He is under consideration to take on the senior role and would then have a younger manager working under him, in keeping with Fenway Sports Group’s vision for the future.
Van Gaal, 60, has enjoyed a high-profile coaching career, winning the Champions League with Ajax in 1995 as well as title and cup success in Holland, with Barcelona in Spain and Bayern Munich in Germany.
Along with a taste for silverware, Van Gaal, who also coached the Dutch national team, has developed a reputation for being difficult to deal with throughout his time in football. In February, a Dutch appeals court ruled that former club Ajax had hired Van Gaal as chief executive unlawfully and ordered the appointment to be reversed following a complaint from club legend Johan Cruyff.
Liverpool are implementing the changes while the search for Kenny Dalglish’s successor as manager proceeds. Managing director Ian Ayre said last week that a new hierarchy would be formed and fill the void left by the dismissal of former director of football Damien Comolli in April. “It will be more than one person in and around the role, dividing up the responsibilities,” said Ayre. “We are trying to create as much resource and expertise in all the areas that serve the manager and the football team, rather than having one or two people trying to achieve everything.”
The restructuring will continue with Billy Hogan, who works for FSG, to be appointed as Liverpool’s commercial director. Pep Segura, technical manager of the academy, is also in line for a promotion as part of the reshuffle.
The recruitment of a replacement for Dalglish is continuing and Liverpool retain a strong interest in Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers, who last week said he did not want to take part in an interview process that has had the feel of a beauty parade.
Rodgers’ impressive work with the Welsh club means Liverpool are likely to return, albeit in a more discreet manner.
http://www.express.co.uk/football/view/321907?
this would be a fantastic apointment and would go a long way to compensate for a lack of experience from a young manager. this even makes Martinez a viable option although my preference is still AVB.
things are getting interesting 
OlivavuWed 23/05/12 at 09:42 I would be pleased to see van Gaal come in as manager myself. He has done wonders with youngsters down the years - obviously mainly at Ajax.
Louis van Gaal is in line for a senior managerial role at Liverpool. The Dutchman was linked with a move to Anfield in the wake of Damien Comolli's dismissal as director of football in April. However, while it has since been decided to change the management structure at Liverpool, Van Gaal has remained under consideration for a revised role and is the leading contender to become the club's first sporting director. He is understood to be keen on a move to Merseyside and his appointment could herald the arrival of several new faces at Anfield, including the successor to Kenny Dalglish. The club are also set to name Billy Hogan, currently the managing director of Fenway Sports Group, as the their new commercial director. FSG are conducting an extensive search for a manager since sacking Dalglish last week and their ideal criteria of a young coach with title-winning experience would fit alongside a sporting director of Van Gaal's experience and expertise. That plan led to approaches for Jürgen Klopp of Borussia Dortmund and Ajax's Frank de Boer, both of whom declined the opportunity to meet John W Henry and Tom Werner, Liverpool's principal owner and chairman respectively, and to interest in the former Porto and Chelsea manager, André Villas‑Boas. Villas-Boas and Roberto Martínez of Wigan Athletic are among several candidates for the manager's post and whoever is chosen will, it seems, have to accept working with Van Gaal, who has won league titles with Ajax, Barcelona, AZ Alkmaar and Bayern Munich, plus the Champions League with Ajax in 1995. The 60-year-old was due to return to Ajax in a director's capacity this year until a legal challenge from long-time adversary Johann Cruyff derailed the move. His last managerial role was at Bayern, who he led to the Bundesliga title and the Champions League final in 2010 before being sacked in April 2011. Van Gaal's work with Ajax and Barcelona undoubtedly appeals to Liverpool's owners as they conduct an overhaul at Anfield and look to imprint a playing philosophy throughout every level of the club. That strengthens his claims for the proposed sporting director role, although Van Gaal has not yet called time on his managerial career and was linked with PSV Eindhoven before their recent appointment of Dick Advocaat. FSG's method of replacing Dalglish has attracted criticism due to the number of rejections it has prompted. Brendan Rodgers was the first to decline the offer of an interview but it is understood the Swansea City manager would not reject an offer of the job if it was forthcoming. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/22/louis-van-gaal-liverpool?
