The Roy Hodgson Thread

[Juan]

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/liverpool/1015292/ROY-IN-DESPAIR.html

ROY HODGSON is at breaking point after a damning assessment of his Liverpool team.

The Kop chief has confided in friends that they are SIX players short of challenging at the top of the Premier League.

Liverpool go into Sunday's game against Blackpool in the bottom three for the first time since 1984 and pals are concerned Hodgson will not be able to cope with the pressure of transforming the team.

They have noticed a change in Hodgson's usually relaxed manner and fear the pressure of turning Liverpool around is beginning to affect him.

Last season he appeared in complete control after guiding Fulham to the Europa League final and 12th placed in the Premier League.

Hodgson will not quit Liverpool, but fears that any potential new owners are likely to want their own man in charge at Anfield.

The Kop's desperate financial situation prevented Hodgson from making widespread changes to the squad in the summer and fear it's his reputation on the line.

After holding out for the England job following the World Cup, he eventually joined Liverpool when it became clear Fabio Capello would not be fired.

He was initially convinced he could tweak the squad and turn them into a top four team again after succeeding Rafa Benitez.

Instead his conservative methods in training and on the pitch have been met by a brickwall.

The culture at the club is playing attacking football, but Hodgson wants his team to play on the counter.

Hodgson's relationship with Fernando Torres is already strained and the World Cup winner has yet to respond to his new manager.
Impact

Liverpool will attempt to turn their season around at home to Blackpool on Sunday after a dreadful start.

They have won just once in the Premier League this season and Hodgson is struggling to make an impact.

Three of his signings - Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen and Raul Meireles - have yet to impress.

Hodgson has privately assessed the Liverpool squad and has conceded they are a long way short of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Many of his influential players are struggling to adapt to his training methods and want Hodgson to be more attack minded to satisfy supporters.

Hodgson has other changes in mind, but fears a backlash from supporters if he drops some of Liverpool's influential stars.

A close friend said: "We're worried about Roy, he's not the same person.

"Last year he thrived as the underdog, but he doesn't like criticism and doesn't enjoy people questioning his methods.

"It's too early to say he regrets taking the job, but it's dawning on him just how big it is. He's not a quitter, he's carry on."

[Tes]

It's exactly what we've been saying for the last two years about playing more attack minded football.

It seems now even the players are fed up with defensive, safety first, spoiling football. As we've said, when they were let off the leash, or took it upon themselves, and played more expansive, attack minded football, not only did we play much better and get the results, but the players looked happier, more confident and look as though they had belief in what they were doing and how they were playing - comebacks against Man City and Hull City, the last third of the 2008/09 when we were chasing the Mancs having surrended the slim overall lead we'd built up through over cautious play.

Mireles, Gerrard, Cole, Maxi, Torres are all technical players who would excel in an attacking, crisp passing, fluid moving style of play.

[Tes]

Roys feeling the pressure.

I can understand why Roy is teed off but one thing I have a serious problem with is when he says "I could not give a monkey’s whether we are 16th or 18th". He should give a monkeys. We are currently relegation fodder according to the table.  Three points later today will see us in to the top half but I take issue with Roys above statement, its disrespectful to the fans because they certainly care and they pay their hard earned cash to watch the team.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/8038680/Roy-Hodgson-launches-strident-defence-of-his-start-to-life-as-Liverpool-manager.html


Roy Hodgson launches strident defence of his start to life as Liverpool manager
Roy Hodgson has launched a strident defence of his stuttering start as Liverpool manager, insisting he will not change the approach which earned him the job, dismissing concerns over his side’s league position and intimating his team have done little to suggest more should be expected of them than his former club Fulham.
 
