---
title: "Zarif Rasul Talks To Ste Hoare"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/columns/steve-hoare-talks-to-zarif-rasul/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Ste Hoare"
section: "Columns"
published: "2013-02-22T00:13:49Z"
modified: "2013-08-23T14:56:20Z"
---

# Zarif Rasul Talks To Ste Hoare

**For our latest interview, we’ve caught up with Zarif Rasul. Zarif has had his writing published in several national newspapers including Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Telegraph, Daily Star, Mail on Sunday and The People, and currently works for Hayters Teamwork where he produces feature interviews and statistical research for a range of different outlets including The Football Association, talkSPORT, Endemol as well as several national newspapers. Zarif is a big Liverpool fan, and prior to the Zenit game, he answered some questions set by Steven Hoare. You can find more about Zarif and his work by following him on Twitter @ZarifRasul.**

**Q1. How would you sum up Liverpool’s season so far?**

“Where to begin? For the third season in a row, Liverpool are in transition. A new manager – especially one with a philosophy as pronounced as Brendan Rodgers’ – needs time, but we’ve seen both positives and negatives this season. I think there’s a tendency to overreact to both wins and defeats, but on the whole, I think progress is being made. Setbacks should be expected, but I’ve seen enough to conclude that the club \*are\* on the right path.

I firmly believe Brendan Rodgers is the right man to take Liverpool forward and, as such, he must be given time. When I last went to Liverpool I had a brief chat with (Academy of Director) Frank McParland, and he said that Rodgers is really well-liked around the entire club. I think his relentless positivity seems to have transmitted itself to a lot of the players. It’s been great seeing oft-criticised players such as Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson warrant and hold down first-team places in recent months – that really indicates to me that Rodgers is an excellent coach and motivator of men.”

**Q2. Jamie Carragher, he’s retiring at the end of the season. How would you describe Jamie’s career and how do you see Liverpool doing without him?**

“Can’t really add more to what’s been said about him really. He is a bona fide Liverpool legend, and it is to his credit that he is slotted back into the first-team in recent weeks with the minimum of fuss and done quite well. From a personal point of view he’s pretty much been there from around the time I first started watching football, so it’ll be very sad to see Liverpool team photos and squad lists without his name on it. He’s the epitome of hard-working professional, and I think the club will miss his guidance and presence around the place. Rodgers recently described him as the best defender in his squad, so it’s clear that he’s still rated very highly. Fortunately, Kenny Dalglish did begin the process of phasing him out from the first-team last year, so the club aren’t really dependent on him on a game-to-game basis any more. I think his inclusion in the first team at the moment is more to do with Skrtel’s poor form.”

**Q3. What about the depth of the squad; is there anything missing in your opinion?**

“With Carragher going, Rodgers will certainly need to add to his defensive options. On a similar note, Martin Skrtel has regressed this season, and it’s unclear whether Sebastian Coates is really ready to play for the first-team on a regular basis, so I think Rodgers will try to add at least two new central defenders in the summer. I still feel that when Lucas is absent Liverpool don’t really have a natural ball-winner, so Rodgers might want to try to sign another defensive midfield player. Joe Allen just isn’t strong enough to carry out that role effectively. I imagine Jack Robinson (who has recently gone out on loan to Wolves) will have a more prominent role in the first-team next season so Jose Enrique (if he stays) will have competition, while Andre Wisdom and Martin Kelly are both good enough to keep Glen Johnson on his toes. Liverpool are well covered in central midfield, while Rodgers has solved the lack of options he had up front. Another established winger would be nice, but if Suso and Raheem Sterling both progress next season Liverpool should be well stocked in that department.”

**Q4. Keeping on the theme of the defence, Liverpool have looked quite shaky at the back for periods this season. What would you put this down to and what can be done to sort the problems?**

“Now this is a subject which, on the face of it, is baffling. Last season only two clubs (both Manchester sides) had a better defensive record than Liverpool in the Premier League. The first-choice back four of Glen Johnson, Jose Enrique, Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger are all experienced Premier League players, with a healthy average age of just under 28 – arguably all four players are at or approaching their peak age. Dalglish successfully phased out Carragher from his status as first-team regular and started to pair Agger and Skrtel, which when you consider their attributes, is a very balanced Premier League defensive partnership.

