Liverpool will not struggle once Jurgen Klopp leaves in the same way Manchester United did following Sir Alex Ferguson's exit, according to Stephen Warnock.
The Reds are still coming to terms with last week's announcement that Klopp is to depart Anfield at the end of the season, ending a hugely successful nine-year period at the club.
Parallels have been drawn to when Ferguson stepped down as United manager in 2013 and when Arsene Wenger left Arsenal five years later.
However, ex-Liverpool defender Warnock believes there is enough quality - and longevity - in the current squad to help the new manager pick up from where Klopp leaves off.
"There's a big narrative around filling people's shoes," Warnock told Stats Perform. "We look at Alex Ferguson, we look at Arsene Wenger, and we look at the replacements for them and go, 'Well, they didn't work.'
"It's taken them years. People will argue Manchester United still haven't recovered from that, and they haven't got the appointments right. Some big, big names have gone in there.
"But don't forget, Manchester United were on the decline. They were in a club that was always going to struggle.
"When you actually sit back now and look at it, even a year away from what happened, you could have gone, 'Do you know what, [Ferguson] walked away at the right time'.
"That's completely different to what Liverpool are now. I'd say Arsenal were in a similar situation where the club behind the scenes wasn't in a great position."
Warnock believes the structure behind the scenes under Fenway Sports Group (FSG) will also help with the continuity, as long as the new manager can adapt to the owners' way of working.
"FSG are arguably one of the best-run football clubs in world football," said Warnock, who made 67 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions.
"Yes, they get the critics for not going out and spending £150 million on a player, but we don't hear Jurgen Klopp complaining about it. He totally understands why they work like that, what they do.
"The next manager who comes in is going to have to understand their process, their logic behind the thinking, how they run as a football club. And they've got to buy into that straight away."
Klopp's coaching staff will also leave Anfield at the end of the campaign, while Jorg Schmadtke is to step down from his sporting director role later this week.
In the view of Warnock, that could prove to be the biggest challenge Klopp's successor faces - improving players who are not necessarily world-class when they arrive.
"One of the things that Jurgen Klopp did was improve players, him and his staff," he said. "They were a group of coaches who were able to improve players.
"The next manager is also going to have to be a manager who brings in younger players who can improve those players and make them better.
"I think what we often look at when we look at Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment and Michael Edwards and the team that was there was Liverpool never really bought.
"People might argue and say Virgil van Dijk, but they never bought a world-class player. They made world-class players. And that's the remit behind the scenes for Liverpool, putting value into players."
Former Liverpool favourite Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner to take over from Klopp, having won many admirers at Bayer Leverkusen this season, while Roberto De Zerbi is another who has been regularly mentioned.
Warnock added: "You look at Alonso's record and you say 'phenomenal, absolutely incredible'. Then you look at De Zerbi.
"I think he's a manager who understands he works within the constraints of what Brighton do and they have a process of how they want to do things. He works within that.
"He never moans, he certainly improves players and the style of football is quite breathtaking at times."
Cafu and Dida back Vinicius for Ballon d'Or
Vinicius Junior deserves to win this year's Ballon d'Or, in the opinion of two Brazil greats.
Cafu and Dida were part of the Brazil squad that won the World Cup in 2002.
Vinicius was unable to inspire Brazil to glory at this year's Copa America, missing their quarter-final tie against Uruguay due to suspension, but has been in fine form for Real Madrid over the past 12 months.
And with neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo involved in the voting, there will be a new winner of the Ballon d'Or for the first time since Luka Modric collected the 2018 award.
Vinicius is among the favourites, and Cafu feels the award should go to the Madrid star.
"Yes, he deserves to win it, he’s had a great season," Cafu told Stats Perform at Festival dello Sport in Trento, Italy.
"The numbers he had last season were incredible. He deserves it for what he's done and what he will do in the future."
It was a sentiment echoed by Cafu's former national team-mate Dida.