Rory Smith

By Rory Smith
Published: 11:59PM BST 02 Oct 2010

Roy Hodgson launches strident defence of his start to life as Liverpool manager
Running out of time? Roy Hodgson has launched a strident defence of his stuttering start to life as Liverpool manager Photo: GETTY IMAGES

Hodgson, appointed by managing director Christian Purslow in July to replace Rafael Benítez, has overseen just one Premier League win in six games — though he remains unbeaten in Europe — after a series of mediocre performances and his side begin Sunday afternoon’s visit of Blackpool hovering just above the relegation zone.

Such a résumé is hardly the sort of start deemed acceptable at Anfield. Hodgson, though, is quick to scotch the suggestion that his style of coaching and philosophy of play is not suited to a club where expectations are so high and the staff at his disposal so high-profile.
 
“Unbelievable,” said the Liverpool manager, when asked whether his approach could be applied on Merseyside as effectively as it was in west London. “How many clubs have I had in 35 years? What do you mean, do my methods translate? They translated from Halmstads to Malmo to Orebro to Neuchâtel Xamax to the Swiss national team.

“The question is quite frankly insulting, I suppose. That question is suggesting something. To suggest that suddenly because you move from one club to another, the methods that have stood you in good stead for 35 years and made you one of the most respected coaches in the Europe suddenly do not work. I find it very, very hard to believe that someone has even asked me that question.”

He is equally scornful of the idea that Liverpool boast a different type of player, either in terms of technical ability or psychological needs, players who require a different form of coaching to his former charges at Craven Cottage. “What do you mean, ‘a different type of player?'” he asked.

“At the moment arguably one or two of the players that you are suggesting are very different to the Fulham players maybe are not playing any better than the Fulham players played. Journalists work on names and not on performances. You watch people play and you base your judgement on their name and not necessarily what they have actually done on the day of the game.”

If such remarks suggest Hodgson is starting to feel the pressure of life under the intense glare of attention which England’s most decorated club attracts, he insists nothing could be further from the truth, regardless of the apparent precariousness of Liverpool’s league position.

“I could not give a monkey’s whether we are 16th or 18th,” he said. “What bothers me is that we have only got six points and I would have liked a few more. But then I knew Manchester United and Manchester City were going to be tough, and I knew a*senal with 10 men was going to be tough, so maybe six points is not so bad.

“[But] when you have six points from six games, you understand people are going to be making negative judgments. That is the way it is. Those things do not bother me. I have had two and a half wonderful years where nothing negative was ever said about me and my team. Now maybe people are saying negative things. It does not change anything.”

Such confidence will do little to quell the growing unease among Liverpool’s fans, though Anfield is famed for its enduring faith in those who inhabit the Boot Room. Hodgson, though, insists such concerns are borne of hopes heightened beyond realism.

“Expectations are very high,” he said. “You cannot live in a dream world of how wonderful it would be if every time one of our players got the ball, he raced past four defenders and smashed it into the net. That would be living in a fantasy world. That is not going to happen in plenty of games in Europe and the Premier League.

“I would accuse you of being unrealistic if you are suggesting we should doing what a*senal, who have had the same team for the last six years, and Chelsea, who have just won the league, are doing. We finished seventh last season. I don’t understand why you are suggesting we should be comparing ourselves every day with Chelsea or Manchester United at this early stage of the season

"“Unbelievable,” said the Liverpool manager, when asked whether his approach could be applied on Merseyside as effectively as it was in west London. “How many clubs have I had in 35 years? What do you mean, do my methods translate? They translated from Halmstads to Malmo to Orebro to Neuchâtel Xamax to the Swiss national team."

Way to miss the point, Roy. Well done.

"“Expectations are very high,” he said. “You cannot live in a dream world of how wonderful it would be if every time one of our players got the ball, he raced past four defenders and smashed it into the net. That would be living in a fantasy world. That is not going to happen in plenty of games in Europe and the Premier League."

What a stupid childish response. No one is expecting that.

