THE breath drawn to blow the final whistle had barely been exhaled when it began: a cyberspace rubbing of hands. A virtual crack of the fingers. The post-match interview was awaited by some with the glee reserved for Christmas Day unwrapping. Time to dig at the manager again, folks. Yiiiiirse.
The 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge brought with it confirmation, barring a mathematical miracle of water into wine standards, that Liverpool have finished outside the top four and will again be a face at the window when teams get stuck into the Champions League feast come season 2015-6.
That’s tough to take. Disappointing. A kick in the teeth. Not what we wanted, not what we expected. Not the target for Brendan Rodgers set by FSG. Not good enough for Liverpool Football Club. Also not that uncommon in recent history.
The Reds will most likely now finish fifth — higher (7th, 8th, 6th, 7th) than the previous four seasons that preceded last year’s unlikely and unexpected title challenge. The point in west London also gives Liverpool 62 points for the season so far — more than the whole of 2012-13 (61), 2011-12 (52), 2010-11 (58), 2004-5 (58) and 2003-4 (60). With victories against Crystal Palace and Stoke — not beyond the realms even with the paucity of striking options — the Reds could finish on 68 — topping 2009-10 (63) and matching 2006-7.
Last season was the outlier in Liverpool’s recent history, not this. But no matter, there’s a manager to get stuck into here. And did you hear what he just SAID?
Steven Gerrard, aside from handing Chelsea fans their collective arse on a plate, appealed to FSG to “dig deep” in his comments after the match and suggested the Premier League is becoming harder and harder to compete in. When you look back to see that Liverpool finished fourth with 60 points in 2004 and third with 69 in 2001 yet could rack up 68 only to finish fifth this time around, it’s an argument that seems to hold some weight. The leagues within the league are becoming increasingly well defined. It’s harder to gatecrash the party.
The financials are another aspect — who can Liverpool (realistically) buy, afford and attract? Should the attacking options to replace Luis Suarez have come down to more than Mario Balotelli v Samuel Eto’o last summer? This summer, what happens given Mario’s misadventures, Lambert’s limitations and Borini’s bankruptcy? Ings and Origi? I imagine Klopp and Ancelotti must be banging down doors in Boston as I write at the very prospect of such firepower.
Yet all this is forgotten week by week by so many Liverpool fans, who prefer instead to engage in a bizarre social media undressing of the current manager instead. Over and over again. Couple that with those that spit and froth about the boss at the match and the message seems to be that one man will make a miracle. I’m not sure that man exists. “That’s the squad. That’s the budget. That’s the wage structure. These are our player targets and this is the transfer committee. No pressure, mate — win the league.”
Competing at the very top of the Premier League is not an easy job for Liverpool, far from it, as an average finish of between fourth and fifth across 24 full seasons since the Reds last lifted the title suggests. Another failed campaign in the chase for the Holy Grail is never easy to take, particularly on the back of last season’s rollercoaster ride, this season’s return — and embarrassing collapse — in the Champions League, the FA Cup semi defeat and the big summer spend on players that has been far from a roaring success.
Yet, judging by some fans’ reaction online in the immediate aftermath of a draw at Chelsea the top four farewell was a moment to rejoice; to celebrate; to lift the one we all wanted: the I-Told-You-So Trophy.
In ‘normal’ circumstances, a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge against the Premier League champions would be a decent enough result. Four wins in 16 league visits to Stamford Bridge for Liverpool since 2000 suggests as much. But yesterday wasn’t normal because Chelsea ‘were on the beach’, Chelsea had rested players and Liverpool needed to win to keep the by now far-fetched top four dream alive.
Raheem Sterling’s ankle will show little evidence today of a sun-soaked kickabout on the sand. Instead it will bear the mark of a Chelsea team sent out to get stuck in, to be aggressive, to face up to any attempts to ‘fly out the traps’. Not trying? Not arsed? Going through the motions? Could have fooled me.
But no matter. Liverpool should just win. Context, consideration, balance? No. A draw? Well, what’s Rodgers going to say now? That’s what it’s all about. Get ready, Twitter, I’m gonna do him again. Fabregas style.
There are good cases for Liverpool to attempt to upgrade on Brendan Rodgers; he’s made mistakes and maybe another manager makes less. A truly world-class manager walks in and he unites an increasingly fractious fan base. Maybe he is a better lure for potential signings. Maybe he announces Liverpool’s ambition. He also, in all likelihood, demands a truly world-class salary and a truly world-class transfer budget.
Things Liverpool either don’t have or aren’t prepared to offer.
But whatever you’re going to judge the current manager on, what he says? Every. Fucking. Word? Every. Fucking. Week?
I understand the broader point that Rodgers has at times talked too much. I found his discussion of Mario Balotelli at times unpalatable and thought it should have stayed behind closed doors. The public sales pitches around his own ability are not something I particularly enjoyed. Dressing up the West Brom performance also grated.
But ALL managers talk bollocks to a greater or lesser degree. And when the walls are closing, the fingers pointing and the pressure building, how easy is it to dream up a Shankly-esque soundbite every week?
Ultimately, Brendan Rodgers is, until it is announced otherwise, the manager of Liverpool FC. So why the nit-picking at EVERYTHING he says from some? He called the second half yesterday “outstanding” sparking fury via keyboard for some. Well you know what, lads? The second half was alright.
Ah, but the Gerrard substitution and the explanation of that. Yeah, OK, admittedly, a bit weird. Who’s arsed about him getting clapped off by Chelsea fans, Brendan? But equally, faced by cameras moments after the match, what *should* Rodgers say? That Gerrard hasn’t got the legs? OK, but maybe they’ve fell out because look at this two-second clip. Maybe they have. It happens in football. Gerrard is a huge personality, a legend, a superstar — a lad with a status and a standing bigger than his boss. His powers are on the wane and he doesn’t have to answer to anyone anymore. After all, what are they going to do — sack him? Is that easy to manage?
Rodgers sometimes talks nonsense, probably more than most. Should he lose his job for that? Is that part of the final analysis when pros (sorry those who hate him, there are some) are weighed against cons?
I don’t know how things will turn out this summer regarding the manager but the desperation to shout black or white when there are clearly shades of grey is a bit strange. Personally, I’ll pass on the ‘being right on Twitter 2014/15’ crown. If that’s your bag, good luck — it’s a hotly-contested prize.
Some Reds who denounced other fans of Liverpool for their abuse of Rafa “white liquid in a bottle has to be milk” Benitez are now the very same people doing it to Rodgers for displaying similar traits to the Spaniard. Any analysis of Roy Hodgson doesn’t count. He deserved it. He played prehistoric football, criticised the fans for protesting and did absolutely nothing to warrant any faith or fairness.
