Brendan Rodgers

[Norbs]

That sounds exciting, good luck with that.

[marcus50bucks]

Bascombe

The make up of the squad next season and the identity and value of the summer targets will be part of Rodgers’ discussions with Werner, the pair likely to meet on Tuesday as the Merseyside club plot a way to repair the damage of a poor season.

Werner is in England for a series of meetings with various departments of the club but it is his first face-to-face talks with Rodgers since a disappointing sixth place in the Premier League that will kickstart the process of rebuilding morale, and reshaping the side for pre-season.

In essence, Werner’s presence will conclude the post-season review, which was started when Rodgers held discussions with Fenway Sports Group President Mike Gordon last week.

Liverpool’s moves in the transfer market – bidding for Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne and demonstrating their interest in Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke – are evidence it is the standard of recruitment that is the primary focus at this stage.

That does not mean Rodgers will not have plenty of tricky questions to negotiate when he meets his chairman and tries to explain why the team underperformed so badly, and why he can turn it around next season.

Liverpool’s targets for this year set a minimum expectation of Champions League qualification. Rodgers also admitted he was expected to win a trophy by his third year in charge of the club. Although Liverpool reached two semi-finals, their performance in the FA Cup against Aston Villa was embarrassing. Villa’s capitulation to Arsenal in the final brought that into even greater focus.

Rodgers can argue in his defence he exceeded expectations a year ago, and the manner in which he coached a squad of superior quality – essentially with Luis Suarez and with a fit Daniel Sturridge – is in his favour. His bosses know given the right fit of players, Rodgers can deliver the stylish, winning football they crave.

The assessments over recent weeks have focused in on whether Rodgers has failed to get the most from those at his disposal, or the players signed last summer were simply not of the right standard. All the indications from the ownership group following a difficult campaign is it is the latter that is the biggest issue, and Rodgers’ coaching acumen is still held in the highest regard.

It is also in Rodgers’ favour that despite numerous high profile figures being linked with his job, the Anfield hierarchy is adamant they have made no approaches to other managers. It is the meeting with Rodgers that has been consistently emphasised as the most significant in terms of preparing for next season.

Jurgen Klopp, to many the favourite to replace Rodgers, has announced his plans to take a temporary break from football after leaving Borussia Dortmund.

“After seven intense and emotional years, I think it's a good idea to let the numerous memories settle in before I take on a new challenge with my coaching team, refreshed and fully motivated,” Klopp said in a statement.

“I'm going to take a break until further notice.”

Klopp’s availability next season will cast a shadow over every manager in Europe as they fight off trigger happy chairman, but it demonstrates, in the short-term at least, one of the biggest perceived threats to Rodgers’ job is not part of the conversation.

While in England, Werner will also attend the Premier League shareholders meeting on Thursday. By then, the Merseyside club is expected to have clarified the key conclusions of their review into last season, while closing in on their first major signing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11644774/Liverpool-poised-to-confirm-James-Milner-signing.html

[Norbs]

**** me. They all furiously surf the net and snuffle up any titbits they read and then spin it in to a vague news story. Shaggy could do better

[brightred]

I ****in hate Twitter

[marcus50bucks]

I'm happy for Rodgers to be given another season but I think I will have to lower my expectations. I just can't get excited by some of his potential signings.

I'd like to think the owners want to keep him because they still have faith in him. However, the cynic in me makes me feel they don't want to pay the severance which Jay Riley has mentioned a number of times that it'll cost fsg £9m to get rid of Rodgers.

[red g]

I was happy to see Rodgers be given till Christmas with the shadow of Klopp hanging over him......Although i am less happy at the prospect of the signings, And if Benteke is our marquee signing this summer i will be gutted!!!

[marcus50bucks]

Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool FC review: Chairman Tom Werner to hold talks with Reds boss this week

15:45, 1 JUNE 2015 BY KRISTIAN WALSH

Liverpool FC chairman on his way as review into club's failures continues

Liverpool FC chairman Tom Werner will hold talks with manager Brendan Rodgers this week, as part of the club's end-of-season review.

Werner will arrive on Merseyside in the next 24 hours, and will meet with Rodgers on Wednesday. He will be accompanied by Fenway Sports Group executive Mike Gordon, but the ECHO understands principal owner John W Henry will not be involved.

The club have insisted Rodgers' position is not under immediate threat despite that lowly finish, but the Reds boss is still to discover his fate and Werner's arrival, together with that of Gordon, who is an influential figure within the football arm of FSG, is set to accelerate the process.

The pair are expected to meet with Rodgers face-to-face on Wednesday, where the Reds boss will be asked for his thoughts on the season just gone, and his plan to take the club forwards in the future. Werner is also expected to attend a meeting of the Premier League shareholders on Thursday.

