No matter how many impressive statements Sporting manager Rubén Amorim may make in a job interview for Liverpool, actions speak louder than words. And another contender, Roberto De Zerbi, has the chance on Sunday to show the Kop what he can bring to the position.
It is a unique position for the Brighton boss, who will take his team to Anfield on Sunday in a trial shift of sorts.
Few words or comments on a resume could win over the hierarchy and the fans more than if De Zerbi passes this Anfield audition with great success.
Of course, there are many more nuances than that. De Zerbi would not be offered the soon-to-be vacant role at Liverpool based on the result or performance here. But a good display could at least boost his case with the Reds hierarchy.
At this stage, the Italian manager has given no indication that he would like the job, but there is certainly a feeling within football circles that De Zerbi and Brighton could part ways at the end of this season, with Bayern Munich and Barcelona also in the mix. list. market for a new boss.
Roberto de Zerbi takes his team to Anfield on Sunday in a sort of test shift
Jurgen Klopp hailed Brighton boss as a ‘top coach’ in his press conference
Klopp praised Brighton’s “super interesting” style ahead of their trip to Anfield on Sunday
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The young Portuguese coach Amorim has become a strong contender. The noise around him has increased dramatically since Xabi Alonso, who Klopp described as “the outstanding coach of his generation”, invoked a plot twist on Friday by saying he would remain at Bayer Leverkusen.
Mail Sport revealed on January 29 that Amorim would likely be considered by Anfield bosses. His Sporting team is flying, one point ahead of Benfica heading into the Lisbon derby next Saturday. But De Zerbi has a strong case and serves not only as an audition for Anfield but also for Europe’s elite.
Is De Zerbi ready to make the move to one of the continental giants like Liverpool, Bayern or Barcelona?
It’s a debate that has divided football observers. Judging solely by his two seasons at Brighton, his results have a Jekyll & Hyde feel to them.
But it is unfair to say that the result of this season will dictate his future. Albion started this weekend eighth and still with a good chance of playing in European football after achieving that feat for the first time in their history this year, a quarter of a century after almost falling out of the Football League.
Many have argued that his style would not work at a big club. It’s a fair point: he can get away with thrashings at Brighton, such as the 4-0 defeat at Luton, 6-1 at Aston Villa and 4-0 at Rome this season, but he would be hounded if those goals happened at one time. expectant. club like Liverpool.
But his list of references speaks for itself. “Roberto is one of the most influential coaches of the last 20 years,” said three-time Champions League winner Pep Guardiola. ‘There is no team that plays the way they play: it is unique.
“They monopolize the ball like it hasn’t been in a long time, a goalkeeper like a holding midfielder, if you don’t play at a high level, they can do whatever they want against you. They deserve success and they are a team that I try to learn from Like a Michelin star restaurant, unique.’
Sporting manager Rubén Amorim has emerged as a strong candidate for the Anfield job.
Sporting de Amorim flies, with one point ahead of Benfica ahead of the Lisbon derby next Saturday
Klopp described Xabi Alonso as “the outstanding coach of his generation”, although the Bayer Leverkusen boss announced that he will remain with the Bundesliga club at the end of the season.
Klopp has never beaten De Zerbi’s Brighton. They have been Liverpool’s ghost team since the Italian arrived on these shores, with two wins and two draws against the Reds.
Jurgen Klopp said on Friday: “Roberto is doing an incredible job there. We improved over the 18-20 months since he arrived (in England). The first game was surprising, we were his first opponent when he arrived at the club. It was impressive how quickly he He put the team on its path.
‘Since then everything has been improving. A really impressive and different way of playing football. When they have the ball you have to be prepared to suffer. His way of playing is very different, I couldn’t coach him. It goes against my personality!
“But it is a good watch, very demanding for the players: clear positioning.” He is a top-level coach who is doing very well, it is very interesting to see. Brighton, on their day, can beat any team. But there’s good news: we can do it too.”
In Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk, former teammates spoke of De Zerbi in glowing terms. Andy Brassell’s book We Play On details how De Zerbi remained in Ukraine until all of his players fled the war-torn nation. Many former players love him.
De Zerbi’s Brighton have been Liverpool’s ghost team since the Italian arrived on these shores, with two wins and two draws against the Reds. Many eyes will be on the 44-year-old on Sunday, from Merseyside to Munich. Will she pass or fail his audition for Europe’s elite clubs?