Intermediaries acting on behalf of Liverpool for Fenway Sports Group have made approaches to Roberto Martinez, Andre Villas-Boas and former Reds boss Rafa Benitez, according to reports. All three could potentially be interviewed next week.
Fenway Sports Group are keen to make a quick appointment, of a manager who will be given time and money to play with and are to fly over their top candidates for talks in Boston early next week.
Today it was reported that Villas-Boas, the Portuguese former Chelsea boss, has been approached and Wigan chairman Dave Whelan confirmed that he has given Liverpool permission to speak to Martinez.
Developments this evening suggest that ex-Reds manager Benitez is also on that list of managers approached. Benitez was sacked by the club’s former owners in 2010, with many feeling the Spaniard wasn’t given the chance to finish the job he started. Benitez is currently out of work and living on the Wirral.
Former Liverpool captain John Barnes has backed the movement for Benitez. The Daily Mail quotes him as saying, “I think it has to be someone with a proven track record,” Barnes said.
“You could have someone as inexperienced as [Roberto] Martinez, Brendan Rodgers or Andre Villa-Boas or someone as experienced as Rafa [Benitez].
“Rafa knows the club so him coming back will be a good move and I support anyone coming into the club with a proven track record – he will improve the side.
“They have to back the next man. Because otherwise they are just going to keep getting new managers wanting to spend more money and that’s a feature of modern football.
“If you want examples of what can be achieved with support in a similar situation you just need to look at Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes.
“They are two of the longest serving managers and both have been under pressure for various reasons but you can see how well Everton and Manchester United have done.
“An example of what not to do is Chelsea, okay they may win the Champions League but by changing managers their league form has shown them to be inconsistent.”
Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers is also being considered for the role, whilst Martinez is the current favourite for the role.
The soap opera continues. Watch this space.
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