AFTER what has felt like months of speculation (it’s been two-and-a-half weeks…), the manager situation has finally been put to bed. Brendan Rodgers will remain as Liverpool boss… for now.
There had apparently been leaks of information — something which seems to happen an inordinate amount at Liverpool these days — that Rodgers was safe, but something just didn’t feel right about it all.
Why did the owners make him sweat on it for half a month if they had no intention of sacking him? Why did Tom Werner feel the need to come to England to do his review when he couldn’t be arsed doing the same for Steven Gerrard’s last game? And, perhaps most curious of all, why wasn’t Rodgers sacked when Kenny Dalglish, who had just won a cup and been to an FA Cup final, was?
What has been especially odd about it all has been the timing. Not just that it’s taken this long and that it was leaked to journalists at roughly the same time as Sepp Blatter’s resignation (how convenient), but almost the entire timeline.
For those who wanted Rodgers out in the immediate aftermath of Stoke City 6 Liverpool 1, no news was bad news. For better or worse, there was to be no reactionary sacking to that humiliation. It was going to come down to the infamous end-of-season review.
However, early indications from sources said to be close to FSG were that Rodgers’ job wasn’t even going to be in question, let alone on the line at the review.
Just after the season had ended, there were cries for the manager’s head, but online polls seemed to have the fans split at roughly 60-40 against Rodgers, taking into account a few thousand desperately tragic opposition football fans who like to skew the results.
It was perhaps right that the owners were going to let a cooler head prevail. Potential replacements hadn’t even finished in their current roles, there was no need to rush what was going to be a massive decision.
However, two weeks later and not only had the fans who wanted Rodgers out not relented from their stance, but they’d been joined by roughly an extra 20 per cent. New polls recently were showing it was now 80-20 in favour of change. Whatever your own opinion was, that’s toxic — particularly when you consider that a poll in Madrid suggested that 65 per cent of Real fans wanted Carlo Ancelotti to stay before he was dismissed.
As well as Rodgers’ failings last season, a major reason people wanted change was the potential to replace him with someone of the ilk of Ancelotti or hipsters’ favourite Jurgen Klopp. This is where the story started to get very curious.
In the media, Rodgers’ position went from ‘not in question’, to ‘vulnerable’. Odds shifted significantly, too. A few days ago there was a story leaked that Rodgers was definitely safe, but then the German media went with a story that Klopp would be interested in the Anfield hot seat should he be offered it, in spite of stories that he wanted to take a sabbatical. Exactly the same regarding Ancelotti came from the Spanish media, or in particular, the Madrid media.
Unsurprisingly, stories the next day were that Rodgers’ position was now under serious threat. Tongues were wagging up and down the land and across the world, with Liverpool fans in the main salivating at the prospect of either the German or the Italian being in the Reds’ dugout come August.
Speculation reached fever pitch when the very reliable Jonathan Northcroft of the Sunday Times reported that the Liverpool hierarchy were indeed considering other options, including Klopp, if after the review they decided a change was necessary.
On Monday, Klopp confirmed that he was to take a break from football. A day later, and Rodgers’ safety is confirmed, and mere minutes after, Ancelotti tweeted saying that he’d turned down a return to Milan to take some time off.
Could it be that FSG have given Rodgers his last warning, knowing that should they need to pull the trigger halfway through the season, they may have a well rested Klopp and/or Ancelotti to choose from? Or are they merely backing the man they hired or, more to the point, their own decision to hire him in the first place?
There will be a thousand different stories on what really went on, but the timing of it all was a little too coincidental. Maybe they didn’t fancy Klopp, who has just come off a very trying season himself, or Ancelotti, who would surely have kicked up a bit of a fuss about the transfer setup. Or maybe both indicated they weren’t interested. Or maybe neither were ever contacted or even under consideration in the first place.
Thanks to @acmilan for their support interest. It was hard to say no to such beloved club to me but I need some rest. I wish them the best
— Carlo Ancelotti (@MrAncelotti) June 2, 2015
Something that doesn’t sit right with me is this. The question of the manager’s position was apparently left to the review. This was a meeting between three men, Rodgers, Werner and Mike Gordon. Of that trio, Rodgers outdoes the other two in football knowledge by a significant distance. I just have this scene playing out in my head where they ask Rodgers if he’s the man for the job, he says yes, and they say, “Well you know the game better than we do, so we’ll take your word for it.”
Anyway, what’s done is done. Rodgers stays, but why?
Perhaps it’s his willingness to work with the transfer committee setup. Reports initially suggested that FSG were planning a major overhaul of the committee, and were going to ditch it altogether in favour of their initial plan to have a single Director of Football, which would be a condition that Rodgers would now have to accept after rejecting it when he took over three years ago.
