Europa League Campaign 2012/2013

[Tes]

Our manager has a lot to learn.  I wish he would learn his trade at another club.

If FFP even has gums, nevermind teeth, we can't the years it will take for him to get up to speed.

It's not long before our two main sponsorship deals are up for renewal, and our revenue from the new ones will decrease by 50% if we're lucky.
Mediocrity attracts mediocrity.

We've lost two and half seasons with the totally flawed appointments Henry and Co have made. Even if Rodgers goes (and that opens up another whole area of worry) does anyone actually think that any of the people that would be involved in the decision making will actually have an idea that won't send us running for the hills and reaching for the prozac. They'll simply waste many millions paying off Rodgers and his staff, spend many more acquiring the wrong choice, and having used up most of the available funds, will expect the new man to make us into a top four team with the majority of the mid table squad we have. 

For the sake of the appearance of stability and to save us wasting many millions just to make the same mistake again, I'd almost have Rodgers stay another season. I know, it's frightening, but with the trio of Henry, Werner and Ayre in charge of managerial recruitment all the options are busts.

I'd be in favour of bringing in a senior appointment as a sporting director or something similar to give Rodgers a hand. He needs experienced help and that way if he doesn't like it, and they can appoint who they want whether Rodgers likes it or not, it will be his decision to walk not their's to send him packing. If he stays, we get the experienced, knowledgable head that is desperately required.

[the dude abides]

We've lost two and half seasons with the totally flawed appointments Henry and Co have made.

For the sake of the appearance of stability and to save us wasting many millions just to make the same mistake again, I'd almost have Rodgers stay another season. I know, it's frightening, but with the trio of Henry, Werner and Ayre in charge of managerial recruitment all the options are busts.

I'd be in favour of bringing in a senior appointment as a sporting director or something similar to give Rodgers a hand.

I suspect that Rodgers is no more than  Brain Kidd type - i.e. a decent assistant, nothing more.

I'd like to see someone like Roy Evans behind the scenes - in a reestablished bootroom.

Add to that a great bloke like John Aldridge.  These are people of immense experience, who are not being used.

As for a Director of Football - never been my thing, Tes.

But like you, I feel the change has to start at the top.  And as I have predicted so many times since  the summer, if FSG are not careful, by April and May, the fans at Anfield, will not merely be calling for the Rodger's head, they will be calling for FSG to go.

Times are not good.

[Tes]

I suspect that Rodgers is no more than  Brain Kidd type - i.e. a decent assistant, nothing more.

I'd like to see someone like Roy Evans behind the scenes - in a reestablished bootroom.

Add to that a great bloke like John Aldridge.  These are people of immense experience, who are not being used.

As for a Director of Football - never been my thing, Tes.

But like you, I feel the change has to start at the top.  And as I have predicted so many times since  the summer, if FSG are not careful, by April and May, the fans at Anfield, will not merely be calling for the Rodger's head, they will be calling for FSG to go.

Times are not good.

I'd love to know who 'supposedly' has been advising FSG, or is that something they've just put about to deflect the heat and responsibility for the absolute cluster f&ck they've made of every senior appointment.

I think one of the problems lies in their attitude to football and sport in general. American sports are franchises that have no roots in or commitment to the place and area that bears the name of the franchise. If one place doesn't suit they're transplanted elsewhere - it's a very shallow attitude.
Also, each sports franchise in each sport is set up to to make money for the ownership whilst providing entertainment, a leisure activity and a day out for the family. The sporting aspect is secondary despite the huge fuss made of schlorships at junior levels. Again, it's all about certain components making money. The result is almost of no importance, as long as a good day's entertainment was had by all and the tills continued ringing throughout the day.

Then there's the sport itself - soccer. Americans on the whole have total disregard for non-American sports. Ice Hockey is probably the least liked by neutrals as it wasn't an American invention.
They even want American football as an Olympic sport such is the distorted view they have of their own three main sports.
So soccer first of all isn't an American sport and despite it being a truly worldwide sport, they still disregard it as their idea of the world is also stilted.
Soccer is seen as a past time for Mums to get involved with their children and is more popular amongst women, both playing and supporting in some way. So then it's not even seen as a proper sport, a man's sport - Alpha male derides again.

