Listening to Liverpool fans and reading their comments on the various fan sites, its clear that for many Roy Hodgson presents some serious credibility issues – and the club’s worst league start since the 1950s is doing little to alleviate their concerns.
Hodgson’s credibility problems seem to work on two levels. First, there’s his decidedly moderate career to date, spanning over 30 years. Second, there’s the fact that he was hired by the club’s despised owners, replacing a man who was still revered (rightly or wrongly) by large swathes of the club’s support.
Let’s take the first issue. Hodgson may have picked up a small bagful of league titles in Scandinavia, but he has done nothing of serious note in any of Europe’s major leagues. His supporters often point to his time at Inter as evidence of his ability to manage a big club, and while club officials there do talk warmly about his tenure, their affection did not stretch to putting their faith in the man for the long term.
Supporters also highlight his time at Fulham as proof of his abilities, with the Cottagers’ run to the Europa League final as the defining highlight. But since when, say detractors, has stabilising a club in mid table recommended a manager as a serious candidate for a club of Liverpool’s stature? And enjoyable as Fulham’s European odyssey was, it should be put in context given that it is a competition that tends not to be a priority for any of the big clubs who find themselves tied up in it and has seen giants of the European game like Middlesbrough and Glasgow Rangers in recent finals.
Ultimately, there is precious little in his CV to suggest that he has the wherewithal to make an impression with Liverpool. Even his employers seem to share the view – spinning him as a man to steady the ship, rather than one who could reverse the club’s fortunes. It all sounds rather temporary. The club is in limbo, so hire someone to plug the gap. Not a billing that is likely to inspire disappointed fans, not matter how sensible it may seem.
His past record aside, it is possibly more debilitating in the eyes of many supporters that he was employed by the club’s hated owners and replaced the still widely popular Rafael Benitez. There is little doubt Hodgson’s predecessor played a major part in his own downfall – becoming consumed by his battle to force the club’s American owners to live up to the promises made and thereby losing focus on his primary task of managing the team.
But part of Benitez’s enduring popularity relates to that fact that for many fans, he seemed to be battling for them and their club against proprietors who saw Liverpool as nothing more than an opportunity. Opinions are divided about the ultimate impact of the Spaniard on the club, but it should not be forgotten that for several years, Benitez made Liverpool a force to be reckoned with both domestically and in Europe. He had made people proud of their club again – gave them belief.
It is for these reasons that so many were prepared to give him another chance after last season’s misery. But for the club’s owners, Benitez was trouble – a constant reminder of their broken promises. Liverpool’s seventh place finish last term was the excuse they needed to push him out the door.
So for many, Hodgson is a cut-price replacement – a man who had long dreamed of managing one of Europe’s great clubs and one who would be happy to accept the position regardless of the uncertainty and unhappiness that surrounded the club. They view him a man who is never going to jeopardise his job by seriously questioning those above him. Where they are right or wrong, their views are entrenched – and Hodgson will have a very difficult time inspiring their loyalty.
Of course, a run of decent results would alter perceptions greatly. But then there is little evidence thus far this season, but more importantly in his long career to date, to suggest that Hodgson will suddenly hit upon the secret of managing in the higher echelons of the game.
But then he may have very little time in which to try. With the club looking almost certain to change hands in the coming months, it is seem highly unlikely that any new owners would put their faith in the current incumbent. Long-term, he’s simply not a credible option.
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completely agree great article, Hodgson was never the right man for Liverpool, his mangerial record is average at best, he won manager of the year last year even though Fulham finished 12th losing more games than they won. Hodgson is a myth made up by the British media because he is friendly to journalists.
