If there is anything worse than being second at the wrong end of the Premier
League table, it’s… being at the end of that table. It is precisely the
humiliating situation that Liverpool Football Club, as an institution, face
on Sunday, as they set out to face Blackburn – a team which, incidentally,
proved in the past how Roy Hodgson is not up there with the greats.
If the previous board had gone on the Blackburn chapter of Roy’s career –
his club bottom of the Premier League, having taken just nine points from 14
games – maybe Liverpool would have been saved some blushes today. Instead,
they chose to see the glass as half full and went for the Fulham scenario.
What were they thinking.
So where did Roy Hodgson go wrong? Of course, there is no escaping the H&G
argument. Granted, he didn’t have much to work with from the start. But
then, was the situation that bad at Anfield? Roy Hodgson inherited a squad
which was one player short from the most represented club in the World Cup –
Barcelona – and had the most representation of the Premier League as from
the quarter-finals!
This squad, even though it lacked strength and depth in some quarter to
compete at the top for a Champions League place, still had the skill and
talent to be around there. Definitely better than the likes of – with all
due respect – West Bromwich Albion, Bolton or Stoke City. Roy Hodgson was
brought in to elevate Liverpool F.C from 7th to 5th or 4th with limited
means and average players. But again, the question arises: where did Roy
Hodgson go wrong?
That’s the thing. Roy Hodgson did nothing wrong. He only did what he could
do and didn’t do what he couldn’t. He managed to convince the board –
through his previous experience at Fulham and maturity at media handling (as
compared to Rafa Benitez’s stone-cold approach) – that he was the man for
the job. He managed to convince Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to stay.
He managed to poach one once exciting Joe Cole to Anfield. He managed to
gather a new backroom staff – coaching and medical – when the previous one
left to follow Rafa Benitez. He managed to win over some parts of the media
within weeks of being appointed manager of this illustrious, despite the
team not having played one single game and spared the club some
psychological bashing before the league even started.
But then, there are things he couldn’t do. He couldn’t handle the Javier
Mascherano affair without it turning into some sour soap opera in the media
and costing Liverpool some feathers at Manchester City. He couldn’t put his
friendship – and respect – for Alex Ferguson (no Sir from me, sorry) aside
when quizzed about it by the media, with a Liverpool crest behind him. He
couldn’t chin up and face that same individual when the latter accused
Torres of being a cheat.
He couldn’t figure out a formation and a strategy that would be adapted for
this Liverpool squad with 12 World Cup players, other than the one he used
during his time with “lesser teams”. In front of a difficult and unforgiving
fixture list, he couldn’t figure out what to say to those players at Melwood
and boost them into creating something. He couldn’t do a lot of other
things. And today he can’t realise that last week’s performance against
Everton wasn’t good enough for Liverpool – players, fans, worldwide
institution. Neither was a draw against Napoli last night.
Today, with H&G gone, Roy Hodgson is the man with all the attention on.
Truth is, had the board been a little bit chauvinistic from the start, we
wouldn’t be where we are right now. Roy Hodgson’s C.V speaks for itself: he
was a successful manager abroad. Abroad is the key word here. If people
agree that the English Premier League is the most interesting, competitive,
physically demanding and exciting league in the world, that makes other
leagues – abroad – lesser ones. In that respect, Roy Hodgson, in my books,
never was better than a “lesser league” manager.
The aim was to do better than 7th, not go below. This complete
miscalculation from the former board today is the reason why Liverpool may
be starting Sunday’s game at the bottom of the league table – if West Ham
manage a win. But that doesn’t exempt Roy Hodgson from anything. His refusal
to admit that the job is too much for his shoulders and that he should stop
is the clearest indication that he is the wrong person at the wrong place.
Nothing personal Roy, it’s just a question of standard. You do not see
Anfield like we do. And for this, I, as a Liverpool supporter, have only
this to say: “Roy Hodgson should go”.
____________________
t: http://twitter.com/1132nd
Cudnt agree more
Got to agree, he’s not fit to wipe the boots of Shanks.
Spot on mate.He did not do anything Wrong he just can not do anything right because he is an average manager . He is good only for the british press because he is english and that’s it.The idiot who sacked a world class manager in Rafa and replace him with Roy should be held responsible that we are in relegation zone.
right u are
utter rubbish we have to watch week in and out now
more than 2 months and the only decent game is the first one
? i wonder how much influence he had on that game?
should go as soon as possible
unfortunately the same as his former bosses – doesnt know when his time is up
couldnt agree more mate, its probably all the fault of that wanker jamie kanwer and his shite website
Hodgson is absolutely amazing. You’ve got to hand it to the man. He took a squad of good players and transformed them into zombies. In golf, he’d be the caddy that caused Tiger to shoot 20 over. In basketball, he’d be the coach to make the Lakers a 30% shooting team. At ruthless Real Madrid, maybe he’d be the manager whose tenure lasts only 45 mins.
But regardless of his phenomenal ability, Hodgson should leave simply because of this: Hodgson doesn’t believe in Liverpool, and Liverpool doesn’t believe in Hodgson.
kenny should be appointed knows the club,players and the prem.as a european footballer of the year he commands instant respect it must kill him watching a man not fit to be his physio send are reds out playing on the back foot week in week out forget hidink too older 63,frank rijkard no cash like barca and the ex,madrid manager can’t speak english just dust the throne the king’s coming home
has woy ever won a trophy of note as a manager,if not,theres a reason why he should never have gotten the job in the first place. or was his appointment h&g parting shot at us as they new their reign at Anfield was history?
