Martin O Neill is the only man for the LFC job...

It really makes my blood boil to read apparently knoweldgable Liverpool Fans just dismissing Martin O Neill as a managerial candidate so easily. For me, O Neil is the ONLY candidate LFC should be considering. Whenever his name is mentioned the usual misguided generalisations are wheeled out: Long ball merchant, scottish League is shite, no track record in Europe etc.

YAWN.

What track record did Bob Paisley have in Europe before becoming Manager?! Who knew Bill Shankly before he revolutionised Liverpool FC forever?! What managerial experience did Kenny Dalglish have before moulding arguably the most breathtaking Liverpool team ever?!

Martin O Neill is clearly destined for greatness. He is a born winner. He's been there and done it. He's won the European Cup as a player under Brian Clough - A Manager that Bill Shankley admired. Martin O Neill knows what it takes to win at all levels yet the same old tired excuses are repeatedly wheeled out.

Why?

Wherever O Neil has gone he has worked wonders. He works with what he has and works within the confines of a given job and does the business. The quality of the scottish league or the status of Leciester City are irrelevent - his achievements are what's important. O'Neill has proved that he can adapt to any situation and come out on top. O Neill does what needs to be done to succeed. That is the sign of a true winner.

In my view, Liverpool need a British Manager at this stage. Someone with a vast knowledge of English Football. Someone who needs no time to adapt to the premiere league. Someone who will bring the best out of players, instill passion, fight and desire and make each player proud to wear the shirt. That man is O Neill. It is not Benitez or Mourinho.

Not that I don't believe Mourinho and Benitez to be good Managers - they undoubtedly are class Managers. I just feel that in the long term, they are not the answer.

With superior quality players at his disposal, Martin O Neill would turn Liverpool into Premiership and European Champions again. Of that I have absolutely no doubt. All this talk about hoofball and route one football is just bull. Within the sphere O Neill has worked in thus far, the minute budgets and and type of players he's had, that type of football (on occasion) has yielded results. At Liverpool it would be a different story. Quality players, bigger budget etc - O Neill would work wonders.

Once again, I just cannot understand why so many LFC fans criticise O Neill. I have yet to hear any proper arguments that are not based on generalisation. I would argue that Shanks and Paisley would approve of O Neill and his passion, motivational skills and ability to bring the best out of players.

At the end of the day, the plain fact is that the entirety of Liverpool Football Club's success has come from having British Managers at the helm: Shanks, Paisley, Fagan, Dalglish. Historically, almost all successful British teams have been led by British Managers: Busby, Stein, Shanks, Paisley, Revie, Clough, Ferguson, Kendall, Graham among others. When English teams dominated Europe in the late 70's early 80's it was British Managers who were at the helm.

On a related note, it's also worth noting that many of the most successful teams across Europe have been led by Managers who Manage in their own countries. recently I'm thinking of Mourinho at Porto, Benitez at Valencia, Capello at Roma, Hitzfeld at Bayern, Ancelotti at Ac Milan, Del Bosque at Real Madrid etc.

Martin O Neill is ready to take the step up. He could create a new dynasty at Anfield. If we miss out on him for the quick fix of Benitez or Mourinho then Manure will snap him up when Ferguscum retires, signalling another era of United dominance. We cannot allow that to happen.

[Colin]

excellent first past mate, your points are valid, i am in favour of o'neill also, although ofcourse i feel benitez might be the best candidate i would b more than pleased to see o'neill at the helm for all the reasons youve outlined!

[bring back kenny]

Welcome aboard and congrats on your excellent first post, I look forward to reading more in the future.
I previously made a post on here defending O'Neill from some of the critisism he was receiving. His managerial record with Wycombe,Leicester and Celtic is excellent and deserves respect.
I wouldn't be totally against him taking over as manager but to be honest I do have some doubts as to whether he would be as successful at our club.
Everytime I think of O'Neill, I can't help but draw parallel's with Jack Chartlon. Jack Charlton took over a mediocre Republic of Ireland team and used the same type of skills as O'Neill, motivation,passion,tactical know-how and the ability to get the best from his players.
We had our most successful International team by far,under Charlton. Qualifying for a number of international finals, got to a World cup quarter final and were at one point No7 in the world.
Despite this I would never have had Charlton as Liverpool manager.
The ability to get the most from a group of average players and drilling a successful playing system into them is indeed a talent but I'm not sure if its the right type of talent required to manage Liverpool. This mainly because the players are of a higher quality and to get the best from those type of players then the football needs to also be of a high quality. We haven't as yet, seen evidence that an O'Neill team can produce the level of performance required to be a successful Liverpool manager, that is where my doubt stems from.
Most of the names you mention as successful British managers come from an era when there were no foreign managers or players in the english league so I don't think that argument holds water.
I'm not dismissing O'Neill, I'm just saying I'm not convinced.