Does the same apply to Rodgers? Absolutely no goodwill from last season remains? No credit for that?
And does much of what Rodgers says, or doesn’t say, make the crucial difference? In the other dug out yesterday was a man who will never be matched for public bullshit. He has a greater football pedigree. He has a better track record. The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ has also had amazing resources at his disposal for many years and yet has played some of the most boring football you’ll ever see in the name of a result.
Judging by a CV, judging by results — fair game. But a continual, match by match, word by word analysis of your own manager? It’s an “outstanding” level of effort to go to just to prove a point, particularly when all indications so far say Rodgers is staying put. Isn’t it counterproductive? Especially, you know, if you intend to enjoy a Liverpool match again sometime soon.
If it is same again next season, what then? The “fraud” shout? The “David Brent” shout? The obsessive examination of Brendan Rodgers’ every move — how he sits, where he sits, how he celebrates, what he wears, how white his teeth are, how dark his skin is, who he lives with, who rents his house, what his son does, where he worked once….
Don’t we all just want Liverpool to win?
How would Bob Paisley get on in this 24-7 goldfish bowl and its penchant for forensic examination? “Fucking hell, lads, he’s got SLIPPERS on! #PaisleyOut”
“Have you seen his hair? Cardigans? Gola? LOL.”
On Friday Mike Nevin lamented the loss of wacker – the spirit of Scouse. Equally bizarre — to my mind at least — is the desperation to denigrate a man that took us so close to what we all wanted last season. It hasn’t worked out this season but that man is our manager right now. Flying planes, holding A4 placards, the social media snide — can’t we leave this cringe-inducing behaviour to other clubs?
Brendan Rodgers might not be the new Bill Shankly but he’s not the new Roy Hodgson either.
FSG have let it be known they are standing by their man. For now. The case of Kenny Dalglish suggests a u-turn is not beyond the realms. A better gettable manager might exist. If discreet conversations to that end haven’t taken place already that would be a surprise. But then the names many want in the dug out might not be sold on Liverpool’s position in the food chain or the club’s philosophies behind the scenes.
That being the case, perhaps sticking makes more sense than twisting? Perhaps there is instead a tweaking of the transfer policy. Perhaps Liverpool buy few and big instead of many and small. Or does the club just make change for the sake of change? What’s the point in sacking Brendan Rodgers simply to employ another Brendan Rodgers (young coach, relatively inexperienced etc etc)?
But then some people can’t see a priest on a mountain of sugar.
In fact: “It’s like you wanting to marry Miss World and she doesn’t want you, what can I do about it?”
Arsene Wenger said that by the way. Managers sometimes talk shit. Managers sometimes have a good season followed by a bad one. Managers sometimes ride the storm.
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Pics: PA Images/David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo
A rather spirited defence of Rodgers which ignores the obvious, what happens on the pitch. Rodgers himself set out his ever reducing goals for the season based on lavish spending on players he “has the last word on”. Yes 60 odd points might compare reasonably with recent history, but why employ a manger for the most marginal of gains?The performances have been lamentable, even during that 13 game ‘run’. The collective head scratching at bizarre tactics, line ups and substitutions by those of us sitting watching it were painful. While his odd press conferences and verbal inadequacies are irrelevant and should play no part in assessing or defending his performance, his abject displays in Europe during his tenure should.
Three years and counting, £215m and much more demanded. When do we say this has been a failed experiment and look for a better manager? Would you accept a player who has been so decidedly average being kept on because he had one good season? Probably not. I have no faith in Rodgers. As I’ve posted before it left me during the debacle that was St James’ park this season. If FSG keep him then fine, they own the club, but what guarantee that the players he brings in will be a step up on those he has already recruited and mostly discarded? Will his tactical acumen blossom over the summer? Will his backroom staff suddenly acquire the experience, knowledge and stature of the ‘boot room’. Hope so, but what happens if it’s Christmas, he has had his annual poor start and his verbal gymnastics continue?
Well in Gareth
This year has been all about having no strikers, I remember Eddie Irvine when he was no2 to schumi at Ferrari asked what he planned to do if only 1 of the gearbox would be ready for the race and he replied that he couldnt fucking build one himself.
If you have no strikers then your fucked, in many ways it shows how well we have done to be ahead of Spurs with Harry the hamster and just behind United with their gazillion pounds worth of players.
If we were a smart fan base we would be saying to FSG how did you cock it up so much in the summer, because I didn’t see Rodgers walking around Europe with 75 mil to spend on a striker, didn’t see Remy banging in the goals yesterday or looking like he was going to, but there again you don’t get much for 9 mil and you get even less for 4 mil.
Rodgers looks like a talented coach but he is not a manager like his predecessors because he does not run the club, no fuckin idea who does run the club, but it’s not Rodgers that’s for sure and it’s probably only because he’s so young and LFC is such an opportunity that he accepts this ludicrous non-structure
Who do you think we’d have signed if FSG had given them £75m for a striker?
£73M spent on 5 forward players last summer and couldn’t squeeze more than 10 premiership goals out of them combined. As for the structure Brendan explains his role and responsibility better than anybody:
MAY 2013: “There is absolutely no way a player will come in here if I don’t want him. I will always be the first person it comes to. That’s not being arrogant, that’s how we operate here and how it works in this country. It’s very clear: anyone we sign will be because I want him here.”
MAY 2014: “The principle idea when I first came in was that I will have the first call on a player and the last call. That’s the call on whether he’s good enough to continue to look at and try to organise a deal and the last call to say yes or no. We will never bring in a player here who the manager doesn’t want in”.
No Strikers???
Rodgers bought 3 strikers and has no faith in any of them – even in a cup semi final !
What top manager do you think will come manage Liverpool without demanding 150 plus million to spend on players and a massive wage plus paying out Rodgers contract? Probably no one. The $215 million pounds that was spent is really $150 million pounds with the sale of Suarez and a lot of these new players are young and need a season to adjust, these players will be better next season. Oh yeah, the experience Rodgers and his back room staff take on for next season will be the ‘not so good’ season of 2014/2015. That will make Rodgers a better manager.
His annual poor start? He’s had 3 seasons, one of which we went 5 wins on the bounce? Tactical acumen sounds good, but his tactics were spot on last season. No one is suggesting this season hasn’t been a step backwards, but last year surely proves he is a very good manager. His transfer record leaves an awful lot to be desired, and is arguably the one area where improvement is most required. As the author of this piece states, verbal gymnastics are largely irrelevant, and he has done more than enough to deserve one more year.
