Liverpool fans are reeling a little this morning after their new manager search took another turn yesterday.
Having already missed out on the dream hire of Xabi Alonso, Reds supporters had grown comfortable with the idea of Ruben Amorim taking over at Anfield next season.
It had been claimed that Amorim was certain to at least get an interview with Liverpool, as he marked himself out as the lead candidate.
However, surprise news emerged on Monday that the 39-year-old has now instead met with West Ham and is unlikely to join the Reds. As a result, questions are being asked of exactly where that leaves Liverpool.
Thomas Frank has since been put forward as a potential new contender and the Liverpool ECHO now claim that the Reds could indeed be about to do something ‘unexpected.’
Liverpool ready to make surprise decision
Liverpool’s process to replace Jurgen Klopp was always likely to be one full of twists. Exactly how do you replace a manager like Klopp anyway? It’s nearly impossible.
As a result, FSG have had to cast their net far and wide and leave no stone unturned in their quest. It’s the right way to do things.
Over recent weeks it has been reported that the Liverpool owners might actually make something of a surprise appointment.
And according to the ECHO, that could now be the case. After the Amorim news last night, they claim that the Reds are ‘insistent’ that there is still yet to be a front-runner for the position. Instead, the club are focused on doing ‘due diligence around a number of viable names.’
There are no names concretely reported as being in the mix at this time. However, it is reported that Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will hire the manager they see as being the ‘best fit’ rather than a ‘popular’ choice.
The exact words used in the report are that Liverpool will not ‘shy away from making an unexpected decision.’ We don’t mind that at all, but it needs to happen soon.
Who could Liverpool’s ‘unexpexted’ appointment be
Perhaps those who had been plugged in to the very latest in Liverpool’s manager search would not have been surprised by last night’s news.
The likes of David Ornstein have reported for a few weeks now that Amorim should not be seen as the definite front-runner for the job,
Quite who is remains a bit of a mystery, though. Thiago Motta at Bologna is probably the other manager to have been mentioned most heavily. Journalist Graeme Bailey recently exclusively told Rousing The Kop that a ‘shock’ hire would most likely be Motta.
Other names are obviously still in the mix for Liverpool, though. Could we see a real shock with the likes of a rookie like Nuri Sahin or even Fernando Torres take charge? Time will tell, but this just got a whole lot more interesting.