The owners simply have no interest in 'footie' and then you factor in an owner's approach and view of what sport is about in America and then you start to see where the owners are approaching this from.
It's typical that they though a bloke who was successful in baseball (one of 'their' sports) would know sufficent to ask the advice of and take when appointing Comolli. If he's successful in baseball and as it's only soccer, he's therefore bound to know what he's on about, how hard can it be to understand a non-American sport. They're not real sports afterall so there can't be much to it.
No one in their right mind would have appointed Comolli as a DOF after the things Wenger had to say about him and his failed stint at Spurs and impotent effect at St Etienne, or least anyone who had knowledge of such.
But Billy Beane's a baseball person with a passing interest in soccerball. How would he know of such things? I bet he can barely name the Spurs team and he supposedly supports them.
But they're arrogant and disrespecting enough to think he would.

Outside of Billy Beane I've never heard of any other names whispered as who might be helping them. I don't why, it's just a feeling I can't shake, but I'd not be the least bit shocked if Purslow's advice had ever been sort.

Look at the totally flawed appointment of Hodgeson and the case the media made for it and the signing of Joe Cole, good player, ignore the injuries and the complete lack of form for the previous two seasons and you've got a 'great' player available on a free. They're sort of obvious choices to someone who thinks they know about football when really they are clueless.
So appoint Dalglish, he's a Liverpool legend, won the double as a player manager, that's bound to work. Totally flawed logic (ignores all the years out of the game, the f@ck ups at Celtic and Newcastle) he's a Liverpool legend. Likewise Rodgers. Young manager, talks a good game, has a newly promoted team playing pretty (for a newly promoted team) if non effective football (conveniently ignore that bit and the fact they shipped more goals than they scored) and you have a manager who on the surface espouses Liverpool style football, so appoint him.

Dalglish and Rodgers appointments have the same flawed logic as the Hodgeson appointment and the Cole signing. On the surface you could see the idea, look below the surface and it's madness but the image part of it would seem to fit the requirement.

That's my conspiracy theory and I'm sticking to it.       

[Gurdeep]

Times match report


Tony Barrett St Petersburg
Published at 12:00AM, February 15 2013

Of all the potential problems that Liverpool anticipated upon their arrival in Russia, the only ones that transpired were those they caused themselves. This was not a night when football was blighted by racism, as some had predicted it would be — merely one when Liverpool were once again undone by their own shortcomings.

This time it was the turn of Zenit St Petersburg to be the beneficiaries, just as West Bromwich Albion had been three days earlier; the Russian champions secured a two-goal lead to take into next week’s second leg at Anfield. Liverpool will rue the chances that they wasted and the ones they served up to their opponents as a familiar story of attacking profligacy and defensive fragility unfolded in Russia’s second city.

This latest setback means Liverpool’s hopes for the season are on the brink of being extinguished in mid-February. Only a remarkable and wholly unexpected upsurge in form would revive their chances of achieving a top-four finish in the Premier League and the two unanswered goals from Hulk and Sergei Semak have ensured that they are also teetering on the edge of elimination from the Europa League.

Brendan Rodgers held a team meeting before the game where he told Liverpool’s black players that they should inform the referee if they were subjected to any racist abuse. Mercifully, there was no cause for such action to be taken as a vociferous but well-behaved home crowd refused to offer any ammunition to those who had billed them as Europe’s most racist fans.

Although Rodgers took precautions, he had also insisted that he would not allow his team selection to be dictated by fears of racism. Glen Johnson and Raheem Sterling started the game and neither had to put up with anything other than a sporting challenge, providing, if not a cause for celebration, then certainly a reason for relief.

Not that there was any respite for the Liverpool manager, who saw his side concede twice for the twentieth time in an increasingly testing season. A campaign that began with positive visions of a new era is crumbling under the weight of repeated failings that continue to undermine Liverpool at almost every turn. If there has been progress, then it has been largely in the eyes of the beholder, with results yet to show any significant sign of improvement.

If anything, the indications are that Liverpool’s regression as a club is continuing, a feeling that grew last night only four years after they celebrated victory over Real Madrid at the Bernabéu in the Champions League. Their decline has been as rapid as it has been humbling and the challenge for Rodgers now is to prevent it from becoming even more pronounced.

Circled by the frozen River Neva and surrounded by hundreds of heavily armed police officers, the Petrovsky Stadium was never going to provide anything other than a hostile settling for Liverpool, but they could have made their first visit there a memorable one had they not been so wasteful.

Chances were traded with remarkable regularity during an entertaining first half, with Pepe Reina saving well from Aleksandr Kerzhakov and Hulk before Axel Witsel finally beat the Spanish goalkeeper only to see his shot strike an upright. If anything, Liverpool, and Luis Suárez in particular, were even more wasteful and squandered a series of opportunities.

