Good times at Liverpool
August 18th, 2010 | Published in Ian-ything Goes | 5 Comments
It was nice to see how Roy Hodgson celebrated Liverpool’s goal against Arsenal on Sunday – the brilliance of the goal got him up on his feet in celebration, but then he promptly took his seat again looking like he’d just reminded himself the job wasn’t done yet.
He might have been quietly cautious on this occasion, especially considering his side was down to 10 men, but in every other sense, he has sure brought the feel-good factor back to Liverpool Football Club.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s all they need to get the club back on track.
Let the good times roll: Roy Hodgson's positive demeanour could do wonders for Liverpool this season.
It might be a bit of a stretch to draw that conclusion based on one goal celebration, but if you compared it to one of the “enduring” images of his predecessor Rafa Benitez – his arrogant crossing of hands and shrug of the shoulders after his side had scored against Blackburn – then you can appreciate how much the English Premier League is better off now with Hodgson in charge of one of its greatest clubs.
Of course, Benitez will keep arguing (in typically arrogant fashion) that his gesture was misinterpreted, but that’s not the point – it was a gesture that you wouldn’t imagine a discerning, gentlemanly manager like Hodgson to make, and especially not with an ugly smirk.
And while Benitez spent the better part of two seasons publicly trying to sell off one of his midfield generals, Xabi Alonso, who actually wanted to stay at the club, Hodgson actually seems to be succeeding in persuading another midfield lynchpin to stay when he actually wants to leave.
Let's see how Inter Milan fans, who could barely stand Jose Mourinho, will take to their new manager.
He’s handled Javier Mascherano’s request to leave the club magnificently. His public message on the issue was simple and brilliant, appealing to the player’s sense of reason and paying tribute to him at the same time.
“We made it clear to him that if the offer he wanted came along we probably would not stand in his way but that offer has not come along and he is working hard to play for Liverpool,” said Hodgson.
“He is a realistic player. He is playing for Liverpool and is not looking for a move to a Spanish second division team – there are very few clubs in the world that can even consider having Javier Mascherano on their books. If he wants to leave he will be expecting a club of a similar stature to Liverpool to come along and at the moment they haven’t so I’m presuming he is very happy to stay here.”
It was a situation that could’ve been a real sticky one for the manager, much like how Alonso’s eventual departure last season had an effect on the team both on and off the field. There is no way an important player like Alonso can leave under those circumstances and not have his teammates feel slightly disappointed at their manager.
It seems football management has changed that way. Just a few years ago, managers would show players the door at the slightest hint of discontent, often quoting the “no player is bigger than the club” line.
Managers are having to soften their stance towards wantaway players such as Cesc Fabregas, Robinho and Ashley Cole. In the past, managers often shipped players off at the slightest hint of discontent.
Now managers are having to soften their stance a little. Arsene Wenger has had to plead with Cesc Fabregas to stay; Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t mind keeping Ashley Cole; Roberto Mancini won’t sell Robinho; and even Alex Ferguson is sticking with the injured Anderson after an alleged training ground bust-up.
Footballers today need a sincere arm around the shoulder every once in a while, something Benitez seemed too egotistical to do.
Nevertheless, that’s exactly what Hodgson has done to steady the ship. This is a team that doesn’t need an alpha male manager to stamp his mark on.
Hodgson doesn’t need to sell a Robbie Keane just to stick it to the owners, or farm out an Albert Riera just to warn off other players from criticising his methods. He just needs to pull them together.
After all, the core of the team that forced Manchester United to fight all the way for their 2008/2009 title is still there, as long as Mascherano doesn’t leave.
And as terrible as last season was for them, Liverpool had the best defensive record outside of Chelsea and United, even though they were without key defenders Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel for considerable periods.
Hodgson hasn't whined at all about his lack of transfer funds, cleverly signing free agents like Joe Cole (left) and Milan Jovanovic (center) alongside youngster Danny Wilson. Wilson and fellow new signing Christian Poulsen have cost the club less than ten million pounds.
What is also good about Hodgson is that he hasn’t said a single thing about the owners not giving him any money for transfers.
He has only spent less than £10mil this summer on promising young defender Danny Wilson and Juventus midfielder Christian Poulsen, since Jonjo Shelvey was signed by Benitez and both Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic were free transfers.
Yet, Hodgson has remained positive and optimistic, choosing not to play the blame game and focusing instead on working with what he has, just like any good manager would.
So it seems there will be plenty of good times ahead for Liverpool this season. The title might still be a bridge too far at the moment, but at least they’ll enjoy the ride a bit more.
August 19th, 2010at 12:32 am(#)
Dear Ian,
I’m not too sure about your footballing allegiances but if you want to write about Liverpool Football Club (or for that matter, any other football club), please get your facts straight first.
1. Benitez’s hand gesture was only intended to his own team but specifically to Xabi Alonso. It wasn’t a sign of arrogance but a sign to the players to drop his initial game plan after Liverpool managed to score the second goal. The subsequent claims made by Sam Allardyce were only prompted after Alex Ferguson decided to jump into the whole matter.
2. Credit is due where credit is due to Roy Hodgson but the fact that Javier Mascherano is still at Liverpool has got more to do with the fact that the two clubs looking for his services can’t actually afford the reasonable fee of GBP25m for him. If an offer close to that amount does come along then we will see how good Hodgson really is in keeping his players.
