The Liverpool manager cannot win for losing in
the eyes of many fans whose attitude is neither helpful nor
fair
Once upon a time, Liverpool used to
enjoy a reputation, one their supporters would proudly boast about,
for not being the sort of club to sack a manager – certainly not
after a few months in the job. One or two incumbents in the last
few years may have been eased in the direction of the exit door but
only after several seasons, never as a knee-jerk reaction. Since
Bill Shankly demonstrated the enormous benefits a
simpatico manager could bring to the club if allowed to go
about his business without interference, the Liverpool way has been
to try to appoint the right man in the first place, then back him
to the hilt.
Either we now live in less patient times or the above model of
trust and reciprocity was based on Liverpool always being able to
deliver a certain level of success. Six months into Roy Hodgson's tenure several Liverpool fan
websites have joined forces to publish the news that in an online
poll of more than 4,000 supporters 95% would like to see the
manager sacked immediately. The reason? Hodgson is not considered
to be "up to the task" of managing Liverpool.
There may be other reasons too. Hodgson was unwise enough
recently to criticise websites for writing ridiculous things, which
is a bit like moaning that the rain is wet, and unsurprisingly took
a dim view of supporters chanting "Dalglish" during losing
Liverpool performances. If Hodgson is rubbing his new public up the
wrong way, the feeling is mutual – though that does not make him a
bad manager or even a poor choice for the Anfield job. Hodgson's
exploits with Fulham alone suggest the opposite, not to mention his
travels around Europe.
Purists may have a point in saying he is trying to impose a
regimented and overly direct style on the side but simplicity has
never been a dirty word at Liverpool. It appears at least as likely
that Hodgson finds himself a convenient scapegoat, an easy outlet
for a whole set of terrace frustrations, from American ownership to
dwindling interest in domestic titles and dropping out of the
Champions League bracket.
Given that Dalglish has been out of management for more than a
decade and was not taken seriously by the board when he put himself
forward for the job in the summer, there is no guarantee the former
hero could do anything to restore former glories more quickly.
Indeed it is almost tempting to hope his supporters might get what
they wish for, just to see whose name terrace loyalists would chant
were Dalglish to take Liverpool into the bottom three, lose at home
to Northampton or take a beating at Stoke.
But that would be unfair on Hodgson. Before running out of steam
at Wigan, then losing at the Britannia, Liverpool had put together
an impressive sequence of four straight wins, including results
against Chelsea and Napoli. Most teams would be happy with that,
even Chelsea these days, but it was clearly not enough to convince
Liverpool fans that Hodgson has what it takes.
The feeling is growing that nothing short of leading Liverpool
instantly back to the top of the league, which is not going to
happen, is going to produce a happy ending for Hodgson here. At the
moment he cannot do right for doing wrong. When he spoke bluntly
about Glen Johnson, quite reasonably suggesting the full-back could
do better, the player took offence and the manager was criticised
for his handling of senior internationals, even though most people,
including Johnson himself, eventually, could see he had a
point.
Now Hodgson is attracting flak for failing to promote Dani
Pacheco, a 19-year-old Spanish starlet, quickly enough. Not many
people have seen enough of Pacheco to have an opinion on the
matter: he has appeared in only a handful of games in three years
since being lured from Barcelona and one of those was the dismal
Carling Cup defeat against Northampton. Hodgson's view is that
Pacheco is not quite ready but no sooner had a move back to Spain
been mooted than the fans were complaining that all Rafa Benítez's
good work was being undone.
Even though there was common consent at the start of the season
that Liverpool had far too many players who were nowhere near the
first team and the squad needed trimming, Hodgson's assessment of
fringe players is being questioned. Hodgson says Pacheco had his
chance against Northampton and failed to impress. His critics say
the manager was naive to send out a raw teenager against a highly
motivated lower-league side looking for an upset.
In the middle of all this, Hodgson cannot win. Liverpool are in
the Europa League, as were Fulham last season, but there is not
going to be another thrilling run to the final. Liverpool could
easily reach the final but it will not be thrilling. The Europa
League is a hollow consolation for a club of their stature.
Liverpool would dearly love to be where today's opponents, Spurs,
are: rampaging through the Champions League group stage, coming
back from two goals down against Arsenal, keeping in touch with the
league leaders and worrying their manager might leave for
England.
They should, though, consider where Spurs have been these past
49 years: not winning the league; nowhere near the European Cup;
not even an FA Cup final since Gazza was a lad. Spurs have had to
be endlessly patient and for that reason it is hard to begrudge
them their success. Exactly the opposite applies to Liverpool and
their hard-to-please fans ought to realise it. Plenty of others
have waited 20 years for a title too, without two European Cup
finals, a Uefa Cup, three FA Cups, three League Cups and regular
Champions League football in the meantime.
After almost half a century of feasting, Liverpool fans are
having to put up with a small famine and everyone has to know about
it. You do not have to be Hodgson to feel that a period of silence
from them now would be appreciated.