Suárez missed three chances in the first half alone, as he dragged a shot past the far post after dancing around Neto, then took a heavy touch when attempting to round Vyacheslav Malafeev, the Zenit goalkeeper, and finally flicked a backheel wide to complete the set. When the Uruguayan missed the target with a curling effort from the edge of the penalty area and Malafeev thwarted Johnson’s surge forward, so the likelihood increased of Liverpool being hit by a sucker punch.

As it was, they were hit not by one but by two. Hulk had admitted in the build-up to the tie that his move to Zenit from Porto had been motivated by finance not football, but he provided a reminder of his quality with a stunning strike from 25 yards to give Luciano Spalletti’s side an advantage that they perhaps did not deserve.

Liverpool’s habit of losing games that they should win, even games that they deserve to win, undermined them once again and Semak, the substitute, appeared unchallenged at the back post to finish off Aleksandr Anyukov’s searching cross from the right. Once again, they had been complicit in their own downfall.

[barticus]

I suspect that Rodgers is no more than  Brain Kidd type - i.e. a decent assistant, nothing more.

I'd like to see someone like Roy Evans behind the scenes - in a reestablished bootroom.

Add to that a great bloke like John Aldridge.  These are people of immense experience, who are not being used.

As for a Director of Football - never been my thing, Tes.

But like you, I feel the change has to start at the top.  And as I have predicted so many times since  the summer, if FSG are not careful, by April and May, the fans at Anfield, will not merely be calling for the Rodger's head, they will be calling for FSG to go.

Times are not good.

...'Near perfect away performance' says Brendan Rodgers after last nights debacle. Does he live in a land where down is up and right is left?

Absolutely agree with bringing Roy Evans and Aldridge into the fold...

Rodgers isn't even up to Brian Kidds standard...how FSG seriously considered him or Martinez simply means that even Brendan is shown the door, there's no guarantee of picking the right replacement manager.
There are only a few who could do the job of rebuild, spend slightly, and get us winning again; whether FSG could notice that is under severe doubt.

[Tes]

...'Near perfect away performance' says Brendan Rodgers after last nights debacle.

What do you do in response to that, cringe or vomit. It's like the quote after the Sunderland game last season when Swansea had been beaten 2-0.

"It is great for the public here at Sunderland to see us. They must have been wondering what this team everyone is talking about are all about and now they have seen. We were wonderful."

For some strange reason (at least to some) that comment and the one last night is something I find worrying and disturbing. How I wish I wasn't so negative and I could just nod my head in agreement with what our manager says. Sometimes I really hate being me. 

[the dude abides]

...'Near perfect away performance' says Brendan Rodgers after last nights debacle. Does he live in a land where down is up and right is left?

Absolutely agree with bringing Roy Evans and Aldridge into the fold...

Rodgers isn't even up to Brian Kidds standard...how FSG seriously considered him or Martinez simply means that even Brendan is shown the door, there's no guarantee of picking the right replacement manager.
There are only a few who could do the job of rebuild, spend slightly, and get us winning again; whether FSG could notice that is under severe doubt.

yes, for me, FSG have to sell up (appointing people to run the club is beyond their abilities or motivations); Ayres has to get demoted to Marketing & Bingo Night Manager; and Rodgers has to be sent packing.

Yes, in a dream world, I'd have Aldridge and Evans in a new bootroom.  Maybe even Phil Thompson too.  I'd have Rafa back at the helm; or someone of his pedigree.  Klopp would be a massive scoop (like Rafa was for us in 2004), but he is not interested in leaving Dortmund, sadly.  Carlo Ancelotti would be a massive scoop - but is unlikely to leave PSG anytime soon.

Fabio Capello would have been worth a shout in the past.  But apart from a league title with Madrid in 2007, just about all his success was achieved in the 90s.  But he is a good manager (66 years old, possibly a few years too old).

Gene Hackman (aka Luiz Felipe Scolari) similarly, at one time, might have been an interesting appointment.

Malaga's Manuel Pellegrini is often mentioned.  But apart from an Inter-toto cup with Villareal in 2004, he has won nought in club football in Europe.

To be honest, at this point, I would even support the appointment of Jose Mourinho.  We have not one a title in over 20 years.....never once have we won a premiership title.  If he can bring us that first elusive title, then so be it.

No, what our fu.kw.its will do, is appoint some flavour of the month, who has limited abilities, like a sacked Man City's Mancini.

