Possible Substitutes for Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool’s downhill tumble only got worse after the bitter defeat against United on Sunday. With a porous defence constantly leaking goals and a toothless attack failing to score, things definitely look dreary for Brendan Rodgers. They’re now sitting at 11 position, 7 points off 4 place with the future not looking positive either.

There are now strong rumours that the ownership is considering letting Brendan Rodgers off the hook with a suitable replacement at the end of the season, or if things continue to worsen, right now. We’ve sounded out five possible alternatives to the Northern Irishman, in case he was to be sacked.

1. Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund)

There’s no doubt that Klopp is a master tactician and a vivacious touchline personality. Leading Dortmund to two consecutive titles and a Champions League final, a manager of Klopp’s calibre and experience will definitely be an asset to the Reds. Currently undergoing a terrible season with Dortmund with the team soaring in & out of the relegation zone, it’ll be easier to prise him away. Klopp is proficient in working with limited resources, yet being able to work wonders with what he has.

1. Rafael Benitez (Napoli)

A club fan-favourite, having led Liverpool to Champions League glory in 2005, there are probably thousands of Liverpool fans rooting for his return. Leaving under depressing circumstances with the owners unwilling to spend money back then, Benitez would jump at the opportunity to have a second stint in the city where his family continues to live. He is known for his tactical acumen, setting up his team to exploit weaknesses in opposition. Defensively, his teams concede a lot less goals than what could be said for Rodgers’ setup.

1. Frank de Boer (Ajax)

The Dutchman’s brother has recently come out in the media stating that the Ajax boss would be open to managing Liverpool if the chance became available, despite having rejected the job back in 2012. If the Kop faithful are aware of him, they would also know that he won four consecutive Eredivisie titles with Ajax, the first manager ever to achieve this in the league. He is touted to move to one of Europe’s elite leagues in the near future and Liverpool fans should be hoping he chooses Anfield as his next destination. He works closely with Ajax’s world renowned youth academy and makes sure that the transition to the first team is seamless, having integrated a host of young players into his title-winning team.

1. Andre Villas-Boas (Zenit St Petersburg)

A prospect for Liverpool fans to be less excited about, AVB worked wonders with the Porto side back in 2010. But after facing less exciting stints at Chelsea and Tottenham, his managerial value dropped immensely. If the Liverpool board were to replace Rodgers with AVB, one could be forgiven for thinking it’s a huge step down. After all, it was AVB who spent the money received from Bale’s departure and utilized it quite fruitlessly. Something that Rodgers criticized but ended up doing the same next season. However, AVB is as short as 2/1 to be named the next Liverpool boss with bookies.

1. Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)

Although the most unlikely replacement for Rodgers, 44 year old Argentine Simeone is one of the best young managers in the game, having helped his side to a surprise La Liga triumph last season, along with a Champions League final. An unmatched managerial motivator, he demands unwavering commitment from his players and that could work well with Liverpool. His Atletico side has been able to keep up with the likes of big spending Madrid and Barcelona, despite spending little on their own.