Henry Must Act Now to Hoover up Hicks’ and Gillett’s Managerial Mess

It was understandable why Hodgson was appointed. At the time of Rafa Benitez’ departure, the then Fulham manager was the toast of Europe, having guided a potentially mediocre Fulham side through the Europa League in ridiculously exciting and spirited fashion. He seemed, at the time, the ideal fig leaf for the PR shambles that was Tom Hicks’ and George Gillett’s moribund tenure at Liverpool F.C. He is, however, quite the opposite.

Roy Hodgson’s strongest and weakest attribute is his lack ambition.. When expectations are low, the revered anonymity of a man like Hodgson is a perfect blend, and anything but an oxymoron. At Fulham, Simon Davies talked about Hodgson’s training methods: “I don’t want to give any secrets away, but he gets the 11 that he wants for a match and drills everything in that he wants. It’s defensive drills and certain attacking drills – with no diagrams. It’s all on the pitch with the ball.” These fundamentals are ideal for Finland, Switzerland and Fulham, where egos and quality are scarce, but at Liverpool things are a lot different. Players like Gerrard, Torres, Cole and Meireles will not readily accept training sessions that feel more like school P.E. lessons. They need inspiration and tactical arrangement, and want to train in a manner befitting of their abilities.

Hodgson’s first season at Blackburn was a relative success, taking a low-to-mid-table side and qualifying for Europe. It was only with signings and expectations that Hodgson found the relegation places with Rovers. Once he had the money, the top six finish and the quality players, he was well out of his depth. His win average at Liverpool is now teetering on thirty-seven per cent, just 2 per cent above his record at the Lancashire club. At Inter, he guided the team to third place in Serie A, but at a time when expectations were low and, as Roy puts it himself: “We lacked stars, apart from Paul Ince. It wasn't the Inter we see today of household names. They weren't the best technically but physically they were like machines.” He wasn’t deemed the right man to take the club onto the next level, and left so that the Milan club could seek a more ambitious manager.

At Liverpool, expectations are not low, and there are household names in the squad. We have watched as Hodgson’s reputation has melted away, to reveal a squad discontented, tactically shackled and consistently exposed by fast attacks and by media vitriol. He is a true cliché of a “football man” and deserving of respect and praise, but Roy Hodgson’s chance to impress at the top level has gone.

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