[the dude abides]

Brent reckoned that "It is great for the public here at Sunderland to see us. They must have been wondering what this team everyone is talking about are all about and now they have seen. We were wonderful."

one has to read and re-read that quote, to take in all the self-delusion, self-back-patting, spin, deceit and arrogance.

it must be top of the all-time premiership quotes of all-time. 

Even David O'Leary would struggle to compete with Rodgers in full-flow.

[the dude abides]

Brent's ego burns up in Russian airspace.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/feb/15/meteorite-explodes-over-russian-urals-live-updates

[Ed]

Brent's ego burns up in Russian airspace.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/feb/15/meteorite-explodes-over-russian-urals-live-updates

Good one Dude 

...'Near perfect away performance' says Brendan Rodgers after last nights debacle.

Hold up a sec, my understanding is that he meant up until
the goals were conceded. I would agree however that it is
a case of him learning his trade in Europe this season, he's
a novice, noob, absolute beginner in that arena.

Anyway 9th in the league, out of two cups and on the way out
of Europe...Somewhere over Liverpool I see a giant G symbol.
If ever the script was written for our superhuman captain Marvel,
then this is surely it.

I think this chapter of heroics is tentatively titled "Bottom of the Ninth".
If nothing else I enjoy a good old European tie with the odds stacked
against us 

The gaffer, if he knows his history, would do well to see the 2nd
leg as an opportunity to endear himself to the faithful and ride a
wave to the end of the season ('cos frankly he's lost the narrative
of late and has never had the aura of mystique that goes with the gig).

Course he has to deliver and would do well to watch the verbal.

[Martinmarx]

...'Near perfect away performance' says Brendan Rodgers after last nights debacle.

And he wasn't alone describing it that way. I would agree. But hey, what do a player with 700 games in a red shirt really know?

[Edward224]

I'd love to know who 'supposedly' has been advising FSG, or is that something they've just put about to deflect the heat and responsibility for the absolute cluster f&ck they've made of every senior appointment.

I think one of the problems lies in their attitude to football and sport in general. American sports are franchises that have no roots in or commitment to the place and area that bears the name of the franchise. If one place doesn't suit they're transplanted elsewhere - it's a very shallow attitude.
Also, each sports franchise in each sport is set up to to make money for the ownership whilst providing entertainment, a leisure activity and a day out for the family. The sporting aspect is secondary despite the huge fuss made of schlorships at junior levels. Again, it's all about certain components making money. The result is almost of no importance, as long as a good day's entertainment was had by all and the tills continued ringing throughout the day.

Then there's the sport itself - soccer. Americans on the whole have total disregard for non-American sports. Ice Hockey is probably the least liked by neutrals as it wasn't an American invention.
They even want American football as an Olympic sport such is the distorted view they have of their own three main sports.
So soccer first of all isn't an American sport and despite it being a truly worldwide sport, they still disregard it as their idea of the world is also stilted.
Soccer is seen as a past time for Mums to get involved with their children and is more popular amongst women, both playing and supporting in some way. So then it's not even seen as a proper sport, a man's sport - Alpha male derides again.

The owners simply have no interest in 'footie' and then you factor in an owner's approach and view of what sport is about in America and then you start to see where the owners are approaching this from.
It's typical that they though a bloke who was successful in baseball (one of 'their' sports) would know sufficent to ask the advice of and take when appointing Comolli. If he's successful in baseball and as it's only soccer, he's therefore bound to know what he's on about, how hard can it be to understand a non-American sport. They're not real sports afterall so there can't be much to it.
No one in their right mind would have appointed Comolli as a DOF after the things Wenger had to say about him and his failed stint at Spurs and impotent effect at St Etienne, or least anyone who had knowledge of such.
But Billy Beane's a baseball person with a passing interest in soccerball. How would he know of such things? I bet he can barely name the Spurs team and he supposedly supports them.
But they're arrogant and disrespecting enough to think he would.

Outside of Billy Beane I've never heard of any other names whispered as who might be helping them. I don't why, it's just a feeling I can't shake, but I'd not be the least bit shocked if Purslow's advice had ever been sort.

Look at the totally flawed appointment of Hodgeson and the case the media made for it and the signing of Joe Cole, good player, ignore the injuries and the complete lack of form for the previous two seasons and you've got a 'great' player available on a free. They're sort of obvious choices to someone who thinks they know about football when really they are clueless.
So appoint Dalglish, he's a Liverpool legend, won the double as a player manager, that's bound to work. Totally flawed logic (ignores all the years out of the game, the f@ck ups at Celtic and Newcastle) he's a Liverpool legend. Likewise Rodgers. Young manager, talks a good game, has a newly promoted team playing pretty (for a newly promoted team) if non effective football (conveniently ignore that bit and the fact they shipped more goals than they scored) and you have a manager who on the surface espouses Liverpool style football, so appoint him.