As the author of this piece states, verbal gymnastics are largely irrelevant, and he has done more than enough to deserve one more year.
He would except for the fact that Klopp is available. Is there anyone anywhere, who doesn’t have their head up their butt, who can tell me Rodgers is a better manager than Klopp?
Klopp being available and Klopp wanting the job are two completely different things. How many managers of any repute would work under the organisational and financial restraints Rodgers has, especially with the current disproportionate levels of expectancy at Liverpool? Not a lot, I would suggest.
What’s with the notion that Klopp is necessarily an upgrade.
How is he doing with Dortmund this year? Oh yeah, they were in the relegation places up until the winter break. Currently, they are in 7th place – 13 points above last place, 33 points behind Bayern and 15 points off the final Champions League spot.
What about the quality of the Bundesliga? One superclub (Bayern) at the top and then Dortmund jostling at top of the next tier. It’s not like Dortmund are minnows – and have spent big money in the past few seasons (e.g. Immobile, Mkhitaryan). How would Klopp cope with having a substantially lower budget than the Big 4 here.
But Klopp has won titles and got Dortmund to a Champions League final? True but some make the argument that he did this when Bayern were in disarray; that he only has one way of playing – the high-pressing, energy-intensive style – and doesn’t have a plan B when it doesn’t work/players don’t fully buy in (hence this season’s troubles); and that he has been a a manager/coach for some 14 years.
I’m not saying Klopp might not be an upgrade but it is far from the certainty that most seem to think it is. People seem to beguiled by foreigners sometimes and assume they must be good based solely on a winning record (remember the hoopla over signing Balotelli anyone?) without appreciating the context and that coming to a new league with a new culture and language requires time and patience – something that most Liverpool fans no longer appear to have.
In fact, the hysteria and revisionism around Rodgers right now is f**king disgraceful – a bunch of entitled whingers. We haven’t won the league for 25 years yet, to listen to some, we are different because we are LFC (keep it going and in 10-20 years, we can have a pint in the corner with Tottenham and Everton to drown our sorrows about being a big club). To hear it being told now, last season’s success was actually due to Suarez rather than the manager. Except for losing (that’s right, not “not winning”) the title, which was his responsibility because of the way he set up against Chelsea (let’s not focus on Ba’s fortuitous goal changing the whole complexion of the game and enabling Chelsea to keep parking the bus). People can’t have both ways – giving him no credit for the good things and then making him responsible for anything bad. Did the manager get Steven Gerrard sent off against Man United after 46 seconds – we still had the whole of the second half to play but that rash act pretty much did us in? Did he make Raheem Sterling do an interview with the BBC on the Thursday before the Arsenal game? Did he sell Luis Suarez? And hobble Sturridge for effectively the whole season? As the article points out, he has made mistakes but there is so much more that has happened beyond his control and the credit for last season is enough to see if it can be replicated again next season with all the necessary resources. If not, then time for a change but until then, I’ll be supporting the manager.
Everyone has an opinion, and I respect them all, from those who back up their argument and you do make fair ones. But, you say “what is the guarantee the players brought in are a step up”. What guarantee does a new manager give us? Who would we attract for that matter?
Obviously I am “currently” pro-Rodgers, he has brought us closer to winning the league than anybody has in the time I have watched Liverpool play, around 20 years. Coupled with the most exciting football I have ever seen us play. He’s had 3 seasons, and yes has and is making mistakes but I do think he learns from them. For me we have, Season 1: time for him to get his feet under the table with someone else’s squad. Season 2: The best season we have had in years, both nearly winning the league, the goals and the performances to come with it. Season 3: Poor to Average.
Due to this and the lack of available options I think we would be best to stick with him for at least 1 more season and see how it goes.
It’s not a defence of Rodgers, it’s a condemnation of nobheads.
Both Manchester clubs were 37 points ahead of us when Rodgers took over and they’ve both spent far more than the £215m on players we have since then. They also have wage budgets that dwarf ours. We weren’t remotely competitive with either club before Rodgers came in and now we are, despite operating on a fraction of the resources.
If failing to finish consistently ahead of teams with vastly superior resources is deemed a sackable offence then we’re going to be having a lot of different managers over the coming years, as we search for the miracle worker fans are desperately clamouring for.
In reference to Frankies comment above: and what happens if Brendan has a great start to next season and we are top by Christmas? Do you go silent again? And if he then has another bad spell do you get ur sharpened knife out again?
I hope he has a great start and that we win the league next season.
That’s how these morons think.
A well written piece that won’t sit nice with the Rodgers Out crew, mostly because it makes sense. The amount I’ve had to unfollow is ridiculous I can’t stand this “fraud” bullshit. Lots forget the grass isn’t anyways greener. World class “managers” need a world class budget with world class players. So The other lesser managers have to turn water into wine to compete. FSG are getting away with this and haven’t helped their man, who they brought in to win the lge. They must change their policy of biting for resale for buying for winning plus longevity.
Buying for resale
“A well written piece that won’t sit nice with the Rodgers Out crew, mostly because it makes sense. ”
Do you realize how totally offensive that statement is?
It is a well-written and well-argued piece. It is precisely aimed at the IRRATIONAL “Rodgers Out” folks. It’s also aimed at irrational supporters, period.
I am on the “let’s get someone better in, if available” camp. Still, there are “Rodgers out” folks whose statements and so-called logic make me cringe.
I find the ‘no strikers (who can regularly score goals’ argument in support of Rodgers a bit peculiar. Anyone who argues that Rodgers has so deployed the personnel available to get the most/best out of his available strikers is at the very least stretching the facts, if not outright lying. In addition, people turn on players simply because Brendan Rodgers doesn’t seem to fancy them or doesn’t use them consistently or they do not produce. Whenever players play well, it’s mostly Brendan’s doing. If they don’t, it’s THEIR fault. If he doesn’t use them, it’s THEIR fault. If he uses them regularly, even if they’re stinking up the place, people make excuses for them.
If you have Balotelli, Borini and Lambert available and your best option at CF is Sterling and Coutinho as a false 9 then, I am sorry, you’re not a very good manager and it is your fault. If you practically never pair Borini and Balotelli as a 2 ST partnership and adjust the remaining formation and personnel accordingly, it’s your fault. If you treat Borini as a pariah, and he doesn’t perform like Fowler whenever you ‘remember’ him, it’s your fault. If you use Gerrard as DLPM without Sturridge (and obviously Suarez) and your team fails both in attack and in defense, it’s your fault. If you leave Lucas off the match-day squad while he’s fit and available, it’s your fault. If you have Sakho available and you choose to accommodate Lovren instead, it’s your fault. If you set up your corner kick defense and it sucks and you persist with it and it sucks again, it’s your fault. If you select the players and then you say stupidities like “we lacked that wee bit of quality in the final third”, it’s your fault.
