He is a great Christian witness and an extraordinary man. I believe he is animated by the Spirit. He is a traditionalist - read his encyclicals - he has also supported bringing back the Tridentine Mass in certain circumstances.
It's true that the Church has deteriorated - but that is in spite of JPII's strenuous efforts, not because of them. Just one of many examples: when he came to the U.S. in '79, he told the bishops there was a serious problem in the American Church (the abusers) - they told him, in effect, you don't know what you're talking about, go back to Rome. 25 years later, we are still reaping the whirlwind.
Most liberal "progressive" Catholics I know despise this pope because he is so "backward."
And you are probably right - the next pope is not likely to strengthen Catholic tradition. Just read what the various Cardinals are saying about their priorities for the future of the Church - it's scary.
There are some excellent candidates, amongst which is
Francis Cardinal Arinze
And if you have access to cable tv, you won't want to miss extracts from Raymond Arroyo's recent interview with this Vatican Cardinal. They will be repeated tonight at 8pm on EWTN's The World Over Live.
In the event you can't watch it, here is some of what the Cardinal discussed previously.
Vatican Cardinal Ends Debate: No Communion for Pro-Abortion Politicians or Rainbow Sashers