Brendan Rodgers

[Leyton388]

If true then FSG are a joke and need to sell up ASAP.

[dww]

That says more about the people doing the recruiting and what they're after. Strong personalities are what's needed at this club, regardless of whether it's Rodgers related or not.

To me the quote says more about Tony Barrett putting a spin on what he has heard than anything else.

[redmike65]

Not Paul Joyce, so disregard is my rule regarding the Express. That and never trust their long term weather forecast headlines.

[DannyMan2006]

Not Paul Joyce, so disregard is my rule regarding the Express. That and never trust their long term weather forecast headlines.

Paul Joyce and others will regularly hear negative stories but will pass them off for others to put their name to it. As a journalist that covers LFC they rely on soundbites and off the record comments from Rodgers. They can't stick the knife in until it's game over.

Even then, they may be less harsh as they could rely on him for a bit of info in the future.

[Snigger]

Just sack him - with Ancelotti and Klopp waiting in the wings there couldn't be a better time to bin him off. No more stupid comments in press conferences, no more watching Liverpool run around the pitch cluelessly, no more playing players out of position, have a manager that understands defence is part of football etc.... It can't happen soon enough for me, he's hopeless

[BG1973]

Just sack him - with Ancelotti and Klopp waiting in the wings there couldn't be a better time to bin him off. No more stupid comments in press conferences, no more watching Liverpool run around the pitch cluelessly, no more playing players out of position, have a manager that understands defence is part of football etc.... It can't happen soon enough for me, he's hopeless

You could be talking about Mourinho, Pelligrini or Wenger right now.

[Havors]

Just sack him - with Ancelotti and Klopp waiting in the wings there couldn't be a better time to bin him off. No more stupid comments in press conferences, no more watching Liverpool run around the pitch cluelessly, no more playing players out of position, have a manager that understands defence is part of football etc.... It can't happen soon enough for me, he's hopeless

and a manager that understands attacking football and tactics... I swear he just picks the team and says to them go and have a kick about lads and see what happens....

[brightred]

You could be talking about Mourinho, Pelligrini or Wenger right now.

A wee bit of an overstatement methinks!

[Snigger]

You could be talking about Mourinho, Pelligrini or Wenger right now.

yes except... no. It's not just about the last couple of weeks.

[marcus50bucks]

Who was the target of Brendan Rodgers' anger after crucial Liverpool win over Villa?

15:47, 27 SEP 2015 BY JAMES PEARCE

Criticism from former Kop stars has wounded the Reds boss

Brendan Rodgers went on the offensive after Liverpool stopped the rot with a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday.

The Reds boss bemoaned the “hysteria” over his future and claimed there is “a group” who are trying to force him out of Anfield.

The ECHO takes a look at who the Northern Irishman’s ire may have been directed at.

Former Kop stars turned TV pundits?

It’s no secret that Rodgers has been stung by some of the criticism that’s come his way from a number of the club’s legends so far this season and we’ve been here before.

Gerard Houllier used to regularly bemoan the flak he got from the army of ex-Liverpool stars working in the media. “There are some players who get upset about what is said,” said the Frenchman, who managed the club from 1998 to 2004.

“They just can’t understand how a former player can be so critical of his own club. It always seems to be Liverpool under fire because, of course, so many former Liverpool players are employed by TV and radio.

“Sometimes I envy Everton because they seem to get support from their ex-players even through the hard times.”

Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness are among the most high-profile current pundits in their roles for Sky Sports. Neither pulled any punches after Liverpool’s limp defeat at Old Trafford earlier this month.

“I said before the game it must be two up front with a diamond formation but he still played 4-3-3,” Carragher said.

“I don’t understand what the point was in playing Danny Ings in that wide position. I don’t understand this obsession with playing 4-3-3.”

Souness added: “It was square pegs in round holes. It just didn’t work. Liverpool had players who didn’t look like they were enjoying their football.”

BBC Sport analyst and ECHO columnist Mark Lawrenson has also been outspoken in recent weeks.

