Hicks and Gillette need to follow by example

On October 1st 1996, an historic day in the history of Arsenal football club. They hired a man, scarcely known in England and who had a very odd look about him with his grey hair and glasses. Even some found it mildly amusing at the time at the time, with cries of "Arsene who?". Now we know him better as Arsene Wenger, one of the best managers in the world, possibly one of the greatest to have ever lived. After two seasons he achieved something that no other over-seas manager has achieved and won the league and FA Cup double in 1998.

What could have happened: However, after '98, Wenger failed to win another significant trophy in the next three years and was sacked at the end of the 2000/01 campaign.

What really happened: After the success in 1998, Arsenal went on to press United for another triumph, coming close to ruining their treble chances in both the league and FA Cup in 1999, until finally in 2002 the club won their second double in four years. Wenger went on to enjoy success in one more Premiership title in 2004 and two more FA Cups, as well as finishing as runner-up in the Premiership on five separate occasions and reaching a Champions League and UEFA Cup final. He is currently building an excellent crop of new stars who are challenging in all four competitions in 2008.

On June 16th 2004 Liverpool appointed La Liga winner and former Valencia manager Rafael Benitez. He was quite well known at the time and had quite a few credentials as being a decent manager. He has since built up a very good team with some quality players, and has won the Champions League and FA Cup and reached the Champions League final again since his win. He currently has a squad hoping to start challenging, within the next couple of seasons, for the title.

What could happen from now if Benitez stays: A disappointing season in 2007/08, saw Liverpool finish trophy-less but with high-hopes for the future. The next season Liverpool finished second in the League, but won the League Cup and FA Cup, going out in the semi-finals of the Champions League. He then went on to take the League title in 2009, just beating Arsenal, United and Chelsea to top spot on the final day. After the disappointment of losing in the Champions League final in 2007, Benitez finally won his second title in 2010.

What could happen if Benitez goes: A disappointing season in 2007/08, saw Liverpool finish trophy-less and Rafael Benitez sacked. Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette appointed Jürgen Klinsmann as their new manager in the summer of 2008. After spending lots of money and only winning one FA Cup in 2010, Klinsmann was sacked at the end of that season and the club was sold by Hicks and Gillette to a Dubai Billionaire consortium. The manager merry-go-round continues.

My point is, that should Liverpool sack Rafael Benitez, basically the minute things start to get rough, they will find themselves in the position of Newcastle within a matter of 10years. They have already failed to win the League for nearly 20 years now, and if they decide to change their manager again, they will find themselves falling further away each year, and unless they can find someone who can take off and improve from where Benitez leaves things, which is highly unlikely, then there is simply no good that can come from sacking him. Benitez knows the club very well, has built his own team up and has begun to lay the foundations for the club to build on and become a major force in the League once again. Should they choose to stick with him, then Liverpool should have a very bright future to look forward to, littered with trophies from the next ten years at least.