Zeljko Buvac for Arsenal: Danny Murphy says appointment would be 'ridiculous'
Thursday 3 May 2018 12:10, UK
Danny Murphy says Liverpool assistant manager Zeljko Buvac would be a "ridiculous" appointment for Arsenal.
It emerged on Wednesday that Arsenal's head of recruitment Sven Mislintat believes Buvac is the man to replace Arsene Wenger after working with him at Borussia Dortmund.
The Bosnian was not on the bench for Liverpool's Champions League semi-final in Roma and is away from the squad due to "personal reasons", but former Reds midfielder Murphy is staggered he is being considered for one of the biggest jobs in European football.
He told The Debate: "I would find it unbelievable to appoint someone who has never, ever managed as a number one at a club like Arsenal.
"I think that would be ridiculous for a club like Arsenal.
"It doesn't matter how intelligent he is or what he's done because doing it as a number two is nothing like doing it as a number one."
Buvac has been assistant boss under Jurgen Klopp at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund and has been described by the Liverpool manager as "the brain".
And while Murphy does not doubt his talents as a coach, he believes the top job at a football club brings very different pressure.
"Just because you haven't been a number one doesn't mean you don't succeed. There are exceptions to the rule.
"But we're not talking about a job in the Championship or League One here. We're talking about Arsenal Football Club who want to get back to competing with the big boys.
"There's a hell of a job to be done there.
"If you bring a coach in who knows he's not buying the players, like Chelsea in some respects, then that's fine.
"My problem with someone who's not been a number one is when you get problems with players. If you look at Arsenal and Alexis Sanchez, for example, in recent times or whatever goes on on the training pitch.
"If you're not used to dealing with that, it can escalate quickly. It's a completely different role."