Prior to Saturday’s game against Villa, he told the BBC that Rodgers was “in danger” and that his team “lacked character”.

“I don’t like managers getting the sack because I think it is a really difficult job but he’s not won for six games - apart from on penalties against a League Two side,” Lawrenson said.

“I don’t think Rodgers can afford to lose any of his next three games. It’s a massive 10 days for him. Absolutely massive.”

Talking about the midweek performance against Carlisle in the Capital One Cup, he said: “Liverpool played like a collection of people who’d just met each other in the car park before the game.”

The written press?

BBC commentator John Motson claimed on Five Live last week that there is a media conspiracy against Rodgers.

“Every time I read an article about Liverpool, there’s somebody digging away at him,” he said.

“If we can put things in perspective, two years ago he nearly won the league.

“What do Liverpool seriously expect? They haven’t won the league for over 20 years. I think there’s an agenda there, and I think there’s certain people driving it.”

Motson was barking up the wrong tree. There is no media conspiracy. No Merseyside correspondent has written that Rodgers should pay the price for the recent slump with his job.

Most of the coverage has merely reflected the growing sense of unrest among a fanbase worried about the direction the club are going in and the increasing uncertainty over Rodgers’ future, something the manager admitted himself at Melwood on Friday after speculation linking both Carlo Ancelotti and Jurgen Klopp with his job.

The fact that Rodgers happily conducted a separate breakout for Monday’s newspapers after the main press conference had finished following Saturday’s match suggests his anger was being directed elsewhere.

Supporters?

The fiercest criticism of Rodgers has undoubtedly been on social media with Reds fans from across the globe badgering principal owner John W Henry via Twitter and demanding change.

Many wanted him to be sacked at the end of last season and the slow start to the new campaign meant it was never going to take much for supporters to turn on him once again.

Inside Anfield, the treatment of the manager has been very different. There were boos and howls of derision at the end of the recent home games against Norwich and Carlisle.

However, Rodgers hasn’t been subjected to the same levels of dissent that accompanied the end of Roy Hodgson’s dismal reign five years ago.

He issued a plea on Friday for fans to get behind a team suffering from a lack of confidence and Anfield did that for the game against Villa to help drag the Reds over the finish line.

Rodgers knows he must win back the trust of the Kop if he is to remain at Anfield for the long-term and his comments on Saturday wouldn’t have been aimed at supporters.

Outsiders?

Asked to explain who he was referring to, Rodgers would only say: “I am talking about people outside of here.”

Inadvertently, Rodgers’ comments kept the spotlight on himself when it could and should have been shifted to the match-winning performance of Daniel Sturridge.

There is no witch-hunt, no sinister campaign being waged against the Liverpool manager.

But his bullish response to victory over Villa showed how much he cares and how much he has been wounded by the words of his critics, especially from those who have served the club previously with distinction.

That show of fight bodes well for the battle ahead.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport...anger-10143535

[Paul12]

Yeah there is. The fans.

Just SOME of the fans!

And some of them seem willing to pray for our team to lose to be rid of him, which I find very difficult.

[TheElephantMan]

Just SOME of the fans!

And some of them seem willing to pray for our team to lose to be rid of him, which I find very difficult.

We just want what's best for our club. The owners want what's best for their balance sheet, unless people stand up and show their disgruntlement then the owners won't care too much how we're faring in the league. Sure they'd like us to be winning things, but if the fans aren't bothered then why should they be?

[Rafa Justice]

Just SOME of the fans!

And some of them seem willing to pray for our team to lose to be rid of him, which I find very difficult.

Its the majority, not some.

[DannyMan2006]

Just SOME of the fans!

And some of them seem willing to pray for our team to lose to be rid of him, which I find very difficult.

I've seen fans wanting to lose to Everton to get him the boot. Everton. If you have fans wanting a loss to Everton you know there's issues. Serious issues.

[Snigger]

sometimes you have to take a short term hit for long term gain, this is one of those times - we are going nowhere under Rodgers so why wait until Klopp or Ancelotti are no longer available.