However, recent reports indicate that FSG still have complete faith in the transfer committee set up, in spite of it’s many failings, and that appears to be the most likely scenario. If they had intended on changing the setup, why haven’t they done it already? Why is the club making bids for numerous players presumably selected by said transfer committee? If you make that change you do it in February, not June.
Rodgers had a tremendously big job on his hands when he came in three years ago. Now, if anything, he has even more to do and to prove. He has to convince the vast majority of the fanbase that he can turn things around, and he has to convince a dressing room that appeared to largely hang him out to dry at Stoke that he should be the one managing them.
He also has to get Liverpool playing like Liverpool again.
Talk to anyone about the situation and you’ll get different arguments, opinions and sometimes facts (“Lovren made more errors that led to goals last season than the whole of League One combined!”) but one thing that is constant is that everyone mentions the style and substance of the general play, or lack thereof.
Last season was awful from Spurs away onwards, with the slight turning of the corner between December and March. However, the football still wasn’t anything you could hang your hat on during that time, and the spectacular way in which it all unraveled showed just how flimsy and superficial it had been.
When Rodgers arrived he titillated us with phrases like ‘death by football’ and teams coming to Anfield to face ‘the longest 90 minutes of their lives’. There have been periods during his time in L4 where he’s achieved this, but they’ve been too infrequent and too skin deep. Rodgers needs to give his team an identity, a consistent method of playing that builds a trust in him from his players that it will be enough to beat anyone if they execute it well.
The main thing that will concern me, and should definitely concern Rodgers, is that more so than ever the knives will be out. Just look at the reaction to losing to Manchester United in March. After three months unbeaten, one defeat was enough to turn a large amount of the crowd (admittedly in a crucial game against bitter rivals) against him. The way things are right now, even if he starts the season with 15 straight wins, a defeat against a Newcastle or a Swansea will inevitably bring back the “I told you so! Rodgers out!” comments.
He wanted more coaching time last season. Well this is his chance. After a good rest and chance to clear his head, a pre-season with very little disruption from international tournaments and plenty of time to spend with his players before it all kicks off again in mid-August, Rodgers has no excuses. If he can’t make a team out of these lads in those circumstances, he can’t do it at all.
Transfers will be crucial, they always are, and the strong links so far to Milner, Ings, Clyne and Benteke are, to me at least, somewhat underwhelming and certainly uninspired. As Times journalist and TAW contributor Rory Smith said this week on The Game football podcast, if they really are Liverpool’s targets then FSG could save a lot of money by firing their scouts. A five-year old who has watched Match of the Day a handful of times could have identified those players.
I, like I’m sure many of you, had fallen in love with the idea of Klopp coming in. I had my ‘Kloppite’ scarves, mugs, t-shirts and superlambanas ready to go, but alas he will not be Liverpool manager… just yet.
The new season is just two and a half months away, and like it or not, Liverpool will head into 2015-16 with Brendan Rodgers as their manager… for now.
Over to you, Brendan.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda
Am truly gutted about the owners stance to keep Brenda !! Just wait in till he starts chanting shit again and then we lose at the start of the season against someone shit like Watford !! So what’s the point on keeping him ? Sack him now and try an tempt klopp to come in stead of October where he has to work with Rodgers average signings ?
There’s no point in keeping him because you can see the future and he’s lost against Watford? It’s understandable that you’re upset he’s still in the job, but at the end of the day he is the manager of the club you supposedly support, so you might as well start supporting him.
Fair play lad if you want to be loyal to him, but this is a manger who has a 2nd worse win record behind woy !! An in 3 years he has lost 40 games !! 40 fucking games that is not good enough !! So yeah I am a little disappointed
Can I make a suggestion mate.
Why not wipe the slate clean and start again?
Forget coming second and one the best season’s we ever had.
Forget the disaster of last season. Forget that you told everyone he wasn’t good enough for Liverpool.
Just judge him like August is his first day. If we’re not doing well enough after a few months then call for his head everyday on Twitter. If we are then praise him.
Look mate, he’s the manager whether we like it or not.
Don’t let him spoil your enjoyment of supporting LFC.
Judge him on next season and next season only.
What’s the point of wasting another season to see if he gets lucky?
There probably isn’t but me and you have no say in that so why bother being all bitter?
If you think coming second is ok I feel sorry for you Rodgers is not a good manager bring in Klopp
Hahahahahaha
The club have backed the manager and the likes of you are truly gutted..
Hahahahahahahaha
Yes am gutted, the owners need to grow some balls an show true ambition by sacking the manger who has broken all the records for the wrong reasons!!
Yeah, heard you the first time fella.
I’m not gutted In the slightest. I’m firmly in the camp that says we should give the boss more time. So as you can imagine it’s great news for me.
Can’t wait for next season and am hoping a lot of the supporters who want the boss out don’t turn up at Anfield or on the message boards.