It’s not FSG’s fault, it’s not the Committee’s fault, it’s not the supporters’ fault, it’s not anybody else’s fault. It’s your fault.
This is brilliant. So much negativity in some fans. I hate it. The power of positive thinking cannot be denied.
Whoever sanctioned Balotelli needs firing. Evolution. Strengthen the herd. Get rid of the clown mostly responsible for the £16m fraud. It probably isn’t Rodgers.
He spent £73M on attacking players alone last summer and £110M in total. He just spent it badly and most of it in Hampshire. And this argument that he isn’t the key man here is contradicted by himself:
MAY 2013: “There is absolutely no way a player will come in here if I don’t want him. I will always be the first person it comes to. That’s not being arrogant, that’s how we operate here and how it works in this country. It’s very clear: anyone we sign will be because I want him here.”
MAY 2014: “The principle idea when I first came in was that I will have the first call on a player and the last call. That’s the call on whether he’s good enough to continue to look at and try to organise a deal and the last call to say yes or no. We will never bring in a player here who the manager doesn’t want in”.
The only restriction is in order to be FFP compliant and avoid the likes of Joe Cole earning £110,000 pw.
Nice one, Gareth, I agree with all of this article. Why people take the slightest notice of what a manager says to the media is beyond me.
So many mitigating circumstances that have contributed to the current average season. The loss of one of Europe’s best strikers, a psychological, emotional and physical hangover from a season in which we went so close. The injuries to to the prolific Daniel Sturridge. New players having to settle in to a new city, a new team and new life. Not replacing the goals – Which should be a a collective responsibility of the club from Henry down to the Manager.
Memories are short, it wasn’t long ago road resembled the arrival of the pope before the last home games of the season.
Based on all of the above alone…Rogers deserves a season with all his tools at his disposal. Fuck we don’t know how good we have it.
That’s a Boss article Robbo.
We have all failed to mention thate fact that Rodgers “great” performance last season was HUGELY due to us not being in Europe and quickly exiting the domestic cups thereby having more than enough time to cope with EPL.
Also note that majority of the RodgersOut army actually like the guy. But when you stubbornly refuse to play 2 strikers, stubbornly play players out of position and when even Gerrard subliminally implies that you’re not that good when he called your opponent the best manager, then you know that change is a good thing at this moment in time. Markovic, rightback, Can, defence, Ibe, rightback, Hendo nowhere. Have faith in this manager AT YOUR PERIL!
Also note that majority of the RodgersOut army actually like the guy.
It was either here, or another site, that the overwhelming number of people wanted Rodgers out only because Klopp was available. I bet a lot of them would say keep Rodgers if Klopp, for what ever reason, will not come to Anfield. Am I a fan of Rodgers? Not really. But if Klopp isn’t in the cards then he’s the best we can do right now. Besides, does anyone really think Carlo Ancelotti is a possibility?
Can’t help thinking if we had bought a decent striker we’d be sitting 3rd or 4th right now and Rodgers wouldn’t be receiving anywhere near as much abuse.
The restrictions put upon him by FSG and the transfer committee is inhibiting our success. By a lot of accounts he wanted Bony but we wouldn’t spend the money. By scrimping on a few mil we’ve done ourselves out of CL football and 10s of millions. Also hurt us with future recruitment. It’s a false economy!
But we spent the money on Lallana, Lovren and Markovic? Hmm.
I can only really speak for myself here but when he signed those 3 lads I certainly wasnt complaining.
My memory might be slipping but also cant remember lots of supporters complaining over those particular signings.
Hindsight is always 20/20.
So when Rodgers says something people agree with that’s bollocks, too? Like when he says he wants to win trophies and such?
He took off our only match winner in a game we had to win and brought on a defensive midfielder. He gives a reason which, if true, makes him look like a loser and an imbecile. So we can’t believe what he says and instead have to read through the entrails of another dead season.
Defenders of Rodgers have morphed into apologists, who dismiss the dismal failures of this season, most recently insipid performances against West Brom and Hull (!?), with stirring shouts of “Wait til last season!!”
We can do better.
We can do better.
I think this article has actually less to do with the manager than it does loyalty or even blind faith. When does loyalty end and stupidity take over? Personally I am not and have never been convinced that BR is a Liverpool manager – he has at every part of his career had too much to say.
And then of course we knew Suarez was leaving but we still failed to cover this eventuality sufficiently. Rather than buying MB I’d rather he persevered with what we had and keep £16m + wages in the bank ready for a better opportunity. Oh and DS has a cast iron reputation for being injured so we already knew better cover was needed.
So much points to lack of planning. The investment levels are good but have a team of squad players at the moment and we are crying out for long term quality.
I don’t want to finish 5th – it isn’t good enough from a club with such a deep and painful history. Spectators finaciallyvcripple themselves to pay to travel and get into grounds. The brand is worth more worldwide than all of the clubs above us in the league. Stuff 5th; we are just plain underperforming.
Truth is BR is behind his own schedule. The team has little coherence and some of the tactics displayed this season reek of feckless panic.
And one more word form Stirling and he should be consigned for the next year to driving the lawn mower at Mellwood. Love or Loathe him but Ferguson wouldn’t have put up with this crap from anyone.
The manager gets paid the big bucks, drills the team, does the thinking and issues instructions. 5 different formations in the game against Villa and we still looked hapless. If BR won’t take responsibility then whose fault is it?
Oh and by the way beautifully written atricle
How much of not replacing Suarez do you think has to do with Rodgers? I mean really, which manager is not going to want a world class striker. It is surely down to the priorities of the transfer strategy, which led to the decision to get Remy in and gamble on Sturridge staying fit, and use the Suarez money to build the squad.
He should have just gone down the supermarket and purchased a world class striker with his own credit card
He spent £73M on attacking players last summer and about £110M in total. That’s more than enough to squeeze 10 goals out of at least one of them.
It’s the owners who are the real problem for me. No ambition, no drive to be the best. Silence from Boston. Rodgers getting the job is a symptom of the FSG cheap punt approach to the club.
He talks too much, we all know this. We weren’t too bothered last season though, were we? It’s all about winning games of football.
