Monday 10 January 2011

Roy off and The Return of The King

What a crazy week to be a Liverpool fan!

From another humiliating defeat at Blackburn, to seeing Roy Hodgson finally being put out of his misery, and then for King Kenny to step into the breach it really has been something else.

Ok so we lost at Man United on Sunday, but at least we have a man in charge who knows how to win and restore pride back into a Liverpool side who had clearly lost their way under the last regime. Now while it is easy to blame Mr Hodgson, the players have to shoulder some of the blame for what has gone on the first half of the season so it is now up to them to perform under the greatest of them all. Because if they can't get fired up for him, then surely they have no chance at all.

Anyway I'm gonna leave you with two articles I have written just to contrast the moods that I, and many other Liverpool fans were feeling at different points in the past week. Enjoy.

Time To Go
The Christmas and New Year period has been anything but festive for anyone connected for Liverpool Football Club. Postponed matches and demoralising defeats at home to Wolves, and then Blackburn last night, have left the reds just four points above the drop zone and with a goal difference of -3.

From title challengers to mid-table mediocrity in just two years, Liverpool have fallen quicker than any other club in the Premier League. But where does the blame lie?

From American owners who promised so much then delivered £350 million worth of debt, to former manager Rafael Benitez, many fans believe the blame lies at the feet of current boss Roy Hodgson.

While many aspects of the media deem this to be unfair on a man who took Fulham to the Europa League Final last season, the evidence is recriminating to say the least. Not only has he been at odds with the fans over their ‘small noise’ with regards to the protests at ex-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, he strangely claimed that defeat to local rivals Everton in October was the best he had seen his team play all season.

In addition to this Hodgson’s style of football and lack of wins away from home, (just one all season and 5 points from a possible 30 gained) has not gone down well with the Kop. So much that ironic chants of ‘Hodgson for England’ could be heard from the Liverpool fans last week, as well as last night at Ewood Park.
But it’s important that the players shouldn’t be absolved from any blame. They too have played a part in what has been an awful campaign for everyone connected with the reds. The likes of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard have been pale shadows of their former selves.

If Hodgson thought his situation was to get any easier in the meantime, he is sadly mistaken. On Sunday his beleaguered side face old enemies Manchester United in the 3rd round of The FA Cup. Normally Liverpool fans would be anticipating such a contest and hoping for a win, but such is their current predicament that is anything but the case.

Regardless of whatever happens on Sunday it is clear that Hodgson is not the right man for the job. The longer he remains in charge, the more likely Liverpool’s nightmare season will continue. 

Long live The King
On Saturday 8th January 2011, Roy Hodgson’s brief and disappointing tenure as Liverpool manager came to an end.

For many reds fans, this day couldn’t have come quick enough, even if it was on the eve of the biggest match of the season so far, an FA Cup 3rd Round tie away at Manchester United. So who would be willing to take over the reins and be faced with the unenviable task of trying to revive Liverpool’s fortunes? Step forward none other than Kenneth Mathieson Dalglish, or ‘King Kenny’ to those on the Kop.

Ok, maybe you should never go back and Kevin Keegan’s second spell in charge proved this theory correct. But Dalglish is something special and to those who worship him, the greatest player in the club’s history surely has nothing to lose?

Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, his stock will not fall to such an extent that fans will turn against him considering the part he has played in the club’s greatest period during the 1970’s and 1980’s. In addition to this, his family’s role as chief councillors to fans in the aftermath of the Hillsborough disaster will never be forgotten and just one of the many reasons why there will simply no greater servant to the club (besides Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley of course).

Despite Sunday’s result at Old Trafford, there is a renewed optimism amongst the ranks and the belief that Liverpool can turn their season around starting on Wednesday at Blackpool. Victory against Ian Holloway’s men would go some way to restoring confidence before a showdown against local rivals Everton this weekend where the atmosphere inside Anfield will surely be at its best for Dalglish’s first home game back in charge.

Liverpool may have lost on Sunday, but hopefully a bigger victory will be gained in the renaissance of a club who once dominated English football. The road ahead may be bumpy, but long-term stabilisation will surely be gained with ‘The King’ reigning from his Anfield throne.

Anyway hope them articles gave you an insight into the mind of a Liverpool fan. One last thing, we might have lost on Sunday but I am proud to say that I was part of our away end on Sunday. A few incidents aside, we were a credit to our team and for once supported them fully to the end, singing our hearts out along the way. The result might have put a dampner on proceedings but it felt good going on another awayday once again.

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