If the unthinkable happened and Rodgers was sacked.....

[Adebisi]

A manager cracking up or a media trying to stir things up? 

 

[Jairzinho]

Both probably.

[bonesman]

Taciturn Rodgers sticks to the script

Saturday, December 20, 2014

By Matt McGeehan

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was in an uncharacteristically abrupt mood ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Arsenal.

The Antrim man, usually so expansive in detailing his thoughts, provided only short responses to questions at his weekly press conference.

 

His briefing routinely lasts at least 15 minutes but yesterday’s session in the press room at the club’s Melwood training ground took all of four-and-a-half minutes — and that included 11 questions.

 

Rodgers should have been in an upbeat mood after a morale-boosting Capital One Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth in midweek, not only because of the result but aspects of the performance, but it seemed far from it.

 

Criticism of Liverpool and their manager has grown over the course of the season, which has so far failed to ignite for a variety of reasons after the fireworks of the previous campaign saw them finish second.

 

Most of it has made little difference to Rodgers’ demeanour but the Reds boss is known to be unhappy about recent media coverage suggesting there is unrest in the dressing room. He has denied there is a problem.

 

He was reluctant to provide anything other than cursory answers but did confirm Liverpool have accepted Mario Balotelli’s one-match ban, imposed on Thursday for his controversial social media posting, that Brad Jones would continue in goal and that they missed out on Arsenal striker Alexis Sanchez in the summer.

 

Balotelli indicated on Thursday evening his intention was to comply with the judgment of the independent panel and Rodgers confirmed that was the course of action Liverpool were taking.

 

“We accept the ban so that’s fairly clear,” he said.

 

Asked about the goalkeeping situation, whether he would consider signing a replacement in the January transfer window and whether he had money to spend, Rodgers said: “There’s no change. It’s not something I’m thinking about at the moment.”

 

Rodgers faces the prospect of his primary summer target Sanchez returning to haunt him at Anfield tomorrow.

 

He had hoped to secure the Chile international as part of the deal which took Luis Suarez to Barcelona, but when that was not possible he lost a straight fight with Arsenal, with the striker preferring London over Merseyside.

 

“All I know is that he’s a world-class player. He was identified as someone who could come in and be perfect for us,” Rodgers said.

 

“He’s a brilliant player with outstanding quality and even bigger work-rate. We know he will be a threat.”

 

While Sanchez has scored 14 goals this season, Liverpool have struggled up front in the continued absence of injured Daniel Sturridge, with both Balotelli and Rickie Lambert failing to offer a significant contribution.

 

In a change of tactics, Rodgers has played Raheem Sterling in the central striking role in the last two matches, and while the 20-year-old fluffed his lines at Old Trafford he looked sharp in scoring twice against Bournemouth.

 

“The kid has been fantastic wherever he’s played this season. He was outstanding the other night,” Rodgers said.

 

“It’s been incredible the stick the kid has received, with people trying to criticise him and put the focus on to him.

 

“He’s been outstanding for us and it was another great performance from him the other night, in a difficult game.”

 

In terms of where he will play Sterling tomorrow, Rodgers added: “We’ll see what’s in the best interests of the team.”

 

Reports in France suggesting the club have agreed a £4.7 million fee with Lille to end the loan spell of striker Divock Origi but these are wide of the mark.

 

It is understood the situation regarding the young Belgium international, who Liverpool bought for £10m in the summer on the strict condition he remained at the Ligue 1 club for this season, has not changed.

© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved

 

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/taciturn-rodgers-sticks-to-the-script-303591.html?

[Anubis]

Because the press conference is split in two. There's the video press conference essentially for LFC.tv and other media outlets then there is what's called the 'written press conference' for the papers.

 

I dont know if its obligatory but I suspect it is seeing as all PL clubs \ managers do it.

 

He should have spent 2 minutes on each then.

[El Dangerous]

He is right about the formation though, just look at United when they had 3 at the back. Might want to wait a bit before he starts sucking himself off though, it's only Bournemouth.

[Herp McDerp]

Comes across a bit churlish there, the quite regarding recognition for foreign coaches is disturbingly fat sammish as well.

[mcjackson]

You know what, fair play to him. I've spent the past couple of months criticizing everything he's done, and while I still don't have much confidence in him I'm impressed with the 3-4-3 and I'm glad he's taken a different tack with the media.

