by NANNY RED » Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:52 am
From TLW
I think it is fair to say the vast majority of fans want Hodgson out....considering we are regarded as being one of the most fair-minded, patient and reasonable rational bunch of football fans you will ever find, then it is quite a staggering achievement by Roy to basically lose 90%* of us within a couple of months and around 20 games in total
(*conservative estimate based on various internet forums, radio phone-ins, newspapers, talking to random fans.......on the other hand Roy has an unusually high percentage of media men fighting his case, considering their usual instinct is to lead the angry mob and start the feeding frenzy this is highly unusual)
We have not become a kneejerk Newcastlelike mob overnight, we are not so thick to think that changing a manager means all will be bliss but the fact is that in every facet of his management Roy has been an abysmal and diabolical failure.
Most of us were underwhelmed by his appointment in the first place, others were still smarting from Rafa's departure, but after the signing of Cole and the promise of a fresh start I think we decided to give the guy a fair go.
But how shall we judge a manager?
his signings? - konchesky, poulsen and jones...none of us wanted these guys when we were linked with them, we all warned against these signings, but having been signed we pledged to support them, we hoped we were wrong, we hoped Roy was right....he wasn't
tactics? - many people didn't like rafa's cautious and highly tactical chesslike approach.....Roy makes Rafa's tactics seem like Kevin Keegan mid 90's Newcastle or Ossie Ardiles Spurs 5 man attack...basically we have a 10 man protective corden, no width and boot it up to Torres to battle for it amongst 4 defenders, it is the opposite of total football, 35 years in football and Roy has come up with the wonderous footballing philosophy that is "zero football", no wonder he got the lma award, the guy is a pioneer
media? - jesus, I think he thinks he is the articulate voice of modern football, he thinks because he has read a few phillip roth and j.m coetzee novels that it gives him the right to spout absolute garbage at every opportunity...he fanices himself as an intellectual among cliche-ridden football men, but the truth is he sounds like the embarrassing drunken uncle at the wedding. He also seems to think he is managing a midtable nothing team and not the most successful club in English footballing history, he fails to defend our players or accept responsibility for the worst sequence of results in 50 years, he is nice and pally with mediamen and rival managers so the picture painted is of a good man wronged, but secretly Roy these chums of yours are laughing as you seek to complete their secret agenda of taking down the most magnificent footballing institution this country has ever seen. Oh and of course let's constantly remind everybody that the man who hasn't won away in a year and a half and whose last trophy was the Swedish reindeer antlers sponspored friendship charity cup is one of the most well-respected, well-spoken, well-loved (Did I mention I won the LMA award) managers the world has ever seen
performances? Terrible, worst I've ever seen....not in one of the 20 games you've been in charge of have I actually thought after the game, yeah we played well there...I am bored watching the team I love now.....I don't expect goals or even chances from the team I love now.....I don't expect football from the team I love now, and even after saying all that the very least I expect is some fight, some passion and some organisation and you have failed to even provide that too. We have some of the best players in the world, almost every player in our squad is an international and yet we lose to Northampton and Blackpool at Anfield and are 19th in the table....yet you talk as if everything is just fine and dandy...yet another thing you lack is dignity.
The truth is the guy is not a Liverpool manager and most of the fans want him out but the most important question is will the board act?
Noises from NESV yesterday were that they would support him, but that is almost standard noise from new owners.
Purslow looks like he is being retained, NESV will no doubt refer to him about the merits or otherwise of keeping Roy on. Purslow has earned himself some credit with the demise of H&G but will he stubbornly stand by his appointment as we lurch from one embarrassing defeat to another or will he admit he got it wrong and let Roy move on to a club that is more suited to his style of management?
How much more can we take? How cut-throat are the owners? How much will they take into account the ever-increasing levels of fan discontent with Roy's tenure here?
What about the rumours that NESV are meeting with Roy tomorrow? Will that just be a formality, discussing future plans with guy and deciding how much money they want to give to a guy who spunked 12 million on Jones, Konchesky and Poulsen? Or perhaps they'll take a firm line with the guy, give him a date by which performances must improve?
My guess is he will get until Christmas and if by then we are not at least in mid-table then Kenny will take over as caretaker until we can secure a really big and available name.
I know almost all of us want him gone now but I fear he'll be given until Christmas. I hope he proves me wrong but I don't think he will. One final possibility is that he will resign but that would entail a gesture of dignity and integrity that so far he has failed to provide evidence he is capable of.
HE WHO BETRAYS WILL ALWAYS WALK ALONE