Things that bother me about Rodgers interviews? Building himself up and hanging players out to dry. The constant briefing against a clearly injured Daniel Sturridge has really pissed me off, but I guess it could be coming from someone other than the manager. Would it bother me if we were winning? Yeah, but I’d probably forgive him. Someone at the club needs to have a word, though.
He talks too much, Kenny grunted too much, Rafa ranted too much, LVG abuses journalist too much, & Jose, well only Jose would get away with what he does. Unfortunately there is no screening process for becoming a “fan”. Any idiot can join. The very fact that the forums they use are silent following successful periods tells you what they are all about, they love the gloom and the attention they get from fellow moaners.
“He talks too much, we all know this. We weren’t too bothered last season though, were we? It’s all about winning games of football.”
Who’s “we”, though? I was bothered last season. And no, it’s not all about winning games of football.
Sadly, though, if/when one does offer critiques after victories, people immediately descend upon him/her for being a negative person, for having it in for Rodgers, etc. Even if the same person is quick to caution against over-reaction and unfair criticism of the manager and players after a draw or a defeat.
Some people actually take the time to watch the game over again specifically to analyze it, to correct their own (usually mistaken) first impressions, to assess the way the team and individual players performed without the anxiety, the ire, the jubilation, in short all the emotions that make us all supporters to begin with. Some of those people are critical of Rodgers and would prefer, were a better manager were available and willing to join, that Rodgers be removed. Some lean towards giving him a few more seasons to work out the kinks, come up with a better, more appropriate way of co-operating with the owners/committee, etc and produce better performances consistently and better results.
The solution to a team relatively undeperforming is not invariably a ‘change in personnel’ (players or manager). Sometimes it is, though.
Not convinced. Statistics can be put up to bolster any argument but fact is the team under-performed this season (at times miserably!) and Rodger’s has failed to meet his key target of qualifying for Europe. How many games were won convincingly? How many were lost in abject fashion? When the crunch came – we bottled it on every single occasion. The performances in Europe were poor. The club will finish 5th but it’s a lucky fifth. Thankfully both Spurs and Soton were just as bad this past month otherwise Liverpool might well be lying in 7th place now.
By what measure has the team underperformed, other than to what you dreamed deep down we could do after last season? If you look at net transfer spend, wages, average starting 11 value, historical position, etc. etc., we’re performing right where we should be. Same analysis applies to other teams.
It’s a shame we’re not the global powerhouse that we once were, but get with the decade: this is the 2010s, not the 1980s. We are dwarfed financially by the clubs above us, and the route back to regular top four finishes is not a sure thing to be expected all the time. Reality bites, but it’s reality. BR has flaws, but he works them out, and the club is moving in the right direction.
Think people find it hard to connect to Brendan Rodgers coz he isn’t the typical siege mentality messianic type Liverpool manager we’ve been used to over the years
We’re used to our manager “getting us”, being one eyed, defending the club and players and everyone to the extreme even to the tune of appearing stupid or delusional. But it’s only because he loves the club as much as we do, or so we know
Rodgers is the rational type that talks like a politician, which is good in a way, but his tendency to pander, make excuses at times and throw people under the bus to save himself is very “unLiverpool manager”, which is probably why people can’t warm to him
Apart from his 5th being par comment and flip flopping/back tracking over past comments I’m alright with him…. until that Gerrard sub standing ovation comment. That was fucking disgraceful, even more on a personal level because I hate Chelsea fans, the most vile, stupid and idiotic creatures on earth
Think people find it hard to connect to Brendan Rodgers coz he isn’t the typical siege mentality messianic type Liverpool manager we’ve been used to over the years.
You know who would be perfect for us then? Simeone!!
Klopp, too, he is probably the biggest managerial personality behind Mourinho, without being the biggest twat
And Rafa, too, loads of big personality messianic managers. Almost all the best ones are like that
To manage Liverpool you need to be like that, otherwise it’s hard to stay here for long. Even Houllier was before his heart problems
Now that would be fun! Love that idea just for the chaos it would bring!
Rodgers was soundly condemned for saying that finishing 5th was “par” for our current team. Klopp, billed as being better than Rodgers in every way, on the other hand, says Dortmund being in 7th is “brilliant”. As a relatively new Liverpool supporter I am constantly disappointed by the unfair treatment of Rodgers – I was drawn to LFC in part because of its traditional of support for its own. I hate seeing the sense of entitlement in LFC supporters that I have come to dislike in United fans over the last 2 years.
Great piece Robo. The ‘virtual finger crack’ was a gem. Soooo funny lar
The long story short so far in favour of Rodgers is ; we’ve missed out on all BR’s main transfer targets (and we can all name them) barr the odd exception. He has repeatedly had to reset his sights for 2nd or even 3rd choice dross and that just doesn’t cut it in the Premier League. You have to fight fire power with fire power if you genuinely mean business.
All the idiots out there should be careful what they wish for because there isn’t the Managers out there who would come to LFC who could match BRs track record, when you take into account all mitigating facts.
I hope Brendan pays his £5 and tunes in to TAW cos there’s loads of sense said and written and the message boards are generally very positive.
So with that said alls I’d say to Brendan is carry on the good work, get mean with FSG and get rid of the committee. And withstanding the usual mandatory press conferences, SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!
The Manager joins the Exec Meeting re the Seasons performance and the CEO says”we failed to meet our targets'(e.g. 4th and a cup) and then each director presents his report as to the ‘extenuating circumstances’ as to why. The performance/lack of by key players is discussed and the success of the scouting/negotiating and acquisitions panel reviewed. Brendan says…..’I read TAW and they generally want me to stay and have told me how to fix it.’
They set their action plan for the summer….in spite of this..their budgets for wages/signings and targets for next year based on the money available. “Do the best you can Brendan but if we are not achieving our mid season targets by December we may need to take emergency action……and keep the PR positive”
Its a business plan……thats life. So lets enjoy every nail biting head scratching minute……..but please….please…..pray they make scoring more goals than the other team our simple ‘mantra’
Ken
Great article. Agree with pretty much all of it.
Personally I would be happier if Rodgers didn’t have quite so much to say for himself, but I am not going to fume about a few misjudged remarks.
It is amazing how sensitive some fans are to this; getting willfully upset about any perceived misjudged comments and getting all sensitive on behalf of the players they see Rodgers as having slighted, players Rodgers has “thrown under a bus!” (hyperbole?!), players, mind you, that a large body of fans have slaughtered mercilessly.
Football is a results business and as such you are measured on results.