Thanks for the kind welcome

Everytime I think of O'Neill, I can't help but draw parallel's with Jack Chartlon. Jack Charlton took over a mediocre Republic of Ireland team and used the same type of skills as O'Neill, motivation,passion,tactical know-how and the ability to get the best from his players.
We had our most successful International team by far,under Charlton. Qualifying for a number of international finals, got to a World cup quarter final and were at one point No7 in the world. Despite this I would never have had Charlton as Liverpool manager. The ability to get the most from a group of average players and drilling a successful playing system into them is indeed a talent but I'm not sure if its the right type of talent required to manage Liverpool.

I see what you're saying about Jack Charlton but I think O Neil is different and far more multi-faceted. Jack Charlton arguably never had players of the quality of Gerrard, Owen and Kewell in his team or at his disposal. If Charlton had gone on to manage say, Manure I don't believe he would have had the capability to make them into world beaters due to his (IMO) comparatively limited managerial capability whereas I believe O Neill has the gift.

I belive that O Neill has the ability to motivate and get the best out of any player, whatever their level of quality - whether it be 2nd or first division players or a world class premieship player. I also feel that O Neill will adapt to wherever he goes. If he came to Liverpool for example, I think that he would adapt to the traditional LFC Pass and move style as opposed to just playing the same system he utilised in Scotland.

We haven't as yet, seen evidence that an O'Neill team can produce the level of performance required to be a successful Liverpool manager, that is where my doubt stems from

I disagree. Is it really reasonable to expect Leicester or Celtic to produce a level of quality on a par with LFC expectations given the resources O Neill has had to work with thus far? I would argue that within O Neil's sphere of Management his teams have produced a level of performance that at times exceeds expectations.

The Scottish League for example: If you look at the overall quality of football in that League and compare Celtic's level of performance then I think it would be fair to say Celtic are out of sight. Of course, that's not hard in the SPL but the same can be applied to Leicester and Wycombe. In the Prem, Leicester were arguably near the top if not at the top of their mini-league of clubs in terms of performance and achievement.

Before Wenger took over at Arsenal had his J League team produced a level of performance required to be a successful Arsenal manager? Objectively it would appear not IMO given the comparative quality of the J League. Look at Wenger now...

The same arguably goes for Ferguson. As admirable as his achievements at Aberdeen were I don't think it would be accurate to say Aberdeen achieved a level of performance required of a Manager of a European Cup winning Manure team. Yet Ferguson still did it.

I just feel that O Neill has that elusive gift of being able to adapt, motivate, inspire and always bring out the best in all players. In short I think he has the midas touch. He's a winner . As a player he was a winner and was managed by one of the game's true winners. Now he's a winner as a Manager. I can't see that changing.

[Winning 11 FC]

Just get him on borad~~

[Send Igor Biscan away!]

He's vastly over rated.................

[MPR35U]

He's vastly over rated.................

Thank you

[Guck]

There is no way you can say he is over rated !
The guy is a winner who wears his heart in his sleave and makes no apologies for it ! He's astute, he's passionate and he takes no Bullshit from anybody !

I can see how some of you can make comparisons to O Neill and Charlton but too be honest there is no comparison. I have watched Celtic numerous times this year on the box in the old firm games and especially when they were in the initial stages of the champions league and the football they played is as good as your likely to see - swift passing. lovely little lay-offs and no nonsense hard defending. O Neill encourages creative and hard working football which is what is needed at Anfield.

I think its also worth noting that Charlton actually had brilliant players at his disposal (Moran, Sheedy, Whelan, Houghton, McGrath, Aldridge, Keane) but chose not to play to their natural ball playing strengths. It has long been acknowledged by Irish fans who know their stuff that they would have done even better had Charlton allowed them to play their natural passing game.

Thank you very much for the post, MON is a great manager. In my opinion, I would rather have Baraja, ayala, aimar rather than Sutton, Hartson and Co.

Again in my opinion I would rather have Benitez than MON on any day.

Thank you very much.

p.s Houllier had more trophies that MON has till now. Can't see how he can bring more success to LFC. (again my opinion)

[Send Igor Biscan away!]

There is no way you can say he is over rated !

Yeah?? Watch me!!

