Football Special report: Roy Hodgson, next football manager to face axe?
Who will be the next manager to get the sack in the English Premier League? This is the question no body wants to answer. Are Avram Grant’s days numbered? Can Roy Hodgson turn Liverpool fortunes around quickly?
You wait around all season for the first managerial sacking, and then, two happen within the space of a week. Newcastle manager Chris Hughton's and Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce dismissal were complete surprises and strange to say the least as neither man was
doing what you would consider a bad job. Football clubs are being run by rich businessmen, who lack patience and foresight.
Liverpool Football Club had the most disastrous start to a season in recent memory. The Red’s are currently languishing in 9th place in Premier League with just 22 points from 17 games. This is hardly the sort of form Liverpool fans worldwide are accustomed
to.
The departure of Rafa Benitez from Liverpool was the overture to a summer of complete change at Anfield. Out went the diabolical Tom Hicks and George Gillett and in came John Henry and New England Sports Venture. In place of the departed Rafa Benitez Fulham
manager Roy Hodgson took charge after guiding Fulham to the Europa League final last season and being voted Manager of the Year by his peers. There were players transfers as well with Javier Mascherano, Yossi Benayoun and Alberto Riera leaving Anfield. Liverpool
made some shrewd signings by bringing in Joe Cole, Paul Konchesky, Milan Jovanovic, Danny Wilson, Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen.
It has been ages since Hodgson took over at Liverpool in July, and the pressure is growing daily. Since then, the manager has found himself isolated as NESV brought former Spurs Director of Football Damien Comolli to oversee player recruitment, and now in
the recent turn against Hodgson, John Henry has branded the club's form under him as "unacceptable." Surely, he needs some results or we have another departure looming. He doesn't seem to be the man to lead Liverpool through what is proving to be a very trying
time.
January will be a key month in Hodgson's future at Liverpool. Quite simply, if he is given money to spend, he will be safe, but if he receives nothing, then his days are numbered. Hodgson has come under a lot of criticism over his selection in Liverpool's
mid-week draw with FC Utrecht. He left Torres out and field a below par side in front of packed Anfield.
Fans and former players alike were clamouring for Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish to reclaim his post at the helm, but the board chose to keep him in his role with Liverpool's Academy. With the Reds seemingly at a constant struggle for form, many fans are
losing their patience with Hodgson.
While its all doom and gloom at Anfield, do a favour and put your money on Rafael Benitez being the next managerial sacking in Serie A. Inter Milan’s President Massimo Morati is not pleased after seeing his side poor performances in Europe and Serie A.
European champions Inter finished second in their group behind Tottenham, who made a debut in this year’s competition. They are currently lingering in fourth place in the Italian League
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