"“I would accuse you of being unrealistic if you are suggesting we should doing what a*senal, who have had the same team for the last six years, and Chelsea, who have just won the league, are doing. We finished seventh last season. I don’t understand why you are suggesting we should be comparing ourselves every day with Chelsea or Manchester United at this early stage of the season"

No one is expecting us to challenge for the league. We need to be hovering around fifth, sixth, seventh, challenging for fourth. That is the absolute peak of expectation. We may not end up fourth. We may end up snatching fourth on the last day of the season, having never been higher than fifth throughout the season but we need to be challenging for fourth. That's some revision of our expectations and targets. We can no longer think about 'first is first, second is nothing'. We realise that.


Just what does Roy think 'realistic expectations' should be? Avoid relegation? Finsh 10th, exactly mid-table? Scrape into a Europa League spot (steady there, getting a bit giddy with them there 'expectations')?
I'd always substitute 'hopes' or 'targets' for expectations, as expectation is too stong a word to use in football,

[Juan]

"“Unbelievable,” said the Liverpool manager, when asked whether his approach could be applied on Merseyside as effectively as it was in west London. “How many clubs have I had in 35 years? What do you mean, do my methods translate? They translated from Halmstads to Malmo to Orebro to Neuchâtel Xamax to the Swiss national team."

Way to miss the point, Roy. Well done.

"“Expectations are very high,” he said. “You cannot live in a dream world of how wonderful it would be if every time one of our players got the ball, he raced past four defenders and smashed it into the net. That would be living in a fantasy world. That is not going to happen in plenty of games in Europe and the Premier League."

What a stupid childish response. No one is expecting that.

"“I would accuse you of being unrealistic if you are suggesting we should doing what a*senal, who have had the same team for the last six years, and Chelsea, who have just won the league, are doing. We finished seventh last season. I don’t understand why you are suggesting we should be comparing ourselves every day with Chelsea or Manchester United at this early stage of the season"

No one is expecting us to challenge for the league. We need to be hovering around fifth, sixth, seventh, challenging for fourth. That is the absolute peak of expectation. We may not end up fourth. We may end up snatching fourth on the last day of the season, having never been higher than fifth throughout the season but we need to be challenging for fourth. That's some revision of our expectations and targets. We can no longer think about 'first is first, second is nothing'. We realise that.


Just what does Roy think 'realistic expectations' should be? Avoid relegation? Finsh 10th, exactly mid-table? Scrape into a Europa League spot (steady there, getting a bit giddy with them there 'expectations')?
I'd always substitute 'hopes' or 'targets' for expectations, as expectation is too stong a word to use in football,

Agree with all your points Tes. In the space of 6 weeks we have gone from Roy suggesting "dont rule us out yet" referring to a title challenge to the his comments in the article above.  This is not the stuff you want to hear from the so called steady the ship manager. If this article is true to its word its sounds like Roy is feeling the heat at a time when we need to show some bottle the most.

[Tes]

Agree with all your points Tes. In the space of 6 weeks we have gone from Roy suggesting "dont rule us out yet" referring to a title challenge to the his comments in the article above.  This is not the stuff you want to hear from the so called steady the ship manager. If this article is true to its word its sounds like Roy is feeling the heat at a time when we need to show some bottle the most.

If the half time score becomes the full time score then he will feel the heat even more.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

If the half time score becomes the full time score then he will feel the heat even more.

If you can't stand the heat...

Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. He's got to seriously consider his position.

[Tes]

He's got to seriously consider his position.

I wish Pursestrings had considered his (Hodgson's) position a bit more thoroughly than he did before appointing him.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

I wish Pursestrings had considered his (Hodgson's) position a bit more thoroughly than he did before appointing him.

He didn't but someone now has a decision to make. Whilst it goes against the grain in even thinking about him leaving I've seen nothing all season to suggest he can turn things around. There are enough decent players in the team to play better football than they're current playing.

Is it his tactics? Saying he'll give Babel a chance to prove himself and then not even selecting him in the squad is daft!

And why do we only seen to come to life after going behind? There are so many questions and so far, no answers.

