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Posts Tagged ‘history’

• Fulham captain believes his manager has right personality
• ‘Liverpool need someone who understands the history’

Danny Murphy believes Roy Hodgson, his former manager at Fulham, is the ideal man to take charge of Liverpool. Hodgson was today confirmed as Rafael Benítez’s successor at Anfield on a three-year contract. Murphy believes that the return to an English manager – following the Frenchman Gérard Houllier and the Spaniard Benítez – is an important move for his former employers.

“Liverpool need someone who has an understanding of the history and heritage that lies behind the club and what it means in the context of English football,” he told the Daily Mirror. “People spoke about [José] Mourinho but I personally didn’t see him as an ideal fit with Liverpool because right now, they need someone who has an empathy for the club.

“I admire Roy Hodgson. He has a philosophy of playing good football which will fit well at Liverpool, and he gives players responsibility and a platform to work from. Maybe it is time Liverpool had an English manager who knows about the club.”

Murphy has flourished as the Fulham captain under Hodgson and has nothing but praise for a man who has previously managed, among others, Internazionale, Blackburn Rovers, Switzerland and Finland.

“Roy is a talented manager who succeeds because he works incredibly hard,” he added. “He instils confidence in his players and has a style the players can enjoy. His success has been a mix of a lot of things, but primarily hard work.

“He has real tactical knowledge too – in a way it has come from Roy’s Italian [managerial] roots, it is an Italian style.”

Roy HodgsonLiverpoolguardian.co.uk

• Chelsea focus on snuffing out Steven Gerrard’s threat
• Italian says hostile Anfield will not intimidate players

Carlo Ancelotti will experience the antipathy that rains down upon Chelsea on visits to Anfield for the first time tomorrow but insists Liverpool should respect their visitors’ “different history” as his side seek the victory that could yet win them the Premier League title.

Games between the two have been explosive since Roman Abramovich’s money transformed Chelsea into title contenders seven years ago. The Champions League meetings, whether the nouveau riche club were coached by José Mourinho, Avram Grant or Guus Hiddink, were fractious affairs with Liverpool’s supporters basking in bellowed reminders of their club’s five European Cups and 18 league championships.

That last record could be lost to Manchester United should Chelsea fail to secure their third league title under Abramovich’s ownership, though Ancelotti, whose Milan side confronted Rafael Benítez’s Liverpool in the Champions League finals of 2005 and 2007, called for a show of respect ahead of tomorrow’s encounter. “The past is the past,” the Italian said. “The Liverpool players will be focused on this game, only this. Everyone respects the history of Liverpool. Everyone has to have respect for our history, too. Maybe it’s a different history, but everyone has to have respect for the history of this club.”

Ancelotti expects an awkward challenge tomorrow despite Liverpool’s elimination from the Europa League by Atlético Madrid on Thursday and their season of desperate underachievement under Benítez. He will take heart from the absence of the injured Fernando Torres – whom he described as “one of the most important strikers in the world” – but will stress to his players the need to focus and spring from the blocks as they seek to avoid the sloppiness that cost them dearly in their recent defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Asked what his final message would be to his players before they run out at Anfield, Ancelotti said: “I will say the opposite to what I said before the Tottenham game. But for this kind of game, motivation will not be a problem for my players. We have 180 minutes before the end of the season and, if we stay focused for every one of those minutes and keep our concentration, we can be champions. We will win if we play at our best; we have to believe that we are able to win against Liverpool.

“We have had some problems and lost a lot of away games, particularly after going 1-0 up at places like Everton and Aston Villa. But every game is a different story. The performance against Stoke [won 7-0] last weekend will be good for us because, after we won 7-1 against Aston Villa, we went to Manchester United and won at Old Trafford. I hope we can repeat that same level of performance.”

John Terry will return to the visitors’ starting line-up after his one-match suspension against Stoke, with Branislav Ivanovic expected to revert to right-back at the expense of Paulo Ferreira. It is more than five years since Chelsea last won a league game at Anfield – Hiddink’s team did triumph there in the Champions League quarter-final last season – with Ancelotti wary of the threat their wounded hosts will pose and intent on snuffing out the dangerous Steven Gerrard, his nemesis in the 2005 final in Istanbul.

“We must pay attention to him because he’s their best player and so much of their play goes through his feet and his mind,” he said. “But Liverpool are a strong team and it’s difficult to win at Anfield. We have to remember that we’re up against a strong team with fantastic players in a difficult atmosphere.

“They played for two hours on Thursday night so, maybe, they’ll be a little bit tired, but I’ve never seen Liverpool look tired at Anfield. They play strongly every game, and will do again on Sunday. I think that Sunderland will do their best to beat United and Liverpool will do the same against us. Every team has respect for this Premier League and every team has to do their best until the end of the matches. Now, two games from the end, Liverpool are involved in the race for fourth place so every team has an aim to reach.

“But we know that, with two victories, we will be champions, so we have to focus on our games and that is it. Our aim at the start of the season was to win something. Now, 15 days from the end of the season, we are still involved in two important competitions. We’re happy with this and will try our best to bring something home. At the moment, I have a good feeling about things.”

• Mascherano says Liverpool’s standing gives them an edge
• ‘You can buy players but you cannot buy history’

Javier Mascherano dismissed Manchester City’s threat to Liverpool yesterday when he said the world’s wealthiest club could challenge their Champions League status but would never usurp their standing in the game. The Argentina captain also claimed the history of Liverpool remains a bigger draw to some players than the money on offer at Eastlands.

The Liverpool midfielder, who faces Roberto Mancini’s team at Eastlands tomorrow, is one of several high-profile names to have been linked with City in recent months, a roll-call that also includes his Anfield team-mate Fernando Torres. Not content with categorically dismissing the idea of a move along the M62, however, Mascherano believes City will remain in Liverpool’s shadow even if they do beat Rafael Benítez’s team to Champions League qualification this season.

“Maybe if City got in the top four they would build on that like Chelsea did before but I will say one thing: you can buy players but you cannot buy history,” said the Argentinian. “At Liverpool we play with the history of the club. We don’t have the money that they have but we are proud to play for Liverpool.

“I don’t want to play for Manchester City. Yes, they have money and they are building a good team but I am still proud to play for Liverpool. You can buy stars but you cannot buy history and I think Manchester City respect Liverpool. I think they know we have some very good players too and we will fight until the end. Then we will see what happens.”

Liverpool will arrive at Eastlands one point behind fourth-placed City, having also played a game more. But Mascherano, who has been in frequent contact with his friend and City striker Carlos Tevez this week over the premature birth of his child, believes Liverpool’s greater experience at the top end of the table gives them an advantage over the final months of the season.

“City have spent a lot of money to be in the four, more money than us,” he added. “They are a good team with good players but we have very good players too. We know that we are Liverpool and have to be in the top four because of the history of this club. It is normal for us to play under pressure and maybe it is not normal for them as a group.”

Benítez will again be without Torres tomorrow, although the Spanish striker is close to a return from knee surgery, and he will give Yossi Benayoun a late fitness test following his recovery from broken ribs. “If we win, they will need to win more games and it will be more difficult for them,” said the Liverpool manager. “They will be under more pressure if we win, that’s for sure.”

LiverpoolManchester CityAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk