FORGIVE us if we’ve been a bit slack with getting the podcast out, we had jetlag, dizziness, drinking and talking about footie in Oz with Craig Johnston to get through. And it’s only a day late.
Anyway, we’ve recorded one now…. and we collared a very special guest to join some of the regular faces: Neil Atkinson, Jon Gibbons, Andy Heaton, Jim Boardman and Gareth Roberts.
Yes, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers took time out from preparing for the friendly with Melbourne Victory at the MCG to talk to the lads about bridging the gap to the top four, targets for next season and Pepe Reina. And the Reds boss even tackled the infamous TAW opening question.
APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE FOR THE SOUND QUALITY, SOZ
Tickets for TAW Australia events
Direct link to PODCAST: BRENDAN RODGERS TALKS TO TAW
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Was waiting a long time but hey what a surprise BR on TAW..
I just love that picture! Never go into tele! you will lose that authentic football fan next door look.
How were his new teeth?
A bit worried BR ducked the physical strength and size question of the midfielders / defenders? As I think without constant pressing of the opposition ball carrier (only Hendo has the legs), better athletes and bigger sides will walk through us again this season.
I think we’ve all seen in the CL and ConFed where football is going … Athletes with size and technique. Another SG please!
Superb podcast. Well impressed with the quality of the questions and how revealing it was.
Cheers TAW
Next opening question has to be, “If you were to sing a song for an Anfield Wrap compilation (raising funds for charity of course!), Neil Atkinson’s song would have to be, Pete Burns; ‘You spin me right round’ and a roaring rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘I need a hero’ from Andy Heaton.
I agree that he either didn’t understand or didn’t address the issue of physicality when it was raised, and he also didn’t pick up the point about being consistently vulnerable to crosses. Other than that I thought he did well and TAW boys asked good questions that we all want answers too.
His answer to the opening question was a shocker though…
Crackin picture , crackin podcast and crackin pair of man boobs Atko
Next time you get hold of him ask him how to pronounce Jordon Ibe.
Interesting podcast, as always… Sadly, the other constant was Brendan Rodgers not saying anything. Talking in riddles, round and round in circles, committing to absolutely nothing.. He is a politician not a manager.. I quote from your podcast:
BR: ‘power,aggression and mentality is in your brain’.. What a load of absolute nonsense.. Where else would mentality be.. In your elbow???
I believe he is dealing very well with the Suarez debacle.. Get shot of him by the way,lets see him play for the Arse in front of 90k people at the MCG.. Just won’t happen.. He will follow Torres and become very very rich and unhappy and regretful in equal measure. We aren’t challenging for the big stuff at the moment(and never will with BR in charge) but to be a part of our resurgence over the next 3-4 years is surely worth the wait( if we trade in BR).Only 90-100k a week I understand is a pittance but show some loyalty and humility.
Final note is on BR transfer policy… We let too many goals in, FACT!!!.. If Agger goes to Barca, we are left with Toure and Skyrtel!!.. Give me strength!!!?.
I guarantee we will ship too many goals this year, we lack pace at the back, defend set pieces with naivity a d have too many lightweights in the middle and up front.
I feel so gloomy for the new season and its not even August!!!
Just in case the is any doubt, I am a paid up, life long Liverpudlian, who doesn’t yearn for yesteryear, 70s and 80s, just for a manager who isn’t a fake and full of empty platitudes.
To be fair I think what Brendan meant when saying ‘power,aggression and mentality is in your brain’, is that any player, (regardless of their born physical stature) can go a long way to becoming aggressive and powerful by resolutely believing they have those qualities and working and aspiring towards them. The mind can take the body there. We see it with so many players. He used Sterling as an example of that. Being more optimistic about Rodgers, I don’t think he’s fake at all. But if asked what do you think of City of Liverpool? He has to give a positive answer. And I think he was 110% genuine when he talked about Liverpool fans (or a loyal section there of) treating Suarez as a son, and that Rodgers himself wants to be in Liverpool for many many years to come. When he said those things I believe he spoke from the heart, as he did when he said ‘we are all citizens of the world’. And as for being a politician during interview, what sensible manager isn’t?! So while no human being is perfect, BR is doing fairly well so far, and I’m sure he learns everyday. He is manager of Liverpool FC, which by any mans standards is an accomplishment. BR like all of us just ‘I wanna, I wanna, I wanna be adored’. Benitez won UCL 2005 in 1st season, but by that time he had been sacked by two clubs, got one club promoted, inherited a great Valencia team which he improved, then came to us…..
You’d imagine a lift long Liverpudlian would realise that a new manager probably deserves more than a single season before you go writing him off.
There’s not even rumours of Agger to Barca, and the transfer window isn’t shut.
Keep it in lad.
Thanks for the great AW podcast!
Had to comment and say the first song that popped in to my head before Gibbo said anything was also ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, AFD was the first album I ever owned. What a legend (Gibbo, not Axl).
Great night at the Hilton on Tuesday night lads. Many thanks. Keep up the good work.
Nice to see you in the flesh – as it were.
Brilliant to see Brendan getting on here and giving you guys an interview, very unique never heard of a manager doing that before. Really happy to see that – the first time I ever heard Rodgers talk he was taking on the Celtic in a friendly with Swansea and was captivated by how he spoke – before then he was just the ex-Chelsea man at Watford for me, but from then on I listened to him.
I think Rodgers says some extremely strange things at times, but I like strange. You can tell all his “fight for the club with my life” style of talking is not just an elaborate hoax to keep us all pacified, it’s genuine. He’s delighted to be here and to be taking time out of pre-season to do things like this speaks volumes about the man.
Excellent questions – even if you all seemed a little eager not to step on his toes, completely understandable I’d be shitting myself! – and think although he did not say anything we’d never heard before, it must be hard for him to get the answers you would expect out there without probably causing a shit storm.
Overall, bloody brilliant addition to the TAW library – up there with the Rafa one, this. Can’t see how that guy above can go on the rant regarding BR – He’s done everything he can so far, you can get behind that 100%.
Cheers for the pod lads, been brilliant since day one.
What Adam said. Although I still think the midfield is a bit lightweight. We’ve got a great counter-attacking setup and stay_in_front team, but I still see problems in games where we fall behind. A genuine leader who can take the strain off SG when we’re 0-1 at half-time away to Stoke would be good. Wanyama would have been perfect, imho.
lads great show listened since start like someone said dont get all commercial keep it real and yourselves approachable.keep up the great work lads
its fantastic that Brendon Rodgers comes out and does this can think of loads of managers who wouldnt give this the time of day (Wenger comes to mind)