Liverpool FC owners reassure Roy Hodgson
ROY HODGSON claims he has been told by Liverpool's new owners he is the right man to turn their season around as he prepares for a “massive” game tomorrow.
Hodgson has held talks with New England Sports Ventures after the American investment group completed their £300m takeover deal last week.
Despite being less than four months into his role, the Anfield manager has come under intense pressure after overseeing Liverpool's worst start to a top-flight season in 57 years.
Indeed, results today could see Hodgson's men slip to bottom of the Premier League table before they entertain Blackburn Rovers tomorrow seeking their first win in eight games.
But the 63-year-old believes he has the backing of NESV owner John W Henry to transform Liverpool's campaign, despite rumours of an imminent departure.
“They think I have inherited a really bad situation and they think I am the right man to put it right,” said Hodgson. “I think I am the right man to put it right.
“I have been here three and a half months and I haven't become someone who has lost all confidence in themselves in that time.
“What I have found is that I have taken on a difficult job at a club that needs a lot of sorting out and unfortunately I haven't had a good start.
“But I had a bad start at Fulham and we were favourites to go down with four games left. You have periods like that in your life that you have to live through. I have had a good two-and-a-half years and this is a bad one.
“I can't say I am happy about it. But I am working on it and doing all I can do to try and get us out of it.”
Hodgson added: “I think those new owners know what the club needs, I think those new owners realise that I am as good as any man to do the job because they are aware of what brought me into the job in the first place and I hope that they show the necessary patience, tolerance and backing to help us get out of it.”
Liverpool bounced back from Sunday's dismal derby defeat to Everton with an encouraging goalless draw at Napoli on Thursday in their Europa League Group K clash.
Hodgson made the calculated gamble of resting a clutch of first-team regulars for the trip to Italy so to protect them ahead of tomorrow's visit of Blackburn. Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles and Lucas Leiva will all come into consideration, while Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson are both striving to be available after missing out in midweek through illness and injury respectively.
And having already labelled tomorrow's game as a “must win”, Hodgson admits the pressure will be on his players to deliver.
“You cope with the pressure as best you can, but when you start as badly as we have then every game over the coming months is going to be a massive game,” said the Liverpool manager.
“Even if we do well on Sunday, the next game will be very important game because when you find yourself at the bottom you are not going to get into the top half in a week or two. You need to keep winning games and working hard and that is what we will do.
“Blackburn will be a difficult team to beat, they won't lie down, they will fancy their chances. You don't get a result because you know this is a game you need one in. that doesn't happen and it wasn't the case against Blackpool.
“The only good thing I can say if that many of the players who have to go out there and get the result will be fresh which isn't always the case in the Europa League. It wasn't the case against Blackpool when seven of the players had played against Utrecht a few days before.”
ROY HODGSON claims he has been told by Liverpool's new owners he is the right man to turn their season around as he prepares for a “massive” game tomorrow.
Hodgson has held talks with New England Sports Ventures after the American investment group completed their £300m takeover deal last week.
Despite being less than four months into his role, the Anfield manager has come under intense pressure after overseeing Liverpool's worst start to a top-flight season in 57 years.
Indeed, results today could see Hodgson's men slip to bottom of the Premier League table before they entertain Blackburn Rovers tomorrow seeking their first win in eight games.
But the 63-year-old believes he has the backing of NESV owner John W Henry to transform Liverpool's campaign, despite rumours of an imminent departure.
“They think I have inherited a really bad situation and they think I am the right man to put it right,” said Hodgson. “I think I am the right man to put it right.
“I have been here three and a half months and I haven't become someone who has lost all confidence in themselves in that time.
“What I have found is that I have taken on a difficult job at a club that needs a lot of sorting out and unfortunately I haven't had a good start.
“But I had a bad start at Fulham and we were favourites to go down with four games left. You have periods like that in your life that you have to live through. I have had a good two-and-a-half years and this is a bad one.
“I can't say I am happy about it. But I am working on it and doing all I can do to try and get us out of it.”
Hodgson added: “I think those new owners know what the club needs, I think those new owners realise that I am as good as any man to do the job because they are aware of what brought me into the job in the first place and I hope that they show the necessary patience, tolerance and backing to help us get out of it.”
Liverpool bounced back from Sunday's dismal derby defeat to Everton with an encouraging goalless draw at Napoli on Thursday in their Europa League Group K clash.
Hodgson made the calculated gamble of resting a clutch of first-team regulars for the trip to Italy so to protect them ahead of tomorrow's visit of Blackburn. Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles and Lucas Leiva will all come into consideration, while Daniel Agger and Glen Johnson are both striving to be available after missing out in midweek through illness and injury respectively.
And having already labelled tomorrow's game as a “must win”, Hodgson admits the pressure will be on his players to deliver.
“You cope with the pressure as best you can, but when you start as badly as we have then every game over the coming months is going to be a massive game,” said the Liverpool manager.
“Even if we do well on Sunday, the next game will be very important game because when you find yourself at the bottom you are not going to get into the top half in a week or two. You need to keep winning games and working hard and that is what we will do.
“Blackburn will be a difficult team to beat, they won't lie down, they will fancy their chances. You don't get a result because you know this is a game you need one in. that doesn't happen and it wasn't the case against Blackpool.
“The only good thing I can say if that many of the players who have to go out there and get the result will be fresh which isn't always the case in the Europa League. It wasn't the case against Blackpool when seven of the players had played against Utrecht a few days before.”
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