Lawrenson: Liverpool are going backwards under the Americans
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No manager and no idea! Liverpool are going backwards under the Americans
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
Do you agree with Mark Lawrenson?
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No