Have fun ;-)
These continual references to ‘Brenda’ are so childish and is this a dig at the female gender (degrading?) or are they alluding to something else? Get real. Start supporting LFC you fickle bunch of expletives, or You Will Walk Alone.
Spot on Monkeybone,
Two of the greatest players ever to wear the shirt speak very highly of him and that for me is good enough to see if last season was a perfect storm of shi*e that most managers would have struggled with.
I just don’t get this Rodgers moan that he needs more time to coach. If you’re Liverpool manager the expectation is you’ll be in a European comp as well as your own domestic league and you’ll have to able to manage both. If you can’t hack that, then fuck off somewhere that doesn’t demand European football every year. It really fucks me off when I hear him come out with that excuse.
Spot on.
Oh pissing hell !!!
This will not end well,but perhaps,like others have hinted at,by November when he’s toast other people may be fully rested and available for work.
Until there is a clear and obvious improvement to be made it would be foolish to sack him. It will cost the club money and who knows what another unproven manager would do. Kenny won a trophy but the league results were atrocious. So maybe, yeah, stick with Rodgers and if it doesn’t go well then at least the club has time to plan and have a better alternative lined up.
Klopp isn’t a better alternative? Really?!?
Just can’t see him confident enough to give in to other voices: fans, trusted colleagues, players. A confident man says, asks, what am I missing here? This year has been flakey and stubborn , perhaps too much ego . Like another little guy, Prince . Except instead of ’23 positions in a one night stand’ its Can in ’23 positions in a one half grind’.
Fiddling with hours of midfield play ( from everyone) whilst knowledgable fans can see that its the movement and strikeforce of 2, that was needed.
I wasn’t arsed if he stayed or was replaced, but as he is staying I will support him, I won’t however sing that shit Brendan Rodgers song, unless he actually does lead the team to some kind of glory. Get the team playing good attacking footy again and don’t sign Benteke!, then things might improve.
As I said on the Echo‘s site, what are FSG targets for 2015/16? We know that BR failed on all 3 this year. Will we find out what they are for this upcoming season. If we finish 6th and trophy-less for 2015/16, what then? Will there be any changes at all this summer? Like bringing in Carragher(as an example) to help shape up the defense.
Sami Hyypia???
He needs to shake up his coaching/back room staff…..it’s riddled with inexperience. A good manager knows to surround himself with the best people, I’m not sure Pascoe and Marsh come under that umbrella.
Agree with that Michael.
Same here. It’s a disgrace that apparently things will stay the same after the mess that was last season.
I wonder how FSG would deal with a senior manager in their organisation who had dismally failed to achieve any of his agreed targets and in doing so had alienated most of those he worked alongside and had wasted many millions of their money? I think the ‘review’ would have been fairly perfunctory and a pre-determined out come enacted.
Strange then that Rodgers is still in post and enjoying the confidence of his employers. Perhaps not. Rodgers is their man, he dances to their tune and will suffer indignities (the TC) to maintain his position. It indicates I think FSG’s medium term goals – keep expenditure down, keep the club reasonably ‘successful’, rebuild the ground with loans they will get back and sell at a great profit. Had they been serious about making the club a domestic and European powerhouse, Rodgers would be out, a more experienced man with a winning CV in place with a substantial fighting fund at his disposal.
Rodgers might just prove to be a brilliant success next season and confound the doubters, or he might continue in his muddled way, offering excuses and causing more despair. If that’s the case FSG’s policy might just unravel.
The money spending angle needs to be considered from more than one angle. Keeping Liverpool spending under control is good for the club, not just the ownership. Having more revenue means more money to spend. Having lower wages means less cost. The club is still in debt and that will increase with the stadium expansion so being financially responsible is obviously important. FSG may be able to sell at a profit, that’s undeniable, but they haven’t done so yet and there are no signs of it. So far all they’ve done is invest 100s of million of pounds into the club and consistently provided funds for transfers. To conclude that it’s all just a money making exercise requires a degree of cynicism and I don’t think there is enough evidence to support it.
Making the club a domestic and European powerhouse is easy to say, not so easy to do. Look at how much money City had to throw at their project in order to get there. Chelsea too. Liverpool don’t have that kind of money and they never will, I don’t want to support a club that is only successful because of sugar daddy owners who cheat the system and spend 100s of millions only to write it off down the road. Even still, look at where City are for all their efforts. They had their titles but got nowhere in Europe. It’s just not as easy as you imagine. Who is the manager? What players would he need? How much would it cost? For both City and Chelsea the bill for their domestic success is around 400 million pounds. The club can’t afford that.
Well said
Liverpool don’t have that kind of money and they never will, I don’t want to support a club that is only successful because of sugar daddy owners who cheat the system and spend 100s of millions only to write it off down the road.
