Roy Hodgson thankful he did not heed Christian Purslow's advice on player cull
Roy Hodgson was advised to sell almost half of the Liverpool team he will send out at Newcastle on Saturday by Christian Purslow, the club’s former managing director.
Purslow handed Hodgson a list of players he wished to see depart Anfield after his appointment last summer. On the list were Ryan Babel, Maxi Rodriguez, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, David Ngog and Lucas.
Though Hodgson insists he listened politely to his employer’s views, the Liverpool manager does not regret for a second disregarding it completely.
Hodgson credits many of those players, written off as has-beens and never-will-bes, for helping to turn the club’s season around.
“Christian was here for two years and is a big fan with strong opinions about players,” Hodgson revealed of the man who left the club after successfully bringing an end to the controversial regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett by agreeing Liverpool's sale to Fenway Sports Group in October.
“He fed me the information. I listened, of course, but made it clear I was not going to act on it. To be fair, when we’ve spoken or texted he has been the first to recognise what a good job it was that we didn’t do these things, because the boys have turned out well.”
Quite how well has, possibly, surprised Hodgson as much as Purslow. Though Babel may lose his place to the returning Fernando Torres at St James’ Park, the others on the former managing directors’ hit list have emerged as key parts to Liverpool’s nascent revival.
One of the most notable turnarounds is from Lucas, who was told during the summer that he had no future at Anfield but is now on the verge of being offered a new contract.
Indeed, so impressed has Hodgson been with his fringe players that he now believes the club’s new owners would be well served to afford Liverpool’s current squad patience rather than seek a substantial infusion of new players in January.
“If they want to invest lots of money and we find the right players I am not so stupid as to say not to do it,” he said. “But it would be sensible to be more circumspect and get a closer a look. It would not be bad to keep testing the squad we have.
“My message would be – and I have spoken to John [Henry of FSG] about it – if the right players become available and we think they can really push us on and we can get them, we shouldn’t hesitate. But I shouldn’t be encouraging them to throw a lot of money at it straight away. I’d plead for patience.
“There are lots of examples in the past of teams, in their ambition to stay in the league or get into the top four, where the club's virtually been destroyed by people making bad decisions.
"It is not because owners have not supported them, but because the people coming in have been wrong.”
Back to the future . . .
»Lucas
Told he would be leaving Liverpool five months ago, he is their most consistent player this season.
David Ngog
Raw, but maturing fast, as eight goals this season attest.
Ryan Babel
Anfield’s great enigma was the first on former managing director Christian Purslow’s list to leave the club in the summer.
Maxi Rodriguez
The Argentine struggled in his first six months in England, but is at home under Hodgson.
Clicky
Roy Hodgson was advised to sell almost half of the Liverpool team he will send out at Newcastle on Saturday by Christian Purslow, the club’s former managing director.
Purslow handed Hodgson a list of players he wished to see depart Anfield after his appointment last summer. On the list were Ryan Babel, Maxi Rodriguez, Sotirios Kyrgiakos, David Ngog and Lucas.
Though Hodgson insists he listened politely to his employer’s views, the Liverpool manager does not regret for a second disregarding it completely.
Hodgson credits many of those players, written off as has-beens and never-will-bes, for helping to turn the club’s season around.
“Christian was here for two years and is a big fan with strong opinions about players,” Hodgson revealed of the man who left the club after successfully bringing an end to the controversial regime of Tom Hicks and George Gillett by agreeing Liverpool's sale to Fenway Sports Group in October.
“He fed me the information. I listened, of course, but made it clear I was not going to act on it. To be fair, when we’ve spoken or texted he has been the first to recognise what a good job it was that we didn’t do these things, because the boys have turned out well.”
Quite how well has, possibly, surprised Hodgson as much as Purslow. Though Babel may lose his place to the returning Fernando Torres at St James’ Park, the others on the former managing directors’ hit list have emerged as key parts to Liverpool’s nascent revival.
One of the most notable turnarounds is from Lucas, who was told during the summer that he had no future at Anfield but is now on the verge of being offered a new contract.
Indeed, so impressed has Hodgson been with his fringe players that he now believes the club’s new owners would be well served to afford Liverpool’s current squad patience rather than seek a substantial infusion of new players in January.
“If they want to invest lots of money and we find the right players I am not so stupid as to say not to do it,” he said. “But it would be sensible to be more circumspect and get a closer a look. It would not be bad to keep testing the squad we have.
“My message would be – and I have spoken to John [Henry of FSG] about it – if the right players become available and we think they can really push us on and we can get them, we shouldn’t hesitate. But I shouldn’t be encouraging them to throw a lot of money at it straight away. I’d plead for patience.
“There are lots of examples in the past of teams, in their ambition to stay in the league or get into the top four, where the club's virtually been destroyed by people making bad decisions.
"It is not because owners have not supported them, but because the people coming in have been wrong.”
Back to the future . . .
»Lucas
Told he would be leaving Liverpool five months ago, he is their most consistent player this season.
David Ngog
Raw, but maturing fast, as eight goals this season attest.
Ryan Babel
Anfield’s great enigma was the first on former managing director Christian Purslow’s list to leave the club in the summer.
Maxi Rodriguez
The Argentine struggled in his first six months in England, but is at home under Hodgson.
Clicky
from now on I will skip talking about our finances. That is a promise and will save myself from looking like a 
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