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Posts Tagged ‘security’

• Despite supporter dissatisfaction Hodgson will persevere
• ‘I want to be here, to change things, to turn it around’

Roy Hodgson insists he will never quit as Liverpool manager as he remains convinced he is the man to lead the club back to former glories. The Anfield crowd turned on the 63-year-old after Wednesday’s defeat to Wolves but despite speculation increasing about his future he stressed he would never walk away.

Hodgson apologised for causing offence to supporters after saying that he had not seen the “famous Anfield support” in his time at Liverpool. His side sits three points above the relegation zone after their worst start to a season since 1953-54 and faces sixth-placed Bolton Wanderers at home on New Year’s Day with the pressure building.

“It has taken me a long while to get to this elevated position coaching one of the best clubs in Europe,” said the former Fulham manager. “I was very pleased to get the job – I left a very good job to take it – so the last thing in my mind is walking away from a club like this or walking away from football.

“I want to be here, I want to change things, I want to turn it around and I want to help the club and the new owners get the success they want. There is no security as a Premier League manager and when you take any job you don’t take it for security, you take it because you believe you can do it and do it well.

“No one gives you security because having the job I have there are an awful lot of people who would like to be standing where I am today. There are a lot of people who believe they can do the job better so that would automatically diminish your security. But you believe you can justify the faith of other people who have appointed you.”

Despite recent performances having taken a turn for the worse it seems the owners, New England Sports Ventures, are reluctant to effect a change of manager at the current time.

“I can only beg for the patience and the time we need to do it, especially considering the difficult start we’ve had,” he said. “I am confident given that time and the competencies I possess and the quality of players we have in the club – with the possibility of maybe adding to that in future transfer windows – this club will once again be up the top there.

“In the past there was a little bit more time and patience but that has diminished over the years. If you go back over a longer period there was more patience as people realised it took time to build a team and turn things around.

“Now we – those of us who are working and those who are supporting – want the change to come very quickly. I know with the right amount of time and patience and with a little bit of luck we will get back to where we should be. We are not there at the moment and we have to keep working towards it.”

Hodgson admits the criticism he has received is painful but pointed out he has been in many difficult situations before and believes he will turn things around.

“Of course it hurts, The day when it becomes water of a duck’s back is the day you don’t do the job,” he said. “The job is about sadness and occasionally it is about a bit of gladness and euphoria. This year there has been plenty of sadness – there’s been a few glad moments – but I’m confident that will change.

“Strangely enough, two or three weeks ago everything was looking very bright and people were being very positive. Suddenly after a defeat at Newcastle and a very bad defeat at home to Wolves things have swung round enormously.

“Let’s not make everything ridiculously doomy and gloomy because we lost a game. We are not in a crisis situation but on Wednesday we let ourselves down very badly and we have to bounce back and give a totally different performance against Bolton.”

The midfielder Joe Cole is the only injury concern for tomorrow’s visit of Bolton after the England international aggravated an ankle problem in training.

Roy HodgsonLiverpoolguardian.co.uk

• Sunday showdown at Anfield is pivotal for Merseysiders
• ‘The season starts again now’ says Argentinian midfielder

It is December and Javier Mascherano is talking of starting all over again, which is precisely what Rafael Benítez announced moments after Fiorentina brought Liverpool’s Champions League campaign to a suitably dispiriting end. The match against Arsenal tomorrow, they hope, can mark a watershed for a team over the worst of its injuries and only four points adrift of their depleted guests. But the fact they are longing for a new beginning demonstrates how badly Liverpool have veered off course.

In some respects there is reason behind Mascherano’s optimism. The Argentina captain has recaptured the form that attracted Barcelona’s attention in the summer, and may do so again, snapping at Fiorentina on Wednesday night as though the Champions League trophy was at stake and not disappearing over the horizon. Alongside him for the first time from the start stood Alberto Aquilani, sure of touch if not yet fitness, with Fernando Torres also returning to provide a world class outlet in attack. A victory over Arsenal would lend foundation to the new start although, having failed to build on previous league wins against Manchester United and Everton, it would be unwise to herald a corner turned. All we do know for sure about Liverpool tomorrow is that they can ill-afford to falter.

“December is a great chance for us, a great time to change everything,” said the Liverpoolmidfielder. “Maybe we don’t talk too much now about Liverpool’s season. Maybe we will talk in May if it was a good season or not. The season starts again now. We can’t change what has happened before but we can change the future. It’s difficult for everyone and we want to bring the confidence back. We want to play like we know we can.”

Wigan, Portsmouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa complete the month for Liverpool and a calendar year that began with the club top of the Premier League, presenting its first genuine title challenge in over a decade, ends with the team bereft of form and self-belief.

“It’s about confidence,” Mascherano said. “When you are not winning games in a row, you don’t have confidence and it is difficult to show all the qualities that you have. In football, 80% of the game is played in your head; the other 20% is physical and tactical. So we have got to start winning to bring the confidence back. We are together and we are working very hard in training sessions and in the games but sometimes it just doesn’t go for you. Maybe if we can win, the luck will change and we’ll be confident.”

The Argentinian is among those on whom Benítez depends for the leadership and character required to repair Liverpool’s season to qualify for the Champions League, an absolute necessity for the security of both the club’s finances and its leading figures. Doubts persist over Mascherano’s long-term future at Anfield, although talks on a contract extension have tentatively commenced and a January departure for Barcelona – if they could afford him – appears out of the question. The 25-year-old is reluctant to discuss his personal situation at Liverpool, though has stated: “I have two more years on my contract so I think I don’t have to say anything else.”

He is, however, more effusive on a fixture that last season delivered the final blow to Liverpool’s title hopes with a 4-4 draw. “We know it will be a really difficult game,” he said. “They play really well but we have beaten them here before and we have got to show we have got the players and a team to beat them again. It’s a great chance for us.

“I think in this moment we don’t have to talk too much. We have got to show our quality on the pitch. We can talk for days and days about how we can beat them. It’s important now that we show it. For the sake of the season, we have got to do it again. We beat Man United here this season and we played a good game but we really need to win against a top side to show everyone we can move forward.”

LiverpoolPremier LeagueAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk