Red Man Walking: Roy Hodgson's Liverpool future still on a knife edge despite last-gasp win
By Dominic King
Last updated at 11:02 PM on 2nd January 2011
Roy Hodgson remains a dead man walking despite Joe Cole’s dramatic last-gasp winner against Bolton.
Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s American owners, are actively examining suitable candidates to replace the current manager after his failure to produce results on a consistent basis.
The Liverpool boss was granted some temporary respite at the weekend, as his side came from behind at Anfield to beat Bolton 2-1. But he remains in a vulnerable position and it might not necessarily be that Liverpool’s next bad result will be the tipping point - it could happen sooner.
FSG are even prepared to bring in a caretaker manager - raising the prospect of an emotional return for Kenny Dalglish - to see Liverpool through to the end of the season before appointing a young coach in the summer.
Marseille’s Didier Deschamps is one potential candidate but it is understood that lack of experience could count against Andre Villas Boas, FC Porto’s promising 33-year-old coach. He has also just signed a contract extension until 2013 with Porto.
If Hodgson looks isolated from Liverpool’s owners, he can still rely on the support of the dressing room and Cole insisted the squad was right behind him.
The midfielder said: ‘We are all responsible – win, lose or draw. So it’s on all of us. We are all right behind the manager. He’s a gentleman and we want to do well for him and the club. We showed that against Bolton with the fight and the togetherness.’
Another man Hodgson was able to rely on was Steven Gerrard. There is no finer player to call on in a time of crisis than the Liverpool captain and
Hodgson’s ability to play that card on New Year’s Day has - temporarily at least - kept him in a job.
Hodgson did not intend to play Gerrard, who is making his way back slowly from the hamstring problem he sustained playing for England in November, for 70 minutes against Bolton. But an injury to Raul Meireles so early proved to be a blessing in disguise.
As has been the case on countless occasions during the past decade, Gerrard delivered just when it was needed. Trailing to a thumping header from Kevin Davies, the lowest Anfield crowd in the Barclays Premier League for seven years - and the lowest on January 1 since 1983 - was on the brink of mutiny until Gerrard’s arrival.
His sumptuous deliveries led to goals for Fernando Torres and Joe Cole but it was the force of will, the running and the leadership that was most impressive.
‘When Gerrard wasn’t on the pitch I was delighted,’ admitted Bolton manager Owen Coyle. ‘I actually said to him as he was coming on, “Could you not stay off a wee bit longer?” because I know the quality he’s got.’
Hodgson took great heart from his team’s show of character on the back of their woeful performance against Wolves. He said: ‘It was bad enough against Wolves when we played poorly.
‘But then Bolton sneaked a goal which they hadn’t really looked like scoring. I thought, “Can it be even worse, that even when we look like winning comfortably we are going to lose 1-0?” But the mood in the dressing room was very good.
'People were determined and were totally in agreement with me that we were going to turn it around. We left it late but we got there.’
DailyMail
By Dominic King
Last updated at 11:02 PM on 2nd January 2011
Roy Hodgson remains a dead man walking despite Joe Cole’s dramatic last-gasp winner against Bolton.
Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s American owners, are actively examining suitable candidates to replace the current manager after his failure to produce results on a consistent basis.
The Liverpool boss was granted some temporary respite at the weekend, as his side came from behind at Anfield to beat Bolton 2-1. But he remains in a vulnerable position and it might not necessarily be that Liverpool’s next bad result will be the tipping point - it could happen sooner.
FSG are even prepared to bring in a caretaker manager - raising the prospect of an emotional return for Kenny Dalglish - to see Liverpool through to the end of the season before appointing a young coach in the summer.
Marseille’s Didier Deschamps is one potential candidate but it is understood that lack of experience could count against Andre Villas Boas, FC Porto’s promising 33-year-old coach. He has also just signed a contract extension until 2013 with Porto.
If Hodgson looks isolated from Liverpool’s owners, he can still rely on the support of the dressing room and Cole insisted the squad was right behind him.
The midfielder said: ‘We are all responsible – win, lose or draw. So it’s on all of us. We are all right behind the manager. He’s a gentleman and we want to do well for him and the club. We showed that against Bolton with the fight and the togetherness.’
Another man Hodgson was able to rely on was Steven Gerrard. There is no finer player to call on in a time of crisis than the Liverpool captain and
Hodgson’s ability to play that card on New Year’s Day has - temporarily at least - kept him in a job.
Hodgson did not intend to play Gerrard, who is making his way back slowly from the hamstring problem he sustained playing for England in November, for 70 minutes against Bolton. But an injury to Raul Meireles so early proved to be a blessing in disguise.
As has been the case on countless occasions during the past decade, Gerrard delivered just when it was needed. Trailing to a thumping header from Kevin Davies, the lowest Anfield crowd in the Barclays Premier League for seven years - and the lowest on January 1 since 1983 - was on the brink of mutiny until Gerrard’s arrival.
His sumptuous deliveries led to goals for Fernando Torres and Joe Cole but it was the force of will, the running and the leadership that was most impressive.
‘When Gerrard wasn’t on the pitch I was delighted,’ admitted Bolton manager Owen Coyle. ‘I actually said to him as he was coming on, “Could you not stay off a wee bit longer?” because I know the quality he’s got.’
Hodgson took great heart from his team’s show of character on the back of their woeful performance against Wolves. He said: ‘It was bad enough against Wolves when we played poorly.
‘But then Bolton sneaked a goal which they hadn’t really looked like scoring. I thought, “Can it be even worse, that even when we look like winning comfortably we are going to lose 1-0?” But the mood in the dressing room was very good.
'People were determined and were totally in agreement with me that we were going to turn it around. We left it late but we got there.’
DailyMail
) but as soon as they have the deal in place I expect a swift departure and appointment.
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