HODGSON OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A perceptive view. Hodgson is also struggling to present himslf as a strong and determined leader. His praise of opponents, lists of excuses, failure to defend Torres from Ferguson, no plan B against Northampton, lack of expectation against Birmingham and “worth a point” comment after Sunderland are major gaffes. However his worst mistake was to refer to the supporters protesting against the Americans as “a group of people” simply shows that he has no idea of what managing Liverpool is all about. To him, it;’s another job. He is doomed to fail.
i completely disagree with this article and in my opinion people who right such things are a disgrace..you cant know the future of a club,manager,..etc..hodgson and any other manager,will need time at a club like liverpool,where the expectations are huge and the problems are a hell of a lot.what can hodgson do about the ownership status??nothing..have roy used cash from the club and not by player sales??noo..that means he must stick with the current squad,gel the new players and make winning runs.all these things need a steady club,and this doesnt happen in a day or two.liverpool have been better and better the last games.we might have only six points but playing against arsenal,man city,man united and birmingham at saint andrews,…i dont think these team are easy to beat.the sunderland game should be a win,but we lost too many chances in the dying minutes of the match..
I agree for all Rafa,s faults he fought the supporters corner and held the owners accountable for their promises which cost him his job now we have a manager who took a week to defend Torres against his friend Ferguson which was probably only because of supporter pressure to do so .
@Stavros, you have your balls firmly planted in Roys pocket, just like has his in Fergies. He is mediocre at best. His “tactics” to date are baffling to say the least, and all this patience, we need time to gel is all BS. Man City have a host of new players, granted they are primo stock but they have not taken too much time to gel. How long does it take to get a group of professionals to come together and perform the way the are supposed to? especially ones that train together on almost a daily basis. Im sorry, but hoofing the ball out of defence, man to man marking, and constant rotation of the midfield is doing wonders to stabilise the team. I can count on one hand how many times Torres has had a chance to run onto the ball, as opposed to having ot come back and fight for the ball, or having the ball passed behind him. And this has to do with Roy’s ahem “tactics”. I wasnt a big fan of Rafas, but at least we looked like a team who could score. Who got the ball to our forwards for oppurtunities to score. Now, we look like a team who will only score from set plays or half chances at best. Im sorry Stavros, but remove head from sphincter then speak. You obviously are watching replays of games from a different era to the present, as Roys football is nothing but atrocious….
I completely agree with the author. It pains me to see the way Liverpool is playing this term. There is no creativity and without any ammunition, Torres is like a tiger without teeth and claws.
Poulsen is cr@p and is not worthy of wearing Liverpool jersey. Only if Martin O’neill had quit early, Liverpool could have bagged him.
5. right things for roy
1.in cole an meireles,he bought 2 fine players that adds value to the team.
2.kept us in the europa cup an took us to group stages.
3.persuaded both gerrard an torres 2 stay at the club in this kind of state.
4.kept faith in torres in difficult times,played him until he wil regain fitness.
5.giving youngsters a chance,ngog,pacheco,kelly,spiering & shelvey.
5. wrongs things that roy did.
1.eliminitated in carling cup,lost the league tittle after 5 games an top 4 does not look achievable.
2.replace mascherano with poulsen who is slow,old an avarage though he can tackle,pass better than masch an cost us cheap.
3.roy was told that leftback is a long term problem but he made it even to be a much longer problem by allowing insuah to go on loan,resigned an injury prone player aurelio and spending close to 5m on a leftback konchesky who is slow,old,avarage & only plays better against smaller an weaker teams. even agger who is a center back is far better than him or the coach mus kelly or jovanovic at leftback for now.
4.continue to play the patnership of carra/skrtel that lacks in the air,play similar an lik goals,pls play skrtel/agger an make carra a cover right back to johnson.
5.allowed aquillani to leave who could have offered us with quality football, passing ranges,can play 3 positions which are DM-CM-AM,has an eye for goals and would have not had any problems in fighting for his place an cuming from the bench.
so roy failed,he didnt change anything from ,infact his team is much weaker an clueless,though he is good at making changes thats y his team plays well in the last 15 or 20 min.
To all those who were warned that no world class manager would dare touch our club if the previous one was sacked, now you know why.
Stavros, you seem to ignore the point being made in the article. Whats the point of giving him time when he just hasn’t got it?
He is not suddenly going to start having it is he?
Admit a mistake was made, get him out now and Kenny in charge for the time being.