Whilst the launch of the site was around the corner I thought I’d take drastic steps to secure a decent interview with a prestigious journalist regarding Liverpool, for you all to read. I managed to get hold of Neil Jones from The Liverpool Echo. Lots of you will know Neil from Twitter and his coverage of the Merseyside teams.I thought it was topical to discuss how Brendan Rodgers has done so far as he has now amounted 6 months in his tenure and endured two, arduous transfer windows. Neil was, unsurprisingly, eloquent and well-informed in his answers; showing how well his job has linked him with knowledge of the club.
Is Brendan Rodgers the right man to take Liverpool back to their former glory?
Wow! Start with an easy one! I think at this stage it is almost impossible to make a definitive judgment either way. My own opinion is that Rodgers’ start to life as Liverpool manager has been a little above average. Results could (and perhaps should) have been better, particularly against the ‘better’ sides, but there is a wider narrative to be remembered here. There is no question that his appointment represented a massive gamble on Liverpool’s behalf, and that it also represented, potentially, a make-or-break career move for Rodgers himself.
With no offence intended to Swansea City; do you think that the step up to a bigger club like Liverpool has left him feeling uncomfortable in himself?
To me, he appears comfortable in his role. There were fears that the club may be too big for him, but I think that they have been proven unfair. He speaks very well, both in private and in public, and I think you can see his own learning curve as well as that of the team. I’ve seen him criticised for being dogmatic, and for an inability to adjust his tactics, but the evidence I have seen has been to the contrary at times. Likewise, the criticism of his public speaking is, for me, rather harsh. I think people have a tendency to analyse what a manager says, or how he says it, too much in the modern game. The proof, as it always has been, is in methods and results, not in what a manager says at a press conference.
That’s not to say Rodgers has been without fault. Not by any distance. Liverpool should have more points than they have at this stage, and I think that, in certain instances, the manager/staff should take the blame for that. Too often, Liverpool have started slowly away from home, for example, and that is a point to address. He has, rightly, been praised for being quick to spot failing systems and rectifying them (Everton, Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United), but the fact that they were failing in the first place suggests he had erred in his team selection.
Has he made the best signings he possibly could with his budget?
Signings? Well the jury remains out, but it always does in these cases. Fans, observers, journalists, want instant evidence if they are to deem a new signing a “hit”, and in Rodgers’ case only Daniel Sturridge has delivered in that sense (though Samed Yesil looks a find, and I’m sure it won’t be long before we see him in the first team; only injury will stop him). Joe Allen will always be the player closest associated to Rodgers, and I think the player who will suffer the most in terms of supporter/observer expectation. My thoughts on the player are given further down, but I do think that Rodgers will have expected a bigger impact from, to date, his most expensive signing. Some have written off Fabio Borini, which is ludicrous. He has lots of room for development of course, but there is ability and temperament there already, and he can hardly be blamed for the injury he suffered. Sahin was a huge disappointment, I expected him to be a real coup for the club, but I think his story shows the danger of signing loan players. He hadn’t had much football over the previous 12 months, and I think that showed. Then it’s how long can you wait for him to find his feet, when you have permanent players ready to step in and perform? As for Oussama Assaidi, well the less said the better on that one, I feel. I don’t think his Anfield career will be a particularly long or glorious one, unfortunately.
Is the Champions League realistic in the short-term?
Champions League football. Well, it’s the £60m question. Liverpool fans have been spoiled by their club’s incredible achievements over the course of its existence, and in particular over the last 50 years or so, but it has no divine right to success. It must be earned, on and off the pitch, and competition within both English and European football is fierce. There are clubs who have moved ahead, or at least alongside, Liverpool in recent years, and they must be reined in.
The Champions League, unquestionably, is where Liverpool need to be, long-term. They are having to box clever in order to break that cartel at the moment. Without the finances and the lure of the Champions League, their hands are tied to a certain degree. When a hot prospect comes up – think Eden Hazard or, now, Radamel Falcao – can Liverpool, with Europa League football, attract them to Anfield? I don’t think so. Liverpool’s name does still count for something, no doubt about that, but it is the Champions League logo, not the Liver Bird that provides the greater sway for ambitious footballers.
So are you saying that top four is a possibility?
Personally, I think the door is ajar for Liverpool this season. I really do. Arsenal are weaker than they have been for a number of years, and have a negativity around the club which can only be detrimental. Tottenham are a decent side but by no means invincible (Liverpool were the better, more cohesive side when the teams met at White Hart Lane) and even Chelsea lack real consistency in their results. The chance is there for any side, be it Liverpool or Everton, who can put together a good run of wins, to force themselves into the picture. Hell, Newcastle did it last season remember.
If/when that initial hurdle is overcome, then things should, theoretically, become a lot easier. Revenue will be up, so in theory so should investment in the playing squad. And that investment should, again theoretically, be aimed at players of a higher standard. Whereas Liverpool are targeting, maybe, B-market players at the moment, with Champions League football and backing, they can eventually step up into the A-market.
Does Brendan Rodgers deserve backing from FSG; financially and mentally?
I believe he deserves backing for as long as he is making progress at the club. Also, despite some (in a way understandable) protestations from some supporters and observers, I believe he is doing that at the moment. I was speaking to a friend of mine, and he raised the point of player development. Is there a player at the club whose form hasn’t improved generally under Rodgers? I can maybe think of Reina, Skrtel and Lucas, though the latter is obviously a special case considering his injuries. Johnson, Enrique, Agger, Gerrard, Henderson, Shelvey, Sterling, Suarez, Downing, even Carragher. They have all, to my eyes, improved as players as this season goes on, and for that I think the manager deserves credit. If investment isn’t going to be spectacular, then the coaching and development of existing (and in particular younger) players is going to be key. I think the signs are positive in that respect.
Thanks for you time Neil, it’s been a pleasure.
No worries. I can talk about football all day!