 

Maybe the press conference showed a dejected manager on the way out, or maybe he's finally learned to stop talking circles around himself and take a harder line with the same reporters who are itching to provoke and write about his downfall.

 

I still think he's making consistently poor decisions with the players he has (not resting Sterling or Gerrard, refusing to play Borini/Can, everything Lovren...). So while I think he's his own worst enemy on defense, team selections, and in game management...I respect that he's fighting and actually putting a creative, positive formation together and not reacting to questions like the Sanchez one.

 

Wouldn't another 5-1 win be special right now...

[KopOut]

There was no progress in the league under Kenny, under Rodgers we have had a title challenge and got back in to the CL, when people bring up Kenny and compare the two they forget to mention this point.

Wish Kenny had been given his 3 years. Then a comparison could be made.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lee909]

I see no issue with a manger being short with the media.

They are a bunch of slippery cunts who will play nice so long as they are made to feel imprtant but the second they think they smell bloody they are circling the club and making complete shite up for weeks until its job done and somebody is fired. The cunts never had the backbone to go at whiskey nose and have a virtual love in with Arry and his car window comments. They are all slippery fucking worms that should be fucked off the face of the earth,especially that fat bluto looking cunt at the Mail. Another plague of the modern game that believes it important

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Talks too much, too short with the media. Can't do right for doing wrong.

[ritchie]

 

‘The other night (at Bournemouth) a British coach playing 3-4-3? People could think he has probably thrown the team together, he has played seven midfielders. If it was a foreign coach? It would probably have been a wonderful tactical idea.’

There was then a shake of the head.

 

He's definetly feeling it

 

 

What the fuck is he talking about? People have a go at him for not being able to organise a defence, and stop his side conceding goals, whatever formation he plays. 

 

If he was a foreign coach they'd have demanded his head on a stick by now for the omni-shambles of this season. The media have largely gave him a pass. Yes he's getting stick (that comes with the job) but they aren't calling him for him to go. He needs to stop reading the papers and obsessing over the media. It's not The Thick of it.

[ritchie]

but why sign another target man in balotelli when we ve already lambert? why not sign another quick forward who wants to run in behind?

 

why take so long to realise sterling can play there and we can fo back to playing the way we play best?

 

A manager's job is to make the best of what he's got. Regardless of the blame game for the summer (and he has to take his fair share) he spent September to mid December playing Ricky Lambert or Mario Balotelli on their own up front despite everyone saying it was a disaster. He didn't have to do that. Why's it taken him till now to change it? Even just playing Borini up would have allowed to press from the front  - a player Rodgers (not the committee) made a big deal of signing and saying how he'd excite the fans. 

 

Despite 5 desperate CL performances we still could have gone through by beating Basle at home. We start with Ricky Lambert up front on his own in a must win game! This is in December still. He takes him off at half time, leaving us too much to do in the game and then finally realises he can't do that anymore. You rarely see a manager as slow to realise things. 

 

When we signed Balotelli it was all spiel from Rodgers about how he'll adapt to him and he'll get the best out of him ("i've even got him defending corners" after his debut). Heads should roll at the committee for even identifying him but the manager agreed to it and it appealed to his vanity to think he could be the man to polish a turd. 

[Dr. J]

Well, he certainly gave Wenger a heads up on how we'll set up. Sounds like all in for Rodgers.

[Anubis]

If we lose he'll have heaped more pressure on himself.

[ritchie]

Always with the Sanchez wanted London thing. When 2/3 broadsheets reported the main reason he went for arsenal was Wenger going to meet him and convince him. Its laughable how much people have bought the whole "London" line.

 

We just didn't get our act together. And I don't blame Rodgers solely for that. Its a total collective failing from top to bottom as far as our transfers go

 

Isn't Sanchez' girlfriend still living in Spain?

 

Wenger actually got off his arse, stayed in Brazil for the World Cup and made the effort with Sanchez and his reps to convince him to sign. Then we jump in and decide "Sanchez would be a good replacement for Suarez" Rodgers signs off on it during his holidays with his new girl ad we're arrogant enough to think it's easy as that. But Wenger had already put the work in.

 

I remember Reina saying in his book that Rafa went on and on at him all summer to sign for him and wore him down. You really want a player you need to make the effort. That can be the difference between signing the player you really want and desperately grabbing what's left on the shelf. We usually go for the latter.

[Neil G]

Talks too much, too short with the media. Can't do right for doing wrong.

