Roy Hodgson Must Save Liverpool From Mid-table Monotony After Rafa Benitez Leaves Them High And Dry
Roy Hodgson’s appointment as Liverpool manager was one of the summer’s most shocking moves; the former Fulham manager took charge of the club and will be looking to turn things around. Liverpool have not managed to win any trophies since 2006, when they last won the FA Cup.
After sacking Benitez, Hodgson’s appointment was welcomed. Even though he has managed less than top flights - his highest honor coming as the caretaker of Inter Milan almost a decade ago - he is seen as a consistent manager who can guide Liverpool out of their current slump.
With the current unrest in the Liverpool camp, there is no guarantee of Hodgson’s future with the club. The current owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have developed differences and with the growing debt, are no longer interested in the club’s future and are looking to sell it. Interest has been shown from potential buyers, but nothing is certain as yet, just like Hodgson’s future, who could be replaced with the arrival of new owners.
To secure his position as the Reds manager, there are certain things Hodgson needs to resolve, or work towards resolving. There are certain problems which have developed over the years when Rafa Benitez was in charge of the club. It seems like the Spaniard was nothing more than a fat, balding leech, who took more than he gave back to the club. Having won just 2 trophies at the club, Benitez was taking his position for granted.
Gillett had this to say about the Spaniard, “Rafa has been tremendous ... We knew of him but I don't think we realized how good he was, and not just as a coach. Not only was he a brilliant coach but he is a very sharp, savvy businessman. He knows what he wants and how to get it.”
The subtext of the above statement very expressly states the owner’s sentiments towards the manager who was more focused on the business side of football rather than the managing side, which was obvious with Liverpool’s growing poor form. Last season, they failed to finish in the top four, losing out to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City. They even failed to make their mark in the lesser European competition, the Europa League, not making it past the semifinals.
Hodgson has done to well to retain captain Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres, and successfully managed to secure former Chelsea player Joe Cole on a free transfer; only the player’s start at Liverpool has been extremely unlucky and disappointing. The midfielder got sent off in the opening fixture of the English Premier League against Arsenal and then, on his European debut for Liverpool, missed a penalty.
Hodgson now needs to develop a system which maximizes Cole’s, Torres’ and Gerrard’s potential. Joe Cole will return soon and especially after their bad start, the Reds need to make amends if they want to have a shot at the title. In fact, they would do just fine aiming for a place in the top four, which would give them a shot at a place in next season’s Champions League.
Hodgson needs to raise funds and he can do that by ridding of players like Javier Mascherano, who do not wish to remain at the club any longer. It’s a fact that during his three and a half years at the club he was highly undervalued, and his talks of an exit has caused an upset. The Argentinean midfielder feels it’s time for him to leave and Hodgson should get rid of him when there is still demand for him and he’ll fetch a decent price.
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