Back at the hotel in the evening, Qin Xiong called Wang Sicong directly and asked him to come to the hotel for a face-to-face talk.
Wang Sicong, who was originally in Liverpool's bar, also knew the importance of the situation. He put down his entertainment and rushed to Qin Xiong's hotel.
Qin Xiong took a shower while waiting. He did not think about the importance of Alonso, because from a player's point of view, the value and importance of Alonso were almost instinctive. There was no need for specific analysis.
Liverpool would be in big trouble without Alonso. It was as simple as that!
Unless Qin Xiong was willing to play back in the role of organizing the midfield, Liverpool would still stumble forward in the new season. This had a similar effect to the ups and downs of Real Madrid's results last season and the decline of the midfielder Guti's form.
As for whether he could let Gerard withdraw, Qin Xiong did think about it before. But in terms of organizational ability and talent, Gerard and Alonso were still different.
Moreover, Liverpool's forward duo in the past two years had shown their power. The combination of Torres and Gerard was great. To break them up and reassemble a new combination would have to pay a certain price.
So now Qin Xiong was thinking about the importance of Benítez to the team.
To be fair, Benítez brought the team important trophies in the five years since he took charge of Anfield in 2004 to 2009, which were the Champions League and the FA Cup.
This achievement was not ordinary, but it had been a long time. Liverpool's three years without a title proved that the team was not successful in the last three years. Even if they had a runner-up and a top four record in the Champions League, which made Liverpool's competitiveness in Europe not to be underestimated, they regrettably finished second in the league last season and achieved the best result in the Premier League era for Liverpool. It still could not be used as self-consolation for three years without a title.
Benítez was a Master Tactician. This was a publicly acknowledged fact. He was also a Master Tactician. He was good at playing in cup competitions.
But when Qin Xiong looked back at Liverpool over the past five years, it was hard to say what kind of style Liverpool had formed.
Unlike Manchester United, who had settled and developed the traditional British technical and tactical style, and unlike Arsenal, who had blazed a new trail and firmly followed the technical style, Benítez's emphasis on technical skills in Spain was wavering between the traditional British style and Liverpool's technical and tactical style.
Liverpool is seen as what people often say: the Red Army of passion.
The game was full of passion, but did the team have the tactical connotation of perseverance?
It seemed that there wasn't.
A Master Tactician liked to fiddle with tactics and use tactics to defeat the enemy. This was understandable. But a team had to develop and shape a deeply rooted technical and tactical image and style over a long period of time. This could improve the team's fault tolerance, provided that the technical and tactical skills were in line with the team.
While he was thinking, Qin Xiong waited for Wang Sicong to come. He told Wang Sicong the important parts of the conversation between him and Alonso.
Wang Sicong pondered for a moment and said, "What are the chances of a reconciliation, General?"
Qin Xiong shook his head unoptimistically.
"It's already come to this point. The hope is slim."
Wang Sicong nodded and said, "Then the problem is simple. Either Alonso leaves, or Benítez leaves."
Qin Xiong sighed and said, "If it comes to this point, then the decision will be very difficult."
Benítez had not really reached the point of becoming a public enemy. When he was fighting with the two American owners, the fans also stood firmly on Benítez's side.
It was clear that Benítez still had a certain prestige in the hearts of the fans.
Wang Sicong spread his hands and said, "If this is a multiple-choice question that has to be made, then choose the lesser of two evils. From an economic point of view, we have to pay some fees to fire Benítez. You think that selling Alonso is not worth the loss because we can't use the transfer fee paid by Real Madrid to buy a star player who can replace Alonso. What about from a competitive point of view? Is Alonso more important or is Benítez more important? Can Benítez be replaced? I don't think it should be difficult. Would a manager who is better than him, or similar to him, be willing to come to Liverpool? "
Qin Xiong rolled his eyes and said, "No, on the issue of managers, it's not about who is better than who, but whether the manager is suitable. When you put it that way, I have a clear idea. "
Qin Xiong walked around the room with a towel wrapped around his waist.
He did not care about the economic benefits, but he had to say that the cost of firing Benítez was far less than the loss of Alonso.
What about the competitive aspect?
It was common to change managers, and Benítez did not fix Liverpool's style, which made it not difficult to change managers.
If it was a team like Barcelona, it would be very difficult to change managers, because if a manager who conflicted with Barcelona's football philosophy was to coach Barcelona, it would definitely cause a huge internal conflict.
That kind of cooperation was like letting Capello coach Real Madrid. Because of the conflict of styles and philosophies, the team's good or bad results, and the internal conflicts would never stop.
Qin Xiong had been thinking, and Wang Sicong did not disturb him. He sat on the sofa against the wall and waited with one hand on his chin.
After a while, Qin Xiong finally stopped and turned back to Wang Sicong and said, "The management should discuss an issue. Between Benítez and Alonso, who will stay? I'm inclined to keep Alonso. That's my opinion. As for the decision, I can't make it by myself."
Wang Sicong stood up solemnly, but before he left, he turned back and asked, "So, whether Benítez stays or Alonso stays, who will be the successor? You should at least give your opinion on the manager's candidate and the player's candidate. "
Qin Xiong thought about it and said, "I can't give advice on the player's side, because Liverpool can't buy a player who can replace Alonso. As for the manager's candidate, I'll give you an answer tomorrow. "
Wang Sicong left, and Qin Xiong lay on the bed and began to think about the question before he left.
If the management decided to let Benítez leave, then the successor would have to arrive immediately. Otherwise, Liverpool would not have time to start the new season steadily.
There was almost no need to consider the current famous managers, because most of them worked steadily in the powerhouses. Just like Real Madrid's selection for the new season, they finally chose Pellegrini. Real Madrid was definitely more attractive to famous managers than Liverpool.
So, he could only consider those managers with average fame.
Over the years, Qin Xiong had not only played against many teams, but also met many opponents' managers.
He thought about it and recalled the managers he had met in the past, but in the end, no one could give him trust and expectations.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, a name suddenly flashed through his mind. He made a decision in his heart and felt that he could give it a try. If the club's management decided to fire Benítez, then Qin Xiong would recommend that person.
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