How is it cheating the system when City get slapped on the wrist for their supposed law-breaking? Maybe you should be directing your anger at UEFA.
I think u need to start seeing this from the owners’ perspective. They hired a young manager who in his 2nd season almost won the league with the team scoring over 100 goals and playing wonderful attacking football. The same fans on here moaning about Rodgers being shit and clueless were singing “poetry in motion” last season. After exceeding expectations – and please dont tell me it was all Suarez because he wasn’t anywhere near the same clinical striker under Kenny – they gave this young progressive manager a long term contract. And then shit happened. He lost his best player (who kept biting people), he lost his second best player to a succession of injuries, and got a striker (Balo) who arguably wasnt his chioice (although Borini had been). And yes we had a shit season despite getting to 2 cup semis and outplaying Chelsea in the capital cup. Now u say he’s crap and we should get Klopp – who had a very poor season at Dortmund – or Ancelotti who would be the worst choice for a club intent on developing and giving opportunities to young talent. Sorry, i think things are much simpler than what u try to argue in this article. Rodgers deserves more time and he has shown that with the right players he can challenge for the title. Milner, Ings and Clyne would be excellent but the we need a top top striker. YNWA
I agree Savs – was going to respond with something similar but you’ve hit the proverbial nail.
One thing further I’d like to add David Segar mentions in his article why was Kenny sacked after winning league cup. Why?
I’d say because he came nowhere in the league and no indication that would change whereas Brendan came second and so so close to winning the title little more than 12 months ago!!
He deserves another go as did Rafa after his deemed failure in 2010. Brendan didn’t cause the demise of Liverpool but he has shown enough that he might just get us back on the road to the top again.
Brave and correct decision by FSG this time.
Brendan didn’t cause the demise of Liverpool but he has shown enough that he might just get us back on the road to the top again.
Proof? Suarez isn’t walking back in that door for a meaningful game.
Proof that he is not to blame for our fall from grace? Really?
Suarez bullshit angle is lazy and old ffs!
The point is they had no plan to replace Suarez. And it wasn’t like Sturridge never had a history of injuries. And then we bring in Balotelli whom Rodgers didn’t want. And then once he was here Rodgers wouldn’t play to Balotelli’s strengths? And that’s not even getting into the disappearance of Manquillo or playing players out of position(like Can!!).
Saying Milner, Ings and Clyne would be anything more then decent shows just how far we have fallen. You’ve accepted mediocrity pal. Ings will offer next to fuck all to this side and if we spend over 15 million on a right back and then piss and moan over the wages/fee of a top attacking player, then somebody needs to just resign there and then. We seem as a club to love getting in our squad players first and then leave it too late to actually sign the players that will make a fucking difference.
I’m gutted he’s staying because no Liverpool manager should get away with a season like that and then a humiliation like Stoke! It just shows how much FSG don’t give a shit!
A breath of fresh air amongst the gutter snipes.
Underwhelmed but not surprised, there was nothing to suggest anything other than Rodgers staying, Klopp and Ancelotti crying off obviously made it a certainty and to be fair there is rarely a good reason to sack a manager unless its for someone demonstrably superior. So by default he is safe….for now. The manager isn’t even the biggest issue though is he? He is after all working a policy handed down by the owners a policy which is promising jam tomorrow. The potential of youth and the tight wages have to if not end then be put to one side for a window or two.
Which brings me to the targets so far known (as leaked to the media) – all of whom are known to anyone who takes even a cursory interest in the Premier League, now that doesn’t have to mean they are no good but you wonder why the club has a scouting network if watching MOTD is the source of those linked so far.
Benteke for 32 million would be a disgrace when you know what players like Vietto and Aubameyang are priced at, and he’s the wrong type anyway. Milner and Clyne I have no issues with the former is a versatile grafter with a solid level of talent – has the kind of character on the field that’s clearly missing in the current squad while Clyne looks pretty useful even if he’ll end up costing 15m (the EPL market is broken!). Its the forwards that worry me most and the likelihood that Lucas will leave and we won’t have a proper DM in the squad.
I haven’t even mentioned Sterling…..I’m assuming he’s off – the money better be spent.
The manager isn’t even the biggest issue though is he? He is after all working a policy handed down by the owners a policy which is promising jam tomorrow.
And one which the manager agreed to. He also knows the expectations. So he should know he’ll take the heat if the team fails in its targets again.
Top tip for potential posters. If per chance you’re not overly joyed at the decision that Rodgers is staying and feel the need to vent and get your point across. May I suggest you use the terms Brent or Brenda and the likes near the end of your posts.
I only offer this suggestion because if you don’t, and you start your posts with names like these, if anyone is like me, I can see readers skipping it as frothing nonsense. But you could trick people into reading your post by putting it at the end.
OH FOR GODS SAKE GROW UP.
Will do, thanks for the tip.
