Barnes Thinks Reds Will Improve

Liverpool legend John Barnes has backed Kenny Dalglish or Roy Hodgson to succeed Rafael Benitez, insisting whoever gets the job will enjoy a "win-win situation".

Benitez parted company with the Reds by mutual consent last week and speculation continues over the contenders to step into his shoes at Anfield.

After guiding Liverpool to a remarkable Champions League triumph in 2005, success slowly dried up while relations with the club's American owners soured, culminating in his recent departure and subsequent appointment by Inter Milan.

A lowly seventh-placed finish in the Barclays Premier League last season was the lowest of his tenure and Barnes believes the next man in will benefit from the bar being set so low.

The former league and FA Cup winner said: "Whoever comes in will finish better than seventh, regardless of whether there is money to spend.

"To be honest, I would like there not to be money to spend because if there is, it means you have sold Gerrard or Torres. So under those circumstances, I'd rather have no money!

"A manager coming in has to be prepared to work in those circumstances, knowing that Liverpool will finish higher than seventh. So it's a positive thing.

"Even with no money to spend, if you finish fourth you have done better than last year. The same if you finish fifth or sixth, you have still done better.

"It's a win-win situation. I hope Liverpool fans don't expect a manager coming in saying 'we're going to finish first or second' and I don't think they will."

As for the names in the frame, Barnes insists he has no strong opinion. However, he believes both former boss Dalglish and Fulham boss Hodgson are well qualified.

"Is it going to be Kenny Dalglish or Roy Hodgson? Who knows?" he said.

"Both would do a great job, there are lots of good managers and whoever it is will have to be a proven manager so they won't get the decision wrong.

"If Kenny wants it, why not Kenny? If it's Roy Hodgson I'm sure he'll do a good job as well."

As for Benitez, Barnes added: "It does not surprise me that Rafa Benitez has gone to Inter, because he is a good manager.

"He's proven that and his stature has not gone down, in my opinion. You don't become a bad manager overnight. But obviously it didn't work out in the last year so he left."