The tactical adjustments Brendan has made – such as really encouraging the full-backs to bomb on – often leaves the two central defenders exposed. He appears to have undone some of the good work Steve Clarke had done in sorting out the way the defence deal with set-pieces, because that appears to be an area of the game where Liverpool really struggle at the moment. And Rodgers’ idea of players playing their way out of tricky spots has led to one or two mistakes – most notably Manchester City’s second equalising goal at Anfield earlier this when Skrtel failed to hoof it upfield and played a blind pass into the path of Carlos Tevez.”

**Q5. How big could the signing of Daniel Sturridge be for Liverpool?**

“Have to admit, I was extremely sceptical when he joined Liverpool. I had previously thought of him as a selfish player who placed individual importance above the team, and one whose body language on the field often looked poor. His goalscoring record at Chelsea was decent, but I didn’t really see him as someone who would be able to lead the line.

I am glad to say that I have been proved wrong. It’s been a joy to see him form a relationship with Luis Suarez so quickly, but I’ve been really impressed with the way he’s simultaneously fitted into the team and added a new dynamic. His presence on the field frees up Suarez, and I think the Uruguayan is much more effective when Sturridge is playing. We lost three key squad members last season – Craig Bellamy, Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt – whose movement and finishing inside the box proved to be invaluable, so it’s great to finally have another player who takes up those positions and is ready to follow-up shots.

I think Sturridge realises this might be his last chance to really establish himself as a key player for a top Premier League side, and so far he has grasped that opportunity with both hands. England don’t really have any outstanding out-and-out centre-forwards (Wayne Rooney aside), so this could be the chance for him to stake a claim for a berth in Roy Hodgson’s team too.

To answer the initial question – he could be as big a player for Liverpool as he wants to be.”

**Q6. Luis Suarez is a world-class player and he’ll be wanted by numerous clubs. Can you realistically see Liverpool being able to keep him for a long period of time?**

“Without the offer of Champions League football, no. I get the impression he is genuinely very happy at Liverpool – and that he and his family are settled in the city – but a player of that quality will surely want to test himself among Europe’s best, especially as he reaches his peak years. I do think he will stay this summer (unless FSG decide to cash in on him), especially as he must feel a debt of gratitude for the way in which the club supported him throughout the Patrice Evra affair. And Rodgers has also started to alleviate the attacking burden from his shoulders by bringing in Sturridge and Coutinho. But getting back into the Champions League as soon as possible is a must if Liverpool want to hang on to him in the long-term.”

**Q7. FSG took over Liverpool in October 2011. Since then they’ve made two managerial changes, paid some pretty high transfer fees and look to have decided upon regenerating Anfield. How would you assess their time as owners of Liverpool?**

“FSG have certainly presided over an eventful period in Liverpool’s recent history. They absolutely made the right decision in axing Hodgson, but although I’m fully behind Rodgers, I felt it was quite harsh getting rid of Kenny Dalglish. They have provided their managers with funds, but it’s just unfortunate that both Rodgers and Dalglish have wasted large portions of the money made available to them. The stadium issue still hasn’t been sorted, and there are obviously concerns about the (lack of) time they actually spend in Liverpool. The jury is still out for me on FSG.”

**Q8. What would your expectations be for the remainder of Liverpool’s season?**

“In terms of performance in the league, I think it’s important that the club better last season’s eighth-place finish. Finishing in a Champions League place will be very difficult – I don’t see Chelsea or Tottenham slipping up badly enough in order to allow Liverpool to capitalise – but Everton and Arsenal can both be caught up. Everton are short of bodies and could suffer from end-of-season fatigue, whereas Arsenal could collapse in the wake of their Champions League and FA Cup exits.”