I was being sarcastic by the way. Whether people support Rodgers or not. They should ar least show a bit of respect.
People who do refer to Rodgers as Brenda etc, are probably ruining there chances of getting a point across by being desrepectful. I know I scan past their posts.
F*****g Scandalous.
Come back in December. Maybe you’ll reach Nirvana.
If BR failed to be champion so far, for which the excuse is that he was not the right players, what he’s doing at LFC after spending over € 260 million in three years?
So you have some questions to be answered:
1- Why FSG do not want a great manager directing the club?
2- The FSG really have interest in doing LFC regain its glory?
3 Or are you just interested in having big profits with low investment?
4- What is the real purpose of the FSG?
Things will have to give very right for FSG, BR and the LFC, why the competition for titles next season will be even more disputed.
I have those same questions mate but as stated in the article the timing is strange. Perhaps FSG did sound out Klopp and Ancelotti and realise that a) they didn’t want the job or b) they were having a sabbatical so it’s worth holding off for 6+ months to get the man you REALLY want.
I’m not convinced by Rodgers at all but I also don’t believe you sack your manager unless things are catastrophic and you have someone you want lined up.
F*****g Scandalous and ridiculous if he stays. The team couldn’t walk out and play well after a good season, god knows what next season will be like .
The owners must realise they will end up sacking him in November /December (just look at the form at the end of the season – nothing will change that!)
Just means another wasted season – 15 points behind at Xmas.
Well not for me – loads of golf for me next season til this pricks sacked!
If only all fans were like you the world would be a better place!
Swing away Merril!
YNWA
:):)
sg
because rarely everyone nowadays does ask , spells brenda
lots of love
I’m not sure we need to confound all of this with conspiracy theories. The club will have been working on a plan up until the Stoke game. I’d say a result like that would upset any process. Given the scale of the task and the issues that need to be accounted for, taking a couple of weeks to come to a decision would be fairly normal. I don’t think sticking with Rodgers is necessarily the default plan but there actually are not that many great alternatives out there. Every manager is a risk of failure and it would have been stupid to just sack Rodgers without a clear plan for a better man. Handling it behind closed doors is how it should be done and I suppose leaking key bits and pieces to to press is better than total silence. It wouldn’t have been right to issue a public statement every week, particularly if they were not sure what direction they were going to take. I expect that the end of season review process will continue and then the club will say something official in the next few days. For me there is nothing unusual or “wrong” about that. They want to get everyone on the same page, have confidence in the details of their plan and only then talk to the fans about it.
Now is probably a good time for pockets of fans to express their frustration and anger. It probably needs to be vented. But I would implore people to think of the consequences of continuing to mock and ridicule the manager over the coming weeks and months. Or giving fuel to stories about the ownership group and whatever evil plans you might think they have in store. The fans ARE the lifeblood of the club and with that comes a degree of responsibility. If we all call Rodgers a fool and a joke then that’s what he’ll be. If we all claim that FSG are just in it for the money then that’s what will come out in the papers and the blogs. The more we talk about it, the more “real” it will be, both to us and to the football public at large. We may not have control over certain things at the club but what we do control is how we behave, how we support the club. If we don’t want Liverpool to be a laughing stock then don’t act like it is. Don’t admit defeat. Listen to the actual words of the song: when there is a storm just walk on with hope in your heart, hold your head up, knowing that this means you never walk alone because you can rely on everyone else to be doing the same.
This should be simple – if there is a clearly superior coach/manager available we should be bringing them in.
We need to be ruthless to be successful.
No one can argue that Brendan Rodgers, who has won nothing, has a history of losing important games and failed miserably in European competition the three times (!) he has been involved it in is a better manager than Klopp, Ancelotti or Benitez, all of whom were/are available this summer.
The position our club is in and more importantly the position we want to be in should rule out hiring/keeping a manager who needs to learn how to be a good manager while at the club, we should be going for the absolute best available.
There was a shitload of superior managers in the EPL alone on season 2014/15, and three of them were relegated.
Cool heads prevail indeed. I’m pleased with the decision.
All the speculation and knee jerk reactions are exhausting and not thought out. Yes, the season was disappointing, but with Suarez/Sturridge out of the side, a fairly young team, and a mass of new transfers settling in, I think that many people saw a 5th/6th finish coming from afar. Yes, 4th was within our sights, but only after a great run (between 2 stretches of mediocre play) that was beginning to fizzle out weeks before the loss to United…
The 6-1 loss at stoke is still just one out of several losses of 3 points…and it was a game that had nothing riding on it; no reason to sack a manager in my book.
My main concern is that Rodgers will just get the stick for everything from here on…but I think that if the fans can get behind him (is this too much to ask of fans of a club?), this team (with health, and a good couple of transfers) can do a lot next season. The ’13-’14 season was not just a fluke…we can get playing like that again under Rodgers with some healthy strikers in the side.
