Steve Nicol has named who he thinks is likely to be the next Liverpool manager if FSG were to sack Arne Slot, along with citing an alternative candidate he’d welcome in the job.
The Dutchman has come under ever-intensifying scrutiny during a wretched season at Anfield, with Danny Murphy calling for a change in the dugout, and several names have already been mentioned as potential successors.
The most prominent of those has been Xabi Alonso, given his previous ties with the club and his immediate availability, while Andoni Iraola has reportedly impressed the LFC hierarchy with his work at Bournemouth, who he’s leaving at the end of this campaign.
Nicol was asked on ESPN FC whether he’d persevere with Slot or hire either of the aforementioned Spaniards at Liverpool for next season.
He answered: “I like Iraola. I like the way his Bournemouth play the game. Under normal circumstances I would’ve said Alonso, but he absolutely bombed at Real Madrid and you have to take that into consideration.
“However, if Arne Slot is not going to be there at the start of the season, I don’t see how FSG don’t go with Alonso. I’m going to go Alonso I think, ultimately.
“If something happened with Alonso and he didn’t want it, or they weren’t keen with what happened at Real Madrid, I’d have absolutely no problem with Andoni Iraola next season.”
If Liverpool are on the lookout for a new manager over the summer, Alonso would appear to be the outstanding candidate, given his existing connection with the Reds from his playing days and his exceptional work in winning an unbeaten German double with Bayer Leverkusen two years ago.
Nicol mentioned the 44-year-old’s brief and unhappy stint at Real Madrid earlier this season, but that owes more to the hideously demanding circumstances of working at the Bernabeu than any major failings on the Spaniard’s part.
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Iraola is also marking himself out as a legitimate candidate for a job at an ‘elite’ club with his work at Bournemouth, who as of Sunday morning sit just four points off the Champions League positions in the Premier League, a remarkable feat given how their budget compares to other top-flight outfits.
Furthermore, as football data writer Thom Harris outlined for The Athletic, the Cherries boss is renowned for an aggressive, high-pressing tactical approach which is reminiscent of what Jurgen Klopp implemented with huge success at Liverpool.
For the time being, the debate as to who takes over in the dugout would appear to be moot, with David Ornstein reporting in recent days that FSG intend to keep faith in Slot even if the Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Should that stance change and they decide to dismiss the 47-year-old, though, either Alonso or Iraola would appear to be solid options (unless they’re hired by other clubs in the meantime).
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I like iraola but Alonso is the best candidate today. People always say iraola has epl experience. Did Jurgen klopp have epl experience? Alonso won the Bundesliga, same as klopp. Furthermore, he played for us for 5 years and won the ucl. He ticks all the boxes for the most suitable manager now.
Iraola has said he is moving back to pain because his family cant settle. Never going to Liverpool.
It’s a massive step up from the Bournemouth job to be manager at Liverpool. Iraola is at no pressure at Bournemouth. Look back at Eddie Howe who did a good job with Bournemouth, and now look at Newcastle who are in decline under Howe. There’s big pressure at a big club, more so at Liverpool. You need a manager who has authority and presence to handle the big players.
There’s risk whoever the next Liverpool manager is. You won’t get another klopp, he was a one off . What you can do is try to minimise the risk, get a manager who’s done something of note , winning the German league is more than finishing 8th in the league with Bournemouth. ,look back to Brendan Rodgers, he ticked lots of boxes for FSG before he was Liverpool manager, but he was never going to be good enough.
As for Alonso at real Madrid, you cannot judge him on that. Real Madrid is the hardest job in world football, look how many managers get sacked without giving them time.
To be honest, there’s not many good managers our there to replace slot, definitely not another klopp, but Alonso on what he did in Germany is the best candidate for Liverpool. Iraola, or the palace manager will be another mistake after slot.
Slot shouldn’t have been Liverpool manager, he did nothing of note to earn the Liverpool job. Dutch football is as inept as the Scottish league.
Richard Hughes and his 64 page dossier brought slot to Liverpool, if he has any say on the next Liverpool manager, god help us.
Alonso didn’t bomb at Real. He was given how long? 4 months? He had a team of egotistical idiots.
Iraola has had an up and down season. No doubt he’s talented but Liverpool might be a bit early. Another couple of years at Bournemouth is needed. Lots of managers do well for a couple of years then it falls off a cliff.
Liverpool are once more making life difficult for themselves!! Nagelsman Alonso and perhaps Iraola, in that order, would be my pick for the next LFC manager. Let’s be clear, Slot must be fired, he has to go, he needs to be urgently removed as LFC manager!
As for the squad, it needs to be reinforced with 6-7 players for the 2026/7 season. 2-3 backline players, any pick from Djed Spence, Micky van den Ven, Alessandro Bastoni, Ousmane Diomande and Murrilo. 2 midfielders in pick from Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Kees Smit and Andy Wharton. Lastly, two wingers in pick from Yan Diomande, Michael Olise, Kenan Yildiz, Rodrygo, Jesse Bisiwu and Esmir Bajraktarevic.
LFC suffers from injuries to its players year in year out, which costs points at a critical time in the run in to the championship. Adding these players will plug this gap, it has to be plugged!
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