[Aldini98]

Agree with the previous post, he's over-rated. Also can't stand the way he jumps around like a demented schoolboy.
Also, he's one of Billy Bigots from his playing days with the North least people forget (including Celtic fans)

[Fitzy]

I agree completely that Martin O Neill is the man for the job. Anyone that says he is just a long ball merchant is obviously just repeating something they've heard and have not watched Celtic in Europe the past few years. He gets his teams playing with fantastic passion which is something 90% of the Liverpool team have shown too much of for the past few seasons.
Apparently MON dirtied his bib with Parry because they had a row about O'Neill distancing himself from the Liverpool job in mid season to take the heat off Houllier. He said he had done it countless times and had the press cuttings to prove it. Maybe Parry wants more of a yes-man for the job, a good boy who will do what he's told. I have to say the thought of O Neill going to United scares me.

[Fitzy]

I guess I should press the Preview button before Submit. What I meant to say was that 90% of the Liverpool team haven't shown too much passion lately.

[ambuca]

Im very undecided about O'Neill. He does get his teams playing with great passion and when he took over at Celtic they were miles behind Rangers and within a few years he has them competing in Europe and dominating domestically, and playing some nice football at the same time.
My concern would be his signings, he has never been at a club with money to spend, and with the limited money he does have to spend he buys some very strange players, the likes of Guppy, Agathe and others. I would be very worried if he took over that he would sign some Celtic players, none of whom I'd want to see in red, except maybe the youngster McGeedy. I think he would be perfect for the job if he could prove himself in the transfer market and guarentee that he would not sign any Celtic players.

[jari's estranged mullet]

JamieK your not his agent are you?

[Gray - YPC]

I personally don't want him, but whoever we get will get my total support.

[ProudKopite]

I personally don't want him, but whoever we get will get my total support.

Same here....but i would definately prefer Benitez

[my beloved reds]

My concern would be his signings, he has never been at a club with money to spend, and with the limited money he does have to spend he buys some very strange players, the likes of Guppy, Agathe and others. I would be very worried if he took over that he would sign some Celtic players, none of whom I'd want to see in red, except maybe the youngster McGeedy. I think he would be perfect for the job if he could prove himself in the transfer market and guarentee that he would not sign any Celtic players.

But even Benitez has yet to prove himself in the transfer market... The core of the team were players from Hector Cuper's regime. Canizares, Ayala, Marchena, Aimar, Baraja, Albelda, Angulo, Vincente... they wre there before he came along. And the season before he took over, they were champions league runner-up. Plus, they finished 5th last season, the reason why they were in uefa cup.

[ProudKopite]

Maybe he can turn the current LFC players into superstars aswell...like he's done with the curent players at Valencia.

Cos he didn't buy anyone doesn't make him any lesser of a good Manager......IMO ...thats the mark of a great manager....

His past failures by only securing a UEFA cup spot was put right this season when he won the league as well as the UEFA cup.....

We should give him a chance.

[my beloved reds]

I didnt say that just because he didnt buy anyone makes him not a good manager. My point is that we cant dismiss MON just because he didnt buy any star name.

[ProudKopite]

I didnt say that just because he didnt buy anyone makes him not a good manager. My point is that we cant dismiss MON just because he didnt buy any star name.

I understand...i meant it in general...
And anyone who dismisses MON cos he didn't but any big names must be a bit narrow minded and have something blocking their vision.

Anyone can see that the Big names want to be in the big leagues....and the SPL isn't quite a BIG and high profile league. If MON did bring in a huge star player in, i would be extremely suprised...and have even more admiration for him.

MON a good manager......but IMO benitez is the right man.

[Red under the bed]

totally and utterly agree with Jaime on this. Martin O'Neill is the man for the job and the time is perfect for him....so why bother with foreigners who may not settle well? I don't understand!! it may work in cosmopolitan london but liverpool is a gritty northern city. Get O'Neill and a few more good Britsh players and lets kick some ass!!!

[Colin]

if i hear o'neill and 'overrated' in the same sentence again im gona go fuckin crazy! how can he be overrated? ill accept that he's relatively unproven at the highest level; but overrated?! give me a break; alteast explain why you think that because it appears to me that the people who say this havent backed it up with even a sentence's explanation

[Souey's 'tache]

I've said it before and I'll say it again O'Neill will be a success in the Premiership, it's just a matter of whether it's with us or the scum.

[Send Igor Biscan away!]

if i hear o'neill and 'overrated' in the same sentence again im gona go f**kin crazy! how can he be overrated? ill accept that he's relatively unproven at the highest level; but overrated?! give me a break; alteast explain why you think that because it appears to me that the people who say this havent backed it up with even a sentence's explanation

Some people say he's the best brittish manager around, and I can't stop laugh at that!!!

So what if he went to Scotland and won a 2 horse-race? Big fuckin' deal!! I bet Houllier could have done the same if he got that squad of Celtics. MON did great things at leicester, but how hard is it to get some mediocre-players to play shit-defensive footie?? Ask Gerard and you'll see!!

Mark my words he's over rated!!!