As a business its the bottom line which MONEY and the MONEY has not been spent well.
In the article you posted Steven’s public statement that FSG need to spend MONEY so the business can get the results.
ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE LOGIC HERE?
The clubs that have spent the MONEY to support the business of results are the ones in the Champions League places.
ERGO if you don’t spend the MONEY on the business you wont get the results.
It’s not that complicated and no amount of comment will change the material facts of that.
Another excellent piece by Gareth. Thanks.
The thing is: Why does anyone even care about what a bunch of probably mostly 16 to 20-yr-old spoiled brats on Twitter say? They have no real life experience; very little or no historical perspective; mostly only repeat over and over other people’s sound bites because they have little or no critical thinking skills; judge everything by their fantasy view of football learned through playing video games; waffle between blindly idolising some players and viciously slating and abusing others; embarrass themselves by direct-Tweeting blatantly ridiculous (and even offensive) comments to the club’s Owner and even to his wife; and desperately try to impress their equally moronic followers by who can get the highest number of Favs and RTs.
The emerging generation, folks.
Seriously, why would any rational, sensible person even take any of it seriously? Follow them for a while and you quickly discover they live with their parents, don’t have jobs, spend a large amount of time thinking about and actually wanking, are wasting time on Twitter instead of revising, and probably have never actually been to Anfield. Most can barely write a sentence.
The emerging generation, folks. Sadly, they have co-opted the narrative, and the media crowdsources their nonsense. Fortunately, there are still people like Gareth who have the eloquence and skill to expose the folly, and The Anfield Wrap provides a place for it.
Difficult this one, no proper evidence of progression, 5th in an incredibly poor season for everyone – Utd 4th with their worst team (Moyes aside) in a decade.
The Brodge has a very nasty habit of shooting his mouth off at precisely the wrong time … easy way to lose a section of the support.
Klopp MIGHT do better – that’s actually pretty good odds for a new manager …
I guess it is possible to suggest that a manager who even accepts the presence of a transfer committee gets what he deserves, and the signings have been abject – Sturridge and Coutinho aside – so a big negative there…
I’ll probably find a way to rationalize a decision either way …
So those are your arguments in defense of Rodgers against the crazy twitter folk, they’re crazy, they hate him for his teeth, they want him to win the league.
But how about us in the middle? The ones who have been seriously dissapointed, broken-hearted even, at numerous points this season and with the most realistic expectations possible. What about us, who were all about BR last season, believing he’s the next …you know, and now feel like fools for dreaming bigger and are now rightfully questioning everything?
All I expected from this season was a top4 finish. As soon as Suarez bit Chiellini, I went from dreaming of a final in Berlin, to just wanting for the club to make sure they continue to be in the CL, to continue to build, to be Arsenal (and I’m aware of TAW’s stance on just going for the league and nothing else, but that’s ridiculous to me, be Seville, be Arsenal, be Atletico Madrid, step by step).
Buying Balotelli felt wrong, I never wanted him, thinking he was a bad fit from the of. We can talk about transfer committees and policies, and that’s fine, I’ll cut BR slack on that one, but think about this: wouldn’t the right manager be able to say to whoever was pressuring from above “listen this guy isn’t what the team needs, my striker does this this and this so don’t force a player I can’t work with on me”, couldn’t he have had his scouts find him a no-name Brazilian or whatever, a striker who plays on the shoulder, a Sturridge?
But OK, move on. By the 3-0 loss to Utd, I was fine with the top4 being over with. I wanted us to focus on the cups, the EL most of all. He turns it around with the 3-4-3 and by the time he’s resting people at Besiktas, I’m so confused about it that I feel it’s fine, we can make top4, we’re in, it’s in our hands (hindsight, big mistake).
Then comes Utd. One game. One game and we’re in. We win it, I’m positive we would have made top4, argue all you like, United’s form proves it. It was the one game, get your players and tactics right for this one thing, make it the biggest game of their lives. Did he do it?
So we lose. Then comes Arsenal, another loss. I was fine with it. I think Arsenal are a lot better than us at the moment, I can take it. There’s still the FA cup. A trophy will do nicely, it’ll make winners of this team. There’s the Gerrard fairytale. Make Villa the biggest game of their lives. What happens? He brings Balotelli on at 1-1 and we revert to everything that didn’t work, that made the season the miserable failure it is. We go long, Villa (fucking Villa) dominates us, and the cup is gone. Season over.
So what next? In my opinion, the right manager doesn’t start talking about on par seasons and lost players. He looks at the fixture list. LFC has WBA, Hull, Newcastle. Utd has Chelsea, Everton, WBA (later Arsenal too). And then he throws every kitchen sink he can find at making up the difference on Utd. What BR does is play Balotelli two games running, and loses 5 points to WBA and Hull. We could’ve had a point on Utd before this round you know.
And now yesterday against Chelsea, we played out an exhibition game. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool. The performance was alright, because it was an exhibition game. Mourinho played us for fools. You think bringing on Matic tells you something about how good we were, so all’s fine. Give Brendan strikers and we’re dreaming again. Well, I wanted the kitchen sink thrown at Chelsea yesterday. I wanted us to win or die. Lucas on for Gerrard, so he can get an ovation. WTF? Next week when Arsenal beat United and we win againt Palace (it’s Stevie’s last home game, we really have to win it), with a win against Chelsea it could’ve been a point between us, and then we could’ve had a reasonable hope of Hull who will be fighting for their PL status, their wages, their manager, their fans, everyting, will get a draw against a United side who can barely scrape past Palace and can’t do the likes of WBA, or loses 3-0 to Everton. Instead, we’re infinitely 5th, the most 5th side in the league, or whatever.
Where does that leave BR? Do you think he did everything he could this season? Do you think there was more to be done? Could more of an effort have been put into it all? Is BR the right man for the job? I’m not sure.
I have serious doubts over BR. And when you add the insignifact things that the RodgersOut people unreasonably level against him, it makes for a bad feeling in my stomach. And when you turn my head towards Klopp, I dream of a different Liverpool.
All I expected from this season was a top4 finish.
Isn’t this the real key though? Even losing Suarez we should still have been able to finish 4th. Manure is still a mess and they managed to pip us. Does anyone think they’ll finish outside the top 4 for a few years? Chelsea and Arsenal certainly aren’t going anywhere. So what does that leave? City? The point being is that we’re going to continue to fall further behind unless something is done. If we had at least finished 4th this year then it would offer hope and give the appearance that better things are indeed coming. Now? People will say it was just a fluke thanks to Suarez.
A very good view of what has gone wrong and Rodgers has clearly made mistakes in his selections and the players have mysteriously not turned up or had any idea how to break through the opposition(e.g. MU and Hull). So how much is it tactical mistakes by the manager or application by the players. Working formations and tactics seems to be an experimental process that BR applies as a ‘try this’ ‘try that’ approach. it may have scientific roots but is dependent on players getting the playing unit to work. Two problems struck me and your analysis. Firstly the midfield unit isn’t stable enough. Without Lucas it can be over-run. Secondly we can’t get our final pass right…..and someone on the end of them. We need a runner in the channels and a goal hanger that thinks ahead of defenders.
Correcting these issue would transform us into a side to easily match Arsenal and perhaps MC and Chelsea.
Yes BR needs to perform better and more consistently but so to do the players. They know their tactical strengths. It is fine saying Chelsea were in testimonial mood, but they set out not to lose (as has been the case all season) and you can only play what is in front of you. The cardinal sin was the way we played at Hull (West Ham, Palace etc). It has happened to Utd (Everton) and City(Burnley) but not Chelsea. We need to not only add those 3/4 key players to the squad but to hone the tactics. Changing managers will only confuse the hell out of everybody……unless we recruited Tim Sherwood…..I wonder how long before he gets found out?
Agree with this but hey we are cnuts for not going with the flow and questioning whether BR is the man for us.
My thoughts EXACTLY. The thing that gets me most is the end of season capitulation. Dreaming about next season and looking for scapegoats instead of fighting blood and guts to the end. Not showing up for pivotal games and talking about tomorrow when today was staring you right in the face. That is not the mentality of a winner that fights to the end and wins in critical moments. That mentality suggests a man looking for excuses to save himself rather than facing up to the challenge. That ‘save your own arse’ mentality is Hodgson-llike and the hallmark of a bluffer.
Made the sub so Gerrard could get a standing ovation, really? I thought it was because Chelsea were charging through centre mid without much of a challenge, Lucas coming on appeared to sort that problem.
I dont even use twitter…
Home games
Astonvilla (0-1 Loss)
Hull (0-0 Draw)
Sunderland (0-0 Draw)
Liecester (2-2 Draw)
Basel (1-1 Draw) (We seriously needed the win)
Blackburn (0-0) Draw
Bolton (0-0) Draw
Everton (1-1) Draw
United (1-2) Loss
Madrid (0-3) Loss (In 15 minutes, how fucking embaressing)
Yep he ”deserves” another season
Now lets look at some awful away games
Westham (3-1 Loss)
Newcastle (1-0 Loss)
Hull (1-0 Loss)
Palace (3-1 Loss)
Westbrom (0-0)
Basel (1-0 Loss)
Ludogorets (2-2 Draw)
Astonvilla (2-1 Loss) (SEMI Final) Looked like a pre season friendly how our players were playing)
QPR (3-2 Win) QPR could have easily been leading 4-0 at halftime.
Looking at it, he doesnt deserve another season. A good manager would get his team to beat those team and do much better.. I can accept a defeat to United away or city or Arsenal home and away but look at the list i just wrote, i probably forgot many games as well, it’s just not acceptable no matter how much you like BR.
Gar your my fave writer bar none but the only thing your right about here is the constant nit picking. personally Im in the corner of suarez carried the club on his back last year and everyone else was along for the ride, including Rodgers.
Its the same on our site, every week is a personality contest for him and its boring as fuck. personally Id rather talk about players playing out of position, a real lack of leadership and just what cunt or cunts are really accountable for blowing all the money last year.
Instead we get handjobs from the likes of James Pearce rolling out absolute party line fucking nonsense with just about every cunting excuse possible and Id suggest before we start asking the fans (paying ones at that) to reign it in, yous start calling BR and one or two others on the sanctimonious shit they come out with.
Im not convinced he will ever win everyone over let alone win any silverware and if he was sacked tomorrow I dont really think anybody would be that gutted.
leave you with this though, as for him not being at a Hodgson level of bullshit buffonery, for the short time hes been here, hes giving him a run for his money.!!!!!!!
Kev
Kev you are an example of the expletive based commentators that can’t back any of what you say with reason. But TAW has to accept it takes all sorts to make up a fan base. good and bad. That’s life…..but some of us will support the club until it becomes obvious to us and the owners that change has to happen. The investment cycle in Rodgers and the players hasn’t yet reached judgement day but this time next year they all know must bring reward or change.
Fair enough. Not arsed about the bullshit that all managers are guilty of. And I don’t disagree with your points that some of out fans are whoppers. But be honest, is he the right man for Liverpool?
I’ve been behind him up until now really. I only questioned his position after the Villa game and that was cos Klopp was looking for a new club.
He proved himself last season. This season has been poor. We shouldn’t be pleased with the 5th placed position as this league is not very good and those big game losses are adding up, I can see a trend.
Utd have been poor again this year, again, there for the taking. They’ll not be next.
He can’t stick on a formation or a strategy. We don’t know how we’re going to score. No threat and the opposition know it. I don’t see him getting any better now. I don’t see the fans getting any more behind him and I don’t see any big players wanting to sign for him.
We want to be in the Champions League, but he is massively out of his depth, even against mediocre european outfits in the Europa he is shown up. I really can see things getting worse next season and if FSG think the same and they don’t back him with money in the summer (can you see them after last summer?) then everyone will know he is a dead man walking. Realistically will he be here by Xmas?
Realistically, if he’s still here for the beginning of next season then, ipso facto, he’ll still
be here at Christmas, because by then all horses worth backing will
have moved to other stables.
Rodgers is not a manager. He is a good assistant coach, but that’s about it. He has no balls, no authority, no charisma, no leadership skills. He embraces mediocrity by praising horrendous performances by his team. You can take Rodgers out of Swansea, but you can never Ever take Swansea out of Rodgers. As such, no marquee player would want to sign with LFC until the perpetual lower is in charge. And I don’t blame them. On the other hand, hiring Klopp could attract lots of talent
Really good article /column.
Football views are often polarised. It’s rare to see people reach that middle ground as this article does. People seem to want to side with either he’s done good or he’s done bad when in reality both apply. Same with it’s Rodgers fault, it’s FSG’s fault, it’s the transfer committee’s fault. Again, it’s all of theirs, why choose one over the other?
But that’s irrelevant really. The level of bile being spoken by Liverpool fans this season has genuinely shocked me. It was like a feeding frenzy on Twitter yesterday, all feeding off a few scraps. Some people need to give their head a wobble. In this case, hating is counter productive.
