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Indeed. It's a thinly disguised PR shout-out to Martinez, for one thing. Found talk about the lack of tactics employed during his time especially interesting. Maybe Kenny is more Harry Rednapp than we thought? Tactically speaking of course.

Hope this doesn't turn out to be telling metaphor for our managerial choice.

Our nervous impatience aside, what is the reasonable amount of time FSG should be given before announcing the new manager?

Warming to the idea of either Martinez or AVB now. Propaganda well and truly working.

Best form of defense is attack philosophy, eh. I'm sold! I like the fact he can pluck talent from obscurity; most anyone can spot a Hazard (except for our scouts, it seems).

Yeah, I'm finding myself getting round to the idea too. Is Martinez loony enough though?

A big no to Capello, not that I believe he's seriously considered in the same place. While boasting one of the best coach's CVs around and heralded as a master tactician, hence the parallels drawn with Rafa, his brand of football isn't as expansive and progressive as Rafa's. On a bad day, Rafa's teams can play some uninspiring footy. On a bad day, Capello's teams are simply turgid.

Get Rafa back as coach honcho, Martinez in as his second, and while we're at it, bring Torres home for a small free. There, addressing several threads (Rafa back, the next manager, summer activity) at once.

Is some crafty Hobson's choice between played out in the media? Martinez or Benitez.

This and this. Rafa would totally ace any football-related interview. Until there's actual word on the manager, I'm buying into the Rafa and JWH dream team.

I'm starting to feel this way too. If they had the likes of Dein and Cruyff advising them, why would they keep this hush hush, and instead letting the world know about the managerial candidates? Their recent actions (and inaction) are making them look far less the savvy operators they were originally made out to be. Granted a lot of the news we're picking up is shrouded in media hogwashery, but still.

Lingering resentment and the fact footballers are thickos. But our egotists are less big-headed.

Oh, I meant Kenny actually, that the senior players like Carragher and Gerard might not take to kindly to a manager who's not much older, and who just replaced the club's greatest living legend.

Torres?

The manager to be would herald the intent and ambition of our summer transfers me thinks.

How about our own massively inflated ones, though. Would they be more amenable to a manager who's about their age and partially responsible for booting out a living legend?

I'm no ITK, obviously, but I suspect the choice would be down to Rafa and AVB, based on the persistent rumours and availability of the men. AVB swings the vote more because he probably fits their ideal: Young, progressive up-and-comer. Rafa's in it with a chance, but a lot depends on how he fares in the interview, like how he would respond to the likely question of how he wouldn't do things if he were given a second stint.

Weren't there reports when Clarke first joined about how training has become relevant, modern etc. as enthused by the players?

But it's such a catch-22; they know next-to-nothing about football, and the man they are expected to rely heavily on for his footballing expertise and legacy to the club is the same person they're supposed to be scrutinizing.

Happy that he's called up.

Probably going against the grain of opinion, but I would rather keep Spearing and sell Adam. Sure, he's no match-winner, but Spearing has shown he can play quite lovely football when paired with the right partner in midfield (Lucas), and when the team is generally playing good football. He's a good squaddie. Adam, while he has contributed more statistically, i.e. goals and assists, hasn't quite won me over, though he looked on the verge of forming a decent partnership with Lucas before the latter got injured. He's too Roy of the Rovers and Gerard-lite for a midfield role crying out for more guile and smart possession. Moving him on this summer -- and upgrading with a first-team central midfielder -- makes sense because he'll surely have takers and will fetch a good resale price.

Please don't make this into a pro-, anti-Kenny debate. Please don't let it descend into that.

It would be his crowning achievement.

Why does the team have so little bottle in general? A lot of the games we had Suarez the only one chomping at the bit and buzzing around while the rest just hid. The lack of fight is appalling.

Would have done the same myself, if I were in Kenny's shoes. Losing Meireles, and not replacing him with a similar goal-getting midfielder, was a huge game changer. The recruits as a whole just didn't have enough goals in them. Carroll was still wet behind the ears playing in the premiereship, ditto Adam and Henderson. Downing isn't known for his goal-scoring prowess.