It's not that he's being short with them per se that people have an issue with, it's the way he's carried himself and the circumstances he's reacting to. He's come across like a moody teenager, in response to what under the circumstances is very mild criticism.

 

The foreign manager comment is embarrassing, it's the sort of thing that Allardyce and Moyes get ridiculed for on here. A foreign manager would have been torn to shreds for doing so badly after spending so much money. Rodgers has got off extremely lightly so far.

 

I'm surprised he's hit out like this when he's usually so composed, I suspect this is about more than just the media treatment. I wouldn't be surprised if he's had some bad news about the transfer window.

[Kevin D]

 

Talks too much, too short with the media. Can't do right for doing wrong.

I've been advocating a less cordial/passive response.

 

Would "Cunt ref" and "are you from Wigan, you wanker alarmed so many folk?

[Section_31]

Don't see the issue myself, there's nothing in his contract to say he needs to be polite to cunts.

[ratcatcher]

He should have spent 2 minutes on each then.

 

Yes, perhaps.

[ritchie]

Don't see the issue myself, there's nothing in his contract to say he needs to be polite to cunts.

 

I thought the interview for the written press was nicely abrupt (Rafa and Kenny were like that every press conference giving them nothing) but it was out of character for him to do that so you wondered why he's done it. Then he can't resist mouthing off in the other interview over "If I was Rodgerinho rather than a downtrodden British manager you'd be calling me a genius for devising a tactical plan to beat Bournemouth" and going off on one again about Balotelli. 

[Phoenix]

Isn't Sanchez' girlfriend still living in Spain?

 

Wenger actually got off his arse, stayed in Brazil for the World Cup and made the effort with Sanchez and his reps to convince him to sign. Then we jump in and decide "Sanchez would be a good replacement for Suarez" Rodgers signs off on it during his holidays with his new girl ad we're arrogant enough to think it's easy as that. But Wenger had already put the work in.

 

I remember Reina saying in his book that Rafa went on and on at him all summer to sign for him and wore him down. You really want a player you need to make the effort. That can be the difference between signing the player you really want and desperately grabbing what's left on the shelf. We usually go for the latter.

 

That is what it comes down to. If you are not going to blow them out of the water with wages and fee then you need to put the ground work in.

 

Same applies with the other players we have been linked with like Mkythriyaran, Costa and Salah etc

[Anubis]

Don't see the issue myself, there's nothing in his contract to say he needs to be polite to cunts.

 

Nobody's criticising him for not being polite. He's being criticised for throwing a tantrum for not being hailed as a genius because he beat Bournemouth with a new formation. It's embarrasing stuff.

 

Throw in the Sanchez/Balotelli commentary and it's positively negligence. No alternate suitable targets. Accepting taking Balotelli knowing the lad couldn't do what you want and then trying to force it anyway. If he and the committee aren't getting any money in January then the reasons why have been laid well and truly bare.

[Kevin D]

I thought the interview for the written press was nicely abrupt (Rafa and Kenny were like that every press conference giving them nothing) but it was out of character for him to do that so you wondered why he's done it. Then he can't resist mouthing off in the other interview over "If I was Rodgerinho rather than a downtrodden British manager you'd be calling me a genius for devising a tactical plan to beat Bournemouth" and going off on one again about Balotelli.

 

He's right.

 

He put together a formation that dominated the possession, scored three against dangerous opposition and got the best of our attackers. if his name was Brendani Rodgero, Cunt like Moof and Nv would be wanking themselves silly.

[Dr. J]

I reckon if anybody asked Sanchez he'd say that Arsenal were just a better fit for him - manager, stadium, London, teammates, etc.; some combination of all of these led him there.

 

There's even a club called Arsenal in Chile, you know.

[ritchie]

He's right.

 

He put together a formation that dominated the possession, scored three against dangerous opposition and got the best of our attackers. if his name was Brendani Rodgero, Cunt like Moof and Nv would be wanking themselves silly.

 

Formidable.

 

 

I reckon if anybody asked Sanchez he'd say that Arsenal were just a better fit for him - manager, stadium, London, teammates, etc.; some combination of all of these led him there.

 

There's even a club called Arsenal in Chile, you know.

 

If he simply just wanted to go to Arsenal, and it was as simple as that, then why did we waste our time with him and not just move on quickly if he had no interest in signing for us? One transfer target not wanting to join shouldn't ruin your whole season when you've got £120m+ to spend.