#bestfansintheworld #YNWA
FSG provided the Transfer Committee with £120 million to spend in the last close season. They allowed excessive transfer fees for Lallana, Lovren, Markovic, Moreno. Even Balotelli, seeing nobody else would touch him. Why is it their fault?
A couple of things to point out here. Firstly, I’m trying to get away from apportioning blame or fault. As I said above, others might look for one guilty party but I think our season is a result of a combination of things. I feel for FSG a little in the blame game. I think they were prepared to let us use our money for a Sanchez move and we paid good money for a defender and midfielder but ultimately, the players we got weren’t that good and the reason is we won’t pay them competitive wages. The difference between Lallana and one of the brilliant £30m buys the others in the top 4 seem to get is not £5m but wages. With losing Suarez, the tv money, the CL qualification we should have got Sanchez at almost any cost. We don’t know what happened but I’m a firm believer in no smoke…We’ve seen it, what, 10 times now? We’ve lost out on some decent players too. Some that were definitely obtainable. Look, I know how you think but we lost a golden chance in the summer and I’d guess our offer was too ‘shrewd’. As a side note, offering Skrtel a pay as you play deal was insulting too. Who does that to first teamers? The transfer committee had it’s hands tied in their brief but probably made mistakes and Rodgers had his hands tied yet probably made mistakes. If you want to blame Rodgers for everything then go ahead. It’s not my issue.
With you there. The amount of vitriol towards the club/players/manager at times this season has been pretty worrying. Everyone associated with the club has to take some responsibility for the way the season has panned out. For me the players get away with murder at times but apart from the odd individual very rarely get called to account.
Support wise – Anfield of late is awful – I am on row 31 and it used to be lively many rows below me but now in the main its many rows behind, just loads of people moaning or keeping quite. Whilst a player/manager is in situ I will do my best to get behind them or keep quite.
In the close season we are likely to shed;
Balotelli, Borini, Lambert. Maybe Sterling. Plus Sturridge will be unavailable. Gerrard, Toure (plus some rumours say Lucas is probably bound for Inter), Johnson, Manquillo, Enrique, Jones. Flanagan’s career looks to be stalled if not ended. That’s a lot of squad players plus a shitload of wages. So who will replace them? The only certainty is Divock, who is no Fowler or Fowler. We have been chronically unable to attract ‘stars’, and even the also-rans we targeted turned us down for powerhouses like Spurs. We need to recruit more than just ‘two reliable goal scorers, and we need to target discreetly. Rodgers is not the only one who needs to shut the fuck up. We are ‘reliably’ reported to be following just about every effing player in Europe. Worryingly, someone -or several ones – at LFC seems to be obsessed with ‘exciting wingers’. Like Assaidi?
Jesus Kev. It’s quarter to 2 and I’ve got to be up at 7 yet I’ve just spent 10 mins replying to your question above. Then I read this comment and see you’ve just answered the question you asked. Nice one for letting me know.
“We have been chronically unable to attract ‘stars’, and even the also-rans we targeted turned us down for powerhouses like Spurs”.
Why is that? And, does that make a difficult job a lot harder for Rodgers?
But SOMEBODY is inching up our wages offer to Sterling (who seems to me to want out.) How many times do you exercise brinkmanship before you fall over the cliff?
Go to bed, Robin of Chester, before you say something you might regret…
Haha. Nice to see you putting your name to your comments now.
Not ‘or Fowler’. Torres.
I Like TAW. It’s balanced. It’s also positive. It helps get it right when assessing Rodgers as manager.
This piece isn’t balanced. It’s as out of kilter as the negative attitudes it refers to.
It’s all about striking options apparently. It ignores that the three we have had – Lambert, Borini and Balotelli – have all been one in two or three throughout their careers at numerous other clubs. The issue is that Rodgers is too tactically limited and inexperienced to get this out of them.
You are right of course. He’s messed up this season, especially when you look at how bad united have been but it’s the glee and vitriol that seems out of kilter. Maybe, we’ll get Klopp and I would love that but we were rubbish for almost 5 years and Rogers deserves some respect in my book, despite his annoying flaws and often bewildering decisions, for making us truly relevant again. We were 8th when he came in and had to go back to 2009 to recognise a time when we were a threat. He’s had one half and half first season, where he improved us immensely after Christmas and took us up a place to seventh, then a wonder season (of which he was both the architect and sadly the demolition man – Chelsea, tactics, one draw and the title was ours), now this crazy season, without our best player for almost all of it and he still took us to fifth. The planning was wrong, we needed a fast striker but still, fifth is not a disaster. Now I want fsg to buy one or two big players, Lacazette would be good and pay the wages because that’s the real difference. As I said, I don’t ‘get’ the vitriol – he may be a knob sometimes but he’s not done badly.
Complete and utter bollocks
The Anfield Wrap is becoming an apologist for Rodgers ( oh and an inverted snobbery type of whipping machine for Steven Gerrard- listen to the latest podcast – Fifth)
I can’t be arsed going into great detail but just one point where you try and defend Rodgers over signings
Do you really think he has no say in the signings?
. Rodgers bought three Strikers and now refuses to play them – even in Cup Semi Finsls and other games we have to win
Great article Gareth.
I’ve supported our club for over 30 years now, despite being a southerner. Times have changed and it is Fair to highlight the last few seasons. Rogers talks rubbish, so what? Isn’t there something to be said for the fact that he’s Actually got us to the point where we Can be genuinely upset at not challenging? A good thing surely (don’t call me Shirley). Before Brendan, for all his faults, we had become a Mid table side. We weren’t even top of the mini 2nd league. Yes, some transfer cash may prove to be badly spent (Lovren, Moreno, Markovic – could still all do well, Lallana Will do well, Can too). But it’s not the gross spend, it’s wages we either can’t or won’t compete on. I like Klopp but if not then give BR another year without the Stevie weight. I’ve never understood the constant digs, personal ones too. Good for him if he wants to spend his dosh on making his teeth to look better and to lose weight, get in shape, if I was on the telly every week I might do the same. Whatever happens next, and it’s only been a bad season in comparison to last year’s brilliant but unsustainable adventure, we should support him, he’s done better than Kenny, Hodge and Rafa’s last season (where admittedly the poor guy was frazzled from being forced into an alliance with Hicks – is he still sitting by that fireside? Wonder what his kids use those LFC shirts for – dog blankets?
Anyway, the vitriol and the actual Glee has really got me down because I’ve always believed we really were the best and we supporters are part of the true Magic (real magic, not plastic) of this club. We even gave Woy a chance…. for a bit!