I just praised TAW today on Twitter for being balanced and reasonable. Then I come over to the site and find this article, which is frankly the most disappointing TAW piece I’ve ever read. It drips with cynicism and nonsense talk about behind-the-scenes conspiracy. It’s clearly biased against both FSG and the manager. It clearly expresses one person’s bitterness and disappointment at not getting what he personally wanted.
Do our fans really not understand at all how a respectable ownership group functions? Are they so jaded by what they have seen less honorable Owners do? Is that because they’re still angry and bitter about the H&G era and can’t let go of their fury about the departure of their idols Rafa and Kenny? Do those emotions cloud their ability to see that FSG is calm, respectable, conducting business quietly and with dignity and respect? They do not micro-manage. They have been generous with a huge interest-free loan to start a long-awaited stadium expansion. They arranged for successful negotiation to push past local hold-out resistance and resulted in long-needed demolition that will ultimately improve and revitalize the Anfield neighborhood.
More and more it seems that Liverpool fans are so used to not winning in recent years that they have succumbed to defeatism and the bitter blame game. Defeatism inevitably leads to defeat, and blame is a game that never has any winners. For a while I was willing to accept it was merely a hangover from having our hopes and dreams so painfully dashed in 2014, but the hangover persists. It’s obvious now that it’s a mindset, an addiction to negativity and moaning. That dark mindset is a cause that has an inevitable effect.
Jürgen Klopp took his Dortmund side down to bottom place in the Bundesliga this season. The ‘Yellow Wall’ never fell. Its roaring support never faded. The squad fought their way back up to end in 7th place. Their manager quit — as he has done twice before when his chips were down. The Yellow Wall still roared their farewell and showed the world what it means to support. What have Liverpool fans done? Succumbed to defeatism and abuse of the manager who took them within a hair of the league title that has eluded them for more than 25 years. No successful manager or accomplished players will want to come to such a club. And the fans who have shown that they care more about protesting ticket prices and undermining their club than about supporting it will get what they deserve.
Well said Ellie. Allow me to add that FSG saved us from the brink of bankruptcy and as you say have brought dignity and professionalism back to the club. YNWA
Yes, and then they sacked him and brought in Rodgers.
That’s not how it works Ellie.
We need the owners to personally deliver to us all, a 12 point plan of exactly what they expect Brendan to accomplish over the next four hours. Then we can dissect it over the next four weeks and pull him apart for any slight failing.
A full swot analysis in the comments section on TAW and similar every day should do it.
If he doesn’t stick to it then sack the white teethed Ricky Gervais wannabe.
And if he dares to suggest in a press conference that he’s prepared to fight tooth and nail for this club we all love then sack the lying two faced conning sunbed worshipping idiot.
Of course the plus side to our club doing the decent thing and sticking by their man, is that a lot of our supporters are so enraged they may just fuck off. Which could ultimately result in cheaper ticket prices and a bit more harmony :-)
I think you may have read too much into it Ellie. No cynicism from me on this. As stated, it’s not the outcome I wanted, but now that it’s happened it’s up to Rodgers to prove that it was the right decision. No conspiracy theories either. The owners may have thought about change, they may not have, reports are contradictory, but they’ve decided to stick with Rodgers. It’s up to others to reason why.
As for being bitter about Kenny, far from it. In my last article I actually stated that Kenny’s dismissal was probably justified. Just curious as to why they haven’t been as ruthless on this occasion.
I desperately want Rodgers to succeed, because it means Liverpool succeeds, but I’m not buying into this ‘back whoever the manager is no matter what’ attitude that some seem to have. If a player isn’t doing his job well enough, we want him sold, so why should it be different with the manager?
With respect David, I’m not the only reader who read ‘conspiracy’ talk in your words. And I have not ‘read too much into it.” That is condescending and patronising.
Too many of our fans have let their overblown emotions — their angry disappointment and wounded pride — run away with their reason. ‘Fume’ is the celebrated mood. We all need to take a big step back and try to unemotionally put the season into perspective. Many have chosen to simply deny or disbelieve what they don’t want to hear — even when it contains truth. They have taken words and sound bites entirely out of context and blown them hugely out of proportion. I want to see TAW help to restore reasonable proportion to the conversation. Melissa and Gareth have never disappointed me in that regard.
Too many of our fans have let their overblown emotions — their angry disappointment and wounded pride — run away with their reason.
So you’re happy with a crap season? Good to know. How are we better off than the day BR was hired? I’m talking about on the pitch. Where is the spine of the team? Where is the quality? Would any of the top 4 take any of our players besides Coutinho?
Phil, you’ve blatantly twisted my meaning. Precisely symptomatic of fans filtering for evidence to support their negative bias and twisting others’ words to support their agenda.
Fair enough. Game of opinions and all that.
100%
Jürgen Klopp took his Dortmund side down to bottom place in the Bundesliga this season. The ‘Yellow Wall’ never fell. Its roaring support never faded. The squad fought their way back up to end in 7th place. Their manager quit — as he has done twice before when his chips were down. The Yellow Wall still roared their farewell and showed the world what it means to support.
He’s had more injuries than us. Maybe he figured 7 years was enough. Not everyone is going to stick around as long as SAF did. And it sounds like you’re calling Klopp a quitter. Is that a correct assessment? And he won 6 trophies in those 7 years. So why wouldn’t they cheer Klopp and Co. to the end?
It’s written into his managerial history that he chose to leave twice before when he couldn’t succeed. This is #3. Except I think he was quietly invited to leave this time, but Dortmund and Klopp will not reveal it in order to not anger the fans. Also I believe (admittedly partly deduction, partly speculation) that he is taking a break because he received no viable offers that interested him. He said himself recently that he sees himself managing Bayern Munich in the future. That’s a bit of arrogance if I ever heard it. So many LFC fans are trying to turn their fantasies into reality.
Feels like a huge missed opportunity. Klopp was made for us. Let’s hope Brendan can turn it around, but no big players will sign for us.
What a disappointment for the fans and players.
Just think this for a second…
A year ago. Champion League football. You have a chance to come in playing with Suarez, Sturridge, Gerrard and two promising youngsters in Sterling and Coutinho. Playing in a team scoring 100 goals a season and just come close to tittle. All that and BR, Ian, FSG could not (or don’t want to) lure a single star in to play for this club. Even that Norway Liverpool fan wonderkid
Coming into this transfer window however, just put yourself into the shoe of any star player. Do you want to play next to Ing, Origi and in front of Milner, Hendo, Coutinho? All of these, eh…”i-heard-some-one-mentioned-you-once-before” players. With some chance of seeing Sturridge if you pass by the sick ward? Making a debut in a silent Anfield, looking to score a consolidation goal just to make the 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, 6-1 defeat to midtable team more respective?
Under a manager who think Championship playoff is his biggest career game to boost. F*** me.
If even Liverpool fans can’t trust in BR and FSG, which player and his agent can?
Short memories us LFC fans apparently…
#cheekycunt #verylongmemory
Can I just say that I’m tired of hearing the parallels to Kenny and why he was let go, whilst BR remains.
KD was drafted in on the understanding that it was a short term appointment. The owners made it perfectly clear to him that it would not be forever. They have stated this publicly.
No, that’s what they said initially. Then they gave him a three-year contract. That’s not short term.
“I wasn’t convinced when we arrived that Kenny should be back managing and I wanted things to work with the manager we inherited,” Henry said.
“But the fans knew much more than I did. It took me a while to get up to speed.
“I had been talking with Kenny about philosophy and initially he was brought aboard just for the remainder of last season. But it became obvious that he was the right man to lead the club.
I call it cheap labour,let’s wait n see BR is definitely dancing to their tune FSG that’s why he still has a job
Good news. Stability in the club is putting the instability of the fan base to shame. The famous Liverpool support is a thing of the past and too many fans don’t know what it means to be a supporter any more. It’s sad when my primary reason for wanting to win the league is now to tell everyone that comments against Rodgers and the club “told you so”. Also anyone who is surprised by FSG’s decision need only to look to our Boston counterparts, the Red Sox.
3 seasons ago they had the worst record in the league, 2 seasons ago they won the World Series and last season they went back to the worst in the league. The first team in history to do this. FSG stuck with the entire management team this summer.
We can learn more from them and how they are run than any of this endless speculation! FSG are a very intelligent group and place faith in people and youth in all aspects of their business.
If I were a fan of Utd of Fulham, another team with an American owner who also owns an American sports team, I’d be much more worried. The Glazers NFL team Tampa Bay have been awful for 10 years now, they are clearly inept at running a “franchise”, unlike FSG who now have 3 World Series in 12 years.
Try looking at the long term. Since the day John Henry bought the Red Sox. Don’t just give me the last 3 years. They obviously have at least a clue what they’re doing with the Red Sox. With Liverpool, FC, not so much.
Whatever about Klopp having endured an “underwhelming” season, this to me looks like superb time management. He’ll cast a shadow over every dug out once the season gets underway and nowhere more than Anfield – I reckon he’d love it.
So unless Brendan gets off to an absolute flyer – and even if he does but the wheels then fall off – Klopp can assume the manager’s post, new boss bump and all, and if it goes pear-shaped he can always say he didn’t have pre-season etc. Genius.
That said, I hope it works out for Brendan if only to confound all expectations. But by God, we’ll have to do better than Benteke et al. They’re good players, but in the striking positions at least you have to query whether they’re a fit for a Rodgers blueprint Pool side, especially when the likes of Bacca and Higuain might be available. Time for a bit of vision.
