FSG have never liked Rafa. I'm surprised our fans don't get that!
How do you know that?
Martinez
Seems like a genuinely nice guy, gets on well with the media, squeeky clean reputation, managed in the Premier League for a number of years with a small side battling at the bottom of the league each year. Young and enthusiastic, has a footballing philosophy, lived in the country for a long time, works with what he has at his disposal, seems tactically sound even with the level of players at his hand. Gets on well with players and retains the best ones. Has made massive profits on player sales. Good youth development, doesn't moan or complain about senior figures above him, gets on with his job, the ultimate yes man. Signs players as cheap as possible, from under the radar as much as possible that also possess good technical ability. Well respected in the league. The "cheaper" more "common sense" appointment for FSG.
I think this is an accurate summary of the man, but I'm not so sure whether he fits the FSG bill. "Cheaper" is relative, as is "massive profits on sales". These things imply the club is interested in making money out of the players, which is the last thing that Liverpool FC wants, and should also be the last thing that a businessman wants. One maximizes profits not by selling one's assets, but by exploiting them. Buying exclusively cheap assets has significant drawbacks (ask Benitez), so it will be much more important that the new manager be active in spotting and buying youth to develop the spine of a team that will dominate for years, rather than picking up bargains and selling them for profit.
Now, I hear what you're saying, but LFC is not a selling club and hopefully never will be, but Martinez only has experience at a selling club where it's only necessary to win 30% of your games. Perhaps he could do better if he could hang onto his players, but the bar is set very much higher at LFC and I don't think he will take to the task like a duck to water.
It's a high risk, high reward appointment. Does FSG really feel that is what is necessary at this time? If they think Martinez is the next Wenger, then I can see absolutely no reason why they wouldn't appoint him. But Wenger is stubborn to a fault, utterly convinced his way is right, which is something that top managers need in their locker (with a DoF to help keep them from embarrassing themselves, as Dein was to Wenger), and I'm not sure that Martinez has that (yet). "Yes men" tend not to have the goods when they come under scrutiny, and I doubt there is a football job more under scrutiny than that of LFC manager. So if they're looking for a yes man, they're looking for trouble.