Following Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool might well be the toughest job in world football, but you can bet plenty of managers will want to do it.
Merseyside has only just stopped shaking from the shockwaves emitted when Klopp announced his departure at the end of the season on Friday, although a 5-2 FA Cup win over Norwich has lightened the mood somewhat.
The German still has plenty to achieve in the rest of this campaign as Liverpool battle on four fronts, but come the summer who should be stepping into the rather big shoes he'll leave behind? We asked our team to pick their next Reds boss.
Darren Wells - Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso would be a popular candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp (Getty Images)You can't replace the huge void that Jurgen Klopp will leave when he departs. But I'd argue there isn't another manager who could shift the disappointment of losing Klopp into a positive quicker than Xabi Alonso.
He's still loved around Anfield and his ties with the club add that bit of football romance that Klopp has tapped into on Merseyside over these past eight-and-a-bit years. The Kop would also be patient and give him time to settle in, which could be crucial.
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Does that mean he's the right man for the job? Not necessarily. But he's worked wonders at Leverkusen to go from second bottom to top of the Bundesliga in little over a year. He seems like a born manager and has worked with some of the best during his playing career - something that will be well-respected in the dressing room.
What I also like about Alonso is it hasn't all been plain sailing. He earned promotion with Real Sociedad's B team before suffering immediate relegation - a fate Klopp experienced early in his career with Mainz. The comparisons will have to stop somewhere, but Alonso has his own style and ideas to start an exciting new era, and one the fans at Anfield will be right behind from the get-go.
John Cross - Roberto De Zerbi
Cover your eyes Brighton fans. And apologies in advance. But if I’m Liverpool, I go all in for Roberto De Zerbi. He’s a brilliant tactician, pushes players to the limit and is a sensational manager.
Look at the respect from the other managers. Pep Guardiola loves him and will surely be in Manchester City ’s thoughts in any succession plan.
I know Xabi Alonso is the obvious one. Super smart, former Liverpool player and is doing a remarkable job at Bayer Leverkusen. But if you actually watch them play, the style is so removed from Jurgen Klopp ’s Liverpool. Maybe that’s absolutely fine. I heard a lifelong fan on 5Live the other day saying the last thing they needed was a new manager coming in and trying to be Klopp 2.0.
De Zerbi has already proven himself in the Premier League (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)Alonso is much more about Mikel Arteta ’s style. Different formation and set-up in possession and out of it. It’s a possession game. They try and strangle the opposition. It’s a far cry from heavy metal football. De Zerbi, meanwhile, plays with intensity and drive. It’s not Klopp. But I think Anfield would love his passion, his team’s attacking threat and the way he sets up. Brighton are fabulous to watch.
The other key here is what it looks like behind-the-scenes. Klopp’s backroom staff are going. But what about the recruitment set-up? What about needing fresh investment for a rebuild? It’s a big job. Klopp has big shoes to fill. That’s why you need a big character, a strong personality and De Zerbi fits the bill.
Neil Moxley - Andoni Iraola
Iraola has impressed at Bournemouth (Graham Hunt/ProSports/REX/Shutterstock)I'm not saying the fella is a shoo-in to replace Klopp. But I think if Bournemouth continue their progress, he's worthy of consideration. It's a tough gig, the one at the Vitality, keeping up with the monied elite and the Cherries have surprised everyone.
They are lightning quick up front - possibly the fastest in the Premier League - and they should stay up with ease. I'd like to see how the fella gets on for the rest of this season.
Xabi Alonso is an obvious frontrunner. It's difficult to look past him - he oozes class - but his frontline experience isn't extensive. For me, Roberto de Zerbi is too combustible for a job like the one at Anfield. He blows up, big-time. And I'm not quite sure how much his success is down to the Italian or the structure that Graham Potter left behind.
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It may be too soon for Iraola. But he had an impressive record at Rayo Vallecano and if he keeps it up with Bournemouth, his next step will be a big one.
Felix Keith - Roberto De Zerbi
In the absence of the long-awaited Steven Gerrard narrative – he’s not interested and very busy with his ‘project’ at Al-Ettifaq thank you very much! – getting on board the Xabi Alonso train makes a lot of sense.
Former Liverpool player who gets the club ? Tick. Handsome? Tick. Flavour of the month up-and-coming coach? Tick. There is a lot to like, but succeeding Jurgen Klopp is going to be a near-impossible job. Klopp is not just a brilliant coach, he’s an extremely emotional and empathetic leader.
Alonso is not just in his first major coaching role, he is also a softly-spoken introvert, (whose tactics with Bayer Leverkusen are also very different from Klopp’s). Liverpool don’t necessarily need to find someone like Klopp to succeed Klopp, but they do need to find someone equipped to step into the gigantic void he’ll leave.