I was fuming after the end to the season and would’ve been happy at that stage to welcome a more proven manager in the shape of Klopp or Ancelotti. Neither of them are available right now, so now we’re left with the situation where Rodgers has a reprieve (for reasons none of us really know and can only speculate based on our own particular leanings and prejudice!).
As Robin said above, let’s start fresh now in August and get behind the manager and the team. Let him show which direction he’s taking us next season. If it goes well then we’re all winners (apart from those who just don’t like him), if not then there are still some good replacements out there.
So let’s get behind our manager, Brendan Rodgers.
I hope that the real manager for 2015/16 is on a sabbatical until Christmas, has told FSG that he’ll be avaiable then and has given them names he’d like to buy. So we are stuck with Mr outstanding until then.
Unlikely?? When you have grown up reading Wizard, Hotspur and Roy of the Rovers you know you can make a 85th minute substitution and the sub scores 5 in 5 minutes.
Christmas will be our 85th minute. I hope the sun will be Klopp, but I’d honestly accept just about anybody else.
What baffles me is everything that FSG had to ignore or disregard – the debacles in Europe, 11 points from the last 10 games when we still had a shot at the CL, the final embarrassment and coming in 6th. No manager could have explained all that away, not even the gobbiest one we’ve ever had.
FSG settled for mediocrity.
FSG settled for mediocrity.
Because Gordon wants to prove how damn smart he is.
That is not the type of man Mike Gordon is at all. You are making bizarre statements that have no fact or supporting evidence behind them.
To be fair, you are doing the exact same thing. Where is your evidence to support “That is not the type of man Mike Gordon is at all”?
No, I’m not doing that. Sorry, but last time I tried to put a Web link in a TAW comment I had a problem. Google ‘The other owner: How Mike Gordon has become a key Red Sox figure
by Alex Speier, Wed, 02/19/2014 – 8:06am’. This long article by an unbiased source contains a lot of information about Gordon’s character (by a hugely regarded sports figure), including Gordon’s role for FSG at Liverpool Football Club.
Again.. with the Red Sox.. we aint the fucking Red sox.. this isnt baseball.. statistics dont work.. we aint their passion project..
I stumbled upon this article as a neutral (I support Bristol city), and looking in from the outside it seems ridiculous that people can be so anti Rodgers so quickly, last year was all “in Brendon we trust” and now you’re all desperate for change. This year hasn’t been great but you needed to bulk up the squad to move forward and it ended up being a transitional year. You have one of the most promising young managers around and you have know patience to give him time. Ancelotti who loves Milan didn’t want to go back to Milan so its unlikely he would have come to you guys. Klopp has just come off the back of his own terrible season, it happens to good managers, why assume he would make things better. Give Rodgers time, he made me love watching Liverpool games and deserves the time to show what he can do.
“Why did the owners make him sweat on it for half a month if they had no intention of sacking him? ”
Maybe he has known for longer than us he hasn’t getting sacked and there is nothing wrong with a good bit of sweat
“Why did Tom Werner feel the need to come to England to do his review when he couldn’t be arsed doing the same for Steven Gerrard’s last game?'”
because Gerrard is leaving and Rodgers was not?
“And, perhaps most curious of all, why wasn’t Rodgers sacked when Kenny Dalglish, who had just won a cup and been to an FA Cup final, was?”
Because this is a modern game, Kenny, bless him, was probably seen as a dinosaur.
Funny picture of Rodgers by the way, fits the narrative.
I’m tired of some fans bashing the team and manager, stop fucking moaning, things will never be perfect, nor will the money orientated business like owners or your fed up wife and guess what, things never have or will be perfect, but thats not what is important. The falling argument, constantly spun in a wheel of doubt and almost willingness of failure, if the team and players have a constant bitching from any degree then things will never be good enough, even if we are winning, mentality, as a group, fan base and collective, then we will always be fucked. Perhaps just give some backing for once instead, to the team and players, even while listening to Richard Wagner, believe and then believe some more, get behind and fucking roar. This team needs support and it does not need , your mothers wet dirty underwear.
Deeply disappointing and worrying that we will be headed into next season with the same manager carrying what is basically, over a 6 or 10 game horizon, relegation form.
That end of season relegation form was what did for Kenny, I would have expected the same standards to be applied here, especially given the lack of success in cups and abject failure in Europe. The end of BRs season 1 gave much optimisim which was carried into the next season, but I see none here expect a mid season blip which coincided with an easy run of fixtures and some slices of luck (Swansea away etc..)
But we shall see…
Atomsphere at the ground and around the club would be truly toxic if he gets off to a bad start
Ive just registered “FSG saved us” as a trademark.. everytime one of our bellend fan utters it i make 50p!!