Then there is Andre Villas Boas, the sacked manager of Chelsea. Villas Boas won the Mickey Mouse Europa League with Porto and won the Portuguese league with them the same year. His time at Chelsea was messy. He gave the impression of a micro-manager (where players lacked freedom to play and followed set moves and strategies which they didn't fully understand in the first place). Villas Boas failed at Chelsea with massive financial resources so why should he be given the chance to succeed at a much bigger club like Liverpool, who have actually less spend than Chelsea? Again, not for me.

Brendan Rodgers of Swansea City was also in line until this week he refused to talk to Liverpool. Rodgers is a shrewd operator and his Swansea team plays attractive football. But he's had about as much success as Martinez, frankly, and would be a huge gamble. I was pleased when he turned Liverpool down. I fully expect Swansea to be relegated next season from the Premier League and Rodgers will be no more than an Alex Macleish within the year. A lucky escape.

So that leaves Didier Deschamps, Bert Van Marwijk, Joachim Low, Jurgen Klopp and Fabio Capello according to media commentators.

I'd say forget all those: Capello is past it, Klopp (already out of the reckoning) has a son at Dortmund and will not want to leave, Low is unproven, Van Marwijk is no better than a Martin Jol and Deschamps is fat and has won it all - we need a scrapper with tactical genius.

Which, in my mind, leaves us with two potential candidates: David Moyes of Everton (fabulous coach who has conjured up miracles across the road at Everton on a shoestring) and Rafa Benitez; the mastermind of Istanbul.

If Moyes left Everton, Liverpool would be split. One man does not deserve to split a city in such a way. So, I am ruling out Moyes; though I believe he'll end up managing Manchester United and will cause Liverpool Football Club a lot of pain in future years.

That is why I say to Fenway go for Rafa. He's proven himself as a fabulous coach and tactician. He is a decent man; loved by the fans. He has had time out now to work out where he went wrong in his latter years at Liverpool. He loves Liverpool - he lives in the Wirral still; even after getting the sack so many years ago. He is hungry. I know he feels he has unfinished business at Liverpool. He can bring back the glory years now that he is not hampered by the George Gillettes and administrators who used to poke their nose in so often at Anfield.

Fenway will be scared. The last time they listened to the fans Kenny came back and we all saw how that worked out. But they should not be scared of Rafa. He is more than part of the family. Within the last 5 years he has had Liverpool at a Champions League Final. He puts the fear of God into the opposition. It is time the prodigal son returned. Bring back Rafa!

Fenway must also understand that the Premier League is bought by huge debt (as in the case of Manchester United of late) or a sugar Daddy with bottomless pockets (as in the case of chelsea' Abramovich and Manchester City's Sheikh Mansour). Fenway cannot repeat the Boston Red Sox miracle at Liverpool without bringing in an individual or company with a similarly non-sensical spend. By bringing back Benitez and returning Champions League nights to Anfield Fenway will be able to attract Mr Moneybags that much easier; whether for an all-out sale or partial sale; thus keeping their pride intact and not ending up like Hicks or Gillette who shall forever be associated with selling the club against their will hours from humiliating administration.

Risk a Martinez or Villas Boas now and you risk alienating the fans - who (wrongly) think they own the club (remember, alas, some have lost their lives as supporters of the club) and could have you cowering the other side of the pond in a heartbeat.     

Dominic Wightman is the Editor of the Westminster Journal.