Brendan Rodgers

[marcus50bucks]

Liverpool FC pre-season tour 2015: Rodgers says it was his call to axe backroom staff

11:51, 13 JULY 2015 BY JAMES PEARCE

Liverpool boss says Pascoe and Marsh changes were his call

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers insists it was solely his decision to overhaul his backroom staff.

Assistant boss Colin Pascoe was sacked in June with first team coach Mike Marsh also leaving the club after his contract wasn’t renewed.

That cull followed the end of Fenway Sports Group’s end of season review but Rodgers says he was the driving force behind the changes.

He brought in Sean O’Driscoll as his new No 2 with Pepijn Lijnders promoted from the Academy to the newly created position of first team development coach.

Kop favourite Gary McAllister was the final appointment last week as Rodgers selected him as Marsh’s successor.

“I decided to make a change in the staff,” Rodgers said, speaking in Bangkok ahead of Liverpool’s opening pre-season friendly against the Thai All Stars on Tuesday night.

“Colin and Mike are two fantastic guys who worked very well.

“They are both great professionals and were very supportive during the time they worked with the club.

“I just felt that we needed to move in a different direction. That was a decision that was purely made by himself.

“The guys have come in, started well and integrated very well into the group. Hopefully we can continue with that ambience in our work.

“I have known Sean a long time and played against his teams. He’s someone I respect and admire.

“The work that Colin and Mike did in the three years at the club was very good.

“But I felt that coming into my fourth season at the club I wanted to take the team in a different direction.

“Sean, Pep and Gary McAllister will assist me in doing that. I’m looking forward to working with them, along with the other staff.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/liverpool-fc-pre-season-tour-2015-9644105

[Slinky Skills]

Slightly strange press conference he just gave. Seemed subdued....I wonder if he's been told to talk less. Maybe he was just knackered after a long flight.

Or Bender has just told him to shut the **** up!

[danperkins]

If Coutinho has something to aim for.. he'll get double the assists than last season IMO & he is capable of getting into double figures with goals. Factor in Firmino who will score goals, Milner & Henderson who will chip in with goals under double figures... and that's before we get to our strikers.

The team should be more balanced this season, hopefully that brings continuity and understanding into the side & we will be better for it. If, and I mean a massive If we can get Sturridge over his injuries nightmare & get a top quality partner for him... i'll be optimistic about next season.

The problem is that teams who were already way ahead of us, are strengthening even more. I fear that it may be too late now to get back to 4th place. Last summers transfer mistakes cost us, we didn't get the quality/experience we needed. 4th was there for the taking and unfortunately the mancs grabbed it.

I'm looking forward to the season anyways & hope to see a much improved LFC side.

[Yozza]

Rodgers on Thailand, Sterling and staff

Brendan Rodgers spoke to gathered media at Liverpool’s team hotel in Bangkok today – here is a full transcript of the manager’s press conference.

How was the trip here?

It was fine, it was obviously a long journey but we're all glad to be here and we're looking forward to our short time in Thailand.

This is your second trip here…

We've always been welcomed really, really well. We had a wonderful trip here last time and it's been a nice start to the trip this morning.

Can you clarify whether there was any fall-out between you and [Raheem Sterling] and whether his transfer was a loss to the team?

The situation currently is very simple. The club has agreed with another club a deal for Raheem to be transferred and subject to a medical that will go through. Contrary to probably the last week or so, in terms of what was written, Raheem and I have always remained very strong in our relationship and have been right up until we left. So there's no issue there.

Have you watched the Thai Premier League before and what do you think of the Thai players that are going to meet Liverpool tomorrow?

We understand when we come here we always get a very good game. I haven’t seen the Thai league recently but certainly, knowing that we were coming over here, we fully understand and always expect a tough game.

Last time you came here, you finished second in the league. This time, do you think this trip will help you to finish further up the league?

We hope so. We certainly enjoyed our trip to Asia the last time we were here a couple of years ago. It provided us with a wonderful foundation to go on and have a very good league campaign. So we hope it will be similar this time.

Do you have any plans to add more players to the team, and what kind of players might you acquire in the future to strengthen?

My only interest is to talk about players that are here with us on the tour, these are the most important players for Liverpool at this moment in time. Maybe in the future that is something that will happen or may not happen. For me, as I sit here as the manager, the most important players are Lucas [also at the press conference] and his fellow teammates that are here to work and prepare for pre-season.

Any targets for next season?

At this moment in time our objective is to get as fit as we possibly can and, of course, next season our target is always to be the very best that we can be.

On Sterling, you must be glad that the whole saga – which has sort of overshadowed the last couple of months – is over for you and the club?