Dalglish and Rodgers appointments have the same flawed logic as the Hodgeson appointment and the Cole signing. On the surface you could see the idea, look below the surface and it's madness but the image part of it would seem to fit the requirement.

That's my conspiracy theory and I'm sticking to it.       

First thing first. FSG did not appoint Hodgson, they inherited him as manager. Nor did they sign Joe Cole.

Make sure of those facts please.

Secondly FSG may have hired Comolli on the advice of Beane but Comolli was a well known DoF in europe too. So they had a punt on him and it didn't work out. But they were proactive in hiring him and in firing him too.

Thirdly yes they did buy Liverpool because of its great business sense. They see us as a business and have not said otherwise have they. They haven't spoon fed us rubbish by saying things they don't mean. Yes they do want to make a profit but they also want to make us self sufficient too. Which is good thing.

They hired Dalglish because after Hodgson they needed someone to unite the supporters and get instant command and respect of the dressing room. I am convinced that they only wanted him for that 10/11 season, but due to supporter demand and how we finished the season they did the easy option and signed him to a deal. I mean who can blame them for that. I mean look at the reaction of Dalglish's sacking a year later.

But they've always wanted to sign a young, hungry manager who wants to integrate the young players into the team and to give us long term ideals on the way we play. They should have stuck to their guns and got a DoF too - that was their big mistake.

They have given a better foundation for the youth team to grow. They have spent heavily in that area in terms of recruitment.

The destiny of whether in the future we see them as good/great custodians will come down to three things.

1) Stadium redevelopment/New Ground

2) Rodgers

3) Investment into the team

IMO on No.3 its a big YES for FSG. it's not their fault the money was wasted. On No.1 They haven't said any bullshit about a spade in 60 days or made any commitments or promises that they cannot abide by. Only when they say something concrete about No.1 will be the time to judge. ATM as they haven't made any promises that they can't deliver then it is a yes......at this time.
On No.2 and Rodgers the jury is still out. They wanted progress in terms of our performance in the league - the main reason why they sacked KK - so in terms of being points wise closer to the top 5 then ok. Obviously there are major concerns about everything else, but they will give Rodgers time because he is their appointment.

The only way Rodgers will be gone before 2015 is if we are 15+ points behind 4th for the next two years and we are continually going out in the early rounds of the cups. If progress, albeit small, is happening each year Rodgers isn't going anytime soon.

But Tes it is very important that you realise FSG didn't appoint Hodgson or buy Cole.

As to who are advising them, well for a fact David Dein has but apart from him we don't know.

A BTW. There is no way in hell I want to see Roy Evans at the club again in any capacity. The man is legend for us in his own way, but there is no way I'd want him back.

I do agree experience is necessary, but not specifically LFC experience. Football experience.

[Tes]

And he wasn't alone describing it that way. I would agree.   But hey, what do a player with 700 games in a red shirt really know?

Martin, you owe me a knew keyboard as I spat my coffee all over it reading that.

You and Brendan agree. All's well. League Champions next season then, hey?

[Tes]

First thing first. FSG did not appoint Hodgson, they inherited him as manager. Nor did they sign Joe Cole.

Make sure of those facts please.

Edward, re-read it mate. I never stated NESV (FSG) appointed Hodgson, and bought in Cole. Thanks but I'm fully aware of who the owners were, who the CEO was who made the appointment and who actually brought in Cole. Nowhere have I stated it was FSG, or NESV as they were then. Why would I?
I was comparing the flawed decisions of Purslow in doing those two things with the flawed appointments of Dalglish on a three year deal and also of Rodgers. You've obviously misunderstood. The latter two decisions bear all the hallmarks of the first two, even though the two lots were under different owners. In all of it, I smell Purslow's involvement. Now do you understand?

Secondly FSG may have hired Comolli on the advice of Beane but Comolli was a well known DoF in europe too. So they had a punt on him and it didn't work out. But they were proactive in hiring him and in firing him too.

Comolli's first appointment as a DOF was Spurs, where he was sacked with Levy being less than complimentary about him. His only other DOF role was with St Etienne. Again, their president was non too complimentary about him. I doubt Henry and Co have heard of St Etienne, nevermind know who their DOF was at the time. Do you not see the problem of asking a baseball person advice about football and about something as indepth and crucial as a DOF? I doubt Beane has the understanding of a DOF's role. Maybe you've not had the same depth of contact with Americans and their sports psyche to understand how wrong they were.

