Would you sack Hodgson?

[RichC]

It's no rocket science Dom. Steadying a struggling football team with the emphasis on making them solid based on defensive rigidity isn't that difficult. Making a team into title winners is a different proposition altogether and will require much more from him.

He hasn't demonstrated the latter in any of his previous jobs. He hasn't been appointed to win things. Improving from last season is the main aim and what the owners are banking on to 'satisfy' the supporters. Rafa was demanding that more money was ploughed in to allow him to compete at the top, which they wouldn't give him. Hodgson's appointment will change that.

Get over Rafa mate, he's gone - it was a shame but that's life and things move on with football.

Give the guy a chance - we're not even into mid July and you've written him off, made asumptions regarding his character and how he will be the owners lacky.

Let's make this very clear for you through your Rafa tinted glasses - he took what was essentially the same team as the year before to 7th in the league, granted Xavi left but he wasn't treated well by Rafa the season prior, I liked Rafa but after his guarantee of 4th place he was always likely for the chop!

Either support the team or go and buy a blue and black Inter top **** off to Milan and support them!

[BobTheCharmer]

I'm no fan of the current state of football and the way LFC is being run. I'm a fan of the ethos of the club was once valued at, the traditions and the things it has been built on. Hodgson seems a decent man, I've got nothing against him, I just don't think he's good enough - he's just a step down to what we had.

Thats fair enough mate. I hate the way football is these days and I don't much care for the owners of our club either.

But I couldn't not give a **** if I tried.

[Guest]

You're moving the goalposts Max, to suit your own agenda. We didn't do well last season but show me when we underachieved in all the seasons before that?

Last season was a complete write off from the start, we were never in it, for one reason or another. Fact is, Rafa was never allowed to rectify it - he was demanding more because he was a winner. Winning for the owners is pocketing more money, they don't care if it's by winning or not.

Hodgson has already stated that he wasn't going to fight the owners like Rafa did - this says a lot to me.

[DannyMan2006]

Rafa got sacked because he finished 7th with a team that should have easily finished top 4. The main reason the team dropped from 2nd to 7th was because Rafa got rid of Alonso, whose loss he paved the way for by trying to off load him to Juve and replace with Barry. He tehn spent a large bulk of the fee on Aquilani, who was injured, and then even when he was clear from injury, still failed to play him in games.

Roy Hodgson has got the job because he has finished 7th and mid table with a team that should in all likelihood be looking at relegation, whilst aslo dragging them to a Europa Cup Final without it totally messing up their league season.

Managers who have a bad season with a top club tend to get the boot, managers at smaller clubs tend to get rewarded with a better job when they do well. That's just the way it goes.

Rafa Benitez as a coach is probably in or very close to the top ten coaches in the world. Roy Hodgson is likely a long, long way from that list. But you get what you deserve in football. And both now have an opportunity to show exactly how good they are.

Rafa walks into a job where Inter are the clear favourites every year and is also getting some cash to spend. Roy walks into a job where the bar has been raised. We'll see who delivers in time.

[Guest]

Rafa got sacked because he finished 7th with a team that should have easily finished top 4. The main reason the team dropped from 2nd to 7th was because Rafa got rid of Alonso, whose loss he paved the way for by trying to off load him to Juve and replace with Barry. He tehn spent a large bulk of the fee on Aquilani, who was injured, and then even when he was clear from injury, still failed to play him in games.

That's very simplistic. What about the injuries and the appalling form of our club captain?

[DannyMan2006]

You're moving the goalposts Max, to suit your own agenda. We didn't do well last season but show me when we underachieved in all the seasons before that?

How about showing us when Rafa over achieved? We've not anything since 2006 and have been in one title race in his 6 years in charge.

Granted, he was nothing short of exceptional in Europe for the most part, and deserves legendary status for Istanbuil alone, never mind a breath taking day in Cardiff and a momentous effort in helping us reach the final in Athens.

But when it came to the bread and butter stuff, he was average at best. This club is crying out for a league title, and he came close only once. I didn't expect that he won the league, but he should have been in the race for it more than once.

[DannyMan2006]

That's very simplistic. What about the injuries and the appalling form of our club captain?

He bought an injured player. It's his job to motivate the captain and the other players. The same thing happens before every manager gets the boot, players lose form and the team doesn't perform. It is no coincidence.

A manager is rightly praised when players over perform (Hodgson with Fulham), but rightly criticised when his players don't do the business (Hodgson with Blackburn).

Every manager lives and dies by what his players do on the pitch. If he can't get the best out of them, or they become injured, or dis interested, then tough luck.

Welcome to world of being a football manager. Still, at least they get millions of pounds in pay offs.

[Guest]

How about showing us when Rafa over achieved? We've not anything since 2006 and have been in one title race in his 6 years in charge.

Granted, he was nothing short of exceptional in Europe for the most part, and deserves legendary status for Istanbuil alone, never mind a breath taking day in Cardiff and a momentous effort in helping us reach the final in Athens.

But when it came to the bread and butter stuff, he was average at best. This club is crying out for a league title, and he came close only once. I didn't expect that he won the league, but he should have been in the race for it more than once.