Enter Roberto De Zerbi. The 44-year-old Italian is only two years older than Alonso, but has a lot more coaching experience and has been with Brighton for 15 months. He’s Mr Passion™, not afraid to make bold decisions and, you sense, would embrace the glare at Anfield. De Zerbi plays hugely exciting football. He trusts young players. And he won’t take ill discipline from star players. To me, that seems a good fit with Liverpool. As a neutral, I want a bold forward-thinking appointment, not a safe pair of hands; Liverpool’s>
Alan Smith - Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso is the obvious candidate. Bayer Leverkusen are winning in style at the top of the Bundesliga and if he does not end up at Liverpool a host of Europe's giants will be queuing up instead. The former midfielder's playing identity is clear - lots and lots of short passing - and that may jar with Klopp's approach. But there is no reason why Liverpool's squad cannot adapt, there are enough technicians in the dressing room to implement a possession-heavy vision.
Of equal importance is that Alonso knows the club and has an appreciation for what makes Liverpool different to any other team in England. He understands the fans' demands and the importance of cultivating a certain image off the pitch.
Roberto De Zerbi is an attractive proposition too. But Alonso is clear because he possesses the benefit of Anfield experience while it is fair to ask if Brighton's supreme tactician can deal with the intense spotlight at Anfield and bigger egos in the dressing room.
His predecessor Graham Potter, still recovering from the Chelsea nightmare, could provide some advice in that regard. Beyond that the other candidates carry greater doubts.
Alonso is a popular choice to replace Klopp (Getty Images)Mike Walters - Roberto De Zerbi
The man who takes over from a legend is always on a hiding to nothing.
The man who succeeded Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, David Moyes, was gone within 11 months. The man who followed Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, Unai Emery, became distracted by playing pass-the-parcel with the captaincy and never really cut it at the Emirates. And the man who came next after Don Revie at Leeds, Brian Clough, ended up in a film called The Damned United.
Liverpool have two obvious choices as Jurgen Klopp's successor at Anfield - their former midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is ripping up the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, or Roberto De Zerbi, whose Brighton team play the best football in the Premier League.
But the 64 billion dollar question (64 million is loose change these days) is not whether Alonso or De Zerbi are good enough to step into those mighty big shoes at Anfield. It's whether they are prepared to be judged by a legend's standards.
Personally, I would go for De Zerbi. But if he is bold enough to take over Klopp's empire, he would be well-advised to come armed with a human shield as an assistant manager on his staff, someone who is untouchable in the eyes of the Kop. Step forward, Steven Gerrard.
Mark Jones - Xabi Alonso
There is no Jurgen Klopp, the sequel. That just isn't possible. The man is a football unicorn, and whoever comes in will be leaning heavily on the new sporting director, which is an appointment that the club are likely to make before that of a new manager.
Whereas Klopp ruled the roost over everything in his later Liverpool years - perhaps too much, in fact - things will go back to a more recognisable model for FSG, who will look to implement the type of structure they wanted to build around Brendan Rodgers. Xabi Alonso would slot seamlessly into that.
There is a lot about the Roberto De Zerbi idea that I like, and what he lacks in Liverpool tradition he makes up for in passion, intensity and personality, something that would quickly get on the nerves of opposition fans and therefore endear him more to Liverpool's.
I just think it seems made for Xabi though, Europe's brightest young coach with a sharp mind and a sharper dress sense. He's already loved in Liverpool and he loved living in Liverpool back when he did. Concerns over his playing style will exist because he's so inexperienced, but Liverpool's squad is remarkably adaptable and set up for success.
Klopp's assistant Lijnders will also leave the club in the summer, but could he make a swift return (AFP via Getty Images)Andy Dunn - Pep Lijnders
Jurgen Klopp says he will have no input into the selection of the manager who will succeed him at Anfield. Well, while he might not want any input, the owners would be daft not to consult him.
After all, who knows this squad better than anyone else? Who best knows the character of these players and what sort of character they will need to get the best out of them? Klopp, of course. And you could probably be sure Klopp would have no hesitation in recommending promotion for his current number two.
Pep Lijnders is also leaving in the summer - to pursue a career in management, having had one brief, unsuccessful spell at NEC in Holland. And that career can continue at Anfield where his influence in this current Liverpool set-up cannot be underestimated.
It would be a gamble but no more of a gamble than bringing in a manager with just over a year’s experience in the Bundesliga. Lijnders knows this crop of Liverpool players - young and not so young - inside out and is clearly well-respected and liked by everyone at the club. He is also clearly a very confident coach, which helps.
Liverpool's history proves that the appointment of a former number two can be successful. And with reservations about most of the other leading contenders, Lijnders is Liverpool’s best option.
Kieran King - Roberto De Zerbi
For me, Roberto De Zerbi would be the ideal pick to replace Jurgen Klopp.