Rodgers, who is just 12 months into a four-year contract, looks set to be given the opportunity to convince the owners he can turn things around after a disastrous two months that saw Liverpool take just eight points out of the last 27 on offer, finishing sixth in the table, and with a final-day humiliation at Stoke City to boot.

His future will depend on the review, spearheaded by Gordon, with the Northern Irishman facing several uncomfortable questions over his failure to steer the team to Champions League qualification, and his inability to secure a trophy during his first three seasons on Merseyside.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport...review-9369446

[marcus50bucks]

Liverpool's Brendan Rodgers MUST accept transfer committee stays or risk being sacked

22:30, 1 JUNE 2015 BY DAVID ANDERSON

Reds' top brass have no plans to fire their manager following end of season reviewbut that could change if he refuses to accept the status quo

Brendan Rodgers WILL survive as Liverpool manager - but only if he accepts the American owners WON'T change their transfer policy.

Rodgers is expected to meet Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon and club chairman Tom Werner in the next 24 hours, with the pair due to arrive on Merseyside on Tuesday.

Gordon will take the lead in conducting Rodgers’ end-of-season review, when they will examine the factors behind Liverpool’s desperate campaign.

Rodgers’ position is not under imminent threat, despite trailing in sixth after their 6-1 final-day thrashing at Stoke.

However, that could change if he tries to push for changes to the club’s transfer strategy, which involves a committee selecting targets.

Liverpool flopped this season even though they splashed out more than £120million on players, and it is believed Rodgers feels the club should adapt their philosophy in the transfer market.

He is understood to believe they should buy more older, 'finished product' players as well as young, promising talent to give his side better balance.

FSG are prepared to sanction his Bosman move for Manchester City's 29-year-old England midfielder James Milner - which should be confirmed after the international break - but are reluctant to change tack completely.

That is a red line for FSG and Gordon - the most senior figure on the transfer committee - and Rodgers could jeopardise his position if he were to push the point.

FSG may think the 42-year-old Northern Irishman, who has just clocked up three years at Anfield after moving from Swansea City, no longer buys into their philosophy for running the club.

The canny Rodgers has proved to be very astute during his reign, and it seems highly unlikely and out of character that he would take on FSG over the issue.

His position is also safer now Jurgen Klopp has claimed he will take a sabbatical after leaving Borussia Dortmund this week, having previously told friends in Germany he was keen on the Liverpool gig.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footba...arebar_twitter

[Frenchie]

mediocrity
noun me·di·oc·ri·ty \ˌmē-dē-ˈä-krə-tē\
: the quality of something that is not very good : the quality or state of being mediocre

: a person who does not have the special ability to do something well
48 words to make in SCRABBLE®
with Q and no U »
plural me·di·oc·ri·ties
Full Definition of MEDIOCRITY

1
a : the quality or state of being mediocre
b : moderate ability or value
2
: a mediocre person
See mediocrity defined for English-language learners
See mediocrity defined for kids
Examples of MEDIOCRITY

We were disappointed by the mediocrity of the wine.
He thought that he was a brilliant artist himself and that all his fellow painters were just mediocrities.
First Known Use of MEDIOCRITY

1588

[marcus50bucks]

Someone has got to be made accountable surely? Either the committee goes or Rodgers goes. To keep them both is negligent and is asking for the same problems again next season.

[Leyton388]

If FSG keep the status quo this summer then that will confirm their true ambitions for this club. They only winning they want is on the profit margin.

No ambition to get us to the top but keep bringing in the money. We can't live on past glories anymore or title wins from 25 years ago. Something has to give.

[danperkins]

Someone has got to be made accountable surely? Either the committee goes or Rodgers goes. To keep them both is negligent and is asking for the same problems again net season.

We know that Rodgers has failed on the pitch, what we don't know or aren't clear about is what exactly has gone on behind the scenes with selecting transfer targets. They know all the information and they have to make a decision..... but someone surely has to be held accountable? Sure what's the point in having the meeting? I"m sure they've been in contact throughout the season. I can imagine this meeting.


Gordon: So Brendan, that was a **** season do you agree?
Rodgers: Yeah it was ****
Gordon: Promise me it'll be better next season?
Rodgers: I promise!
Gordon: Oh, and about those young transfers, do ya reckon they'll be better next season?
Rodgers: Totes
Gordon: Awesome..high five!

[Gazzla]

I can't believe nobody will be held accountable for that mess last season and we'll carry on regardless with absolutely nothing changing. It doesn't make any sense, are they just going to hope for the best?

The potential signings don't inspire any confidence or optimism. Is this a recipe for a top 4 finish and league progression? Not for me it isn't

[Leyton388]

It appears that the club are quite happy to settle for second best as long as the sponsorship deals keep coming in which is something I thought I'd never see.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Well, next season will be fun.

A bad start and the fans will turn on the owners as well as Rodgers pretty quickly.