Reds won’t make quick decision over Benitez successor

Liverpool bosses are determined not to be rushed into a panic appointment to replace Rafael Benitez following the Spanish manager’s exit from Anfield.

Benitez departed by mutual consent on Thursday after a six-year reign on Merseyside and a host of potential candidates have already been linked with the vacant position.

Fulham’s Roy Hodgson and Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill are the leading contenders, although Benfica coach Jorge Jesus, Croatia boss Slaven Bilic and former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes are also in the running.

It has also been suggested that former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, who works for the Reds as an ambassador and academy director, could be persuaded to take over on an interim basis.

The club’s powerbrokers are determined not to make a mess of the search for Benitez’s successor and Dalglish could be given the reins for a while as it is believed it could be over a month before a permanant boss comes in.

Daglish, who won three league titles as Liverpool boss, will also assist chairman Martin Broughton and managing director Christian Purslow in the hunt for a manager.

But with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett planning to sell the club and little money available for rebuilding an underachieving squad, it could be hard to persuade a top boss to move to Anfield.

Fans gathered in numbers at Anfield on Thursday to protest against Hicks and Gillett and the regime which has saddled the club with a debt of 351 million pounds.

Although Benitez had lost the backing of a large percentage of fans, a significant hardcore maintained their support and preferred to focus their ire on the American owners.

James McKenna, of the Spirit of Shankly fans’ group, said: “No manager should be undermined by the financial situation of a football club and that is what has happened.

“Last season was disappointing but to me that is a direct consequence of the financial mismanagement of this club.

“Rafa is a world-class manager and he will probably go on to bigger and better things.”

Meanwhile, former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen, who led the team to double glory in 1986, believes the new manager faces years of rebuilding work before he will be in a position to win major trophies.

Hansen, who won eight league titles and three European Cups during his 13 years with Liverpool, believes the Reds are arguably in their worst state for over 50 years and the squad is weaker than when Benitez succeeded Gerard Houllier six years ago.

Writing in his column in the Daily Telegraph, Hansen said: “I would imagine that the board will have a good idea who they want to bring in, but I don’t have a preference, other than wanting somebody who will buy well and who will take the job under no illusions about the challenge he faces.

“Whoever comes in faces a mammoth task. You could be looking at three to four years before Liverpool get to where the club should be.

“Benitez made too many mistakes with too many players. In recent seasons, he hasn’t got any right beyond Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and, possibly, Glen Johnson.

“He has spent too much money on average players and we are now seeing the fruits of that.”