The next managerial decision, and I've deliberately not said 'appointment', is the most crucial since Dalglish had to step down. At the time we missed the perfect and only candidate, Sir Bobby Robson.
If Rodgers doesn't turn it around or at least show signs in the next 5 league games, or we get embarrassed by Basel, then FSG have to make the right decision - he goes before the Winter window opens.
If Rodgers does turn it around but we fail to either win a trophy or get top 5, and at this stage, in the present context, UEFA Cup football seems appealing, then he goes at the end of the season.
However, FSG may get the decision wrong, and that's before the appointment's even been considered.
As far as Rafa goes, I see great parallels there with Cloughie. With Peter Taylor, brilliant. Without, average at best and then the alcohol really took hold. So no Pako, no Rafa.
I would go for Ancelotti. Absolutely. We need someone who can re-shape more than just the first 11 or first team squad. The scouting/recruitment has been a mess for a long time, probably since Paco Herrera left, and definitely before he arrived. It probably can be traced back all the way to the 'retirement' of Geoff Twentyman.
We really do need someone with his depth of experience, but also who is still very much in his prime and peak as a winning manager/coach, unlike someone like Van Gaal, who's best years are definitely behind him and have been for a while, despite his huge experience and previous success.
Klopp - has his bubble burst or have Dortmund really sold one star too many, even for them? I'd be uncomfortable with us being part of finding out the answer to that question. We experimented with Rodgers, and whilst Klopp wouldn't be a risk to that sort of degree, his track record before Dortmund was poor, and as with some players who are a perfect fit with only one club and an utter disaster wherever else they've been, there are managers like that too, and Klopp may or may not be one of them. Can we afford to take the risk?
Who else is there? There's no young prodigies out there, thankfully, and very few if any, solid performers ready and capable of taking the next and career defining step, ala Wenger at Grampus Eight or Taggart at Aberdeen.
Or is there another Shankly, who's bobbed around from job to job, solidly but ultimately unsuccessfully, simply not having had a job and a club that was the 'perfect fit'.
Rodgers may go on and eventually profit from this or may sink with barely a trace, but he's not got long to save his job and could do worse than having the removers ready on speed dial.