a ready to implement succession plan if the leader leaves or has to be fired.

Liverpool are no different.

You back the person you've put in charge until they leave or circumstances force you to sack them and then you implement your already prepared succession plan.

It's standard operating procedure.

Having a succession plan does not mean you're not backing the incumbent.

It means you're a responsibly run organisation.

54and56 · 21-05-2026 10:46PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488719#Comment_124488719

Depending on the circumstances you can go from backing someone to replacing them in two hours, never mind two weeks.

Girly Gal · 21-05-2026 11:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488752#Comment_124488752

I thought Slot was here to complete the 3 year transition plan no matter what, so why the need for a succesion plan right now.- not sure what we're transitioning to, but if Slot is here next season and we continue in the same trajectory of this season, we'll be in the bottom half!

giveitholly · 22-05-2026 08:15AM

Looks like Trent did not make the England squad for the World Cup. A bit of a blow for his Ballon D'or aspirations!!

54and56 · 22-05-2026 08:49AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488805#Comment_124488805

You always need a succession plan so you're not blindsided when something unexpected happens e.g. Slot simply resigns as he's had enough or, as we sadly experienced last summer, he's involved in an accident etc.

Serious organisations always have succession / contingency plans in place at all times.

J Mysterio · 22-05-2026 08:53AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489062#Comment_124489062

Personally, it's a mistake for me. He may not be having the best time ever at Madrid, but he's an exceptional player, and quite unique.

Cartman78 · 22-05-2026 08:55AM

Djed Spence gets the nod ahead of Trent 😬

cunnifferous · 22-05-2026 09:00AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488720#Comment_124488720

Can we just sticky this at the top of the thread 🤣

CONSI · 22-05-2026 09:13AM

Next week tells a lot, either Slot gone or he gets a new contract, we cant have a manager going into his last year of a contract, will make recruitment this summer difficult. I would like us to go out for some better value players, bring Elliot back aswell. maybe get Bowen, few players at Wolves that might be worth a look. Maybe some from Southampton that might want a move now

redoctober · 22-05-2026 09:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488756#Comment_124488756

Exactly. It'd be crazy not to keep your options open. Anything can happen. Especially the way we've been this season. If we were to crash and burn right now, we could end up out of the CL places. That's not acceptable for Slot's mandate so he'd be gone. If we had continued on the losing streak we had in the autumn, he would have had to be sacked before Christmas. You can't give a carte blanche saying "we don't sack managers". Everything's possible. I suppose that's where contracts come into it because the incentive is there for the manager to stay and get his full pay-out. This avoids the club having a situation where a manager just walks away when the heat comes on. Trouble these days for clubs is not so much the manager but that the players have all the power.

redoctober · 22-05-2026 09:27AM

Re: Trent

Seems crazy to me. He's a top player. Huge amount of ability. Yes, he's poor defensively but he's got so much quality going forward. Look how much we and Salah have missed him this season. He's also in his prime. In four years he'll be 31. Pretty lousy for him tbf.

Xofpod · 22-05-2026 09:28AM

Ok. Equal parts thought experiment and sh!t-stirring - would you take Pep as Slot's replacement? I'm not talking about feasibility or likelihood, just people's gut reaction.

Robert2014 · 22-05-2026 09:53AM

I'm sure Trent is going to love working with Jose too!

awec · 22-05-2026 10:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124488752#Comment_124488752

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489119#Comment_124489119

This just isn't true.

Look at Manchester United for a great example of why having succession plans is not a prerequisite to getting rid of an underperforming manager.

machiavellianme · 22-05-2026 10:22AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489177#Comment_124489177

We're aiming for the top, not the bottom. Let's bring in all the Championship level players! After all, we're still the crowned Champions (till Sunday)?

One player from the relegated teams as a squad filler - maybe, but multiple? No thanks.

Bacchus · 22-05-2026 10:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489203#Comment_124489203

No, because despite the trophy cabinet I attribute a lot of his success to having squads stacked with talent and the clubs having the deep pockets to keep it that way. Credit where it is due and all, but he won't get that with us so I don't think he'd be a huge success. He's also part of the City setup for 10 years now and they are surrounded by allegations of breaching FFP rules. Is that what we want here? The main 'pro' for me in getting him would be that he might be a draw for players to stay/sign for us but I think even at that it might be at odds with how we manage our budget.

Liverpool FC - Talk /Gossip/Rumours 25/25

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