Liverpool are set to approach former Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp and ex-Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti over their vacant manager’s position, after Brendan Rodgers was sacked on Sunday evening.
Rodgers leaves the club after three seasons in charge – a tenure which also included a return to Champions League football with a second-place finish in 2013. However, he had been under fire after an unconvincing start to this campaign, with just four wins from 11 games in all competitions.
This also comes off the back of a disappointing 2014/15 season, in which the team finished sixth in the Premier League.
The board made the decision to move on from the Northern Irishman, saying in a statement: “Ambition and winning are at the heart of what we want to bring to Liverpool and we believe this change gives us the best opportunity to deliver it.
“The search for a new manager is underway and we hope to make an appointment in a decisive and timely manner.”
Reports indicate that Klopp is the first choice for the job. The German became a cult hero at Borussia Dortmund, leading the team to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2010/11 and 2011/12, as well as a Champions League final appearance in 2012/13.
After almost eight years in Dortmund, though, the manager decided to take a sabbatical from the game. Whether Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), can lure him back after just six months out of the game remains to be seen.
Ancelotti, who has won the Champions League three times, including a 2006/7 victory over Liverpool with AC Milan, is also said to be in the running for the job. The Italian, after being relieved of his duties by Real Madrid in May, held talks with AC Milan before deciding to take time out of the game for health reasons due to a back injury.
As the news continued to reverberate around the city on Monday, JMU Journalism went out onto the streets to ask Liverpool fans for their views.
Opinions were divided, with some feeling that the club made the correct decision and others believing that Rodgers should have been given more time.
Jay McArthy, 25, of Dingle said: “I’m made up [about Rodgers being sacked], to be honest. His time was up. You can’t spend £290-odd million and not win a thing.”
However, 20-year-old Ryan Cockrell disagreed, saying: “It hit me yesterday. I’m upset about it and it’s a bit harsh [on Rodgers], isn’t it? It’s not very fair on him.”
Scroll through the edited comments below to read more reaction to the dismissal of Rodgers and the main candidates likely to replace him.
Additional reporting by: Katie Braithwaite; Beth Collins; Ben Cummings; Sam Davies; Hannah Hodgson; Leigh Kimmins; Jenny Kirkham; Lewis Phillips-Calvert; Kamara Samuels & Elle Spencer