Franck Haise ‘deserves’ the opportunity to take over from Jurgen Klopp at Premier League giants Liverpool due to the incredible job he has done at Ligue 1 overachievers Lens.
At least, that is the view of Pierre Saga, the newly-appointed Lyon coach who has watched on with a great deal of admiration as his 52-year-old compatriot set about a job not too dissimilar to Jurgen Klopp’s early days in the Bundesliga.
Franck Haise, taking Lens from France’s second-tier to the Champions League, built a squad far greater than the sum of it’s parts while implementing an aggressive, front-foot football that will be familiar to Liverpool fans who have enjoyed nearly a decade of Klopp-inspired success.
HITC Football understands that Anfield icon Xabi Alonso, after leading Bayer Leverkusen to a German record 33 games unbeaten, remains the number one choice to inherit Klopp’s throne. They are ‘quietly confident’ of bringing the 41-year-old back to Merseyside.
But Haise has been mentioned in some quarters for a reason, Sage argues.
Will Liverpool really move for Lens coach Franck Haise?
“He’s a representative for people who built themselves through an opportunity. He has conquered hearts,” Sage tells RMC Sport. “He is an example. Lens too. It would be very good to take inspiration from them in the process.
“I saw that (the Liverpool links). I’m not very surprised.
“With their intensity, the fact that they want to play forward, it’s quite consistent with what Klopp and his staff are doing today. It would be an honour for him, I imagine, to go there.”
Lens are currently sixth in Ligue 1 despite another summer in which they lost a couple of key players. Star striker Lois Openda and iconic captain Seko Fofana, key figures in last season’s second-place finish, departed for RB Leipzig and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Haise’s football likened to Jurgen Klopp’s
“(Haise) arrived with a lot of courage,” Sage adds. “He implemented playing principles which allowed him to win matches. They allowed the club to qualify for the Champions League.
“So it’s perfect. He deserves it (a chance at Liverpool). Now, I don’t know if that’s what he wants. It may be that he is very happy at Lens.”
Haise, on Friday, admitted that he is flattered to have been mentioned as a potential option for the six-time European champions. HITC understand that, as things stand however, the names under consideration at Anfield are Ruben Amorim, Roberto de Zerbi, Julian Nagelsmann and – first and foremost – the aforementioned Alonso.
The post 'He deserved it': League rival backs 52-year-old for Liverpool job, his football is like Klopp's appeared first on HITC.
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