New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson aims for Champions League Football
The New Liverpool manager, Roy Hodgson, has taken over as Liverpool’s coach, following Rafa Benitez’s departure from Liverpool. He has signed a three year contract, and aims to get Liverpool back into the top four and play the Champions League.
He praised Liverpool as being a club with huge tradition and expects that selling it off will improve it. He was the inspiration behind Fulham’s dream run to the inaugural Europa Cup final. Fulham had no heritage whatsoever and were not even thought of as a team who would go on to such a stage. Under Hodgson, Fulham won against Juventus at home, and were defeated by Atletico Madrid in a tight encounter. He added that the time was right to rise to the expectations and move on to the next stage in his career. He explained that he joined Liverpool owing to his ability and he aims to work for the fans and the club using his full potential.
Hodgson has a tough job ahead as Liverpool is in crisis. Top players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have already been linked to teams like Chelsea and Real Madrid, and he insisted that he will do his utmost to keep them at the club. He denied any financial issues, adding that the players will not be sold for money, but only due to player’s own reasons.
He jumped on to the Liverpool job and added that he wanted to be here. He does not expect any changes in the England outfit. He refused to discuss about the transfer funds available to him and was disappointed that such questions had been asked on his first day. He added that he is here because he wanted to be the Liverpool manager, and looks to benefit from the huge fan base. He directed the transfer funds questions over to Chairman Martin Broughton.
He continued to insist that he will expect the fans and players to crave for trophies and he will love to deliver them. He looks to aim high and then achieve the targets by utilizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses. He expects to win trophies with Liverpool but urged the management to be patient with him if he fails to do so. He urged that he will learn from his mistakes should he fail to deliver the trophies and come back stronger the next season.
He was grateful to Fulham for letting him off easy, with the least amount of formalities. He respected Fulham to let him speak to Liverpool directly but apologized from the Fulham Chairman following their heated meeting. He will not want to raid Fulham off its top players and thanked Mohamed Al Fayed for the support he got there. To the question of what players are needed, he said that he did not get the time yet to have a formal meeting with the management of Liverpool and looks forward to answer that question on a later date.
Captain Steven Gerrard welcomed Hodgson at Liverpool and showered praise on the 62 year old. Gerrard considered Hodgson to be hugely experienced and was impressed with what he was able to do with Fulham. He expects Hodgson to fill the void Rafa left and added that it was worth the wait. Hodgson will do wonders in Liverpool and seems to be the right man for the job, according to Captain Steven Gerrard.
Not only Gerrard, but also vice captain Jamie Carragher is also happy with Roy’s appointment. Liverpool employed its fourth manager, and will have to live up to the heritage and expectations his predecessors have created. The 32 year old English defender aims to learn more from one of the very best in the business, who enjoys vast experience both in England as well as abroad. Jamie added that Roy’s reputation is legendary, and he relishes the opportunity to be able to work with such a great manager. Uncertainty had loomed over since the time Rafa left for Inter Milan, and Roy’s employment would certainly give the players a lift, the defender said.
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