Have you noticed how many scaremongers are doing the rounds at the moment. They can't help themselves can they.
So it looks like Yossi Benayoun will move to Chelsea as soon as both clubs agree a transfer fee. So what? I couldn't care less. You see I have Jamie Carragher's outlook on life. Remember what he said recently?
"The people who want to be there (at Liverpool) will come back. If people don't, then no problem. There will always be a Liverpool Football Club. People always talk about players leaving, about 'Is this the end of Liverpool?' but no chance. Better players than the ones we have now have left and we have replaced them. Anyone who doesn’t want to be there, no problem, but we’ll start next season with the players who want to do well."
I'll translate Carragher's words into my own.
"If you don't like it, **** off!"
The scaremongers claim that because Yossi is leaving, we're doomed! Hillarious. He's wanted out for ages so get shot of him. The same applies with anyone else, Torres included. Nobody is bigger than the club.
A lot has been said about why we have allowed Yossi to leave when we have no manager calling the shots. Well it's easy. He doesn't want to be at Liverpool and hasn't for some time. He's out for himself. It's one less thing to worry about when our new manager is appointed. At least give the new manager a squad of players to start with that want to be at the club.
It was also suggested that maybe Yossi's exit was related to a potential takeover. Nonsense. He wanted out. Chelsea came knocking, it's a no brainer. Bin him.
Like me you've probably been very run down and frustrated for a long time because of the ownership problems at Anfield. Well don't be. I'm actually very upbeat just now. I believe we will have new owners soon. I don't know when, it might be this summer, it might be at Christmas, it might be next year. But they will come and just as desperate as you are to have new owners, so are Liverpool officials. Christian Purslow for example is working deep into the early hours... 3am, 4am... he's on it.
He's on it because he knows that the 2 bidders we currently have at the table should be the answer to our prayers. And the longer we wait to appoint a new manager, the better. It means that things are still very possible.
The appointment of Roy Hodgson will end my faith in a takeover this summer. That to me would suggest money is going to be tight - but I could be wrong.
Axing Rafa Benitez for Roy Hodgson? Bizarre. Rafa leaves Anfield to manage the Champions of Europe, Hodgson leaves Fulham. I respect the man but seriously, there's no comparison with Rafa. I must have missed Inter or Juve banging down the door to speak to him.
I'll say it again, I'm convinced Hodgson is leverage for someone else, with or without new owners because if he was really our number one target he'd already have the job. Liverpool are stalling. It is so obvious.
We can afford to stall things at the moment because of the World Cup but the longer we leave things, the more dangerous it gets.
Let's look at the things that the new manager is going to have to address:
* Steven Gerrard's future. I'm told he isn't excited about the prospect of playing under Hodgson. "He would only stay for Dalglish or Mourinho (had he not gone to Real)" claims a source of mine. But I believe they're biased to someone else who wants the Liverpool job. You see, my faith in sources varies. Just because they feed me something doesn't mean I believe it. You rate them as you know them and based on their record. You then have to see what they benefit from feeding you something. This one does benefit, my Sheikh Khalifa source doesn't, hence why I have thrown myself behind the Khalifa claims.
* Fernando Torres future. Again, the same source says suggests he would jump if Hodgson was appointed. I don't believe that. I believe that's biased opinion again. If Torres leaves it's because he's not prepared to sit and hang around at a club that is currently stuck in limbo. Purslow knows this and this is why he's working flat out to get new owners in this summer. I am convinced Torres would stay if one of the 2 bidders I keep referring to come in. Even if we don't secure new owners this summer, I believe we could get another season out of him. However, if Gerrard leaves, I'm not so sure. Here in Spain it is widely reported that Barcelona are serious on trying to sign Torres. Man City are in as we know and Chelsea wouldn't say no. We need a manager in as soon as possible to resolve this one whatever the outcome.
* The new manager needs to address the squad he starts with and plan for next season. The longer we leave it, the harder it will be to buy and sell players because other clubs are already working on transfers.
* Once the World Cup is over we'll have to prepare for an early start with the Europa Cup. Sammy Lee could of course prepare us for this but it's not ideal is it.
But despite these things. I would pay no attention at all to the scaremongers. Some of them mean well, other just want to challenge your faith. Ignore them. They're a pain in the ar*se. The club is not doomed. We're potentially at the start of a very exciting new future. Something will give. Just don't expect it overnight. Keep it real and be happy that there are people at the table now because a couple of weeks ago we were left feeling that it could be years before Hicks and Gillett cleared off.
Before signing off, and staying with the management topic, I'd still be happy for Dalglish to be appointed. Yes I was told he had been turned down but we all know things can change. A 1-year contract while the club exchanges hands would be ideal. His position could be reviewed later. Appointing Hodgson as an interim manager just wouldn't work. If Hodgson is appointed then it would have to be on a longer contract.
I don't know if you remember but I said in an editorial a while back that Frank Rijkaard had been shortlisted. I noticed his agent came out recently to say that "..rumours linking Frank to Liverpool are just that, rumours"... he has a year left on his contract with Galatasaray so he wouldn't be hard to bring in but he wouldn't come in under the current shower.
Just writing about the management situation above is confusing and hard to do so imagine how it must be at Liverpool just now. They're holding out for new owners while they negotiate but they also know that they can't hold out forever.
The best thing I can do is give an update once we appoint someone be it Dalglish, Hodgson or a more fanciable option because from that appointment we should be able to work things out and the minute a new manager is confirmed, my phone will be active with people wanting to update me.
Please ignore the scaremongers. The club's going to be fine. And I apologise if the above isn't written very well. I found it difficult to get my head round what I wanted to say today.
YNWA What do you think?
Duncan Oldham
KopTalk Editor
