Recent reports indicate that the Liverpool FC board was considering hiring Eddie Howe in the wake of Brendan Rodgers’s sacking. Howe was considered as a strong candidate to replace the axed Rodgers back in October 2015.
Besides Howe, current Liverpool FC boss Jurgen Klopp and Everton FC manager Carlo Ancelotti were also looked at by the Liverpool FC boss as the next man to take charge at Anfield. Klopp was then zeroed in as the ideal replacement for Rodgers and his hiring was announced on 8th October 2015.
Eddie Howe, who had just overseen AFC Bournemouth’s promotion to the Premier League, was shortlisted due to his managerial approach. The Cherries boss had the credential of developing young players and giving them first team opportunities. The Liverpool FC board admired also Howe’s ability to coach his team on playing an attractive brand of football.
However, what Howe lacked was a considerable managerial experience, and what Klopp and Ancelotti both had in depth in their resume. The Bournemouth coach had been a manager only since 2008, and his experience of managing a team in the Premier League was limited to just one season.
The idea of choosing Howe to be the next Liverpool FC manager was similar to the appointment of Brendan Rodgers in some ways. Both coaches had overseen their previous side’s recent promotion to the Premier League. And like Rodgers, Howe was also relatively young in comparison to other managers in the Premier League.
However, Jurgen Klopp seemed to be the most suitable choice for the Liverpool FC owners at that time. The German coach had prior experience of taking over a distressed mid-table side to being crowned the league champions, as was the case with Klopp’s former side Borussia Dortmund. Moreover, Klopp possessed a fantastic charisma and charm for a football manager.
Ancelotti was perhaps the most successful of all the prospective candidates for the Liverpool FC managerial opening. The Italian’s track record in the Champions League was another feather to his cap. However, Ancelotti’s transfer market record seemed a bit obsolete to the Liverpool FC owners. The Italian coach focused less on signing young prospects.
Jurgen Klopp’s signing has turned out to be a fantastic decision on part of the Liverpool FC board. The German coach has taken the Reds to new heights, revolutionizing the brand of football played at Anfield. A first Premier League title in 30 years was also delivered by Klopp last week which added to the German’s growing stature as one of the best managers in world football.
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