Brendan Rodgers

[Phoenix07]

Brendan Rodgers has accepted his job as Liverpool manager is under serious threat and said he will strive to repair the club’s fortunes whether he remains at Anfield for “one day, one month or one year more.”

The Liverpool manager struck a notably downbeat tone at a press conference on Friday to preview Aston Villa’s visit to Anfield on Saturday. Rodgers is under intense pressure following an alarming run of results and performances stretching back to March, and has seen Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp linked with his post in the past few days. Liverpool have denied approaching any manager about a potential vacancy but there was little defiance from Rodgers when asked if he felt his position was under threat.

“I’m never complacent enough to think it never has been,” he replied. “You need to be at your best every day when you come into a club of this stature and thrive on that positive fear. It does not affect me. I have a belief in what I do. We nearly achieved great things. We have a new group of players and we are looking to take it forward. I do not shy away from the fact we need to get results and perform well.”

Rodgers was also asked what he felt about other managers being linked with a job that he currently occupies. He said: “When you are a manager of a club this size there is always going to speculation around your job and when you don’t win that will intensify. Since I have been here I think there have been ten managers linked with job. That is part and parcel of the game.

“I have regular contact with the owners and the relationship is always strong. Whether I am here for one day more or one month or one year more I will always have respect for the people here, the owners and Ian Ayre. I will do what I will always do and do the best I can. If you don’t get results the pressure is there but I enjoy challenges. I walked in here as a 39-year-old manager and as I sit here now I am much better manager, but I understand I must get results. We know with one win you are back near the top four.”

One year ago Rodgers said he hoped to be Liverpool manager for 20 years in an interview given to Marca. On Friday he accepted that, while he intends to remain in the game for that length of time, it will not be at Liverpool.

“I don’t think the pressure goes away unless you are winning games and getting the performance level,” he added. “I hope to be a manager for 20 years. I know it won’t be 20 years at Liverpool but while I am here I want to fight for the club and the players. They have worked hard and are working harder than ever. We will look to start again.”

Rodgers, who appealed to supporters to “stay with the team”, confirmed Christian Benteke will miss a reunion with Villa on Saturday with a hamstring injury, Dejan Lovren will be sidelined for several weeks with ankle ligament damage and Roberto Firmino needs a second scan on a back injury sustained in the penalty-shootout win over Carlisle United in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday. The Brazilian is understood to have cracked a bone in his back.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/...P=share_btn_tw

[DannyMan2006]

I think his comments show he pretty much knows his time is up.

Only a few results of absolute mind boggling amazingness could have even a chance of altering anything. I'm talking three swashbuckling performances akin to 13/14 culminating in an absolute battering of Everton at Goodison.

After that I would want James Milner to come out for an interview after an inspired MOTM display and state that the team had had a behind closed door meeting, had cleared out all the mess and were ready to lay out their body on the line in the fight for Brendan Rodgers & Liverpool.

The reason I want Rodgers gone is he is no longer inspiring the players. If the above happened I would take stock & say a stay of execution is warranted. Reason I'd love to see him sacked right now is I have no belief it will.

[The Birdman]

I'd like to see him turn it around, no guarantee that any manager would do significantly better given our transfer committee and recruitment set up.
Plus I really admire the way he plays young local lads, we can't afford to compete at the top end of the transfer market so we have to have a hook, something to sell.

No guarantee of FSG changing the model to suit either of those managers or anyone else.

At the moment we have that, my fear is a Kloop or Ancelloti would be stuck with mid quality players (given our budget) and kill off the youth side of it.

I think the injuries to Benteke, Firmino and Lovren will help him.
Less selection issues, we've always played better under Rodgers with a mobile front line, by default we have that with Ings, Sturridge and Coutinho off them.

[The_weatherman]

I'd like to see him turn it around, no guarantee that any manager would do significantly better given our transfer committee and recruitment set up.
Plus I really admire the way he plays young local lads, we can't afford to compete at the top end of the transfer market so we have to have a hook, something to sell.

No guarantee of FSG changing the model to suit either of those managers or anyone else.

There is no guarantee but I'm very optimistic that another manager, with experince and pedigree, can get more out our squad. I think Klopp might play the youth a bit, but I concede that Ancelotti is probably less likely. But then again, where is that getting us? Nowhere, we had one promising youngster who couldn't wait go to a better team.

At the moment we have that, my fear is a Kloop or Ancelloti would be stuck with mid quality players (given our budget) and kill off the youth side of it.

As above.

I think the injuries to Benteke, Firmino and Lovren will help him.
Less selection issues, we've always played better under Rodgers with a mobile front line, by default we have that with Ings, Sturridge and Coutinho off them.

I hate it that players have to be injured for Rodgers to stumble upon the right selection, it happened last season as well.

[DannyMan2006]

Birdman; Those players at this club are not mid level quality players.

We may well be short in a couple of positions, defensive mid for one, but Rodgers has had enough funds & time to sign one. The difficiencies in the squad are as much the fault of Rodgers as anyone else.