3. Robbie Keane was sold because he under-performed and the funds used to acquire him were best utilised elsewhere. In hindsight, Benitez’s decision proved to be correct i.e. how regularly is Keane playing now and more importantly, at what level? Don’t even get me started on Albert Riera…
4. Jovanovic, Shelvey (as you correctly highlighted) and Wilson were signed by Benitez way before Hodgson arrived on the scene. Again, credit where its due, Ian.
5. Last but most importantly, Hodgson doesn’t whine because he knew well in advance that Liverpool do not have the funds to compete at the top of the Premiership. On the other hand Benitez was promised millions and a brand new stadium and got neither. The former manager had only the club’s best interests at heart and was not looking to pander to his employers whims especially when they promise one thing at deliver another.
As to enjoying “the ride”, I had enjoyed the 6 years or so under Rafa Benitez. That includes one brilliant night in Istanbul, an FA Cup and the highest points accumulated by a Liverpool team since 1990, to name just a few.
If Hodgson comes anywhere close to the above, I’ll be happy but until then, I think the “good times at Liverpool” is just a piece of jumping-on-the-bandwagon media hype.
August 25th, 2010at 12:23 pm(#)
Hi Chip,
1. I have read his explanation about it – he wanted Alonso to send the free-kick deep, but he sent it to the near post and they scored anyway. But still, I think it was an ill-advised and somewhat inappropriate gesture, and like I said, something you know a more tactful manager like Hodgson wouldn’t do.
2. Yes, it now seems inevitable that Mascherano leaves, which is a shame cos for the EPL cos he’s an excellent player. But my main point was how well Hodgson has handled the situation. He’s not letting the club be held ransom, and he’s stayed generally very positive over the whole situation. He could’ve easily turned on Mascherano and sold him on a whim.
3. Keane only “under-performed” for half a season – that’s hardly enough time for a player to adapt to a new club and prove himself. Plus, Benitez never gave him a fair chance to begin with. To be fair, Keane wasn’t a player he wanted to sign in the first place. Still, I feel Benitez should have tried to make the most out of it. Keane is a good, honest professional, and if the manager had faith in him and given him some time, I think he would’ve come good eventually.
4. My bad… You’re right, Benitez deserves credit for Jovanovic – good player, great value. I somehow got that one wrong. And as for Wilson, Hodgson sealed the deal, but Benitez was the one who opened talks with Rangers, so again, credit to Benitez for spotting young talent and signing him on at a good price.
5. I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree on this. In my opinion, Benitez could have dealt with the situation better. He didn’t pander to his employees – he pandered to the fans, and he constantly curried favour with them by antagonising the owners. A lot of clubs have had ownership problems and lack of funds (albeit few to the extent of Liverpool), but their managers have tried to get on with their jobs. At the end of the day, I really don’t feel Benitez had Liverpool in his heart. If he had, he would’ve stopped his spat with the owners and focused on results on the pitch.
To be honest, I don’t think there’s been much hype here over Hodgson at all. Quite a few Liverpool fans I’ve spoken to were disappointed by Hodgson’s appointment. That’s why I decided to highlight just what a refreshing change his tenure has been so far with his candid, honest style of management, even though he hasn’t won any trophies yet.
I know that’s what he’ll ultimately be judged by, but so far, I think he’s been great! He’s a good manager, with a great story, and that’s why I think Liverpool will have good times ahead, with or without trophies (though I’m sure he will win some). And remember, he has a pretty tough job on his hands, what with the ownership problems and financial difficulties. But still, he’s tackling it with a positivity and candour that not many other managers would’ve been able to muster.
August 25th, 2010at 5:11 pm(#)
Hi Ian,
Thanks for dropping by my blog.
Not being based in Malaysia these days, I’m not one to gauge the general feeling of Liverpool fans there but, if you’re sticking your neck for a Liverpool manager then good on you. Definitely need more of that.
From my perspective, your post was just the final nail in the coffin regarding how “brilliant” Hodgson is as a manager although I see now where you’re coming from.
The situation over in the UK and Ireland is slightly different though. I had posted an entry about this not too long ago (if you don’t mind): http://skuterhijau.blogspot.com/2010/08/where-not-to-get-haircut.html
The example given is of one man (a barber) but in my personal opinion, the stance taken is actually more widespread here, especially in the London press.
August 25th, 2010at 7:57 pm(#)
Chip: Read your blogpost about the barber – excellent! Made me LOL =)
I see where you’re coming from now though. Benitez is from a different culture, so mayb a lot of what he does is simply misunderstood. Maybe that’s why that Spanish journalist Guillem Balague is always speaking up for Benitez in England.
I believe Arsene Wenger had a similar problem when he first came to England too. It took him quite a well to settle down and be on the same page with the British media.
And for people like us, halfway around the world, it’s probably even easier to misinterpret some of the things he says or the things he does. At the end of the day, it’s the results that matter, and few can argue with a UCL, FA Cup and their great performances during the 08/09 season.
So as much as I enjoy Hodgson’s management so far, I guess I could cut Benitez some slack as well. No point speculating why he did/said certain things, or drawing conclusions and criticising based on our limited perspective as fans the other side of the world =)
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