Thirdly yes they did buy Liverpool because of its great business sense. They see us as a business and have not said otherwise have they. They haven't spoon fed us rubbish by saying things they don't mean. Yes they do want to make a profit but they also want to make us self sufficient too. Which is good thing.

Self sufficency I've never had a problem with, and have been consistent in saying so, but what about winning? Does that not matter anymore?


They hired Dalglish because after Hodgson they needed someone to unite the supporters and get instant command and respect of the dressing room. I am convinced that they only wanted him for that 10/11 season,

That's where we agree, he was perfect to see us through to the end of the season. I've never stated otherwise

but due to supporter demand and how we finished the season they did the easy option and signed him to a deal. I mean who can blame them for that.

Taking the wrong option for the wrong reason is crass stupidity. Dalglish's record after Blackburn was appalling, not to mention his non involvement in football for over a decade. There was no sensible or rational basis for appointing him permanently. It's the exact sort of decision Ayre or Purslow would advise. Executive fans blinded by sentiment. Are you starting to understand what I'm saying about Purslow's involvement. It has his fingerprints all over it. He appointed Hodgeson on flawed logic. He brought in Cole, Hodgson didn't, on flawed logic, and since when is it the job of a CEO to decide who to buy off his own back?

I mean look at the reaction of Dalglish's sacking a year later.

The reaction was split. Some said he should have had another year, others that despite who he was it was the right decision based on the 2nd half of the league season. What everyone agrees on is the way he was sacked. Totally disrespectful

But they've always wanted to sign a young, hungry manager who wants to integrate the young players into the team and to give us long term ideals on the way we play. They should have stuck to their guns and got a DoF too - that was their big mistake.

Agreed, yet another mistake. Yet another backtrack and flipflop


They have given a better foundation for the youth team to grow. They have spent heavily in that area in terms of recruitment.

The academy re-organisation was Benitez's doing. McParland, Segura, Borrell. All his appointments

The destiny of whether in the future we see them as good/great custodians will come down to three things.

1) Stadium redevelopment/New Ground
Agreed, I've never stated otherwise

2) Rodgers
 
Managerial appointsment have all been flawed due to their lack of knowledge and lack of appointments to crucial positions who could have guided them.

3) Investment into the team

I've no problem with that, other than who they've entrusted to spend the money. The amount spent for a team without CL football or money is quite impressive.

IMO on No.3 its a big YES for FSG. it's not their fault the money was wasted. On No.1 They haven't said any bullshit about a spade in 60 days or made any commitments or promises that they cannot abide by. Only when they say something concrete about No.1 will be the time to judge. ATM as they haven't made any promises that they can't deliver then it is a yes......at this time.

Werner's made some crass remarks, maybe you've missed them but I broadly agree otherwise.

On No.2 and Rodgers the jury is still out. They wanted progress in terms of our performance in the league - the main reason why they sacked KK - so in terms of being points wise closer to the top 5 then ok. Obviously there are major concerns about everything else, but they will give Rodgers time because he is their appointment.

So was Dalglish. They appointed him. Their choice. They have to carry the blame. No-one or nothing else.

The only way Rodgers will be gone before 2015 is if we are 15+ points behind 4th for the next two years and we are continually going out in the early rounds of the cups. If progress, albeit small, is happening each year Rodgers isn't going anytime soon.

But Tes it is very important that you realise FSG didn't appoint Hodgson or buy Cole.

Ed, as i said re-read what I wrote. I haven't said FSG appointed Hodgson, I'm fully aware it was Purslow.

As to who are advising them, well for a fact David Dein has but apart from him we don't know.

Look at Purslow, rather than Dein, and where was it made fact that Dein had actually advised them on anything of substance? It was hinted he'd had some involvement but on what and how much has never been confirmed or substantiated

A BTW. There is no way in hell I want to see Roy Evans at the club again in any capacity. The man is legend for us in his own way, but there is no way I'd want him back.

You have me muddled up with someone else on that one.

I do agree experience is necessary, but not specifically LFC experience. Football experience.

I've never said anything different, again you have me confused with someone else's posts.

[the dude abides]

I don't know about you fellas, but I take great heart from the fact that it was nearly the perfect away performance.

would've; could've; should've; nearly; possibly; perhaps; maybe; might have; if only