Because it's more difficult especially when we have to compete with Chelsea and Man. Utd. We nearly won it the season before and that in itself was an over achievement. Average at best with the bread and butter stuff? That's laughable man, laughable. We were never out of the CL places apart from his first and last season in charge.

Anyway, this is a thread about Hodgson, not Rafa.

[Guest]

He bought an injured player. It's his job to motivate the captain and the other players. The same thing happens before every manager gets the boot, players lose form and the team doesn't perform. It is no coincidence.

A manager is rightly praised when players over perform (Hodgson with Fulham), but rightly criticised when his players don't do the business (Hodgson with Blackburn).

Every manager lives and dies by what his players do on the pitch. If he can't get the best out of them, or they become injured, or dis interested, then tough luck.

Welcome to world of being a football manager. Still, at least they get millions of pounds in pay offs.

Again, simplistic assessment.

I'm done with the subject - I'll go back to lurking.

[kris90210]

It's no rocket science Dom. Steadying a struggling football team with the emphasis on making them solid based on defensive rigidity isn't that difficult. Making a team into title winners is a different proposition altogether and will require much more from him.

He hasn't demonstrated the latter in any of his previous jobs. He hasn't been appointed to win things. Improving from last season is the main aim and what the owners are banking on to 'satisfy' the supporters. Rafa was demanding that more money was ploughed in to allow him to compete at the top, which they wouldn't give him. Hodgson's appointment will change that.

Sure, its a piece of ****ing piss isn't it.

**** me I never quite realised how many armchair coaches there are on this site. As bad as the media, some of you.

I wanted Benitez to stay on as much as anyone, and was gutted when he left, but Hodgson is the manager now. Move on. He needs our support and backing. Hodgson wanted to come to Liverpool to do his best for the club. He deserves a bit more respect than he is getting right now.

The liverpool way we all keep pining for? This is not it.

[Guest]

I would never back the decisions of ill intentioned people and who happen to run our club.

[DannyMan2006]

Because it's more difficult especially when we have to compete with Chelsea and Man. Utd. We nearly won it the season before and that in itself was an over achievement. Average at best with the bread and butter stuff? That's laughable man, laughable. We were never out of the CL places apart from his first and last season in charge.

Anyway, this is a thread about Hodgson, not Rafa.

Champions League = Top 4. Top 4 = Minimum requirement for LFC. There were 2 teams that could be considered beyond us, Chelsea and Man Utd, Arsenal I would say were on a par. To finish 3rd or 4th every year is average. The fact we were a distant 3rd or 4th is probably below average. But he reached the minimum requirements.

He got the chop when he failed to get out the group stages of the CL and failed to come top 4. Granted, the owners probably did a jig of joy when it gave them a chance to sack him, but whilst it was the owners who severed his head with the axe, it was Rafa himself who walked up to the chopping block and put his head down upon it.

[Chrono]

You're moving the goalposts Max, to suit your own agenda. We didn't do well last season but show me when we underachieved in all the seasons before that?

Last season was a complete write off from the start, we were never in it, for one reason or another. Fact is, Rafa was never allowed to rectify it - he was demanding more because he was a winner. Winning for the owners is pocketing more money, they don't care if it's by winning or not.

Hodgson has already stated that he wasn't going to fight the owners like Rafa did - this says a lot to me.

I'm pleased Danny replied to you. I have no agenda in the slightest but I do back our current manager, shame you can't until he proves his worth to you.

[Shaggy]

Champions League = Top 4. Top 4 = Minimum requirement for LFC. There were 2 teams that could be considered beyond us, Chelsea and Man Utd, Arsenal I would say were on a par. To finish 3rd or 4th every year is average. The fact we were a distant 3rd or 4th is probably below average. But he reached the minimum requirements.

He got the chop when he failed to get out the group stages of the CL and failed to come top 4. Granted, the owners probably did a jig of joy when it gave them a chance to sack him, but whilst it was the owners who severed his head with the axe, it was Rafa himself who walked up to the chopping block and put his head down upon it.

I agree with that.

But does that mean if Roy guides us to a finish outside the top 4, he should be sacked as well? I'm not being funny, genuine question.

Or do we massively lower our expectations now we have a lesser manager and the fall-out from Hicks & Gillett's mismanagement of the club has started to bite?

[dom9]

It's no rocket science Dom. Steadying a struggling football team with the emphasis on making them solid based on defensive rigidity isn't that difficult. Making a team into title winners is a different proposition altogether and will require much more from him.

He hasn't demonstrated the latter in any of his previous jobs. He hasn't been appointed to win things. Improving from last season is the main aim and what the owners are banking on to 'satisfy' the supporters. Rafa was demanding that more money was ploughed in to allow him to compete at the top, which they wouldn't give him. Hodgson's appointment will change that.

what a load of tripe !!!
how come every other manager cant do that, if its that easy?

He has built title winners in many countries......just not 1 of the big ones yet as he hasnt been given the opportyunity.

Rafa was demanding more money that we didnt have and he seriously failed last year thats why he was sacked.

This.