Brendan Rodgers, a new risk worth taking

Since the glory days of Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool reign, the team from Merseyside has failed to replicate their scintillating form, which saw Uefa rank them as Europe’s best in 2009. In-house turmoil during the Hicks Gillet era, along with Benitez’s growing disillusion, saw the Reds begin a decline which has since morphed into a free-fall. Champion’s league qualification had been a cert for Liverpool over the past decade, yet the last two seasons have seen them languish a million miles away from football’s Holy Grail, amazingly finishing 17 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham. What would have been viewed as sacrilege in years gone by has slowly become habit, one which the Anfield faithful have reluctantly accepted and become accustomed to, a bitter pill to swallow for the most ardent of fans. Following Benitez’s acrimonious departure in 2010, Liverpool’s top brass looked to the experienced and seasoned Roy Hodgson to garner a pre-emptive steadying of the ship. Their vision failed miserably as the savvy veteran was serenaded with a chorus of boos whenever results weren’t up to par. Cries of “Dalglish, Dalglish” rippled through the stands, as Hodgson was made well aware of his standing within the club. The fans demanded the re-instatement of their beloved king, and on Jan. 8, 2010, their calls were heeded as the board sacked Hodgson, replacing him with club legend Kenny Dalglish. In all fairness, the newly appointed England manager never stood a chance. From the offset he was plagued by a shadow which persistently hung over his head. He may have been the right man at the wrong time – time will never tell. He is instead another team manager whose failed tenure will be consigned to the waste bin along with thousands before him and thousands after him, a harsh commentary on the cut-throat nature of the game, which has left countless victims in its wake. Dalglish’s effect was felt immediately as he transformed the team’s fortunes and eventually led them to a commendable sixth place, after they had hovered perilously over the relegation zone. By the end of the following season though, the novelty had worn off for the American owners and even some of the fans. An eighth place finish – their worst points tally in over 50 years – led to the dismissal of Dalglish, the King unthinkably falling on the proverbial sword. The sequence of events stretching from 2009 to 2011 provide us with telling insight into the team’s current predicament. The board entrusted the tried and tested trio of Benitez, Hodgson and Dalglish, and the outcome in all three cases was adverse and unsatisfactory. Therefore, the decision has been taken to introduce a fresh face, someone who embodies a particular ethos, a style of football that will refurbish the stagnating tactics that Liverpool have implemented for the better part of a decade. Out with the old and in with the new; enter former Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers. Although the American owners seemed to dilly dally between coaches before making their final decision, they have vehemently maintained that Rodgers was always the unanimous first choice. Tom Werner, Liverpool chairman, said: “There was a process and it was the right to have a process. Brendan was at the forefront of that thinking, evidenced by the fact we asked Swansea very early on. He was the only person we made an offer to. We got the person we wanted.” The truth of the matter is open to conjecture, with the Americans casting their web far and wide in the search for a new boss. They met with Wigan’s Roberto Martinez on no less than three occasions, and were reportedly poised to offer him the vacancy. It cannot be stated enough though that Rodgers, on the exterior at least, seems to fit the bill. He earned numerous plaudits and admirers for the style of football he employed at Swansea, with the emphasis being on ball retention, passing and moving. The style is what the team prospered from and were renowned for in the ’70s and ’80s, the Liverpool way that the unwavering fans have pined for. With the current crop of players at his disposal, Rodgers should find his philosophies rather straightforward when introducing them to the players. The Reds lost possession far too easily at times last season, and if they are to challenge the likes of the Manchester clubs as well as the London trio of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, then something has to change, and flamboyancy and cutting-edge football may be the key. Although declining the chance to speak to FSG the first time around, Rodgers couldn’t resist when it was made public that he was the outstanding candidate. “When Liverpool came back in for a second time and said I was the No. 1 choice, then you have to think seriously about it. I spoke with the chairman Huw Jenkins, who is a fantastic man, and he gave me permission to speak. Once I found out that I was the No. 1 target from the important people at Liverpool, then it was quite an easy decision,” he said. Above all else, it is of the utmost importance that Rodgers be given time and patience in order to instill and ingrain his ethics and ideologies. Liverpool undoubtedly are in rebuilding mode, and unrealistic expectations will do nothing but harm and deter the team. The owners are building for the future, and how better to do that than with a man who is still just 39 years old, yet stands tall and commands respect. Just like Rodgers, Bill Shankly had achieved nothing of significance prior to his Anfield days. Yet he completely replenished Liverpool and created a dynasty. All those who hold Liverpool close to their hearts will be hoping lightning strikes twice. From / Daily Star