Would you sack Hodgson?

[dom9]

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.

You started it.

[Guest]

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.

Minimum requirements was achieved in 4 seasons and more. We were never realistically capable of winning the league with the squad we had because Chelsea and Manure had more strength in depth but we still managed to finish within a whisker of winning it.

Rafa paid the price for one bad season. One ****ing season gone wrong.

[kris90210]

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?

we need to be realistic. Spurs are going to be much stronger this year. Man City are going to be much stronger this year. We could well lose 3 of our best players. Maintaining last seasons expectations makes no sense.

[red g]

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?

but then just as chelsea changed the landscape and football changes so have city and our new owners!

its fair to say as Danny pointed out that bar chelsea and scum over Rafa's tenure we were clearly 3/4 best in the league by some distance as well until last season.

Now there is City in the reckoning and spurs are much improved to and also remember Rafa was 5th in his first campaign to.

I think we have to be challenging for Top 4 thats the aim and if we finish a few points off 4th in 6th or 7th thats fair enough. Not challenging and losing as many as Rafa did last year will probably see him out on his year.

It also depends on money spent this summer, if and its a big if, the owners give him all transfer monies and we sell masher, babel, riera and a few other squad players and Roy spends 40-50million on this team and Gerrard and Torres stay well i would expect a title challenge if people stayed fit. top 4 if not.

[DannyMan2006]

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?

Personally speaking, if I was in charge I would have a look and take everything into account. For instance, if we won a trophy, he would be more likely to keep his job. If all the major players, Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Man city were to spend significant funds and we spent little, again it would have to be thought upon.

Last year we were top 4 material, but since then City have spent £100m and we have supposedly our best players on the brink of leaving.

So it basically comes down to knowing how a season would pan out before deciding. I think come September 1st, and the close of the transfer market, we will have a better idea of where Hodgson should be coming in the league.

[red g]

we need to be realistic. Spurs are going to be much stronger this year. Man City are going to be much stronger this year. We could well lose 3 of our best players. Maintaining last seasons expectations makes no sense.

if that happens, we would do well for top 6......as i just put in my post if we keep gerrard/torres spend 40/50m from player sales and bit of kitty, well we should be looking way higher.

[DannyMan2006]

Minimum requirements was achieved in 4 seasons and more. We were never realistically capable of winning the league with the squad we had because Chelsea and Manure had more strength in depth but we still managed to finish within a whisker of winning it.

Rafa paid the price for one bad season. One ****ing season gone wrong.

He paid the price for not winning anything since 2006, and not punching above his weight in the league often enough. So when he did drop below the minimum standards, he didn't have much that he could point too as evidence he was worth a stay of execution.

[Dessy]

LFC outside of top 4 is unacceptable. Period.

[Guest]

if that happens, we would do well for top 6......as i just put in my post if we keep gerrard/torres spend 40/50m from player sales and bit of kitty, well we should be looking way higher.

Do you think that's going to happen?

[DannyMan2006]

Do you think that's going to happen?

He doesn't know, neither do any of us. Which is why I say wait and see before deciding what our expectation levels should be.

[red g]

Minimum requirements was achieved in 4 seasons and more. We were never realistically capable of winning the league with the squad we had because Chelsea and Manure had more strength in depth but we still managed to finish within a whisker of winning it.

Rafa paid the price for one bad season. One ****ing season gone wrong.

i can feel your pain, think you need these....

[red g]

He doesn't know, neither do any of us. Which is why I say wait and see before deciding what our expectation levels should be.

to many doom mongers on here....new manager, new beginning

[Guest]

He paid the price for not winning anything since 2006, and not punching above his weight in the league often enough. So when he did drop below the minimum standards, he didn't have much that he could point too as evidence he was worth a stay of execution.

No, he was offered a 5 year contract the season before, which to me indicated that his position was at its highest (well the owners did agree to extend his contract). He paid the price for last season alone, not with what happened before.

As I said, realistically speaking we were already punching above our weight and it was done with being competitive in the CL as well, which is no mean feat - we could compete in the two major competitions.

All it needed was significant investment last season, which never happened. That has been the downfall and it all comes down to the owners and their army of highly paid executive ****wits.

[red g]

Do you think that's going to happen?

i think its more likely than ALL 3 of gerrard, torres and masher going in all honesty.

Oh and I also think hodgson being here has increased the likelyhood of them staying to imo

[red g]

No, he was offered a 5 year contract the season before, which to me indicated that his position was at its highest (well the owners did agree to extend his contract). He paid the price for last season alone, not with what happened before.

As I said, realistically speaking we were already punching above our weight and it was done with being competitive in the CL as well, which is no mean feat - we could compete in the two major competitions.

All it needed was significant investment last season, which never happened. That has been the downfall and it all comes down to the owners and their army of highly paid executive ****wits.

are these the same owners that no **** all?

exactly whats happened with Cappello, Benitez played his hand when it was strongest and the weak willed FA and our board gave them both stupid contracts.

we have never been punching above our weight with benitex in the league, we have been out of the reckoning by the turn of the year most years he has been in charge and even in our title challenging season we had to come from way off to be in with a chance.

Sorry mate, Rafa lovely guy.....but I dont think he did half as well as you think he did here.