WestAussie-RedWed 23/05/12 at 10:11 The only thing i worry about is that it says in the article " has developed a reputation for being difficult to deal with throughout his time in football." the last thing we need is power struggles. I really wish they would drop the Rodgers stuff he is not good enough for LFC simple as that .
OlivavuWed 23/05/12 at 10:14 Rodgers had a squad that cost £7m playing some of the best football in the league. I don't think he is that far away from being worth serious consideration. How else do we know if a young manager is good enough unless we see him at this level..?
WestAussie-RedWed 23/05/12 at 10:23 Yeah at this level for more than 1 season , will he be a good manager if they are fighting relegation next season , people are saying Martinez is a good manager he has had a poor team and kept them barely in the EPL for 2 seasons now to me that is no big plus on a cv he finished bottom half of the ladder for most of his epl life is that good enuff for us ??? are we reduced to looking at managers in the bottom half of the table , coz i am a little worried that if we settle for a manager from the bottom of the ladder we might end up there. I think we should be looking at proven performers experienced winning Managers not those that "might" have "potential" in the future .
OlivavuWed 23/05/12 at 10:46 Benitez, van Gaal or Capello should be leading candidates if we want proven. Martinez, Villas-Boas and Rodgers are the leading candidates for young and upcoming managers. I know which list I prefer.
BadmoonWed 23/05/12 at 11:00 Many papers are reporting he is our no. 1 managerial target, we were looking for him as DOF but he has said he wants the managers job. 
BadmoonWed 23/05/12 at 11:03 Oli looks like you might get you're wish, plenty talk of him being approached for DOF and he said he wants the managers job
HydiehoWed 23/05/12 at 11:28 I honestly don't think the press have a clue. We are getting linked with a different manager each day. Barrett is the most reliable... the rest are guessing.
LFC SUBWed 23/05/12 at 11:49 van gaal over martinez all day long. wigans team is not rubbish either i dont see how a squad including rodallega, moses, mcarthy, mcarthur, figeroua and diame not a bad team at all certainly better than the teams that went down!
AlfarinIcebreakerWed 23/05/12 at 11:56 Yes to the DoF, but categorically no to the manager role.
OlivavuWed 23/05/12 at 12:01 I would prefer van Gaal to Martinez too. But it would seem he is set for a role further up the ladder.
HydiehoWed 23/05/12 at 12:16 I would prefer van Gaal to Martinez too. It is a tough one. We'd play more attractive football with Martinez. But then again Van Gaal is the safer bet, given his CV. But that doesn't mean he'd do a better job. Everyone raves Swansea and Rodger, but Martinez started that project, at Wigan again he has done a good job at a club which has constantly sold his best players each season, like N'zogbia, Valencia etc. But he has still kept Wigan up in the league and playing attractive football. You just don't know what Martinez could do with more resources and with better players. He got the best out of the Swansea players, he has at Wigan. If he gets the best out of the players we have here, he won't go far wrong. That's why I am very open as to who FSG do select, all the managers we have been linked with have a risk: Benitez - divided fan base / past baggage at the club / would he fit into the structure FSG want to place. Marintez & Rodger - Inexperienced / CV weaker compared to other managers. Capello / Van Gaal - Brand of football won't be as attactrive / age. AVB - Damaged goods at Chelsea. Whoever FSG appoint we need to back. All the above has strengths which can make them succeed. But at the moment all we are doing is focussing on the negatives.
OlivavuWed 23/05/12 at 12:30 It does look like it'll be one of those names. My order of expectation is: Martinez Villas Boas Benitez Capello Rodgers van Gaal My order of preference is unclear at present! 
HydiehoWed 23/05/12 at 12:39 My order of preference is unclear at present! Yes same. I think Capello is the safe option for FSG. He has the best CV, the fans will accept him coming the most. But I don't do really have a person preference as all of them have strengths and weaknesses. I don't think they have an easy decision and we need to get behind whichever they go with.
| 
