An irrefutable case for Liverpool to hire Ancelotti over Klopp

There is very little chance of Liverpool appointing Carlo Ancelotti as Brendan Rodgers’ successor. The club are seemingly head-over-in-heels in love with the idea of Jurgen Klopp manning their dugout instead.

Perhaps Ancelotti isn’t as keen as the German to take over at Anfield, but could Ian Ayre and the rest of the club’s suits not spend a little more time trying to convince him that Liverpool are a project worth investing time in?

That’s not to say Klopp isn’t a worthy choice, but with two silverware-winning free agents available it could only be at modern-day Liverpool where the three-time Champions League victor is the backup plan.

In a contest of their CVs, Ancelotti looks an obviously better candidate. However, his vast managerial experience isn’t the only factor that makes him the man Liverpool should hire.

The 56-year-old comes with a winning warranty. He has only averaged less than two-points-per-game with two clubs during his career: AC Milan, with whom he contested a whopping 420 matches and still claimed a very respectable 1.94 PPG, and Parma (1.73 PPG) early on in his career.

Granted, only winning three league titles in a 20-year career doesn’t immediately suggest Ancelotti can hand Reds fans the one mantelpiece filler they crave most – but he would certainly improve them, and could do so instantaneously.

On three previous occasions as a manager, Ancelotti has taken over a club mid-season. In 1998/99, he succeeded Marcello Lippi at Juventus with the Old Lady 9th in Serie A with 14 games to go. He guided them to 6th and a spot in the Uefa Cup.

Then, taking over from Fatih Terim at AC Milan in 2001/02, Ancelotti lifted the San Siro side one place from fifth to fourth in the 25 matches at his disposal. He helped them qualify for the Champions League as a result.

His introduction to Paris Saint-Germain is the one blemish. Inheriting a three-point lead over Montpellier in Ligue 1, Ancelotti ended up as a silver medallist after 19 games, as La Paillade took the title by their own three-point margin.

That slip aside, the Italian has Premier League experience from his two-term stint with Chelsea – winning the double in the first of those – and is a known cup-competition expert, particularly in Europe.

Add to that the attacking flair he demands of his teams – Chelsea won the 2009/10 title by scoring 103 goals – his ability to knit a dressing room together and a tactical nous that makes him a footballing contortionist and his 7/1 price to be Liverpool’s next manager becomes all the more perplexing.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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