As I said, at this moment in time it’s only about the players that have travelled here. I spoke to Raheem at length again before I left yesterday, so there’s no issue and no problem. Two clubs have agreed a deal and subject to a medical he will move on. But at this moment in time the interest is with the players that are here.

With the issue being sorted out now, how important was it for you to have been as aggressive as you have been so far in the transfer market with getting six players in and making a statement signing in Firmino, who seems to have captured everyone’s attention? How important was it to get that business done early?

I think it was important for us to improve and build the squad for this coming season. We’re very pleased with the players we’ve brought in.

Do you believe you can have a stronger side next season, even without a player like that? Can you bring in the players – or have you brought in the players – that will make you stronger?

I think the key for us is that it is the overall team that is important. Individuals like Raheem will have benefited from the team. We obviously aim to be much stronger and much more competitive than what we were last season, but that’ll be reliant on everyone. In terms of this first week, the camp has been really strong, the focus has been really good, the players have worked hard and we’ll just aim to continue to operate in that way for the remainder of the pre-season and hopefully take that confidence into the beginning for the season.

You’ve completely changed the backroom staff. Can you explain the thinking behind that?

I decided to make a change in the staff. I had two fantastic guys – guys that worked very, very well – in both Colin and Mike. Both great professionals. They were very, very good and supportive in the time they were at the club. I just felt the need to move in a different direction and that was a decision that was made purely by myself. We’ll look forward, the guys have come in, started well and integrated very well into the group. Hopefully we can continue with that ambience in our work.

What do you expect of your new captain?

In my time here, Jordan has, over the three years, improved a lot as a football player. What you get from Jordan Henderson is that he is very loyal, very honest and is a young player that is on the up. At 24 years of age, I still think he has improvements to make. He is a wonderful role model for the football club, a great ambassador. He's learnt off Stevie over the course of the last year and he’ll step into that. He'll have his own methods and ideas, and his own way to captain the group. I believe in appointing him the captain for now and for the future, I'm very sure he'll respond to that in a very positive way.

How confident are you of Firmino filling the void left by Sterling?

He’s a top-class player. He’s obviously played in Europe, so he understands and played in a very good league. Of course, there is no pressure. He’ll come into the Premier League and Lucas knows as well as anyone as a fellow Brazilian that coming in, it just takes that little bit of time to adapt. He’s got all the traits and the profile of what we would want as a player - he works very, very hard, he’s a talented player and someone we feel can score goals for the team. I’m really excited and looking forward to him coming him.

The proposed sale of Sterling, does that preclude any more signings? You’ve made six – are you hoping to still bring more people in?

It’s something I don’t really want to go into in a press conference, transfers. I spent a lot of last season talking about transfers and it’s something I don’t intend to do this year. Any business that will be done will be done behind the scenes at the club and when we sign a player and it’s announced, you’ll be the first to know.

What is the reason behind the appointment of the new assistant manager?

I’ve known Sean a long time and played against his teams. He is someone I respect and admire. I repeat, the work both Colin and Mike did in the three years at the club was very good, but I just felt coming into my fourth season at the club, I wanted to take the team in a different direction. Pep, Gary McAllister and Sean can assist me in moving the team in that direction. I’m looking forward to working with them along with the other staff.

[baronvonskidmark]

Interesting that Rodgers talks about taking the team in a 'different direction'. What does that actually mean? New playing style perhaps - with at least some emphasis on defending?

[Roboklopp]

Doubt he knows himself tbh.

[baronvonskidmark]

Doubt he knows himself tbh.

Weird though that he specifically mentions it twice. Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into it!

[kev776]

I wish he would say "now" instead of "at this moment in time".

Knob.

[BobTheCharmer]

Interesting that Rodgers talks about taking the team in a 'different direction'. What does that actually mean? New playing style perhaps - with at least some emphasis on defending?

**** defending. It's a myth. We set the record last year for away clean sheets. It's about goals these days.

[Fosterbloke]

Interesting that Rodgers talks about taking the team in a 'different direction'. What does that actually mean? New playing style perhaps - with at least some emphasis on defending?

Hopefully it means up the table rather than down it...

[The_weatherman]

**** defending. It's a myth. We set the record last year for away clean sheets. It's about goals these days.

I think it was just a record for Liverpool in the PL. But I agree, we need goals.

[RedReet]

Good to see Lucas doing the PC with him.

[Slinky Skills]

Doubt he knows himself tbh.

[Vermilion]

Or Bender has just told him to shut the **** up!

[danperkins]

Good to see Lucas doing the PC with him.