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Liverpool fans have lost their minds over reports claiming Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O'Neil has been interviewed in the club's search for Jurgen Klopp's successor.
The Reds are on the lookout for a new coach with Klopp ending a nine-year reign at the end of the season. Several high-profile names have been linked including Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso and Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim.
It appears Liverpool are also studying Premier League options and Wolves' O'Neil is on their list. Reports claim the Merseysiders have interviewed the English coach as they try to find a suitable Klopp replacement.
O'Neil has impressed at Molineaux this season after arriving just ahead of the 2023-24 campaign. He's overseen 16 wins in 40 games and easily staved off any threat of a possible relegation battle.
The Englishman has previously worked with Liverpool chief Michael Edwards and incoming sporting director Richard Hughes. He started his managerial career coaching the Reds' U21s before taking the reigns at Bournemouth.
Interestingly Hughes was at the Vitality when O'Neil was surprisingly sacked last summer. He'd guided the Cherries to safety but they turned to Spanish coach Andoni Iraola.
O'Neil's stock has grown and Liverpool aren't the only Premier League heavyweights showing an interest. Manchester United have also monitored the young coach although it's unknown whether that's to appoint him as the manager or as part of the backroom staff.
Despite this, the Anfield faithful are less than impressed with suggestions O'Neil is being lined up as Klopp's replacement.
One fan slammed the move and deemed it a worse potential appointment than Roy Hodgson's dismal spell on Merseyside:
"Biggest downgrade ever. Worse than Roy Hodgson appointment."
Another fan was outraged:
"We taking the piss,replacing Klopp whos been Liverpool's best manager over 30 years with some well below par managers whos been linked of late, Edwards better pull his finger out."
Here's how other fans on X (formerly Twitter) reacted:
"Downfall of Liverpool. From joy to sadness," one fan wrote.
"From Amorim to (Jose) Mourinho to this one?" another fan asked.
"We're finished," one fan concluded.
Liverpool could reportedly turn to Brentford coach Thomas Frank
Liverpool's search for Klopp's successor has been intriguing with the initial favorite Alonso dropping out of the race. Sporting's Amorim looked to be the frontrunner over the past few weeks but the Portuguese coach may be headed elsewhere in the Premier League.
TEAMTalk reports that West Ham United have opened concrete talks with Amorim over succeeding David Moyes at the London Stadium. This leaves the Merseysiders hopes of making him Klopp's replacement in jeopardy.
However, they appear to have a Plan B alongside interviewing O'Neil. They are also keeping an eye on Brentford coach Thomas Frank whom Edwards is said to be seriously considering. He's overseen 10 wins and 19 defeats in 38 games across competitions this season.
Frank has impressed during his six-year reign with the Bees, overseeing their promotion to the Premier League in 2021. The Danish coach has since consolidated the west London outfit as a tough mid-table fighting side in the English top-flight.
