Here's a more uplifting one:
BRILLIANT BRENDAN RODGERS IS WISE CHOICE TO REBUILD THE KOP
THE wise and wonderful appointment of Brendan Rodgers as the new manager of Liverpool has, apparently, been received with a mixed reception by the club’s supporters.
To which the only intelligent response is – shame on the doubters.
The arrival of Rodgers has also been greeted with a large dollop of scepticism from famous former players. Mark Lawrenson called it “the biggest gamble the club has taken in a long time”.
Jan Molby said: “I felt it was a job for an experienced manager.”
Shame on them, too.
It is an indication of how deep the anxiety has become at Liverpool after nearly a quarter of a century without a League title, that even the prospect of the most dazzling young managerial talent for many years taking charge at Anfield is greeted with coolness.
Caution is foolish and misplaced. It should be a time of rapture for Liverpool fans, a time for authentic optimism. For all their previous dithering, the American owners of the club have now made a stunningly good decision.
Brendan Rodgers is exactly the right man for Liverpool – a young, clever, ambitious, intensely hard-working manager with a philosophy of stylish possession football perfectly suited to the great traditions of Anfield.
His work in the past two seasons at Swansea has been exceptional. He created an attractive and successful team with relatively obscure players, he gave them the freedom to take the risks that bring reward, he refused to compromise on his principles and he won admiration all round the country from the people who really matter – the fans who actually go to matches.
At so many clubs in the Premier League there was a plaintive cry from supporters after their team had faced the Welsh side: ‘‘Why can’t we play like Swansea?’’
That was the most stirring evidence of the brilliance of Rodgers.
When Swansea drew at Anfield, after thoroughly outplaying the home team, they were applauded off the pitch by the Kop. Their instincts that day were sound.
In football it is easy to talk with fine words. Many managers do so, claiming they are committed to a high-quality attacking strategy, but swiftly becoming dull, dour and pragmatic when the heat is on.
Fine action is the only proof of fine words. That is what Rodgers has delivered.
He has the courage of a deeply held conviction that possession football is the way to play; he has the moral courage to demand his team do not succumb to panicky long balls but pass their way out of trouble.
When Swansea did this with such devastating flair against Arsenal and Spurs, the pundits cooed in appreciation.
When they lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United, one misplaced pass in defence allowing Ryan Giggs to score, the pundits sagely said the style was too risky.
I was at that game, and the response afterwards of Rodgers was instructive. He took all the blame, saying that some mistakes were inevitable, but that he would brook no compromise in how his team played football. It was a seriously impressive man talking.
While Liverpool mulled over the appointment of a new boss in the past couple of weeks, Rodgers was not hanging desperately on the end of a phone waiting for a call.
He was at the Spanish international camp ahead of Euro 2012, watching how the world champions train and prepare their players. Once again, seriously impressive.
Rodgers will bring his pure football style to Liverpool, and it will be fascinating to see how England players like Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and even captain Steven Gerrard adapt to the new system.
The often poor first touch of Carroll, for example, does not look an ideal fit. Nor, in truth, does the individualistic and instinctive football of Gerrard, however dynamic and inspirational it can be. The Liverpool skipper’s fondness for Hollywood killer passes seems at odds with the way of Rodgers, yet he is surely good enough to thrive in a fresh style.
Whichever players flourish, whichever stars are left flailing, there is no doubt in my mind that Liverpool have just made the most wise and wonderful decision in their recent history.
They will now become a club with a thoroughly modern manager and a team playing thoroughly modern football – and they will soon enough once again be credible challengers for the Premier League title.
BRILLIANT BRENDAN RODGERS IS WISE CHOICE TO REBUILD THE KOP
By Jim HoldenTHE wise and wonderful appointment of Brendan Rodgers as the new manager of Liverpool has, apparently, been received with a mixed reception by the club’s supporters.
To which the only intelligent response is – shame on the doubters.
The arrival of Rodgers has also been greeted with a large dollop of scepticism from famous former players. Mark Lawrenson called it “the biggest gamble the club has taken in a long time”.
Jan Molby said: “I felt it was a job for an experienced manager.”
Shame on them, too.
It is an indication of how deep the anxiety has become at Liverpool after nearly a quarter of a century without a League title, that even the prospect of the most dazzling young managerial talent for many years taking charge at Anfield is greeted with coolness.
Caution is foolish and misplaced. It should be a time of rapture for Liverpool fans, a time for authentic optimism. For all their previous dithering, the American owners of the club have now made a stunningly good decision.
Brendan Rodgers is exactly the right man for Liverpool – a young, clever, ambitious, intensely hard-working manager with a philosophy of stylish possession football perfectly suited to the great traditions of Anfield.
His work in the past two seasons at Swansea has been exceptional. He created an attractive and successful team with relatively obscure players, he gave them the freedom to take the risks that bring reward, he refused to compromise on his principles and he won admiration all round the country from the people who really matter – the fans who actually go to matches.
At so many clubs in the Premier League there was a plaintive cry from supporters after their team had faced the Welsh side: ‘‘Why can’t we play like Swansea?’’
That was the most stirring evidence of the brilliance of Rodgers.
When Swansea drew at Anfield, after thoroughly outplaying the home team, they were applauded off the pitch by the Kop. Their instincts that day were sound.
In football it is easy to talk with fine words. Many managers do so, claiming they are committed to a high-quality attacking strategy, but swiftly becoming dull, dour and pragmatic when the heat is on.
Fine action is the only proof of fine words. That is what Rodgers has delivered.
He has the courage of a deeply held conviction that possession football is the way to play; he has the moral courage to demand his team do not succumb to panicky long balls but pass their way out of trouble.
When Swansea did this with such devastating flair against Arsenal and Spurs, the pundits cooed in appreciation.
When they lost 1-0 at home to Manchester United, one misplaced pass in defence allowing Ryan Giggs to score, the pundits sagely said the style was too risky.
I was at that game, and the response afterwards of Rodgers was instructive. He took all the blame, saying that some mistakes were inevitable, but that he would brook no compromise in how his team played football. It was a seriously impressive man talking.
While Liverpool mulled over the appointment of a new boss in the past couple of weeks, Rodgers was not hanging desperately on the end of a phone waiting for a call.
He was at the Spanish international camp ahead of Euro 2012, watching how the world champions train and prepare their players. Once again, seriously impressive.
Rodgers will bring his pure football style to Liverpool, and it will be fascinating to see how England players like Andy Carroll, Jordan Henderson and even captain Steven Gerrard adapt to the new system.
The often poor first touch of Carroll, for example, does not look an ideal fit. Nor, in truth, does the individualistic and instinctive football of Gerrard, however dynamic and inspirational it can be. The Liverpool skipper’s fondness for Hollywood killer passes seems at odds with the way of Rodgers, yet he is surely good enough to thrive in a fresh style.
Whichever players flourish, whichever stars are left flailing, there is no doubt in my mind that Liverpool have just made the most wise and wonderful decision in their recent history.
They will now become a club with a thoroughly modern manager and a team playing thoroughly modern football – and they will soon enough once again be credible challengers for the Premier League title.