He chose Lovren after deeming Sakho not good enough after a season. He chose Lallana who has never really fitted in. He chose Lambert & never played to his strengths. He picked Benteke when he's never done anything with a target man.

Problems we have, but he's had enough time & cash to show he can fix them.

[Fredo]

I'd like to see him turn it around, no guarantee that any manager would do significantly better given our transfer committee and recruitment set up.
Plus I really admire the way he plays young local lads, we can't afford to compete at the top end of the transfer market so we have to have a hook, something to sell.

No guarantee of FSG changing the model to suit either of those managers or anyone else.

At the moment we have that, my fear is a Kloop or Ancelloti would be stuck with mid quality players (given our budget) and kill off the youth side of it.

I think the injuries to Benteke, Firmino and Lovren will help him.
Less selection issues, we've always played better under Rodgers with a mobile front line, by default we have that with Ings, Sturridge and Coutinho off them.

Yep, exactly what I feel at the moment.

He doesn't need three swashbuckling wins. Three wins and with positives signs that we are going somewhere will do.

[poorscousertommy]

Both Klopp and Ancelotti would have better pulling power for quality players though.

I do feel for him but I know when I see the team on Saturday I'll be wishing him gone again.

[The Birdman]

I wouldn't argue against that Rodgers should be doing better, he should.
Where do we go if the next manager doesn't get us top 4?
Spend £100's millions again?

We cannot compete financially with Utd, City and Chelsea.
We're years away from competing financially with Arsenal.

Tottenham and West Ham will soon have new stadiums, what we should do in my opinion is hold our nerve and stay on the course we plotted, buy younger, developing players and give them a couple of seasons to mature.
We haven't been able to do that with Suarez and Sterling going. Unless Coutinho dramatically improves his end product he won't be going anywhere this summer so give it time.

[Shaggy]

Even though ultimately it's mostly his fault, I do feel sorry for him. Apart from Hodgson I've never taken any genuine pleasure from a Liverpool manager teetering on the brink. It's such a shame - 18 months ago everything seemed so bright and it looked like we had an innovative and brilliant manager on our hands. I feel a little bit sad about it and rightly or wrongly feel sorry for him.

[The Birdman]

Both Klopp and Ancelotti would have better pulling power for quality players though.

I do feel for him but I know when I see the team on Saturday I'll be wishing him gone again.

Not if the committee say no?

Rodgers wanted Williams and Bertrand and the committee said no.
Both would be an improvement on Skrtel and Moreno.

I didn't want Williams at the time, was happy with Bertrand. I was wrong

There's no guarantee Klopp or Ancelotti will get the players they want.

[The_weatherman]

I wouldn't argue against that Rodgers should be doing better, he should.
Where do we go if the next manager doesn't get us top 4?
Spend £100's millions again?

We cannot compete financially with Utd, City and Chelsea.
We're years away from competing financially with Arsenal.

Tottenham and West Ham will soon have new stadiums, what we should do in my opinion is hold our nerve and stay on the course we plotted, buy younger, developing players and give them a couple of seasons to mature.
We haven't been able to do that with Suarez and Sterling going. Unless Coutinho dramatically improves his end product he won't be going anywhere this summer so give it time.

I don't expect Klopp or Ancelotti to get us fourth, I'd hope for a challenge though. We aren't going anywhere under Rodgers, it's plain to see. So why keep him on and keep going nowhere?

[Buzzo]

That defeat at Chelsea in 13/14 feels a real turning point for the club.

That, and blowing the Suarez money when we had CL football has ultimately been catastrophic.

[Lecter]

I wouldn't argue against that Rodgers should be doing better, he should.
Where do we go if the next manager doesn't get us top 4?
Spend £100's millions again?

We cannot compete financially with Utd, City and Chelsea.
We're years away from competing financially with Arsenal.

Tottenham and West Ham will soon have new stadiums, what we should do in my opinion is hold our nerve and stay on the course we plotted, buy younger, developing players and give them a couple of seasons to mature.
We haven't been able to do that with Suarez and Sterling going. Unless Coutinho dramatically improves his end product he won't be going anywhere this summer so give it time.

I think at the moment I would settle for a manager who had a clear vision and an ability to take us forward

I dont think Rodgers has or can provide either of those things

[Fredo]

That defeat at Chelsea in 13/14 feels a real turning point for the club.

That, and blowing the Suarez money when we had CL football has ultimately been catastrophic.

Had Stevie not slipped that day, I genuinely believe we'd have won the league. Still think we'd have lost Suarez, but maybe getting Sanchez at the time would have been easier and Rodgers wouldn't have needed to alter the structure of the team.

[Yozza]

That defeat at Chelsea in 13/14 feels a real turning point for the club.

That, and blowing the Suarez money when we had CL football has ultimately been catastrophic.

Plus the ambition shown in the CL that season pissed me off no end - going to Real & playing the likes of Kolo FFS