This was the only problem i had with Perslow, replacing Rafa with Roy. I think Perslow realised pretty quickly Roy wasn’t the right guy so he had to do something to make up for it and helped Broughton to get rid of the cancer which where the previous owners. Once they got rid of them he resigned on a high so fans would regard him as a hero and left Roy to rot. I think his resignation makes it easier for the new owners to replace Roy now, and replace is what they need to do get Rijkaard or O’Neil while their available, HIddink won’t come because hes loyal to his employers which i respect but would love to have manage us……YNWA
Spot on! Roy is a mid-table manager, with mid-table tactics and mid-table attitude. Liverpool FC is a TOP club and therefore, HE HAS TO GO! And hopefully soon… I’m hoping, after we lose to Blackburn (inevitable) on Sunday…
WIN LOSE OR DRAW – JOHN HENRY SHOW ROY THE DOOR
THIS SHOULD BE THE KOPS CHANT ON SUNDAY
–YNWA–
How is possible to make such obvious mistake, a team so big and a manager so fake!!!
Totally agree with you. At Fulham, being at mid-table is an achievement in itself. A top four finish there would be like winning the world cup! Not at Liverpool mate. At Liverpool, we want the EPL title, the Champions League title, the FA cup and the whole lot if possible.
ROY HODGSON MUST GO. WE NEED A MANAGER WITH A WINNING MENTALITY FROM THE WORD GO!
Spot on article! Couldn’t have said it better myself! Whatever the result is on Sunday (win, lose or draw) Hodgson has to go. The owners must be strong like Abromavich ,when Scolari didn’t get the results at Chelsea, he was immediately sacked! Hodgson is too proud to admit he can’t handle it and he won’t walk away…… so get rid of him PLEASE!!!
As Liverpool supporters it has always be the unwritten law to support the manager at all time.
Now there is one exception.
This areticle is write his standards are low.
Only Kenny can come in and have the backing of the whole club. The supporters are the centre of the club and when King Kenny comes back it will lift everything as the fans only offer him complete respect and the players will understand what they have to do to play with a man who puts the club (after his family) first.
This situation is just begging for him to lift the club.
If liverpool fans want Liverpool to lose to Blackburn so that Roy would be sacked, it show what dire situation club is in. Roy needs to resign for the good of all but of course he is so egocentric, Henry needs to drag him out of the door.
Unbelievable.
Unbelievable, just how out of touch with reality a lot of fans are. By your logic Shankly would have fired long before he established the foundations of the club.
Anytime when the future of any organisation is on doubt, everybody’s morale and performance drops, even stevie g’s. Is it really any surprise that it has affected the other players as well.
Everybody is only human after all. Even Gerrard. Liverpool’s season only began against Napoli, after some stability had returned. Remember the Newcastle and Portsmouth sales. Lets not also forget that Roy did not bring on his own staff but has tp work with the scrap Rafa left behind.
I wud also suggest that fans take a course in fact checking. New med staff appointed before Roy even arrived. Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. Can we really blame Rafa for leaving with this kind of support for managers?
Just miss Rafa, his tactics, his charms and his wit whenever i see Roy on the pitch-side or give his ridiculous interviews.
Rafa made me dream, Rafa made me believe, Rafa gave me hope and a never say die attitude.
Thank you. You deserve better than the treatment you got. And you will prove your doubters than wrong.
YNWA!
@ Poovi
I hear you there. Suddenly I have a doubt about the backroom staff as well. I thought I read somewhere that the new medical staff at least was appointed under Roy’s supervision. Maybe I’m wrong, if someone finds some link to it, please let me know.
However, your comment about Shankly is totally unwarranted for. You cannot begin to compare Hodgson and Shankly simply because of the attitude. Shankly’s was one of defiance, arrogance even. He raised the expectations in training, in the backroom staff, on the bench, in front of the media.
Hodgson however: 1. “Conceded” he could lose Torres to Man Utd if Rooney left, even though Ferguson at NO point in time showed any interest whatsoever in Nando 2. To a question from a Sky Sports journalist last week said “(…) hopefully we would have been in the *usual* 6th, 7th place” 3. Smirked after the defeat to Everton last week and said it was “as good as a performance Liverpool has had under his reign” 4. Said after the Napoli draw that he “proved everyone wrong” with that result.
I don’t know if your blood runs more red than mine, but in the ideal of Liverpool Football Club i was raised it? Those are 4 deadly sins. Shankly would have made those players think they are invincible. Roy is making them think they’re trying their best, it’s not their fault. That’s the major difference.
The new medical chief of sport science Brukner was appointed after Harry Kewells recommendations. Since hes been in Turkey hes hardly been injured longterm and it was due to Brukners methods used for the Australian national team where he use to work before coming to us. Then he brought some of his own additions in to the club one of them being the asian guy who he brought from Spurs medical team Zaf iqbal. The club made the appointment not Rafa, and how many managers bring their own medical staff when they join a new club? They only bring coaches, assistants and maybe scouts……YNWA