He told Stats Perform: "Vinicius is a great kid, a great player, a top player. He did very well last year, he scored goals, he gave assists, that's why.
"If he wins, it's because he deserves to win it because he did very well, we hope he manages to win this Ballon d'Or."
Vinicius has directly contributed to 42 goals for Madrid in all competitions since the start of the 2023-24 season, scoring 28 times and laying on 14 assists.
Robert Lewandowski is the only player to have played for a Spanish club across all of that time to have registered more direct goal contributions (49 - 31 goals, 18 assists).
No player in Europe's top five leagues comes close to matching Vinicius for attempted dribbles (366), though the 24-year-old ranks seventh for dribbles completed (141).
Maldon High makes history as daCosta Cup second round takes shape
Maldon High secured their first-ever spot in the second round of the ISSA/Wata daCosta Cup football competition after a dramatic 1-1 draw with Green Pond High on Saturday at the Granville Community Centre. The result marked a significant milestone for Maldon, who will now advance to the second round along with six other teams, leaving only the best third-placed teams to be decided on Monday.
In a thrilling conclusion to their Zone A return game, Garth-Dane Bromwell gave Green Pond the lead in the 85th minute, putting them on course for back-to-back wins and a place in the second round for the first time since 2019. However, Maldon struck late to level the game and secure their historic qualification.
Defending champions Clarendon College also advanced from Zone H despite a 1-2 loss to Denbigh High, who avenged their earlier defeat and joined Clarendon in the second round. Denbigh’s victory was only their second-ever win over the multiple-time champions, further shaking up the group standings. Central High took the lead in Zone H after a 3-2 win over Lennon High, with Clarendon College now in second and Denbigh following closely in third, all with one game remaining.
Former champions Frome Technical, Rusea’s High, and St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) also secured their places in the next round. Stevaughn Spence was the star for Frome, netting a hat-trick in their 3-0 win over Anchovy High, which moved them to 23 points in Zone B. Rusea’s joined them in advancing after a narrow 1-0 victory over Green Island High.
STETHS ended their Zone E campaign on a high note, defeating early qualifiers Munro College 2-1 at the STETHS Sports Complex to claim their spot in the round of 32.
Meanwhile, Glenmuir High, early qualifiers from Zone I who won their first eight games, stumbled with a second consecutive loss, falling 1-2 to Garvey Maceo High. This marked the first time in more than two seasons that Glenmuir has lost back-to-back matches.
In Zone D, Manning’s School continued their dominant form, winning their eighth straight game with a resounding 6-0 victory over Grange Hill High. Gregory Phillips led the way with four goals, while Keandre Ellis and Zachry Clarke added one each, completing a dominant performance.
As the daCosta Cup second round approaches, excitement continues to build, with several powerhouse teams and emerging contenders ready to battle it out for the coveted title.
Jamaica’s sports minister and JFF president express condolences on the passing of former football boss Heron Dale
Messages of condolence continue to pour in following the passing of Heron Dale, former president of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), who died on October 9. Dale, who served as JFF president from 1992 to 1994, is being remembered for his significant contributions to Jamaican football and the wider community.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, expressed her sadness at Dale’s passing, highlighting his leadership both in football and in the business community. “Heron Dale, whose firm, H.S. Dale and Company, gained a reputation for high-quality service in Port Antonio, gave equally distinguished service to football in Jamaica as president of the JFF,” Minister Grange said. She also acknowledged Dale's involvement in the Portland Chamber of Commerce, a further testament to his dedication to the development of his community.
Minister Grange extended her condolences to Dale’s family, friends, and associates, saying, “May his soul rest in peace.”
The Jamaica Football Federation also released a statement expressing deep sorrow over Dale's passing. Current JFF President Michael Ricketts noted the former president’s impact on the development of the organization. "Dale was an instrumental figure in shaping the JFF into the thriving organization it is today," Ricketts said. "His unwavering commitment to our sport and its community will be deeply missed. May his soul rest in eternal peace."
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