The Italian has done an excellent job at Brighton, and although Graham Potter's miserable time at Chelsea may suggest that the Seagulls' success stems much deeper than the manager, there is no doubt De Zerbi has the potential to be a world-class coach.
Since taking over from Potter in September 2022, De Zerbi helped guide Brighton to sixth - their highest ever finish - in the Premier League. During that campaign, the Seagulls also reached the FA Cup semi-final before eventually losing to Manchester United.
So far this season, Brighton have qualified for the last 16 of the Europa League, progressed to the FA Cup fifth round and also sit seventh in the top-flight. In his time at the Amex, De Zerbi has won 33 and drawn 18 of his 69 matches in charge.
De Zerbi's Brighton side plays attractive football (Getty Images)As well as getting results on the pitch, De Zerbi has done it with a distinct and successful style. He likes his teams to play a possession-based style of football, focusing heavily on shorter build-up from the goalkeeper.
Considering the quality in the Liverpool squad, I don't see why that approach wouldn't work if he was Klopp's replacement. De Zerbi's Brighton also have a tendency to press from the front and win the ball back as soon as possible - something which is synonymous with Klopp's Liverpool.
Although it isn't imperative, De Zerbi has Premier League experience as a manager - something many of the other potential candidates like Xabi Alonso, Zinedine Zidane and Julian Nagelsmann - don't have. This could boost his chances of becoming Klopp's successor and I think De Zerbi should be given the job.
Daniel Orme - Graham Potter
Yes, we are all aware that Graham Potter failed to match expectations at Chelsea but he was more of a victim of the chaos reigning supreme at Stamford Bridge right now if anything. Does that mean that he is not worthy of another opportunity at the top? Absolutely not.
While Liverpool fans might be more taken by glittering names such as Xabi Alonso and Roberto De Zerbi, Potter is still an excellent coach. His work at Ostersunds was nothing short of a miracle, while there can be no doubt that he laid the foundations for De Zerbi’s superb side at Brighton.
Graham Potter is still out of work (Dan Weir/REX/Shutterstock)Potter’s style of play is slightly different to Klopp’s in the fact that he is slightly more considered but his Brighton side - and Chelsea for that matter - created plenty of chances. The only thing that those two sides were lacking were clinical forward. Step forward, Mohamed Salah. Potter also oversaw the development of a number of promising young players at Brighton including Alexis Mac Allister - who is now a Liverpool player - Marc Cucurella, Tariq Lamptey and more.
Appointing him might well be a risk but it could be one that pays off in the long-term for Liverpool if they have the patience. After sticking by Klopp following a tricky first few seasons at Anfield, Potter could well be in line to get things right at Anfield.
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Matt Maltby - Thomas Frank
Forget Xabi Alonso, Roberto De Zerbi or Zinedine Zidane, Thomas Frank is the perfect man for the job.
The Brentford boss might be a bit of a left-field choice compared to the other high-profile names linked to the Anfield top job, but in his three seasons in West London he's shown he's ready for a big club.Having secured Premier League football for the first time in the Bees' history, Frank has done a superb job in maintaining their top-flight status - and on a limited budget.
He's also had to deal with plenty of off-field issues including Ivan Toney's gambling ban and the ongoing circus surrounding the striker's future. He confronts his challenges with compassion and humility and, more importantly, he appears to have the same charisma as Klopp.
Thomas Frank has done a superb job at Brentford (Getty Images)Frank is fun in press conferences and post-match chats, refusing to give the cliche responses we often see today, and he obviously lives and breathes football - just like the departing Reds boss. An appearance on Monday Night Football back in September showed just how much he puts into his tactics, and his high-pressing and energetic style is comparable to Klopp's Liverpool.
He's a character Liverpool fans will get on board with too, although his lack of experience at the highest level does represent a huge gamble for FSG.
Scott Trotter - Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso seems the natural fit to be Liverpool's next manager. A Red through-and-through and on the same quest to overthrow Bayern Munich as Jurgen Klopp once was. The former midfielder has experience of working under the very best coaches in Rafael Benitez, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, and has thrived with Bayer Leverkusen since departing Real Sociedad B.
There is a sense the Bundesliga side will not stand in his way, even with Alonso currently leading his team on an unbeaten domestic campaign and progressing through the Europa League. Is it a move that comes too soon? Has he faced the adversity that will see him able to contend with the pressure that will come at Anfield and with replacing Klopp? Could the out of work Mourinho keep his seat warm for a year? No, of course not.
Perhaps Alonso's upward trajectory can continue at it's rapid rate on Merseyside and if not, he will be afforded patience and respect many others would not. With a team continuing to develop as well as challenging, that could be key.
With a year to bed in before a possible Pep Guardiola departure from Manchester City, the Premier League could be more open than ever and ready for Alonso to leave his mark.
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