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Liverpool fans supporting Rodgers

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Klopp?  Ancelotti?  What does the future hold for a club that is entering into a world where a large section of their fans have no recollection of them being anything other than a team battling for fifth?  Is it time for Liverpool fans to step into their present situation with honesty?

Liverpool and its fans are living a lie as they continue to think they are guaranteed top four football.

The Liverpool of old is dead.  How could a player like Steven Gerrard be so easily culpable for the loss of a title yet still be endeared as one of the top few players in Liverpool history?  Gerrard allowed Liverpool and its fans a chance to hold on to their past.  The time for that is over.

Liverpool and its fans are living a lie as they continue to think that there is an instant band-aid that will result in an instant title challenge and constant top four football.

No matter who the incoming manager is going to be for the Kopites, the good ship Liverpool has two options for the future.

Option one:  Blow the current squad to pieces.

Option two:  Decide that they just want ONE title.

For option number one, nearly every player on the current Liverpool roster needs to be sent on their merry way.  Lucas has been one knee short of world class for five years, Allen was perfect…for Swansea, Lovren is/was/will be a bust, Skrtel should be called for a penalty during every set-piece, Enrique is broken, Lallana can’t handle any expectations, Milner is a transfer that Liverpool should have made five years ago, and Benteke has only occasionally made us think he isn’t Andy Carroll 2.0.

After that, build solely around the youth on the outside of the defense, Coutinho (if Spain doesn’t come calling), and Sturridge as the experienced member of the attack.  

Blow everything apart and build for a squad that competes for constant titles in four/five years.  This is the type of thing that could possibly get Liverpool back into contention instead of just hoping to luck into the Europa League.  That probably means getting a manager that is merely meant to be a figurehead for two years (until he gets fired), and then have a manager come in to bring the slow build to fruition.  Baseball might not be the best comparison for English soccer, but the Chicago Cubs are currently on this exact path (except they are at the tail end…heading towards success).

This would be the best option for long term success as there are proven instances of this working.  It isn’t like suffering hasn’t already been occurring in the Liverpool ranks, so what is another four or five years?

If the club is for option number two, then Klopp or Ancelotti (or anyone with a proven track record) would be a good hire.  Especially as either of those coaches are probably only looking at Liverpool as a stepping stool to a club that is currently elite (instead of a club merely aspiring to be elite).  One summer of ridiculously reckless spending snagging everything world class that isn’t nailed down, bringing in every player that has even ONE good year left in them, and putting every tournament on the back-burner as the reds launch their way to ending their drought.  

The obvious downside to this would be the possibility of trashing an entire club and its future for one year of success.  There is always the chance that a successful year would allow you to be more marketable to other superstars.  It’s always easier to bring in players when your best pitch is something better than “We’ll hope for top four, but we will probably end up stewing in mid-table before making a last-ditch effort for fifth.”  Massive risk for a reward that is never guaranteed.

If Liverpool is going to make anything happen, it feels like the moves have to be made sooner rather than later.  If the club sits in mediocrity for another few years, the harsh truth of this club’s aspirations might finally need to be realized.  Liverpool will be a club that hopes to steal fourth place…but not a club that thinks the top four is guaranteed.  The time for change is now…

The future of Liverpool is undetermined…but something will have to be altered to prevent Liverpool fans buying into any more lies.  

 

About the author: Andrew McCole

 

If I may be so bold to condense my immense personality into two words, it would be: soccer nerd. I love everything about the beautiful game and I tend to reflect that in my writing. I suffer through Liverpool fandom and hope that they will win another title before my wife spreads my ashes at Anfield (considering I'm in my twenties, it seems somewhat likely). Although I also dabble in tennis, teaching, and coaching, most of my free-time is spent writing articles.

 

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