Hansen on the Liverpool managers.

[reds123]

Hansen: That applies to everyone, be it Benitez, Shankly, Paisley or Dalglish


Anfield hero Alan Hansen believes any Liverpool manager that fails to land a Premier League title must ultimately be deemed a failure, because at the Merseyside club “first is first, and second nowhere”.

The Match of the Day pundit believes the likes of Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez have all fallen short of their illustrious predecessors like Shankly, Paisley, Fagan, and Kenny Dalglish, because unlike those aforementioned, none of them landed the Premier League title.

Hansen believes Evans, Houllier and Benitez must take some culpability for the current demise Liverpool find themselves in under Roy Hodgson.

Hansen told the Daily Telegraph: “Liverpool is not an ordinary club, and ultimately it is their record of league titles and European Cups that Liverpool managers live or die by.

“That applies to everyone, be it Rafa Benítez, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, or Kenny Dalglish.

“With Liverpool Houllier won the treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup in the same year, 2001, and finished second in the Premier League in 2002. At other clubs, three trophies in a single season would earn you a knighthood.

He continued: “But this is Liverpool, where first is first, and second nowhere. The criteria for any Liverpool manager is winning the league.

“When seen through this prism, the 2001 treble would, categorically, be considered second to the Champions League League or the league. Benítez won the former, and had the chance of winning another, but he failed overall because he fell short in the league.

“You would have to say that every one of the club’s managers since Dalglish, who last won the title, have failed.

“You could cite every one of them contributing to the club’s current demise.”

[The Birdman]

Pretty much correct, obviously there are many reasons we could all go into about why each manager failed but it's a nice change from Roy "we're going to try and improve on 16th place if we can" Hodgson

[red g]

Hansen: That applies to everyone, be it Benitez, Shankly, Paisley or Dalglish


Anfield hero Alan Hansen believes any Liverpool manager that fails to land a Premier League title must ultimately be deemed a failure, because at the Merseyside club “first is first, and second nowhere”.

The Match of the Day pundit believes the likes of Roy Evans, Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez have all fallen short of their illustrious predecessors like Shankly, Paisley, Fagan, and Kenny Dalglish, because unlike those aforementioned, none of them landed the Premier League title.

Hansen believes Evans, Houllier and Benitez must take some culpability for the current demise Liverpool find themselves in under Roy Hodgson.

Hansen told the Daily Telegraph: “Liverpool is not an ordinary club, and ultimately it is their record of league titles and European Cups that Liverpool managers live or die by.

“That applies to everyone, be it Rafa Benítez, Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Joe Fagan, or Kenny Dalglish.

“With Liverpool Houllier won the treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Cup in the same year, 2001, and finished second in the Premier League in 2002. At other clubs, three trophies in a single season would earn you a knighthood.

He continued: “But this is Liverpool, where first is first, and second nowhere. The criteria for any Liverpool manager is winning the league.

“When seen through this prism, the 2001 treble would, categorically, be considered second to the Champions League League or the league. Benítez won the former, and had the chance of winning another, but he failed overall because he fell short in the league.

“You would have to say that every one of the club’s managers since Dalglish, who last won the title, have failed.

“You could cite every one of them contributing to the club’s current demise.”

WHile I do agree with that to a certain extent. Rafa would have done imo, if Moores hadnt sold to them 2 asset stripping cunts. At least Rafa has a genuine excuse imo.

What he should also be saying is that it breaks his heart to see the mediocrity we have now accepted under ROy.

[BigChief]

This is a well timed dig at Roy to raise expectations and confirm that finishing 4th, though being minimal, is still deemed a failure. And not just Roy but any future manager coming in shortly hoping for an easy pay packet.

[Vermilion]

Don't really take much heed in what he says tbh, he's still living in the past, back then WE were breaking transfer records for players..it's all very different now.

[ronanm]

Don't really take much notice of what he says tbh, he's still living in the past, back then we were breaking transfer records for players..it's all very different now.

Think the £3.2m we got for Rush was a UK transfer record. Not sure we spent that much on a single player for quite some time after Hansen retired?

[red g]

Collymore was the only time we ever broke the record after Hansen retired.

but think its only since the turn of the century when I have thought we have been not been able to play with the big boys. Scum, then Chelsea, then the rest of the pl......now i think its levellling out a little although City/Chelsea are light years haead of others at moment obviosuly

[Sconniee2]

Why doesn't Hansen mention Sourmess as a manager?

My view it is that since him we have always been playing catch up. Sure Kenny left the club with the first team in need of reconstruction, but Sourmess made it an enormous task.

[red g]

Ever since Moores/Parry took over the running of the club we have been on a downward spiral.

Souness didnt help for sure, but that was twenty odd years ago......millions have been spent, millions have been wasted, we have had plenty of time to recover from the souness era imo.

[Lecter]

fatdavey fergaldavey
by JimBoardman
@JimBoardman hansen - the board got rid of Houllier because of " the results , the style of play and the disechantment of the fans"

[kris90210]

Would love to know how Hansen would get on in managment. He certainly talks a good game

[danperkins]

Would love to know how Hansen would get on in managment. He certainly talks a good game

[DannyMan2006]

fatdavey fergaldavey
by JimBoardman
@JimBoardman hansen - the board got rid of Houllier because of " the results , the style of play and the disechantment of the fans"

In fairness, that was a different board. And they had given Ged five years. The biggest **** up re. Hodgson was giving him the job in the first place. The new owners have walked in and are trying to tread carefully, don't think they want to come in tearing it up, especially when they likely haven't identified a manager they especially want.

[DannyMan2006]

Collymore was the only time we ever broke the record after Hansen retired.

but think its only since the turn of the century when I have thought we have been not been able to play with the big boys. Scum, then Chelsea, then the rest of the pl......now i think its levellling out a little although City/Chelsea are light years haead of others at moment obviosuly

Was Dean Saunders not a record?

[DannyMan2006]

Ever since Moores/Parry took over the running of the club we have been on a downward spiral.

Souness didnt help for sure, but that was twenty odd years ago......millions have been spent, millions have been wasted, we have had plenty of time to recover from the souness era imo.

All the managers must share the blame, but those two must take a lot of it too, as well as the board prior for not making the most of all our success down the years.

In fairness Man Utd came in with their success and showed everyone how it's done of the field. That is what we lacked and I would say that very factor was the biggest factor in our continued failure.