[the dude abides]

Quote from: Ageing Stick Insect on Today at 06:13:15 PM
<blockquote>Is it his tactics? Saying he'll give Babel a chance to prove himself and then not even selecting him in the squad is daft!





ASI, Babel is not Liverpool class.  He couldn''t control a bag of cement.

Like Diouf, he is more suited to a Bolton or Blackburn.


</blockquote>

[Ageing Stick Insect]

Quote from: Ageing Stick Insect on Today at 06:13:15 PM
<blockquote>Is it his tactics? Saying he'll give Babel a chance to prove himself and then not even selecting him in the squad is daft!





ASI, Babel is not Liverpool class.  He couldn''t control a bag of cement.

Like Diouf, he is more suited to a Bolton or Blackburn.


</blockquote>

Then why would he make the statement? He sees far more of Babel than either you or I? You don't tell someone they need to prove they're good enough to play for the club and then not select them. It's nonsensical!

[BatChainPuller]

He didn't but someone now has a decision to make. Whilst it goes against the grain in even thinking about him leaving I've seen nothing all season to suggest he can turn things around. There are enough decent players in the team to play better football than they're current playing.

Is it his tactics? Saying he'll give Babel a chance to prove himself and then not even selecting him in the squad is daft!

And why do we only seen to come to life after going behind? There are so many questions and so far, no answers.

He seems likely to pass the blame to the players, which will probably make the situation even worse.

The problem is that there are so few positives to set against the negatives - if you could at least see some new approaches which weren't quite coming off but there is nothing to speak of.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

He seems likely to pass the blame to the players, which will probably make the situation even worse.

If he does that then I think he'll be writing his own resignation letter.

The problem is that there are so few positives to set against the negatives - if you could at least see some new approaches which weren't quite coming off but there is nothing to speak of.

That's one of my main gripes. In the early Euro games we definitely played a different style but have reverted to the same as under Rafa except we can't defend at all now.

Welcome to the forum. Pity it can't be under happier circumstances.

[the dude abides]

Quote from: Ageing Stick Insect on Today at 06:26:03 PM<blockquote>Then why would he make the statement? He sees far more of Babel than either you or I? You don't tell someone they need to prove they're good enough to play for the club and then not select them. It's nonsensical!
</blockquote>

true, ASI.

And maybe Babel is good enough for Maidstone United, Carshalton Athletic, Halmstad, Bristol City, Örebro, Malmö, Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshoppers, Copenhagen, Udinese, United Arab Emirates, Viking, Finland or Fulham.

[BatChainPuller]

If he does that then I think he'll be writing his own resignation letter.
That's one of my main gripes. In the early Euro games we definitely played a different style but have reverted to the same as under Rafa except we can't defend at all now.

Welcome to the forum. Pity it can't be under happier circumstances.

Thanks dude - I've only ever really posted on TLW but feel a need to explore new pastures (and their server crashed as usual when we lose !).

I think poor old Roy has no room for manouevre - he has no real reservoir of good will and most people wanted Kenny in the first place. Purslow will also struggle to evade responsibility for the horror show that's unfolding.  felt positive towards Roy initially (despite not wanting him) as he seemed a safe pair of hands in terms of dealing with the press - that evaporated fairly quickly unfortunately !

[BatChainPuller]

Quote from: Ageing Stick Insect on Today at 06:26:03 PM<blockquote>Then why would he make the statement? He sees far more of Babel than either you or I? You don't tell someone they need to prove they're good enough to play for the club and then not select them. It's nonsensical!
</blockquote>

true, ASI.

And maybe Babel is good enough for Maidstone United, Carshalton Athletic, Halmstad, Bristol City, Örebro, Malmö, Neuchâtel Xamax, Switzerland, Blackburn Rovers, Grasshoppers, Copenhagen, Udinese, United Arab Emirates, Viking, Finland or Fulham.

He wasn't good enough to unlock Northampton though.