JUST IN: Postecoglou has “clout” among the four traits needed for the Liverpool post, making him a potential Klopp alternative.
Ange Postecoglou has the “clout” to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool according to Chris Sutton, who has tipped three star players to follow the German out the door this summer.
Klopp announced on Friday that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, sparking great speculation as to who will replace him at Anfield.
Xabi Alonso is currently the frontrunner but Sutton reckons he lacks the experience to take on the role.
Postecoglou could be a good fit though, according to the former Blackburn and Chelsea striker.
“I feel sad that he’s leaving,” Sutton said. “Because he’s been such a giant, he’s charismatic, but it’s the challenge of how Liverpool have pushed Manchester City. Without Klopp, Manchester City would have just romped absolutely everything. How is somebody going to replace a giant like him?
“They’ll need a manager with a bit of clout to handle the situation. It’s a hospital pass isn’t it?
“If you’re talking about a fit, nobody can replace Jurgen Klopp, but someone who has the stature and the presence to go in and handle that situation at Liverpool because it will be no doubt tough to handle.
“You touched on Alonso, I agree with you with Alonso. He’s still a rookie manager as such and would it be the right time? Does he need a longer apprenticeship? I suspect that he does.
“Steven Gerrard’s name comes up because of his connection but I think Aston Villa has done him in, in terms of the way, you know, would Liverpool think about him.
“But Ange Postecoglou would fit style of football, he’s got the experience, he’s won things, and he has a bit of clout, and they’ll need a manager with a bit of clout to handle the situation.”
Van Dijk is one of three star names whose contracts need sorting ahead of 2025, alongside Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold. And though there are no immediate concerns that the captain wants an exit, he wants to see what happens next before signing any extension.
Sutton believes Salah and Van Dijk will leave at the end of the season and their exit will only make the job Klopp’s successor has even harder.
“There are people out there who think it’s the end of an era with Klopp,” Sutton said. “It looks like Salah will move on at the end of the season. Would the likes of Van Dijk think ‘Klopp brought me into Liverpool, this has been a great success’ and maybe think about another challenge.
“Because you know I think it will have had a massive impact on the players and the team and they’ll be desperate for Klopp to leave on a high and to win the Premier League and if they can win four trophies that would be remarkable.
“We can’t speak for individuals like Van Dijk, but maybe [Andy] Robertson will leave as well. Maybe they’ll see that as the end of an era and Klopp having a clean break, taking all his staff has the right time to move on.”
READ MORE:
Xabi Alonso would be doomed as next Liverpool manager. And who really forced out Klopp…
The Mailbox suggests that Xabi Alonso might want to resist the clamour to replace Jurgen Klopp, who lost the will to fight against the conspiracy, apparently. Also: the problem at Man Utd; and a black day in the Black Country…
Get your views in to theeditor@football365.com…
Alonso on a hiding to nothing
The end of an era of long term managers has not gone well for the proceeding manager. Man Utd with Moyes, Arsenal with Emery. It’s surprising then many fans are shouting for Alonso. A relatively new manager only in the top league since Oct 22. It seems on paper it is more likely he would fail than succeed.
Furthermore if Liverpool win the league this year or finish well, Alonso would be under pressure from the start, the only way is down. He would need time to change 7 years of Klopp, something the fans don’t seem prepared for. History would tell us it is not easy.
Those pointing to Arteta, he didn’t actually take over from Wenger did he…
Regards
Saul McGill
Judging Jurgen
Right at the top I was desperate for Klopp to join United from Dortmund, and think he’s an amazing manager who has utterly transformed the perception and standing of LFC in his time. LFC fans will rightly laud him and all other fans should give him the respect (and now rest) he deserves.
But for me he’s Andy Murray. At another time, in another world undoubtedly had the talent, longevity and desire to be a proper world number 1 for years. But never was, because others were even better. Football is about trophies and championships, and this is where the catch comes in: his LFC side have not succeeded in the way you’d think given its reputation.
Recall not long ago that there was large media coverage of LFC being, literally, the best side of all time. I’m not exaggerating, that was a real conversation. Because of how LFC are treated, you’d honestly think they’re the most successful team in Europe in the last decade. They’re not even remotely close on the trophy count. For some reason when Manchester United fall out of the top 4 it’s a sign that the worst-run club in world football is bad, but when LFC fall out of the top 4 it’s entirely understandable, barely an inconvenience. When clubs that lose this many finals become known as the ‘nearly-runs’, LFC are heralded as all-conquering underdogs that fate conspired to cruelly foil.
Honestly, I’m jealous with the way LFC are covered. I think Klopp has done great. But his tenure deserves to be nowhere near the top 5 greatest managers of British football clubs. Maybe not even top 10. But you wouldn’t know that, because LFC just ‘hit different’, or ‘vibes’ or something. Maybe someone else can explain it.
Ryan, Bermuda
Read more: Who will replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool? The top 10 contenders…
Refs forced Klopp out
Seemingly Klopp 1st mentioned quitting, after the Spurs goal debacle, then it came about again because of the Arsenal clear hand ball, he hasn’t the energy to fight a losing battle against the joke that is VAR, he’s knows how hard it is to beat City but it’s nigh-on impossible with so many bad decisions going against you.
Stephen
Four-time champion
I can only hope that while Klopp is living his best normal life, that one day his doorbell rings and it’s UPS, there to deliver to him three more Premier League medals with a note saying #115.
Best
Wik, Pretoria, (been a while since Anfield was that noisy, Klopp’s played a blinder?), LFC
Klopp365
Dear F365. I have been somewhat disappointed at your lack of coverage concerning Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he is to resign as Liverpool manager this summer. Of course, you know your business best, but I would’ve thought that such a statement would have warranted more than the rather superficial attention you have so far paid it.
I just wondered if you wouldn’t mind printing the odd article about what he would do next, who might replace him, which current players might either leave or stay and just what, in general, this might mean for Liverpool Football Club.
In case, you know, supporters of every other football club in the entire f*cking world weren’t already bored sh*tless with this subject.
Mark (I heard a rumour that a football team from Kent did something interesting this weekend, along with some other games that were played and all but one of ‘em had s*d all to do with Jurgen Klopp! Surely not?). MCFC.
Warm balls
If the chaps picking the warm balls out of the bag don’t come up with a Leverkusen versus Liverpool tie I’ll eat the hat.
Peter (wondering if Jurgen’s number two could be persuaded), Andalucia.
The common denominator at United
Considering what’s happened with Lingard, Greenwood, Sancho and now Rashford, will anyone be brave enough to say that the real problem at United might actually be the English players?
Terry, Texas
Black day for Black Country
The irony of Matterface and Dixon joking at the beginning of the match about local pubs opening at 5.30am for an 11.45am start. Then when trouble starts, begin harking on about the bad old days. See any correlation lads? The whole point of introducing early kick offs was to avoid/limit drunken violence at what’s deemed high risk games. Serious questions need to be asked about Sandwell police decisions.
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